We received a wonderful Road Home Trip Pemberton WA story from Jody Chambers who writes with lots of talent on his blog Wicked Road Trips Australia – thanks Jody for the great read (you sure have a way with words!)
So we are so very fortunate to be able to share another guest blogger with a story for the Road Trip Home Competition entry. This one is from Kerry Lea who I have meet and has amazing talent writing about her adventures with Parks in Sydney.
Please take the time to visit Kerry Blog Site Parks In Sydney and leave a comment on one of her amazing articles about her trips in and around Sydney Parks!
When I was younger I went to most of these parks as my late Grandma used to look after me every weekend, and she loved to get out and about – showing us her favorite spots to walk around.
Road Trip Home From South West Rocks To Sydney By Kerry Lea.
We had an experience thirteen years ago with a Road Trip Home From South West Rocks To Sydney. We had spent two weeks at the Horseshoe Bay Caravan Park and were on our way home with our two daughters.
We were towing a Jayco pop up Caravan. That Caravan sure has some Road Trip Home stories in its time!
Its Funny Now – But At The Time It Was A Trip!
My husband remembers coming down the mountain at Bulahdelah. There were two cars in front of us the first car a Sigma wagon, with two surfboards strapped to the roof and the next a Ford panel van which was towing a box trailer.
We were discussing how the surfboards were flapping and how dangerous it was.
When all of a sudden they came off the roof of the car and nearly went through the panel van’s windscreen.
It is one of those moments where you see what is about to happen but there is nothing you can do!
Luckily there was a wide dirt verge on the side of the road and the driver of the panel van was able to swerve off the road.
The panel van hit the brakes, everything seemed to lock up and they were skidding on the gravel, the box trailer made it all that more difficult to maneuver. It sure was going to be a Road Trip Home From South West Rocks To Sydney like no other 🙂
Road Trip Home Plays In Slow Motion
It all happened so fast there was not much time to think my husband jumped on the brakes and had no option but to drive over the boards.
They were only boards and not that important compared to our lives and those that were also on their own Road Trip Home adventure!
After seeing what happened to the panel van there was no way we could swerve onto the verge with a caravan in tow.
Luckily no one was hurt and the only damage was to the surfboards. I know we were all shaken and I can only imagine how the guys in the panel van were feeling, they were lucky to be alive let alone no damage to their vehicle.
We slowly let go of our seats – I am sure that we all left finger indents behind after holding on for dear life. Hubby was able to relax a bit – I know that he left hand prints in the steering wheel and I am sure he has more grey hair than before!!
The Road Trip Home Memory
I don’t think people realise how dangerous it is to travel with items on the roof of the car.
They forget it changes the dynamics of the car. The effect of airflow trying to lift under the load and if the load is not secured properly, can be a recipe for disaster.
It will always go down in history as a Road Trip Home From South West Rocks To Sydney adventure story for our family. Wonder if our girls will pass this story onto their children? I am just glad that we made it down the mountain in one piece!!
Safer Roads Home
Road Trip Home From South West Rocks To Sydney sure is a lot safer now days! With the new freeway we no longer travel on this stretch of road to South West Rocks.
It seems like an adventure that I can now share but at the time it was one of those trips where your heart leaves the chest and ends up in the throat! Glad that Road Trip Home From South West Rocks To Sydney is a story that I can share!
Cheers
Kerry Lea from Parks In Sydney
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Thanks Kerry for sharing your Road Trip Home From South West Rocks To Sydney. If you have a “Road Trip Home” story and would like to be a guest writer on New Life On The Road then let me know! Drop by our Fan Page, let us know you are interested in being a guest writer and I will get in touch with you 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Hi Kerry,
The mountain you speak of has nowhere to get off the road. Forgotten the name of it however sometimes travel over the mountain as the new highway is actually quite boring. The mountain brings up many memories. Remember dad always referred to the silo as a spaceship ready to take off to the moon. Did we believe him you ask? Of course we did, we were kids of 8-10 years old. Where did those dreams go??
John Davis recently posted..The Law of Reversed Effort
Hello John,
“Where Did Dreams Go” you ask……great question. I wonder when we lose the way we think as a kid compared to an adult? My youngest two boys are huge dreamers and its so amazing to listen to their stories ! Would love to keep those dreams alive.
Cheers
Lisa
Hi John
I always called the mountain Buladelah Mountain but I think it is known locally as Alum Mountain. We had come down the mountain and were actually off the mountain when it happened.
It is nice remembering the stories our parents told us.
Kerry Lea recently posted..Koala Park Sydney
The actions of some drivers never cease to amaze me…did the sigma even stop? At least all were ok. Great road trip home story Kerry!
Jody Chambers recently posted..Camping WA – Crazy Beach Fishing Adventure
Hello Jody,
Will have to ask Kerry – I wonder if they did stop? So glad they were all ok! Thaanks for leaving a comment.
Cheers
Lisa
Thanks Jody, my husband remembers the sigma stopping further up the road, although I can’t remember.
Kerry Lea recently posted..Koala Park Sydney
Hi Kerry,
The road from South West Rocks to Sydney sure is a nice drive. Glad to hear your incident turn out well in the end.
Some people have no idea when it comes to tieing loads down when in transit.
I remember as a kid a steel scrapmetal truck driving past our school bus-stop one day, and a piece of corrugated roofing iron came flying off and narrowly missed my brother and I, only to slice a small tree in two. Accidents can easily happen when due care is not taken.
Thanks for the great road trip story Kerry.
Cheers,
Cade
Hello Cade,
It was a great story from Kerry 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sharing your Road Trip Home Story – so glad that it got the tree and not you guys!
Cheers
Lisa
Hi Cade
Yes the drive from South West Rocks is lovely and the new road has cut time off the trip.
You and your brother where so lucky that day, corrugated iron is so dangerous when the wind gets under it. To slice a small tree in half it must of come off the truck with some force.
Thanks for your comment.
Kerry Lea recently posted..Koala Park Sydney
I have recollections of a surfing road trip with a mate years ago when I noticed the shadow his surf ski cast onto the dash board changed. As I looked up through the windscreen it seemed to grow smaller until no longer visible. I next caught sight of it in the rear vision mirror, nose down into the bitumen.
Fortunately, no vehicles were following & it was repairable so our trip wasn;t disrupted but the tie downs were always double checked in future.
Terry Paris recently posted..Scuba Diving Wetsuits Ensure you enjoy your dive
Hello Terry,
Lucky it was all ok and no-one was following!!! Sounds good – double checking tie downs when traveling on the road. Will have to remember that one for when we hit the road with Rose The Lifestyle Challenge Bus 🙂
Cheers
Lisa