No more sleeps to save us from the future. The wait is over.
Tomorrow we ride! Our trusty steed (the Prado) will drag our faithful chariot (the Expanda) off across the wide brown land in search of the best beaches, campsites, coldest beers and fiestiest Barramundi.
Tonight we had a round table (well square, but that’s enough nit-picking) discussion about the future. There’s just so much happening while we’re gone……
Tags: Caravanning, Planning, Preparation
I don’t feel like we’re anywhere near ready. But we probably will do what we always do … run around like headless chooks at the last minute.
Speaking of last minute … if you’re planning on following this blog as it unfolds, so to speak … then be sure and register in the login box to the right.
If you’re logged into the blog then there will be extra features available, especially while we’re travelling. You’ll know you’re logged in as there will be an extra toolbar with your name in it up the top of each page. The blog will periodically log you out after a few days, so you’ll need to re-log in occasionally.
So, what do ya get if ya register? For starters, under the SPOT menu you’ll have access to the live tracker showing the last few days so you can see where we are anytime. You’ll also be able to leave comments about each days post. There will likely be registered users only postings from time to time too … depending on what we get up to! There’s also a live map showing all the places we’ve stayed. Plenty of reasons to register!
Hmmm … well just so how are the preparations coming along you ask? For that, you’ll need to read on….
29 Sleeps! That’s less than a month away.
The kids are starting to feel the pressure now to get their ‘stuff’ organised. Their nervousness is making Kellie & I edgy as well.
There seems so much left to sort out and NO TIME left to get it done.
It’s worse for Blake as for the last week he’s at school camp. He arrives home from camp and the next morning we go … he’s definately gotta have his stuff together soon.
The car interior is in pieces whilst I run the last of the cables.
The 50A accessory bus has been run front to back and just needs to be hooked up to the 2nd battery. That cable supplies power to the Engel fridge that keeps the beers cold, so the importance of wiring it up to withstand the test of time cannot be overstated.
It also is the quick charge lead for the van battery as well. Most of that has been done, just the physical mounting of the connectors is left to do really. I’ve tickled the alternator to increase its voltage and current output, but since it’s unstressed I can’t really say if it’ll help much. The plan is that it’ll top up the 200AH of auxiliary batteries in the time it takes to drive between campsites … We’ll see!
The video lead for the van camera has been run as well, but getting it up past the side airbags and to the rear view mirror where the screen for it is is scaring me.
That is all a job for this weekend.
The 2nd battery has been sourced from the battery place in Frankston for $320. Its an insulated AGM battery of 100AH that should survive the under bonnet environment without melting I hope. It took a bit of finding as the normal batteries for the size hole I have were all closer to 80AH and the wrong chemistry. The wiring for that is a bit scary too. All 140A stuff and joined at places I’m having trouble mounting properly. Lord knows I don’t want to short out batteries with heavy gauge cables! Finalizing all that is a job for tomorrow too.
Forgot whether I mentioned that the snorkel has been fitted and a battery monitoring system for the van too. I have yet to find a decent spot for the inverter … it hasn’t got much work to do, it’s just to power the TV and small accessories when we’re off the grid. It does get hot though, so it can’t just be left loose.
That will have the car DONE! It’s taking on the appearance of a proper 4wd now. Bull bar is in place, CB Antennas, Roof Box and Roof shelf too. Got the Maxtrax up there along with a fuel can and some recovery gear. Took delivery of a high volume air compressor, air jack, tire pressure monitoring system and CB sticker this week. I’m oficially not buying anything else … except maybe a ……
We’ve got to do a full dress rehearsal and make sure everything fits. I’ve got no idea where some of the larger items are going to be housed for 4 months …
On the home front the freezer emptying is now in full swing with Kel struggling to only provide meals with whats in the fridge and pantry. Apart from perishables, she hasn’t shopped in quite awhile. There’s been some strange meals recently … and I fear that that there is stranger yet to come…
Kids entertainment is the next overwhelming job on the list. So many DVD’s to go thru and cull. 2 PC’s to have software loaded and sorted. A full backup of the home server is coming with us on the trip, just in case I need ‘something’ while we’re away too.
On the blog, nothing seems to have changed … yet there has been much back-end stuff to tinker with. The satellite tracker is now active for those folk that have registered as is the family and friends section … just in case we have something to share thats a little more private. Also I wrote a facebook app to track any comments made about the blog and echo them back here. A trip log to showcase the destinations and photos … lots of things yet to be enabled.
So … get ready! The countdown is on! This trip promises to be the result of the love child of Russell Coight and Mr. Bean … anything could happen … and probably will!
Well, I took delivery of a shiny new Prado on Friday 1/4. All’s been good so far.
The MaxTrax and CB have also arrived.
I was lucky enough to be able to get the new model MaxTrax in black, for a bit of a stealth look, instead of ‘steal me orange’. They should be a lot less conspicuous up on the roof racks now. What are MaxTrax? Well, hopefully they’ll get us out of any bother we find ourselves in. Most 4wding we’ll be doing on this trip looks like sand driving and MaxTrax make it much easier to get unstuck.
I’ve been busily trying to find someone that’ll do the work on the Prado, but they all seem a bit scared or want to charge an arm and a leg. Looks like I’ll be doing a bit of the electrical work myself. What could possibly go wrong?
The brake controller is the only real hassle. Normally this would be mounted low down on the left hand side of the dash, near the drivers left knee. The problem is that the car has a knee airbag and the brake controllers ideal location is right across where the airbag would pop out. I don’t fancy an airbag propelled brake controller to add to my woes … so I’ll need to find another spot for it. It *may* fit on the right hand side. I just need to blutac it there and see if its going to interfere with something else … like getting in and out.
Tags: Prado
Geez it feels like its getting close now, even though its still 4 months away …
The countdown has taken on a more urgent and somewhat sinister tone. Not that I’m not looking forward to the trip, quite the opposite, but I’d like to get a few more pre-tasks checked off the list sooner rather than later.
I am panicing a bit at all the things that still need doing and yet every weekend still seems to get chewed up with other tasks and events.
In reality, a lot of things are already done. The trip agenda is as planned as its going to be. The van really doesn’t need a lot done to it to be ready. Not many more items need to be purchased. If we needed to we could go tomorrow. Except …
The big news though is that the tow vehicle has changed. A bit of a spur of the moment decision has seen all my preparation for the current vehicle wasted and I need to start again with a blank canvas.
The blank canvas has already been coloured in pretty well though. We’re starting with a Prado Kakadu Diesel. Bullbar, Towbar, Dual batteries, Snorkel, High current wiring loom, Roof racks, etc all need to be found, purchased and fitted in the time remaining … and I’ve not placed the order for it yet. That should all happen tomorrow though and the dealer has one in stock in Kellies preferred choice of colour. Delivery is hoped to be April 1st.
The Rexton celebrated the news that it was not going to be going on the big trip by overheating … it wasn’t really overheating, just the gauges said it was. And folks reckon cars don’t have emotions, feelings and personalities … I beg to differ! We’ll all feel a bit more security in doing the trip in a less exotic vehicle though. I’ve woken up a few nights from dreams where we’d been stranded and our holiday ruined due to not being able to get a part for the Rexton.
Hopefully my dreams return to blissful Coral Bay sunsets, sipping something from Margaret River, while watching the kids play on the beach and marvelling at the location. The most frequent recurring dream I have though is one of hitching up on day 1 and driving past work that last time (for awhile), up and over the Westgate and looking back over the city … it’s a bit emotional .. and it’ll be bloody surreal (and unreal) when it happens ‘for real’, with a rod and reel stowed in the van and REEEEAAAALLY quiet kids in the back of the car … in just 109 days. Doesn’t seem quite real yet … I’d best go to bed and dream some more.
Kellie has us both back on ‘the crazy diet’ for another 3 weeks stint. We should be both very close to our goal weights by then. I’ll be the lightest I’ve been since discovering beer …
Well I managed to stick with Kel’s crazy diet plan and ended up shedding 7.8kg over the 3 weeks. Not too surprising when it only has about 800 calories a day on it.
Now I’m going to have a couple of weeks of eating normally and then give the super low calorie diet another 3 week stint.
The travel plans are a bit up in the air at the moment. Looks like we’ll be cutting Tom Price and reinstating Kalgoorlie. Looks like we’ll cut Alice Springs/Uluru and Olgas, but will probably get down as far as the devils marbles. There wasn’t much ‘sit and relax’ time and cutting out a week of Alice Springs area will help. That area really needs to be explored properly over a longer time frame anyway. The rest of the trip has been done, just not published yet until I sort out the middle bit a bit better.
*sigh* Then, as the current car is at 160000 kms and has reached the end of the lease I made the mistake of starting to research what the next car would be. So now ‘I want it now!’ and am seeing whether I can get a new lease car started up and delivered by 1/6. The Rexton would do the trip just fine and has already had plenty done to it in preparation. Despite being a bit of an unknown quantity when we got it the Rexton has performed extremely well. It’s got the same power as the replacement, drives well, is very comfortable and has enough toys to keep everybody entertained, is quite capable off road, etc. But, she’s getting on a bit, has the wading depth of a small puddle and spare parts are dicey. The notion of getting stuck out there and waiting on spare parts really doesn’t excite me. Last time I had to get a windscreen it took 2 months to arrive as a special order, lucky the one in it at the time just had a big crack and not smashed. I’m still waiting on replacement hinges and odd parts for the cargo bay… These sort of delay would seriously stuff up our plans. So in theory a new, less exotic vehicle would have a much greater chance of getting back on the road quickly.
Getting it in my hands by 1/6 would give me 1 month to get it hardened up and prepared for the trip. Underbody protection, suspension lift, bullbars, Wiring to suit all the cameras, braking system, dual battery system, CB, tow bar, storage, fridge mount! As well as run it in … really don’t think I’ve got time to swap vehicles at this late stage, but we’ll see.
As far as the van goes it STILL needs the 2 cameras mounted on it. 1 hasn’t arrived yet. I’ve still got to sort out a small box/shield at the front to protect the jerry cans. Might be able to get away with a stone deflector…
Probably this weekend we’ll be stripping out the van and having a trial packing run. This weekend is also the last caravan show before we go. Last chance to buy some useless crap! We’re going anyway though to see if there’s any deals to be had and no doubt some gadget I have to have. There’s no big purchases left to make …
Tags: Diet, Planning, Preparation
You are currently browsing the archives for the Big Lap 2011 category.
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||
Arclite theme by digitalnature | powered by WordPress