Australian FJ Anniversary Rally; March 8, 2014

[The General]

Doug,
Me thinks you might have stripped the splines on the tail shaft. I can do a mercy dash and meet you or one of your FJ brothers 1/2 way at Yass with a replacement shaft.

Jonesy, thanks for the offer mate, but I`ve finalised a deal through my RACQ ultimate membership (I think). They are taking outfit home to my place at no charge and subsidising a hire car from Canberra. Scored a lift for Dena & I to Canberra via
an fj supporter.
Anniversary dinner was really great tonite, but off to bed for now.  Cheers, Doug Mc

[megsy]

Great week end had by all   got home at 9.00pm nice little 12 hour drive

Even a visit by Charley Boorman sitting on a bit of quality at last, shame I didnt have a clue who he was , he's from the doc the Long way round.

[Arnie]

Got home about 6:30 this evening from a great weekend, with some great folks, at a great place.
All kudos to the organizer, the ride(s) co-ordinator, and all who participated.
My bottom is a bit sore from all that riding, I think I need to ride more more often and toughen it up.
Good to meet those that traveled from other countries to join in, and they did fit right in too - must be the FJ :-)
Shame about our two casualties, but nothing serious and they will heal.  (I'll let them tell their own stories)
It was almost 3 when I hit some tar snakes that upset the hell out of my front end.  Don't know exactly why, but I certainly changed my line through that section going home today.
And, RPM Randy got up close and almost personal with that unique Aussie animal, an echidna :-)

Thanks Doug, Pete, and crew :-)

[roverfj1200]

Pulled a all nighter with a few naps and arrived home at 9.30 today..


Cheers to all

Report and pix later

[megsy]

You can sleep anywhere by the look of it mate 


Or this bloke 200kms plus with a helmet on & not a hair out of place 

[Tony Mac]

Pulled a all nighter with a few naps and arrived home at 9.30 today..
Cheers to all
Report and pix later

G'day all. I got home at exactly 2.05pm yesterday after an unbeleivably great week end. Thanks to The General and other organisers for what was my best FJ trip ever. I got rained on again on the way home, right on the NSW / VIC border. It was no Big Deal though. I just stopped next to some Armco rail and pulled on my wets.
It was realy great to meet some new friends and shake the hands of some old ones. I hadn't seen Baldy for 12 years and as Harvey said we had been talking shit for years without actually meeting.
I was educated in no uncertain terms in the way to correctly pronounce "Be Atch" by Chandra. Thanks for that.
There was some sad notes of course with the weekwnd's 2 casualties. But at least I got to stand shoulder to shoulder with Charlie Boreman while we lifted Tony's bike off him after the photo op'.
I hope you all made it home OK and those who are still traveling, I hope you get home safe and soon.
My RPM Tee Shirt has gone "Straght to the Pool Room" BTW Arnie, it actually fits.
Be Good.
Tony MAc.

[megsy]

Always one enjoyable comedy on the morning of the photo shoot, 

The annual lining up for the photo shot staring Baldy 


















Another fine line up by me eh General 

[Roach]

HI everybody
      Got home yesterday after having a great weekend and meeting some great new friends.
      Have just got home from having scans on my leg not good news small fracture just below the knee.
      I hope CANDI-MAN gets better results  well looks like i am riding the sidecar for a while.
       I hope every body had a great weekend.
       I think i will have a little RED pill and go and lay down for a while.
                                            Tony (roach)

[megsy]

Where we are going above, corners for miles 

where we have been, corners corners & more sweeping corners

[flips]

What a Great weekend!.
It was great to see everyone once again and meet a bunch of new really nice people including our excellent international guest's!.
My Thanks to all the organisers for all their hard work to make the 2014 Australian Rally the great success it was.

nuff said  

Cheers

Jeff P

[ribbert]

OK, fess up, which one had the fuel/oil leak?

Noel

[oldktmdude]

   G'day fellow FJer's, as has been said several times already, WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND. Thanks to all who made the effort (in some cases quite considerable) to attend and make this a very special and memorable three days. It was fantastic to catch-up with the members that I had met at last year's Rally and also meet lots of new faces. Saturday's ride didn't quite go according to the script but I didn't hear too many complaints, so I'm guessing everybody enjoyed it. I certainly did. Hope your feeling better Kev and the General is still talking to you. That's a bummer about your leg Tony, hope it doesn't cause you too much pain and inconvenience. Get over it soon.
  A big thanks to the General for all his efforts in organising the venue and keeping things running smoothly. Thanks also to Baldy for keeping the photo session on track and his important role as the sweep rider on Saturday.
  Lastly, my apologies to those of you that I didn't get around to saying goodbye to on Sunday morning. Thanks again to all who attended and made it such a great weekend. Already looking forward to next years event.  Kind regards, Pete.  
                                                                                                             

[oz.fj]

Hi all
We've arrived at Lb's
Made a little detour to pick something up.
Lucky we had the trailer........

Darran Danielle & Trent

[CanDman]

WOWWW.........what a blast !!! with the exception of wiping out .......everything has been perfect....great location...great roads... and great folks .  So nice to put faces with names.....Thanks Doug for letting me take "The Blue Tuna (Tuner)" out for a rip...her fins were tested at every depth....caught myself on more than one occasion pinching myself....not even a broken wrist could wipe the smile off my face. Racing around those snowy mountains and dodging the gravel and giant road kills was just too much for this over enthusiastic hockey nut ... ..... ran out of luck chasing Rich (who was taking photos at the lookout way behind me ) and a little too hard on one tight curve....hit some gravel and......... almost......I mean .....almost........ saved it.....but just couldn't hold it..... and flipped the bike and ended upside down...was so embarrassed that I got up and powered the bike back up on it's stand and waved as everyone drove past while I tried to figure out what just happened........Rich finally pulled over and knew something was up (or should I say down)...first thing that came out of my mouth was....Yo Rich.....just took a dump......he looked over my shoulder to see what the hell I could have wiped my ass with .....but after observing the scene....it wasn't long b4 he could tell what I was trying to say....managed to get it together and was able to limp back to the Lodge. Some cosmetic damage to the Ole Girl (sorry Doug) but still quite drivable. Once back at the resort...was surrounded by dozens of consolers with several shots of Mexico's finest  ....and it wasn't long at all bf I forgot what happened. Someone even renamed me the Pinball wizard that night......it was either the "supple wrist" or the bouncing off the walls as I tried to walk up to my room..... . Flew back to Brisbane the next day for X-rays and medical attention.... and was fortunate to have walked away with just a bruised shoulder and a non displaced fracture of the wrist......Won't require a cast and got my hands on some pretty good drugs ....even better than the ones in Ninben (of all the places to catch a leaf game  ) ....although I could probably go for one of those cookies I was hearing so much about. Couldn't have asked for a better fate...and am happy to still be above ground. Rich has been the best host I could have hoped for and we have seen places and ridden roads that even most Aussies only hear about. Was so wonderful to meet everyone and looks like I will be able to spend the remaining time poking around and having a blast. thanks everybody for a great weekend ........and special thanks to The General and Darren a Daniel and Trent....and of course Mr Richard Bell......FJRover.....woof woof
Kev            

[racerrad8]

We arrived in Brisbane this evening after a two day jaunt. Baldy & Karen stopped off in Yamba I believe for night on the beach.

The boss is worn out having to wheel that little 250 Zeal over 3200km while breaking the law all the way...

Swung into Sydney to see the city on Sunday afternoon, and fortunately dodged 99.9% of the rain on the trip both ways.

More later.

Randy - RPM