Around Oz the First Time - Chapter 101 - Traps for Young Players

I started this chapter as a chronicle of the things we ran into, we were simply supposed to know as we headed off on our first Grey Nomad experience, but it has morphed into so much more. Like most things these days, you are simply expected to know. Our van is the perfect example.

We had about an hour of explanation, rushing from this to that. We videoed as much as we could, but that wasn’t much help. Spending a couple of days parked outside the home of the Missing Link was only marginally better, as we relied on them too much. We needed to be out there, experiencing firsthand what could go right, and of course what could go wrong.

Even now as I think back, I suspect we have not run into all the “problems” we perhaps could have endured, and as they pop their ugly heads at us, we will endure them, and go back to enjoying this great country. Travelling in a group, certainly mitigated the frustration and the loneliness factors at the time. Nomads are easy people to get along with, there is always someone to help, as long as you are willing to talk to people. Paying it forward is a concept I think is instilled in all Grey Nomads. At times we helped people and they offered to pay us for our time, each time we graciously declined suggesting they be willing to help the next person in trouble.

Certainly, I had the same experience with the engine oil for the generator, finally only being able to suggest to my friend, it was for a couple of beers further down the track, we could have, with us in absentia.

Back to the format. It is not as simple as just plonking a caravan on a ball and driving off. The Missing Link was at great pains to ensure we considered some very important factors, some which were alarming, once we got into the proper research, particularly the weight issues, none of which the caravan or vehicle retailers highlighted at purchase. In fact, the caravan retailer was at pains to suggest they were not even able to hook the van up for us the first time, as it would become their responsibility if something went wrong, which I find a difficult notion to understand.

We, therefore, were able to hook up a van to our Cruiser, oblivious to whether we were overweight or not, and the consequences that might bring, and I suspect we were at the time (making our insurance null and void) and drive off. So, who is the negligent one now? The Cruiser retailer for not reminding us, that with the bull bar, the tow package and the shelving in the boot, we had only about 300kgs of play, including the weight of the driver and passengers, before we put the van on the ball or was it the caravan retailer who during negotiations, should have highlighted the potential of a weight issue at the ball, factoring into the total GVM of the Cruiser, even though as a total rig we were well under the total GVM. Was it our fault for not knowing what we should have known, but has never been highlighted in any driving tests we may have previously done?

Perhaps there should be a different level of licensing for those towing vans, which deals with hook up, breaking (assisted or otherwise), corners and the like. We were lucky, we had the Missing link to get us through those “hairy” events, but even then, we missed things as he glossed through things that are second nature to him, and worse, we relied on the fact, he and his wife were coming with us on this first trip.

Little did we know the issues he was going to have with his van.

Preparation is everything, but even then, the best prepared may not be ready for what life and the road throws at them. If there was only one thing, we learnt from the Missing Link, it was, panic not. You are effectively driving a “big rig”, everyone else can look after themselves. Speed limits are posted on signs, but many, particularly those over 100kph, do not apply to caravans, as their limit in most states is 100kph. If you find you have a long line of vehicles behind you, then you can always pull over and let them pass, while you are having a cup of tea. In fact, there are times when we have seen frustrated drivers do silly things because a van driver would not “pay forward” and consider others on the road.

On roads like the Lakes Way at Forster, there are pull off zones for slow vehicles to allow others to pass. USE THEM. The others on our trip even decided that slowing in overtaking lanes to ensure as many drivers as possible got around was also a very good idea, too many times we would come up behind slower vehicles only to have them speed up on the overtaking lanes. Don’t add to the frustration of others, remember we as Grey Nomads are on perpetual holidays and have all the time in the world, and you never know, you may just be saving a life with your actions.

One of the simpler things we learned was to ensure that where possible the load was even. We even went to the added measure of having airbags fitted into the rear springs of the Cruiser to assist the Electronic Lurch System technology. On the ride into Coffs Harbour the need of having these set correctly was borne out. Down hill and under brakes the van was almost uncontrollably with one of the bags insufficiently filled. From the moment we rectified this silly error we had a much less stressful drive.

We would get to a site and put the legs down and jack up the van. We were very quickly shown the benefits of having the legs pointed out only to the first potential offset spot, which gave a much larger benefit of stability in the van. We also were given a drill bit, which replaced the hand winder, which also made the job of setting up an easier process.

There was the perennial struggle whilst free camping to ensure we had enough power. The inverter is only for 240-volt products – if you have 12-volt stuff you don’t need it and you will preserve battery at free camps. Thankfully our rookie mistakes here we backed up with a petrol generator. The lesson we got in Broome when we finally had the solar looked at by a professional, was invaluable. When free camping, stay away from trees, as any shade impairs the efficiency of all the solar panels on the roof, Park East/West with a 15 degree offset to compensate for any shade that may be cast by your air conditioning unit and give the greatest time in the light boosting your battery storage.

This then leads to ensuring you power up phones and computers while the sun is shining so the inverter does not reduce battery reserves for the essential night-time requirements. We ensured we had 12-volt adapters for the C-Pap machine before we left to ensure as little as possible was drained from the battery during the night.

Free camping of course water is key. We had two, ninety litre general water tanks in the van plus a 60-litre drinking water tank, but always carried two extra jerry cans full of water as well. There was a time when we had to delve into the reserves, but not because we had run out, it was more that Forbsy was having issues with the water pumps and could not access any water while we were at Spring Creek free camp.

Until they change the law you don’t have to go into a weight checking station unless you are a bus or truck as long as your GVM < 8 tonne. This goes back to the comments about weight issues. Fully fueled and with full water tanks we were probably just over our total GVM and we never inspected during our trip. We did however hear horror stories of impounded vans and large fines issued to Grey Nomads. There were times as well, where our minds boggled, knowing what we knew about our own weight issues, at what people were willing to carry, flaunting the law, or simply blissfully ignorant. Ignorance is no defence.

One thing the Missing Link said to us before we set off, drive as if you are the only person on the road and not try and compensate for other’s needs – as opposed to their wants. A big rig like ours does not react quickly to either acceleration or braking. While we often would assist drivers in getting past, we rarely looked to drive, faster than we wanted. Our speed tended to be something approaching 100kph, usually in a 110kph zone or in Northern Territory 130kph, which meant there always seemed to be someone behind us.

What we did do as a group was to slow down when we got to overtaking lanes to ensure as many cars got past us on the hills.

The van swaying is unnerving, and the flight or fight response is to brake, which I found only exacerbated the issue. If possible, when the van sways – accelerate. It sounds Irish, but I found it works. If it happens too often, find out why, are you going too fast for the conditions, or have you inadvertently misloaded, or do you have a tyre leak, all potential enhancements of the sway of a van.

One bad swaying incident forced the emergency gear into lock down. Sometimes a hard boot is required and will reset the safety gear. We pulled over, turned everything off, and even unplugged the van from the Cruiser, took a walk around the van and Cruiser to ensure there wasn’t another reason for the lock up, then started and we were all OK.

The day into Penong when we hit that amazing headwind and accompanying dust storm, it became all too hard. Don’t fight the wind – stay another day. Although this was not an option because of the breakdowns, the Penong weather made it almost impossible to continue, and to continue would have seen fuel consumption rates off the charts.

Remember the van is much wider than the car. I came unstuck at Wyong on one of our try out runs when I attempted to get close enough to the boom gate keypad, only to find I could not get the van past it. Luckily, I stopped before any damage was done to either the van or the boom gate. After that Robyn from the passenger seat, always got out and opened boom gates to ensure we had plenty of clearance.

Most vans cut corners as well. On our van we have a “Do not overtake a turning vehicle” which allows you on tight turns to drift into the lane away from the corner, assuming you have available space, and drivers behind should not try to duck in under you as you turn into the corner. Roundabouts are also tricky, as their sharpness does not leave a lot of room for corner cutting.

We found that on the longer trips we would get sleepy, more so that our companions. They suggested the use of the flow through ventilation, rather than, as we had it, on the recirculating setting. The recirculating will use all the available oxygen and make you sleepy. Of course, if dust or smoke is evident close it up

These are just a few tips we picked up along the way. They may sound like common sense, and they are, but there are times when we sense that is not very common.

Great wandering everyone.