Thread: Levuka 2011, Mud, trees, and recoveries!

Hey Pete, you seem to have a theme running for you trips this year.
It looks like you all had a great time anyway.

Cheers, Mick.

Fantastic trip reports and photos. Can't wait to get back on the tracks.

Top stuff!

Great pics and reports by all. I am currently trying to figure out photobucket and will hopefully have some images up in a couple of hours.

Just want to thank everyone for an orsum weekend. My body is paying for it today, my sides and arms are like chalk and jelly.

OMG I AM GOING TO CRY... i just had a good report happening and, I lost it when I foolishly decided to use the IE search bar... I am honestly about to cry!
here is a link to the photobucket album - GCLRO Levuka Mar2011 pictures by Grimace83 - Photobucket

>insert elaborate report containing musical lyrics and CDL Dave I lost here<

Come on Grimace. the least you can do is a report! get typing again!

pics are good!

Originally Posted by Grimace

OMG I AM GOING TO CRY... i just had a good report happening and, I lost it when I foolishly decided to use the IE search bar... I am honestly about to cry!
here is a link to the photobucket album - GCLRO Levuka Mar2011 pictures by Grimace83 - Photobucket

>insert elaborate report containing musical lyrics and CDL Dave I lost here<

Would this be an appropriate time to say:


(just kidding or course )

Btw - thanks for the pics!

Originally Posted by Grimace

OMG I AM GOING TO CRY... i just had a good report happening and, I lost it when I foolishly decided to use the IE search bar... I am honestly about to cry!
here is a link to the photobucket album - GCLRO Levuka Mar2011 pictures by Grimace83 - Photobucket

>insert elaborate report containing musical lyrics and CDL Dave I lost here<

(Yeah trust me)
Grimace & Pete were taking the mickey out on me about the CDL only that morning.
I Have not forgot to engage in over 12 months, so what do l do, a couple of hours later forgot to use the CDL
Grimace runs up the track, Pete Pete Pete, Dave forgot to engage his CDL
Theres no secrets with Grimace !!
Damn Damn Damn, now l will never hear the end of it
Had a top weekend, and really the enjoyed the various conditions.
Really great crowd of people on this trip, and enjoyed their company.
I have to say that all participants drove very well, with no real damage to report.
Ten out of 10 Ben (Izuzurover) for giving 100% on every track.
The axe also came in handy for about 20 different tasks

Okay, time for my long-winded report. Already had a few beers so this could get intersting, apoligies for the typos in advance

Started off at around 3PM leaving Jimboomba, trip to the park was uneventful even in the bullet (was playing silly buggers a few days prior but hopefully I have sorted this out ) but arrived at the park around 3.45 PM QLD time none of this daylight saving crap Paid at the office, had a chat to Rob as per usual who had been telling em that they had about 3 floods through the property over the new year and it was pretty accurate once we started to do some of the tracks later on.

I was again the first to arrive, got the gear up fire going and beer flowing not nessacarily in that order but not long after, John (bullets) turned up and started to set up camp. A little while after, Dave (Busman) arrived and set up camp who was flying solo for the weekend, put the gear up and got into the beers as per normal . Grant (presto) wasn't too far behind then Pete, Camo, Grimace (in a bloody Mazda ) and co arrived along with Rod so we had the crew here not too long after at several stages. Beer flowed, insults went to and thro and the odd possum joke aimed at yours truly but all in good humour, about midnight it was off to bed (hopefully no hangovers the next day ). Guy turned up at sparrow fart, was taking a slash and heard you pull up at about 2:30AM

Saturday dawned with some not so great weather. Overcast and humid, it is March after all but not too uncomfortable but this wasn't going to ruin our fun. After another dunga breakfast of grease it was time to hit the tracks all keen as mustard to get the Land Rovers dirty. Just before we got going, Ben (isuzurover) and his dad arrived, Chris (CJT) and co along with Stevo (Stevo68) with his four kids in tow who stayed behind to set up camp, Ben quickly got his gear up and was keen to get out and play so one group formed. Camo and crew jumped into some spare seats amongst the group and enjoyed not wrecking there L322 and us idiots breaking ****

Anyway, off we went. First challenge for the day was dingos hill, remaned by me 'Simpson hill' because Pete the cheeky ****er is the only one who can conquer it Well, let me say he wasn't so lucky this time around, otu with thw winch and the 90 was up (gotta love a hi-mount winch) in no time. We all had to break out the winch apart from Rod, who had not fitted his yet (slack *****) but Pete was generous enough to get his out again and assist Rod. The lack of pics of me answers the question I was up the back as TEC so I got the brunt of the track all weekend, I'n not whinging I like it that way and it works as a good excuse of my dodgy driving at times

We decided to retreat back to camp to collect Stevo for the next run so back to camp, a quick break but back into it again and off we went

Anyway, Dingos track (Simpsons hill) was done for this trip anyways so off to the front section of Levuka. All open areas, pretty easy going although a mud puddle provided us with a challenge. Ben got his 110 County sideways somewhat (missed how it ended up that way) but with some assiatance the 110 was back in the right direction once again. Us boofheads had to have a play, the bullet at 5000 rpm is symthony to the ears

Off again, another challenging hill, little dipper. With recent rains, this was not a doddle like in previous trips it presented quite a challenge. Ben decided to get the 110 up on a precarious angle to near tipover but Ben being a pretty experienced driver was able to right his 110 back on all 4 wheels but irt was impressive. Rod couldn't help himself so it was his turn. Several attempts but failed. My turn, close after 5 attempts but again I lost the abttle. Pete was the only bugger who made the climb, maybe back on even score after failing 'Simpson hill' hey Pete

Okay, time for havoc crossing, still one of the best tracks at levuka. All and sundry had a go, even Stevo in Smokey had a crack. The tree roots were always a PIA on this track and the tree with bark missing was always an indication that some people have got a bit too carried away in the past. I provided once again the entertainment with a full noise attack on the tree roots and topped off with a powerslide fully locked. After filling some peoples undies with **** it was time to move on (I was in control of course, the tree was my buffer ).

Back to camp for some lunch and a beer or two (not too many, still have some more driving to do ), Camo provided us with some shade for the early afternoon sun (or lack of) but it was still bloody hot all the same thankyou very much but all helps. I was starting to hit sleep mode sitting there but it was self-motivation time and Rosemarys was the next mission. Pete had asked Rob if we could have a crack, said it was closed but knock yourselves out so we did. Rosemarys is not too hard fot the most part, a bit technical but nothing too bad. This time around it turned into a hard track, too nearly 3 hours to get 7 vehicles through . The first section had rutted out badly but we got over that (the washout at the top of the hill allowed you to turn the rangie around on the spot with the rear maxi on ). Next section we had a tree exposed so this made it a bit harder than the norm, but all conqured it with some track building but John and I done it easier than most as the track building was already done.

The next section of Rosemarys was a long hill, not steep but slippery as all hell. By the time I got there it was not looking good, the 5000 rpm approach wasn't working (too much wheelspin) so it was a less sedate 3000rpm which was working apart from an offending tree root close to the top Anyway, had to get the winch out (the only person let me say ) but all good and up the top. The enext section was real pucker teritiory, dowm Norms loop. This was not a pleasant downhill section, John in the Series 3 was worried that the vehicle would spin around being a SWB and lightweight so Grimace, Dave, Grant and myself (after a little while I was concerned so I got off my arse and had a look ) lowerd John down. Pete had mentioned that it wasn't too bad but after a few vehicles had gone down it was downright dangerous. Grant and I made the smart choice to take the 'usual' track around norms loop, through the mudhole although we did some slight mods to Grants exhaust as the end muffler was slightly bent going through the mudhole at a 90 degree angle to the ground, then fell off All for the good as it sounds like a V8 now

Time was getting on and back to camp we went. I raced to the showers as I was coverd in mud and I didn't have a torch with me but all good so all showerd it was beer and campfire time. Pete and Sam had collected a big stack of firewood for yours truly to burn so that started in earnest, between cooking my dinner that is as well as drinking a couple more beers but all turned out okay (beer killed the taste in any burnt bits in my pasta ). Once again, beer flowed, the possum jokes came to the fore and now I know why Rod called his D3 'Sharleen' (anyone who has seen the movie 'full metal jacket' will get the joke ). It was gettinhg on so some of us headed off to bed although ben had fallen asleep in front of the fire much to Stevos delight (more pics for when the moment arises )

Sunday arrived, once again the weather was not looking too flash but that was not to stop us mere mortals from having a bit of wheeling fun Breakfast was consumed, off we went. camo and John had other plans so had to abort the trip along with Stevo (they should call the Oz tent the 3 hour tent in your case ) so we had a good 7 or so vehicles with us in the one group. Rock 'n' Roll gully was the first port of call. generally not too hard, the exit from the creek is the hardest part well that was about to change. The creek with recent rains had washed out a lot of the rubble that held it in place, one rock had to be moved with a which due to the fact that it would have had some major dmage to the doors on all of us who attempted it. trees were also a issue but Ben had an axe on hand which made sort-of light work on the fallen branches (not for the axeman though ). Once all obstacles were moved, Pete went in for the kill and conqured it with no dramas. Ben in the 110 made light work of it surprisingly with the longer wheelbase I would have though it would have been a bit too much of a challenge but all good. Dave's turn, apart from some track building it was all good but yours truly made harder work of it than all once again. Due to the fact I don't have offset rims I was rubbing the already dented door up again the offending rock (the was off-camber and the rock so the door was leaning on it ) but after some careful guidence it was all good (apoligies if I got a tad grumpy, 4 differnt sets of instructions it was a bit hard for it all to sink in ). All through, Grant and Chris in the d2 with no CDL and diff locks retreated up the escape route. Now the only issue was getting back to the rest of the group, a tree had blocked track 2 so it was onto track 3 through the mud puddle and a couple of intersting off-camber ones to track 1 and pick up the rest of the crew. All back in one group, around the fence line track and onto another track (I think it's was Rufus run, not sure). Nothing too hard although Guy decided to get his Rangie in a precarious poisition at one point on the hill (need to get out and do some real 4WDing again Guy, those easy trips are making you soft ). There was a deep rut to have a crack at but after a couple of goes I had to take the sook track, not happy .

To the playground we went, the hills have been washed out a bit since last time and the lack of traffic was evident. At one point, I was going backwards with the whel spinning forwards at a rate of rpm's but had another go all good (need to lift off the loud pedal a bit more, just that V8 synthony is sooooo good ). All had a go at the hills and most made it look like a doddle but it was getting on a bit in the day so retreated back to camp and pack up for the trip home.

Whilts all this was non-eventful, Stevos got hiself in a picke (well his kids had) with the engine ruinning and the bonnet up so that he could pump up his tyres, the keys were locked in After Grimace did some McGyver tricks to no avail, it was out with the axe which had come in handy many occasions on this trip to break a window much to Stevos dislike (was nearly crying afterwards) but was able to get back into Smokey and get the doors open once again (forgot how much that glass shatters, Grimace spent a fair while cleaning it up )

Anyway, it was on the road not long after, a stop-off at KFC at Beauey for me and then the whole 20 min drive to Jimboomba and I was home.

Great weekend, one of the best trips for a while for our club and good to see a few new faces. Grant deserves a mention because after spending the $$$ on your D1 you are not pussy-footing around with it. Also to Grimace who showed up in a bloody Mazda POS, you need to get fluffy out of purgatory and out on trips again

Trav