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Charlie Morelands Trip16th and 17th July Ken (Toyota) Gary and Betty arrive at about 4.15pm Friday already a nip in the air. Ken is already there set up and looking lonely. He had arrived at about 10.50an Friday morning. Gate locked. Left his 'van at gate and returned to Rangers Office to arrange gate opening. Kelby and Vanessa arrive then Dorelle and David and all set up camp. Steve and Linda arrive next. They had travelled Postman's Track to Conondale in the dark despite sign at beginning of road saying "no caravans". Linda hanging on for dear life was thankful when that part of the trip was over. Brett and family and Bill arrive later having travelled via Sunday Creek Road. Some wood from a large mound of wood and sawdust (mostly sawdust) provides the fuel for our Friday night campfire. Our camp chairs draw closer to the fire as the temperature drops. Everyone growing colder as the night wears on. Everyone except Ken, it seems, who wore only T shirt and shorts! The coat and huge scarf in the seat next to Kelby turns out to be Vanessa (recovering from a cold). The big news is Brett is leading a trip to Charlie Morelands and the weather is FINE! Saturday morning dawns fine and COLD, Brett arranging a run to leave camp at 9am. Some people sleeping in a bit and running late. Steve and Linda running late because they had retired before Brett had made arrangements. Brett suggesting we take morning tea. Bill looking forward to the run to test his "new" vehicle and to test his driving skills in a manual. We set off, Bill experiencing his first adrenalin rush driving through a puddle. We come to the first challenging hill. The first couple of vehicles do well. Then it is Dorelle's turn. Brave Dorelle her first trip driving her own vehicle. She has a few attempts but has trouble, so is towed up. Dorelle is very agitated and does not want to carry on, but David wants her to just to see the terrified look on her face again! Linda drives the Toyota up and makes it look easy (even though she can't see over the bonnet). Then it is Gary's turn Betty by this time, having viewed the hill to be conquered, has abandoned the Jackaroo and clambers up to the top. Gary starts off, but doesn't make it and manages to bend a track rod. The guys straighten it, under very difficult conditions, using the jack, and Gary continues. The next challenging hill proves too difficult and the track rod breaks. The male bush mechanic gene kicks in, and wire, spanners, and duct tape, and a few kicks to the tyre, renders the car moveable. Gary is towed up the remainder of the hill. We decide to have morning tea at this point. We then continue on carefully for about 3.5ks when, once again, trouble strikes the wire breaks. Steve constantly kicks the tyre to keep it straight so that Gary can steer to level ground to “operate” once again. By this time, it is about 1.30pm. We expected to be back at camp by 12.00 because Brett was expecting more members to arrive on Saturday morning. So Brett and a few others return to camp to pick up some coat hangers (yes, coat hangers) and return to Gary and remainder of group. Meanwhile, Dave and family have arrived, also Greg and Phyllis. Melissa suggests Brett have some lunch then return to the others, but
Brett says, "No I won't be able to eat until I get Gary safely back
to camp." So Brett, Dave and family, Greg and Phyllis, set off on
their exciting afternoon run a mercy dash to an injured Jackaroo! A few
ladies remain at camp, including Betty. By this time, it is about 4.30pm and cold, and the vehicles thankfully drive back into camp. We all gather around (Betty's) fire, and hold the usual happy hour and trip post Mortem. When Ken arrives back along with everyone else, he unpacks some wonderful blocks of wood for the fire which "had fallen off the back of a truck". As time goes by, everyone attends to their camp cooking, etc. Dorelle and David decide to make a separate fire to cook their roast pork (David cooking under Dorelle's instruction). Later in the evening, Dorelle assures us the pork was beautiful, but I know the rest of us had wondered when we saw the two metre flames of their camp fire! The camp fire socialising, as always, is fun and frivolous. Fran, being a little quieter than usual because of a migraine. She is still knitting "the black scarf". The men manage to create a funnel using Ken's wood blocks, and Fran is fascinated when, at the moment of success, there is a (Fran's words) "poof" and the flames finally roar up the funnel. Now, we all know, a word like that cannot be uttered around a campfire without a comical response, etc, etc, etc. And so, after an uplifting few hours and Betty's damper, we all retire at a reasonable hour. Concerning the Jackaroo, Gary, being in Gold Ultra (sometimes getting old has advantages) decides he will 'phone RACQ to ascertain his options, so on Sunday morning Steve kindly offers Gary his vehicle to drive to the camp ground 'phone box to avoid damaging the Jackaroo. Gary arrives at the 'phone box and proceeds to follow the instructions for 'phone use, but the 'phone will not cooperate, so Gary drives to the Rangers' Office to report 'phone condition and hopefully use their 'phone. It is then that Gary discovers that the cost of a phone call is 40c not 30c as stated in 'phone instructions! The RACQ person informs Gary they would send an assessor to see if the vehicle is driveable, etc, and then make further arrangements, Gary Returns to camp. By this time, it is about 9.45am (another 9am start completely shot to pieces), so the others (who were basically waiting for the Chapmans to sort themselves out) can now leave for a morning run. Dorelle and David opt for a run into Kenilworth. So the Chapmans of course remain at camp, nobody really knowing whether the Chapmans or vehicle and 'van would be there when they return from their run. The assessor arrives in a vehicle carrying truck, takes one look at the work of art under the car and declares the vehicle undriveable. We are then informed of our options and make decisions. We are offered several luxurious options which, unfortunately, would take "time", so because of appointments back in Ipswich, we decide to try to obtain a lift home with fellow campers (once home, we have use of our son's Disco), and return to Kenilworth later in the week to retrieve vehicle and 'van. So Gary and Betty quickly complete packing up, grabbing anything we need from car and 'van and placing in plastic bags, then wave goodbye to our vehicle and 'van. Then reality strikes. We are homeless. We take up our few possessions and place them in the shade of a tree and wait for the others to return. While waiting, we think about who may be able to give us a lift back to Ipswich. 'We realize that most of our fellow campers really do not have the room to accommodate two more adults and their plastic bags, or they live in a completely different direction. We both have visions of riding home on roof racks, but then we think of Steve and Linda, who have their 'van and should be able to fit us in, which was the case, thank goodness. The others return from their run, and for some unknown reason, find the sight of Gary and Betty sitting among their plastic bags, quite comical, and record their misfortune on camera. We all have lunch and pack up, and depart at about 1.20pm. Highlights of our trip to Charlie Morelands Gary and. Betty Chapman P.S. The men are so proud of their bush repairs, they are seriously contemplating forwarding photo and instructions to "Roothy" Many thanks to Steve for his spanners used as splints and hose clamps,
Linda for her coat hangers and Brett for his tie wire.
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