Simpson v CSR

There is really no comparison. Where the Simpson probaly took you 3 to 4 days- the CSR can take 3 or 4 times that. Preparation would be about the same for both- apart from fuel availablity and tucker/water.
Degree of difficulty for an experienced driver (like yourself) would be about the same- however what I felt after the Simpson was, however after the Canning the thought was. Mind you that later thought lasted til the next day.
There is lots of info on the CSR, and the more preparation, planning & information gathering before the trip will make it heaps more interesting.

Have a good one,
Signman

Gary
I think the system edited my Reply to you:
What I was indicating was
after the Simpson- the thought was 'I wouldn't mind doing that again'.
after the CSR- the thought was 'I'm NEVER going back there'.
Mind you the latter thought lasted til next day.

I hope that makes sense now.

Gary,

It looks like I will be doing the CSR and the Simpson back to back this year. June for the CRS and the first 2 weeks in July for the Simpson.

When I get back from the Kimberleys, about the end of August, post the question again and I hope to be able to answer.

Wayne

We have a dvd on the canning that could help your planning.
Ring Peter Ikin on 07 4094 1745

All the best
Eric

Gary, the difference is the Simpson can be done by most standard 4x4s with a little preparation in just 3 days. The Canning however needs a bit more respect. It's remoteness to help means you need to be prepared. It's one trip I probably wouldn't do solo. Spares, food, health checks, vehicle preparation & fuel calculations all need to be right. A little thing like a tooth ache at well 17 would be just a big nuisence but on the last trip the old man had a heart turn climbing to Canning's Cairn at the Durba hills. 3 weeks later he had a quadruple bypass so I can't stress enough the need to be fit. Key difference to the cars is the weight you need to carry. Extra food, water & huge fuel loads will in most cases see the car overloaded. This & driving too fast often leads to breakdowns so a reasonable mechanical knowledge is essensial.
The best part of the Canning is that it's a journey through history with reminders of the past at every turn. Study up on the explorers & guide books & it will make the trip more than just a challenging drive. Unlike the Simpson which is one sand hill after another, the CSR continually changes from station country, salt lakes, dunes, hills, gorges & plains.
PS. You have the best outback touring 4x4 made so enjoy the trip. Hope the lower control arms hold out ;-)) Towing the trailer on this one???
Cheers Craig.....

Hi Gary,

I personally have not done the CSR but have a good friend that has completed it twice and according to him you can not tow a trailer of any type, apparently one or two of the stations that you have to pass through wiil not let you through with a trailer as they are sick and tired of having to recover them. You should look into this,maybe you could get your trailer freighted to your destination and pick it up from there and carry on with your trip.

Regards,
Martin and Sam

Hi Gary

I concur with everthing that Crackles said. The Simpson is a breeze, the Canning more complicated.

We did a solo trip, north south, and it was definitely the harder option. We did it in 94 with a then 15yo Tojo. There were lots of repairs done along the way. We took four weeks for the trip. PLEASE CARRY xtra shockabsorbers as the vehicles take a pounding even if you are driving carefully. Go to my website below and read my Canning Diary if you have not done so already.

Enjoy.