Let’s start with a bit of context:

1. Lately, I’ve noticed some strange quirks with the instrument panel on the MU-X. The most alarming incident happened Friday—just as I pulled up at the traffic lights, the dash lit up with warnings, and the car promptly shut itself down. I barely had time to read the errors before the guy behind me lent on his horn. Panic set in as the MU-X wouldn’t restart; it wasn’t in park, so I couldn’t cycle the ignition. After some wrangling, I got it into park and restarted. Damn modern tech!
2. On the health front, we’d been hit hard. Joel had taken a sick day from school with cold symptoms. Then Edie, Rebekah, and I all went down with similar symptoms. We figured Joel had kindly shared his germs with the family.

Saturday: Battery Blues and False Starts
With everything packed and the camper hooked up, I ran a final check—confirmed the camper battery was charging from the car. All good. I ducked inside, rounded up the family, and went to start the car. Nothing.
The dash lit up like a Christmas tree: system malfunction, key error, and a bunch of other warnings. The manual helpfully advised, “See dealer.” My heart sank—weekend plans to Young looked dead in the water.
I disconnected the trailer: lights, brakes, and charging circuits. Still no luck. Then it hit me—maybe it’s the battery? Grabbed jumper leads and hooked the MU-X up to the Triton. It gave a half-hearted crank. That was enough to convince me the battery was toast. After leaving the Triton running for a bit, I tried again. Third time lucky—it started!
Straight to Mitchell to get the battery tested. Turns out it had dropped 200CCA. I didn’t muck around and asked for the biggest replacement they had. Unfortunately, they were out of the SS75TX, so I went with the next best: an SS66TX 4WD battery, boasting 920CCA (up 320 from the original). $300 later, we were finally on our way. Well, to the servo and McDonalds!

Heading to Young
The drive was uneventful, aside from on-and-off rain and icy winds. We stopped briefly at Boorowa to stretch our legs and visit the old courthouse (now the info centre). Picked up a few brochures and pressed on.
We made a quick detour in Murringo to photograph the beautiful Christ Church (built in 1866, designed by Alberto Dias Soares). I have added the photo of the church to Flickr, and have added a historic newspaper article about the laying of the foundation stone. Additionally, I have added the newspaper article, which is the closest I could find to the opening of the church.
​The town is dotted with historic buildings—we’ll definitely return for a proper explore.
Young is just 25 km from Murringo, so before long, we were pulling into the caravan park. Since the camper had been out of action for over a year, we didn’t want to risk off-grid camping again  just yet. Staying at a powered ensuite site gave us a soft reintroduction and some much-needed creature comforts. The camper’s electrics behaved, but the electric 240v heater was vital—nights were bitter. A diesel heater is now on our “must buy” list.

Settling In (Sort Of)
After setting up, we popped into town for a few supplies, then stopped at the old railway station so I could snap a photo of the Welcome to Young sign. Dinner followed, then an early night—sort of.
It was freezing, so the electric heater kept us cosy until bedtime. After that, it was doonas, blankets… and Edie. She flat-out refused her bunk and wedged herself between us. Score: Edie 1, Parents 0.
Around 2:00 AM, Joel appeared, wide awake and unable to sleep. Our bed was already at capacity with two adults, a child, and a Chihuahua. I convinced him to head back to bed with a book or his tablet. Thankfully, he did. Joel 0, Parents 1.

Sunday: COVID Curveball
At 3:00 AM, Edie’s constant wriggling finally drove me out of bed. I ended up watching a couple of episodes of Clarkson’s Farm and Welcome to Wrexham. The rest of the family slowly surfaced by morning, all of us feeling fairly average.
First stop: the chemist. Edie was full of snot and needed something to ease her symptoms. We just managed to get there during the one hour it was open (yes—just one hour!). Rebekah grabbed Benadryl and, for good measure, a couple of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs).
While I popped into the information centre to grab a Young Heritage Walk guide, Rebekah did a test. Positive. She suggested I take one too. Sure enough—positive. That would explain the “cold” symptoms. We decided to test the kids next. Back to the chemist for more RATs. Edie—positive. Joel—negative (somehow).
​Three Out of Four—That’s Not Too Bad, Right?

Touring While Crook
Despite the weather and COVID revelation, we decided to do a bit more sightseeing—by car. We admired old homes and buildings, then headed out to the Chinese Tribute Gardens. A quick comfort break and a couple of rushed photos between squalls, then it was back to the caravan to huddle under blankets and feel sorry for ourselves.
That night, Joel crashed early with a fever. I took over Edie’s bunk (she still refused it—Edie 2, Parents 0). Joel woke at 6:00 AM, disoriented and thinking it was evening. He’d slept 12 hours straight but had sweated through the bed.

Monday: Homeward Bound
We dragged ourselves through breakfast, packed up slowly, and were mostly done by 10:00 AM—right when the manager came knocking. He wanted the ensuite cleaned immediately, despite no cleaner being in sight for the next 45 minutes. A bit rigid, but we moved along anyway, using the ensuite as a dry packing spot due to the rain.
Joel dozed off again in the car and barely stirred on the drive home. Quick stops in Boorowa (for drinks) and Yass (for fuel), and we were home by 1:00 PM. We unpacked, aired out the camper, hung up wet gear, and I made a trip to collect the cats from the cattery—another hour round trip.

Final Thoughts
Despite the cold, the wet, the dodgy battery, and catching COVID—we really liked Young. It’s a charming country town with a lot of history and character. We’ll definitely be back… preferably when it’s warm, dry, and we’re not all sick!

A question I came across on Facebook got me reminiscing about my very first mountain bike. I started wondering if I could track down an old photo or maybe even the specs—and, to my surprise, I managed to find both!

The bike in the photo that I found on Reddit has had a few parts swapped out over the years—the stem, saddle, and grips have been replaced—but otherwise, it’s just as I remember it. Seeing it again really brought back some great memories.

Here are the specs, care of bikepedia:
​
Frame & Fork
Frame Construction -- TIG-welded steel
Frame Material --​ True Temper AVR
Fork --​ Rock Shox Quadra 10

Components
Component Group --​ Shimano STX
Brakeset --​ Shimano STX brakes, levers
Shift Levers --​ Shimano STX Rapidfire Plus w/Optical Gear Display
Front Derailleur --​ Shimano STX top-pull
Rear Derailleur --​ Shimano STX
Crankset --​ Shimano STX, 24/34/42 teeth
Pedals --​ Victor alloy with chromoly axle w/clips & straps
Rear Cogs --​ 7-speed, 11 - 28 teeth
Chain --​ Shimano HG-50
Seatpost --​ Avenir micro-adjust
Saddle --​ Avenir Flite style gel, emerald cover
Handlebars --​ Avenir alloy
Handlebar Stem --​ SR Duo 10 forged aluminum
Headset --​ A Headset Threadless

Wheels
Wheel Size --​ 26"
Hubs --​ Shimano STX Parallax
Rims --​ Araya TM-18
Front Tyre --​ Avenir Vigor
Rear Tyre --​ Avenir

​Today I fitted the Black Duck canvas seat covers to the MU-X. I’ve used these covers before in the Triton and was really impressed with their quality and durability. They held up brilliantly, so I didn’t hesitate to go with them again.

One of my goals is to start documenting my adventures on video. To do that, I’ll need an action cam—which I haven’t picked up yet—and I’ll also need to figure out how to edit videos properly.
This morning, I took the first step and downloaded Kdenlive, a free and open-source video editor. By the afternoon, I’d whipped up some intro, outro, and title banners, then dumped a bunch of clips into the timeline... and, well, nothing happened.

Right--I have to do the editing. That part’s on me.

So, I dug out some old phone footage from a ride I did through Tallaganda last year and decided to see what I could come up with. Somehow, I managed to stitch together a semi-coherent video. Not too shabby for someone completely winging it!
​
Faking it ‘til I make it? Definitely. But hey, it’s a start.

Today, I managed to get my battery fully charged and connected once again to my battery app on my phone.
Only one stp to go, and that is to install a 240V GPO, so I can connect it to the 240V input plug on the side of the camper. Then when plugged into 240V, I can elect to utilise the Victron 240V, MPPT solar, or DCDC charger, to replenish the battery.

I had a week long course for work, which I finished today. Fortunately the kids were at after school care, which aforded me some time to go for a ride.
Once again it was in the Mulligans flat area, but I ventured into a different area of the nature reserve.
This time I rode the Pipeline Track, the Border Track, the Dam Track, Mulligans Trail, and went inside the Woolshed for a look.

​Ride Map.

​About a year ago, as I was getting the camper ready for a trip, I noticed the fridge wasn’t working. Odd, I thought. I dug a little deeper and realised that none of the original wiring installed by CUB Campers was functioning. Strangely enough, all the wiring I’d added myself—specifically for the battery and charging system—was working just fine.
At the time, we didn’t have the time or budget to chase the issue down. Life got in the way, as it does, and the camper sat unused with its mystery electrical problem for the next 12 months.
Fast-forward to the present, and I finally had both the time and the resources to sort it out. I gave the auto electrician a call—the same guy who installed my battery and charging system—and he asked me to bring the camper down to his workshop. Within an hour, he had diagnosed the issue: a bad earth on the original wiring. He added a new earthing point, and just like that, things were back online. Or so I thought.
A week later, while getting the camper ready for a rego inspection, I decided to double-check that everything was still working. And—nothing. No power at all. I was ropeable. What now?
Back on the phone to the auto sparky. He was a bit puzzled, but I had a theory: maybe the Battery Management System (BMS) had shut the battery down due to low voltage. He agreed that it was a likely cause and said the BMS would need to be kick-started—but I didn’t have the gear to do it myself. So, off I went to the workshop again.
Once there, we opened up the power system for a closer look. He quickly spotted that the inverter had been left on, which had likely drained the battery. He kick-started the BMS, and the system sprang back to life.

​He explained that I’d need to recharge the battery until it hit at least 13.4V (if memory serves). That would require a charger capable of properly charging lithium batteries. I didn’t have one at the time, but I’d always planned to add one to the setup eventually.
In the meantime, I kept the car running all the way home to feed some charge into the system, and once back, I connected the solar setup. Thankfully, I’d installed a household-grade panel, which produces higher voltage more reliably. This gave the MPPT charger enough overhead to push a decent current into the battery, even across a few cloudy days.

​Not wanting to risk another flat battery, I ordered a Victron lithium charger and temporarily hooked it up to make sure the battery reached the absorption phase—basically confirming it was fully topped up.

​Lessons Learned:

• Always double-check what’s been left switched on (I’m looking at you, inverter).
  
• Don’t underestimate the value of good earthing.
  
• If you're running lithium batteries, having a compatible charger on hand is a must.
  

Next time, hopefully I catch these issues before they become a 12-month mystery!

I designed another shirt.

At Kambah shops, thereptile shop commissioned this mural.
I really like the contrast between the tiles, slatted ceiling, ​and the fluororescent mural.

As part of my job, I’m fortunate to have time allocated for physical training, which helps me maintain my fitness. With clear blue skies overhead, it was the perfect opportunity to get outside and enjoy some exercise.

I'm also lucky to live close to Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve and Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, which means I have easy access to dirt trails right on my doorstep. The route I took winds through both areas and happens to form part of the Canberra Centenary Trail—a loop that encircles the main residential areas, cultural precincts, and rural landscapes of the ACT.

I entered via the Wilay Gate (Wilay, In the Ngunawal language, it means "possum"), and followed the fenceline track running parallel to Horse Park Drive, leading me to the start of the Centenary Trail. Riding along this dirt track meant I could avoid traffic entirely—a definite bonus.

Once on the Centenary Trail, I continued through the nature reserve and into the woodland sanctuary. I was surprised by how many people were out and about—I passed numerous cyclists, runners, and walkers. It felt like Pitt Street in Sydney! I even encountered an ACT Parks worker heading the other way on a tractor.

Along the route, I took a few short breaks to soak in the scenery and snap some photos.

Eventually, I reached the gate of the predator-proof fence at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary and passed through to continue along the Centenary Trail. Unlike my last ride, where I turned off onto Old Coach Road, this time I stayed the course. As I rode on, I passed more walkers and paused briefly at the Woolshed, only to find eight prams lined up outside—clearly not the best time to interrupt a mothers' group gathering.

A few hundred metres beyond the Woolshed lies the main gate of the predator-proof fence, which most people use to enter the sanctuary. From there, you can either duck into Forde or continue along the trail up and over the hill for about 500 metres to reach the sanctuary’s car park.

I chose the latter, climbing the hill and joining the shared path, where I passed some impressively large kangaroos lounging beside the trail. Once on the shared path, I followed it into the heart of Forde and continued all the way home. On the return leg, I passed Yerrabi Pond before heading east towards Harrison.

Eventually, I followed the shared path to Gungaderra Homestead, passing between the old farm shed and the main house. On the far side, I noticed something I’d never paid much attention to before—the shed has now been repurposed as "The Recyclery." It's run by volunteers who take in donated bicycles, restore them to a saleable condition, and give them a new lease on life.
From there, I continued along the old Well Station Road—a historic track dating back to the late 1800s that once linked the farms at Well Station and Gungaderra Homestead.
In total, the ride was 20 kilometres—a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend time outdoors, surrounded by nature.

Map of my ride.