Geehi

We have had the pleasure of sharing the end of the Bloomfields’ major adventure with them for 8 days in the Snowy Mountains for the Christmas/New Year’s holiday at the Geehi rest area. We were also joined by George and Graham Garner, once George was able to distinguish between Tom Groggin's and Geehi rest areas.

It has been a trip of sun, cycling and surf - well rapids on the river, OK a bit of a swift current, but the kids loved it anyway. The Bloomfield wagon rolled into camp on Christmas Day and we arrived on Boxing Day in the late afternoon after successfully cooking our brakes on the ridiculously steep hill down from Dead Horse Gap – more of that later.   We pitched camp using the second Bloomfield holiday home, having borrowed their tent, and also unloaded Phil's long-missed Giant road bike - which, since they left in June has still done more kms than the travelling mountain bike.

It didn't take long to get the Giant out on the road as Phil and Allison started the training camp rides with an easy(ish) jaunt to Tom Groggin's.  A fairly undulating road with a reasonably good hill in the middle was a good first runout for Phil. It was also useful that Phil got to know this stretch of road well because, as noted above, we had to drive back down there in the evening to rescue the Garners from the wrong camp ground.  George, as ever, was totally relaxed when Phil and I rolled into Tom Groggin’s camp.  When Phil asked Graham if he wanted to de-camp and join us down at Geehi his swift positive response indicated that he was relieved not to have to spend the whole holiday alone with Dad!

The second ride saw Thea make her road comeback on the nearly-as-ridiculous as-the hill-from-Dead Horse hill to Khancoban. A stunning effort up past Scammells Ridge lookout (approx 700m of climbing) and then down into Khancoban. The one-way to Khancoban was a sensible distance for a comeback, especially as Thea was on her mountain bike and so I accompanied Allison on the return journey, on Thea's bike. Luckily the red dust treatment, which the mountain bike’s gears endured on the front of the caravan over 6 months, at least had it stuck in the lowest set of gears.  It was a hot day’s riding with tough hills which certainly set the tone for the coming days.

So the riding continued the next day as Phil really tested his road return with a 50km jaunt to Thredbo with George and me.  This meant climbing the RSH (ridiculously steep hill) back up to Dead Horse Gap.  Note to all B2Bers, if you want to feel super strong, riding alongside Phil in ‘relative’ comfort up a RSH, then plan it for a time that he has not ridden seriously in 6 months!  It’ll still hurt but you’ll feel a lot better.  Anyway, the climb was glorious, in an achievement-scenery sort of way and the day got even better with double coffees in Thredbo, lunch with the families who’d driven up, a few runs on the Thredbo toboggan and then a run DOWN the RSH.  The toughest 100km ride I’ve ever done so a big hand to Phil for getting through it, and to George for riding down to our pace.

Paul and Arran on the Thredbo toboggan

Phil and Kai

The final ride of the week (yes, sorry this does seem to be more of a B2B-style blog) saw Allison have her turn on the RSH, taking me back for a second go.  We had been dropped at the foot of the hill by Phil but we then pushed on to Jindabyne where we were met by Phil and Thea and the kids – we did then take the easy car journey home.

So, yes, a lot of riding but the holiday – which was certainly how the Bloomfields intended to treat the week – was much more about relaxing in great company in a great location.  Phil and Thea had certainly camped in a great spot, literally on one of the tracks leading down to the best swimming hole.  This did mean we occasionally had other campers strolling through our living room but we at least got to see what was going on – and the size of the brown trout caught in the river.  We did try our luck with Maddi’s hand line but despite the best efforts of Gary the Grasshopper and Freds I & II the march flies we were unsuccessful and had to resort to just having a great deal of fun – ask Phil how you can lose a hand line reel and still keep the line.

Had we caught any fish they would have been cooked over our trusty fire – small in the early days with wood brought in by the Bloomfields but roaring on later nights after we found a huge stash of logs just outside the National Park on power station land.  As expected many marshmallows were toasted with just the odd one or two going up in flames or dropping to the ground – it depended on the child as to whether this resulted in tears or just the eating of a dirty marshmallow.  A couple of dampers were cooked on the fire and the odd potato – the dampers ranged from long drawn out cooking to quick cook, depending on how well the boys had set up the embers – both were yummy nonetheless.  The campfire was also the venue for last night sparklers as our oldest, Arran, celebrated his 7th birthday.

There was some rain during our stay – quite a bit as the Bloomfields arrived apparently.  Over the next 7 days we had about 50 or 60 raindrops falling on the tarp!  An enormous storm that must have totally soaked the high mountains literally skirted by our camp.  So otherwise it was a whole week of almost unbroken sunshine – so good that we hardly had to drive anywhere to charge fridge batteries as the caravan’s solar system provided just enough to see us through. 

Someone who just dropped in for lunch at Geehi

So a beautiful site with beautiful weather, great enjoyment and fabulous company.  In between the riding, odd drives and swimming in the river the kids played a lot of games - swingball was a last minute addition to the trailer and a very popular choice and one day I must learn how to play ‘fly’.  We even managed a couple of games of petanque – risking the super heavy metal balls in a game with the kids – close management was required but we all came through it unscathed.  In fact given that Cameron (our youngest) and Kai were both in attendance there was a surprising lack of serious wounds incurred – the worst seemed to be a few mosquitoes and the ever-present march flies.  These are at least slow enough to allow you to stun them and feed to the fish.  As the kids played we adults also managed a good deal of just hanging out, catching up after not seeing each other for a long time.

Kai, Ella, Cameron, Arran and Maddi sharing lollies

Scammell Ridge Lookout

As I say we were really pleased that Phil and Thea asked if we’d like to spend the week with them and we’ll certainly be heading back to Geehi like a shot, hopefully with the same company.

You can of course look it up on a map and I could give you all detailed instructions on how to find the precise spot that we had .....but then you might go and take it from us next time!  Alright, just go down the RSH past Thredbo and stop at the first rest area you find – if in doubt ask George.

Signing off and wishing all fellow blog-readers and the Bloomfield blog-writers a very Happy New Year and successful 2012.

Paul

Lakes Entrance

Like all great travelling blogs it seems to be standard that when you are almost home you stop blogging and never quite finish it. Even though it is 9 months since we returned home I still plan on finishing this blog so I can print it out in a book as our keep sake of the trip. So with Christmas decorations’ starting to appear in stores it is time to write up what we did and where we were last Christmas.

We were heading to Lakes Entrance in Victoria for our Christmas, well Christmas Eve at least. After staying the night before in a rather dirty side of the road rest stop (which we arrived at after dark) we had another slow start because Thea wanted to get the traditional rice and almond pudding dessert made before we headed to our caravan park.

We arrived in Lakes Entrance late morning and proceeded to set up camp, do our 4 loads of washing and start preparing for our Christmas dinner. After another trip to the shops for some last minute supplies and decorations we returned to our site to decorate our Christmas tree. There were plenty of large family groups in caravans and tents setting up around us, (complete with Christmas lights and decorations) and with the play equipment near by we had plenty of people watching available. The owners had informed us that there had been some robberies the previous night and to make sure our belongings were secure. Apparently the thieves had striked twice in the last week and on one occasion walked off with a camper’s esky full of beer. Oh what a luxury it was to have a caravan and car that were both lockable.

The kids set about decorating a nearby tree and placing presents underneath while I cooked our traditional Christmas Eve roast pork dinner complete with red cabbage and the pudding prepared earlier. I kind fellow camper was concerned that maybe we planned on leaving the presents out overnight but this was certainly not our plan. We were only staying one night at Lakes Entrance so everything was out for only the one evening and packed away before Tig and I could rest our heads. 

Christmas 2011 Lakes Entrance

Before dinner we all showered, put on our best clothes and enjoyed a special fizzy drink for the kids. We even decorated our table for this event and sat down to a very nice pork roast. Somehow the kids managed to convince us to have presents before dessert and soon the sound of paper ripping was evident. The parents might have been quickly swayed, as we knew there was a thunderstorm on it way and impending darkness. Dessert quickly followed where Kai was the lucky boy who found the whole almond and claimed his prize.

All clean and ready for dinner 

Kids just a little excited

Roast Pork Christmas Dinner

Kai unwrapping one of his presents 

Ella's new music box

The winner and his slightly chewed almond

After the Christmas tree was un-decorated and while washing up was taking place in the camp kitchen (which overlooked the play ground) the kids took to the equipment with the masses of other children and stayed there till way after dark.

I must admit it was a little strange celebrating our Christmas with many other kids and adults spectating our event. There were a few confused children as to why we were opening presents and having a sit down dinner on Christmas Eve when they had to wait till the next day. We always celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve but I never knew it was a spectator sport.

With the kids finally tucked up in bed, almost everything outside packed away and Santa having visited (before we locked him out), it was time for some sleep for Tig and I. 

Fast asleep and waiting for Santa 

Our make shift tea towel stockings

Kai and Maddi were the first up to see what was in their make shift tea towel stockings from Santa. Ella was soon woken and we enjoyed some mini ham and cheese croissants inside while it rained outside. Due to the rain the campground was quite quiet as kids huddled inside their tents. Once breakfast was finished, Tig and I packed the awning away in the rain again, hooked up the van and transferred the kids on our backs from the van to the car. After a quick change of clothes for Tig and I, off to church we went with the van in tow.

Kai and Maddi looking at what Santa brought them

Mini ham and cheese croissants

Church in their Christmas outfits from Gran

The previous day we had checked out where the local Anglican Church (St Nicholas) was and enjoyed a lovely Christmas Day Service complete with candle lighting and communion. After the service we had some conversations with the locals who gave us some advice on the route we planned on taking to get to the Snowy Mountains that day.

After heeding this advice we decided to change our plans and take a less hilly but slightly longer route. We had a long day of driving with only a stop for lunch, change of drivers and topping up on water and fuel at Jindabyne. We had decided to not fill up our water tanks at Lakes Entrance so we had a lighter caravan to tow over the mountains. We left Jindabyne with the van fully loaded with water and food for  the next week in the mid afternoon, it was fine but overcast and preceded up the Alpine Way towards Thredbo and Dead Horse Gap. As we passed Thredbo the weather closed in and we proceeded very, very slowly down to Tom Groggin and along to Geehi in the drizzle and fog. It all looked very gloomy and we were glad we didn’t meet many other drivers, as it isn’t a great road for passing a massive caravan like ours. The big engine in the Land Cruiser and the electronic breaks in the caravan controlled from inside the car came into their own on this 12km decent. 

On arrival at Geehi in the rain we scouted out a campsite that would accommodate us and our friends the Thomas' who would be joining us the next day. There were plenty of people already set up and we anticipated there would be plenty more to follow. Thankfully Tig found one site tucked away and it just required a little maneuvering of the van to get it in there. Fortunately it was not on top of anyone else which was great. In typical Snowy Mountain weather the rain stopped and the sun came out just as we finished leveling the van so we quickly set about setting up the wet awning and exploring the nearby river.

The next day the sun shone and we set about decorating camp with some festive lights and decorations while we awaited the Thomas’ arrival. We were really happy to be spending the next week in this one location, spending time with good friends and doing a little bit of bike riding.

The sun shinning at Geehi

Next blog will be from our final guest blogger.

Till then…

Tig and Thea