b'Dec 2022 Trackwatch.qxp_Trackwatch Layout 17/12/202210:21 pmPage 16A smooth track gets you abouttwenty kilometres south to the start ofthe park before the track turns a bitsofter and one way.Regulations had changed since wewere last here in 2017 and a sign onthe edge of cell reception alertsvisitors to the need to acquire apermit to enter Ngarket ConservationPark, through which The Border Trackruns. Luckily, Dean had given us theheads-up and members had allacquired the obligatory permit onlineprior to now so there was no need tostop at the sign and wait for permitsto be acquired before venturingbeyond cell range.Just before hitting the one waysection through the gate which needsto be opened and closed behind you,we aired right down and made sureall cargo was well secured.We hadnt travelled along the trackfar before we caught a couple of A little further down the track, Russellgroups. The front group had got did find a dune that was morethemselves stuck on a relatively challenging. With the Amaroksgentle incline. Shovels and maxtrax reluctance to reverse in sand, agot them through although we recovery become necessary whereas,suspect greater tyre deflation may if it had been possible to reversehave been more useful. They claimed back down the dune, a secondto have lowered to 25psi but we could attempt with more momentum wouldsee negligible bagging of their tyres. likely have got him up and over. ThisThey did try and restore the track was our third type of recovery whichafter getting clear which was good to rounded off nicely the variety ofsee but it wasnt really necessary as experience attained by our membersthe group in front of us as well as our on this trip.group putted over with losing traction. For lunch, we were keen to stop, eatand resume our southern trek beforethe young group that had previouslydelayed us caught us up. Luckily, wesaw not hide nor hair of them for therest of the day.We continued down the BorderTrack without further hiccup. Givenhow wet it had been prior to ourweekend, the sand was fairly wellpacked and driving over the duneswas just a case of chugging slowlyover without losing traction.We turned east on Red Bluff Track,just before the Red Bluff turnoff. Aftera few kilometres of plodding overundulations we decided to leave RedBluff Track and turned south ontoChappell Road.The first ten kilometres of this trackwas a wonderful little drive along arelatively flat sandy track with visibilityfor ever in all directions, so the paceramped up quickly.Further downChappell Road, the surface changedto a dirt road and then onto a brand-new patch of bitumen which was assmooth as a runway.After a couple of days of dunes and14DECEMBER2022 TRACKWATCH'