Sir Franc's first country Christmas

Sir Francis

Displaced person
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An enforced two and a bit weeks off work, flying solo in a new home town for my first bumpkin Christmas what's a chap to do...

Things kicked off with a blast on Thursday night. The party of 2016. Famous (aka Teflon) Rog's birthday.


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We dress in muted tones in country....

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We all kicked in for a group present. Just what every 70 year old needs, a Leatt neck brace in order to tackle more hard core off-roading....:clap:

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Sir Francis

Displaced person
Christmas Day was stinking hot.

Head to Melbourne for two days and then onto South Oz with a Tiger buddy.

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Out towards Lake Buffalo.

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Mt Buffalo.

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Onto the dirt.

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Into the forest.

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And I popped out towards Whitfield.

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A turn off the Mansfield Whitfield Rd.

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Sir Francis

Displaced person
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Into Swanpool for fuel. No fuel at Swanpool today. Should I revise my plans, naw....:sick:

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Thankfully, Merton Caltex is Hindu.

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Christmas Day lunch at the Giddy Goat. :clap:

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Sir Francis

Displaced person
More dirt from Molesworth.

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Up n over the Cheviot Tunnel.

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2 inches of fresh gravel through the Toolangi State Forest.

Waltzing with a hippo all the way...:killingme

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Into Yarra Glen.

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Sir Francis

Displaced person
Christmas night with my brother.

We'd decided to re-fire an old family BBQ tradition.

Creepy Santa looked on from the caravan.

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My brother had welded up a new fire box, the hot plate dates back to the 1970s and by best reckoning had sat unused in the yard since the mid-1990s.

He said he'd start a little fire. Next minute....

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About an hour later, it was time to cook :thumbs:

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Sir Francis

Displaced person
Boxing Day.

A lazy start. Still too hot but went for a ride through the Dandenongs anyway.

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I'd been hankering for a Gladysdale Pie for weeks....

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It seems Santa had decided I'd been naughty after all....:doh:

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Oh well, it gave me a chance after 28 years of driving past to finally try this greasy place on the Warby Hwy just out of Worri.

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There are always cars parked outside. Look popular with the bugs too....

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Sir Francis

Displaced person
South Oz Tiger tripping.

I'd first me Matt on an advrider cancer charity ride in 2012.

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Matt was heading towards Kangaroo Island via the Otways and asked if I wanted to tag along.

Plan was to bush camp and take in as much dirt as possible.

An early start down the peninsula to meet Matt at the ferry.

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Pole position.

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Underway.

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As expected, traffic was a little heavy from Queenscliff to Anglesea.

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Sir Francis

Displaced person
Finally the chance to get of the tourist road.

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Back onto Great Ocean Rd for a few km, we turned up what looked like a driveway immediately after the GOR Arch.

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Which became quite steep n rutted n slippery.

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Matt stopped to lower his tyre pressures.

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What's the correct pressure for sand....:killingme

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Upright and underway after much huffing n puffing....:sick:

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Deep into the forest above Lorne.

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GOR from Lorne to Apollo Bay stuck behind dimwits ignoring the turn out bays despite travelling 20-55km/h BELOW the posted speed limit...:bang:
 

Sir Francis

Displaced person
Off the GOR towards Beech Forest.

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Most of the campground was taken up by a group of 20-somethings in 8 4WDs. A quick word and they shuffled the parking so we had room to set up tents. Later in the evening they insisted we join them and drink their beer....:clap:

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A hundred metres or so from camp.

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