DARTMOOR ► HAMILTON
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LAKE BOLAC ► SCARSDALE
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BALLARAT
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CRESWICK REGIONAL PARK
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THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT WHILE THE PICTURES LOAD |
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Day 43
Wednesday 30th December 2009 Click on the pictures for larger versions |
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After a really hot night and a very restless sleep, we sat in the
caravan hoping the heat would give up but it didn't. The dogs were not having a great time, as they couldn't find anywhere to keep cool. The thought of packing up in the heat was stopping me from deciding to leave but eventually around mid morning it became too much. As quickly as possible we went through the routine we well knew and finally headed out of Dartmoor towards Hamilton just before midday, Queensland time. Our heads were pointed towards Queensland and it really felt good. We had gone past half way and the holiday feeling was subsiding. Home was looking good, even though we'd enjoyed the trip, mostly. I was still looking forward to new areas on our way home, but in cooler areas I hoped. The breeze from the open window as we sped up - no air conditioning in the Daihatsu Delta Van - was delicious, after enduring the heat. We arrived in Hamilton and it was STILL hot. I was driving with no shirt and it felt like I was holidaying in somewhere like Hervey Bay. We refuelled and bought some Service Station Takeaway Food and kept going. We passed the Grampians and kept going to Lake Bolac. I expected a lake but found a small settlement. There was a lake, but we would have had to drive out to it. Instead, we called into a small shopping centre and bought Ice Creams and COLDDDDD drinks. Ohhhhhhhh, so good! |
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| 3.53pm | 3.56pm | 3.58pm |
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| The Grampians | ||
| 3.57pm | ||
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| Near Skipton | ||
| 5.27pm | 5.28pm | |
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Just after an area called Pittong we pulled over to give the dogs
a walk and a pee. Us too! The bitumen was so hot that it was sticky. The tyres were hot from driving a good distance on the hot roads. We drove off, next major town was Ballarat. Our overnight stop was to be at Creswick Regional Park, a little further north. We passed through Linton and over a slight range and were going down the other side when I felt a tremor in the steering. As I was wondering what the tremor was, the Daihatsu started pulling to the left. A sedan was pushing me up the tail as I realized the front left tyre was deflating and pulling me off the road, caravan and all. A bridge appeared ahead and we were drifting dangerously towards the left rails. It was taking all my strength to hold the Daihatsu away from the bridge rails. The idiot behind, passed me on the bridge, while I was trying to stop the Daihatsu gently, because too much braking was causing it to pull further to the left. As the moron in the sedan sped off into the distance, we came off the bridge with the tyre making horrible noises. We finally came to a stop on the grass verge. I got out and could smell burning rubber. The passenger side tyre was totally wrecked. Just the rim left. Then began the ordeal of getting the spare out from under the van,
jacking the vehicle up, removing the wrecked tyre and fitting the spare.
Sounds easy, but not when it's a Daihatsu Delta Van and not when
you are just off the road on the exit from a bridge, with cars zooming
past. |
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