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Cup Weekend

Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 01, 2005 at 17:57

Al & Mrs Al (Vic)

We've just come back from a great weekend up on Mt Stirling. We camped in an open area not far from Refuge Hut No.3, which had great views over a valley. We arrived on Friday afternoon and set up camp and waited for our fearless leader Crazie and his trusty navigator Kir to arrive. We settled in for a quiet evening around the camp fire when at about 9pm a white troopy arrived it was member "Lucy" - [Ken & Deidre] so we sat up a bit longer talking about what we were going to do in the morning.

The morning was a bit foggy, and at 10am Bonz along with his dad and daughter Imogen arrived for a fun packed day of driving, and it certainly was that. We made our way along the King River and did several river crossings, and had lunch at Lake Cobbler, we then headed to Craigs Hut via the Monument Track, we were delayed in getting up as a Prado was stuck on it's diff on a rocky bit, but we all made it up easily. Craig's hut was shrouded in fog, and the weather turned bleak, so we headed back to camp, farewelling bonz & co at the turn off to Telephone Box Junction.

When we got to camp, member Tonester and family were setting up, and we were a bit concerned about where their tent was, not long after Big Kidz arrived, and we all at some stage stood under the "Darby Day Marquee" that had been errected. Unfortunately for Tonester, their tent was swamped and they decided to seek drier accommodation for the night, and headed off towards Mt Buller. The rest of enjoyed a few drinks, nibblies and sausage sizzle and forgot about the wet weather, some of us, actually forgot about the entire night itself and were a bit queezy the next morning.

Sunday saw another foggy day, and we farewelled, Ken & Deidre, which left Ads and Kir, Us, and Big Kidz leaving for a drive, we met Tonester on the way back and he was going back to check on his camp, we headed to Bindaree Hut and Falls via the Corn Hill Logging track, and it became a most interesting day. Part way along the drive I commented to Al that the map stated, steep, clay and impassable after rain, so to say I wasn't looking forward to what was ahead was an understatement. We hit the clay not far from the bottom and we all slid down, some of us [Jen & I] not enjoying the trip at all, once at the bottom we were faced with two water crossings, one across a bog, the other a river. After a couple of successful recoveries, much to the amazement of the onlookers on the other side of the river, we headed to Bindaree hut and falls. We spoke to Tonester on the way back to camp, and they had decided to head back to Buller for the night but would see us in the morning.

Sunday evening - after the Marquee blew down, we sat in a makeshift annex attached to the trakshak and watched the sunset and enjoyed a few drinks and snacks.

Monday morning was lovely, but unfortunately Big Kidz had to head for home, Tonester and family arrived in time to check out the Tvan and say goodbye, and then the rest of us set off for a drive to sheepyard flat, where we said good bye to Tonester and family. We headed off for a drive to Bluff Hut and then made our way home via some very interesting tracks.

We got back to camp in time to see a beautiful sunset.




It was a fantastic weekend, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, thanks so much for Crazie for organising it, and to those who came along to make it so memorable, special mention to Tony, Caroline and Kids, you really were so cheery eventhough your weekend was turned upside down.

Being my first time up in that area over this weekend, I was surprised at the amount of people there were in the popular places, but also, by the lack of vehicles in others, especially past our campsite.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend

Lyn

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"Life isn't measured by the breaths you take but by the things that take your breath away"



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AnswerID: 137324   Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 01, 2005 at 18:02

Willem replied:

Good to hear you had a good weekend, Mrs Al.

Now you had better get prepared for visitors....lol

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Willem

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Reply 1 of 6
FollowupID: 391024   Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 01, 2005 at 18:03

Al & Mrs Al (Vic) posted:

I'm all set :)

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FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 137347   Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 01, 2005 at 20:38

Big Kidz (Andrew & Jen) replied:

Was a great weekend but shorter than we had planned. Great company us Victorians!! Thanks Crazie for showing us around.

Andrew
Yes - Luke's got a bigger one than me
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"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing"
Reply 2 of 6
AnswerID: 137363   Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 01, 2005 at 22:05

Member - 'Lucy' replied:


Yes! very nice indeed.

Thanks Mr & Ms 'Crazie', and we to thought it was a memorable and interesting time spent on the Mountain Top and surrounds.

Hopefully the next time we visit Craigs Hut, it will be a sunny, clear day instead of bleak, horizontal sleet, rolling fog(cloud) etc etc.

8 x $2 coins (30 mins) in the car wash, drenched, covered in C H I T, and still, the crap was washing out from underneath.

Mr & Mrs 'Lucy'
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AnswerID: 137380   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 04:43

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses replied:

Good to see you guys had a great weekend there and would love to have been able to get up to the mountains this last weekend. I think I would have needed some chunkier tyres on Moses to do that. Nick R was up in the Pyrenees having fun this last one.

I did hear about a certain girly Lucy getting herself bogged though. How did that happen Ken? I know Moses is a heavy beastie, but how about Lucy?
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John
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Reply 4 of 6
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AnswerID: 137392   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 08:13

Big Kidz (Andrew & Jen) replied:

Thanks guys for a great 2 days up in the high country. It is truly an amazing place, being up amongst the snowgums even in the wet and wild conditions! Thanks Ad & Kir for being our fearless leaders......giving me the pleasure of sliding down wet clay slopes for the first time...... ahhhh what an experience....LOL.
Great to catch up with Mr & Mrs Al &kids, and Mr and Mrs Lucy. Great to meet Tonestar and family, next time we'll camp in the dry!!

Jen

PS Happy Birthday for today to my biggest Kid Andrew! Love ya heaps..have a great day.
Yes - Luke's got a bigger one than me
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Reply 5 of 6
FollowupID: 391097   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 09:53

Wombat posted:

Hey Jen, there's another gentleman who cooked our group the most magnificent camp roast on Monday who also has his birthday today. His name is not allowed to be mentioned here but he has been known to mention to your husband "that you're a bit of a spunk".
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FollowupID: 391106   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 12:11

Big Kidz (Andrew & Jen) posted:

Well Happy Birthday to the other guy for today....you can pass on my wishes to who ever he is!!! Obviously he is a great cook by your description of your roast!!

How did the weekend go?? Did you guys get washed out like we did? Camping in the wet is certainly different to say the least! Hope you guys are well and happy!

Jen

Yes - Luke's got a bigger one than me
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2001 Landcruiser 100S Turbo Diesel
"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing"
FollowUp 2 of 3
FollowupID: 391278   Submitted: Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 13:20

Wombat posted:

Our weekend was great with only one other family sharing the huge camping area with the twelve of us. It rained a little on the Sunday morning but by the time we got back from our drive it was a beautiful balmy evening as we sat around the magnificent campfire which Mongo had created while we were away and listened to the kookaburras laughing at the never-ending succession of tall tales and jokes which were emanating from our group.

As we had travelled around the Mt Sarah/Mt Selwyn area on the Sunday and one of the guys was looking for something more "challenging" prior to heading home we decided the area around Demon Ridge (Wandiligong) was our destination for a short drive on the Monday. We headed in above Bright only to be halted by a track closure for a logging operation but a polite request on the radio allowed us through their camp and on to what was to be a memorable day. In many places it was obvious that there had not been any vehicles this season prior to us and since our last drive around that area there have been vertical tracks cut in a number of places which join the lower trails directly to the ridge tracks and of course after much discussion with one of our group who was only just discovering what that funny second gearstick was for, we decided we'd all have a go at the short cut. To cut a long story short, all of our kidneys got a workout from the adrenalin pumping through them and Nino who is a lurker here (put your hand up and say hello mate) is now addicted to his little gearstick, especially the bit that says 4L.

Some of the guys had to head home on Monday but those of us who were lucky enough to stay for the extra day were treated to the most magnificent camp oven roast which Mongo diligently prepared for us. We went to bed in the early hours of Tuesday morning in very contented moods with our bellies full of lamb and red wine and a slight dose of sunburn. Tuesday consisted of a bracing swim in the Buckland River followed by a leisurely pack up and convoy back to Melbourne via Brown Brothers Winery where we all agreed it had been a very enjoyable weekend. Unfortunately now it's back to work for most of us.

Happy Birthday for yesterday Doc.
FollowUp 3 of 3
AnswerID: 137402   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 10:50

Member - Tonester (VIC) replied:

You might be suprised, but we had fun. At least call it an adventure. And considering we weren't going in the first place and only decided last minute. I was going to post a big thanks to you all for the help on Sat night to get things drier.

So, THANKS Al, Lyn, Ads, Kir, Ken, Diedre, Andrew, Jen, and all kids! From all of us. All Caroline talked about on the way out (aside from the utter white out rain can't see the side of the road thing) was just how great all you guys were.

I guess the tarp should have gone over the tent asap, but by the time I realized the tent was leaking, and sitting in a pool, too late. My mate (the tent owner) was suprised, and reckons he's now scotchguarding it again. Stayed Sun night at Buller cause I was determined to have at least one cruisy drive up there sometime!

The end to our little saga, was yesterday everythings strung out there on the line drying, etc, all day. Tent, pillows, doonas, etc. Beautiful day, so off to Mordi beach for a bit in the arvo. Driving home we just see this drifting black cloud dump rain again, satched it all again. Had to laugh.
Reply 6 of 6