Beerwah State Forrest

12th February

My trip started like most trips and ended like you really shouldn’t end trip’s. Most met at my place about 6.00 am and we headed of for the long bum numbing drive to D’Aguilar. We had a regulation stop at the Shell at Redbank for some red bull’s and just a couple of pies from Big Dad’s pie shop then we headed off as we picked up a couple of people there at the Shell. Suppose to meet Phil Kilpatrick and a few more at the Gailes weighbridge but as my rule’s go for my trips if you are not there I ain’t slowing down cause it takes the Hilux too long to get up to speed again, so we kept driving up through Milton Rd and the I.B.C and so on up the Bruce and turned off at Caboolture exit and on to the D ’Aguilar bypass.

Got to D’Aguilar about 8.00 am and found most where already there waiting for their fearless leader in his mighty red Hilux. Anyway enough self promotion. Did the usual stuff, aired down tires, boasted and filled out forms. And off we set at 9.00 am for the trip of the century on to the hwy and left in to Raeen Rd in our search for fun and vehicular destruction (well me anyway).

We headed in for the first part and down a dusty rutted hill that the few cars that came down, one by one, thought wasn’t to bad till the last bit as I am not known for saying no to too much and as I’d done this before I dropped off wheels in the air as usual and got to the bottom I found that the rain that cancelled the last trip here had conveniently washed away the ledge we all were s’pose to drive around so it was up to me to take on a very tight deep and slippery hole. And that’s where the first bit of carnage happened. I had caved in the rear tail lights on the bank and the usual Jamie panel damage then some wise sage’s voiced that they didn’t want to do any damage (where were you pair when I dropped in the hole ?lol ) so this meant I had to get back out and turn around in a Suzuki sized space and then more dramas prevailed as I was trying to get back up the hill I had forgotten to change fuel tanks and well lets just say the Hilux’s fuel pickup ain’t at the front of the tank and I just thought it had flooded so did everyone else so I winched up under just battery power and tried to start it and nothing happed again so it was clutch start time. Getting yanked by a shorty MQ of Kent’s tried to start but nothing happened again. We tried again then I realized that the switch was in the wrong spot and she started and off we went again.

Back round the top and down the next section no hassles every one behaving and I did it again this time I had torn the side out off my front tire. Not happy at this moment I lived in denial for a couple of minutes then reality kicked in, time to change tires. Got that over and done with it was up the first climb for a bit of mud crossing. Next section same again down rutted and dusty track and now for some real fun cameras poised Ben Taylor was the first to tackle the large ruts on this climb and WACKO!!!!! He just laid the tray on the bank and drove it with the bank as a guide. Most made it with no problems except Merv who did the same as Ben but Merv’s got a wagon and bye bye mirror.

Nearly time for lunch and I found a spot but don’t tell any one it’s a secret cause I didn’t even know where we were. After lunch we got back on track again and off to Locker Lane see how it was. I suggested that some may have a go Merv and Jim McDowell had been bitten there before so warily stepped aside for some newbie’s and one oldie they being Ben Taylor , Phil and his brother Tony. Phil tried the first bit then went the chicken track, Tony’s go now and it went pear shaped he was crossed up every where but with some help from Phil they got him back down and up the chicken track , now Ben was going to have a go and did the best impression of a purple Hilux on the verge of roll over with naive Paul getting as much weight forward as he could but in the end we had to tow him up but hey at least a Hilux went over the rocks not like the two patrol’s.

We now headed off to the famous Ball bearing hill and I decided to go the chicken track which is nearly worse than the actual hill now and we had round three of red Hilux dramas not just broke a CV but smashed it that bad that I could only turn one way so in two wheel drive I drive the rest of the track in a forward reverse motion all the way to the top and started pulling it apart and got it fixed. But there was more drama on the actual hill Steve Sim’s had done the same on the second jump up and had to get towed up the top.

Well the day was over now it was 2.00 pm and with a couple of vehicles damaged I called it a day but Phil had to have the last word and snapped a trailing arm on the way out. We’d all had enough now, so home ward bound we go. It was a good day there was lots more planned but cant help bad luck. Thanks for coming on my trip.

By Jamie Stinson