Day 13 - The Wheels have come off the Wagon

Day 13 – 16 July

I wouldn’t exactly say the wheels have fallen off the wagon, but that is kind of what has happened, well at least one has. We spent last night at Charlie’s Crossing at Jasper Gorge on the very picturesque Buchanan highway. We thought the caravan was travelling well on the dirt road, corrugations and all, and despite getting a little dust inside, made our way without incident to the Victoria Highway, heading west through Timber Creek towards the WA border.

Stopped at a rest area shadowed by huge escarpments, we were finishing up our lunch with bread and jam when there was a knock at the caravan door. A couple were enquiring whether we had “lost something”. We hadn’t lost anything that we were aware of, and besides, even if we had, how would this couple of complete strangers even know it was ours? But we had the distinct feeling they were about to enlighten us.  Our bewildered gaze followed as they pointed to the roof of their car. There, strapped to the roof rack was one standard issue Jayco Starcraft bumper with spare tyre still attached. Our now even more  bewildered gaze then shifted to the rear of our van, to reveal only the jagged stumps of where a bumper might once have been attached.

They’d discovered it on the roadside some 50kms back, and this very kind couple had strapped it to their car and were searching the highways and byways for a bumperless caravan. Alas, they found one.

Dear Jayco. Remember you mentioned there had been a bumper bar recall on our model caravan but that you forgot to order it for us? Perhaps you could fly it in to Kununurra or Broome. We were previously informed that the recall was to do with “the paint coming off”. Well, the paint has certainly come off ours courtesy of skating along the Victoria Highway at speed after parting company with the van.

The next day or two has some more R&M in store – as well as dealing with the bumper & spare tyre issue, Dave needs to do an oil change, and there is the little matter of an air leak in one of the car tyres. Holidaying is so busy, I don’t know how we ever found time for work.

On the up side, we are now camped in the Keep River National Park, and did a spectacular walk up to the Jarnem lookout this evening. We are finally well, finally warm and finally heading west. WA tomorrow! If we make it.

Devil's Marbles (Liz)

Jarnem Lookout - Keep River NP (Dave)

Lost in Transit (Dave)

Buchanan Highway (Liz)