Quick Trip.

[Roo Dog]

We haven't used our Teardrop overmuch as yet and are still sorting it out.
Rather than fiddle around on the front lawn or in the carport we head off around 125 miles up the track and camp around the area to iron out any gliches in proceedings.
The area is low rainfall and salt lake country, gold mining is about all the activity there is and supports a small community of around 800 people as does through traffic.

A couple or three pictures.

Overnight camp in the bush.
Parked alongside a road train.
Skirting around the edge of a salt lake.


Take it easy.

RD

[Shadow Catcher]

Nothing like the "Maiden Voyage(s)" to find the bugs. We did the same thing, though our trial camp ground is only about 20 miles away. Thanks for sharing the pictures and please do so in the future.
Tom

[Roo Dog]

SC,

Yeah it takes a while to get it all sorted.
We had a caravan which we sold mid year and reducing the gear we used to carry between the van and a bigger tug has taken some effort. Still a bit prone to carry too much.
Sorting out the best towing speed took a while but we have settled on 50mph in 4th gear which works out to 3000rpm. The little beast will tow quicker but it appears to be very happy around that speed. It is not an issue as we are never in a hurry and the roads we travel on have very little traffic plus the country on our patch is relatively flat.
Fuel consumption appears to be around 28mpg if I have all my conversions right !
It is all good so far.

Take it easy.

RD

[KCStudly]

Slow, it's probably for kangaroos and/or cattle. The roos are as common, if not more so than antelope out in Wyoming.

At least that's what I gathered when I was in NZ in '82.

[Roo Dog]

Slow,

That is a wee bit longer than your average semi.
The bars on the front are for kangaroos and livestock in general. There are deer in some parts of Oz but they are very rare.
A big kangaroo can do a lot of damage. I have been stopped cold a couple of times with the front of my car smashed in and not in a small car like the one in the picture. Had to get a tow into the nearest town. A big red roo will stand nearly 6 foot and weigh in around 190 lb.
Up north it is cattle and buffaloes that can do the damage. I have had a close encounter with wild horses in the area these pictures were taken. I managed to get treed by a big water buffalo up north once. He had my undivided attention for a while.
I try not to drive at night on country roads as it is the time roos are out and about.
Take it easy.

RD

[JuneBug]

Roo Dog, I think you would feel quite at home in some parts of Texas! Really like the look and proportions of your tear. Also, always on the look out for new word usage: tug = tow vehicles to us Yanks, right?
And the term "road train" is kinda cool; it looks to be exactly that.
Okay, had to use the Google to check out the buffalo reference; these are water buffalo introduced to Australia in the 1800s. Dang, they look big and VERY solid.
Also have heard that in general, highway speeds in Australia are much more conservative than in the US. A stretch of highway opened not far from where I live with a top speed of 85 mph. Crazy.

[Roo Dog]

JB,

Yeah Tug is pretty much the word in the caravan community.
The road train in the picture is standard size, they do get bigger in mine applications further north. Damn near impossible to pass. With their length and the associated dust you need a cut lunch and a compass to get around them.
The speed limit these days is between 100kph and 110 kph. A bit quicker in the Northern Territory which until recently had no limit.
I used to do a lot of country driving but have really eased back in recent years.

Take it easy.

RD

[pete42]

My nephew drove a bulk milk truck and he lives in Wisconsin he had some deer "whisles" mounted on his truck
when I ask how they work he said "they work very well, the deer look up just about the time my pipe bumper hits them".

pete