Queensland Scrutineering and Experience esCarpade drive!!

Queensland Scrutineering for 2014 had arrived...  It was time for Booger Mobile and the other Queensland entrants to find out how prepared they were for the 2014 esCarpade, and how much more work was to be done to ensure (or at least go towards) the event not being a mechanical misery!!

Speaking of mechanical misery, Damian's camera decided to play silly buggers with the lens protector, so some of the photos have an artistic feel to them...

Test lights ready to go!!

Heading out towards Kilcoy on a foggy Saturday morning...

Meeting at the Kilcoy Bakery for coffee and sustenance before Scrutineering - Angus and Damian were the first to arrive, and sat for a while wondering if they had the day wrong... then the rest of the gang turned up!!

Booger Mobile flanked by a couple of new vehicles - Angry Birds and the Mystery Machine.

Tyrepower at Kilcoy made their workshop available for scrutineering again... three cheers for them!!

Parked outside, milling around while all the vehicles had their turn on the hoist...

Booger Mobile passed with flying colours!!  Woohoooooooooo!!

Team Afro had a broken hanger on the rear springs, but luckily for them there was a wrecking yard next door who had one in stock!!

Purple People Eaters found that their GPS tripmeter wasn't working - turned out to be a problem with the probe connection.

Damian and Angus - together again for 2014!!

Driver briefing before the Experience esCarpade drive from Kilcoy to Palmwoods!!

Up the bitumen for a while...

And onto dirt... woohoo!!

A few km into the dirt, a nasty squealing sound came from the wheel... Damian stopped and checked for a stick or similar, but couldn't find anything.  Driving off slowly he tapped the brakes a couple of times and the noise was gone... verdict - small rock stuck in the brakes!!

Back onto bitumen they went...

Past the Glasshouse Mountains...

Angus doing a sterling job of navigating!!

Up the hill to Maleny!!

Out through Montville, then down the Razorback!!

Safely arriving at the Palmwoods Hotel for lunch!!

They must have known Angus was coming!!

After lunch and a refreshing soft-drink, it was time for everyone to head their separate ways home!!

Back in the shed - the flash not showing just how dusty Booger Mobile actually is!!

A fine layer of dust coats everything, but Giggle still smiles!!

A fantastic day was had, and even better news is that Booger Mobile is ready to rock and roll for esCarpade 2014!!

Stay tuned for some more blog updates over the coming months as the boys get ready for their 2014 esCarpade adventure!!

Stop dripping, damn you transmission pan gasket!!

So, even after Damian replaced the automatic transmission pan gasket, it seemed that the fluid continued to leak...  Frustrating!!

Time to book it in to an actual mechanic and get them to sort it out...

First up, a gratuitous shot of the awesome keyring Damian was given at the Green Apple Wellness Centre Bayside to Bald Hills event!!

Next, get Booger Mobile in position...

Hoist it up in the air...

And get a mechanic to have a look.  First was to give it all a good clean...

Then, the mechanic took Booger Mobile for a test drive!!

After going back up on the hoist, it was discovered that the pan gasket was NOT leaking!!  Turns out Damian wasn't completely useless at changing them!!  A little piece called the selector shaft seal was leaking - it sits just above the pan gasket - and dripping onto the gasket, making it look like the pan gasket was leaking...

As luck would have it, there was an auto parts store at Brendale who had one in stock, so Damian took Booger Mobile for a drive and collected the part...  Actual size - about the size of a 5 cent piece!!

Back to the mechanic to wait for another turn on the hoist.

Old part out... new part in!!

And time for another test drive!!

Got to keep the sponsors happy with shots of all sides!!

Damian's favourite angle... and Giggle is still smiling as always!!

Another awesome business supporting Booger Mobile!!

Damian managed to line this shot up heaps better!!

Home, and time to put the bash plate on and get ready for scrutineering on the next weekend!!

Stash some stuff into the boot...

About 2/3 of what goes into the boot for the actual esCarpade!!  Booger Mobile is pretty much self sufficient in terms of tools etc, and the mechanics love that!!

So... with the auto transmission leak sorted, tools found and packed and scrutineering just around the corner, would Booger Mobile pass scrutineering this year?  Only time will tell!!

2014 Green Apple Wellness Centre Bayside to Bald Hills Family Fun Day

Damian was up bright and early to head down to the Green Apple Wellness Centre at Bald Hills with Booger Mobile, to be on the finish line for the Bayside to Bald Hills fun run and participate in the Green Apple Wellness Centre Family Fun Day - raising money for Camp Quality.

It was the "supermoon", and it was almost like daylight outside when Damian left!!

That's one cool looking green car!!

Heading down the highway...

Parked at the finish line... the competitors will come up the street behind Booger Mobile.

Green Apple Wellness Centre - winner of a bunch of awards!!

More Green Apple goodness!!

Looking up from the finish line to the Family Fun Day.

The first competitor home from the 15km cycle section...

As more competitors completed their race, from the 6, 10 or 15km event (walking, riding or cycling), the crew from MAXX Fitness ran a session on stretching...

Meanwhile, Damian tucked into some breakfast - gluten free sausage sizzle and (not shown) some healthy fruit!!

The MAXX Fitness guys overloaded the poor little train and caused a flat tyre...

Damian ended up performing MC duties for the day - some people just won't stay away from a microphone!!  In happier news, he's been invited back again for 2015 to officially be the MC at what will be the 30th anniversary of the Bayside to Bald Hills event!!

Over the years, the Green Apple Wellness Centre have raised over $240000 for Camp Quality!!  Stupendous effort, that!!