Headed to the park for breakfast, that included a random park-dweller bewildered by all the fuss...
Ben doing the driver briefing... no route note changes, but a school drive-by to take note of.
When esCarpade come to town, the streets get taken over!!
Adam photo bombing...
And they're off!!
Adam having a turn in the driver's seat...
Lots of Jacaranda trees...
Past rivers and farms...
Over lots of bridges...
The boys were really MOOOOOOving...
Sugar cane district...
Across old bridges that didn't look all that secure...
And onto dirt!!
Causeway with water over it... not very deep.
Bit of a splash on the right...
Not kicking up much dust...
The start of some very slippery and rough tracks - lots of whoop-de-doos and ruts that required careful navigation due to the lack of ride height...
The images don't really do it justice...
You know it's an interesting section when there are people at the top videoing as you come up!!
Con from MW2 helping out the Hi Rollers...
By the time the tracks had levelled out again, the boys had scraped, bumped and slid their way across numerous obstacles... and the muffler sounded slightly louder than previously... That would be a job for rest day - to check the connections or if there's a small hole from a rock...
Muddy water over the track...
Then back into dry, open country for a while!!
Minecraft mucking about...
Then back onto bitumen...
And onto dirt again!!
Bender checking the tyres...
More people getting assistance...
And back onto bitumen again...
But that was short lived!!
Then onto bitumen again, and heading towards the Coraki School drive-by...
The boys decided to stop at Coraki Public School...
With some other esCarpadians (Team Ghostbusters in the photo with Damian), they threw lollies at the kids...
Then back on the road again...
Adam looking pretty happy with being in the driver's seat for what turned out to be a great morning drive!!
Is it bamboo? Or is there a giant troll doll buried there with its hair sticking out?
And back onto the dirt again... a bit more dry, and a bit more dust!!
Then bitumen...
And back onto dirt...
Fun stop!!
808 making their own fun...
Splash!!
Bender having a go also...
The boys skipped the big mud splash, and headed back onto the road...
With the dirt/bitumen/dirt/bitumen pattern continuing...
Good thing the boys were turning left there anyway!!
And making an entrance at sunny, downtown Alstonville for lunch!!
Woot!!
Earlier teams managed to park under the Jacaranda tree...
Damian with his costume on with Rob from Kermit...
Rock and roll!!
After a delicious lunch, and with no route note changes, it was Damian's turn to drive...
Lots of windy tarmac...
With a little dirt thrown in...
But not much!!
Dry causeway...
Interesting artwork on a works trailer...
Nice, sealed, windy mountain roads...
Through Nimbin!! Perhaps people were saying to each other "I'm not the only one seeing these strange cars, am I?"
More winding roads...
And some graffiti... not as good as on Retro Rock-It, of course!!
Bender crossing a nice, old bridge...
Woot!! A bit more dirt!!
And a token amount of water on a causeway...
After the usual dirt/tarmac/dirt/tarmac, it was back on the bitumen...
Cabanossi stop in progress...
Past some old buildings... at school leaving time, so lots of people to wave at etc...
Blackbutt Road ahead!! Turn right and the boys are almost home!! (Alternatively, it's a different Blackbutt Road...)
More hilly, windy tarmac with minor land slips and roadworks in places...
Just when you thought the dirt was done and dusted (hehe), there was more!!
But all good things must come to an end...
Always time for a selfie!!
Arriving in Tweed Heads...
Across the bridge...
Wait a minute... this is the wrong way!! Quick U-turn and across the bridge again...
With another team - Dukes of esCarpade...
Heading towards check-in...
Qld/NSW line...
Retro Rock-It checking in!!
And parked on the headland for a snappy photo or two...
Maybe three...
The boys found their hotel... terrible view, eh?
Next up, dinner... The night before the rest day is usually well attended... what would be in store this year?
Some Great scenery there. I’m missing it all so much ☹️. I did make enquiries about raising the car more Damien, seemingly not possible. Already has the harder (V8) springs all round.
ReplyDeleteYeah, been a good trip so far - can't wait to have you guys back next year!! The ride height will be something that I'll look into when I get home - maybe there are some other ways of achieving it... *shrugs* who knows... it will make for interesting blog posts next year!!
DeleteSkinny roads and some rough terrain! The team might need to schedule a car wash stop for all participants. Hope you all enjoyed the day off in beautiful Tweed Heads.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be a trip round Oz without seeing an Imperial Hotel along the way. Pretty much every town has an Imperial, a Railway or a Commercial Hotel (and sometimes all three).
ReplyDelete