Keen to escape the crowds we ventured further into the Snowy mountains. Right to the border of Victoria to set up camp on the Murray River at Tom Groggin Horse Camp (and yes there were horses, but not the wild kind).

A local from Jindabyne, what better way to wash off after a hard days ride?

There were some more steep hills on the way, meaning second gear for me going up and down, with rest periods on the descents to let our stinky brakes cool. However, we made it without a hitch, pulling in to our camp and setting up with a nice view over the mountains and river. Our camp was idyllic, we were perched just metres from the river and had the place pretty much to ourselves.

Alex and I had made the effort to ask at the park gatehouse if Tom Groggin camp was full. The uninformed reply was ‘Oh yes, this time of year I expect it will be very full’. The horse camp was nearly empty. Alex and I rode up to Tom Groggin proper, about 3 kilometres up the road, which was just enormous. Probably six foot ball fields worth of flat, empty space not including the extensive river frontage. I guess the gatehouse attendants don’t talk to the rangers or get out much.  We whiled away our two days here chatting, swimming in the 22 degree river, sitting around the fire and relaxing. This would definitely be a spot to come back to.

James, Ella and Sam deciding between NSW and Victoria in the Murray.

This was also where we would see 2015 finally disappear. New years eve was sombre, with some tears from James and Kris as the enormity of the trip that we have been planning on and off for almost a decade and then living for the last 12 months inexorably drawing to an end. None of us really wants to go back. There is a visceral freedom about what we have done and a closeness in our family from this experience and I don’t think any of us wants it to slip away. The good news is that we are still away, yay! And that we got to share NYE with great friends. We even made it to midnight – just…

NYE 2015 – what a perfect end to an extraordinary year for us.

Still being nervous about the car engine issue, we took inspiration from Cook and dumped as much weight from the van and 4WD as we could to help our ‘Endeavour’ get off the reef. Therefore all non essential books, bikes, stone guards etc. were left at the farm at Tarcutta. As the crow flies it wasn’t very far but the roads were windy and the hills steep and seemingly interminable. On the way to Jindabyne to rendezvous with our friends the Blanches, we visited Australia’s highest town at Cabramurra, 1488 m ASL. This was a very pretty little place with great coffee and a well presented live feed overview of the whole snowy hydro network on several big screens.

Not knowing how busy any of the camp sites would be, we all opted for the closest camp at ‘Thredbo Diggings’ first. To say it was busy was an understatement. This free camp was jammed solid with vans, tents, camper trailers and motor homes. Apparently all here for one thing, mountain biking. After finally finding a spot for both our vans jammed in next to the drop loo, Alex and I did a quick 11 km loop up to the next camp at Ngarigo. It too was full. Even though my beloved dual suspension bike is safely locked away in storage and I only have my trusty 19 year old hard tail ‘banger’, the single track here was brilliant fun. It confirmed our mutual yearning that we would definitely squeeze in a days downhill biking at Thredbo.

Thredbo Diggings camp.

It was decided that the next morning, Monday 28th December, would be our best shot at the summit of Kosciuszko. You can access the summit either from Thredbo or from Charlotte Pass. We opted for Thredbo, cheating with a lift pass to save us 4 km of walking and 500 m of climbing! With lots of encouragement, all of us, four adults and four kids aged from 4 to 11, made it to the summit, which was packed with dozens of like-minded walkers.

Thredbo village.

The 7 km trek to the summit of Kosciuszko.

I remember coming here in the seventies. The car park then was about 1.5 km from the summit, not the 16 km return walk it is today. Kris’s uncle Robert later told me the summit car park used to be even closer, just a few hundred metres from the summit! With clear skies, wild flowers abounding and temps hovering just below 20, the day was spectacular. I was even able to hold to my promise of snow in the Snowy Mountains! We found a patch from last season and chucked a few obligatory snow balls at each other.

On top of Australia!

After conquering the summit of Australia’s highest mountain at 2228 m (it is one of the 7 peaks on 7 continents you know), Alex and I abandoned our families the next day and headed to Thredbo for some down hill madness. I was understandably nervous. Two years ago I had very nasty crash coming off a jump here. Thankfully we both had a brilliant injury free day, even giving the black diamond run a cautious nudge. To remove the 40 odd kilometers of downhill dust, we both braved the 16 degree Thredbo River back at the camp for a scrub before dinner and some well earned medicinal beverages.

Down hill mountain bike mayhem at Thredbo…

After two days with Kris’s aunt and uncle in Wagga, we again imposed on family. This time with Kris’s uncle Robert at ‘Green-Acres’ at Tarcutta. Because I was expecting the car to splutter to a halt at any moment, the 72 km trip from Wagga was agonizing. Thankfully we arrived without a glitch late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. The boys were overjoyed to be at “the farm” again, and we were welcomed with open arms by Robert and his wife Jenny.

Looking the part with our new mascot.

Having the stress of potential mechanical failures at literally every turn for the last few days, Christmas simply had not been the priority. However, it was wonderful to be with family in a place we always find very restful. Robert and Jenny also thoughtfully added some gifts to our Chrissy stockings.

Christmas day 2015 with our wonderful hosts, Robert and Jenny.

We had already decided to continue our plan to meet with our friends Alex and Mel in Kosciuszko NP, but after checking weather reports, we opted to delay a day to avoid forecast overnight lows of zero with heavy rain. This allowed some more farm jobs to be done, such as removing pig traps and gassing rabbit warrens. This sure is the life!

Despite the multiple frenetic phone calls the previous day, including confirmation of van and car dimensions and weights, Kris and I were not 100% convinced that a truck would arrive capable of taking our mobile home and beleaguered Betsy to the mechanic recommended to us in Wagga. We were very relieved when at the allocated time of 7:30am a flat top duel cab indeed arrived. It took just 30 minutes to drive Betsy up on the back and hitch Alice to the tow ball behind. With friendly Rodney at the wheel of our NRMA salvation, we were off.

On the Snowy Mountains Highway.

The 420 odd kilometre trip was long, bumpy, steep and windy and included a very slow crossing of the Great Dividing Range. It was a relief to have the van and 4WD delivered safely to Wagga. First stop was to drop the van at Kris’s ever welcoming aunty Margaret’s place at Lake Albert, then it was off to the Mechanics with the 4WD to explain the problem and hint strongly that we needed the car back ASAP. It was two days before Santa was due, ‘so before Christmas would be fine’ I said hopefully.

As always, our hosts at Lake Albert took us in with open arms and without fuss. All this on a moments notice, bloody brilliant! As always there were toys and movies to amuse the boys and I was able to help Margaret’s very talented son Ben rewire his latest project, a complete car mechanical and electrical transplant while Margaret ran Kris around in the afternoon to do all the Christmas shopping we were meant to do in Canberra and Cooma.

Next day, I was dropped off to the mechanic in Ben’s mostly rebuilt project car to find that after 19 kilometres of obvious flogging, they were unable to duplicate the problem. So, with a cleaned out fuel filter and reset ECU (Engine Computer), I very tenderly pulled out into traffic. The mechanic at O’Briens would not accept payment, assuring me I would be back…

Margaret, Chris and the boys.

Not wanting to impose ourselves on the Tinnock’s already full house for Christmas we arranged to head out to Green-Acres to celebrate with Rob and Jenny. Before we left on Christmas Eve we treated ourselves with a trip to the cinema to catch the latest Star Wars instalment. What a cracker movie! After a quick lunch we rang the farm and asked Robert to come on a search and rescue mission if we hadn’t arrived by 4:30pm. Then with fingers and toes crossed off we went.