Easter Camping Trip
04-11-2010 | 09:41 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Esperance Western Australia
Easter Camping Trip
We decided to get away from the madding crowds on the beaches around home and headed to a place called Twilight Cove for a few days. It's 31km south of Cocklebiddy on the nullarbor plain in southern Australia.
The track started off as mostly eucalypt scrub and claypans. Although, there's quite a bit of caprock along the way, if it rains then this first part of the track would be almost impassable as it would turn to slick mud. The majority of the remainder of the track is small sections of sandy loams interspersed with numerous sharp rocky sections. Slow and cautious was the order of the day as I didn't want to change tyres. The pics don't really show what is was like.
The last part is sand track like most of the coast around here. The trip down the scarp was relatively easy, although I did have the car at maximum height, in low range and with the rear and centre diffs locked. You could probably do it without locking, but it would make the descent scrabbly rather than controlled. Going back up was great. Again, with both diffs locked and the car in low 1st, the car basically just crawled up under it's own steam. The diesel is very tractable and the gear ratios almost perfectly suited.
In all it took us 3 hours to do the 31km (with no stops), but only 2.5hrs back as I was familiar with the track then.
14mpg avg on the track. 22mpg avg on the highway (the tent doesn't do much for the aerodynamics!)
The track started off as mostly eucalypt scrub and claypans. Although, there's quite a bit of caprock along the way, if it rains then this first part of the track would be almost impassable as it would turn to slick mud. The majority of the remainder of the track is small sections of sandy loams interspersed with numerous sharp rocky sections. Slow and cautious was the order of the day as I didn't want to change tyres. The pics don't really show what is was like.
The last part is sand track like most of the coast around here. The trip down the scarp was relatively easy, although I did have the car at maximum height, in low range and with the rear and centre diffs locked. You could probably do it without locking, but it would make the descent scrabbly rather than controlled. Going back up was great. Again, with both diffs locked and the car in low 1st, the car basically just crawled up under it's own steam. The diesel is very tractable and the gear ratios almost perfectly suited.
In all it took us 3 hours to do the 31km (with no stops), but only 2.5hrs back as I was familiar with the track then.
14mpg avg on the track. 22mpg avg on the highway (the tent doesn't do much for the aerodynamics!)
04-11-2010 | 11:21 AM
#4
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Esperance Western Australia
Mine's an ARB 'tourer' rooftop tent. The tourer is bigger than standard so it can take the annexe, which zips on and covers the ladder.
It's a South African design and the same as Hannibal and Howling Moon tents.
There's lots available on the market here now. Much better than a tent on the ground IMHO.
It hinges in the middle and flips out and the tent opens up. The mattress is approx 55" x 90" from memory.
The annexe has a zipped opening to allow access to the car from within. I keep my fridge on the back seat so it's handy to get to.
Main drawback is that you can't drive anywhere once it's setup. I'm thinking of building an off-road box trailer and mounting the tent onto it for places where towing a trailer won't be a hassle.
It's a South African design and the same as Hannibal and Howling Moon tents.
There's lots available on the market here now. Much better than a tent on the ground IMHO.
It hinges in the middle and flips out and the tent opens up. The mattress is approx 55" x 90" from memory.
The annexe has a zipped opening to allow access to the car from within. I keep my fridge on the back seat so it's handy to get to.
Main drawback is that you can't drive anywhere once it's setup. I'm thinking of building an off-road box trailer and mounting the tent onto it for places where towing a trailer won't be a hassle.
