A weird thing happened on the way to the forum.
I was committing a bit of work earlier this week and had to travel a few hours. Options are the highway and another so called highway or as I prefer when I am not in the 4wd hauling a trailer one of two mountain passes into the hinterland before joining the second highway. One is much more fun than the other which can be negotiated on cruise at the limit plus gst plus a bit.
Roadworks are everywhere and I have avoided the preferred mountain ranges because you could be stuck for a long time at lights while the crews repair slippage damage and that negates the time saving though typically the fun factor remains if there are no chicanes.
I went the preferred route and set off mid morning. Climbed the first section and was unimpeded until the very top where I caught up to two motorbicyclists. These in typical fashion took off once the road straightened and it was a quiet run through the village at the top before quickly catching the two again on the top pass. Ahead of the bikes was a ute pulling a trailer and in front of that another ute of sorts. Signage suggests no trucks, no caravans, no trailers on this road. The bikes gave up after a few corners and that left me to catch the first ute. It was a V8 79 series in full mine spec bullshit with a car trailer and baby stand on loader on the back. As I got closer I smelled brakes. Weren't mine because I didn't need them yet. I wound up the windows (you get a nice mix of bell birds, whip birds and exhaust) and then sat behind for maybe 10 minutes going so slowly that first gear at idle was too fast in places. All the while there was a miasma of brake and black dust coming from the trailer wheels. Then out of no where the ute indicated left and pulled off the road. It veered heavily left and used the bullbar to bury into the bank beside the road to stop. No brakes! Bye. Then I caught the other ute. It too was pulling a trailer but with a pallet of cement, probably a tonne by the looks. It was also fully sick mine spec and the same owner but a hilux. Again the circumambient atmosphere was one of brakes and/or clutch. We pulled up at the next set of traffic control lights and lo there was smoke pouring off the hiluxes front brakes. Then a bit more than smoke and the passenger and driver alighted and ran for the bush. As did the traffic controller who was shouting something incoherently. I think it was FIRE!!!!! Sure enough there were flames. I backed up a little and a few of the roadworks guys appeared magically with dry powder extinguishers and blasted the brakes. Then old mate came back from the void and grabbed some gerry cans of water and doused the brakes all round. At this point the light went green so I drove away. The utes were the same company so me thinks some arses were about to be kicked for two sets of brakes. I went on my way down the rest of the range and off to work thing.
On the return journey I felt a little playful and on the approach to the mountain encountered another motorbicyclist. She eventually pulled over and let me past. A few km on at the lights where the drama unfolded the day before I met a red light. The same controller was there and as she remembered me and came over to have a laugh about the hilux. Evidently it made some horrible noises when he finally drove off after his mate in the 79 made it down the mountain. Then not one but several bikes appeared behind. I noticed in the mirror that one started to ride up the front but the lady who waved me past put her hand up. She said you will only hold him up. What? You will hold him up. No way. She then said I bet you cannot catch that thing going up the mountain. Lights went green and I was untroubled by bikes ahead or behind so I guess the young lady won her bet!
I was committing a bit of work earlier this week and had to travel a few hours. Options are the highway and another so called highway or as I prefer when I am not in the 4wd hauling a trailer one of two mountain passes into the hinterland before joining the second highway. One is much more fun than the other which can be negotiated on cruise at the limit plus gst plus a bit.
Roadworks are everywhere and I have avoided the preferred mountain ranges because you could be stuck for a long time at lights while the crews repair slippage damage and that negates the time saving though typically the fun factor remains if there are no chicanes.
I went the preferred route and set off mid morning. Climbed the first section and was unimpeded until the very top where I caught up to two motorbicyclists. These in typical fashion took off once the road straightened and it was a quiet run through the village at the top before quickly catching the two again on the top pass. Ahead of the bikes was a ute pulling a trailer and in front of that another ute of sorts. Signage suggests no trucks, no caravans, no trailers on this road. The bikes gave up after a few corners and that left me to catch the first ute. It was a V8 79 series in full mine spec bullshit with a car trailer and baby stand on loader on the back. As I got closer I smelled brakes. Weren't mine because I didn't need them yet. I wound up the windows (you get a nice mix of bell birds, whip birds and exhaust) and then sat behind for maybe 10 minutes going so slowly that first gear at idle was too fast in places. All the while there was a miasma of brake and black dust coming from the trailer wheels. Then out of no where the ute indicated left and pulled off the road. It veered heavily left and used the bullbar to bury into the bank beside the road to stop. No brakes! Bye. Then I caught the other ute. It too was pulling a trailer but with a pallet of cement, probably a tonne by the looks. It was also fully sick mine spec and the same owner but a hilux. Again the circumambient atmosphere was one of brakes and/or clutch. We pulled up at the next set of traffic control lights and lo there was smoke pouring off the hiluxes front brakes. Then a bit more than smoke and the passenger and driver alighted and ran for the bush. As did the traffic controller who was shouting something incoherently. I think it was FIRE!!!!! Sure enough there were flames. I backed up a little and a few of the roadworks guys appeared magically with dry powder extinguishers and blasted the brakes. Then old mate came back from the void and grabbed some gerry cans of water and doused the brakes all round. At this point the light went green so I drove away. The utes were the same company so me thinks some arses were about to be kicked for two sets of brakes. I went on my way down the rest of the range and off to work thing.
On the return journey I felt a little playful and on the approach to the mountain encountered another motorbicyclist. She eventually pulled over and let me past. A few km on at the lights where the drama unfolded the day before I met a red light. The same controller was there and as she remembered me and came over to have a laugh about the hilux. Evidently it made some horrible noises when he finally drove off after his mate in the 79 made it down the mountain. Then not one but several bikes appeared behind. I noticed in the mirror that one started to ride up the front but the lady who waved me past put her hand up. She said you will only hold him up. What? You will hold him up. No way. She then said I bet you cannot catch that thing going up the mountain. Lights went green and I was untroubled by bikes ahead or behind so I guess the young lady won her bet!
