VIC Melb guys driving to Warwick for Nationals....

No, an enforced leave day is when the factory shuts; don't bother coming to work. Jan 27, Jan 30, Feb 13, Mar 6, Mar 23 all announced so far. That's a week of leave I hadn't planned on, and April has not been announced yet. I will be keeping my 'optional' days off to the barest minimum possible.

 

Pete...

I prefer to leave early tuesday morning, so I can take my time and not have to rush or drive longer than I have to.... At this stage I had planned to leave in the morning with the WYKKED gang....

 

I assumed as much, just thought I would check.

 

Yeah, that was my plan and reasoning for it too, I was just wondering if there was any way we could work out all going up together.

 

Pete, I fully understand why Mikey wants to leave when he does, and if I was in the same position I would do the same, but since I have the time off I'd rather leave in the morning and travel in a relaxed fashion.

Idealy I'd like to try and arrive at Warrick around lunchtime on the thursday so we have plenty of time to settle in and relax before the Nats kicks into top gear.

 

Yeah, I can see why people are leaving when they are, I just thought I would get everyone's cards on the table to see if a solution presented itself.

 

The solution might present itself if Toyota comes to us and tells us they are closed the week before Easter as well as the week after; I won't know that for some time yet. I accept that I will be odd man out and driving up solo; another option is for me to try the NDSOC guys and see what their travel plans are if i want the comfort zone of travelling in convoy. Keeping tabs on our whereabouts by SMS will allow us to see if I can catch you guys up "on the road", but I won't be stressing about it.

 

Sounds reasonable, it would be great if you could join us for the trip, if not we will see you there

 

red32...

So dougy, you still driving back on the Monday morning?? After reading the "week after warwick" thread, it seems that Mikey might be staying an extra week... So it will only be us driving back..... I have to leave the Monday, just not looking forward to driving back solo..

 

Just to make it clear Marky Mark, if I do stay on it would be for 2 days only, leaving Wednesday instead of Monday. Hence the need for a Coke Corner in the Chardy Shack, I won't be imbibing in anything likely to result in headaches on Tuesday night.

However, fully understand if you need to leave on the Monday.

 

Mikey...

yeah, i too would like to stay an extra couple of days, but I just dont have enough annual leave left over to accommodate this.... I used it all up when we went to the U.S end of last year. So I have to leave on the Monday to be back at work by wednesday..

 

That is going to mean a couple of long days on the road if you are leaving monday and going to work on Wednesday.

 

yep ... so might as well have a "shack" experience, anyway ...

.. will have to check in with my "coke" supplier .... lol...

 

yeah...

but I reasoned it 2 ways pete;

Scenario 1) We will be able to travel a little faster as we wont be part of a convoy that is towing (assuming its just dougy and me).... So with 2 long days (about 800km each day) its doable.....

Scenario 2) I tell my boss I'll be back on wednesday, when in actual fact I'll be back on thursday.. I'll just ring her on the wednesday and say I feel like shit, or tell her I've had car troubles or something as she knows I'm driving back from Queensland. Either way, I'm sure she wont mind..

At this stage I'm opting for scenario 2, but that means I still have to leave on the Monday. Also, I'll be driving solo after Sydney as I will be dropping Judith off in Sydney as she will be going to a genetics conference in the blue mountains.

 

Jedi-77

Mark, I don't really see a problem with 800km each day. That equates to 8 or so hours of actual driving with 2 1hour stops or 4 half hour stops. It will be much easier coming back in tandem than solo. If we only manage 700km on Monday and Tuesday, we can leave early on Wednesday morning from where ever that gets us to for the last 200km.

My intention is to just take it easy and play the whole situation 'by ear'. That is, plenty of breaks, plenty of caffeine/Red Bull, and if I'm really tired (remember I'm in virtually permanent night-shift mode these days), stop and rest as and when and where I have to. Seems to me one of the alternatives is making a mistake from tiredness and not getting back at all.

 

Mark, I didn't twig that you would be driving back via Sydney. Given that I will be towing, I will be wanting to take the shortest route back, straight down the Newell via Dubbo - doesn't go anywhere near Sydney. So we wouldn't have been in the same convoy anyway. Also, you may want to check the distance; Warwick - Sydney - Melbourne is probably around 1700km.

 

Hmmmm ok....

yeah I hadnt thought of that..... I'll have to check exactly how far out travelling to Sydney will take me....

 

OK, getting closer to the time (kind of), any ideas about the specifics? Where we will meet up, what time etc?

 

yeah...

was speaking to Pete (WYKKED) on saturday and between the loud noise and drinks I managed to hear something along the lines of "meet at the servo"..... He also said he will post details up here..

 

Quick post cos I'm flat out and sleep deprived due to the GP. The meeting point will be the new BP servo at Wallan on the Hume. Meeting time will be around 9.00am, but I'll finalise that in the next few days. You will have to pardon me for being slack but if you want to know where the Wallan BP is try the BP website or googlemaps. More details to come guys.