Ladies Weekend
September 2005

Written by Glen Davoren.

This was a weekend where the ladies got to drive and the men became frightened passengers.

Unfortunately there was only a small turnout for what was intended to be a relaxing weekend. The small group met at the Zig Zag railway on Saturday morning and headed off at around 10:00 am across the tracks and along the Old Bells Line Of Road.

The first stop was the trig station on Bald Hill, then on to the Lost City.

This is where I was reminded that I was the passenger and if I was going to survive it was time to be seen and not heard.

There are a few side tracks that can be taken to the Lost City, but common sense prevailed when we came across one track that would have been on the Tuff Trips itinerary.

The Lost City is probably a misnomer when you consider the number of people who know the location and saw the number of cars already parked there. What an amazing place, erosion has created some amazing formations.

After leaving the Lost City we stopped to collect wood for the camp fire, not realizing there was a good supply placed strategically across the track. With some guidance and careful maneuvering everyone managed to negotiate the fallen tree.

Then it was onto Beecroft Trail which has a few small rock steps and the bush right up to the edge of the track. This provided the opportunity to put more pinstripes on the car before we arrived at Beecroft hill for lunch.

After lunch we continued down Beecroft Trail, this part was steep, narrow and a little gnarly. The trail lead us back to the blacktop past Angus Place colliery and then onto Blackfellas Hand Trail. We followed this trail for a few kilometers stopped to look at rock formations then did a u-turn to head back to the blacktop. From here it was into the Wolgan Valley and to our camp at Newnes.

The campfire, as usual, was the ideal place to gather to eat dinner, socialize and ponder life’s many mysteries. Especially interesting was watching the paint bubble and burn from Sally & Jane’s home made grill. It was an old cargo barrier cut and shaped to order.

Sunday saw the group head out of the valley back towards Lithgow. It wasn’t long before we were off the tar and on our way to Wolgan Gap geodetic point where there was an interesting short, steep climb with an exposed step. In traversing this part of the track Katrina engaged the maxidrive….the new maxidrive, installed only a couple of days earlier and I hadn’t even had the chance to use it. I managed to recover from the shock to appreciate a fantastic view of the Wolgan Valley.

From here, and with a minor detour around another tree across the track, it was on to Baal Bone Gap lookout. Then it happened, Jane pushed the big 130 up a very corrugated track with heart stopping action as she had it rocking from side to side while lifting a front wheel. Not to be outdone, but in a less dramatic way, Katrina followed suit and put some air under a front wheel as well.

It wasn’t long before we stopped for a late lunch and headed to Hutchison Road to finish the weekend at Ben Bullen.

The weekend was not just for women, it was an opportunity for them to do the driving, something that may not happen too often.

So if you want a great day out, and that includes the men, don’t forget the next ladies driving day is on Sunday May 7th 2006.