Thursday
The two little pigs were dropped of by their mother at 8.30am and we were underway by 9. One minute down the road Miss Piggy couldn't find the camera so around the block we went only to find the camera in with the dunny paper??
Take two - off we headed fully loaded in an easterly direction into rain, rain and more rain. Having a long range tank means your bladder has to be at bursting point before I will stop. Nevertheless, we did stop at the Ouyen bakery for lunch. The little pigs entertained themselves with ipods, DVDs and annoying each other.
We crossed the Murray at Tooleybuc and arrived into Hay at 5:30pm. Stories differed over how much and what records were broken but what was true was that Hay received a s#%t load of rain. However the rain held off while we set up the camper trailer at the Hay Big 4 and then cracked a coldy!
Friday
Finally 'the day' arrived and we headed off to Tooraweenah. 5 kms out from Rankin Springs the CEL lit up (again). We pulled up in RS and booted the laptop in order to retrieve the ECU reset procedure. Wise to it Miss Piggy didn't miss an opportunity to empty her bladder!!
The little pigs had cabin fever so relunctantly we stopped in Parkes for lunch. Finally we rolled into the Muster with the CEL lit once again. Old Tony plugged his phone into the OBII port and the fault was the O2 sensor not getting the correct reading on deacceleration. That's what happens with a heavily modded exhaust. Reset the ECU again and forgot about it.
Saturday
Most has been covered but the highlight was the 27 second 'ride' down a steep slippery slope. Video footage to come I gather! I also snatched BravoBrad twice up two steep and slippery sections. I'll bet that Bravo has added muddies to the top of his shopping list. Some spectactular scenery to view between recoveries including a massive eagle's nest...
Sunday
A select group headed off on Ados' newest track. We appointed ONLOCK as our trusted leader and me as tail end charlie and off we went. However the 'newness' of the track meant that ONLOCK was struggling with his navigation skills. The fact that the cattle had been eating the pink ribbon used as the track markers didn't help. Eventually we ended up lost and ONLOCK went 'on looking' for a way out (in vain).
We turned around and found some of the track. It had some fairly steep and very rock sections. The rocks badly damaged one alloy and some mild damage was incurred to two others. Thankfully Nissan are replacing them all under the recall.
We then decided to cover a track done the previous day. Amazing how 24 hours without rain can turn a mildly difficult track into a very easy one.
Monday
Sadly Monday arrived and we had to pack up. We got away by 10am and 2 minutes down the road stopped to drain the camper trailer's water tank to save some weight.
We got to Dubbo late morning and showed the little pigs were their mother and I live in the early '90s. The NSW highway patrol were in force in Dubbo as was the booze bus. I was looked over as I drove in the opposite direction covered in mud and pulling up a hill and towing the camper = exhaust note on song!
We then stopped again in Parkes for lunch before arriving trouble free into the Motel in Hay. Nothing like a hot shower and comfy bed!!
Tuesday
We slept in to 7 and were away by 8. We drove on without stopping until Tailem Bend as Miss piggy's bladder was not coping (and my fuel light was on). We fuel up and had a late lunch.
One hour later we pulled into the driveway at 2.30pm having travelled 2596.7kms at an average of 14.5L/100.
A damn long way but what a great time it was!!!
BH