Branch Creek Rd (Bellthorpe & Conondale National Parks) - Saturday 23rd March

[Jeff and Cel 120]

March 23rd is fine for us... netball season starts after easter so we're trying to get in as many 4WD/camping trips as possible before then

Can I also add that when we did the Ormea trip the pradopointers were AWESOME. Helpful, patient never was there any pressure to hurry up. In a stock standard prado alongside some decently accessorised prado's, we never felt that we couldn't complete anything and knew that if we got into trouble no-one would leave us behind.

I am curious to see how our new tyres go on this trip, can't wait to get the lift and bull bar put on!!

Celeste
Ps Craig you might be interested to know that our friends with the patrol had a little incident in their car while going up a steep run at Gordon Country last year, resulting in a dash to Toowoomba for a new shock absorber!

Also, I went to Morton last year with 3 other families (A 200 series cruiser, a 2000 model hilux and the patrol) and I was the only one who didn't get bogged! Very proud of myself

[talk2tiny]

Karl, touching on Fozzy's comments, every trip I have been on we have travelled in convoy, with all adhering to convoy protocols. The group sticks together and typically the more experienced members will guide each vehicle through any technical sections to ensure that everyone gets through unscathed to the best of their ability. Unlike trail bike trips, the groups stay together. (usually cant overtake or go around and move on anyhow when someones stuck on the track unlike the dirtbikes...). That's probably one of the key reasons I enjoy the Pradopoint trips. The camaraderie. Everyone's always willing to pass on their knowledge to the less experienced and the banter over the radio is always entertaining!!! Your confidence grows every trip and there's always new driving techniques to learn. If a trip being planned is going to be rough, then it will usually be stated so in the thread and members can make up their own minds. Kudos to you for passing on this trip because you feel uncomfortable about attending this one. But I think that the tracks that are intended to be traversed on this trip wont be as daunting or Serious as the tracks you experienced on your last traumatic experience.
Do keep an eye out though as there's always trips popping up here that might be more suitable...
Hope to catch up on one soon.

I can vouch for that Karl. When they took me out on the city view trip it was my first time on anything other than sand and I was quietly terrified most of the time (the rest of the time I wasn't so quiet). They all pitched in to give plenty of advice and encouragement and I learnt a lot about what I could do. They were careful to make sure I was never stuck and they were good about keeping newbies in the middle so no-one gets left behind. You'll find it a very educational experience I'm sure.

[Fozzy]

Folks,

Sorry to stuff people around, but SWMBO kindly pointed out a long-standing prior commitment for the Saturday I had published, so I have had to move the trip back a week to Saturday March 23rd.

Cheers,

Dave

[craigm]

1) is a complete beginner, 3) confident with occasional help needed, 5) full on racer boy hitting everything at speed, so basic idea is 1 to 5, good system and saves other,s waiting on people with less skills/abilities than themselves, everyone ends up riding with similarly skilled riders. simply don't want to hold others up and be babysat. Thanks in advance.

simply don't want to hold others up and be babysat.

but I'm just trying to point out that for 99% of us these vehicles are our daily drives so we don't set out to break something but the nature of the activity can result in that, hence the disclaimer. My intention for this trip is to traverse some great country in low range, not to conquer some hill just for the sake of it. If it gets too hairy, we nearly always have an exit route that everyone is happy with.

Karl, touching on Fozzy's comments, every trip I have been on we have travelled in convoy, with all adhering to convoy protocols. The group sticks together and typically the more experienced members will guide each vehicle through any technical sections to ensure that everyone gets through unscathed to the best of their ability. Unlike trail bike trips, the groups stay together. (usually cant overtake or go around and move on anyhow when someones stuck on the track unlike the dirtbikes...). That's probably one of the key reasons I enjoy the Pradopoint trips. The camaraderie. Everyone's always willing to pass on their knowledge to the less experienced and the banter over the radio is always entertaining!!! Your confidence grows every trip and there's always new driving techniques to learn. If a trip being planned is going to be rough, then it will usually be stated so in the thread and members can make up their own minds. Kudos to you for passing on this trip because you feel uncomfortable about attending this one. But I think that the tracks that are intended to be traversed on this trip wont be as daunting or Serious as the tracks you experienced on your last traumatic experience.
Do keep an eye out though as there's always trips popping up here that might be more suitable...
Hope to catch up on one soon.

[craigm]

Just tell him PP trips have been know to include Pralicas, Prazukis and Prajeros previously

And the appropriately badged Toyota Pratrol in the pick a few posts ago... (for those who didn't pick it up...)

[JoshF]

I'd love to go to this and will try to make it. I was going to the 4x4 show that day but will try and shift a few things around. If I go, my mate Paul who came with me on the City View 4x4 Park trip would like to bring his GU Patrol if that's okay. He doesn't take his car out nearly as much as he'd like. He would've brought it to City View but sort of didn't want to be the only one without a Prado in the group. He's been on a Patrol trip organised on the Patrol forum and someone rocked up in a car that wasn't a Patrol and that person copped a fair bit of crap throughout the day, and he didn't want to be that person on a Prado 4wding trip.

Just tell him PP trips have been know to include Pralicas, Prazukis and Prajeros previously

I have some video of some of the tracks from a year or two ago if you want some links

[karlmagoo]

Thank,s again for the replies, and the link, handy to have, might pass on bellthorpe as an induction at this point, having had some previous "special moments" with some of her hills on bike,s has left me with ongoing trauma, there really is some SERIOUS stuff in there if you look, seem to recall travelling 8klm in 4hrs last ride out there, 2 days and many frosty ale,s recovery, have a good trip bloke,s, and thanks again RE my questions, look forward to hopefully getting out and meeting a few of you soon.


cheers

[rob_macca67]

I'd like to come as well.... providing I'm not working.....

I might not have access to the missus' Prado, so I might have to rely on bringing my little Toy Zook.... if that's OK.....

Rob M

Here's a link to some of the tracks I've done up and around Bellthorpe on my days off during the week....

Bellthorpe Tracks

Dirty Weekends Trip 12&13

Weekend of exploring


If u know where look, there's some VERY steep hills up around Bellthorpe and if you're lucky u might get to see some Wild Deer....

[craigm]

Brett we've had a mix of vehicles on PP trips and yes, there's always a little "friendly ribbing" I recall Jeff and Cel's friends came along in a non Prado to a trip and we all got along without any issues...(as long as it has a Toyota badge that is!. )

[Brett1979]

I'd love to go to this and will try to make it. I was going to the 4x4 show that day but will try and shift a few things around. If I go, my mate Paul who came with me on the City View 4x4 Park trip would like to bring his GU Patrol if that's okay. He doesn't take his car out nearly as much as he'd like. He would've brought it to City View but sort of didn't want to be the only one without a Prado in the group. He's been on a Patrol trip organised on the Patrol forum and someone rocked up in a car that wasn't a Patrol and that person copped a fair bit of crap throughout the day, and he didn't want to be that person on a Prado 4wding trip.

[JoshF]

I,d be a possible starter if ya don't mind me asking a question 1st? Is there a "grading" system in use on pradopoint? something we use dirtbike riding, ie- 1) is a complete beginner, 3) confident with occasional help needed, 5) full on racer boy hitting everything at speed, so basic idea is 1 to 5, good system and saves other,s waiting on people with less skills/abilities than themselves, everyone ends up riding with similarly skilled riders. If not, 2nd question would be, ive done bellthorpe on dirtbike before, and there are some serious hills and trails out there if you go looking for them, my prado is bog stock, no winch or offroad tyres, etc, and i am new to the world of off road driving, been riding dirtbikes some 25+ years and know the principles and can apply, but still a considerable difference between my 110kg dirtbike with inch high knobs and my 2 tonne prado, would i be fine to tag along or get a bit more experience and some gear 1st? sorry for the quiz, simply don't want to hold others up and be babysat. Thanks in advance.



cheers

I can't talk to how PP grades the trips but the ranger in Bellthorpe does/used to sign pretty much all the tracks using the 4WD Association system of Green, Blue, Black and double black, each one signifying the difficulty of the track

http://www.4wdqld.com.au/track-classification.html

From my trips into Bellthorpe Green, Blue and Black were the common ones, don't recall any double blacks

[rob_macca67]

I'd like to come as well.... providing I'm not working.....

I might not have access to the missus' Prado, so I might have to rely on bringing my little Toy Zook.... if that's OK.....

Rob M

[Jeff and Cel 120]

If the tracks are open we will definately be in for this trip.

I did some of the Bellthorpe tracks last year without my husband and found them to be a lot of fun and fairly easy.

Can't wait!!

Celeste (and Jeff)

[talk2tiny]

Put me down for a 'maybe'. I'd planned to go to the 4x4 show that day but I'll see if I can get the Friday off and go then. Just as an aside, compared to the last day at cityview, more or less . . . hmm I'll go with 'educational'?

[Richoson]

Hi Karl

These tracks are a 3 on your scale if the dry, a 4 if its wet as you know from Bellthorpe that orange clay can be slippery. Branch Ck Rd down Dog Rd with no lift, you may "touchdown" a few times but nothing serious, I think this trip may have been one Fozzy did as a standard Prado. There will be plenty of advice (some good, some bad, some humourous and if Stewy in the FGay goes some bordering on debaucherous), Prados with lift, recovery gear and winches will be there but unfortunately we rarely get to play with these toys

See ya on the tracks, Richo.