Hampton state forest Saturday 4/8/12

[Springvale]

Where --Hampton State Forest , This is one of the Jambo trips that I will be leading. Track starts approx 20 KMs south of Rydal.
The track starts off Cut Hil rd crosses All Flats creek then climbs to the top of Mt Bonfire, follows the ridge to the Fish river and returns on the adjacent ridge. back to the Rydal Hampton rd.

When -- Saturday 4/8/12

Meet --- Shell Servo Lithgow

Time ----9 am

Grade ---,"moderate" C+ There is a B climb but there is an easier track off to the side
.
-----------This run is limited to 12-- vehicles including leader..

.Requirements -- recovery points Front/Rear, recovery gear, UHF radio, food/drinks of choice. A camera would be good for reference.
..........
Further info contact John Swane 0488523182

Attending:

1. John Swane 0488523182
2. Wolfe
3. Greg D
4. Ian C
5. gp
6. Shane
7.
8.
9
10
11
12

Any trip posted in this section is an official SJC trip and a trip report and attendance register is required

[Wolfe]

Count me in John

[Greg D]

John, I will plan to come, unless there is a working bee on site where I could be useful.
Greg

[ian C]

Yes please, sounds good

[Nekked]

If I wasn't working I'd be there in a heartbeat.

Have fun guys

[gp]

Put me down for the trip. John Clark

[ian C]

Shane is coming too. We are leaving Casula at 6:30. My number is 0425202570

[Wolfe]

Is that the one on Magpie Hollow Rd (http://maps.google.com.au/maps/place?ftid=0x6b120be09cc4695f:0x7d67aa0abd41df02&q=magpie+hollow+rd+lithgow&gl=au&ved=0CAwQ-gswAA&sa=X&ei=G9MbUL25M8-XkgX_oYDICQ)

South Bowenfels NSW 2790

[Greg D]

Thanks to John Swane for running this trip today - he passed on a lot of local knowledge, and I am sure this will be a popular trip for Jambo.

Planned meeting was at South Bowenfelds service station (between Lithgow & Rydal) at 9 am, and we were all there on time and departed exactly at 9am. Wolfe (Stuart), Ian C (Ian), gp (John C) and myself joined Springvale(John S) for the trip.

It was about 20 km of country driving to airdown, and it was about 10 degrees colder than at the servo.

http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040003.jpg

I was keen to try out my new sliders that I added this week:
http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040022.jpg

and soon got the chance on the only section of the track above moderate grade. John S tried and couldn't get enough traction to get over a step midway up the hill. He reversed down & I tried, but suffered the same fate. Wolfe then attempted it, but broke the U-bolds on his rear drive shaft in the attempt.

While John S drove home to get some replacements (when you see his workshop later you won't be surprised that he had spares on hand), we helped Wolfe reverse down the hill, securing the car with the winch - 3 full winch lengths until he could safely maneuver his Jeep to prepare for repairs:

http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040007.jpg
and
http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040009.jpg

John S returned with the required spares and some of us had lunch while Ian and Wolfe searched the track for the missing 'pins' from the cap (??). John S, ably assisted by Wolfe under the Jeep, completed repairs and we were away again.
http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040012.jpg

Using a bypass we climbed to the top of Mt Bonfire, with spectacular views
http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040014.jpg

and
http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040024.jpg
with John C in my rear view mirror.

John C gave us a great tour, and we discussed using this slope for some Category A trips for Jambo:
http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040026.jpg

John took us on tracks we couldn't even see from the road, then finally back to the main road adjacent to a property owned by John, and back to his home to air-up (a 5000 litre (?) air tank made short work of airing up 4 jeeps. John's workshop was amazing -
http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040040.jpg

http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc502/GRD54/SJC%20Hampton%20Forest%20Aug%204%202012/P8040042.jpg

Thanks again to John, and all who were there for creating a very pleasant day on the tracks with the Sydney Jeep Club!

Greg

[SteveC]

Great write up and photos.

ps I want to move into that shed>>>>>

[gp]

John
Thanks for leading the trip, it was an interesting day on the tracks and we all enjoyed the experience.
Loved your "Aladdins Cave" its only about four times the size of my garage!