Hi Everyone,

We're moving slowly into the colder months and we're now starting to see a different style of camper!  Thongs and shorts during the day, and then an abominable snowman look at night.  The temp is now starting to stay in single figures as the night comes in and camp fires are everywhere!  So for anyone camping in the next few months...bring your warmers!

ANZAC and May long weekends have come and gone and I've given a small overview later.  We're currently getting ready for the Grilla Night run this weekend, with an expected good turn out.  Many people are just coming to watch some of the antics.  So if you want a different style of weekend, with all your food included, then come along and join the throng.  For information on the Grilla run, click here.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to try my "new toy" out on the run, with an expected delivery of it on Friday.  I'll let you know how I go in our next newsletter.  We're also hoping to throw in a couple of surprises for the cars doing the hard run with a few virgin tracks not on the map.

The Long Weekends

Firstly, a big thankyou to everyone who came to visit the Springs.  Toni and I hope that you all enjoyed your stay.  Both had some surprises!  We had a fantastic turnout for the social night run on the Saturday night.  Some 40-50 cars joined in.  It is the first time ever that the flat area on one of the lookouts, (Bald Nob), could not hold the amount of cars that we had.  When I reached another lookout some 2.5kms away I looked back and the last car was just leaving Bald Nob.  It was a great sight seeing a 2.5 km trail of headlights through the property!  Sunday we moved onto the drag circuit.  Again a good turnout, with both the ladies and gents records being broken.  The men's going to Wayne Banks in a time of 58.03 (a Jeep Rubicon I think), and the ladies to Sadie Wood in 59.56, in a 2.8 diesel Patrol.  The ladies record was broken by a staggering 13 seconds from the previous best time and beat the majority of other men who had a go.  Go Sadie!  Unfortunately, the day times were slightly forgotten, due to a roll by Sadie on her last go.  I'm glad to say that she got out bruised but relatively unscathed, but the car was not a nice sight.  Since then she has emailed me and told us that the vehicle will now get a replacement body and in her words:

  "We suspected the old body had had a replacement roof put on it and we were right.  It had been a bodgie job.  We were never happy with the body but it has good running gear and we had often talked about one day replacing the body.  So I figure I have done woody a favour, so he is now getting a better body.  Make sure you tell every one the times a GIRL WAS DOING IN HER LITTLE 2.8 DIESEL.  GO GIRLS."

  Sadie also holds the record for the slowest time!  After righting the vehicle, she was towed back to the start with a grand finish of 14 min 30.25 seconds!  One lady, with two records in one day!

Tag along

Toni and I managed to get off the Park recently and with a few friendly locals went to explore Sundown National Park.  For once I was allowed to take the family 4wd off road!  Sundown is only 45 minutes from the Springs and once you can find your way in, (not brilliantly signposted), there were some great views and scenery to be found.  Also, if you know your way around, ie off the main drag, there are some "interesting" tracks to be driven!  We're looking at doing some tag alongs into Sundown.  We know that when you get to the Springs you don't want to leave (!) but we thought it might be interesting for a group of like minded people to head off and explore there, using the Springs as a base.  Any feedback from you all would be appreciated.  Good idea?  Bad idea?

OK time to finish.  Thanks to everyone who has visited us recently, hope to see you all soon!

Cheers