Podologists Portion of the Secret Society of Patrology (PPSSP)

[Cuppa]

Gonna be interesting fitting a rooftop tent ...... guess you must be planning to remove the solar panels?
I’m thinking about doing the opposite, havent totally decided yet. I have a ShippShape rooftop tent, good tent with it’s own ‘built in’ awning. However I find that when we are camped in places where I can’t get out of the tent to get dressed, getting dressed in a sitting position with nothing to lean against is a PIA. My wife doesn’t mind but I know that for anything more than short trips it will become something I grow to truly hate. Long term travel has different requirements to occasional weekends or even annual holidays. So I’m now thinking of removing the RTT & putting our currently portable panels up there. We carry an OzTent in one of the compartments under the pod for use as a ‘living room’ during longer camps. I am now thinking about building an ultralight off road rigid walled ‘towable bedroom’, (like a teardrop but without a kitchen) & keeping the Oztent for times when we want to leave the bedroom behind. Our goal is to spend 9 to 12 months a year on the road for a decade or more. (We also have an old converted Nissan bus to alternate the Patrol with & in which we spent 18 months doing a figure 8 around Oz in 08/09.).

Enough about me, what I’m really interested in is what your dreams of travel & adventure look like.

[macca]

Gone a little

ShippShape is one of the roomiest RTT's and easy to use as well with a great awning, but everything is a compromise.
I really don't know what the perfect vehicle would be, Smaller but not enough room or capacity for the job, larger for all the gear but too big for some tracks, towing not possible in some areas so a backtrack to pick up the trailer, then weather can be a PITA too. What to do?

6 weeks with mine was no problem but I didn't have to share the bed and the weather was good, if Pauly had come and the weather foul it would not have been so much fun...
6 months or more, mmmm not so sure LOL

[yesdear]

Andy ,
The water tank is 90 lt , it can be filled from the side of the pod , I dont know the brand I found it at a caravan parts store (carac) $230 , gravity fed (no pump) , On the panels, they were fitted when I got it I still dont know how big they are ! , it has a pirana battery manager and 12v curcit breakers fitted , the system seems to keeping everything charged , time will tell though !

[yesdear]

Cuppa ,
Yes the panels are coming off, I have a Tigerz roof top tent and Bat Wing style awning which was fitted to the wagon ,
We have camped in that for up to a couple of weeks at a time , and realised anything more would be an issue with the anchor , and me too I suppose ! , we have a semi off road van and the plan is at the moment to use the van as a base
And the patrol as a go anywhere vehicle , so we dont have any of those (we should have moments) our first biggie is planed for mid may 2015 for around four to five months sussing out where we want to go back to for longer stays , plan at the moment is straight up the middle hang a left at Darwin then Kimberly ect down the west coast (sort of) zig zaging to Perth
Then Nullabore then home , my resume is coming with , you never know what might happen ! Buy the way we are based in frankston area , Victoria , I wished we had done it a long time ago but we had kids instead now its our time and we arnt going to miss it this time around !
Regards,
Gary.

[Cuppa]

Will you mount the solar panels on the van roof?

In 4 or 5 months you will have some ‘we should have’ experiences, but as you infer, the trip is a recce to ‘suss out where you want to go back to for longer stays’. I reckon you could spend years doing the same trip & still go back a second time to see what you missed, just depends on how much you want to slow down & ‘smell the roses’. I lost count of all the little tracks I would have liked to check out if we’d had a 4wd, & those are just the ones accessed from the ‘main drag’!

Enjoy all the dreaming & planning, it’s a big part of it, but be aware of how addictive the ‘on the road’ lifestyle is. We planned our 18 months on the road for 5 years, & had a fantastic time & now live for when the travel can be a lifestyle & not just a trip. I know folk who have done multiple ‘laps’, folk who have traversed all of the iconic tracks, & folk who have spent years travelling & have yet to cross a state border. What they all have in common is, like you, they wish they had started years earlier, as well as also having the desire to continue for as long as they can. None regret ‘getting out there’.
I often think of a couple in their 80’s who we met at a lakeside bush camp at Lake Elphinstone in Qld.They were travelling on the government pension, in a Subaru Outback with two kayaks on top, & towing a tiny ‘L’il Nipper’ van. From Tassie. 6 months out of every 12. They would move on once a fortnight as their pension allowed the purchase of a small amount of fuel. They were having a ball. I asked them whether they ever got bored. "No dear- we did the lap & all the big ticket items years ago, but now we just enjoy being on the road because of all the friendship & camaraderie it brings us, better than staying home in front of the telly. When we are at home the time away gives us something to look forward to, a reason to keep on keeping on”. I thought they were a great model to aspire to. Although slowing down to their extent was imposed by their financial constraints, the contentment & happiness which accompanied it was what was most inspiring. It takes far more learning (& time) to achieve that than most realise.

[yesdear]

Cuppa ,
The panels are going to be a fold out set as the van has a solar set up already , so if we are camping in a shady situation I can still run out into a sunny position to recharge the batteries , on the traveling nomads thing I can only hope we get there
I cant think of anything better , life's to short so get it while you can , My only regret is
I didn't start 20 years ago , who know's where I would be now
Regards
Gary

[dads tractor]

Grand Pod what is the official definition of a Pod , is it only a Telstra type or for instance a TJM canopy ; just asking !

[yesdear]

OK , so you can't see my frustration in trying to post some
pics of my new drawers and led's , so if this don't work !!!!!
anyway they were made by Drifta in NSW and I'm in love with them ,
so here goes .
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OOH maybe !
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hopefully this has worked
regards,
Gary.

[macca]

Grand Pod what is the official definition of a Pod , is it only a Telstra type or for instance a TJM canopy ; just asking !

Reckon you may have answered your own question Dad, a canopy is not a pod.
My understanding a pod is a complete back that bolts to the chassis, not to a tray. Then it would be a slide on.
All very bloody technical, but we have to protect our status you understand.
Then theres those canvas side chappies, don't know where they fit it, but one applicant to podology was knocked back by the grand poobah as his sides were soft!
Just sayin!

[GU CAMPER]

Great looking drawers Yesdear

Drifta are a great company. I have some custom drawer from them in my pod aswell. I've been more than happy with them.
Cheers Andy