Every year Thor and friends make their way to the Bendleby Ranges for the October Long-Weekend and this year was no exception. There is usually one rookie family included and this is their story.
After much anticipation, we finally made the October escapade to the Bendleby Ranges, where four-wheeling dreams met reality!
Our fearless leader, "Clarke Griswald" (aka hubby), tackled the Link Track like a seasoned pro, leaving a charming stone rooster tail in his wake. If our trips had a movie franchise, they'd be the National Lampoons Vacation series, with hubby always providing entertainment, or dare I say, a touch of drama.
Next up, the Hungry Ranges, where we strolled through the low-to-medium tracks until we reached Billy Goat Ridge. Some had already been casualties to the rocky steps... After patiently waiting for the dust to settle (and victims to clear the path), it was our turn. Ned led with the grace of a mountain lion, followed by his capable cub. Then came our turn. I wisely opted for the back seat, not keen on witnessing any potential vehicular acrobatics, while our 15-year-old took the support role up front with our fearless leader at the helm.
Up and down we went, with a cacophony of undercarriage noises, sounding like a rock and roll symphony. Things went 'Off Track' when our 4-week-old Ranger decided it wasn't quite ready for rock-climbing fame, and the side step popped off like a celebratory bottle of wine. A rear wheel lost touch with the earth, and suddenly, we were sliding sideways, praying for a bit more elbow room.
At this point, I swiftly executed a tactical vehicle exit under the noble pretext of needing to capture the crews' heroic endeavours on film. Once all had conquered the Goat, hubby dashed down and retrieved his newly-minted "shelf in the bar at home" (formerly known as a side step). Note to self: order rock sliders and a lift kit! Cheers to more adventures and less unintended vehicle gymnastics! 🚗💨
In the tradition of the Off Track Team, new vehicles earn a nickname on their debut. Our swanky new Ranger with its high tech wizardry drove us nuts within 5 minutes of our first adventure with its cameras and sensors carrying on like a wife whose stash of wine cans had been raided. And thus, one of our sharp-witted 4-wheelers coined the name ‘Kodak’ for our flashy companion. Cheers to more antics with our tech-savvy sidekick! 📸🚙🍷
Signing off ‘Ellen’ (aka wifey)