Mt. Gillen from the Top

Every morning, Mt. Gillen looks at our house and turns orange. It stays there all day, turning brown, taupe, maroon. Then, the sun sets behind it and it's black until the next day. While our niece Tara is here, it was a good chance for Tom, Thomas and Tara to climb it.
I got the car inspected. Our also-visiting friend Mimi rearranged my rock collection.

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A (female) Yank's View of "The Finke"

It's pronounced, "Fink." It is a race. For guys. First the dirt bikes and quads, then the buggies leave Alice Springs along the Finke Track which is dirt and sand and dust. It follows the Finke River - the oldest or one of the oldest rivers on earth. They race to the end of the track, c. 230 km, in about 3 1/2 hours. They camp and, I assume, drink like crazy and enjoy all the things that come with drinking like crazy.

The next morning, they race back.
The town goes nuts over this.

There were about 600 competitors started the race this year. About 80% usually finish. The rest get hurt, their vehicles break (no worries, the bike who came in second caught fire) or they just forget to come back.
Practically every local camps along the track somewhere so they can watch the racers and drink like crazy - an estimated 12,000 people. They bring "camping" equipment like I've never seen like couches and swing sets for the kids. Many of them camp for 3 freezing cold mid-June nights so they can be awoken and hear "NNyrroom!" hundreds of times.

The Finke is always held on the Queen's Birthday long weekend. Her Majesty's real birthday is in April but that's too close to ANZAC Day and Easter, so they move it to where there is a need.
At the start/finish line outside Alice there is a live video feed from a helicopter or two, lots of food, souvenirs, beer and the "Grid Girls" in really, um, friendly costumes.

The bikes and quads get back first, then the buggies/cars and all the boys need to see them.
Obviously, I don't get any of it, but I'm not the target audience, either.