Luthy
Well-Known Member
So last weekend we decided to have a little meet up and do some trails around the Turon/Ben Bullen area.
I arrived at Capertee pub on the friday at about lunch to find Hamish (Allmostunseen) and Daniel (MrDPG) already at the pub, beers in hand aimlessly wandering around looking for the kitchen to grab there lunch. Seeing as they had a beer I thought I'd better join them and grabbed some lunch and a cold beer to start the weekend off in fine style. We chatted and ate then decided to head down to The Diggins campground and set up, grab some wood, get comfortable and await the rest of the Earthers to turn up. We set up at Turon Heights, lit the fire, grabbed a cold bevo, a chair and got comfy for the wait. A Wallaby decided to come and have a sticky beak at what we were doing and the finches loved the fire wood pile as a source of fodder for them. Dave (RodeoDave) rolled in shortley after and soon after Mitch (Mitchmate), Jarrod (The 80 and I) and Ryan turned up followed by Kathy (Kathy). The fire became a lil bit larger, more bevies were consumed and some laughter around the campfire was had while listening to the gentle sounds of the river. After an early night (think I went to bed at about 3am) we all got up to a nice and chilly, frosty morning and proceeded to get organized to head up and meet anyone comin that morning to meet at Capertee.
We meet Luke and his missus at about 9ish and by 9:20 it was decided to head off for our first track. We travelled along Mofits Trail for abit and headed up Bicentennial Trail and onward to Baal Bone Gap. There we found the trail to get a little bit harder and the first section was a bit rough but we made it up pretty easily, Daniel's wheel lift tho was huge and helping the rest come up was fun. If anyone knows the track you have a climb then it levels out and around the rock and up to the right is another climb which is a bit gnarly. We all walked the track up this section and after a line was picked the fun began. There was a few big holes and stuff so we decided to sort of zig zag our way up the first bit and about 2/3rds of the way up is a huge rock step up about a meter maybe a bit more which you need to get over to climb the rest. I got my truck up but being the first and not wanting to do a CV or any other damage I made the call to winch up it so a suitable tree was found. After I had made it to the top we turned my truck around set up a pulley block and ran my winch of the tree (being a higher pull point) and then back down the hill to assist anyone else. We all ended up wincing up over the rock ledge, even the twin locked 60 series, and that's when the first drama started. Jarrod had got to the top and when jumped out mentioned he had put his foot on the brakes and they basically went to the floor so after getting everyone up, Mitch decided to investigate and found that he had blown a brake line and had pumped most of his brake fluid out. We tried to fix it there.... well Mitch did but was irreparable so Dave headed on ahead to Cullen Bullen lookout to get phone signal and a call was made to Repco to see if they had a part in stock (which they did) and Dave shot off to Lithgow to retrieve said part and some brake fluid. We all headed to the lookout to grab some photos over the Wolgan Valley. Now heading down a steep hil with no brakes isnt fun but what came next was a bit of a schamozel. So the 60, the hilux, ranger and patrol (as this being the heaviest car was decided to be the anchor car) all headed of for the very slow trip to the steep downhill while we finishing our lunch. We met up with them at the steep downhill and after a line was picked Jarrod headed down in low 1st and a handbrake. Mitch headed down and next Daniel and then over the radio was called to hold up as 3 cars were coming up and had decided that they wernt going to make it up the section we were now descending. So we had 3 cars down on a flat section, only one lane wide, with 3 other cars trying to turn around to head back down. Now I think here Mitch headed down the hill to spot Jarrod down and there were another 4 cars trying to get up the hill so Mitch asked if they could stay put and clear the track as a 60 was coming down with no brakes. When Mitch got back up to Jarrod, he turned around and the 4 cars he had just asked to not come up did just that. So now Jarrod has bump stopped his car into a tree as a 79 series was on it's way up (which he almost rolled...... twice) and now we have 4 cars on the track at the top, single file aswell as 3 other cars that managed to turn around somehow and 2 cars at the bottom and 2 cars stuck on the track half way down aswell as these other guys comin up. So we get this 79 backed up and level and head him up the hill aswell as the other 2 behind him so Jarrod and Daniel's cars can get down. When I got to the top the 4 other cars had stopped in the middle of the track , jumped out of there cars and milled around as noone could go anywhere. So after some careful shuffling and a bit of swearing under my breath we managed to squeeze all the cars on to bits of the track, 11 by this stage, so we could get the front 79 to edge around the others and let all the people heading down, down. After we all got to the bottom it was decided that Blackfellows Hand Trail would have to be missed as we had covered 27klm in roughly 4+hrs and we still had to get to camp, find firewood, and set up and the census was we headed back to the Diggins to see if we would get snow that was forecast that night. After we had all arrived back at camp and set up the cool night started to envelope us a fire was lit, an unknown person bought out a firecracker and was promptly handed to someone else for lighting. Well the first two shots were great but unfortunately that had knocked it over and the next 4 shot out everywhere as everytime it fired one it spun around. To see everyone ducking for cover, not to mention one going bang about 2 meters from where we were all sitting was hilarious even when the grass caught fire (okay this was the second firework to light a fire) and there was a mad rush to put it out while Daniel's phone was on the ground trying not to get stood on. The replay of the footage from everyone's phones was funny as a monkey doing a goat impression. Drinks were had and as usual a small fire got a bit bigger and a ton of laughs were had. Another early night saw us get up sunday and decide to do The Pinnacles Trail so after we said goodbye to Mitch and Jarrod we headed of in the direction. While doin the track we can across a smallish puddle and I mentioned for Kathy to come get some photos and as such we entered the puddle with a small amount of gusto but when it came to the Ranger he entered abit quick and low and behold came out the otherside with no number plate. It was then we realized he had no grill, grill surround or the clip on bit below the grill. He had basically left half the front nose in the puddle. A quick search found all plastic bits and some were put back on.... but some were beyond fixing. Onward we travelled and the next puddlewe saw I basically tried to go through slow but I bottomed out and became a little.....stuck. Dave came to my rescue (my hero) as he sorta fell in the mud which gave us all a good laugh and Daniel moved around me to give me a gentle tug and I was out. We headed up to the Pinnacles and grabbed a photo and continued our way out.
All in all a great weekend, lots of laughs, and alot of fun. Thanks to those that came out and hope to see you again.
I arrived at Capertee pub on the friday at about lunch to find Hamish (Allmostunseen) and Daniel (MrDPG) already at the pub, beers in hand aimlessly wandering around looking for the kitchen to grab there lunch. Seeing as they had a beer I thought I'd better join them and grabbed some lunch and a cold beer to start the weekend off in fine style. We chatted and ate then decided to head down to The Diggins campground and set up, grab some wood, get comfortable and await the rest of the Earthers to turn up. We set up at Turon Heights, lit the fire, grabbed a cold bevo, a chair and got comfy for the wait. A Wallaby decided to come and have a sticky beak at what we were doing and the finches loved the fire wood pile as a source of fodder for them. Dave (RodeoDave) rolled in shortley after and soon after Mitch (Mitchmate), Jarrod (The 80 and I) and Ryan turned up followed by Kathy (Kathy). The fire became a lil bit larger, more bevies were consumed and some laughter around the campfire was had while listening to the gentle sounds of the river. After an early night (think I went to bed at about 3am) we all got up to a nice and chilly, frosty morning and proceeded to get organized to head up and meet anyone comin that morning to meet at Capertee.
We meet Luke and his missus at about 9ish and by 9:20 it was decided to head off for our first track. We travelled along Mofits Trail for abit and headed up Bicentennial Trail and onward to Baal Bone Gap. There we found the trail to get a little bit harder and the first section was a bit rough but we made it up pretty easily, Daniel's wheel lift tho was huge and helping the rest come up was fun. If anyone knows the track you have a climb then it levels out and around the rock and up to the right is another climb which is a bit gnarly. We all walked the track up this section and after a line was picked the fun began. There was a few big holes and stuff so we decided to sort of zig zag our way up the first bit and about 2/3rds of the way up is a huge rock step up about a meter maybe a bit more which you need to get over to climb the rest. I got my truck up but being the first and not wanting to do a CV or any other damage I made the call to winch up it so a suitable tree was found. After I had made it to the top we turned my truck around set up a pulley block and ran my winch of the tree (being a higher pull point) and then back down the hill to assist anyone else. We all ended up wincing up over the rock ledge, even the twin locked 60 series, and that's when the first drama started. Jarrod had got to the top and when jumped out mentioned he had put his foot on the brakes and they basically went to the floor so after getting everyone up, Mitch decided to investigate and found that he had blown a brake line and had pumped most of his brake fluid out. We tried to fix it there.... well Mitch did but was irreparable so Dave headed on ahead to Cullen Bullen lookout to get phone signal and a call was made to Repco to see if they had a part in stock (which they did) and Dave shot off to Lithgow to retrieve said part and some brake fluid. We all headed to the lookout to grab some photos over the Wolgan Valley. Now heading down a steep hil with no brakes isnt fun but what came next was a bit of a schamozel. So the 60, the hilux, ranger and patrol (as this being the heaviest car was decided to be the anchor car) all headed of for the very slow trip to the steep downhill while we finishing our lunch. We met up with them at the steep downhill and after a line was picked Jarrod headed down in low 1st and a handbrake. Mitch headed down and next Daniel and then over the radio was called to hold up as 3 cars were coming up and had decided that they wernt going to make it up the section we were now descending. So we had 3 cars down on a flat section, only one lane wide, with 3 other cars trying to turn around to head back down. Now I think here Mitch headed down the hill to spot Jarrod down and there were another 4 cars trying to get up the hill so Mitch asked if they could stay put and clear the track as a 60 was coming down with no brakes. When Mitch got back up to Jarrod, he turned around and the 4 cars he had just asked to not come up did just that. So now Jarrod has bump stopped his car into a tree as a 79 series was on it's way up (which he almost rolled...... twice) and now we have 4 cars on the track at the top, single file aswell as 3 other cars that managed to turn around somehow and 2 cars at the bottom and 2 cars stuck on the track half way down aswell as these other guys comin up. So we get this 79 backed up and level and head him up the hill aswell as the other 2 behind him so Jarrod and Daniel's cars can get down. When I got to the top the 4 other cars had stopped in the middle of the track , jumped out of there cars and milled around as noone could go anywhere. So after some careful shuffling and a bit of swearing under my breath we managed to squeeze all the cars on to bits of the track, 11 by this stage, so we could get the front 79 to edge around the others and let all the people heading down, down. After we all got to the bottom it was decided that Blackfellows Hand Trail would have to be missed as we had covered 27klm in roughly 4+hrs and we still had to get to camp, find firewood, and set up and the census was we headed back to the Diggins to see if we would get snow that was forecast that night. After we had all arrived back at camp and set up the cool night started to envelope us a fire was lit, an unknown person bought out a firecracker and was promptly handed to someone else for lighting. Well the first two shots were great but unfortunately that had knocked it over and the next 4 shot out everywhere as everytime it fired one it spun around. To see everyone ducking for cover, not to mention one going bang about 2 meters from where we were all sitting was hilarious even when the grass caught fire (okay this was the second firework to light a fire) and there was a mad rush to put it out while Daniel's phone was on the ground trying not to get stood on. The replay of the footage from everyone's phones was funny as a monkey doing a goat impression. Drinks were had and as usual a small fire got a bit bigger and a ton of laughs were had. Another early night saw us get up sunday and decide to do The Pinnacles Trail so after we said goodbye to Mitch and Jarrod we headed of in the direction. While doin the track we can across a smallish puddle and I mentioned for Kathy to come get some photos and as such we entered the puddle with a small amount of gusto but when it came to the Ranger he entered abit quick and low and behold came out the otherside with no number plate. It was then we realized he had no grill, grill surround or the clip on bit below the grill. He had basically left half the front nose in the puddle. A quick search found all plastic bits and some were put back on.... but some were beyond fixing. Onward we travelled and the next puddlewe saw I basically tried to go through slow but I bottomed out and became a little.....stuck. Dave came to my rescue (my hero) as he sorta fell in the mud which gave us all a good laugh and Daniel moved around me to give me a gentle tug and I was out. We headed up to the Pinnacles and grabbed a photo and continued our way out.
All in all a great weekend, lots of laughs, and alot of fun. Thanks to those that came out and hope to see you again.
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