Another update. Today TTB got to go off road finally. I had to go down into the town so took TTB along for the ride to show him around.
One of the awesome views I’m lucky enough to see drifting driving down the dirt road to civilisation. If you read part 2 then you probably guessed I live in a wine growing region. I do, it’s the Upper Yarra Valley in Victoria. Here’s some more vineyards and mountains.
We go up one of those mountains in the distance a bit later.
No TTB in this shot, I just like it.
Some of these pictures look like doubles but they have different areas in focus, either TTB or the background.
Sort of...
I have no idea how long ago my UTE!! got a wash but it wasn’t in the last two or three months. Soon...
Alright! Now TTB is getting excited. I had to hold him back, his inner Herbie is starting to go Bannanas. Check out the track name. Crusher Track, sounds ominous but it’s name comes from the gold mining days when there was a Quartz crusher somewhere up here in the bush.
We didn’t have to go far before I found the unofficial track, much more fun and challenging. We’ll go this way.
4LO, it’s my favourite set of ratios. First gear in 4LO and it feels like you could pull a bus up the hills behind you. Very slowly mind you but it really feels like it could.
Not much further up the track it forked again to a more difficult and steeper track. The ruts are very deep and look like a fun drive. Right at the start there was a very deep rut that offered the chance the get a wheel off the dirt. So I took it.
TTB seems to be a bit of a dare devil.
Here he’s having a rest in the shade. It’s hard work just walking hear due to the steepness of the terrain. It really dosen’t come through well in pictures but it’s very steep here.
ARB did a spectacular job getting the wing angle just right on the bullbar. Checkout the clearance, about an 1"! Also the rubber over rider was positioned in exactly the right place as its resting on the tree root. Absolutely amazing engineering. Hats off.
Ok enough of this, let’s get rolling again.
See what I mean. Nice big ruts and it’s very steep. Perfect! Spot TTB?
Another stop further up. Now it’s getting harder to find traction with all this loose rock and angle of the climb. Great fun. TTB liked the feel of dirt on his treads for a change.
The track continued to fork off in two directions a number of times giving us the option of worse and much worse condition. I love this spot. Here we got temporarily hung up so took the opportunity for a few more shots.
Almost but not quite on three wheels again.
I think this is my favourite shot from today.
If this was better in focus I’d probably like this one more. :/ Outside in the sun it’s hard to see the phone screen so I’m effectively shooting blind in some positions.
Ok so right at the top of this hill, which by the way is named Mine shaft hill in keeping with the gold mining theme, there is a mine shaft. How suprising. It’s open but as you can see has a mesh top over it to make the dumping of bodies more difficult and messy, apparently. Be careful near the edge TTB!
This section is just big enough to squeeze in if that kind of thing excites you. Hang on! Where’s TTB gone?!! Oh no! He didn’t did he?
You mongrel TTB! I was worried about you you little bastard!
He’s starting to become an aussie already and pranking inappropriately.
Safely back in the Nissan and we head back down the hill. This time on the official track which is smoother and almost a dead straight run down. It’s very challenging in winter.
This is still heading down the hill. The picture is taken at the last part of the track visible in the previous two pictures.
Some nice Tree ferns in the gully on the way out.
Apart from vineyards there are also a lot of Apple orchards here as well. This one has some serious bird netting going on.
Ok! We are on the home straight. Hope you enjoyed todays installment. I’ll try and go through the extensive documents that came with TTB and get some pictures up soon...
Thanks for looking.