Hi all,
My name is Matt. I'm 33, or 34...something around there anyway. I've worked a number of jobs including mountain bike/snowboard shop manager, web master, snowboard instructor, brickie, concretor, and now IT analyst. Aside from the obvious, I also enjoy snowboarding, freeride/enduro mountain biking, photography, fishing and the occasional bottle of red, white, amber, and gold
I've been meaning to join this forum for some time now. Being that the wife and I are now starting to give more serious consideration to purchasing a camper I thought now was the time to sign up. Not just for the wealth of information here, but for what I could already tell was a great on and offline community!
I've been camping since as far back as I can remember. I have memories I cherish from my childhood of times spent camping on the Mornington peninsula during the school holidays for weeks on end, sunburn and locust plagues during summers in Yarrawonga, and hiking Halls Gap back when there were very little safety barriers anywhere. I spent the later years of my childhood in Canada where we had a 33ft caravan on the French River in Ontario but also tent camped a lot. I can still remember the first time I heard all sorts of noise outside my tent and looked out to see a dozen pairs of eyes belonging to as many skunks and raccoons going through the garbage we'd left out that night!
My wife and I have been tent campers up until now, spending most of our time exploring the Vic high country, Gippsland region, the Otways, and the coast anywhere we can. We rented our first camper trailer over Melbourne Cup weekend this year and as my wife will be happy to tell you, 'are never going back' to tents. We plan to rent a few different makes, models, and styles before deciding which one we'll be purchasing.
We get away in our 2002 4.8L Patrol with the 5-speed auto box on dual fuel. It's lifted 50mm, has 33in KM2's on 16in black steelies, extractors, exhaust, ARB winch bar, steel roof rack, 50L Waeco, Garmin topo, and other goodies. My favorite trip so far was the single vehicle trek my brother and I did from Mansfield to Dargo via the Pinnacles and Billy Goats Bluff. I will be a truly 'happy camper' when I arrive home after completing the Big Lap (one day!).
Anyway, I think that about does it. I look forward to my time here (of which I think there will be a lot as I'm in front of a pc all day!), hopefully offering advice where I can, and possibly meeting some of you in the offline world!
Cheers,
Matt
