Easter at Loveday 4x4
06 April 2010
Good Friday and we were off to a pretty good start with Darren Goetz still the last to arrive at the club but nowhere near as late as he was for the Otways. We picked up Anton and the Gysbers in Penola who completed our convoy of nine and a half vehicles.
Grant and Caroline had a funky looking camper trailer made up of half a car and from behind it looked as though they constantly had someone traveling right up their backside.
First stop was for tinkles, some snacks nd drinks at the servo in Naracoorte. We thought John and Ronda had headed just out of town with the est of the crew who didn't feel the need to top but came across hem collecting free coffee and bickies at he rest stop while we ere paying for ours Grant and Caroline?s “car camper” was quite cosy at the servo (my name is Billy not silly!). Onwards and upwards to Loveday and the weather just kept on getting better. Next stop was Pinnaroo for lunch, some fuel top ups and more tinkles (man those 600ml cokes go through fast!).
We arrived at Loveday around mid arvo but first impressions weren't that great. The “tavern” is actually a hay shed with a bar in it and while this wouldn't normally phase us the old mattresses and rubbish didn't give off an air of professionalism, nor did our first encounter with the staff. Grant had his motorbike with him as he was heading from Loveday to the Gawler Ranges and other assorted destinations and instead of simply saying to him, “sorry mate but you can't ride the bike here” he was greeted with something more along the lines of, “you needn't think you?re gonna ride that f...... thing here”. The rules say no driving while drinking yet the two blokes who drove in the vehicle that led us to our campsite each had a can of grog in their hand and although the speed limit is supposed to be 40km we all had to pull over on the way to camp for an obviously underage driver in a park vehicle who came tearing around a corner towards us.
Nevertheless our campsite, “Old Shady” was simply fantastic and despite the impression that Loveday caters to more of a “hoon” element and that the management is somewhat tarred with the same brush we had a great weekend. After the long drive and setting up camp we spent the rest of the day talking nonsense and taking the micky out of each other. During the chatter we discovered that some of us had only been charged $50 for the weekend while others had paid $80. At least this error by management was seen as a bonus even if those who only paid $50 had to take some slamming from the rest of the crew at every opportunity.
A few people earned some new nicknames over the weekend with poor Anton copping the most heckling. Traveling alone he quite rightly assumed there was little point boiling a kettle, dirtying a pan etc for one but of course he had to pay the price and was dubbed our pet raccoon by the end of the trip.
Saturday morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we headed out to explore some of the tracks. Initially it was just a sandy track through the mallee but we came across some big bumps and a nice big hole where the boys had some play time. After a play in the hole we went looking for the hill climbs. As we descended down the first of the three inclines a vehicle making its way up the center track made one of those “something expensive just broke” noises and we spent the next 15 minutes or so watching him being winced, oops I mean winched off the hill.
The 3 hill climbs were supposed to be easy, challenging and severe but were more like easy, vehicle damage and “bl....dy” impossible. John Gysbers was the only one to take on the challenge of the center climb but to do it safely and sensibly he had to go marginally off the designated track. After the hill climbs we located the sand dunes and once again the boys had a bit of a play. Not exactly challenging dunes but it was a bit of fun and then we made our way back to camp for lunch and spent the rest of the day fishing, reading and talking absolute nonsense.
(Ummm …you finished with that pan?)
That night we heard the desperate cries from Matty and Leanne?s distressed son, “Daddy stop! Daddy, stop snoring!”
Sunday was pretty lay back with some opting to relax at camp in preparation for the long trip home, some went on a drive to explore the property for more tracks and others ventured into "the playground". The “playground” consists of lumps and bumps, most of which have had sprinklers running on them and there are some five foot deep holes holding 4feet of lovely muddy water. Luke came back looking as though he had driven through the floods up north and Anton had some bumps on his vehicle while John Gysbers, who had gone as a passenger in Anton?s car (again – Billy, not silly!) came back with a new appreciation for those of us who go as passengers.
Overall a most enjoyable weekend due greatly to good humour, strange conversation topics and a willingness by all to laugh at themselves and enjoy some good aussie wit.
I should have some more photos to share in the next magazine once everyone gets off their backsides and sends them to me. Until then, as Grant would say “keep the shiny side up”.
