G'day,
a bit of a meander so be warned.....
just got back from a beaut weekend away with the two elder sprogs (6 and 3 1/2.) Started Sat as trip leader on a day trip with 4 vehicles. Group decision we tried an old track down to the Wollondilly. Reccy by reccy but eventually had to turn around (10 point turn) when the trenches got waaaaay to deep and gnarly. On the uphill one of my wheels ended up perched three feet in the air but I managed to build out a hole and reverse, then crawl out with no panel or undercarriage damage. The Prado held up very
well. The kids just kept colouring in the whole time (they were not in any danger I should add.) Can't give you a GR on the track but it has not been used for a long time and I found out why.
Lunch at Swallotail Pass then icecream for the kids at Taralga. Farewelled the day trippers at the Wombeyan turn off and I headed into the Gurnang. Found a secret spot before dark and the kids knocked about while I set up
camp and dinner. I had been tasked by my beautiful wife, to take the kids to Western Plains Zoo, while I was out...so plenty of choices to get there. Next morning we went down to Limeburners (track pretty good but a bit cut up around the creek) and then tootled off to
Dingo Dell. Proceeded up the Kowmung Fire trail when disaster struck...the factory CD player would not play "Hoppity goes to town." Oh oh. Either corrugations or dust, but I had back up with the trusty tape player.
Onto
Oberon for another icecream and
check in phone call to my beautiful wife. "Did you get my message? The washing machine or the pump is not working on cold wash...." aaah a million
miles from my current state of mind after leaving my beloved Kanangra country, but I coped as best I could and after remote fault finding I advised her that it sound like the washing machine is at fault and I cannot do anything from here, so just use a bucket to fill it. Headed off to
Sofala and camped north on the creek, another great spot for the kids and set up
camp by dark.
Headed north in the morning for Western Plains Zoo via the blacktop with the aim of returning to
camp on the
Bridle track. Kids had a ball but I was about 1 1/2 hrs short of making
camp on the Bridle so went back to last night's
camp. Kids very happy again to be back there and able to knock about with some light remaining. The gibbous moon and clear sky made for beautiful nights indeed.
Got
home yesterday (in excess of 1200 km,) to the rest of my beautiful family. Unloaded the car (with the help of some chilled
Melbourne Bitter from the trusty Evakool ice box. No ice just beers left on roof TWO nights before put into the ice box in the morning.) Before I could vacuum the car however, I got the call to look at the washing machine (forgot about that.) After pulling the thing apart and then more of it apart, I found the culprit, a tiny hole in a rubber seal that was preventing the required vacuum for cold fill. Fixed that then back to the car, sprog seats installed, back to urban mode..:( With the tent up in the yard for a good dry, the kids were still keen and wanted to sleep outside (love 'em,) but not before school I advised, sorry.
soooo oh
well, back to work now....