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.

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. 

Black Mesa State Park, Western Oklahoma

Sandwiched on a narrow strip of land between SE Colorado and extreme north Texas lies the Oklahoma panhandle. Rough prairie grass, yucca plants, and the occasional cactus belie the beauty that is Black Mesa State Park. With ancient rock formations and a river fed lake, the park offers exquisite camping under cliffs that once formed a shoreline approximately 150 million years ago.

Descending into the park requires dodging cattle in the road. After all, this is open range territory. The speed limit is 55, but approaching hills requires due diligence. Hitting a cow isn't like hitting a bunny. They do damage!

In the park you'll find a completely different terrain: a lake, river, and lots of vegetation. Deer and pronghorn are plenty but tend to keep away from humans.  Rock formations that were once an ancient shoreline now form the edge of a hiking trail. Hiking on the trail is moderately difficult with some large bowling ball sized stones that must be tackled dot the trail. However, the payoff is incredible with a view of the campsites and lake along the highest point.

Approximately 150 millions years ago this are was a shallow waterway with plenty of tall, coniferous tree. The remnants of them can still be found today in the form of petrified wood. 

Of course, this is the southern United States therefore a little religious vandalism is probably expected. 

The campsites are well maintained and some have shade trees. 

By far the best reason for visiting and staying here are the dinosaur trackway which can be found approximately 9 miles away near Kenton, Oklahoma. The trackway is on private land, however there is no fence or admission fee to visit.  The track lies in the middle of a creek bed which is prone to flooding and subject to being covered with mud. If possible, bring a pain brush or small broom to remove dry dirt from the prints for better viewing. After a rainfall though, expect viewing to difficult or impossible. Maps and directions on how to get to the dinosaur trackway can be obtained from the ranger station at Black Mesa State park. The mesa itself is close by the dinosaur trackway and is the highest point in Oklahoma. Due to time restraints I wasn't able to venture tot he top, but I will make another trip to do just that this summer. 

The trackway is approximately 150 million years old and was made by a Theropod (similar to T. rex). The impressions are about 8-10 cm deep and the details can be seen in the talon marks as the creature withdrew its foot from the muddy bank. 

Things to Know Before Visiting: 

The state park is fairly close to Kenton, Oklahoma but don't expect to find mush in terms of provisions such as gasoline or food. Boise City is the nearest community that will have these things.

Camping for RVs is 22 dollars a night. Pets are allowed, but must be leashed.

This is semi-arrid terrain which can be warm during the day but the temperature may drop 40-50 degrees by nightfall so be prepared with a jacket even during the summer months.

Buffalo Lake Wild Life Refuge

34.9263148,-102.1146238

Texas, unlike other western states, doesn't have the massive swaths of public lands like those found in Utah, New Mexico, or Colorado. So for the Texas panhandle to have a wildlife management area such as Buffalo Lake it's a treat to drive 10 minutes from my apartment to the front gate.

The history of Buffalo Lake NWR is long. As early as the 1940s it served as a recreational boating area with fishing and camping. Cabins even dotted the shoreline that could be rented out. At least 2 boat ramps occupied the north shore of the lake and the long lost remnants of boat propellers can still be found along what was once the shoreline near the concrete slabs. In the 1980s the lake was allowed to drain and return to its natural state. The water had become contaminated from area farms and cattle feed lots and soon fish struggled to survive. It soon became dry and besides a few times of significant rainfall that fills the lowest areas near the still existing dam, it remains dry.

Now the area is managed by the bureau of land management. Wildlife such as turkey, deer, snakes, and various others animals such as skunks can be seen roaming the area.

Camping here is allowed with several campsites available at 2 dollars a night, which is also the same cost as a day visit. No water or electricity is available, but the campsites have a concrete bench and a gravel area for parking a travel trailer or RV and the spaces are also grassy and tree lines for camping in a tent. Primitive facilities are at the campsites and usually well stocked with toilet paper and even have an LED bulb that runs on a battery and solar array.

One of the victims claimed in the fire was this little guy. I noticed him while walking the roadway in front of the campsites. At first I though he was alive since his head appeared to be elevated and looking around. As I got closer it was obvious he was dead.

We stayed one night this month (March) and it was obvious that a fire had occurred recently, though it was unclear if it was controlled or not.

The fire spared the campsites across the street. It's been extremely dry here lately, more dry than usual. Rainfall is scarce most years, but there's been no measurable rainfall in almost 6 months for the 2017-2018 winter.

Stargazing is one of the best things about camping. The night sky is filled with stars and even more are visible with a telescope.