tumbleweed the extended australia trip

[diggerdickson]

Your a sad sad little troll and you have my pity. English classes aren't hard to find though I'm sure if you don't need to read then you may get by in life

[diggerdickson]

We have moved on from Mount Gambier to spend a week or two in Naracoorte. Both Tracy and I have decided to really take advantage of the limestone coast and we will spend a bit of time teaching our kids about the caves, the effects of the sun on the blue lake at Mount Gambier, the local aboriginals and their history plus what it means to have an international world heritage listing. In another few days we are either heading to Bordertown or Murray Bridge.

[diggerdickson]

New fins im using as the front set for my quad. I have finally been able to settle on the right set after much mucking around. It took me two years as I have played with the 4s system with the cant at different angles and the toe in adjustments. Now I have my small wave set for quads, my larger wave set for quads and a thruster set for when she is quite hollow.

I know fins make all the difference but I am just blown away by how much of a difference they make. Every surf Im learning new stuff about boards and I don't think I will ever get to the stage when I think I know enough. If I do it will be time to go back on medication I think.

[diggerdickson]

as above

[gcuts]

Digger, what do you mean by "the cant at different angles and the toe in adjustments"?

Have you been riding the board with different fin cant angle and toe in on each side? Like an asymmetrical type of set up?

[diggerdickson]

Good to see you're still truckin Digger. Just caught up on your last few months.

Are those amenity less camp grounds so expensive because you are in a van/bus rather than just a tent? It seems to make a fair difference in NSW.

yes mate, plus most charge extra for the kids, even if its five bucks extra for a kid, that adds another ten bucks plus we like to pick a place and stay a week unless it really sucks, so that's an extra seventy bucks. I cant justify that as we don't need power, water, or toilets unless the town doesn't have a dump point. Some places charge us double as we take up two spots due to length, so we just skip those towns. Its the same so far everywhere apart from showgrounds. The showground at Naracoorte is real good, short walk to town, shops, dump point, a good price at only twenty bucks a night. That price includes power, water and toilet if we need it.

Im cutting out some rust from the bus this week and doing some running repairs on furniture so might see out easter then move on.

Matticus, hows the shaping going, don't hear much on there anymore from the forum here. Its almost like all the backyarders have stopped now which is a shame. I miss shaping heaps and when I stop travel Im gonna get back into it, though that may be five years away.

[diggerdickson]

Digger, what do you mean by "the cant at different angles and the toe in adjustments"?

Have you been riding the board with different fin cant angle and toe in on each side? Like an asymmetrical type of set up?

Hey bloke. To answer your question the 4ws allows your to use either four degree cant, six degree cant plugs (which is the angle the fins are from the bottom of the board. If I haven't explained that well maybe someone may be able to explain it better) I think you may be able to get two degree and eight but I may be wrong there.

I have tested the four degree (yellow inserts) and have found that for small waves, with the smaller fins, it feels like it pivots better, gives more drive. Since I mainly ride my board as a quad im totally sold on using four degree on small days. The 4ws also allows you to play with the toe in angle on the fins, what I did was set it to almost straight up the board parallel with the stringer, then started moving it bit by bit until I settled on what I have now. Each time I moved the toe in I left it for a while and tested it as much as I could. I learnt heaps with this.

For the bigger surf I use the six degree cant (red plugs), bigger fins as well in the front set up. The toe in stays the same. When as a thruster I will sick to the six degree cant as well.

I also have a set of Garcia fins and a small moon fin. Im keen to try the Garcia fins as a twin fin set up with the moon fin at the back just for fun in small surf, will try that on the four degree cant just to see what happens. Why not I say.

[swvic]

I know you are going to score wherever you are now that the weather has gone autumnal, but like we knew, you left and the surf turned on. I've surfed Pelicans at 4 - 6 ft where I got the longest hold down I've had for 5 years. The place I took you has had some pretty good waves as has most everywhere

Don't recognise the name of the guy you mentioned at Japs, but I think he may have used an alias. Big guy, long blonde hair? If him, he's a passionate man (occasionally misguidedly so) who doesn't always get along with others. I've never had a problem with him, but know a few who have

[diggerdickson]

I know you are going to score wherever you are now that the weather has gone autumnal, but like we knew, you left and the surf turned on. I've surfed Pelicans at 4 - 6 ft where I got the longest hold down I've had for 5 years. The place I took you has had some pretty good waves as has most everywhere

Don't recognise the name of the guy you mentioned at Japs, but I think he may have used an alias. Big guy, long blonde hair? If him, he's a passionate man (occasionally misguidedly so) who doesn't always get along with others. I've never had a problem with him, but know a few who have

Your killing me swvic. Haven't seen the coast since I left. Will catch it just before nullabour and then around catcus and Esperance. Hopefully will have my new stick.

I truly hope some realsurf guys get to see your coast as there mad if they don't. If I win lotto I'm buying around d pelicans, love it there, the people, ahh, its the vibe of the place.

I can't wait to do some whale watching on the bite as I will be in the right season heading across. I hope to have a sony action cam to film some stuff and maybe use to get some better pics of the surf.

If anyone is at cactus around June let me know.

[diggerdickson]

And no the guy didn't have blonde hair. I had no probs with his reaction. The more I've thought about it the more I realise that the council has to change to stop the backpackers. What the answer is can be debated. I have my ideas but it doesn't mean I'm right

[diggerdickson]

Anymore pics of pelicans ??

[swvic]

Now I'm really at a loss - blonde guy was the only one I could think of who might be keeping the environmental gate in the dead of night. There was another, but he moved to the NSW Sth coast a few years back

Cactus and Esperence at this time of year - it's you who's doing the killing. Best wishes to all on the bus

Oh, I didn't tell you I surfed vicco's longest point wave last Thursday. The wind wasn't quite right, but fcuk me, it's a quality setup. I aim to surf it as much as I can this year. Weekends are out due to the numbers, so I'll see how the work/life balance is able to treat me

[swvic]

Anymore pics of pelicans ??

No, but when I paddled in, the tow partner of the guy in the pic was checking it. He didn't go out. Think it was too small for him to bother

[swvic]

Matticus, it could sometimes be now or might be well into May

When I surfed the point mentioned ^, there was a 30 knot westerly with rain squalls coming through every half hour or so. Plenty in the water were wearing hoods. I was spewing I didn't have mine as the rain was stinging my head

Since then we've had some sensational warm days with offshore winds. Although those days are great, the nights are usually still with lots of moisture in the air which makes for a chilly night in a tent. Would I do it? Fcuk, yes. If you could be flexible with the timing to a favourable forecast, that's the way to go. Come on down

[swvic]

Oh, I've just heard that the Vicco govt. has gone back to free camping in the National Parks. They're even refunding fees already paid by Easter campers and honouring bookings to boot. It's a win for you, digger. Hopefully it hasn't changed by the time you come back

[rmb]

Oh, I didn't tell you I surfed vicco's longest point wave last Thursday. The wind wasn't quite right, but fcuk me, it's a quality setup. I aim to surf it as much as I can this year. Weekends are out due to the numbers, so I'll see how the work/life balance is able to treat me

It's on my list but same as you wont be a weekend.

[diggerdickson]

I will be back swvic, Will prob do the full circuit and then head down east coast again on my way to Tassie. Hopefully next circuit score some better waves and get to have a surf down Merimbula way as well as lucked out last time. Want to be able to catch up with josh one day as well.

[diggerdickson]

My family have been camped up at Mundulla Sports oval for a few days now. We are sitting out Easter here and keeping away from

the roads. Once easter is over we will hit the road again and head toward Murray Bridge.

Mundulla is a fantastic little country town in SA. I would definitely place it in my top 3 country towns for sure.

It has a population of only 150, this is important to remember as I start to prattle on a bit about the place.

When we pulled up at the sports ground we noticed how green the grass was. On the way in the whole country side was just a brown desert, it reminded use both of the Adelaide Hills in the middle of summer and we wondered why you would bother fighting the sun to farm here.

Yet in Mundulla it seemed like a little Oasis. They reckon it rains her plenty, mmmm.

The town is tiny. I mean there is a pub here, and a general store, that's it, there is nothing else, oh yer, the general store also backs up as the post office.

There is the sports ovals. A beautiful green Hockey Field. A designated camping area with a few power sites, honesty box with a cost of fifteen bucks a night. There is no water, no shower, but bloody clean toilets. For the price its a bit pricy as no showers, no water, most move on to seek greener pastures. We have stayed and there is a reason for this.

The whole town turns up for footy practice. The juniors and seniors train on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Adjacent to the lush green football field is the playground which is a kids paradise. There is even the old style wooden sea saws, magical I tell ya, just pure magical. So on practice nights there will be kids playing in the park whilst the bbq is running. Some just come to watch the boys train as well. The standard aint that high, but according to some locals here a few of the lads have gone on to bigger and better things with port and that other SA side.

On Wen nights the netball courts are packed, again the kids from the town come down in force for the playground.

The whole place is so community focused on the sports fields that it is just engrossing to see it play out.

I asked about crime and drugs in the town and wether the old man I was talking to had his head in the clouds or not his reply is there is no real problem here at all. Plenty of work as the meat works at bordertown is only 20 kms away and the sports oval provides for the community. In the streets the kids carry there footballs everywhere. The two football clubs of bordertown and Mundulla have a hatred for each other that nearly matches the mighty Bears and that other club that prances around in the maroon uniform with that silly bird attached to it. Both towns turn out to the local derby every year and I wish I could be here for it.

There is no greenkeeper here, all the work needed doing to keep the place in tip top condition is all volunteer work. The sports ovals are just plush.

Yup, I happily pay my fifteen bucks a night knowing my money is spent upkeeping this wonderful facility which has brought a community together and made it strong. Mundulla has a lot to teach and a great story to tell for those that want to hear it.

Ahh country Australia. I just love it.......