Adelaide #1

Left "the Hill" on Sunday down the Barrier Highway and stayed at the small town of Yunta.
morning teatime on Tuesday saw us in Jamestown so we called into the local  bakery where they had vanilla slices that you couldn't jump over. I remarked on the size, but chose an apple scroll which was beautiful. We were halfway through it when the proprietess presented us with a vanilla slice in a container. WHAT A SPIRIT!!
Then onto Peterborough, a nice little town which is really RV friendly.
In the afternoon we went on a guided tour of  Steamtown, which has grown out of former major railway facility. We returned that evening for a sound and light show which was really excellent
On Tuesday we pressed on to our destination which was Dry Creek, an inner northern industrial suburb of  Adelaide where the mechanic is situated. Just opposite is a former transport co. yard where we are now camped. It's really convenient having the railway 2 minutes walk away and this afternoon we took the 20 minute ride into the city and rode round on a free sightseeing bus
Can't believe all the parks, gardens and layout of Adelaide and we are looking forward to beginning to look more closely
But first tomorrow, Bruce, (the mechanic) will assess the bus and decide whether to do something with it or leave well enough alone.

Broken Hill

Whilst on our motorhome trip to Alaska just on 2 years ago it was decide among our fellow travellers that we should have a reunion in 2 years time. After some bandying around it eventually fell to me to organise said event. Silverton, a mining ghost town some 20km west of Broken Hill  was chosen as the venue in a camp ground named Penrose Park.
We arrived on 16th March after a 3 day trip from Goulburn.

Alone at Penrose Park

Although the country was very flat, I was still amazed that we that recorded fuel economy of 4 km /litre!!( thanks to a new turbo and removing the muffler)
Were on our own for nearly 2 weeks organising a bit and looking at things we knew we wouldn't get a chance to see once the others got there. Also we wanted to take pix of the full moon at it's largest but that didn't happen thanks to a continouos layer of cloud for 4 days.

Bruce's moon

I eventually got a pic at 3.30am 3 days later!
The mob arrived in dribs and drabs.
First to show was Ken and Wendy followed by Pam and Milton. The next day it was Merv and Maureen, Jill and Keith, Bob and Louise. The following day it was Rudy and Leslie, Jim Glenda and Jeannie and on Sunday Rod and Trudy arrived. Finally, Bob and Alidia got there on Tuesday morning.
 A couple of strays,  Russell and Kerry joined us for most of the duration.

Sunset over the Mundi Mundi plains

The first night's happy hour was a veeerrry long event with most of the participants finally falling into bed without dinner. After that a tea break was called followed by nightly sessions round the fire.

On Sunday we all retired to the Silverton Hotel to listen to Kerry who had a singing gig there.

"Alaska Mob" outside Silverton pub

Night out at Silverton Cafe

I had booked the local cafe for a dinner on Monday night and we began the evening with hors-d'oeuvres and drinkies. The meal was the krack and then we had a fine session conducted by Ken and assisted by B1 which saw everyone in stitches. The balance of the fines was presented to Royal Flying Doctor Service. That was a night to remember!!!!

Russell and Maureen's Pantomime

Little did we realise that that we would be spending it just a couple of days later when Merv was admitted to hospital with stomach pains from a gallstone in his bile duct. He was flown to Adelaide hospital where he had a gastoscopy to remove it.
We were joined by a million mice and everyone had their share of little visitors, but the prize went to Maureen who caught 2 simultaneously.

Maureen's Mice

The "mob" dissipated much as they had arrived and by April fools day only Keith and Jill, Milton and Pam, Maureen and us were left.
Spent most of Wednesday fitting a double water filter to  a new tap on the kitchen sink. What a bloody headache! everything that could go wrong did go wrong. But I got it done. After my recent experience with tank water it sure is a load off our mind given that we pick up water from all over the place
Keith drove Merv's bus into Broken Hill racecourse where we are staying this weekend and Maureen has just left to pick him up from the airport.
Whilst in town we took some time to look at the local scenery, architecture etc.
The Trades Hall was typical of the beautiful constructions peppered round town. Built around 1910 by volunteer labour, it stands as a reminder to the determination and purpose of the people who laboured at "the Hill" at that time.

Broken Hill Trades Hall

Oak Staircase

Union Mail Boxes

Trades Hall Ballroom

There are many abandoned mines in the area, some filled in and forgotten, some left as a permanent reminder of a bygone era.

Head frame of The "Brown shaft" Mine

Sitting atop the slagheap there is a restaurant and also a memorial to the nearly 1,000 workers who have died in the mines

Slag heap

Memorial

Reckon we will move off on Saturday morning to S.A.
Thanks to Merv suggesting Air scoops into each side of the engine bay. I found a sheet metal shop (Boltons) in Broken Hill where prices were very reasonable and the service was good.
I had been long thinking about locks for both fuel openings and Tim (at Boltons was able to supply locks and fittings quickly and cheaply.

Crookwell

We left Pejar last Friday for Crookwell where I got a new tyre on the bus. 
On Saturday we towed the Leyland with the Denning and a short rigid bar between for about fifteen kilometres over dips, gullies and along bush tracks to where it will sit whilst it being repaired.
Towing that bus was an experience that I will never forget!!!!!  My thanks to Alan for steering the old bus.  At least I could see where I was going.
This was the first opportunity for us to test our new batteries and solar panels.  The whole thing works splendidly.
At this time we also bought a 3kva generator which has already proved its worth in that we don't have to turn everything else off to run the air conditioner.
I can't believe how much better the bus runs with the new turbo.  We are probably looking at a 50% increase in fuel economy, and about one and a half gears better in power.
Ordered a flat white at the Gunning Cafe where we were presented with 25% froth, whereupon, Maureen took them back, and when they were remade were exactly the same (don't some people get it!).  The coffee beans were burnt too.
We stayed at the truck stop at Gundagai, and when I went to the back of the car the next morning I found that the cylinder head from the Leyland was still.  So we had a quick trip back to Bannister to put it in the bus.  A round trip of 350 kilometers.
We stopped overnight at Narrandera and tried their bakery where a customer recommended the 'bee sting', they were filled with custard and apple which was sensational, but their choux pastry was stale.
Because of the flat countryside the trip to Silverton was a doddle and we arrived Wednesday lunchtime

Back at Pejar

This Turbo hangs over my head like a thundercloud! We took "Moonshine" from St Ives to Marulan upon a recommendation about a Detroit mechanic, but after talking to him for a while, the "beware" signs flashed and We travelled on to "Pine Ridge", a beautiful propety 20 km north/west of Goulburn which is managed by my friends and sometimes travelling companions Darryl And Colleen.
There I took the turbo out and took it to Sydney for a reco. It arrived back today and I hope to fit it tomorrow. In the interim I have had the chance to do other stuff to the motor which is allgood
Went to the flicks few days ago and saw 127 hours .................. go see it
Its good  to see the dams full and the Hills green again.  That claypan that Kim Beasley stood on is now under 30 metres of water - lapping the spillway.
Unfortunately, the bus has eaten up a lot of our time,. so we have to take the most direct route to Broken Hill  for although the official date is not until the 28th,  we have set a deadline of the 15th March to be in Silverton ( to be ready for the full moon on the 20th)
If we get away by Friday we can still look around Bathurst and Dubbo and a few other places.
We are gettting quite excited at the prospect of the reunion.
I might have to get a job on the way over to pay for the diesel the way prices are going ............or better still, send Maureen out ot work.
Seeyas later

St Ives

Sorry to be leaving St Ives showground  tomorrow morning, an idyllic situation amongst the gum trees ... but all good things must come to an end and and so it's on to Marulan.
thankfully Big al came to my rescue and recommended a repairer to look at "moonshines" engine so hopefully in a few days we will sail through Taralga toward Bathurst
We had the delightful pleasure of Milton and Pam's  company while we were here and they were surrounded with all their "pets" and the more bromide they fed them the more they visited them. I must say that we felt very left out  and discriminated against that they had all that company and we had none.
Today, in anticipation of of higher temperatures in "the outback", we purchased a 3 kw generator to run  the air connditioner

St Ives

Its a cloudy Friday morning and yesterday I started dismantling the turbo from the motor but when I saw that the oil was coming from the manifold and not the turbo, it knocked the stuffing out of me as we had spent so much time and money fixing and examining the motor at LBJ tours. Looks like a broken ring on the left cylinder bank I guess it comes down to the old addage..."pay peanuts and you get monkeys"
We are at St Ives showground, just north of Sydney and I was surprised just how close to the city it is.
The showground is a huge complex with about 5 or 6 arenas  for all different activities . It is all tree covered and camping is very spread out. They have just finshed filming a segment of "Rescue Special Ops" here which will go to air in about 16 weeks. It has to do with a van park that has been hit a cyclone and birth of a baby by a woman trapped under an overturned caravan. ( And yes, they used a real baby)
Think we will stay until early next weekafter both Queen Elizabeth II and queen Mary II have been and gone... must have a look at them.
After that it's probably off to Richmond and then Bathurst
Both Maureen and I have recieved just about 100% clearance from our doctors, and have been declared fit.

Still More Bellambi

Wednesday night finds us at youngest sons' place for the night while Maureen undertakes a sleep test.
Last night we had dinner at the Hellanic club with Jim & Glenda & Alan & Dawn. Tuesday night is a pasta or lamb shanks night. I think we embarrassed the others when we both refused  to drive home. Eventually a compromise was reached by Alan and Dawn delivering us safely out of the tenticles of the law .
No.1 daughter came to the rescue to retrieve the car this morning.
We moved the bus to a slightly safer location (we hope) while we are away tonight and I am loathe to return to the boatramp due to the degredation caused by the salt which is now becoming apparent, however I have an appointment there with an auto electrician on friday morning to sort out the house betteries which I am sure need replacing.
Hopefully, next week will see us in  a new location.