Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004 at 23:30
Allan I was there around then too, 1976/77 and 78 to be specific. There were fewer people there then, but I still recall the steepness of "The Widowmaker" and the mighty scar it was on the landscape back then, funny thing was it never went anywhere, it was just a mighty hillcimb to nowhere.
Add to that, in 1978 when we were driving thru Wonnangatta valley we came upon three people, Dad, daughter and Grandfather, 3 generations, on foot. The daughter burst into tears at the sight of us, as they'd been stuck for 2 days. We picked them up and gave them water and food and drove them back to ... their Brand new Cruiser, nose deep in a mud puddle, broke the shear pins in the FM winch, wound the cable around the rear wheels and tried to "wind" their way out with the cable around the rear hubs, managed to destroy their rear diff. We pulled up, whipped out the trusty Tirfor, winched em out backwards, climbed under and dismantled their rear diff, told them to drive out in front wheel drive only. They were lucky.
Point is there were yobbo's back then tearing up the bush, city types buying 4b's and heading bush unprepared, same as now, the onyl thing different's the numbers of people and the CGAS attitude. I hate loud music in the bush too, only listen to the radio for weather news to find out of the rains supposed to stop one day after we leave or five days after we leave. Love a billy on the fire and good chat around the fire.
All the EO people I have met hold these things close to their heart also. I am thinkiong of a Wonnangatta trip next year too, an EO one, maybe 3 days, and will try to be out of the busy time. Trouble is its such a 4WD mecca, one has to expect many followers.
ce la vie!
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