Left right, left right, attention !

January 20, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

What a great weekend! The weather was great and we had things to do.

After Fiona had finished work, we headed out to one of our favorite spots, the NZMCA park at Ardmore, a hop skip and a jump from Alex, Sarah and the Grandkids.

As always, remember to click on the images to see Hi Res.

Our friends, Rob & Helen and their daughter Chloe were heading off for a week or so to Napier and Gisborne so it was great we could pop in to Ardmore to see them off. When we arrived at about 7:30pm, they were off on a walk so they were a bit surprised to see us there when they returned as we hadn’t confirmed that we would be there.

Alex, Sarah and the boys came over after their tea and we all caught up in Rafe. Lots of fun.

The Ardmore NZMCA park is in an airfield precinct so a little noise comes with the territory, usually small planes and sometimes Helicopters.

Ardmore Park with Rob & Helens Autotrail and Rafe next door. The Cadet hall behind.

That morning, things were different. At 8am, we heard the repetitive bark of a Sergeant Major type next door in the cadet parade ground teaching St John Juniors how to march. It was quite interesting to watch too as some didn’t know the left from the right so there were some interesting moves happening.
They were all togged up in their black uniforms and looked good, some even wearing their medals. There was one trainer who forgot his black clobber and was doing it all in his Red shorts.

As Fiona said, good on him for volunteering his time on a Saturday morning but it did sort of spoil the overall look.

About 9:30, we said goodbye to Rob, Helen and Chloe and they headed off to Taupo for their trip to Hawkes Bay and beyond. We left as well and went around to Alex, Sarahs and the Grandkids for the morning and around lunchtime, headed towards one of our other favorite places, Rays Rest at Miranda. We were catching up our friends Gary and Chris who were helping other friends Mark and Tina with their first trip out in their new, second hand Motorhome.
Rays Rest is a great spot and the weather was behaving as well.

After arriving early in the afternoon, we caught up for cups of tea and later a couple of drinks and then headed off in Gary’s van down to get the fish and chips for tea from the famous Kaiaua fish and chips shop. Gary wasn’t drinking so that worked well. It was nice to see how much progress Mark had made on his motorhome as when he got it, it leaked and had quite a lot of dampness in its linings. .. now all gone. More on this in another post soon.

We had a great night together and called it quits and hit the hay.

The next morning was nice in diffused sunshine with little wind. We sat on the foreshore watching people fish and just soaked up the atmosphere.

At Rays Rest, Gary, Fiona, Tina, Chris and Mark

Gary, Chris, Tina and Mark were going to carry on to Thames and Coromandel so after lunch, we left them and headed home. A nice weekend.

Quirky things

Lego Caravan

January 18, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

A life-sized caravan gets built looking just like the real thing.

Built from 215,158 LEGO bricks, over 12 weeks by 12 clever people. Commissioned by The NCC and built by Bright Bricks, the caravan was built to celebrate 130 years of leisure caravanning.

Interior

Galley

Fridge

Running Water

Complete with running water, Eggs in a frypan, even one with a broken yoke and a fridge with Cheese in it!

Its now in the Guinness book of Records
From www.design-milk.com

Friends

Mikes Fridge upgrade

January 16, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

A week or so ago, I published Robs Fan which showed how clever people can make their European (or any fridge) perform better by simply expelling warm air from behind or in Mike’s case, circulating cool air as well.

Both are novel ways of getting much better performance and both work briliiantly.

Mike and I were at school together a hundred or so years ago and where I went on to be a newspaper photographer, Mike became a very able Gasfitter and Plumber and clever with it.

Mike recently purchased a very nice new A class Rapido from an elderly chap who imported it from Europe but due to a change in his circumstances, couldn’t keep it.

Fiona and I caught up with Mike and Wendy at Shakespeare Bay for a very nice lunch not long after they got their van. I published an article then and you can see that here.

The Rapido has a 90l Dometic fridge in it and since Mike picked it up has been very unimpressed with its performance and ability to keep things cold. After reading Robs Fan, Mike decided to sort it once and for all.

Pix by Mike. Click on them to see the detail in slideshow

A bracket to hold he fan at the top of the cooling tower

Fan in cooling tower

Twin Fans inside. Purchased off Ebay and clipped to the evaporator fins.

Wiring for the inside fan

Fan at bottom to create airflow

Bottom fan to create airflow

Separate switching for fans

Here is what he did in Mikes words.

Hi Chris

I've just finished installing three fans to to accommodate the cooling for a Dometic 8505 fridge freezer 90 l. All items were purchased from Jcar.

There are two 120 x 120 x 25mm fans fitted in the cooling tower.

The top fan is fitted 150mm below the cooling fins...connected via a 50degree temp thermostat. 
Duratech:   YX-2574
Air flow:      37 (CFM)
Current:      0.08A
Fan Speed: 1000 rpm
Noise:          20.2dBA

The bottom fan is fitted 100mm above the top of the bottom air vent...connected via a 70degree temp switch.
Duratech:    YX-2584
Air flow:       64.3 (CFM)
Current:       0.22A
Fan Speed:  1500 rpm
Noise:           25dBA

The fridge fan:
Duratech 90mm: YX-2572
Air flow:                 31.32 (CFM)
Current:                 0.13A
Fan Speed:            1500 rpm
Noise level:            20dBA

Each fan can be independently controlled by an on/off switch installed inside the motorhome.

The results:
Motorhome vents in full sun:
Ambient temp 27.1 degrees:
Fridge on setting three:
1) Even temperatures through out the fridge at 4degrees.
2) Freezer -10.7
3) On setting 5 the freezer got to -17degrees

Before I had a shit fridge...now I have a master piece.


Regards Mike.

Here is the link that Rob found with more technical stuff.

Coromandel 2016

The Pauanui Club

January 14, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

A shocking Friday’s weather left me thinking that Fiona might not be too keen to drive down to Thames after she’d finished work at 6pm.

The plan was for her to drive down to Thames, park the car at Thames and we’d go to Pauanui in Rafe to catch up with the Grandkids. She had to be back at work on Monday as the holiday period meant standing in for people away.

The rain was just relentless and although it was supposed to be finishing around 5-6 pm, one can never tell with weather forecasts!
The rain slowed around 4pm and the roads all started to dry out.
Around 8:15 odd, she arrived in Thames and we settled down for some Tv.
Saturday, the weather was looking much brighter so I parked the car and we were off to Pauanui in Rafe.

The trip through to Pauanui is virtually up, then down the other side and you end up in Pauanui or Tairua.
We stayed in an amazing ground run by the Pauanui Club. Excellent value and lovely people to deal with. For $8 a night, 4 big areas to park plus power and access to toilets and a cold shower. You also get membership of the club for a day which means you can buy a drink or two and get great meals there at reasonable rates. The park is right next to the mini golf course and you can bike ride anywhere so take your bikes.

Rafe at the club park with the mini golf behind

When we arrived, we settled Rafe down with the power and opened some vents for fresh air and jumped on the bikes to head down to the water. We arrived just in time to see son Alex and his family trying out their new Christmas Kayak. They tell me they got caught by the wind in a few inches of water in front if a queue of people and youngest grandson Liam (3) shouted out Help at the top of his voice while older grandson Ayden said “get a helicopter”!
Isn’t it funny what kids come up with.

After a nice lunch with the family, we spent a couple of hours at the Pauanui Club and then biked around to my grandchildren where other grandparents, Paul and Mary put on a fantastic Bbq tea.

The next morning, Alex biked around with Liam in a child’s seat and Ayden on his own bike and we all rode into the township “for a treat”!
Pauanui is quite a neat place. There is a airstrip where the houses are built along the side, many with hangers instead of garages, some with both.

A house with a plane outside

A plane takes off from Pauanui airfield.

House hangers

The Pauanui club

The town is completely flat so it’s a neat place to take a bike. Although we were the only Motohome at Pauanui club that night, as we left, two arrived. A fantastic place and I’m sure they be well patronised once the word gets out !

A lovely place to stay.

Coromandel 2016, My Motorhome

Nana & Poppa Bus

January 12, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

After 15 years of owning their 7m 1990 Nissan Civilian, Engineer Dave and his wife Josy are finally enjoying their now completed Motorhome.
About 10 years ago, Dave and a friend got started on the restoration of two buses, a Hino for Daves Friend and the Nissan Civilian for themselves.
After years of using it while the restoration carried on, it now looks fantastic.
Daves friend had access to a CNC router which they used to make the Matai bench top and bathroom hand basin and the results are amazing. The floor was hand made using strips of native NZ timbers put together to look like parquet flooring but a whole lot nicer.

The Galley showing the pantries opened

The swivel tv above the bed

The Helm

Looking forward

The Bedroom

The swivelling drop down TV which can be watched from anywhere. Two slide out pantries.

With the centre island bed, it is very comfortable.
I met them both at Te Mata point as we enjoyed a cold drink. It’s great to see them enjoying the results of their hard work.

They tell me that although they’ve been all over NZ, there are still nooks and crannies that they’re yet to explore.

Coromandel 2016

The Gold Town

January 10, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

I’ve just spent two great nights in the centre of Thames for free. As I first arrived, I met Dave and Janice, a retired couple from Taranaki who live in their well kitted out Caravan and were lots of fun. We were stuck inside for several hours when the heavens opened and spent it wisely having lots of laughs in their caravan. I met several other Motorhomers there too who wanted to have a look at Rafe and were keen to swap notes. Lots of fun.

The park is next to Goldfields shopping centre where there is a Warehouse, Pack N Save, McDonalds a KFC and numerous other smaller shops, everything you need. There are also a brand new toilet block and a playground as well.

Goldfields Shopping centre

Thames

Danby filed from across the road

The famous Brian Boru hotel

Marina

Shortland Wharf. The boat in the foreground was for sale!

It is one block from the Main Street of Thames, the Famous Brian Boru hotel and only a stroll to the Port of Thames and marina where I’m told is another of NZ’s great Fish and chip shops.
From a year or so ago when the Thames Coromandel district council were banning freedom camping and were being taken to court by the NZ Motorcaravan Association, it is fantastic to see a win win outcome where now, the TCDC are now one of the most proactive and better councils in NZ for providing freedom camping and managing it as well as they do. There are now great parks all over the Coromandel peninsula and it’s fantastic to see them now being enjoyed by self contained Motorhomers from everywhere.

A fabulous park, thank you and well done Thames Coromandel District Council.

Quirky things

Amazing home built Airflow

January 7, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

Check out these amazing piccies from Facebook. A home built Airflow caravan. The workmanship is extraordinary!

My Motorhome, Northland, Quirky things

Retro colour

January 5, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

While we were getting ready for New Years Eve, I couldn’t help but notice and amazing retro looking Mercedes based motorhome on the other side of the park.
It was built in Germany as a Micro Supreme branded Motorhome.

Brian, Kim and their daughter Maddie and the Mercedes.

Owned by Brian and Kim from Auckland, they bought this two years or so ago and it became Brian’s project do up. The Mercedes D307’s are really popular in Europe as delivery, courier vans and small trucks and enjoy a great reputation as reliable runners and Brian was saying, he has no problem getting parts for it. All he has done mechanically was put in a bigger radiator which is apparently a must do for motorhoming. It also has a real “unimog” look to the front of it which I think reveals its Mercedes truck DNA.

Inside, well all I can say is what a great job they’ve done. New toilet and shower area and a new galley area. The minute you walk in, you get this amazing feeling of big volume. Brian has done amazing things with a TV/ sound station including a server for movies, a wifi router and a pop out Tv station in the awning area.

A great achievement by them both, a nice van and although at 1988 it is not really that old, the improvements that they made are amazing and it was nice to see them enjoying Sullivan’s Bay in the sun with friends and family.

Great Beaches, Northland

One of Aucklands best parks

January 4, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 5 Comments

Our friends Rob And Helen have stayed here regularly and really recommended it as a great place to stay so we booked in a few weeks before Christmas for two nights.

A wonderful place and this would have to be one of Auckland City Parks better camping spots. On the western side of Mahurangi Harbour almost opposite Scotts Landing, there is a beautiful beach and the foreshore is divided into several areas. There is a general camping ground, for those that need water, toilets and rubbish collection. There is a self contained camping area (where we stayed) and there is parking for day trippers.

Fiona on the beach

The info centre at Sullivan’s

Rob and Helens AutoTrail and Rafe with Fiona off to the beach

Fiona walking on the beach,. Looking towards Scotts landing

The tidy up before the rain came down

In a past lifetime when I was Launch Captain and on the Classic Yacht Association committee, we used to come up in Rorqual for the Anniversary Regatta and organise and help arrange the launch racing from this bay. We often anchored in here too. I remember a dreary day in Sullivan’s with the rain pouring down watching DVDs in Rorquals front cabin with my mate Alan while waited for other boats to arrive from Auckland. Being here in a Motorhome and seeing how well set up it is from a motoring perspective leaves me with a much greater appreciation of how good it is, despite the worsening weather.
The New Year’s Eve forecast wasn’t good and during the day, the wind steadily increased. There were a couple hardy souls anchored out there today but they sensibly moved on given the 20 odd knots blowing in here now.

By 5pm, we’d moved around the back of Rob and Helens van for the start of our New Years Eve celebrations. We were joined by John and Heather who we met in winter at Miranda when they were enjoying their first night in their 7m plus Trail lite which they had just bought. It was nice to see them again.
We barbecued tea and sat outside out of the wind before the clean up started about 8ish and before it rained. A great night in a nice park with good company.
Later: The forecast has got worse so rather than risk being blown off the ridge road by predicted 50knot winds, we’ve booked to stay another night and hunker down.
I couldn’t think of a better place to be.😎

Great Beaches, Northland

Water all around

January 3, 2016 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

After a few nights up by Tutukaka, we decided to splash out for a day in Whangarei.
We parked in the town centre Motorhome parking and checked in at one if the restaurants overlooking the marina for lunch. It cost a wee bit more than a bread roll but it was very pleasant for an hour or two.
After getting back to Rafe, we thought we’d check into a Motorcamp for the night.
Our friends Gary and Chris had talked about a neat park along the northern side of Whangarei harbour which was on a peninsula almost surrounded by water so we though we’d give it a go.

The owner was very helpful and after a short guided tour of the park, we popped Rafe into our hole for the night. I was amazed when Fiona tried the TV to see that we had a reception given we were half under trees. The park was busy and very full.
I went for a walk with the camera to try and illustrate where we were. The park was built up with a wooden retaining wall all around to protect it from the sea.

The end of the peninsula looking towards Marsden Point

A great spot with a fabulous host. It was a wee bit on the pricey side at $59, but given it was peak summertime and everywhere else was full, top marks to the owner for being a good entrepreneur and such a nice guy to go with it.

Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.

	Phyl Binney on An amazing Little Town Called…
	freelygeneral1a93899… on Over the Hill to Woodville
	Warmenhj on Over the Hill to Woodville
	Kath Ingram on Heading South for the New Year

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Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.