I lived in Canberra for six and a half years and despite moving back to Sydney 2 1/2 years ago, visiting there feels like coming home. I've done the drive down there in 2 other cars in the last year and twice in the last few weeks so it was time for my personal Focus road-test. A drive where I was on a familiar road and had something solid on my mind to compare Butch to. Plus, I learned to drive on Canberra roads. My first car was an earlier version of Dulcie, an '89 Laser hatchback so it's pretty exciting to take an 'upgrade' back for comparison. As far as as I know, that car is still in the ACT being someone else's first car... If you can't tell, i'm pretty sentimental about my old cars so I love the idea that someone's taking care of my first one.
The trip itself was a spur of the moment thing- peer pressure by some mates, Holly and Josh, who are always keen to see me and had me packing a bag while I was on the phone to them when I called just to 'see what they were up to' for the next couple of days'. Heheh those are the best friends! Thanks guys! ;) I know Canberra has a bad reputation for being boring. But if you know where to look, it's full of treasures.
In what would have been MONSTROUS peak hour traffic any other day (ie. not a few days before Christmas), I set off via a lovely little independent Servo on Canterbury Road. Butch was going to need something to eat on the journey too!
Quick geography lesson: Canberra is the other side of the Great Dividing Range. The Federal Highway crosses it at 742m above sealevel so there are some pretty massive hills on the way to the Capital and otherwise, the slight climb is spread out so you barely notice it. I had to worry about Butch's speedo at one point. I knew the 2L Turbo Diesel effortly climbed up winding mountain roads but on a straight highway, we left other large cars for dead on hills... trucks? there was a truck? that's what that blur was! And this was all "allegedly" at 110km/h according to where i'd set the cruise control (I don't speed and i'm not an aggressive driver) and again with NO fuss whatsoever and no loss of revs. My jaw literally dropped when we sped past a late model Commodore...
One of the other cars i'd driven to Canberra was a brand new Mini Cooper it goes like a rocket and is obviously a much smaller, lighter car than Butch. It got up these hills well, but you knew it was working hard. There's something incredibly relaxing about an engine that doesn't struggle on hills, at one point, I almost crossed my legs on the seat before I realised what I was doing!
The beauty (literally) of leaving just before nightfall was the sunset out west. I practically had the road to myself most of the drive and there were no other cars to worry about... so (within reason) I could enjoy the scenery.
I'd organised to meet Holly and Josh at the Eaglehawk Hotel, just before the NSW/ACT border where we all used to play Club Poker (I believe this is also where I met Josho many years ago but neither of us remembers exactly). Butch was feeling a little left out after a while so we set up a table for him outside... and he cleaned up! He told me quitely later "Nothing's a gamble with a Focus." Sounds like someone's been listening to their own advertising hype! ;) Maybe I should stop gushing about him... he'll get a big head!
After Poker, I got to show Butch one of my favourite views of Canberra, the lights as you drive over the hill into town from the North. Hols rode with us and did her best to snap a picture but until they put a lookout there, it'll be one of those views you just have to experience (there are exits and merge lanes and overpasses- oh my! No opportunities to stop...)
To Be Continued...
