Crystalvale

10th - 11th September

Three families, McDowell, Hartley and Pabricks, decided to go a day early to do the recce. Ian recons he knows the place like the back of his hand. Only trouble is, he is not sure if it is his left or his right. So help is on the way.

We set up camp on the top camping ground with the view. Right, now for the recce, out the gate, turn right then left, up and down, then sideways whatever. Got that Dieter? Yup like the back of my hand! A couple of good hills must not forget them. Ken then called on the CB to meet up on the track somewhere. Ian passed a paper with squiggly lines all over it, no good for me, it is all over the place. We did meet up with Ken, we won’t discuss how long it took. Anyway we finished the recce. After a couple of drinks we discussed the trip for Saturday and a couple more to forget the tracks.

By mid afternoon Greg and Phyllis and Collin arrived and setup. Started late to do the trip being passenger in the lead car, no worries. Out the gate, turn right, then left then that was about it. Now where is that bit of paper with the squiggly lines? Now um, um, um? Now look McMan just drive and they will follow, and follow they did, not knowing the drama up in the front car.

We went down a track to a place called Bermuda Triangle. Steve went down the slippery track and got a bit of a side angle, angles always look worse while sitting in the car. After a little bit of advice from Ian he got to the bottom of the track. A little further on there is a bog hole with a steep bank. Steve decided to give it a go. It was entertaining to watch his car sliding on the wet bank. He got up after a few goes, a bloody good effort. But sorry Steve, it doesn’t count because it’s not listed on the paper with the squiggly lines, a “claytons jump up.”

We went back to camp for lunch, by then Gordon had arrived and set up camp. After lunch we all got back on the tracks, we went to a small mud hole. Bill and car both on 5000rpm got through with adrenalin pumping. Gordon got on the high side and slid in the mud and had to get snatched out. No adrenalin rush. We drove all but 2 of the tracks on the place, but then again they all look the same.

Back to camp for a happy 2 hours discussing the day’s events. But not long after that all hell broke loose. Bill’s team Broncos were loosing the match, it was a life and death struggle, not for the Broncos, but for Bill. We had to remove all sharp objects from near him. He watched the match on the TV, listened to the results by radio and gave support to the team all at once. Loraine was there also watching the game. They both took the defeat gracefully.

Back at the camp fire all was well, trip leader with port in hand fast asleep in his chair. Pressure of the job. After a few drinks, we all retired, the days of lasting till 2 to 3 am are over.

Sunday morning back on the tracks, got the place sorted out by now, did a couple of hours driving, found a couple of jump ups, some made it some didn’t. Won’t mention names, but a Nissan owner drove a Toyota, twice. I can see money changing hands over a counter. Don’t worry we can justify the expense of the enhancements. Right ‘mums the word.’

Back to camp to pack up, some went home the back way, some went on the highway. All in all it was a great weekend with good company.

Dieter Pabricks