4WDing, Family Life, Geocaching, Out and About, Scouts

Yorkes again ….

November 18, 2012 Scott Leave a comment

I have wanted to get back to Yorke Peninsula and clean up more of the ever increasing geocaches that are appearing there. This weekend was my opportunity with Rachael and the Bleden Venturers looking for transport across to Yorkes for a different sort of clean-up weekend.

The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) have a Marine Debris Survey Program that has been going for a few years and the Venturers offered to assist by doing a survey on Gleesons Landing and Daly Head Beach at the western side of Yorke Peninsula.

Gleesons Landing is well known to me as all shifts in the Metropolitan Fire Service hold a 4 day camping break each year although I haven’t been for a few years. It was good to get back.

We finally made it to camp at 11:30 pm and the place was deserted which meant we had the pick of the campsites. The kids spent about 30 minutes setting up camp and were soon in bed. I was ready in 3 minutes since I was sleeping in the roof top tent. This gave me a chance to go for a wander around to the point and grab a geocache. 🙂

Saturday morning and making sure the kids were OK, it was time to hit the road. The plan today was to grab finds and do a lot of the walking geocaches in the Innes National Park. The temperatures were in the mid 20’s so perfect for some long hikes.

Considering the walks, I made 21 finds for the day and saw some spectacular coastline in the process. I had made my way across to Stansbury and camped there for the night. It was a little windy but slept well.

There was only a half day to go geocaching as I was due back at Gleesons Landing to pick up the kids at lunch time. Still managed 16 finds in the morning.

After picking up the kids, it was a quiet drive home as they all slept – they must have been tired.

It was a good weekend for them and me as well. Even our Japanese billet enjoyed the camping experience and I am sure she will remember her stay in Australia.

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12 of 12, Family Life, Home Life, Rachael at School

November 12 of 12 …

November 12, 2012 Scott Leave a comment

Today was a quiet sort of day. Being a Monday meant that it was a day off but I didn’t have a lot planned for the day.

8:00 am was the time my on call for the weekend ended so off with the magnetic roof lights until Wednesday when I am on call again. It was then school drop off time, taking Rachael to Blackwood High School.

After getting a $1400 electricity bill, solar is starting to look attractive. Had the first salesman come to go through the options, get up on the roof then give me the price. Have another couple of companies coming around next week. I can see a lot of confusion coming with all the different options of inverters and panels.

It was time for some chinese massage time on the lower back – one day it will be normal again. A long overdue haircut then back home for a couple of toasted cheese sandwiches and a coffee for lunch as well as get some pathtags ready to post to the US.

Being a Monday meant that Rachael finished school early at 2:25 pm – they never seem to be at school. Bradley has already finished his last high school exam and is getting ready for Schoolies.

Last task for the day was an inspection on our rental property to see what cost I am up for for repairs. Seems to be a lot of electrical stuff with some plumbing and painting. Hopefully it isn’t too much.

That is it for November 12 of 12 ….

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4WDing, Geocaching, Out and About

Geocaching up north …

November 4, 2012 Scott Leave a comment

Today was going to be the warm one and it certainly was. We broke camp early with the group splitting up. My plan was to spend the day geocaching, camping somewhere on the northern Yorke Peninsula.

There were a few more caches to find before getting to Quorn. One involved a walk in to a lone grave from the old mining days. It is believed to be linked to the Comstock Mine.

Following on from Quorn there were a few caches to grab through the Pichi Richi Pass. At one point it involved walking through a few hundred metres of high grass so I was always looking for the elusive snakes that may have been lurking.

After crossing the railway line to venture to yet some more remote graves, there was a train whistle. What a bonus, to actually see a train travelling on the old Pichi Richi Railway. After grabbing the geocache, I followed the train down through the Pass, getting some more photos on the way.

It was really starting to warm up when I got to Port Augusta with strong northerly winds. I continued to geocache through the afternoon when the temperature started to tip 41C. This really had worked up a sweat so grabbed a shower at the BP roadhouse before heading south towards Port Pirie.

There were blue skies above but over to the east it was black and thundery and on checking the weather radar it wasn’t looking much better to the west and it was heading my way. I don’t think I would be camping out tonight.

I remained in Port Pirie until dusk geocaching, but the weather had made it to me. It was still hot and the winds were still strong and you could see some rain coming down but it never reached the ground. What did make the ground was lightning. It was time to head south.

The farmers that hadn’t already reaped their crops were out in force trying to get what they could in before either the rain or lightning got to them. The lightning show continued all the way to Port Wakefield and normally I don’t mind a lightning show but it is different when it is hitting the ground around you as you are driving.

So instead of sleeping out in the scrub in the rooftop tent, it was home in my bed.

$The \"Wreck\" at Pt Augusta$

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4WDing, Out and About

Argadells …

November 3, 2012 Scott Leave a comment

After a chat with the owners of Quorn Caravan Park, it was time to head out to the Argadells and meet up with the rest of the High Range 4WD Club members. The first surprise was a bitumen road where I remember a dirt one for Ardenvale Road but it soon turned dirt but it wont be long before it is all tarmac.

Arrived at the Argadells Homestead and another chat before moving to the Springs campsite. On opening the first gate I heard some chatter on the CB radio. They were already heading off to Mt Arden. Let them know I wasn’t far away and I soon caught them as they were pulling out of camp. I took up tail end charlie.

Being a mixed group of vehicles from soft roaders to high clearance ones, there were going to be some challenges ahead. I have already done these tracks back in 2009.

The first couple of tracks were not too bad with only one challenge in a gully with a drop off the side and we soon made it to the ridge line with some great views.

The ridge track had some tricky rocky areas but we soon all made it to the top of Mt Arden, including the soft roaders. The views from here were spectacular overlooking Lake Torrens to the west and Port Augusta to the southwest.

The tricky bits were still to come with some rocky sections that tested out the soft roaders on the descent down from Mt Arden but all got through unscathed before stopping for some lunch. After a mild morning, it was starting to warm up with the temperature up around 32C.

A side trip to the South Gorge with a chance to get out and have a short walk to enjoy the view and then it was on to Buckaringa Gorge. It was still early so a few of us decided to go to the northern part of the property and tackle some of the more exciting tracks.

These tracks were a lot more rocky than the others we had tackled as well as a lot steeper. When we made the ridge, there was a bloke hiking the Heysen Trail that goes through here. We were impressed that he was doing it given the heat this afternoon.

After going over some of the tracks we had traversed this morning, we found a different track to descent off the ridge coming across some goats and kangaroos as well.

Back at camp, cooked up a chicken stew then it was time for some beverages around the campfire, before hitting the hay.