Photos by Gary Meakin
After high hopes of an excellent weekend, we werent to be disappointed.
A few of us (Me and Rob) arrived early on the Friday arvo to set the camp site up, suss the place out and to gather as much fire wood to make Guy Fawkes proud!
After finding out someone had nicked our allocated camp spot, we had to relocate to what turned out to be a better spot anyway. Plenty of room for an even bigger campfire (good training for hairy knuckles) and to erect the badminton/volley ball court.
Photos by Gary Meakin
However finding the fire wood wasnt as easy task as first thought. Firstly there wasnt any wood lying around the camp site (apart from tiny $20 bags at reception) and secondly we had no tools to help persuade trees to fall down. So in the Yaris we went up the hill side in search of a bounty of logs (what logs I was expecting to fit in the Yaris I dont know), however after searching using my phone light as a torch, we had to settle for some small sticks and a tree stump which happened to burn all night!
After the rest of the guys coming up that night turned up we tucked into a well-deserved BBQ dinner, cracking into the beers and wine and telling stories/bullshit around the camp fire. We had a good clear nights sky for looking at the stars and the milky way.
Photos by Gary Meakin
Saturday morning we were woken by the mouth-wateringsmell of bacon as Tony attempted to cook 2 KG of bacon on the BBQ. I raked the embers in the fire and cooked a matching number of eggs to form a breakfast of champions/coronary heart attack victims! Whichever your stance it was a bloody good feed.
After the rest of the group arrived we headed over to the Quad bikes, were friends would become rivals/enemys, men would be separated from the boys and Rob would be left with the girls! After splitting into two groups, the elite and the not so elite off we went through the woods, doing fish tails (Rule 1 broken), trying to overtake (Rule 2 broken) and trying to force the person in front of you to drive faster (Rule 3 broken). So far so good! Then we arrived on the race track. It was a free for all, those that were deemed to be holding you up were moved out of your way by the staff (Sorry Matt) so that everyone could go at their own pace. It really was a good set up. Except next time I might pick a bike that a.) the chain stays on and b.) doesnt cut out half way round. Even the girls were lapping me!
Photos by Gary Meakin
After heading back through the woods again to the start point (Breaking all three rules again, especially me and Ben doing a double overtaking manoeuvre on Michaelclassic), we reconvened back at the camp site. Meeting up with Vicky and Dave who had been abseiling. They were equally as impressed with their activity as we were, except they werent covered in quite as much dust/mud as we were!
After a hearty lunch, the men (and Rob) headed out with axes in hand to forage as much fire wood as possible. Apparently the whole campsite could hear us with the axes. Anyhow the bounty was enormous, even the rangers came round and said how impressed they were with our find, one even took pictures (he was actually pissed as he was imaging how many $20 bags he could have got out of it allsucker!!!) After playing a spot of Badminton (FYI Daves a hustler and plays every week, never played before my arse!!) and then Volleyball with a beer in hand we prepared a feast of champions on the BBQ (Ben and Tash had brought enough steak to feed a large army!). We sat around the campfire/bonfire eating, drinking and having a laugh. We did our bit for earth hour too, no lights on, however Tony, Ben and Matt all did there bit to keep the fire roaring, so does burning trees count for or against earth hour?!
Photos by Gary Meakin
Another clear sky to gaze up at the stars while the beers and wine flowed, eating marshmallows from the campfire followed by Tonys home brew port and finished off with a bottle of Scotch courtesy of Ben! I think we can narrow it down to the Scotch that caused Ben to pass out again (Im sure theres a pattern forming here mate, and no you cant blame me for pouring this time!) This lead to a picture that he may or may not want mentioning with some tea bags, but well leave it there! 😉 Tony also gave Matt the new nick name of passion fingers, for what reason I cant remember!
Sunday morning we were woken again by the mouth-wateringsmell of bacon as Tony attempted to cook the rest of the 2 KG of bacon on the BBQ. Again I raked the embers in the fire and cooked the remainder of eggs to set us up for the activities of the day. So off we went Kayaking and Horse Riding. The Kayaking was really good fun, meandering our way down the creek to join up with the Hawkesbury river. It was sunny almost the whole way (well Rob got burnt anyway) until about 5 min from the end when it absolutely pissed it down (Just what we all need for packing our tents away). Luckily the sun came back out again in time for one last BBQ lunch and to dry out all our stuff again.
Photos by Gary Meakin
It was an outstanding weekend, the activities were great, the camping was good fun and everyone who came really made it. Even Princess Caroline didnt mind the camping too much either (although her tent palace was all ready for her when she arrived). I think this should definitely be a reoccurring social event!
Photos by Gary Meakin
