2025 - Short Trips: Day 1: Wed 9 Apr - Home to Wooroolin, drive: 208km

16 (home) - 25 (Kilkivan) - 27 (Wooroolin) deg C, fine and sunny for most of the day, with a few spots of rain in the afternoon

Ride: 6km

We were up with the sparrows and ready to leave just before 8am, a bit earlier than the scheduled. So, we tidied, locked up the house and van but when Greg went to turn the Cruiser on, she was not well and had no energy. Bugger. We tried jump starting from the CX-8 with no luck, so Wendy logged a job with RACQ. In the meantime Greg got the charger out and charged the battery. Just as Wendy received notification that the RACQ man was almost there, Greg got the Cruiser started. The man put his computer on the vehicle and it said there was nothing wrong so we were alright to go. He also checked the battery and it was fully charged. So, off we went.

We were supposed to meet up with the others at Kilkivan, but they had already left. We stopped there anyway because we were desperate for a coffee. You wouldn’t believe it, the Cruiser would not start again. Greg went for a walk to the servo, no joy, then to Kilkivan Auto Centre where the lady said they had a suitable battery, but the terminals were on the wrong ends. Greg phoned Wendy and asked her to log another job with RACQ. She did and asked them to bring a battery as we were done with this one. The man came in a truck with Kilkivan Auto Centre written on it. Long story, short - he went back to the shop to get a battery, and had it fitted within five minutes. He also checked the alternator and said it was fine, so off we went.

We finally arrived at our home for the next four nights, Wooroolin, about 2pm and set up. After lunch we strolled across the road to the cafe. It had gone from a very well-stocked and run cafe when we were here last to a very ordinary establishment with little stock and no atmosphere. Back to the vans to change into cycling gear for our first loop - a short 6km ride around the outside of the wetlands (too wet inside).

Pre-dinner drinks were had at 5pm on G&C’s verandah (under the awning). Dinner was cooked and consumed before 7pm.

We have had a trying day, however, we know that when you are caravanning, something will always go wrong, you just have to stay positive and go with the flow. We got to where we needed to be safe and sound, so all is good.