RIP Cruiser 1999 - 2009

You have travelled many a road
Always willing to carry the load
No matter what the state of the trail
No obstacle would ever cause you to fail
Until that day you meet that cliff of rock
Which caused you to come to a shuddering stop
It was just a normal everyday day
Nothing should have got in your way
But now you are just a twisted wreck
And will never, ever go on another trek

We have lost our Cruiser 75 ute - TOTAL LOSS - as the insurance company put it. After the thousands of miles of gravel, corrugations, sand, mud, hill climbs and creek crossings, she met her demise on the bitumen. Just a normal everyday drive only 5 minutes from home, a recently resurfaced road, a sharp bend and she met her end on the clifface of the road cutting. No camping and 4x4 this Christmas. We had to stay at home - the poor little Vitara wasn't going to tow the camper trailer.

Now comes the long wait and the huge pain in the hip pocket to replace her with a new 70 series ute. A brand-spanking new Cruiser. I just wish they would hurry up and schedule the thing to be built. The Business tax incentive meant there isn't one sitting on a lot anywhere and we wanted factory difflocks so it looks like a four month wait. Though I can definitely wait to fork out the money, it almost as much as what we paid for our first house. The worst thing is we are grounded till we get the new car. No camping and fourwheel driving for a quarter of the year!!!