Camper Trailer Diaries
Kangaroo Valley
Friday, 30th of April 2010,
It so happened to be exactly 12 months to the day after our maiden voyage. We found ourselves ready and waiting to go. Got everything we needed into the trailer and we were a little early so we went and got Ryan out of school a little early.
We headed up the mountain and stopped for the compulsory pie at Robertson, where we hit our first hiccup for the weekend. One of the wheel bearings was running a bit hot for my liking. Ah well, guess what I’ll be doing when we get home? So we continued on and the straight roads let that issue settle down a bit. We continued on in towards Kangaroo Valley where we turned off to Bendeela. We had never been there before, but by all reports it was very nice.
We arrived to a nice open area with a fair few people already there. As usual, the debate about where to camp was had. We tried one place, but could not get the jockey wheel down so attempted it at a different angle. The weather forecast was for fine conditions and as we had a southerly aspect we saw no need for to bother the annex. I swear it now takes us longer to decide where to set up then actually setting up. Done in real quick time. Would be even quicker if someone did not have a need to have every D clip full of a tent peg?? So in no time we were cooking with Gas.
A quick dinner of stir through pasta and a few beers. It got pretty cold really quick so the boys headed for an early night bunkered down n their sleeping bags. We sat out and watched the night progress and the mist wander in and out of the valley. It was like watching the surf roll in and out in slow, slow motion as near full moon peeked up over the hills and turned on the lights.
Saturday, 1st of May 2010,
It was a pretty cold night in the early part of the night, but the blanket of fog that we awoke to must have warmed it up a touch. Visibility was limited, but it was very beautiful. Walked all of the 10m down to the river to see the misty views being reflected off the smooth surface. Then it was time for breakfast and a cuppa. Second hiccup, floaties in the kettle. At first I thought it was something that we left in the kettle but ended up being stuff coming from the tank. Bugger, another job I had to do on returning home. First issue of that kind we have had. Maybe as we would have taken the tank to a pretty low level and filled it up pretty quickly? Ah well, luckily we were very close to a tap.
After we got around that we put Ryan on his bike and went to explore the rest of the camping ground beyond the closed gate. Over the gate and down over a ford and up into a vast area, probably twice the size of where the rest of us were camped. Many a very nice area to camp next to the river as well. It went on for some time and distance. Ben was left to walk as we refuse to put his training wheels back on and Mr Stubborn would rather walk then learn. We got back and Ryan had earned some corn chips as a reward. The spinach and fetta dip took a beating too.
Then we decided that a trip was in order, so all in the car and we headed off to get some dolmio that someone forgot and then to see Tallawa dam. A beautiful drive through some lovely countryside for 20 or so km’s. We had a black cat cross paths in front of us. Oh oh. Turned out it was bad luck for the little bird that I hit no more than 2 minutes later. Never hit a bird before getting the Pajero, but had it a month now and hit 2. We got to the dam and there were no spots left in the car park. Busy place. We parked up on the road near the dam wall. Went to check it out. The lake was beautiful and now I understand why so many people were canoeing it. Next stop was down to the lookout and then onto the river where you can put canoes in to go downstream. A hell of a walk carrying a canoe let me tell ya. So then back up the hill and in the car to go back to Kangaroo valley to get the boys their promised ice cream via one of the fire trails to see the far more rougher and scenic way around. Had to laugh when after several km’s of fairly rough first gear stuff we came upon an intersection with a sign “warning unsealed road drive to conditions” Guess it was for people coming the other way??
Into Kangaroo Valley and by coincidence, parked outside the ice cream place. But first, a walk up to the bakery. Ryan saw the donuts and wanted one .What do you want Ryan, a donut or an ice cream. I want a yellow donut. Are you really sure Ryan? Yep. Of course when we hit the ice cream shop……… OR mate, that’s what it means. Picked up myself a nice bit of chilli chocolate fudge. Hmmm. A quick browse in the wood gallery next door and back off to camp.
The boys spent the rest of the arvo until dinner rolling around the grass trying to kill each other after the sticks they were using as swords were confiscated. The soccer ball and Frisbee also made an appearance.
A wine or two with dinner and after seeing and hearing a few bats it was another escape from the cold for the boys to their warm sleeping bags. I sat in shorts stargazing; a few shooting stars went by and the wine was finished before long. We watched the mist creep in again as the evening progressed.
Sunday, 2nd of May 2010,
Another very foggy and wet morning was there to greet us. It took a cup of coffee and a cup of tea to get going this morning. Then the chocolate pancakes made an appearance. I also followed it up with some chilli fudge. Gave the boys a bit too and they seemed to like it. The fog had started to lift, but left the she oak trees all wet and when the sun finally made it out the trees looked like xmas trees with the lights on. The droplets were reflecting all the colours of the rainbow in the sun. Nice pick up seeing that Ryan.
Another walk / ride for Ryan down to the closed section of the campground was next. The river looked even nicer today. Absolutely deep-glassed finish, the biggest mirror I’ve ever seen. You would feel guilty jumping in and causing some waves. I did not have the camera with me and as usual I birdie I had never seem before just sat in a tree showing himself.
We made it back to the trailer and slowly started the pack. For some reason Benny seemed to excel in getting into trouble today. At one point he was sent to sit in the middle of a field. Then he screams I caught a fly and proceeded to pull its wings off. We had our lunch at which the boys did not want until they saw what we had. Some more playing around, more cleaning, packing up and Ben testing the patience seemed to fill our time. It was a very easy pack. Before we knew it we were hooked up and ready to go. We drove down the hill onto a grassy section where we drained the water tank before taking to the road hoping the bearing would last the distance. In the end it did get pretty warm, but got us there in one piece. It was a slow trip due to the traffic so that suited fine.
Then as we had to park the trailer in a spot where it could be jacked up, this left very little room to get the car around the trailer and, as luck would have it, 1 cm too little room, which left a small scrape on the front wheel flare. To say I was livid was a major understatement. Could have near ripped the bearing out with my teeth. So now we have some work to do before the next one, which unfortunately looks like being some 2 months away. Well at least I should have plenty of time to get it all done.