Just as well my husband agreed to having no set itinerary this trip. It hurt him but it was obviously meant to be. We added a few days in a small town where we used to live (visiting friends and going to the Show) but now we are adding at least 6 nights in Nyngan where we weren't going to stop! We were headed for a free camp the other side of Cobar on our way to Yorke Peninsular. About 16km outside Nyngan a truckie managed to call us to a halt (by pulling alongside us and shouting something about smoke! We need to get 2 way radio) We pulled up, he pulled up and we all investigated. One of our caravan tyres had been rubbing on the chassis and got hot - so hot he nearly burnt his hand. We limped along for a bit until we could get a mobile signal and call NRMA. It took them 2 1/2hrs to come but the old lady was put up on the tilt truck with the diagnosis of 'spring fatigue' (my husband thought that should be 'autumn fatigue'). They called the head office and we were organised in to a site at the CP - folk looked when they saw the van coming in and being put on site by the truck! Today they've been back and removed the axle and springs in readiness for measuring and getting new ones - next Tuesday!! It's Show time in Nyngan. Two days of showtime and nothing will happen until Tuesday. Then if they need ordering add another day! So we are resident on Site 21 on four jacks until probably Thursday morning. We did plan on 'free camping' last night and we did - per courtesy of NRMA!! It's giving us time to wash the car, wash the van, cook a cake etc etc. And it's a lovely CP. Ah well, we'll get to Yorke Peninsular eventually and the 'hip replacement' will see the old girl out for another 30 years no doubt.
kandagal said
12:28 AM May 13, 2012
Hope it all sorts out easily for you & you're on the road again soon. The old lady will have a spring in her step as she goes down the highway
Happywanderer said
12:28 AM May 13, 2012
Great story NeilnRuth. Just sit back and relax, theres nothing you can do about it anyway. Now big is Nyngan. Can you go for some nice walks and enjoy the town. I don't even know where it is but enjoy anyway.
neilnruth said
12:34 AM May 13, 2012
Nyngan is at the junction where you decide whether to go to Broken Hill or Bourke. On the Bogan River. Far west NSW. Nice little town. We could go to the Show if nothing else. And yes, good walking town.
animalcarer said
12:51 AM May 13, 2012
What sort of cake are you guys making. I am craving to make biscuits with walnuts, and white and dark chocolate chips .
neilnruth said
01:05 AM May 13, 2012
Now your biscuits sound much better than my cake Lyn. I used a madeira packet cake and added some stewed pears and passionfruit that needed using up. So far tastes OK. I might add, I also used the cracked eggs which had gotten cracked when the fridge door came open and they fell out! All a 'cake of necessity'! Hehe.
Beth54 said
03:13 AM May 13, 2012
Sorry to hear about the old lady's problems neilnruth.
She'll be able to skip down the road after she has her replacements done!
My sister and bil have had a few mishaps along those lines...not good at the time, but make for good story telling down the track.
Cruising Granny said
03:57 AM May 13, 2012
Funny how things turn out. Well, not really funny, more ironic, and I see humour in irony. Sometimes things change for a reason. It will all pan out ok, and you'll be able to sit down and enjoy that cake with no rush to move on. See you get a break out of it. Take it easy. Enjoy the show and the company of others. It's all good I reckon.
Gerty Dancer said
08:26 PM May 13, 2012
I'm so relieved! Thought when I read the thread title "The old lady" might refer to you Ruth, and was going to extend sympathy and encouragement for your recovery after such drastic surgery!
Your "old lady" wont feel a thing, sounds like its been fairly good on your pocket so far too. Enjoy Nyngan.
neilnruth said
12:01 AM May 14, 2012
No, thankfully, Gerty, it is not my hips that need replacing. Too cold in the wind to go to the Show today so chased the sun, tried to stay out of the wind, and read and knitted most of the day. Will try and get to the Show tomorrow - and then Tuesday, hopefully, we will know how much longer it will be.
neilnruth said
12:04 AM May 14, 2012
Yes, Cruising Granny. Doesn't worry me that we're forced to stop. If someone had told us while the van was under the carport that it needed new springs, it probably wouldn't have happened. But now, out on the road, it has to happen. And my 'women's 6th sense' had me expecting something was going to go with the car - turned out it was the van. We'll find in hindsight why.
Just as well my husband agreed to having no set itinerary this trip. It hurt him but it was obviously meant to be. We added a few days in a small town where we used to live (visiting friends and going to the Show) but now we are adding at least 6 nights in Nyngan where we weren't going to stop! We were headed for a free camp the other side of Cobar on our way to Yorke Peninsular. About 16km outside Nyngan a truckie managed to call us to a halt (by pulling alongside us and shouting something about smoke! We need to get 2 way radio) We pulled up, he pulled up and we all investigated. One of our caravan tyres had been rubbing on the chassis and got hot - so hot he nearly burnt his hand. We limped along for a bit until we could get a mobile signal and call NRMA. It took them 2 1/2hrs to come but the old lady was put up on the tilt truck with the diagnosis of 'spring fatigue' (my husband thought that should be 'autumn fatigue'). They called the head office and we were organised in to a site at the CP - folk looked when they saw the van coming in and being put on site by the truck! Today they've been back and removed the axle and springs in readiness for measuring and getting new ones - next Tuesday!! It's Show time in Nyngan. Two days of showtime and nothing will happen until Tuesday. Then if they need ordering add another day! So we are resident on Site 21 on four jacks until probably Thursday morning. We did plan on 'free camping' last night and we did - per courtesy of NRMA!!
It's giving us time to wash the car, wash the van, cook a cake etc etc. And it's a lovely CP. Ah well, we'll get to Yorke Peninsular eventually and the 'hip replacement' will see the old girl out for another 30 years no doubt.
Sorry to hear about the old lady's problems neilnruth.
She'll be able to skip down the road after she has her replacements done!
My sister and bil have had a few mishaps along those lines...not good at the time, but make for good story telling down the track.
Sometimes things change for a reason.
It will all pan out ok, and you'll be able to sit down and enjoy that cake with no rush to move on. See you get a break out of it.
Take it easy. Enjoy the show and the company of others. It's all good I reckon.
Your "old lady" wont feel a thing, sounds like its been fairly good on your pocket so far too. Enjoy Nyngan.