Hi Everyone this is my first post as a fair dincum full time Solo Grey Nomad. I've been on the road less than 2 weeks but am loving it already. I am travelling the Oxlley and New England areas at the moment and it sure is nice (and cool). Travelling west on Oxley Hwyfrom Port Macquarie for about 84kvia Wauchope (a small Town) I stopped at Ellenborough Reserve Free Camp (Camp6 NSW318)for the night. The Camp is large, grassy and beside river. Only has drop toilet and no other ammenities. There are about 20 Caravans 2 or 3 Vans and a Bus here at the moment. The river is about 50mtrs wide and shallow with a few gentle rapids near the Camp where the depth is only a mtr or so. Canoeing is possible..saw a couple. There doesn't appear to be a Town although there is a sign "Police" on a side road so may be a small hamlet nearby. A nice overnighter if you are heading that way. By the way the next stretch of road to the Gingers Creek Store (must stop) is fantastic with 310 (signposted) corners. If you are an old biker like me you would dual, tal about Targa Floria stuff. Anyway a few pics with my new camera are included.
Hello Steve, sounds like you are taking on this nomad life style like a duck to water.Really enjoying your blog , look for up date each night i log in. Some of the free camps are nicer than others, but, most are free or very low charge,Like caravan parks i guess, some are very average for what they charge and some that are great are very reasonable in there charges. If we find a free camp and can fit our set up in even if it is not all that great we normaly park up for the night and move on the next day.As it dosn't take long for c/ park fees to eat into your budget. Enjoy your jurney as i am sure you will. (Did you get the problem sorted out re your gears i thin it was?)
regards Herbie.
GaryKelly said
03:34 PM Feb 20, 2013
G'day Steve. Looks like a nice, peaceful spot. Don't forget to take a look at Ellenborough Falls while you're there... longest single drop falls in southern hem. You can also camp there. I was there a few years ago and photographed the local goanna, a big bugger who hangs around for handouts. If you're fit enough, you can walk all the way to the bottom of the falls. Actually, it's the climb back that's the killer. Took me forever.
Solo Steve said
01:55 AM Feb 22, 2013
Thanks Gary and Herbie. Yes I'm a bit shy of two weeks in and loving it already. Am at Dumaresq Dam via armidale for two nights at the moment
where it's nice and quiet but pretty full with vans. Off to Guyra tomorrow. Re the gears herbie, I haven't had the problem again and Walcha didn't seem to have
much available re Mechanics so carried on. The shift feels chunky first up when the engine is cold then is OK on warm up making me think it maybe oil or something.
Anyway intend to get it checked ASAP, anyone got any ideas?
Cheers Steve
eureka said
02:07 AM Feb 22, 2013
Keeping an eye on your posts Steve. I'll be learning as you go.
Helen
Solo Steve said
02:22 AM Feb 22, 2013
Hi Helen I'm from Nelson Bay, Corlette actually hope to catch you someday for local gos.
Steve
herbie said
06:58 AM Feb 22, 2013
Hi Steve, sounds like it is some thing to do with the oil, maybe wrong oil has been used . Yes get it checked out, as some of the out of way places only have a servo and no machanicial work shops, and if they do and it is some thing they have not got in stock it may take days to turn up, believe me been there done that, a very hard lesson learnt. Also we had to pay the cartage .I am only a bush machanic ,so i never take chances , as being on the road one cannot cart a full work shop around with them.I have to leave enough room for the wifes crap.
Stay safe and travel well
Regards Herbi.
Solo Steve said
10:11 PM Feb 22, 2013
Yes Herbie good advice. Same thing happend this morning, locked up then OK after running the moter for 5 mins, it's got me stumped!
I tried a mechanic at Guyra today but he didn't have a clue so I'll take it to the Toyota dealer in Glen Innes Tomorrow.
herbie said
07:20 AM Feb 23, 2013
Solo Steve wrote:
Yes Herbie good advice. Same thing happend this morning, locked up then OK after running the moter for 5 mins, it's got me stumped!
I tried a mechanic at Guyra today but he didn't have a clue so I'll take it to the Toyota dealer in Glen Innes Tomorrow.
Hope all is sorted out for you real soon Steve,let me know what the problem was ,we all have teething problems when we first set out , but in the end it all comes together.The only thing i am thinking though is if it has to camper has to be at mr fixits over night, what do you do for a roof over your head./// Do you have a tent ? if not i think i qould be buying one dosn't have to cost the earth , just some thing ,to camp in while your getting your camper fixed .We have an OZ tent and i never go any where with out it just in case , it is like a back up if the worst comes to the worst, and we are in a c/ van . But i have seen some people stuck if for some reason some thing goes wrong re van and it has to be in the mr fixits over night.
Hi Everyone this is my first post as a fair dincum full time Solo Grey Nomad. I've been on the road less than 2 weeks but am loving it already. I am travelling the Oxlley and New England areas at the moment and it sure is nice (and cool). Travelling west on Oxley Hwyfrom Port Macquarie for about 84kvia Wauchope (a small Town) I stopped at Ellenborough Reserve Free Camp (Camp6 NSW318)for the night. The Camp is large, grassy and beside river. Only has drop toilet and no other ammenities. There are about 20 Caravans 2 or 3 Vans and a Bus here at the moment. The river is about 50mtrs wide and shallow with a few gentle rapids near the Camp where the depth is only a mtr or so. Canoeing is possible..saw a couple. There doesn't appear to be a Town although there is a sign "Police" on a side road so may be a small hamlet nearby. A nice overnighter if you are heading that way. By the way the next stretch of road to the Gingers Creek Store (must stop) is fantastic with 310 (signposted) corners. If you are an old biker like me you would dual, tal about Targa Floria stuff. Anyway a few pics with my new camera are included.
Hello Steve, sounds like you are taking on this nomad life style like a duck to water.Really enjoying your blog , look for up date each night i log in. Some of the free camps are nicer than others, but, most are free or very low charge,Like caravan parks i guess, some are very average for what they charge and some that are great are very reasonable in there charges. If we find a free camp and can fit our set up in even if it is not all that great we normaly park up for the night and move on the next day.As it dosn't take long for c/ park fees to eat into your budget. Enjoy your jurney as i am sure you will. (Did you get the problem sorted out re your gears i thin it was?)
regards Herbie.
Thanks Gary and Herbie. Yes I'm a bit shy of two weeks in and loving it already. Am at Dumaresq Dam via armidale for two nights at the moment
where it's nice and quiet but pretty full with vans. Off to Guyra tomorrow. Re the gears herbie, I haven't had the problem again and Walcha didn't seem to have
much available re Mechanics so carried on. The shift feels chunky first up when the engine is cold then is OK on warm up making me think it maybe oil or something.
Anyway intend to get it checked ASAP, anyone got any ideas?
Cheers Steve
Helen
Hi Helen I'm from Nelson Bay, Corlette actually hope to catch you someday for local gos.
Steve
Hi Steve, sounds like it is some thing to do with the oil, maybe wrong oil has been used . Yes get it checked out, as some of the out of way places only have a servo and no machanicial work shops, and if they do and it is some thing they have not got in stock it may take days to turn up, believe me been there done that, a very hard lesson learnt. Also we had to pay the cartage .I am only a bush machanic ,so i never take chances , as being on the road one cannot cart a full work shop around with them.I have to leave enough room for the wifes crap.
Stay safe and travel well
Regards Herbi.
Yes Herbie good advice. Same thing happend this morning, locked up then OK after running the moter for 5 mins, it's got me stumped!
I tried a mechanic at Guyra today but he didn't have a clue so I'll take it to the Toyota dealer in Glen Innes Tomorrow.
Hope all is sorted out for you real soon Steve,let me know what the problem was ,we all have teething problems when we first set out , but in the end it all comes together.The only thing i am thinking though is if it has to camper has to be at mr fixits over night, what do you do for a roof over your head./// Do you have a tent ? if not i think i qould be buying one dosn't have to cost the earth , just some thing ,to camp in while your getting your camper fixed .We have an OZ tent and i never go any where with out it just in case , it is like a back up if the worst comes to the worst, and we are in a c/ van . But i have seen some people stuck if for some reason some thing goes wrong re van and it has to be in the mr fixits over night.
Regards Heriei