Speaking of a South Aussie welcome, OV2, our advance car, completed its daily recce run with the spare wheel on the car and a rather flat one in the back – but not for long, thanks to the gang at Beaurepaires in Naracoorte.
Not only did the Beaurepaires boys take on the puncture repair job cheerfully just 20 minutes before closing for the day, but they even did it for free as their contribution to esCarpade.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Wonderful Warranmbool
Warrnambool won the hearts of esCarpadians with a great dinner on Sunday night and a beautiful clear morning for our scrumptious pancakes and fruit brekky on Monday morning, served up by the local Rotarians.
Dinner at the Warrnambool Greyhound Club was voted the equal of anything so far with its simple and delicious buffet culminating in no less than seven dessert choices! The first school visits of the day got off to a great start, and the local footy and netball club at Casterton proved it could cater with the best of them at lunchtime. Time zone confusion reigned briefly after crossing the border on our way to Naracoorte, but the South Australians made us well and truly welcome.
Dinner at the Warrnambool Greyhound Club was voted the equal of anything so far with its simple and delicious buffet culminating in no less than seven dessert choices! The first school visits of the day got off to a great start, and the local footy and netball club at Casterton proved it could cater with the best of them at lunchtime. Time zone confusion reigned briefly after crossing the border on our way to Naracoorte, but the South Australians made us well and truly welcome.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The trials and tribulations of Limo 64
Nobody could say the guys from new Melbourne team Limo 64 don’t go the extra mile – just look at the length of their car … and then look at the effort they have made to get here.
First, that length – the 1964 Chev with its eight-door airport limousine conversion, is surely measured in miles rather than metres – it just goes on forever, and is the longest car yet seen in esCarpade. As for the effort, Travis Branson was working right up to Thursday night to get the Limo finished and registered to make the start line.
Above: The infamous Limo 64
It made a grand sight as it headed off from Bendigo Town Hall on Saturday morning, and was going wonderfully well until the afternoon run from Ballarat to Geelong. Other entrants were impressed with how the super-stretch managed steep crests and dips without getting hung up, but it all came to grief when the back axle gave way.
Although parts for a 1964 Chev don’t exactly grow on trees, the Limo boys know a bloke who has a whole heap of old Chevy bits and pieces, so they are hoping to get the car sorted in time to rejoin esCarpade in Warrnambool. Stay tuned!
First, that length – the 1964 Chev with its eight-door airport limousine conversion, is surely measured in miles rather than metres – it just goes on forever, and is the longest car yet seen in esCarpade. As for the effort, Travis Branson was working right up to Thursday night to get the Limo finished and registered to make the start line.
It made a grand sight as it headed off from Bendigo Town Hall on Saturday morning, and was going wonderfully well until the afternoon run from Ballarat to Geelong. Other entrants were impressed with how the super-stretch managed steep crests and dips without getting hung up, but it all came to grief when the back axle gave way.
Although parts for a 1964 Chev don’t exactly grow on trees, the Limo boys know a bloke who has a whole heap of old Chevy bits and pieces, so they are hoping to get the car sorted in time to rejoin esCarpade in Warrnambool. Stay tuned!
Turkey of the Day
The Day 1 dinner at Geelong’s Skilled Stadium – home of the Geelong Cats premiership winners and a source of some discomfort to the Collingwood supporters in the crew – was the time and place for the first of this year’s Turkey of the Day awards.
Above: Mitch proudly holding the Turkey Award
Mitch Burgess won the first Turkey award of 2011 with his wet and wild adventures at a creek crossing along the way. He proved his Holden couldn’t ford a stream despite a valiant effort, and it was a great credit to his partner Catta Meacham that she resisted the temptation to say “I told you so”.
As Catta tells it (and Mitch agrees), her last words as they approached the creek and Mitch decided to take the water crossing instead of the bridge were “It looks a bit deep Mitch” … and second later, Mitch proved her right. Fortunately, he also had the presence of mind to cut the engine and protect it from being hydraulicked into oblivion.
By Sunday morning, only the slightly wet seats and carpets in the Commodore bore witness to the adventure … and of course the eyewitness accounts of what a handsome couple Mitch and Catta made as they sat on the roof of their car awaiting rescue.
Mitch Burgess won the first Turkey award of 2011 with his wet and wild adventures at a creek crossing along the way. He proved his Holden couldn’t ford a stream despite a valiant effort, and it was a great credit to his partner Catta Meacham that she resisted the temptation to say “I told you so”.
As Catta tells it (and Mitch agrees), her last words as they approached the creek and Mitch decided to take the water crossing instead of the bridge were “It looks a bit deep Mitch” … and second later, Mitch proved her right. Fortunately, he also had the presence of mind to cut the engine and protect it from being hydraulicked into oblivion.
By Sunday morning, only the slightly wet seats and carpets in the Commodore bore witness to the adventure … and of course the eyewitness accounts of what a handsome couple Mitch and Catta made as they sat on the roof of their car awaiting rescue.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Off and running from Bendigo
Sirens wailed, horns blared, flags waved and engines roared on Saturday morning at Bendigo Town Hall as the 74 cars in the 20th annual Camp Quality esCarpade headed off on their big outback adventure.
Above: The esCarpadians about to set off on their 3,000km journey
There was plenty of action the night before too, when everyone gathered for the official Welcome esCarpade dinner. A highlight of the night was when local Bendigo dad Simon Fitzpatrick told of the wonderful contribution Camp Quality made to the family’s wellbeing when Simon and Tina’s middle son Andre was diagnosed with cancer five years ago. Simon reminded everyone yet again of how valuable their work was for families living with cancer.
Andre and his mum Tina also helped give esCarpade a big media splash with their photo on the front page of Saturday’s paper and a three page feature inside. Also in the feature was local esCarpader Luke Arnott, who really went the extra mile on Thursday by making his premises at Luke Arnott Electrical available for scrutineering. Luke and his fellow locals were a fount of information for arriving esCarpadians in need of everything from car parts to stationery items.
All up, Bendigo proved it was an ideal starting point for esCarpade, not only to celebrate the 20th anniversary but also for the great facilities and tremendous community spirit of the whole town.
Stay tuned more pictures to come shortly!
There was plenty of action the night before too, when everyone gathered for the official Welcome esCarpade dinner. A highlight of the night was when local Bendigo dad Simon Fitzpatrick told of the wonderful contribution Camp Quality made to the family’s wellbeing when Simon and Tina’s middle son Andre was diagnosed with cancer five years ago. Simon reminded everyone yet again of how valuable their work was for families living with cancer.
Andre and his mum Tina also helped give esCarpade a big media splash with their photo on the front page of Saturday’s paper and a three page feature inside. Also in the feature was local esCarpader Luke Arnott, who really went the extra mile on Thursday by making his premises at Luke Arnott Electrical available for scrutineering. Luke and his fellow locals were a fount of information for arriving esCarpadians in need of everything from car parts to stationery items.
All up, Bendigo proved it was an ideal starting point for esCarpade, not only to celebrate the 20th anniversary but also for the great facilities and tremendous community spirit of the whole town.
Stay tuned more pictures to come shortly!
Doc clocks up his 20th
For veteran esCarpadian “Doc” Warwick Mackay, the 20th esCarpade has special significance – because he was there for the very first one in 1992.
Above: Doc hangs out with the McDonald's Camp Quality Puppets at the start of the race
Doc had previously been on another charity run, and decided Camp Quality was the cause he’d like to support. Several cars and more than 60,000 km later, Doc just keeps on coming back for more, and his massive, tiger-striped Chev wagon is a standout in the field. Doc will tell you that he has “raised only a modest amount” – which is to say, more than half a million dollars all up! – and says it’s mostly about having something enjoyable and worthwhile to do.
Not surprisingly, Doc has been the face of our 20th esCarpade for several of the media covering the event, so don’t be surprised if you see his happy smiling face pop up in the paper at some stage.
Doc had previously been on another charity run, and decided Camp Quality was the cause he’d like to support. Several cars and more than 60,000 km later, Doc just keeps on coming back for more, and his massive, tiger-striped Chev wagon is a standout in the field. Doc will tell you that he has “raised only a modest amount” – which is to say, more than half a million dollars all up! – and says it’s mostly about having something enjoyable and worthwhile to do.
Not surprisingly, Doc has been the face of our 20th esCarpade for several of the media covering the event, so don’t be surprised if you see his happy smiling face pop up in the paper at some stage.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Experience esCarpade Queenslad Style!
Dennis Trigg and Ben Mildren travelled up to Queensland recently (18 - 19 June) to catch up with our northern counterparts. The idea was to conduct a QLD Experience esCarpade and double it with a bit of a pre-scrutineering session, something QLD has missed out on until this year.
For the "Experience" part of the day Ben decided to use the section of road 90% of entrants didn't get to drive last year, the section from Kilcoy through Maleny and Montville into Palmwoods.
While there are a total of six cars in QLD only three were able to make it. The good news was that new entrants, Michael Brown in Car 18K (Holden VL) and Darren Redsell in Car 51 (Mitsubishi Pajero), brought their cars along for Dennis to have a look at. Tony Holland's VK also tuned out for a viewing.
Those that weren't operable were the Agnew's Torana and Merc and Damien Sheather's Booger Falcon, but they still came along for the ride.
The pre-scrutineering was a huge success while the drive was a spectacular mix of dirt and bitumen with incredible views of the Glass House Mountains.
A big thanks to Dennis Trigg for sacrificing another weekend for esCarpade and to Penny Sorbello, CQ Fundraising Coordinator in South QLD for helping organise the whole thing and for being a massive help on the day.
For the "Experience" part of the day Ben decided to use the section of road 90% of entrants didn't get to drive last year, the section from Kilcoy through Maleny and Montville into Palmwoods.
While there are a total of six cars in QLD only three were able to make it. The good news was that new entrants, Michael Brown in Car 18K (Holden VL) and Darren Redsell in Car 51 (Mitsubishi Pajero), brought their cars along for Dennis to have a look at. Tony Holland's VK also tuned out for a viewing.
Those that weren't operable were the Agnew's Torana and Merc and Damien Sheather's Booger Falcon, but they still came along for the ride.
The pre-scrutineering was a huge success while the drive was a spectacular mix of dirt and bitumen with incredible views of the Glass House Mountains.
A big thanks to Dennis Trigg for sacrificing another weekend for esCarpade and to Penny Sorbello, CQ Fundraising Coordinator in South QLD for helping organise the whole thing and for being a massive help on the day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)