Motor Trail Day One

Townsville to Ravenswood.

An Early start greeted us for the first day of the MotorTrail.

We were due for a BBQ Breakfast at Mike Carney Toyota by 7:30am. That meant an early alarm in the Team P7 hotel room, followed by packing and yet another attempt at organising our gear between the back of the Patrol and the Roof Pod (you really can fit an amazing amount in one of them).

Off to Mike Carney, in convoy, and in peak hour in Townsville traffic. Needless to say, there was some small amount of confusion, and one of our organisers was even collected on a busy roundabout ...

Breakfast was cooked by the local Rotarians, a few more introductions were made, and the Mayor of Townsville waved the checkered flag and we were off.

Each team was handed their route notes as they moved to the front of the queue. There was certainly a great deal of time spent putting these notes together. Our first set of directions took us about 50kms south to the small town of Giru (in a roundabout fashion) where fun and games greeted us as did the Mayor of the Burdekin and the unofficial Mayor of Giru.

Next stop was Ayr for a photo stop and parade through the town centre. Here the local police and the car club joined us, but not before a few of our more navigationally challenged members made a few 'geographical embarrassments'.

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We were then taken on a tour of a local cane farm and were able to witness, up close, cane harvesting in action while our host was on hand to answer our questions; this was a great experience. He then took us to his 'shed' (not a small structure) for morning tea (it was slightly after midday by this time). The volunteers from Burdekin Tourism had put on an impressive spread indeed and our girls were most taken by the warm damper, but the billy tea and cakes were also very popular.

Now that we were well-fed, it was time for lunch, so we made our way back into Ayr and into the yard of Don West Toyota. Now either he has had a very successful couple of weeks, or he cleared plenty of room for us. The kids had room to run around (and kept wanting to climb into a new Prius (of all things)).

Another magnificent meal was presented to us, and after a cheque presentation by the car club, we were once again on the road, heading this time for Airvill State School, for a quick g'day and giving out of goodies. The kids there decided that Kayla (nearly 4) could take basketball legend, Leroy Loggins on because she was taller than him from her perch up on my shoulders.

Clare State School was just a few kilometres away, and waiting for us was yet more food ... I really fear for my waistline during these ten days. Just 4 Kids made a presentation to the school, and the kids had a great time mixing with some of our more 'unique' traveling companions.

After a bit of a play and a feed, we were off on our last leg of the day: 57kms of some of the best dirt road in the country, with a few dodgy patches. I did wonder how the Prius on loan from Toyota was going to fare, but Princess Brit expertly brought it safely into Ravenswood.

The Imperial Hotel in Ravenswood is quite something. It has been recently restored, and the newly finished beer garden is quite something and was the venue for our live band and a presentation by the local school kids. The publican even brought in a Jumping Castle for us ...

I type this with the band and several many locals and 'trailers' still making the most of the festivities outside (as the temperature drops - we are expecting it to get to zero tonight) while my 3 girls are sound asleep in our very comfortable family room.

Today's stats:

245kms, 8 and a half hours travel time.

2 Schools, Cane Farm, 2 Toyota Dealers.

1 Diesel Hilux that does not run well on unleaded (aren't those blokes going to cop it ...)

... and an (amazingly) unscathed Prius.

View Day Two