Miranda... Shell Cheniers... 3900 Years Old!

While I was parked at Ray's Rest...
I got my bike off the front of my bus...
First time for a while as it's been either too cold or too wet.

I went off biking along the beach... to see what was there.
It's a famous bird migrating area.

I found these signs...
About the formation of this area of land and the shell banks.
It was very interesting and amazing to think it's so old and been happening for so long.

These are the birds that gather here...
Many thousands of them...
And travel many thousands of miles to the other side of the world.
I saw a documentary film about them ages ago.
It's quite incredible how they navigate and find their way...
Back to the same places year after year.

When the tide is out there are vast areas of shells...

I rode quite a long way and could have kept going much further...
More and more shells all round the coast line for a long way.

In places  it was quite soft and muddy...
My bike and I arrived back at the bus...
Tired and in need of a clean up.

Ray's Rest... Sunrise To Sundown...

After the Bedford rally I spent 6 days at Ray's Rest...
Near Miranda and the hot pools...
In case you have never heard of Ray's Rest.
It's a very popular freedom parking spot for buses and motor homes.

I arrived there later in the day... Found a spot to park...
And early next morning was greeted by a beautiful sunrise...

It was just before 6am... Nobody around...
Quiet... Still..
The row of motor homes stretching along the beach...
Still sleeping...

As the new day emerged.


And what a lovely day it was...
Especially after all the rain and mud of the weekend.
The tide goes a long way out and leaves sandy and muddy flats.



As the tide came in I thought I would try fishing...
Even if I don't catch anything it's good surf casting practice.



It was lovely just being in the sun... waiting...
I didn't catch anything... The water is really too shallow.
The only people who caught fish were those who put nets well out...
They had to wade out in the mud to set them and again to collect the fish.


I was given a couple of Kahawai...
So ate them for breakfast.


The wind dropped, all was quiet again...
A perfect day ended with a gentle sunset.

Time To say Goodbye... A Wonderful Bedford Rally Is Over

The day had come... The weekend had raced by...
And it was time to leave.


Time to say goodbye to new friends...
And the fun and laughs we had enjoyed together.

Time to begin to say goodbye to all the mud...
Although I still had to get off the blocks I was on and drive out... Maybe!


I loved this little Caboose... It arrived late in the weekend with a lovely couple from Hamilton.
They were very gracious in letting us have a look through their treasure...
Built by the current owners father many years ago.



They lowered down a deck that folded up against the side...
First the floor then the roof which was held up by air struts
pumped up by the vehicleair brakes.
They had some very clever canvas sides for it...
So it made a large sheltered outdoor deck.



Goodbye to more mud...


And friends who gathered to discuss everything under the sun...
From engines... To various repairs...
Some had had their buses for many long years.
I learnt a lot... That wasn't hard to do!


Goodbye to this amazing little Gypsy wagon...
It was fascinating... I loved all the creativity...
But couldn't live in such a 'crowded' space.


Goodbye to the history that will sit and wait for another year...



Goodbye to my row of neighbours who arrived willy nilly...
And who I got to know and enjoy... Such diversity...



And more goodbye's to the mud as the
Caboose got towed out backards.




I wonder what new tales these old buses will tell next year...
What they weill have seen and heard... 
I don't think they wil have moved far!

And goodbye to Joan, who with her husband
Merv were my immediate neighbours.
We weren't allowed to wear name tags... No rules or regulations.
So she made lots and stuck them all over!
She told me I could learn to be more self sufficient...
If I bought a grease gun she will give me a lesson next year...
In greasing my bus...
As these old girls need greasing every 6 months... She said.


 
This was the way out...
 I followed in these tyre tracks of the bus before me...
And I made it  amid lots of cheering...
As my back wheels skidded and spun...
But I made it...



Till next year. 

I Found Another Bedford Bus... Just Like Mine!

At the Bedford Rally last weekend...
Wandering round looking at all the old relics and history...
I spied the corner of a bus that looked familiar...

And it was... The same as my 1970 VAS model.
Tucked in behind other old buses... Under the trees...
Only good for spare parts.

I was really excited to find it...
Because it has the original big back window...

And original back emergency door...

And original curved back windows...
You can see them all here.
Sadly they have all been taken out of my bus when it was restored.
I would love to put them all back.
I can buy all the parts in this bus for $100...
How much would it cost to put them into my bus...
Any ideas... Suggestions..Offers?

More... On The Bedford Rally...

Here I am... Attached to the tractor... Being towed through the mud...

And backed into a soggy spot... Down on one side in a hole.



But one of my neighbours kindly offered to jack me up...
So I'm more or less level.

Here's the next arrival... And a truck dropping large metal...
But it didn't come far enough...



So  the mud continues...



And the next arrival needing the tractor.



The ladies made score cards and rated the performance of the buses...
And drivers as they made their way through the mud...
How much swearing... How much smoking... Demeanour!
It was hilarious.


Others took refuge from the wind and rain in an old container...


And the old relics just looked on...
They had probaby seen it all before!

This is 'Bedford Party Central'...
The gathering and entertainment centre...
When it was fine enough.
Lance Cryer had towed these old vehicles into place
 to make shelter and a stage.

Old wheel rims were set up...
Fire wood gathered...
And anticipation increased.

This is a group from Thames 'Ukes On Fire'...
They were marvellous...
They played and sang lots of oldies with great skill and enthusiasm.
We sat around on chairs with various drinks and a rug to keep warm.
As it got dark it was magical... The fires glowed and kept us warm.
Next year I'm going to take marshmallows!

 
And more old relics...


And forgotten history...