Australian Road Trip: Day Five

Day Five: Thredbo to Geelong and the Great Ocean Road

The drive leaving out of Thredbo after hiking Mount Kozzie was a nice rest for my tired legs and I welcomed the long period of sitting. But the view from the driver's seat was stellar! The road leaving the alpine region is windy and completely canopied with the leaves of the ubiquitous Eucalyptus trees.

Australia is an old continent. It feels so, in part, because of the Eucalyptus trees and they are the masters of the great southern land's extreme conditions. They're found in the cold and snowy regions. They're also found in the hot, dry climates where only the monsoons rains sustain them for a season. The shed their bark almost constantly and their tendrils hang down onto anything the dares to inhabit the space below the trees' branches. This bark is seen hanging from other limbs, from highway signs, guardrails, buildings, and the highway. Cleanup, it would seem, isn't the highest priority on the highway department's list of maintenance items as large pieces of bark are a constant hazard on the road, especially for motorcycles.

The road gradually changed from winding mountain roads and passes to more level terrain replete with farms, dairies, and wine vineyards offering samples and food. Most of this day was driving, and while it may seem like a waste, I was able to see a great deal of the countryside and its terrain.

Tomorrow: the Great Ocean Road.

Australian Road Trip: Day Three

Day Three: Onward to Thredbo





The highest peak on the continent of Australia is Mount Kosciuzko. Apart form the first aboriginal peoples, the first European to scale the mountain was a polish explorer named  Paweł Edmund Strzelecki in 1840. He named the mountain after a Polish war hero and freedom fighter. The mountain is about 2300 meters high (7300 feet) and is no where near as high as the behemoths of the alps or the Himalayas. In fact, Pike's Peak in Colorado is nearly twice as tall. While it may be smaller, it's much, much older at over 440 million years old. There are a few options to scale the summit. The most popular appears to be to begin in Thredbo, a small village nestled in the gap between the base of Kosciuzko and surrounding hills. It has the benefit of a ski lift to overcome the steeper parts of the hill and get the climb started.

Looking toward Thredbo along Friday Drive.


After a good night's sleep I woke up and loaded up the car. The drive from Cooma to the park entrance was about an hour long and it became more and more clear as I drove that my goal of scaling the mountain that morning might not happen. I bought my entry ticket to the park and almost immediately the rain started. And it only got worse. Driving through the park is very similar to a drive in any other national park in or near the US's rocky mountains. Winding roads with sharp switchbacks that fell and rose sharply made driving the speed limit of 100 kph treacherous.

I arrived in Thredbo to a torrential downpour. And it didn't cease. The ski lift was closed and it didn't look like it would open that day. The wind was approaching 40 kph and the rain was scheduled to continue till 16:30, which incidentally is when the ski lift is normally shut down for the day.

So, my plans got nixed and there was no place to camp anywhere nearby so I opted for a hotel room again. I got on my Kayak app on  my phone and the cheapest room in town was 110 AUD at the River Inn. I booked and paid for my room and decided to see the village on foot.

 A swollen Thredbo River that cuts through the village.

 Thredbo is a very walkable community. 

Since my plans were cancelled due to the rain, the only thing to do was to grab some food and a few beers. After dinner and drinks and conversations with the others in the bar, who were mostly seasonal workers, I made my drunken walk back to my hotel room and crashed.

Kosciusko would have to wait.

Australian Road Trip: Day Two

Day Two

I woke up before dawn and watched the sunrise.... but only for about 30 seconds because the mosquitoes had obviously gotten the memo that I was awake. There were so many mosquitoes on me that I'm sure they had called in extra help to ensure my misery. I packed my tent away. In other words I threw all my crap in the trunk of the car instead of carefully stowing everything properly. I drove out of the park with the windows down just so I could clear out the free riders who managed to make it in the car with me.

I had planned to continue up the Capricorn coast, however news that tropical cyclone Trevor would be pushing a lot of rainfall to the east which would make it dangerous to travel on anything other than paved and sealed roads. Since I didn't opt for the upgraded 4x4 Land Rover, I decided on a less risky option and point my little Hyundai south.



I had a few places listed to visit on my trip. The larger one of those is the Great Ocean Road along Victoria's Southern coast near Melbourne. Since south is where I needed to go, I decided to make it a scenic one while bypassing as much of western Sydney as I could.

Yengo National Park

Yengo National Park is a beautiful national park. The drive south from Milbrodale begins as a gorgeous wine country terrain not unlike those of northern California. AS it continues south the road becomes much windier with steep canyon walls on either side of the road. Among the cliffs and the rocky floor Eucalyptus trees somehow find soil to grow and are ubiquitous. The forest alongside the road is dense with trees and brush and while mostly green, the color of the shedding and dying bark of those Eucalyptus trees indicate that this forest is alive and constantly changing. Tree limbs litter the roadway. Strips of shed bark hang from branches overhead. Road crews probably have a hard time keeping the way clear for motorists in this part of the state. But it was absolutely gorgeous.

 Hunter Valley Region near Maitland, NSW

 Yengo National Park

Yengo National Park

The remainder of my day was spent driving south towards Mount Kosciosko National Park. As the day wore on I realized that maybe it wasn't that leftover McDonald's that I left in the car overnight that I was smelling. I made the descision to seek out a hotel room and freshen up. The drive to Cooma took me the better part of the day and Mount Kosciosko was a mere 68 kms away. I could make up for lost time by getting up early and making my way to Thredbo and starting my climb.

Or so I thought. (More on this on day three)

Cooma is a quaint village that lies in the higher elevations of Australia. Accommodations are plentiful and the people pleasant. My room was about 100AUD and the largest dinner I've ever completely eaten in my life was 25AUD and it included a beer.

 Looking West into town. 

 The valley just outside Cooma.

Enough to feed two people, but I downed it all!


The next morning would arrive early so I tucked into bed to get an early start for my trip to Mount Kosciusko.

Australian Roadtrip: Day One

Many people think that travel is expensive, but I would argue differently. Most of us have disposable income, and while many choose to spend theirs on a new car every few years, or max out their bank account monthly by buying the largest house they can afford, I would rather spend my money on things that add value to my life. I was discussing this very concept with my dad before I left the US for an overseas trip and I explained, not that he needed and explanation, that I buy things after giving thought to how, when, and how often I'll use the thing that I'm buying. This is what I consider 'adding value'.  Before I bought my Runaway Camper I considered the purchase of a much larger trailer that would accommodate such things as a big screen TV or have cabinets for more dishes and food, but when I thought deeply about such things, I realized that I don't want a large TV to play video games with while I'm out in the wilderness camping. I don't need more space for stuff because there's only myself and I can do with less space. Such is the philosophy of life for me: to live more simply. But, this can't always work for many people who have a family or have someone relying on them for a particular level of comfort. But, that doesn't mean that some concepts can't be applied to those people not as fortunate as myself.

There's a scene from a movie I love called "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" which is based on a book written by Douglas Adams of the same name. In this scene the protagonist is speaking at a party to a potential romantic interest about traveling to Madagascar with her on a whim. He explains to her that he can't, that he's got a job to maintain. She simply says " Quit. Get another when you get back."

It seems so simple, this idea to drop everything and chase a dream.

Day One

I landed in the big city of lights: Sydney, the morning of Saturday the 23rd of March 2019. Total ticket cost round trip: 1300 US. Rental car: 158, but I opted for the additional insurance.

I called for the shuttle and the driver was there within minutes and my car was waiting for me. After signing a few papers promising to pay for any toll fees, fuel, cleanup charges upon return, I was off and heading north. Driving through Sydney traffic on a Saturday was easy. Typical for a large cosmopolitan city, people were out enjoying their day free from work hitting the coffee shops and being with friends.

Driving through the northern suburbs Google Maps took me along a circuitous route that kept me away from the M1, the Harbour Bridge, and any other toll roads. After 45 minutes of driving through town I merged onto the Pacific Highway and soon the buildings and people gave way to sheer rocks. The motorway sliced through thick, heavy rock that had stood for millennium

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As I made my way north, and in spite of it being a bright morning, my energy began to fade and the fatigue induced by 2 days of travel, tight, uncomfortable plane seats, began to take its toll. I found a campsite that was within an easy drive and continued my northward course.

Just north of Newcastle on Meadowie Road is the Fighter Museum. I've been to more than a few museums dedicated to aircraft, and this one is one of the impressive ones. It's relatively small, but it appears to maintained by a group of volunteers whose dedication to preserving the history of Australia's air defence service is deep.

It's housed in two hangers and almost every square foot of floor space is filled with aircraft, ordinances, cockpit mockups, and other things related to flying. Admission was 16 AUD and worth every cent. The can be found on Google Maps by clicking here.

 An ashtray made from the piston of a Rolls Royce engine used during the world war. 

 Goblin Engine Cutaway View

 Goblin Engine Cutaway View

After the trip to the museum I headed to Tomaree National Park. Camping was nearby the park, though restrictions on camping on the beach without a permit meant finding another place to bed down for the night. But, I ventured in and drove as far as I could before the gravel road gave way to sand. There's a parking area for cars and vans without four wheel drive so I backed in and walked the remainder of the way. Walking down the track can be treacherous due to vehicles using it, but I found that everyone was friendly and slowed down once they realized someone was on foot. The walk was about a kilometer and ended at another parking area, this one obviously for 4x4 vehicles. A path that bifurcated led to Big Rocky and Little rocky. Big and Little Rocky are rock formations that form a protective bay. Inside the bay wildlife can be found which makes it a popular place to snorkel and swim. 

 The path that leads to Big Rocky

 Some of the rock formations that surround the small bay. This picture looks south. 

After visiting Big Rocky I headed for my camping area I located with the help of Google Maps. Tattersails camping ground was a 20 minute drive with just a few kilometers of it being dirt road. I chose it because it was free and completely primitive. The campground sits on the banks of the Karuah River and has a pit toilet that was well stocked. The toilet is at the top of the hill but there are no other facilities. I arrived and found my spot to set up camp. The rainy season along the coast tends to be in late summer and winter, so I placed the rain fly on my tent as well. And it was a good thing too. At around 0200 I was awoken by the sound of a gentle rolling thunder and the patter of raindrops hitting the tent material overhead. Within minutes the thunder became louder and the rain relentless. But my tent remained completely dry and I had a decent night's rest.

I missed sleeping in my own bed in my Runaway Travel trailer, but it was a pleasant experience and when I get back home to Florida, I'll just appreciate it even more.

Tattersails Campground location

 Park Entrance

 I thought Florida was the Sunshine state?

The moon was bright once the skies cleared and the rain stopped. 

Sunrise on the Karuah River. 

One more important thing to keep in mind when camping here or anywhere near water. Bring mosquito repellent!

Wetting the Bed

Runaway Campers are ideal for sleeping in the rain. Their small size and the occupant's close proximity to the roof make for a pleasant sleeping experience. The droplets pelting the roof of my trailer woke me from a sound sleep. I laid there in bed at 3am listening to the sounds and enjoyed just being in the moment. Before too long I fell back to sleep. I don't know at what point the creeping cold and dampness startled me, but there's nothing like the feeling of waking up in a wet bed. My first thought was to wonder if I'd regressed to my childhood self and let loose my tinkle, but a quick crotch check and I very quickly realized that I had not, indeed, wet myself. The rain had stopped by this time, but a cool breeze blew in through the open window at the foot of the bed. Of course, I forgot to close the window.

So, I'd had this idea for some time and finally bought a set of wind deflector visors that are made the sunroof of a car. These are generic and not made for any particular car model, unlike the ones you might see along the contour of the driver's or passenger's side window. The Runaway Camper's windows are all 31 inches long. So, I found the cheapest ones on Amazon and bought three of the 38 inch long wind deflectors.

The visors have a self adhesive tape so application is easy but be sure to clean the surface around the top of the window. Also, I believe the adhesive is temperature sensitive so apply when it's higher than 65 outside.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L6Q6PMD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Full Time Runaway Life

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball that looks suspiciously like a lemon. Sometimes relationships just don't work, in spite of the intentions of those involved. So, for the one or two people who happen to stumble across the blog, I am changing my focus of my writing from that of improvements and upgrades to my Runaway Rangerunner, to how I intend to live full time in my Runaway micro camper.

To summarize, I have no kids and am single. I also have no pets, so living the simplest life possible is now an option for me. Quite frankly it's something I've wanted to try for a very long time. There's something liberating knowing that all I can carry can fit on my back....or in this case, inside my trailer.

So, let's take a look at my humble effects. Inside I have built a bed that is raised with enough clearance for a storage box obtained from Wal-Mart for clothes storage. (For more info on the bed build, feel free to see my previous post on that subject.) This is low enough to clear the bottom of the bed yet long enough to keep more than enough clothes stored away. I don't wear dress or business casual clothes for work, so ironing or hanging is not an issue.

And yes, I have two computers. 

Also under the bed I keep extra shoes, hiking boots, a telescope for stargazing, two folding chairs, as well as some hobby related stuff. (I fly racing quadcopters when I'm not busy rebuilding or reprogramming them) So, even though I live an an area the size of some people's closets, I still have room for extracurricular activities.

Most of my clothes fold nicely into the storage box. Some of the bulkier ones I leave on the top shelf of the cabinets.

My largest item that tends to get in the way is my guitar. I don't have a case for it so I have to be careful when I move it so I don't scratch or chip it. I leave it on the bed until bed time and then I stand it up by the door at night.

In the front area I keep my toiletries and other things such as paper towels. I also have some watertight storage compartments where I keep small items such as USB cables, telescope lenses, pens, Chap Stick, and other various things that like to roll around when traveling.

The front cabinets tend to catch everything that doesn't have a specific storage area and that's what make the Runaways better than most teardrop campers. They can be added for not much extra money. And if you've got Ron Swanson skills, you could always build your own. 

I also keep a keep clothes on the top shelf of my cabinets along with a box of important documents such as Passports, college transcripts, birth certificate, and the like. Having all these things in one place is important, I think. Perhaps one day I'll buy a fire proof safe to protect them better.


Inside by the doors I have some self adhesive brackets that work perfectly for hanging my keys. I like to keep them in one place because I tend to go back and forth between my Runaway and my truck throughout the day.  Having them close by the door and elevated makes it easy to locate them without looking.

INSERT PHOTOS OF KEY HANGERS

No bachelor's life would be complete without outdoor adventure! I keep my kayak and paddle attached to the roof racks. My bicycle usually rides on my bike carrier on my pickup truck.

I have several bikes, most of which stay at a family member's place in storage. This is my daily driver bicycle. It's a single gear so there's less to break on it unlike bikes with several gears and derailleurs. The kayak is a "sit on" type and very stable in just about any water. I keep a water tight Pelican brand case with it for my phone. 

Essential camping tool: an axe!

I have more than one bungee cord holding it when I travel, I promise. 

Living full time in my Runaway is new to me and I'm still learning how to best store everything. But, the biggest change I've noticed is that I spend most of my time outside. As I write this I'm sitting under a mostly cloudy NW Florida sky that looks more and more threatening to rain. While in an unseasonably warm February this might be OK, but the heat of the summer and the debilitating humidity are just around the corner. My approach might be change to incorporating the outdoors inside somehow with a screened in portable awning. Until then I'll enjoy the weather as long as it lasts.