Olive's Trip to Valla

[onetrackwonder]

Hi guys I thought I would share our trip with Olive to this years VW Spectacular, first up i'm sorry for some of the blurry photos as the camera in my phone detached itself and I have to use a taped magnet behind the camera to hold it in position, thanks Google, anyway as you would most likely know, this event was cancelled twice due to the dreaded Covid, then just weeks out from the event there was more devastation with the heavy rains that was experienced on the NSW coast and it looked to be all over once again but for a masterstroke by the event organisers with a last minute venue change from Macksville Show grounds back to Valla Park where it had previously been, the organisers done a wonderful job and deserve a big shout out of appreciation, so well done to the Pell family and surely there are lots of other helpers behind the scenes.
We would have usually taken our blue Sopru Camper Possum but at the time we had our engine out and up at the engine builders awaiting a rebuild, so Olive which was getting restored after sitting in a shed for 32 years became our last minute backup plan so the gradual works became more of a push, we had one previous long distance outing up to the VW Nationals at Fairfield, but there was lots more to do before spending a week away camping, we also borrowed Possums roof rack for the trip, anyway I finished up late on the Monday before we left, here she is parked outside ready to go early the next morning, the fridge plugged into power for the night.

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Tuesday morning we were fully loaded and off, the boys in the back

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So it was off up the Princess Highway and turning inland and up over the mountains at Nowra, we headed for Kangaroo Valley and the Southern Highlands, there was lost of roadworks heading up the mountains due to the road being closed for a long time from landslides, so there was about 4 stop go areas where there was only one lane usable, Olive handled the mountain climb easily considering how loaded we were, first real stop was in Kangaroo Valley after about 3.5hrs on the road for some breakfast and then back on the road to Tahmoor where we had the privilege of meeting our one week old grandson, also our daughter and son in law, they were all doing well apart from the typical lack of sleep.

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After a longer than planned visit it was time to get going again and get on the freeway for some hours at speed, turned out we left it too late to book our accommodation so we decided to free camp somewhere but as we pulled into Bulahdelah to look for some ice for the fridge as I hadn't got the correct gas fittings to run the fridge we stumbled onto the Big 4 park so I drove in to see the office all locked up, it was around 7pm but the owner came out, lights went on and he come to the door so I rocked in and he had heard the Kombi and thinking that it was his sons bus he got up, anyway its a very Kombi friendly park and though the office was closed we were given a site for the night which was a bonus, we bunkered in for the night and the winds were howling but we had a great nights sleep.
In the morning this young Big 4 employee strolls up and introduces himself as Matt, he is the son and owner of a Split Window bus and he is headed for Valla Friday after work, lovely bloke he was too so if your ever passing through Bulahdelah you know where to stay, anyway Matt says he better look busy and disappears and I start to pack up the stuff outside the bus and Katherine already has everything inside under control so we check out and head for the coast and Smiths Lake followed by Seal Rocks and the ocean didn't dissapoint, we hung for a bit at Seal Rocks as it was a beautiful day apart from the cold wind that was blowing, there was a small food van there so we both got a cuppa

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Anyway it was back on the road and we headed along the coast towards Forster and also checked out Blueys Beach along the way, lunch was in Tuncurry and then onto Nambucca where we were staying at the White Albatross, managed to get there around 2.30 pm and booked straight in, old Olive had run strong both days without skipping a beat so I was pretty proud as I had rebuilt the twin carbs, set the valves, tuned the engine and tweaked the carbs, fingers crossed that she goes so good for the rest of the trip, anyway finally set up in the park, we have a site with a ensuite bathroom, we sleep in the tent when staying for more than one night so we can leave the back seat up in the bus, we have a small yard/cage that the dogs sleep in inside the tent too, when camping in the bus on nights without the tent the dogs get a seat each up front

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Thursday we done some sight seeing around Coffs Harbour, we have been there many times but we had to get a pic at the Big Banana didn't we as Olive had never been there with us anyway

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Friday was a trip out to Raleigh Raceway, another place I have been many times to race Karts, the track surface is now far too damaged to run karts but its just suitable for some VW's to get out and have some fun, hopefully one year I will have something that I can tow up behind the Kombi and get out there and join them

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anyway to be continued as I will probably exceed the photo limits , cheers Greg

[onetrackwonder]

To continue on with this post on the way back from Raleigh we popped back into Valla where they had a VW car wash set up, Olive never had time for a wash before we left and that was probably a good thing as it poured when we left and it followed us most of the way up the coast, so a wash she got so that she was nice and clean for the street parade, we also hung around and had a feed and caught up with some friends and the band was also playing so it was nice to sit around for a bit, Saturday was up early and back out to Valla to queue up for the cruise back to Nambucca, we got there pretty early and the line already went halfway around the park, anyway the cruise got going and this year things had changed for the main street with not as many cars allowed in for some reason, we got to 3 cars from the main street and were diverted down the hill behind the shops to another car park, about 200 steps and we were up to the shops, what an awesome sight it is to see so many VW's all in one place, if you have never been its well worth the trip just for this

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Once everyone departed we went back to the White Albatross and took the dogs for a walk along the V Wall which is virtually an outdoor art gallery where anyone can leave their memories, quotes or art, there are some very talented people around thats for sure

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Saturday night was sitting around the camp chatting with friends with a few quiet drinks.

Sunday was the show and shine so it was back again early to Valla, awesome cars and busses which dominated big time with numbers, again caught up with lots of friends, so much so that I never even got time to check out the swap meet or take many photos, saying that it was still an awesome time/day

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Sunday afternoon was back to the White Albatross and pull down the tent, there had been very heavy dew of a morning and I hate packing up tents that are wet, so it was everyone back into the Kombi for the night.
Monday morning it was back on the road for home, lots of VW's heading down the highway doing the same thing,

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We had a couple of stops along the way, one to meet up with a couple of friends from Nelson Bay, they had heard that we were going to be selling Olive and wanted a look, we met up at Heatherbrae Pies and they checked her out, took her for a run and fell in love, they have to sell their Beetle first and I still have a few things that I want to finish so they should pick her up in a few weeks, they will get out to the VW/ Kombi events so you should still see her around.
Next we were off to East Maitland where I had previously bought some Sopru camper parts and the people kindly held on too them for us to pick up on the way home, good thing I never got to the swap meet because we were even more well loaded by the time we left, then we were headed for or stop for the night which was Norah Head, got there again after dark and set up and had a feed and a rather quiet night as exhaustion set upon us.

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Run out of space for photos again sorry, t be continued again,cheers Greg

[onetrackwonder]

Back again for part 3 ha,
Tuesday was a quick look around and breakfast at a local cafe then on the road to see our now two week old grandson

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Great visit with the kids and the baby, this time we were able to keep to our time schedule

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Are we there yet

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And it was off again and back down through Bowral and out to Kangaroo Valley for the trip over and down the mountain followed by a stop in at Nowra to chat with our engine builder hoping to get a date for our engine build for our Blue Bus Possum, its been ten long months wait but we are getting closer and the wait i'm sure will be worth it, Olives rescue and rebuild and future sale funds are going towards Possums engine and that was why we took on the resto in the first place, to fund our VW passion, woo hoo.

Then again after dark we pulled up at home, safe and sound, very tired but Olive had run like a train, never missed a beat with around 2300km round trip, a awesome adventure thats for sure, now we are hoping that the new engine arrives before Old Bar or we will have to go up in the T5 Dual Cab or the T3 Single Cab and we would much rather be in the Kombi, cheers Greg

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