Final drive > Warialda

A more modest drive today as we wind our way into Warialda.

Breakfast in the centre of Goondiwindi was a cracker again, and the winning colour team celebrated their successful week.

Then the esCarpadians headed south, passing through the town of Boggabilla and jumping onto the dirt roads again. We even had a few celebrity drivers take to the wheel...

No mud today, just a lot of dust.

We did find some water for old time's sake... 

A skirt through the Bullala State Forest and then a triumphant car parade down the main street of Warialda... 

Then to the Warialda bowling club for fond farewells... 2010 esCarpade is complete. 

Awards night > Final night...

Paint the town red! With a flurry of red jumpsuits, red dresses and plenty of red accessories, the 2010 esCarpadians dazzled the Goondiwindi RSL with a celebration of all things Camp Quality and esCarpade. There was excitement and trepidation at the impending announcements as esCarpadian's kicked off their final night.

Big news. Big big news. Off the back of another amazing year by Camp Quality esCarpadians a final figure of $1.3million was raised.

Staggering.

Jaw dropping.

Our expectations had been more modest this year and Camp Quality is totally blown away by the dedication and support from independent fundraisers, the esCarpadians, who have made this amazing amazing contribution to Camp Quality.

Thank you is never enough.

Day 7 afternoon Inglewood > Goondiwindi (that's pronounced Gun-de-windy, not Goon-de-windy, thanks)

Arguably the muddiest, most boggy, most chocolatey and delicious course of esCarpade 2010, today's road, or lack thereof, proved to be some pretty exciting driving.

And here is where the mud got really, really sticky.

Some fared better than others...

And some were just a little bit clever and went around it all.. 

The late afternoon went back to dust and then we found mud again.

Then the home stretch. 

Shame about the front windshield fellas... 

And onto Goondiwindi RSL for the awards, announcements and final tally! 

Good Carma through to Inglewood (Queensland, not South Central L.A.)

Sunshine today. Glorious sunshine. And a cracker of a start to the morning courtesy of a superb location and the good folks at Carma Coffee.

Then to Inglewood School for lunch. A real highlight for this year's esCarpade, the school has a serious vegetable growing program going on. The kids grow all manner of food stuff and have been schooled in how to harvest, clean and prepare the produce. 

 And of course this means they also to help make lunch. Today many of the mums from the school were out and about, some with questionable fashion sense... but feeding our hungry esCarpade hordes. 

As an aside, the kids have been known to prepare lunch for each other and teachers and on certain days they all sit down together and shared tables to eat. Everything from our lunch today was grown, cooked or produced from within the community. Bloody awesome. 

Thursday-itis. Hervey Bay > Goomeri > Dalby

After some good times in Hervey Bay, the morning kicked off with some genuine wet 'n' wild action at Hervey Bay Water Park. Our CEO Simon Rowntree joined us for the festivities, and lent some wise words to the esCarpade 2010 field. 

The course then headed back inland, through some very remote dirt roads. We love dirt. Filth is good. Dust is good. Mud is good. 

And of course some enthusiasm from the irrepressible Johnny. The most enthusiastic man in the Universe, he practically climbs out car windows to let you know how much fun he is having...

And some more demure times with our country princesses...

Back to the bitumen for a spell...

Then there was a great lunch in Goomeri (that's Goo-mary, not Gom-mere-eye, according to some eager locals). What a town. Plus, the puppets were on fire again, as was Fred. 

Of course there was some obligatory gift giving and hanging out with the kids... Check out Team 222/224 with a few happy young 'uns.  

Then the afternoon took us over the Great Dividing Range and a traverse of the Bunya Mountains, and again, of course, through some full sick, totally awesome, ballistic water crossings... 

The Kidsfix crew chew up and spit out water crossings like this.

I think I can, I think I can... 

 A new take on Archimedes bath...

...and a new take on having a bath. Feel that minty freshness. Make sure you scrub your under carriage...

... and back to the dust...skirting the forest again and into the pretty township of Dalby (that's pronounced Doll-by, not Dalby, as some eager locals pointed out). 

Car 269 - Cruising 4 Kids

Known for arguing and verbally abusing each other constantly, Cruising For Kids (car 269) are one of the more popular teams for their AMAZING good looks and fashion sense. (They are standing over my shoulder forcing me to type this). So says Ray 'we are lovable, and for every interview we charge, for a good cause of course - we came here in 2006 and welcomed us as a family, we returned three years and they welcomed us back like we never left - it's rare to find something like this'. Great bunch of fellas in 269. Ray #2 says 'esCarpade is one of the best organised car adventures you would ever enter, it's one happy family, and it's all about the kids, we wish there was more people in the world like the people who come to esCarpade'. Good work fellas. Ray #1, Ray #2, Joe. 

Celebrity entrants - Boogermobile

Newbie entrants, Boogermobile, have gained notoriety for being media darlings. From front covers of regional news papers to shaking the foundations of community radio, Boogermobile's omnipresence is notable. So says chief of Booger 'we are famous in our own right, there is nothing else to say but check out our blog' - see it at boogermobile.blogspot.com

Car 222 and 224 - The Yellow Flames from DeiCorp

Four big years for esCarpade and Camp Quality, the boys from Team DeiCorp have shot into the top list of fundraisers with big support from their loyal contributors. Bringing a second car to the 2010 esCarpade has been a master stroke. Jason, second from left, says 'for the undying love we have for our wives and children, we strive for more and more, God bless them all'.

Here are the boys with some kids from one of the school visits.

And one of their cars in action...