Well poor Kiwi-as, Lorraine & Brandt are stuck on the side of the road between Kin Kin and Pomona with a dead alternator.
They were following Deb & I when we suddenly realised they weren't behind us any more. We waited for awhile, then turned around and went back to find them pulled over with the bonnet up.
Nothing we could do to help, so we kept going to Deb's place and Lee & I went back in their Patrol to see what could be done. It was getting late, so after a little deliberating it was decided they should stay put for tonight and I'll go back in the morning and take Brandt into Gympie to see about the Alternator.
Poor Lorraine was looking for a warmer night at TCB, but they are stuck in a cold valley instead!
It'll make for a good story to tell their family in NZ anyway.
Mine went on Myrtle one day heading home from Greens Lake. Luckily enough it was making a strange noise but still working till I got to the mechanic the next day and had it replaced.
I picked up Brandt from their roadside camp this morning and took him to Pomona to see about the Alternator. It can't be repaired so now we're waiting for another to come from Brisbane...tomorrow. So they're stuck for another night, but keeping their sense of humour. I took a couple of photo's of their 'camp' but the wheel just keeps spinning as usual, so I'll try to upload again later.
I'll head back over tomorrow, and hopefully, they'll be here at Deb & Lee's by tomorrow night.
-- Edited by Beth54 on Tuesday 22nd of May 2012 02:40:16 PM
Ah, mobile phone coverage. Why is it that man walked on the moon many many years ago now and we listened to them live talking back to us earthlings BUT we can't get a mobile phone to cover in a gully or in the outback. In fact, you only have to travel not that far out of towns and not have coverage.
Grrrrr.
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DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Doug, we have only 3 bars on Telstra in our house in Canberra's suburbs, and none at all on Optus. When travelling its very patchy indeed. The mobile coverage in this country is a disgrace! Glad Kiwi-as had some help... imagine how it would have been for them without you, not being able to phone for asistance.
.. after Cobb & Co I've had a little more luck than some .. somehow I dont think it will stop the adventures of KIWI-AS ..
Guess what chillen .. I arrived in Mareeba at 10 am today after an early start from Fletchers creek .. I was able to get through in the "dry" .. but if it even rains just a little, I wouldn't wanna be on those dirt roadworks .. so if any folk intend to travel north via the Gregory Developmental from Charters Towers, please check if it rained the night before ..
But Mareeba has had minimal rain .. still looks quite dryish out here at the Rodeo Grounds ..
Beth...thanks for the update on Kiwi-as. Hopefully by this time time tomorrow their mechanical problems will be solved and it will all become a "campfire story".
Jon...glad to hear that you managed to avoid the rain.
Thanks for your concern. Thanks to Beth we are at TCB. It only took two days to get here. Guess that is called traveling slowly and stopping to smell the roses.
Are you in Mareeba for the rodeo Jon? Do you help out around the grounds? Friends of mine from Pt. Lincoln have been up there for a couple of years, and in 2008 I met up with them at the rodeo grounds where they were camping and helping out. Have fun.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Hi all Kiwi Brandt here, Lorraine put the previous post up. Yes we were following Beth along, had to stop for some roadworks, and heard a scraping noise as we started off, which then turned to a squeal every time I accelerated, then I smelt rubber burning and all the warning lights came on on the dash and I realized the fan belt had broken. Coasted down the hill and the Lord must have been watching over us because at the bottom there was a nice grassy driveway to pull off into. Lifted the bonnet and belt was broken but looked at the alternator pulley with all black rubber on it and it was frozen solid. But the car behind me stopped to,see if I was OK or needed help and then a little while later one of the trucks carting dirt from the roadworks also stopped. He had seen Beth waiting for me down the road. All in all about five local people stopped to see if we were OK. That says something for the rural people. The people whose driveway we were in offered us water or anything else we needed as did a neighbor just up the road. When I got the alternator off, the rear bearing was really munted and had totally seized with the outer race gauging into the housing which necessitated a new one. One of the locals said that was the only suitable place on the whole stretch of road to be able to pull off. So here we are at Beth's sister and brother-in-law's near Tin Can Bay. Really enjoyed the hospitality and everything at Cob N Co. My apologies for having to do all the work on the cruiser instead of socializing I can't understand why the alternator was not squealing like mad when we left Cob N Co, and I did have my hearing aids in and they were turned on
Well Kiwi-as I'm glad to hear people stopped to see if they could help you and others nearby too. That didn't happen for us in the first 2 hours we were stopped when we had caravan woes the other week. Rather, stupid idiots were overtaking trucks as the trucks went past us on the edge of the road! No sense at all. Glad it all worked out and you see it as a 'smelling the roses' experience.
Welll you two know how to do things don't you? You look quite comfortable sitting there - Billeeee and I are int he Boonah showgrounds, grandsons 18th birthday here tomorrow night!! Heading north mid next week - might see you along the way somewhere. Take care.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
