Alice Springs, Gemtree and the Plenty Highway

Hello All, 
Well I had a few interesting days since my last post. Another 35mm of rain in Alice but the rain has finally cleared. So my thoughts were, the North East areas around Alice received the least rain, so head there first while the rest dries out. A plan was hatched, head out to Gemtree on the Plenty Highway, out to have a look about Harts Range and Jervois, then cut back across to Altunga, Trephina Gorge, Ross River and so on. Well that WAS the plan..................

I Headed off to Gemtree, which is a Gem fossicking area, the Campground there has a different concept......fill out a form, similar to a breakfast menu at a Motel and take away dinner is delivered on Quad bike to your campsite. The drive out to Harts Range is stunning with the Ranges on your right a lot of the way, between the still damp roads, washouts, cows and corrugations I didn't get too much time to admire them.

Harts Range

 At this stage I was starting to get a little concerned with a Camper Issue. The roof raising mechanism was making all sorts of noises and getting stiffer every day. Little wonder with all the rain and dust I subject it too. I needed to get some lubrication into this fairly soon, as I had visions of being 300k from anywhere and not being able to raise or lower the roof.
At least in Alice I could buy anything I needed to fix the problem, so as I was packing up to head back, two other issues came to light........I started filling the Fuel tank from my auxiliary fuel bladder and noticed that the fuel breather on the ute's filler neck has broken, possibly a stone hit, I am not sure, but 200k along a dusty corrugated, road this was allowing dust and dirt into my fuel tank and possibly water if it rained. They I noticed something else..............this one is my dumb fault. My first gas bottle lasted just under a year before it needed refilling, this time it lasted only 7 weeks, yep out of gas, but then I wasn't living in the camper full time before, lesson learned. Back to Alice it is, I phoned Kevin at Palomino RV in Queensland and he answered on a Saturday Afternoon, how is that for customer service and dedication! Top marks Kev, After getting advice on how to fix the Camper issue it will be off to the Great Wall Alice Dealer on Monday morning to order the part I need. Oh and I got the gas bottle refilled $38.50 in Alice, $25.00 back home.........When I sort these few small issues out I hope to spend Easter in Trephina Gorge in the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges or possibly Rainbow Valley
Bye for now...