Art Nomadix on The Road Again
- MeggaYarnz
- Jun 17, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 26, 2022
Revisiting some of my favourite rest area places where once upon a time, I set up my wandering stall. It wasn't quite the same. Times have definitely changed, I was disappointed to arrive at the Lake Hart Rest Area, in the middle of the Woomera Prohibited Area - (it is still being used as a missile testing area, hired out to which ever country rents it) ; to find it full to capacity, with so many caravans, motorhomes & campervans. Back in 2005, 6 & 7, there would only be a few travelers who stayed there with us, longer than a few hours. We used to camp there for up to five days, as we waited for the headwinds to drop, giving me time to work on my Beaniefest entries and sell some beanies so we could buy more fuel. People were often so surprised to see my colourful stall "out in the middle of nowhere!" ... "we weren't sure if you were just drying your washing ??..."
This journey didn't really allow me enough time to stay long enough to stay set up to garner any sales this time, but it really gave my spirit that *Lift* and Joy at getting my creations back out there.
On the way out to Uluru to pick up Nelly from Mutitjulu Community, near the base of the big rock, I also stopped in at the Mt Conner/Atiila Lookout, just before Curtin Springs. Also I couldn't spend as much time there as I desired, but it did take me back to 2005, when we camped there for 4 days, to recoup money spent out at Yulara and Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. We had headed out there hoping to sell Sunset Silhouette T-Shirts at the Sunset Viewing Area. We spent all our money on fuel, camping fees, and 3 day park entry fees, during which we kept meeting with national parks admin, to no avail, No Selling Anything within the National Park! So with our last fuel, we traveled back to this Lookout, and set up the stall day and night in order to have money to refill the fuel tank. Some time after mid-day on the fourth day, after another sale of a t-shirt and a beanie, we had just enough money to buy more fuel along the way, when I discovered that the competition beanies had to be in a week earlier than expected, a week earlier than those for Beanie Central. Normally, (and ever since), it has been and is, the same date for both, I just hadn't read the entry form fully !
I had just agreed to sell what was to have been my competition entry, to a tour bus driver, when she was back in Alice Springs. She really loved it, I needed money, and I was not very happy with my 'Waltzing Matilda' beanie for the Colourful Yarns theme of that year. I felt it was beginning to look a little 'clunky'.... ? ..... (Should have seen the actual winner of that category/theme! It was far more lumpy, clunky than my still unfinished one.)
We had to suddenly pack up our bus, the stall set up all around, and 4 days worth of living inside, and get driving as the competition beanies had to be in at 5:30pm that very day!
Along the way, I had to work on another unfinished Emu Beanie I had been working on, so I could put in an entry. It was the first year that I had actually made it to the Beaniefest in person, so I couldn't not have an entry in the comp. When we bought our next fuel at Erldunda Roadhouse, I spied the emus in the enclosure there, and realised how silly my beanie looked. I decided to enter a another more ordinary beanie as well, which I could sell for a reasonable amount. The Emu one ended up scoring a Special Mention, in the New & Innovative category, despite it's weird appearance.
That year set the pattern, that has dogged me ever since. Whenever I make it to Beaniefest, I can only seem to be fortunate in scoring a Special Mention. When I am unable to be there, I can, and have done, Win a First Place. Not always, but one day I hope to win a 1st, when I am actually there. Also still on my Beanie Bucket List, is to win The People's Choice Award. It eludes me every year, some times by just one or two votes.
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