Trip Report
So after posting a trip for for almost every weekend since the start of the year and having almost no takers, it happened to be that on the 25 April, everyone turned up at once and it was a full quota of 10 vehicles.
Vehicles
Tonka Jeep TJ
Richo TJ
Nylate JK
Lim@ JK
Then we had a mix of non Jeeps
GU Ute
GU Wagon
Defender
80 Series
Navara
Pajero
Almost everyone made it to Dom Dom Saddle at 6.30pm where it was just on dark.
Note to self, there is no lighting at that particular meeting point, making intros a little awkward. Especially for the poor lady who was looking for the loo and had just pulled in to the car park to greeted by 10 blokes standing in the dark.
We aired down and rolled out about 6.45pm and headed down Dom Dom Creek road, which was a non event, a couple of wet patches but a nice start to get the eyes accustomed to the dark and win the pissing contest as to who had the best LED light bar.
After negotiating our was to the start of Strickland Spur, it was noticeably wetter than previous visits, but being a rocky area, it wasn't goop, just damp soil. The late comers caught up with us at the start of Stickland Spur and we started the climb.
It was a non event for TJ's, locked on 35's Richo may have even put it in 4wd at some point. It was a fun track, the steeper pinches were now beginning to show use meaning wheel holes and steps to keep everyone honest. The first problem of the night came when the Navara was having a lot of trouble on one of the climbs that was now pretty greasy from the night air and a few vehicles loosening up the soil. After a couple of goes, he decided to winch, when we noticed that both the front wheels were pointing at each other. Steering arm snapped clean.
After a lot of head scratching a patch job was made to keep the wheel straight so the Navara could be towed to the next flat section of track. After some planning, thought, more head scratching, the Navara and 80 Series (both from 4x4 Earth), called it a night, and were happy to let us all keep going while they sorted things out. I'm still not sure what they did, (left Navara overnight and came back with parts or got it towed from the nearest accessible track), but I have been told they are all home safe.
Back to Strickland Spur, the only other issue was the Pajero that also needed to winch, but I was busy helping out the boys in the Navara so I can't tell you what happened. Now two hours down on the planned trip time, we headed to the rock climb on Pitts Tk Woods Lookout (Mt Gordon). The last 300m is the only reason to drive the track, with 100% rock, with multiple lines, ledges etc, so you actually have to choose your line and crawl.
Everyone crawled up except the Pajero which I swear, I thought we were about to loose, as it got bucked onto the drivers side wheels, with a clear meter of air under the passenger side. It made it up using the alternate, easier track, which isn't much easier.
From the top we made it over to the other side of Narbethong and Joes spur, where we tackled the 'intro' track from the plantation. Some of the vehicles had left by this time to go home as it was 11.30pm. The track was slick clay, medium size ruts that zig zagged themselves to the top. The TJ walked up, but one of the TJs had awful trouble and was not making any forward progress! After another winch, then dropping the tyre pressures from 20psi to 15psi, he made it up no trouble at all.
The GU made it up, putting on more of a show, full noise and plenty of action. By this time it was well after midnight, and the tough section of Joes Spur beckoned. The GU was first to attempt and got no further than the tree route on the climb. We looked at the time, and refelcted on what had already happened on the trip and decided to call it a night. We made our way back out to the Black Spur, aired up and headed home around 1am.
