This will be my first trip report, for my first camping trip in about 30 years.
Cast: Me (Jim): Petrol/Gas 80 series
Jeff :Hilux dual cab
Chris: Colorado
Dave: Grand Cherokee
Four of us met at Maccas Lithgow for our trip to Araluen via Braidwood. After a coffee and brekky we were off at 7AM. The trip down was very uneventful. We arrived at Araluen Pub at about 11:30 AM and waited around till it openned at 12. Lunch consisted of a BIG plate of chips and gravy and a schooner. Wow, great value feed.
After feeding the worms, we were off. Not far out of Araluen the road turns to dirt. We turned off the road at the Dry Creek camping ground and proceeded to engage diff locks etc and head out into the unknown. After crossing the creek the fun began. I have never seen steeper, longer climbs and decents. And not just 1 or 2 but they seemed never ending. The views at the tops of the ridges were amazing, but finding somewhere to stop and take pics was difficult. By the time it got close to 4 PM we were just coming up to the Bendethera camping ground. We crossed the first creek and decided that the first camp site was the one for us. We got ourselves set up (I took the longest because I just wasn't sure what I was doing) Got the fire going and settled down to a few beverages and lots of chat about the days trip in. The light misty rain that started couldn't dampen our enthusiasm . Next morning we packed up, had a bit of an explore and after consulting our maps headed off to our next camp site. The climb out of the the camp ground was eventful. The mist made it seem like we were climbing so high we were literally in the clouds. A flat on one of the vehicles saw us repairing the tyre on the track. (Its a Jeep thing
). We got back on the move and kept going. As it got closer to lunch we got to a point on the map where it was indicated that a camping area was just ahead, and the track continued on to our destination. Lunch at the camping area and on to our next camp. We might actually get there well before nightfall 
. Well, we got to a point on the track where the camp ground was supposed to be and found that the only way to continue was to fit wings and fly 
. Lunch was has, and we turned around and headed back along the track for about an hour. This time the Jeep managed to snap off a valve stem . Got it swapped off, and headed out to our next camping spot at Big Hole. Set up, fire going, drinking and eating underway. We reflected on our day and again had to say "Its a Jeep thing" . Next morning it was pack up and head back to civilisation. My trip was not the most pleasant, did a front axle seal and developed a bit of a shudder, so had to take it easy. The shudder got worse, and all of a sudden a loud bang saw me drifting to the wrong side of the road. I got pulled up on the side of the road to find that my tyre had decided to delaminate the tread. (No, it wasnt a retread). We got that fixed and headed home. It was a GREAT couple of days with a GREAT bunch of mates.
Thanks again to the fellas for an epic adventure.
[attachment=0]
