And the 2012 esCarpade will be heading... *drumroll*
From Newcastle to Canberra!!
For full details, check out the Camp Quality esCarpade official event page here: http://www.campquality.org.au/public/escarpade/the-event.aspx
Friday, 25 November 2011
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
So what's been happening?
So, no doubt regular blog followers are wondering what the punchline from the 2011 Camp Quality esCarpade was... So here goes!!
Damage report.
There was no major damage that has become apparent at this point in time. Damian decided to wash Booger Mobile and do a bit of a stocktake on the condition...
One front tyre is completely stuffed - clearly the wheel alignment wasn't quite perfect, which isn't surprising given it wasn't redone as Damian was waiting for the new suspension to arrive first, which didn't happen in time. (The wear indicates the camber isn't correct.)
The roof-rack moved AGAIN... Clearly something will need to be done about this prior to the 2012 esCarpade...
Booger's head got very dirty - not so much a problem but a minor annoyance. Damian is keen to have a completely new roof-rack ornament for next year... stay tuned for that one!! (Chances are he'll run out of time again and use good old Booger!!)
And all shiny, back in the shed.
There are also a couple of annoying engine issues to look into - the head gasket continues to weep ever so slightly, the tappets are slightly noisy (need adjusting) and there was a minor oil leak at the rear of the tappet cover, which is understandable given the rear tappet cover bolt is broken - of course it didn't leak with the old tappet cover gasket, only when Damian "did the right thing" and replaced it with a new one!!
So the engine looks like it's going to continue to be a source of annoyance for Damian heading into 2012 - hopefully once the weeping head gasket is resolved (and while the head is off, removing the broken tappet cover bolt), that will all be sorted.
Lastly, there are a couple of very minor annoyances - the passenger brake light has an earthing issue... it worked fine, then after hitting a bump it wouldn't work, then it would after hitting another bump... good times!!
Anyway, enough of that, there'll be plenty of blog posts about the car in the lead up to the 2012 esCarpade!!
Fundraising for 2012 has now commenced!!
On Friday 4 November 2011, Damian headed to the Jagera Arts Centre at South Brisbane for the first ever Gotta Swing Lounge, being run by a couple of Camp Quality volunteers Quintin McLeod and Mark O'Brien.
As the sun went down and the tent went up, the barbeque was lit.
Damian posing with Quintin.
And cooking the BBQ.
Quintin showing off his dance moves!!
Attendees at the dance paid a minimum gold coin donation for their sausage sizzle, with all proceeds going towards Booger Mobile's 2012 Camp Quality esCarpade fundraising total.
The Gotta Swing Lounge is open to all comers who like swing dancing, and will be held on the first Friday of each month at the Jagera Arts Centre, South Brisbane.
So that's the state of affairs for Booger Mobile. Damian has been having a well earned rest away from the car, but it will soon be time to get back into it in preparation for 2012.
Stay tuned!!
Damage report.
There was no major damage that has become apparent at this point in time. Damian decided to wash Booger Mobile and do a bit of a stocktake on the condition...
One front tyre is completely stuffed - clearly the wheel alignment wasn't quite perfect, which isn't surprising given it wasn't redone as Damian was waiting for the new suspension to arrive first, which didn't happen in time. (The wear indicates the camber isn't correct.)
The roof-rack moved AGAIN... Clearly something will need to be done about this prior to the 2012 esCarpade...
Booger's head got very dirty - not so much a problem but a minor annoyance. Damian is keen to have a completely new roof-rack ornament for next year... stay tuned for that one!! (Chances are he'll run out of time again and use good old Booger!!)
And all shiny, back in the shed.
There are also a couple of annoying engine issues to look into - the head gasket continues to weep ever so slightly, the tappets are slightly noisy (need adjusting) and there was a minor oil leak at the rear of the tappet cover, which is understandable given the rear tappet cover bolt is broken - of course it didn't leak with the old tappet cover gasket, only when Damian "did the right thing" and replaced it with a new one!!
So the engine looks like it's going to continue to be a source of annoyance for Damian heading into 2012 - hopefully once the weeping head gasket is resolved (and while the head is off, removing the broken tappet cover bolt), that will all be sorted.
Lastly, there are a couple of very minor annoyances - the passenger brake light has an earthing issue... it worked fine, then after hitting a bump it wouldn't work, then it would after hitting another bump... good times!!
Anyway, enough of that, there'll be plenty of blog posts about the car in the lead up to the 2012 esCarpade!!
Fundraising for 2012 has now commenced!!
On Friday 4 November 2011, Damian headed to the Jagera Arts Centre at South Brisbane for the first ever Gotta Swing Lounge, being run by a couple of Camp Quality volunteers Quintin McLeod and Mark O'Brien.
As the sun went down and the tent went up, the barbeque was lit.
Damian posing with Quintin.
And cooking the BBQ.
Quintin showing off his dance moves!!
Attendees at the dance paid a minimum gold coin donation for their sausage sizzle, with all proceeds going towards Booger Mobile's 2012 Camp Quality esCarpade fundraising total.
The Gotta Swing Lounge is open to all comers who like swing dancing, and will be held on the first Friday of each month at the Jagera Arts Centre, South Brisbane.
So that's the state of affairs for Booger Mobile. Damian has been having a well earned rest away from the car, but it will soon be time to get back into it in preparation for 2012.
Stay tuned!!
Saturday, 22 October 2011
esCarpade 2011 - Day 8 - Bright-Home!!
Bright - the final morning of esCarpade had arrived... Booger Mobile looking resplendant in the early morning light...
The view from the motel...
The shenanigans continued, even though it was the last morning!!
Heading down to breakfast in Bright...
Damian stopped at the BP and cleaned off the tyre that had gone flat overnight in Warrnambool and pumped it back up... hopefully it was only that the bead had been broken causing the slow leak.
He then parked down at the Riverside Cafe for breakfast.
The babbling brook beside the carpark.
Around 7:30am, Team Booger Mobile, Snot Rocket, Shark Mobile and 808 said their goodbyes and headed towards home...
Snot Rocket disappeared into a tree tunnel...
Past a windmill that Damian was sure they had passed on Friday following the route notes...
Nice scenery...
Volvos were heading home, overtaking the boys...
Through historic Yackandandah...
Past the Yak Hotel...
Snot Rocket bringing up the rear...
Apparently this is the beginning of a 100 zone... who'da thunk it?
Jet stream in the clear sky...
Teddy wearing a little flower apron...
The final day self portrait...
A horse and rider on a stick...
Being stalked by a Shark (mobile).
808 were having some starting problems again - out came Damian's jumper leads...
And file...
Meanwhile, the others waited patiently...
This monument is, well, monumental!!
There's a dish off to the side there somewhere!!
Look, there it is!!
Damian loaded it onto Booger Mobile to take home...
Self portrait with the dish!!
A photo of Graham taking a photo...
Past these planes again... seems like this trip is a reverse of the trip down!!
Gilgandra!!
It looks like rain on the windscreen, but it's actually a heap of tiny bug-splats!!
Stopping for an RBT in Coonabarrabran...
Oh, no, not again 808!!
Day turned to night... lots of kilometres travelled, but lots of rest stops due to the enormous 45 litre fuel tank in Booger Mobile requiring filling every 250km or so!!
Stopping for an RBT in Moree...
Heading down and around a corner, apparently!!
Jo is home safely!!
Damian is home safely!!
After an epic 21 hours, Damian had arrived home safe and sound in Booger Mobile.
There were a couple of scary moments on the trip - once when stopping at Goondiwindi and the engine started making a nasty ticking noise (the oil had gotten a little low), and then as they drove out of Warwick, they nearly cleaned up a kangaroo... Ironic really, given the hundreds of kilometres of kangaroo-strike country they had earlier driven through, they nearly hit one in suburbia!!
The 2011 Camp Quality esCarpade is now done and dusted... time to clean Booger Mobile, take stock of any issues and begin preparing for 2012!!
The view from the motel...
The shenanigans continued, even though it was the last morning!!
Heading down to breakfast in Bright...
Damian stopped at the BP and cleaned off the tyre that had gone flat overnight in Warrnambool and pumped it back up... hopefully it was only that the bead had been broken causing the slow leak.
He then parked down at the Riverside Cafe for breakfast.
The babbling brook beside the carpark.
Around 7:30am, Team Booger Mobile, Snot Rocket, Shark Mobile and 808 said their goodbyes and headed towards home...
Snot Rocket disappeared into a tree tunnel...
Past a windmill that Damian was sure they had passed on Friday following the route notes...
Nice scenery...
Volvos were heading home, overtaking the boys...
Through historic Yackandandah...
Past the Yak Hotel...
Snot Rocket bringing up the rear...
Apparently this is the beginning of a 100 zone... who'da thunk it?
Jet stream in the clear sky...
Teddy wearing a little flower apron...
The final day self portrait...
A horse and rider on a stick...
Being stalked by a Shark (mobile).
808 were having some starting problems again - out came Damian's jumper leads...
And file...
Meanwhile, the others waited patiently...
This monument is, well, monumental!!
There's a dish off to the side there somewhere!!
Look, there it is!!
Damian loaded it onto Booger Mobile to take home...
Self portrait with the dish!!
A photo of Graham taking a photo...
Past these planes again... seems like this trip is a reverse of the trip down!!
Gilgandra!!
It looks like rain on the windscreen, but it's actually a heap of tiny bug-splats!!
Stopping for an RBT in Coonabarrabran...
Oh, no, not again 808!!
Day turned to night... lots of kilometres travelled, but lots of rest stops due to the enormous 45 litre fuel tank in Booger Mobile requiring filling every 250km or so!!
Stopping for an RBT in Moree...
Heading down and around a corner, apparently!!
Jo is home safely!!
Damian is home safely!!
After an epic 21 hours, Damian had arrived home safe and sound in Booger Mobile.
There were a couple of scary moments on the trip - once when stopping at Goondiwindi and the engine started making a nasty ticking noise (the oil had gotten a little low), and then as they drove out of Warwick, they nearly cleaned up a kangaroo... Ironic really, given the hundreds of kilometres of kangaroo-strike country they had earlier driven through, they nearly hit one in suburbia!!
The 2011 Camp Quality esCarpade is now done and dusted... time to clean Booger Mobile, take stock of any issues and begin preparing for 2012!!
Friday, 21 October 2011
esCarpade 2011 - Day 7 - Deniliquin-Wangaratta-Bright
Day 7 - the final driving day of the Camp Quality esCarpade for 2011.
One of the first to arrive at breakfast...
A good time for a stylish self portrait!!
Other cars started rolling in...
The Team BSL Kombi Van had been wrapped in plastic overnight, but who did it???
Breakfast time...
Followed by driver briefing...
Damian looks through the briefing notes...
Second cab off the rank - a record for Booger Mobile!!
But, 69 took a wrong turn at the first instruction and Booger Mobile ended up in the lead - a position it would hold for the first 18 instructions!!
Damian and Jo - number one!!
Bitumen driving...
Oh look, a corner!!
Dirt driving...
Past a nice old pub...
Across a river, with a nice old bridge in the background...
More tarmac driving...
If you are ever looking for Mywee, this is where you'll find it!!
Turning the corner - Booger Mobile had politely pulled over earlier to let a line of cars through...
Very dusty along this road!!
Even dustier behind!!
Stop and check for trains!!
Past the excavator being loaded onto a truck...
And arriving at the morning tea location - 10 minutes early!! Another first for Booger Mobile!!
Looking the goods!!
The sweets put on at morning tea were divine!!
Peta and Alice rev up the crowd for a puppet show!!
Deano (Peta) and Kylie (Alice) doing their thing!!
The esCarpadians sing their special song...
Jo getting into the esCarpade spirit!!
After morning tea, car 445 had it's bonnet up - earning them a guest appearance on the Booger Mobile blog!!
Following OV7 (Puppet-mobile) to the next school for a school visit...
Numurkah... nice little town...
Turning into the school road...
Fred smoking it up for the crowd...
The hungry hordes descend!!
esCarpade cars lined up...
Snot Rocket living up to it's name!!
The kids headed in for a puppet show...
Getting settled in...
But the esCarpadians were told to hit the road!!
Snot Rocket coming past some roadworks...
Back onto dirt - this happened a fair bit again today - on the dirt, off the dirt, on the dirt, off the dirt... rinse and repeat!!
Past an old windmill and water tank...
Into Broken-Boosey forest...
It started to sprinkle - not enough to settle the dust or wash the car, just enough to be annoying!!
A fallen tree attempts to make friends with Booger Mobile...
Small, but surprisingly deep creek crossing...
More dirt...
Into Wangaratta...
And to the pub for lunch!!
Outside the pub, Damian met some of the family of the guys from Limo 64 - apparently they had been following the Booger Mobile blog to keep tabs on esCarpade, so a big shout out to them, and all the other blog followers!!
Back up into the hills...
Past this little car with no doors, with an old digger sitting inside waving as the parade passed by...
Past old machinery...
To a shallow causeway...
Through goes Booger Mobile...
You'd get a surprise if you fell off the edge!!
Continuing upward in the forest...
Up, up and away!!
Great views from the top - pity it was an overcast day...
Back on the bitumen for a while...
Collecting Snot Rocket off the side of the road on the way past...
One half of the hill had been cleared recently...
And back onto dirt!!
Up, up, up...
Past the Russell Hotel... (Points for the musical reference - leave a comment)
And down the other side!!
Damian suspects the rear tyre is flat, and calls OV5 to confirm...
Of course it is!!
It's only flat on the bottom though!!
Off with the old...
Yep, looks good!!
And on with the new!!
Jo wondered how many blokes it takes to change a tyre... The answer is of course just one, but with four others for moral and emotional support!!
Back on the road, and down the winding dirt road...
The flat tyre happened only about 5km from the end of the esCarpade driving!!
The last night formal party and awards night...
Balloons on the table...
Damian and Jo with their awards and bottles of wine!! Team Booger Mobile topped the $12000 mark with their fundraising in 2011!!
The grand total raised by all entrants in 2011 was a record 1.4 million dollars!! A champion effort all round!!
And that brings to a conclusion the 2011 Camp Quality esCarpade... all that is left is to have some breakfast in the morning, then head up the highway for a snappy 1700km drive back home!!
One of the first to arrive at breakfast...
A good time for a stylish self portrait!!
Other cars started rolling in...
The Team BSL Kombi Van had been wrapped in plastic overnight, but who did it???
Breakfast time...
Followed by driver briefing...
Damian looks through the briefing notes...
Second cab off the rank - a record for Booger Mobile!!
But, 69 took a wrong turn at the first instruction and Booger Mobile ended up in the lead - a position it would hold for the first 18 instructions!!
Damian and Jo - number one!!
Bitumen driving...
Oh look, a corner!!
Dirt driving...
Past a nice old pub...
Across a river, with a nice old bridge in the background...
More tarmac driving...
If you are ever looking for Mywee, this is where you'll find it!!
Turning the corner - Booger Mobile had politely pulled over earlier to let a line of cars through...
Very dusty along this road!!
Even dustier behind!!
Stop and check for trains!!
Past the excavator being loaded onto a truck...
And arriving at the morning tea location - 10 minutes early!! Another first for Booger Mobile!!
Looking the goods!!
The sweets put on at morning tea were divine!!
Peta and Alice rev up the crowd for a puppet show!!
Deano (Peta) and Kylie (Alice) doing their thing!!
The esCarpadians sing their special song...
Jo getting into the esCarpade spirit!!
After morning tea, car 445 had it's bonnet up - earning them a guest appearance on the Booger Mobile blog!!
Following OV7 (Puppet-mobile) to the next school for a school visit...
Numurkah... nice little town...
Turning into the school road...
Fred smoking it up for the crowd...
The hungry hordes descend!!
esCarpade cars lined up...
Snot Rocket living up to it's name!!
The kids headed in for a puppet show...
Getting settled in...
But the esCarpadians were told to hit the road!!
Snot Rocket coming past some roadworks...
Back onto dirt - this happened a fair bit again today - on the dirt, off the dirt, on the dirt, off the dirt... rinse and repeat!!
Past an old windmill and water tank...
Into Broken-Boosey forest...
It started to sprinkle - not enough to settle the dust or wash the car, just enough to be annoying!!
A fallen tree attempts to make friends with Booger Mobile...
Small, but surprisingly deep creek crossing...
More dirt...
Into Wangaratta...
And to the pub for lunch!!
Outside the pub, Damian met some of the family of the guys from Limo 64 - apparently they had been following the Booger Mobile blog to keep tabs on esCarpade, so a big shout out to them, and all the other blog followers!!
Back up into the hills...
Past this little car with no doors, with an old digger sitting inside waving as the parade passed by...
Past old machinery...
To a shallow causeway...
Through goes Booger Mobile...
You'd get a surprise if you fell off the edge!!
Continuing upward in the forest...
Up, up and away!!
Great views from the top - pity it was an overcast day...
Back on the bitumen for a while...
Collecting Snot Rocket off the side of the road on the way past...
One half of the hill had been cleared recently...
And back onto dirt!!
Up, up, up...
Past the Russell Hotel... (Points for the musical reference - leave a comment)
And down the other side!!
Damian suspects the rear tyre is flat, and calls OV5 to confirm...
Of course it is!!
It's only flat on the bottom though!!
Off with the old...
Yep, looks good!!
And on with the new!!
Jo wondered how many blokes it takes to change a tyre... The answer is of course just one, but with four others for moral and emotional support!!
Back on the road, and down the winding dirt road...
The flat tyre happened only about 5km from the end of the esCarpade driving!!
The last night formal party and awards night...
Balloons on the table...
Damian and Jo with their awards and bottles of wine!! Team Booger Mobile topped the $12000 mark with their fundraising in 2011!!
The grand total raised by all entrants in 2011 was a record 1.4 million dollars!! A champion effort all round!!
And that brings to a conclusion the 2011 Camp Quality esCarpade... all that is left is to have some breakfast in the morning, then head up the highway for a snappy 1700km drive back home!!
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