Over Mt Hotham

This weekend we went on a road trip to Mount Hotham to see the snow. We had to hire snow chains at Harrietville as you are not allowed in Alpine Parks in winter without at least carrying them. 4WD vehicles are exempt from the compulsory fitting and the D-Max didn't need them. At one stage between Hotham village and Dinner Plain the snow storm and depth of the snow over the road made it impossible to distinguish sky, ground, road, anything it was a white out. Except for the orange poles that designate the left hand side of the road. After it stopped snowing the sun even peeped through. Going South to Cobungra and Omeo it was crystal clear blue sky and great views.

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Altitude 900 Metres

 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 250, 11mm f8, 1/80 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/250 sec

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Altitude 1200 Metres

 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/250 sec

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Altitude 1600 Metres

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/800 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/1600 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/640 sec

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4x4 Rig Project

I have just installed drawers in my Isuzu D-Max ute. I heard my wife mumble something about removing the balls from someone if any more money was spent on this ute . . . not sure? I didn't get it all as I was busy. This is a much more efficient and convenient way to store things in the tub and when I have the roof top tent on (see post here) it gives me easy access to stuff from lockable drawers. I have a kitchen drawer that has all I need and a tool drawer that has recovery gear and  tools etc. I also made a wooden table / chopping board that slots into the top of the kitchen tray and slides away with the drawer. In the wings of the drawers I have a large storage area each side with a fishing rod, waders, a PFD, torch, spotlights, sand flag and odds and sods. At the back is my dual battery, air compressor, water and other stuff. Of course from the carpeted floor to the hard lid there is about 30 cm of space for more stuff, like camp chairs fishing rods etc. Oh and the Engel fridge sits in the middle of the back seat :-) Now if anyone wants to donate 5 Maxxis Offroad 4WD MT-753 265/75R16 tyres my kit would be complete.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 1100, 35mm f8, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/125 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 800, 35mm f8, 1/80 sec

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 Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 000, 35mm f8, 1/80 sec

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 Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 220, 35mm f8, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 320, 35mm f8, 1/80 sec

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 Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 1100, 35mm f8, 1/80 sec

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Winter Fishing Reconnaissance

Pictures from a scouting trip to some fishing spots in the Swan Hill and Kerang region of Victoria. On the way I stopped and looked at the interesting vista in the frosty dawn at Tragowel Swamp near Kerang, then dropped a line into the Murray River and Little Murray River on Pental Island near Swan Hill. On our way back we visited Kow Swamp near Gunbower and even had a quick fish in the famous Box Creek that runs out of Kow Swamp to the Murray. Not even a nibble :-( The last picture is my attentive passenger and companion for the trip.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 1600, 35mm f8, 1/25 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f11, 1/160 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/800 sec

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 Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/320 sec

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Sign Of The Times

During the gold rush in Central Victoria three brothers from Denmark Moritz, Julius and Jacob Cohn, founded a small cordial factory in Bendigo. Cohn products were sold across the Australia and exported to the United Kingdom and Asia. The brothers went on to hold prominent positions on the local Council, and were part of the group that founded the Bendigo Land and Building Society, which became the Bendigo Bank. This sign was hand painted by Bendigo sign writer Frank Barr around 1954. It was hidden for decades by an adjacent building but when it was demolished the sign was revealed. It can be found near the corner of Bridge & Arnold Streets, Bendigo. Source: http://www.cv.vic.gov.au/stories/made-in-bendigo-cold-beer/

iPhone 4

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Spirit of the Truck

The latest mod to my 'mighty tuff truck' is a TJM Roof Top Tent on the EGR  hard lid. Rhino Rack rails fitted disperse the meagre 58Kg of this tent across the tub walls and I have done several hundred K's over bitumen, dirt and tracks to see how she handled it and it was solid as a rock. Also with no wind drag that you normally get from roof top mounting. It takes about two minutes to deploy and pack up, see images below and is very sturdy. To date I have added Steel TJM Bull bar, TJM Winch, TJM Snorkel, 2" lift from ARB Dakar Rear Leaf Springs, OME Nitro Sport Shocks, Tiapan 3" Exhaust, EGR Flat top lid on tub, dual battery system with 100ah deep cycle battery for all the accessories or lights,  and now a TJM Roof Top Tent on Ute Lid and Rhino Racks. This latest mod will go well with my other camping setup which fits easily within the tray. I can still fit 4 people in th cab easily even with the Engel Fridge in the middle of the back seat. Next a set of slide out ute drawers in the tub (see - Slide out from Ironman) then maybe, when I need them a set of more aggressive tread all terrain 4x4 tyres.

Not my image :-(

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/125 sec

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  Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 720, 16mm f8, 1/80 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 500, 16mm f8, 1/80 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/125 sec

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  Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f8, 1/125 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f8, 1/125 sec

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  Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f8, 1/125 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 280, 16mm f8, 1/80 sec

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