Simple camping tips & ideas.

Two others:

my light stand consists of a carpenters 200mm clamp (Supercheap $3) into the bar of which I drilled 3 x 4mm holes and used small nuts and bolts (M3) to attach a piece of light wood about 5' long and 25mm x 10mm. The top of the wood (the end opposite to the clamp) has a small hook screwed into it.

The clamp attaches this assembly to my camp table and from the hook I hang my 12V fluro light thus providing light without shadows exactly where I need it when cooking. The clamp assembly is not strong enough for my Coleman dual fuel lamp but works perfectly with low weight electrical ones.

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Gas fridges need to be LEVEL to work properly so I keep a 150mm $2 shop spirit level inside mine for that purpose. To level the fridge I have two wedges which I cut from a piece of soft timber about 75mm long x 50mm high x 20mm wide. I saw through the block on a diagonal line and, hey presto! two wedges :) Trouble is I keep forgetting to pick them up when I put the fridge back in the vehicle (up to about my sixth set by now) - so if you find a softwood wedge in the bush you'll know Harding was there :)

Mike Harding

While I’m at it:

Liquid soap for hand washing – easier than bar soap

If I’m in one spot for a week or more and it’s summer I’ll usually take a screen house to cook and eat in to keep the flies off. These normally have zipped doors and it’s a pain zipping and unzipping every time I go in/out so I use one of those fly “curtains” instead: a plastic bar at the top and loads of plastic strips hanging to the ground – fixed to the screen house frame with a couple of bits of wire.

My queen size self inflating mattress is a devil to roll up to a small size so I use a Coleman high speed airbed inflating pump in reverse to suck air out of the mattress as I roll it. To ensure a seal between the pump and the mattress value I found a sink plug which nicely fitted into the valve then bored a hole through it which was slightly smaller than the pump nozzle – forced the pump into the sink plug and the plug into the mattress valve and it seals well.

Two or three small 7Ah batteries (Jaycar cat #SB2486 $20) are much more convenient for shower, lights etc than taking lots of wiring back to the vehicle. They can be easily charged with a simple lead to connect them to the cig. lighter socket. Just do a direct connection.

My camp “coffee table” is a piece of marine plywood about 3’ x 2’ which sits on top of a plastic box I pack my “dirty” stuff into. Takes up almost no room in the vehicle and is a very useful flat surface in camp.

Persuading damp wood to burn can be a problem. I use a mixture of old sump oil (old works better than new!?) and kerosene 50/50, about half a cup per fire. Ensure you put some paper (a tissue is good) in the middle of the fire and pour some of the mixture onto it but most onto the wood. Light the paper and enjoy a great fire :)

Mike Harding

mike_harding@fastmail.fm

Mike I have a bottle of liquid soap taped to my spare wheel carrier. Easy to access. Also have some liquid soap and water in an old dishwashing liquid bottle which is great for washing hands and also the dishes. Don't need any extra water to rinse either.
Also those of you who carry water fire extinguishers, add a couple of table spoons of dishwashing liquid to the extinguisher next time you fill it, and you will be amazed in the increased efficiency of your water and it's ability to extinguish a fire.

mate
its best to burn the paper - wild animals pigs dingos foxes etc did up human waste and the paper blows everywhere - which is why toilet paper litters so many wilderness camp spots
seee you greg

Hi Guys
There is a way to post feedback and ideas into every article and topic posted on the site.
eg http://www.exploroz.com/OntheRoad/Etiquette/TravelEtiquette.aspx#Send_Feedback

As you notice we do listen to your ideas and it is quite possible to create a readers tips Index page (Its just the time to do it) but It would have to be tagged onto the end of a long list of ideas we are already implementing and David would need to Ok it.

If you look around the site is very interactive, you can post feedback on Road Conditions Trek Notes.
Another great feature - you can add Points Of Interest (POI) free camps, mountains, roadhouses, crossings, etc etc and Post Photos of all the POI's in the Places Search Index.
Good ideas everybody

cheers
Kerry W

"I once read somewhere, "any mug can be uncomfortable in the bush". "

That would be my signature line - and it is a genuine quote from a old fencing contractor I met the Miles campground in Queensland at 4:00am. It was a freezing night and I had been driven out of my tent by the cold and was walking around to warm up. He was down in the creek bed next a blazing fire and invited me down for a cuppa. We spent the next 2 hours yarning (well him talking and me listening!)

It was all time well spent.

Cheers

Pete

Very good Pete, now I know where I saw it.

If camping is uncomfortable, well, why would you do it?

The concept of suffering whilst on holiday is not appealing to me, or more importantly 'er indoors.

ATB,

Jim.

You forgot to add Aldi beer mate....hahahaha

Thanks for that one Julie. I always use to take a wine glass but I broke so many over the years on the rough stuff that I gave up and resorted to plastic wine glasses - just not the same, I agree. I'll try the stubby holder.

Mike Harding