I also mentioned in my last update that I would be on the NSW south coast next time we speak, well guess what, I am, I have gone from Greens Lake, Central VIC.  I am now house sitting in Milton about 30 mins north of Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast but first I need to back track a little.

 

My time at Greens Lake was as usual fantastic and came to an end after the Labour Day weekend. Boy was that busy, heaps of people and some very inconsiderate at that. A rowdy group of about 15 with 4 CV's and about 3 small tents positioned so they took up all the corner on the left of the ramp and only a metre from some fellow GN's and playing loud music through big speaker boxes powered by a generator till the extremely late to wee hours of the morning.  I wish I had one of those hand held air horns as I would have let them have it at 7.00 the next morning as they were still in doors.  Bloody annoying pests, no, BOGONS.  Worst I have encountered.   At the end of the weekend rubbish was piled up and all bins over flowing. The water people had only just had the tanks emptied the Friday too. 

 

I left Greens Tuesday  10/3 and headed to a weighbridge I had been offered the use of, to check the Collie and Chief. A trucking and grain haulage company own the bridge and I checked all weights for free, wow, free.

 

Now the Collie came in under weight with all checks so that's great however the Chief wasn't so lucky. The overall weight with all goodies on board (ATM) was 160kg over the figure on the Vin Plate.  This didn't matter while at Greens but needed to be sorted before hitting the road so sort out I did and now things are all OK. 

 

After all that activity (work) I pulled up at Girgarry free camp for the night. You might remember that is where I stayed late December when I became a Greens Lake Refugee for four nights. I spent that afternoon de dusting inside the van and wow, the water was black as, when I finished. Greens is great but dusty. It looked like a new van at the end of the day.

 

The next day 11/3   I headed to Croydon to get the van serviced and a few things fixed from previous discussions with the dealer. I also spoke to the dealer about the weight issue.  He was unable or wouldn't help out so I will do some more homework on that.  Looks like I'm not the only one having problems loosing weight,  now the Chief is.  Maybe too many arrows on board. 

 

While I was chatting to The guy who was doing the work on my van it was decided he will fit another 150w Solar Panel to the roof and wire in another Solar Regulator that I had and connect to a Anderson plug at rear of van so I could also hook up my portable Solar Panel that normally lives in the back if the Collie under a false floor.  I can do all that myself but the van was already there.  The portable panel is what I used with the Avan. I now have it wired independently to the roof panels though.  With all the panels in action I will have 570w of Solar Power coming  into the van. I am like a portable power plant now and fully self sufficient. No need for 240v or mains water hook up. I even store all my own grey and black water but both those need emptying at some stage. 

 

After picking the van up all finished I headed to the Mornington peninsula to spend some time with good GN friends that were set up on a block of land and have been for some time for various reasons.  I must say so myself that my first drive through Melbourne with the van in tow was good as was my very first effort of reversing in between gates and into a spot along side my friends van but not right on top of them. Thanks to Brian who assisted with a little guidance. I might add here that there was no yelling or arguments either :)  Cheryl even captured the big moment on video. Gee, does that make me a movie star now?

 

Now I know I said I don't have to rely on 240v and mains water but I haven't tested all that side of the van out yet due to being at Greens since first getting the Chief so hooked up to power and water for my stay.  All seems to work so remained hooked up for the duration. For testing purposes only of course :)

 

Friday 13th, mmmmm, decided to keep clear of "Black Cats" for the day and headed to Pedders Suspension in Frankston to talk to them about tow bars and weight distribution systems. I have the "Genuine" Holden tow bar on the Collie but it turns out I may not be able to use a WDH on it.

 

After talking with them and being told by a couple of GN's with the same Collie and towing the same size or bigger vans I arranged for an extra leaf to be fitted to the rear springs to assist with the weight on the back when van is hooked up. The journey across to NSW south coast, was a good test for that has has indicated no need for the level riders.  For now anyway.

 

Now during the same morning while waiting for the springs to be done that pain just below my left shoulder was getting quite bad so after getting the car back I decided to take myself to Emergency at Rosebud Hospital. Next thing I know I found myself admitted but in what they called the "Short Stay Ward".

 

I also got them to check the worsening hole with growth  in my little right finger. Yeh I know, I'm falling apart. Must be ready to be put to pasture. 

 

After 8 hours,  ECG's etc,  Xrays and Blood tests, I was discharged at nearly midnight. No problem with that from me as I wanted out ASAP.  I hate Hospitals. 

 

They seem to think the back is only muscular so was sent home with strong pain killers and see how things went over the next two weeks and take it from there. The finger, well I feel strange about such a tiny thing causing so much trouble. I have now seen 3 doctors and had two lots of Xrays on a LITTLE FINGER, seems silly doesn't it. Still no better off at this stage either. 

 

The doctor at the Hospital called it a  Granuloma and said to go to a Plastic Surgeon in Frankston on Monday. The Doctor had spoken to the Surgeon and gave me the contact details in the discharge notes. Mmmm, when I checked said notes, no contact details, bugga. They rang me though Monday and in I went and after speaking with them need surgery but not urgent so will wait till I have more time.  I will get it all sorted while house sitting. 

 

The Archillies is still giving problems but the stretches help. Phew! Enough already. Where's that pasture? 

 

Weather, well what a mixture when at Greens Lake,  great 90% of my time there but got cool while in Melbourne so gave the vans gas heater a run on a couple of mornings to test out and all good there, works a treat.

Some rain found it's way to where I was camped and that really has been the first rain I have seen for some time, a few showers really,  not rain. 

 

My journey across to the NSW south coast started Sunday 22/3 and I intended to stay at Lakes Entrance but on my arrival CV parks were all chockers for some reason. Why aren't people going home to go to work? 

 

I decided to keep moving and finally stopped in a roadside rest area just south of Cann River. There was a  motorhome already there so I stayed the night beside the Princes Hwy. Now this was the first time I had actually spent the night in a roadside rest area next to a major Hwy.  Apart from the odd truck zooming past it was OK and I'm sure will take place again.

 

I stopped to refuel at Cann River the next morning and had my driver window open. As I came to a stop I heard loud squealing coming from the vans brakes, bugga, not another problem, will they ever end. Refuelled and as I started off that squeal was there again but after about 30 seconds it cleared. 

 

I pulled over and had another look around but nothing, the brakes weren't hot to touch so decided to continue on with window open. I heard nothing while braking through the hills along Princes Hwy until I stopped at Moruya south of Batemans Bay to do a top up for fuel, bugga that noise again. I continued to my destination and arranged for the brakes to be checked.

 

To cut a long story short, things were not good but covered by warranty and will go no further about that here at this stage. Things are OK with the van now though. 

 

As I arrived a day early I decided to pull into the Milton Show Grounds and stay the night there. Nice too. One toilet and shower for the ladies and men. Mmmm, separate of course and near the entrance.  Someone from the Council comes around late afternoon to collect the $19.00 per powered and water on tap site that you choose. 

 

So, My house sitting has commenced and this update has come to the end.  

 

Thank goodness I hear you say.

 

See ya next time. 

 

DOUG.

 

 

Hidden away in the "Burbs" at Rye VIC with fellow GN's

 

 

 

Roadside rest area Princes Hwy Club Terrace, sth of Cann River.

 

 

 

Room with a view....Milton Show Ground, Milton NSW south coast.

 

 

 

More sites at Milton Show Ground.