About Goanna Tracks

Kym & Lyn are a married couple of 35 years with 3 adult children. From an early age the family enjoyed camping and 4x4 holidays that took them across some of the most remote tracks in Australia. In 1999 Kym competed in the first 4x4 Warn ARB Outback Challenge and is to only competitor to have completed every challenge since its inception. Kym has been consistent in a top 10 finish in most local and international winching and 4x4 driving competitions. He won the Outback Challenge in 2005, 2nd in 2003, 4th in 2006, and 3rd in 2007.

As with the competitions the holidays became more adventurous. In 1999, Kym and Lyn lead an expedition across the notorious Madigan’s Line, a 1500Km GPS trip across the Simpson Desert. In 2000 it was a 2250km GPS trip following the Tropic of Capricorn across Australia. Following competing in the Malaysian Rainforest Challenge in 2000, Kym and Lyn then drove from Malaysia, across Thailand, Cambodia and onto Vietnam.

In June/July 2005 they lead an expedition 300Km down the Eastern seaboard of the Cape York Peninsular on quad bikes, and in July-September 2006, crossed the Great Sandy Desert by GPS to Dragon Tree Soak and onto Broome.

On the “Life List” are two major expeditions – Across the Eurasian Continent from East to West and from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America.

Following reading the book “The Long Way Round” and viewing the video, we mentioned to good friends Bill & Gaylene Lyne how we would love to do such a trip across Russia and Mongolia. Within one week Bill telephoned and said if we were serious in going, they would love to join us. It was less than 9 months from that conversation to the loading of the trucks into a container bound for Magadan in Eastern Russia in May 2007. Hence our story of Russia and Beyond.

Since then Kym and Lyn have travelled from the UK through France and Spain spending 4 weeks in Morocco and returning the vehicle to the UK. In July/August 2008 it is the West Coast of Ireland and Scotland before the vehicle is returned to Australia.

Following further Quad bike exploration of Cape York in 2009 our next adventure for 2010 is from Kuala Lumpa across Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China, Tibet, Mongolia and on the Vladivostok. From here the vehicles will be shipped to Long Beach California for our eventual drive from Alaska to South America.

Tyre monitoring is a critical part of overland travel. Whilst travelling over those Russian roads our travelling companions developed a small tyre leak and unfortunately with the severity of the road it was not noticed until too late. The result was a destroyed tyre and a worrying time followed until some 2,000kms later we found a suitable spare on a wrecked Kamaz school bus. Without that 'luck' we very easily could have been held up for days or weeks.

Our vehicle is now fitted with the Pressure Pro system and it is comforting to know when travelling remotely that all is in order. With easy and instant monitoring of tyre pressures I now tend to take more attention and this leads to increased longevity.

You can see and learn more at  www.rvsystems.com.au

Contact Goanna Tracks

Contact Information
Kym &  Lyn Bolton
P.O.Box 206
Strathpine, Brisbane, Queensland 4500

Phone: 61 (0) 7 3285 7513
Mobile: 61 (0) 418 154 042
Email: kymbolton@acenet.net.au

GU-Ripa - About the Vehicle

Beginning with owning one of the very first 2 stroke Suzuki’s in the country in 1972 the four wheeling passion has developed from family weekends away to competitive club events and on to extreme off road events such as the 4 x 4 Winch Challenge series.

The Challenge series itself attracts worldwide acclaim and interest all types of media during its various stages. Participants are attracted by these challenges from as far away as Spain, England, Germany, USA and Japan.

The GU Ripa Racing team compete in a modified Nissan Patrol GU TD42T Coil-over DX Diesel Ute that is suitably equipped to handle the riggers of competitions such as The ARB Warn Outback Challenge, The Ateco Warn Winch Challenge, The Malaysian Rainforest Challenge, The Denny’s N.Z Winch Challenges and The Xtreme Winch Challenge Series.

The competitions main focused is on the technical ability of serious off-road driving and an emphasis on ‘man and machine’ in partnership against some of the world’s most impossible terrain. These events have a grass roots appeal with the average 4-wheel fan; at the same time having a wider appeal within the 4-wheel drive enthuses.

Unlike off road racing, where speed is a necessary, the challenge series is based around survival.
No support crews are allowed, and normally all spares, camping equipment etc must be carried with the vehicle. Vehicle and personal preparation, driving experience, mechanical knowledge, bush skills and importantly a focused and sane mind all help the teams survive.

From the environmental aspects, there are severe penalties for environmental infringements as there are also for unsafe winch and driving practices.

THE TEAM
The team is made up of Kym Bolton as driver, having over 28 years of driving expertise together with bush skills (survival) and mechanical experience learnt from extensive travel in Australia’s harsh outback.

Kym has organised, and lead many club and private trips to Cape York, across the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia (400km by GPS) and was the first to ever GPS across the Simpson Desert from Poeppel Corner to Arltunga (500km by GPS).

In addition to this Kym was also the first again to GPS the 400km ‘Capricorn Line’ across the Simpson Desert. In 1995, “I organised and lead a party of five vehicles across Madigans Line, unquestionably Australia’s toughest track of 750km by GPS across the Simpson Desert”, Kym Bolton.

The co-driver seat is filled by Robert Marks a long time friend to Kym since joining him on the Madigan trip.

Robert is highly regarded within the challenge circuit, both professionally in his approach, and in his commitment and motivation to the sport.

THE VEHICLE
The vehicle is well presented, very competitive, and is one of the first GU Utes of its kind in the series. It is very often photographed and featured in many the off road magazines as well as other types of media.

Make: 1999 Nissan GU Ute
Model: TD42T DX Diesel
Colour:
White 1999-2002
Blue Dec 2002 – Jan 2006
Red Jan 2006 – April 2007
TJM ‘Tiger Print’ from April 2007

Suitable modifications and/or additions have been, and are continually being made to ensure the vehicle performs at optimum levels and remain competitive.




Motor modifications by South East Queensland 4X4:

Ph 07 5522 7233

• The motor is a standard TD42T fully balanced and matched to a 4 1/2” Garrett ball bearing Turbo. Six inch custom rear mounted snorkel and a custom full width intercooler provide cool air to the motor. Currently running a conservative 15 pounds of boost, it puts out in the region of 250Kw at the rear wheels.

Suspension modifications by Cass Jones – Climax Industries: Ph 0418 795 455

• Front King 2.5” Hydraulic Bump stops with 3” Triple Bypass Shocks
• Rear King 2.5” Dual Bypass Shocks with 2.5” coil-overs.
• Chrome molly ‘A’ Arm replacing the rear panhard rod and trailing arms, giving massive rear wheel articulation.
• Front ‘drop boxes’

Safety/Protection modifications by Superior Alignments:
Ph 07 3888 6988

• CCDA approved internal and external Roll bar.
• Smart and effective lightweight bull bar.
• Rear tray and winch frame.
• Differential and chassis strengthening.
• And some very thoughtful engineering work

Drive Train support and servicing by Hart Transmissions:
Ph 07 3881 2644
With the power that the motor puts out and the terrain at the opposing end at the wheels, it is important to have a reliable and well services drive train. Harts Transmissions give us reliability every time.

Tyres:
BFGoodrich 35 x 13.5 x 15 Krawler is our tyre of choice over all types of terrain.

Winch details:

• A strengthened Warn 8274 high mount Winch that is fed 24 Volts into twin 12 Volt electric motors.

Electrical: All electrical components are moved above the high tide mark that is set at the windscreen level.
Lighting: Seven 12 Volt X-Ray HID Lights from X-Ray Vision
Team GU-Ripa use and recommend: Penrite Oils
Mechanical Upkeep & Servicing: On & Off road Mechanical Ph 3205 2644
Spare parts kindly loaned by: John Page Motors Caboolture

Xtreme Xpeditions - Overview

Across Australia and Across the World
The Xtreme Xpeditions of Goanna Tracks are the adventurers of Kym & Lyn Bolton their friends and colleges who share a sense of adventure, and a passion for the great outdoors. Generally , where the road on the map ends, and the doted line begins, so does our holiday.

Past trips in Australia:
1991 Cape York - Exploring the Eastern beaches, Shelburne Bay, Temple Bay
1992 Cape York - More exploring of the Eastern beaches. Orford Bay, Temple Bay, Cape Melville.
1995 Madigan's Line - A 15 day GPS crossing of the Simpson Desert following T.C.Madians camel expedition of 1939.
1996 Double Simpson Crossing - 20 days by GPS from Poepple Corner,via Geosurvey Hill to Arltunga, then following the Tropic of Capricorn all the way back into Queensland.
1997 Cape York - More Eastern Beach exploration. Escape River, Orford Bay to Capt. Billy landing, Temple Bay.
1998 Great Sandy Desert - GPS 15 days from Balgo, via Chugga Kurri Springs, Lake Mackay, to Kiwirrkurra.
2003 Cape York - Walked Orford Bay to Escape River, and White Point to Round Point
2005 Cape York - By quad bike, 300Kms from Temple Bay to Ussher Point
2006 Dragon Tree - Rudall River National Park then by GPS to Percival Lakes, Dragon Tree Soak, and     out of the Great Sandy Desert at Anna Plains on the Eighty Mile Beach, South of Broome.
2009 Cape York - 800Kms by quad bike down the western and eastern side, floating the bikes over  estuarine rivers. Another visit into the fabulous Shelburne Bay Sand Complex
                              

Past Trips Internationally:
2000 South East Asia- Following competing in the Malaysia Rainforest Challenge, Lyn and I drove to Thailand, across Cambodia and onto Vietnam, returning to Malaysia for vehicle shipment back to Australia.
2004 Antarctica - Not our normal 4x4 trip, but one everyone should do. The only way to describe Antarctica is 360 degrees of WOW!
2004 New Zealand- Following the New Zealand 4x4 Winch Challenge, Lyn & I drive some great 4WD North and South island tracks.
2007 Russia and Beyond -Inspired by Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman's book "The Long Way Round", Bill & Gaylene Lynne, Lyn and I drive the 25,000 Km across Russia and Mongolia. This trip includes two crossings of the notorious Road of Bones or the Kolyma 'Highway' from Yakutsk to Magadan.
2008 Morocco -From the UK across France, Spain and 4,000Kms around and about Morocco.
2010 Across South East Asia to Vladivostok - The vehicles were shipped to Kuala Lumpa in Malaysia, then driving through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China, Tibet, Mongolia and into Russia. Finishing 24,000Kms later in Vladivostok. Here the 4 trucks were shipped to Long Beach California for our next adventure.
2010-11 Exploring North America......