The Crooked Clan

Crookedpete · March 19, 2011, 02:03:27 PM

Hi all,

Been lurking here for a while, diligently doing research, whilst patiently waiting for the bank balance to be large enough to accommodate a camper trailer

Have finally taken the plunge and 2 weeks ago bought a second hand late 2007 Lifestyle Explorer with a 12 ft tent, full annexe, water tank, 12V power etc.

Took my sternest voice to stop the kids from sleeping in it when it was set up in the driveway on the first night home. Had a night away in it last weekend near Canungra and had a ball.

crookedpete and the crooked-clan.

PS I have been lurking long enough to know the whole "thread worthless without pics" deal. They are coming when I can resize the photos. .

D4D · March 19, 2011, 02:05:42 PM

Welcome to MySwag! Good work on the camper and getting out there. What's on the mod list?

randan · March 19, 2011, 02:10:59 PM

Hey welcome crookedpete and whole crookedclan and about time you posted you lurker, come on get the photos up of that camper

....... just had to do it!

randan

shina · March 19, 2011, 02:14:15 PM

G,day Crooked Clan,
nice work on the lifestyle look forward to photos,
by the way welcome to myswag

Cheers Shane

Crookedpete · March 19, 2011, 02:47:32 PM

Quote from: randan on March 19, 2011, 02:10:59 PM
Hey welcome crookedpete and whole crookedclan and about time you posted you lurker, come on get the photos up of that camper

....... just had to do it!

randan

Thanks Randan, should have known it would be you! Here you go....

Old Croc + plus one · March 19, 2011, 05:07:00 PM

Hi and Welcome to My Swag

More Happy Trails ahead for you didn't know you could order tyke holders for campers see they are enjoying the camper

Cheers

GGV8Cruza · March 19, 2011, 07:08:26 PM

Welcome to the Forum Pete, the kids look like they are right at home in and on the camper

GG

Black Diamond · March 19, 2011, 07:58:30 PM

Gday Crooken Clan, congrats on the purchase

Makes me laugh hearing your story because we were the same when we first got ours

except it wasnt just the kids it was me too

Exciting times for the family and many more to come

Good stuff

BD

waz65 · March 19, 2011, 09:18:22 PM

Welcome crookedpete and the whole crookedclan , love the first pic of the kids hiding in the camper , hope you had a great first trip

chrisroche · March 20, 2011, 06:51:19 PM

welcome crookeds,

it is like looking in the mirror;
- 3 kids
- 1 x golden retriever
- 1 x 2nd hand 12ft lifestyle

enjoy

Chris

Heiny · March 20, 2011, 07:06:48 PM

Hi Pete and welcome to My Swag, great set up you have there and Im looking forward to seeing some of your trip reports on here

skmaint · March 20, 2011, 08:26:53 PM

Hi pete & Family,

Welcome to MySwag....Camper looks great...looks like the kids love it.

Cheers
Simon

Crookedpete · March 21, 2011, 04:57:05 PM

Quote from: chrisroche on March 20, 2011, 06:51:19 PM
welcome crookeds,

it is like looking in the mirror;
- 3 kids
- 1 x golden retriever
- 1 x 2nd hand 12ft lifestyle

enjoy

Chris

Hey Chris,

If it's like looking in the mirror, then I hope you are a good looking bugga!

Pete

Wandering Tassie · March 21, 2011, 11:46:02 PM

Hi Pete and welcome to My swag. Good to see the family enjoying the CT.

Trevor

Snow · March 22, 2011, 07:52:29 PM

G'day crookedpete and the crooked-clan and welcome to Myswag.

timneva · March 22, 2011, 08:14:11 PM

G'day guys.

Funny stuff! My 3 kids did exactly the same first day. You should all have a ball. Nothing better than getting out there amongst it with the family.

Crookedpete · March 29, 2011, 07:34:42 PM

Photos from our second trip away (in three weeks). All having a ball. Off again this weekend.

djb955 · April 01, 2011, 01:36:53 PM

Hi Folks,

Enjoy the CT and the great outdoors. Enjoy all the memorable moments you'll have taking your chillun's to see some top spots.

cheers,

David and Sally

tonyo · April 01, 2011, 02:03:06 PM

Welcome to the Crooked Can. Looks like you;re already having a great time camping - love the pics. Keep them coming!

Cheers,
Tonyo

ralphedward · April 02, 2011, 09:46:43 PM

Enjoy it all Crooked Clan,

My kids used my camper before I did, whilst set up in the driveway (I wasn't happy 'cos I wanted to sleep in it first (I'm just a big kid with grey hair).

Luv ya tug - I had a white NP, now have a black NS (I prefer white)

Regards
Mark

waz65 · April 05, 2011, 01:41:16 PM

Quote from: Crookedpete on March 29, 2011, 07:34:42 PM
Photos from our second trip away (in three weeks). All having a ball. Off again this weekend.

Mate , where are these pics from ? if you don't mind telling looks like a top spot to visit

Crookedpete · April 05, 2011, 04:15:15 PM

Quote from: waz65 on April 05, 2011, 01:41:16 PM
Mate , where are these pics from ? if you don't mind telling looks like a top spot to visit

In order, from the beginning of the topic the photos are from

1. My driveway

2. Spring Gully Stays near Canungra
3. Charlie Moreland campsite in Imbil SF near Kenilworth.

Have just been to Sandy Creek Campin near Woodford. Had a good time there. A couple of photos follow.

Crookedpete · April 05, 2011, 10:44:13 PM

Quote from: D4D on March 19, 2011, 02:05:42 PM
..... What's on the mod list?

I'd always reckoned after a few trips away I'd quickly work out what needed modifying. But I've resisted the temptation of jumping in straight away.

After the first trip, I figured a second battery was needed, as we only got 16 hours out of the 2 year old 105 AH battery before the Waeco 50 litre dual zone fridge turned itself off.

But this last trip, by keeping the kids away from the fridge and LED lights, using a gas light a bit in the annexe at night, keeping the kids out of the fridge (and by turning the fridge voltage cut out setting from medium to low - doh), we got over 40 hours out of the battery. Did I mention keeping the kids away from the fridge? As most of our camping will be on weekends at the moment, this ought to do for a while. Doing a recondition on the battery with the new Ctek charger may have helped. So new/second battery goes down the list for the moment.

I am debating waiting until the finances allow for 2 new batteries, since I keep reading that having an old (more than say 50 deep discharges) battery and a new battery together is not ideal for the battery life of either battery.

So the next modification has to be the hitch. The standard 50 mm ball hitch only just clears the spare tyre when hitching up. The standard ball hitch also leaves little room to open the rear door of the tug. The dish-licker occasionally needs to get out for pit stops too, though she'd have a bit less trouble fitting through the available door opening if she shed a few kilo's.

So a new hitch is the first planned mod. I am currently leaning towards the Ozhitch, because it has good offroad capabilities, won't clash with the tug spare when hitching up and seems to be the lowest profile of the reputable offroad hitches on the market - meaning the rear door will now only hit the stoneguard rather the hitch! Welcome any feedback on this!

LED trailer lights might yet make the mods list too - though probably after the batteries. It seems the rig only has to drive near some dirt and I'm changing bulbs.

pete

BigJules · April 12, 2011, 10:29:53 PM

G'day & Welcome. Belatedly.

Terrific to see photos of people out there enjoying camping with their families.

Crookedpete · April 19, 2011, 09:15:51 PM

Hi Jules and thanks,

People here are crazy about pics. What is it with that anyway? So here is a few more from our latest 3 nights away at Flanagan's Reserve last weekend, including a photo of my second ever beer damper in the new - birthday present - camp oven. (First damper was cooked the night before, ended up cutting the severely blackened edges off and re-cooking the very doughy centre - greatly overestimated just how hot the camp oven was)

Pete

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