QLD Convoy to Natmeet 2010

[Okibi]

Thanks for sharing your Natmeet experience, was great to see some friendly faces in your photos, have a safe trip home (but don't stop taking fantastic photos).

[Lokiel]

A road somewhere north of Adelaide

It can be hard to find a place to take an unscheduled+private "wiz" on the GAFA (Great Australian F-All)

[MX5-SP]

Thanks for the GREAT pix Stuart & Lisa... and for posting them so darn quickly too!

Ann and I arrived back in Sydney after a 1,400 km journey with the roof UP all the way due to the heavy rain. Fortunately we made Balranald ahead of a major downpour for our overnight stop on Tuesday. Squally rain all day today (Wednesday) and not worth bothering to prove the KDS principle so the roof stayed up. Stopped off in Narrandera, after a bug-splat-free-Hay Plain-crossing and bumped into Dave (of blue MX5+MX5 trailer fame) outside the bakery. Ann & I loitered around the town for a bit and Dave went on ahead. We saw him later in Wagga, but curiously he was going the opposite direction (...we figured the pies at Narandera were so good he just had to go back for a third).

The only other MX5 we saw on the whole trip back was a midnight blue NB around Campbelltown, which we followed for a while. Gave out a toot-toot when we passed it and got an enthusiastic wave back by the bearded chap in the cockpit.

In the next few days I expect to get around to assembling a few pix of our Natmeet 2010 experience (...which I can only sum up as EXCELLENT!) BTW: We're locked in for NatMeet 2012 in Canberra.

[MX5-SP]

...Oh, here's what I meant when I said Bug-Splat. I hear on very good authority that a certain red NC leading the pack down from Brizvegas copped it worse that this though.

[MINX]

GOR
Portland to Geelong today

[jules]

...Oh, here's what I meant when I said Bug-Splat. I hear on very good authority that a certain red NC leading the pack down from Brizvegas copped it worse that this though.

Just looks like it always does to me

Jules

[MX5-SP]

Just looks like it always does to me
Jules

...I'm just glad that none of those bugs got through the windscreen.



...just out of interest, Jules - do bug splats show-up white on the Malibu?

[MINX]

Well - Phewwwwwwww!
WE ARE HOME AT LAST
Just 6350km over 12 days.

Had a blast and look forward to 2012.
The trip there, and particularly the trip home, via Portland / GOR / Bright / Alpine region / Goulbourn / Tamworth etc was terrific.

[JBT]

...Oh, here's what I meant when I said Bug-Splat. I hear on very good authority that a certain red NC leading the pack down from Brizvegas copped it worse that this though.

...a piccy after heaps of the locusts had been brushed off It looks like Mrs JBT is saying "get this thing cleaned up ASAP!" . It went from this state to be class concours winner.

The hillclimb at Willunga was fantastic too. 6 runs and probably the only opportunity to do it unless you stump up the four figure $$$$ for a Classic Adelaide entry.

One of the best 6,100+ km runs I've ever done...and in such great company. Looking forward to 2012.

[MX5-SP]

...a piccy after heaps of the locusts had been brushed off It looks like Mrs JBT is saying "get this thing cleaned up ASAP!" . It went from this state to be class concours winner.

It looks like Mrs JBT did a fantastic job in managing the situation then.

BTW: Congratulations John in winning the CD'E award, especially after seeing the mess them goddamn bugs make ...if ever I need a kidney transplant I will insist they do the operation in your engine bay.

[JBT]

Thanks Andrew.

Some figures from the trip:

Total distance: 6183 km
Total fuel: 451.74 litres (mostly 95 RON but sometimes 98 RON)
Total fuel cost: $643.05
Economy from full tank to full tank: Average 7.3 l/100km, best 6.7 l/100km (Armidale to Brisbane), worst 8.5 l/100km (included Willunga hillclimb )

[rossint]

Just got back from an Adelaide-Sydney-Adelaide trip. Those locust are full on, the car got nailed on the way there and back. They really get everywhere, I hope you had the roof up

[JBT]

Roof was down. I got smacked in the face by a couple of the rotten things so put the windows up. Found a few inside the car when cleaning it at Hay and later in SA.

[MX5-SP]

We only got caught on the way over. I took some sage advice for the return trip and spent o/night in Balranald, which is at the start of the Hay Plain on the western side. This meant that on the return trip we could make the dash across the plain traveling east in the early morning and avoid the 23.6c temp which I understand is their cue to start flying. Didn't see one "leetle graz-hoppur" on the way back.

[MX5-SP]

Darby's Revenge!

Here are a few local recipes from locust-affected countries to keep in mind for the next time you drive across the Hay Plain when the locusts are about:

Tinjiya (Tswana recipe): remove the wings and hindlegs of the locusts, and boil in a little water until soft. Add salt, if desired, and a little fat and fry until brown. Serve with cooked, dried mealies (corn).

Sikonyane (Swazi recipe): prepare embers and roast the whole locust on the embers. Remove head, wings, and legs, in other words, only the breast part is eaten. The South Sotho people use locusts especially as food for travellers. The heads and last joint of the hindlegs are broken off and the rest laid on the coals to roast. The roasted locusts are ground on a grinding stone to a fine powder. This powder can be kept for long periods of time and is taken along on a journey. Dried locusts are also prepared for the winter months. The legs, when dried, are especially relished for their pleasant taste.

Cambodia: take several dozen locust adults, preferably females, slit the abdomen lengthwise and stuff a peanut inside. Then lightly grill the locusts in a wok or hot frying pan, adding a little oil and salt to taste. Be careful not to overcook or burn them.

Barbecue (grilled): prepare the embers or charcoal. Place about one dozen locusts on a skewer, stabbing each through the centre of the abdomen. If you only want to eat the abdomen, then you may want to take off the legs or wings either before or after cooking. Several skewers of locusts may be required for each person. Place the skewers above the hot embers and grill while turning continuously to avoid burning the locusts until they become golden brown.

Philippines: Locusts have been accepted in San Fernando,Pampanga as a palatable special dish, cooked "adobo" style. Adobo is a popularly common dish found in the Philippines, thus a national dish among the Filipinos. Typically made from pork or chicken or a combination of both, it is slowly cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns, and often browned in the oven or pan-fried afterwards to get the desirable crisped edges. This dish originates from the northern region of the Philippines. Commonly packed for Filipino mountaineers and travelers, the relatively long shelf-life of this food is well known due to one of its primary ingredient's, particularly vinegar, that inhibits the growth of bacteria. Tip: substitute locusts for the chicken or pork

Uganda: Clean the locusts by removing the legs and wings, then fry them with some chopped onion and season with curry powder.

Mexico: (1) Roast 40 locusts for 10 minutes at 180°, then remove the wings, legs and heads and toss with the juice of 1 lemon, 2 cloves of garlic and salt to taste. (2) Mash 2 avocados and spread on 6 tortillas. (3) Sprinkle with locust torsos and enjoy. Serves six. (adapted from a Mexican grasshopper dish from the pages of the excellent Man Eating Bugs: The Art and Science of Eating Insects, by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio)

Australia: Drive through swarm of locusts at 100kph for 5 mins. Carefully scrape locust residue off front of car being careful not to scratch the paintwork. Smear residue on thick slices of toast and top with any partially intact critters still clinging to the wiper-blades, mirrors and headlights. Serve with herbal tea.