Camping Anyone?

[Bum]

Nah. It's about sh!t beer.

[RUM57L]

Just back from a great weekend camping / 4wding.

Convoy of 5 vehicles arrived in Batemans Bay friday, set up camp and actually ventured to Catalina Country Club for dinner, few beers (nothing exotic) and a t-bone.
Saturday rendevous with another 2 vehicles and headed south to Mourya then onto a fire trail heading into Bendethera Valley.

The tracks were no where as difficult as last time we'd ventured into this region, river crossings were running low levels and again all trails were dusty not muddy as last time.

Set up camp and got the fire going, opened up some HB's to share around to the fella's, all were impressed with the taste and we went through them quickly. On to dinner of cobb cooker pizza, steak sangas and some overproof red rum.

Sunday packed up and made the journey via Merricumbene fire trial out of the valley, two of the hillclimbs were rather entertaining but all made it up and through, onto Araluen Rd, to Braidwood, Goulburn, Moss Vale then home via Maquarie Pass.

Good Camping Trip, didnt get wet, truck didnt break down, new mud terrains worked very well, HB was a success.

[earle]

Sounds great Rum.

I popped down to Brisbane on the weekend to the pre-xmas camping and caravan show to look at camper trailers. If you haven't been to one of these shows I would highly recommend it even if you don't buy anything. Gives you the chance to look over a wide range of brands and I ended up narrowing it down to a few. I then spent a few hours going back and forth between the short listed comparing finer details. There's one coming up your way (well a couple hundred kms anyway) in Batemans Bay on 5-7 November.

A couple of observations from the show. Tropical roofs do a surprisingly good job of lowering the temp in the tent as long as they have openings each end, could be more of a consideration up here I suppose. The poly hitches that are optional on GIC trailers (I think it was GIC that you were looking at) are apparently notorious bastards for connecting compared to Hyland or hitchmaster.

[RUM57L]

G'Day Earle,

Sounds like you had a good time mate, did you purchase anything ?
Yep GIC are the ones i'm still looking at, I think with any of the hitches that are 360 degree ones could be tricky, a good point though and i've heard that you should do a few test hitches before buying.

Ahh crap, think i'm away 4x4ing again over 5-7th November, I havent been to the one at Batemans Bay but heard its quite big.

My Missus works for BCF so i get alot of gear via her and team discount

[earle]

Didn't purchase anything at the show but probably going to put a deposit on a customline http://www.customline.com.au/cms-models/deluxe-off-road.phps this week as they hold over the show specials for a week. The trailer itself is not as bling as some others but is very solid. The tent is what really won me over, very well thought out, well made and ticks the boxes for my requirements.

The two hitches that I mentioned above are self centering while the poly block you need to line up within a mm.

Probably won't take delivery until about Feb/March next year. Too hot and humid here for camping until then. Gives us a bit more time to get the money together as well. Really looking forward to it though.

[RUM57L]

Looks like a good camper mate, i like that there are awnings over the bed window and opposite.
Just checking out the gallery too, i like the optional full annex walls and also the point you raised about hitches is valid, hitchmaster would suit me better, good you get the option there.

[RUM57L]

Just a test to see if i can post pics correctly, if it works.. here's our quick camp set up, 2 swags, table, esky, chairs, tarp etc.. and the missus

[earle]

Yep, will be getting the annex walls. With a 17month old and another on the way will help to contain them.

I like the way the ridge poles of the annex roof work on this one as well. Some campers require a row of poles at the outside of the annex and a second row at the back against the tent to hold both ends of the ridge poles up. Its like when you have a large tarp and put a pole/poles in the centre via a eyelet. These eyelets in the annex roof would allow water to leak through.

On this one you still have poles at the front of the annex but the other end of the ridge poles attach to the main tent frame via a ring that protrudes through the wall. More weatherproof in my opinion and also more sturdy. The fellow was telling me that at a recent show a storm went through one night. He only had three ropes on this annex and it was fine. Other makes put out lots of ropes in preparation but their annexes collapsed. The problem is that when you have poles through the annex roof and they are not near the edge there is no way to hold the canvas onto the pole. A big gust on wind can lift the annex roof off the pole and down goes you annex.

Anyway thats why I reckon going to the shows is a great idea, it lets you look at the finer details and quickly compare them between makes.

[earle]

Just a test to see if i can post pics correctly, if it works.. here's our quick camp set up, 2 swags, table, esky, chairs, tarp etc.. and the missus

Damn site blocker at work blocks pictures from photobucket etc. Will have to look at home.

[RUM57L]

Below - One of the river crossings

Below - Same river crossing

Below - Views of the vallleys

Below - Some of the trails

Below - Me, putting down a heinekin after arriving at Batemans Bay

Below - Cobb Cooker .. great addition to a camp kitchen

Below - Some of the trucks in our group

Below - My Hilux

[Chris]

Now I really want to go bush for a while. All these pics...

[warra48]

All that camping looks fantastic, but there's no way I'll ever get mrs warra to go bush at our stage of life.

My bush experience is limited to very very regular bush excursions as I go around the golf course.....no one knows the bush at our course better than I do.
Having said that, we were only 3 strokes short of the winners at the vets foursomes championship yesterday. Choosing a good partner helps tremendously!

[speedie]

so go the bush! just a joke

[bullfrog]

So Warra, convince her to go bush the way that Oz and James do it.

If you've not seen the series, then get yourself a Rolls Royce and a caravan then have the one towing the other as you travel around the country tasting beer, wine and sprits from each part of the country.

...it's kinda like camping. It's even more camp when you mention Oz Clarke!

[warra48]

Only two more issues!
1. She won't ever consider a caravan
2. She's close to a teetotal imbiber
Has to be strictly 4 or 5 star for her. I'm not complaining.

[RUM57L]

I would'nt complain either mr Warra,

Although one benefit of the mrs not wanting to go is.... that you get to go ..without her lol!

Sometimes just a trip with the boys is just wat i need, although my missus is quite the happy camper

[earle]

Finally got to see your photos on my home computer Rum. Looks good. Is that your pink swag?

UPdate on the campertrailer. Put a deposit on one yesterday. Once you add annex and other bits and piece options it adds up. Will take delivery in late Feb/early March. Went with the Hitchmaster D035 hitch. From reading some forums the hyland has a couple of disadvantages - no shock absorption in the coupling to dampen vibrations to you car, a few people complained of shearing off padlocks when it swivelled beyond a certain point.

[Tipsy]

Is that your pink swag?

If ya gonna take the missus Rum they do make a double swag

[Tipsy]

Is that your pink swag?

If ya gonna take the missus Rum they do make a double swag

or room for you an a keg

[RUM57L]

Is that your pink swag?

If ya gonna take the missus Rum they do make a double swag

or room for you an a keg

HAHA no that was last years xmas present for her, and i've been told i snore.. hence the seperate swags .. must have something to do with the amount of beverages us blokes consume while camping.