OK, I put the new battery in.  It still doesn't start as quick as it should when it is early and cold.  I have booked it in to the garage to be checked over as I have lots of adventuring to do over the next month.

I really should have done this a couple of weeks ago but as usual I left it til too late and now my big adventures will be put off for a couple of days.  I also need to go get diesel from somewhere, that's a bit of a shock.  I usually sweet talk the husband into filling it up.  I need chookfood before I go though so will combine the two.

It's going to be cold! where I will be so might throw another blanket in before I leave.

I will let you all know all about my adventures if when they happen.  In the meantime I am off for the weekend but the main one starts soon.  Stay tuned!

Harvey Dam.

Last Wednesday I had a to go to Harvey and after my appointment there we went up to have a look at Harvey Dam.  It's been quite a few years since I was last here and me and a daughter and her daughter took a picnic and planned to get a bit of exercise in while there.

When we arrived we parked near the playground and went for a wander looking for a place to eat.  Grandaughter found the place she liked so we set up our little station, had some food, then after lunch it was time to explore the area a bit.

Follow the path, pass a lovely grassed area where there is a a barbecue and a table and seats overlooking some water.  Onto a wooden bridge

                                                         and a look at some friendly ducks.

Over the bridge and along the path knowing that somewhere up ahead you would find the steps you came to climb.

 And there they are.  It looks like there is a lot and it looks a long way up.

 There were, it was.  I think there were too scarey for *someone* as they chose to climb up the rocks instead.  Naughty naughty. (but we didn't know that until a long time later when we found a sign saying not to. Oops!)

Once up on the top of the dam wall we could see where we had come from and where we had to get back to.

This is a lovey area for a picnic and a wander around.  If you are nearby I think it's worth the few km drive from Harvey to have a bit of an explore.

No Excuses.

I bought a new battery for Wanda yesterday.  She has been a bit sluggish with starting if I don't take take her for a bit of a run every week and on cold mornings...forget it. 
She's a bit like me and needs to move every day to be able to move when I want her to.  So new battery. 
If I was going to be home here I wouldn't of worried about it but as I will be off *on adventures!*  over the next few weeks and it will be cold!! where I am going and a long way from town and no mobile coverage, no phone...I thought this would be a good idea.  And husband paid for it so I wasn't going to think too hard about should I shouldn't I get it.  I got it.  It's heavy though, bit bigger than the one that is in there now and I have trouble lifting that out and back in...
Of course, I came home and tried to start her and she started straight away.  It's marvelous what a sit in the sun will do for us, both cars and people benefit.
I will put the new one in today or tomorrow...or sweet talk the husband and get him to do it for me..will see  And once it's in...no excuses. 

Who's bets on me doing it all by myself?  Who on him?

Lane Poole Reserve. Day Trip.

I haven't used the van for quite a while and that is not good.   Other people have used it for adventures more often than I have but not for a week or so and as it needs a decent run more often than it gets just to keep the battery charged I thought that I'd go off on an adventure.  So I did.


I drove up to Lane Poole Reserve with the intention of going for a decent walk while I was up there.
I had called DEC during the week to see if the bottom gate would be open and was pleased to hear that it would be as that would save me a bit of a drive up to the main entry startion and the drive through the reserve to where I wanted to be.   I had told the husband that I would be going to Nanga Mill so figured I better not change location, just in case something went wrong and he needed to find me.
So I drove in, find a nice looking spot and pulled up ready for a coffee.



This gate is closed from Friday afternoon until Sunday so anyone intendng to come up Nanga Road needs to get there before 3 or drive  up to the entry station.






First things first though so on arriving and parking in a nice quiet spot it was coffee time.
 

 
This was the view I had while drinking it.  There was more trees and bush if I looked the other way but there were council workers and a truck and tractor over there so I settled for this.




After that a 15 minute walk up to Stringers campside,

                                                                 a longer walk back

                                                  and an hour or so later it was time for lunch.

After lunch I planned on doing the walk that I originally came up here for and that was the Churdich trail to Nanga.  It was only a short trial and I have done it before but once again I couldn't see any markers and I only think I took the right one.  It got me to where I wanted to be so figured I had it right.

I came back via the road as the track was wet and slippery and my foot was starting to hurt, my legs were sore...I'm a sook...I was so glad to get back to the van and be able to make another coffee.

I am trying to get fitter and I think I will come up here more often just to walk through the bush.  It's a lot nicer than walking along a hard road  to the corner and back.

I saw these signs while up there and it looks like you now have to book to use some of the camping areas up here.  I didn't know that but as yet there are no bookings needed for where I was so next time if I decide to stay I can without worrying.   Mind you, this whole area is very popular and it does get very busy during holidays so this might not be a bad idea.   There were 2 vans up at Stringers and that has 6 camping bays and this was during the week so I can see how booking will ensure you get where you want to be.

We will never be staying up there during any holidays though so I can't see having to book affecting us too much. 
Lane Poole Reserve is a lovely area, there is bushwalking, fishing in season, swimming, canoeing, relaxing...heaps to do and something to suit everyone.  Camping fees do apply.   There are a few more toilets than the last time we were up there, some wheelchair accessable, no showers but cool water to rinse off in. 










 I think I will need to come back again.   I have no idea why we don't take advantage of it and visit more often.  And who knows, I may even see this little guy again.  That would be pretty cool.

 

Easter Camping

It's Easter so lots of people will be off for their long weekend away.  If you are one of them then please drive carefully, there are idiots out there driving on the same roads as you but sometimes being stressed and tired makes you do the same stupid things.

We are not going away.  Husband will be away with work but we don't go away during peak times unless we really need to.  Too many people for us.  We are selfish smart and like to have the places we go all to ourselves so go when most other people are likely to not be there.  Of course with some of the great places that we have here in Western Australia that is not always possible.  Sometimes there are people in the most unlikely places and they are probably people like us that went there at that time thinking that no-one else would be around!  I'm starting to think that with all the people travelling as a lifestyle now that there will always be people where we go and if we get the place to ourselves for a night then that is a bonus.

School holidays are another time that we will not go anywhere.  Too many kids, too much noise...Not for us anymore though many years ago we were probably the type of people that we now try to avoid.

If you are out and about though, take care.  Look after yourselves, look after the bush, look after the places that you visit.  You need to do all that so that in the future you and those places will still be around.

Have a good one People!

I Have Mice!

In the house and in the van.  How rude!!

The ones in the house are slowly being removed.  The one? in the van is there because I was a bad van keeper and left some food in there.  The cold and hungry little mousey must have thought I did it for him.  I didn't!  I was just too damn lazy to pack things away properly. 

I also have a flat battery in the van...well it is not in the van now it is here at the house...I had it connected to a charger but I don't know if it worked or not.  I haven't used this charger before and there is no light to show if it is working or not.  And the dial thing seemed to read lower after a couple of hours...I will carry the heavy thing out and reconnect it soon, when the rain stops, and if it doesn't start I will have to connect it to the other car and try and get it going that way.  At the moment it is parked out the front near the road and I need to get it back into the yard so it can be cleaned out and repacked ready to use.

I really need to get better at this camper looking after stuff.  More camps so that the van gets a decent run regularly, put stuff away, clean up properly after use, get ready for next trip so I can just up and go...all the stuff that should be, and probably is, done by good little camper owners everywhere.

Can Your Camping Vehicle Do this?

Can you do this in the car that you take camping?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbojfun27pg

Wanda will never be able to.  She's not even any good on corrugations.   The cruiser will never get the chance to try.
And I'm pretty damn sure that when they made this car they didn't intend for it to be doing this.