I haven't writen anything about my 2 week camp on my brothers property. I made a decision to spend some time with Jim last August/September, to give him a bit of company while his wife travelled for 6 weeks in America. My camp set up worked a treat, giving Jim and I some space to do our own usual thing, then meeting during the day for cuppa's on his veranda overlooking the Grose Valley or Jim giving me the guided tours of the Hawksbury and surounds visiting some of the historic sites, joining his bush walking group and driving thru some of the back roads of Richmond.
Nearing the end of the 2 week period, the weather closed in and I wasn't able to charge the battery with the solar so I took myself home. I think Jim appreciated me hanging with him, though I did have him doing a few alterations to the caravan front and rear storage boxes.
Not long after, I took a really big step in buying a Motor Home, Nicki had bought herself one about 6 weeks earlier and seemed really pleased with her purchase. So was getting an itch to have one too. I figured time was quickly closing in on me regarding coupling, uncoupling, reversing the caravan as well as the safty factor being a solo traveler. So...I was following an advertisment for a 2002 Mazda Freeway Winebago in Randwick for some weeks, agonising over should or shouldn't I take the plunge, quering was it the right time to change and secretly hoping it would be sold and that would be that....but no.......it didn't sell so Nicki offered to drive me down (cash in bag) to take a look. I bought it there and then, but not before checking with rev's and doing all the right things that go with buying an expensive item.
I really think it was the right thing to do although it felt uncomfortable for some time driving a manual and a truck to boot... but I have finally learnt to drive it as a truck and not a car, am getting the best out of the motor now. See the rig below.
Nicki and I took a few days away in the Hunter Valey to give the motor homes a shake down, to find any problems that needed repair and to generally sort out what was needed and what wasn't. The weather began to warm up after that so our next planed trip was to possibly end up in Tassie in the New Year after the school holidays.
Well that didn't happen as money wasn't available, though it is still on the cards for next Christmas or there abouts.
So we went north instead, almost reaching the border via the Summerland Way thru Kyogle and Woodenbong and then returning via Urbenville, Bonalbo. We wanted to do the loop bypassing Casino on the return and so continuing on secondary and dirt roads thru Baryulgil and Camira coming out at Whiporie back on Summerland Way. We drove 20 Kls in on the dirt road and found the best camp spot right on the upper Clarence river. A place called Alice but it dosnt show that name on map. Spending many hours there (a few days) relaxing and taking in the peaceful sounds of the river while catching up on reading, the decision was made to continue on but my petrol gauge showed I didn't have enough petrol to reach civilation so returing the way we came and on through Casino and Grafton, we headed off on Waterfall Way toward Ebor,of course, to see the waterfalls. I wasn't keen on that windy road though, we stayed in a free camp at Wollomombi later that afternoon. Our next camp was at Bendemere, anothe free camp then onto Tamworth. Our last free camp was at Broke in the Hunter Valley.
So now this takes me to the end of May 2015 and the planed trip to outback Queensland in a week or so's time.
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