Things I have learnt.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hey that was "the grasshopper" not me!!

IT'S OK GUYS, I'VE SPENT TIME IN A GERMAN SAUNA......

[Nuts]

I wouldn't fear the scrub, its those in turn to follow i'd be a bit worried about...

[Taurë-rana]

There is never enough time in life to do everything you want, and missing sleep to try leads to trouble!

[sailfish]

When a dam is low, carry a stout stick when crossing a sandy inflow.

Ken

[Nuts]

Yes, move fast, your boots Are on fire!

[north-north-west]

When the (very small) sensible part of your brain says "Errrr . . . it might not be a good idea to do that" listen to it!

Otherwise you might, for instance, find your car stuck in an icy snowdrift about 2 inches from a very steep drop, with nothing holding it up except that snow and one very ratty little treefern. Which, in case you're interested, is a fascinating place to spend a night.
In other words, it's been an interesting 24 hours, folks.

[Ent]

Hi NNW

Yes it is the momentary feeling that this is not a good idea means it is a good idea to stop. Glad the snow held.

Cheers Brett

[north-north-west]

Not as glad as I am.

The really good part was watching the tow-truck driver negotiating the stretch of road I was on. Even he had trouble, despite the chains and all his experience. But I've learned a bit about driving in snow.

Oh, and also that there's at least one seriously cute cop in Mansfield . . .

[Ent]

And even when trapped a Cougar never stops hunting

Note, late edit to write the Queen's English. Boy do I hate IE compared to Firefox.

[north-north-west]

... courned ...

This is a word? In English?

[flatfoot]

The best way to find lost gear is to hunt and hunt and hunt and then give up and order a replacement ...

... after a few days you will be guaranteed to find the missing item deep in your pack.

[north-north-west]

Camp near a newly dug rabbit hole.
It's great if your guts decide to go in for a dose of explosive decompression.

Although the rabbits may not agree . . .

[optdyl]

Camp near a newly dug rabbit hole.
It's great if your guts decide to go in for a dose of explosive decompression.

Although the rabbits may not agree . . .

hahahaha

[north-north-west]

Diesel freezes.

There has to be an easier way to learn things like this.

[Nuts]

Well... You could have just asked

Like most fuels, diesel is a mix of hydrocarbons, and the components have different freezing points. As the ambient temperatures drop toward 0°C, it begins to cloud, due to the paraffin in the fuel solidifying. As the temperatures drop below 0°C, the molecules combine into solids, large enough to be stopped by the filter. This is known as the gel point, and generally occurs about -9.5 degrees C (15 degrees F ) below the cloud point.

This wax then forms a coating on the filter which results in a loss of engine power. The same thing happens on starting an engine when the temperature is below freezing. The filter becomes almost instantly coated with wax - usually, enough fuel gets through to allow the engine to idle, but not attain operating rpm. There are two common ways to overcome this: one is a diesel additive, the other is a fuel heater.

But to freeze - as in the whole turning solid - you would need laboratory conditions; even in the coldest places temperatures just dont fall that far.

[tasadam]

There is never enough time in life to do everything you want, and missing sleep to try leads to trouble!

There is never enough time in life to do everyone you want, and missing sleep to try is the trouble.
I am so droll...

[north-north-west]

Well... You could have just asked

In order to ask, one needs to at least suspect that there could be a problem. I've never heard of vehicle fuel freezing. I've never had vehicle fuel - standard, super, unleaded or (before yesterday) diesel - freeze.

Like most fuels, diesel is a mix of hydrocarbons, and the components have different freezing points. As the ambient temperatures drop toward 0°C, it begins to cloud, due to the paraffin in the fuel solidifying. As the temperatures drop below 0°C, the molecules combine into solids, large enough to be stopped by the filter. This is known as the gel point, and generally occurs about -9.5 degrees C (15 degrees F ) below the cloud point.

This wax then forms a coating on the filter which results in a loss of engine power. The same thing happens on starting an engine when the temperature is below freezing. The filter becomes almost instantly coated with wax - usually, enough fuel gets through to allow the engine to idle, but not attain operating rpm. There are two common ways to overcome this: one is a diesel additive, the other is a fuel heater.

But to freeze - as in the whole turning solid - you would need laboratory conditions; even in the coldest places temperatures just dont fall that far.

They may not. But it took the RACV bloke about half an hour with an LPG heater to defrost the fuel lines and tank sufficiently to get the car to idle, and another fifteen minutes for it to be drivable. You have no idea how bad the weather got up at Hotham yesterday. By the time I got back to the carpark I was less a bushwalker than a (slowly) perambulating snowdrift.

[Chief]

Camp near a newly dug rabbit hole.
It's great if your guts decide to go in for a dose of explosive decompression.

Although the rabbits may not agree . . .

Mmm, ok
Just make sure it is a rabbit hole though.

[tasadam]

Don't trust a wobbly rock.

[north-north-west]

Don't trust a wobbly rock.

Oh dear. I hope the fractures weren't too bad.

[doogs]

Puddles in remote areas can be very deep! (Chest deep, glad it's summertime).

[tasadam]

Don't trust a wobbly rock.

Oh dear. I hope the fractures weren't too bad.

Darn well could have been... Just a bit of missing skin, I'll live.

[north-north-west]

Good. It's too hard to find decent moderators.

[north-north-west]

There's a big difference between 'everything except food' and 'everything including 10 - 12 days food'.

[Turtle81]

When cooking at the front/vestibule of a tent leave a knife at the back of the tent whilst cooking just in case it gets ugly and you need another way out! (wild dogs/fire)

[sailfish]

Don't trust a wobbly rock.

Oh dear. I hope the fractures weren't too bad.

Darn well could have been... Just a bit of missing skin, I'll live.

Ah, "Rock" is a verb!

Ken

[Liamy77]

creeks in peaty boggy areas can be suddenly deep in the middle too.... and i might have stirred it up (accidentally) so my mate behind me didn't notice
... so now i give a warning just in case ... ..... usually

[Genesis]

Don't always rely on some walking buddies to train before a big trek and be as keen as you are! They will nearly always let you down!

[Liamy77]

It's always further/harder than it looks.

[corvus]

Make sure you have done the walk before telling your mates it is only 7km so should be an easy 3+ hour stroll (first 1km took 2 hours)
corvus