On the show this week we are still in the wonderful town of Lightning Ridge.
Phill chats with Judy and David who are responsible for the Option RV Owners Group Facebook page.
Judy is the administrator, and the group was formed back in 2016. The lady who started the group was sitting on her verandah and decided to start up the group as she owned an Option RV van, but handed over the reins when there was only 80 people in the group. Now the group has over 1400 members.
Most people join up from word and mouth and also seeing the wonderful vans on the road. Judy and David currently own the Tornado van. There are 105 people at the Lightning Ridge gathering, and David is the events co-ordinator. They normally have catered events but because Lightning Ridge is a bit more remote this one is bring your own. The floods have hindered this event a little but most people have managed to get through with the floods. Its a family oriented event so kids can join in, its also dog friendly and also suitable for the disabled. Weather permitting they are having a bare foot bowls day and a tour to the Chamber of the Black Hand and a convey to the pub in the scrub.
Past events have been in South East Queensland but this year have ventured over the boarder into NSW. 2020 was cancelled due to Covid, 2021 Queenslanders could not get into NSW because of Covid, so this year its on. Keep your ears open for next years event posted in January on the Facebook page.
They now have 1400 members on the page, to find it visit Option RV Caravan Owners Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups
Still in Lightning Ridge Phill chats with Barbara from the Lightning Ridge Opal Centre. Barbara takes us through some of the interesting things featured, there are also fossils and bones of dinosaurs on display. The Australian Opal Centre houses the world’s leading collection of opalized fossils and is building a magnificent collection of precious opal, cultural artefacts, artworks, photographs, archival and research materials. Currently in progress is a new two storey building.
The complex will contain magnificent permanent exhibitions, education and learning facilities, a cinema, gallery spaces, a spectacular opal vault, research library, scientific laboratory and underground gardens.
100 metres long and two storeys deep, the Australian Opal Centre building will use a combination of ancient and cutting-edge modern technologies to provide its own energy, water, light and fresh air – without being connected to mains power or water. Checkout the website for more information. http://www.australianopalcentre.com/
Once again we have our regular on the show Jeff DeAth and he talks about caravan sway and what are some of the causes.
Caravans sway sometimes because of the connection, either the car or the van. The weight on the rear axel of the car could be the issue, sometimes you have draws, a canopy, fridges in the back of the car, so too heavy on the rear axel and too light at the front. Its a good idea to have both car and van weighed. With the caravan move things around so they are not all on the one side of the van, also having to much weight on the draw bar or a box on the back of the van.
- Ensure your tow ball weight is not too light.
- Make sure most of your weight is over the axles, rather than the front and rear of your caravan.
- Tow with your caravan with your water tanks full.
- Select the correct tyre pressure based on how you are loaded.
- Reduce your speed! Remember in NSW the speed when towing is 100km’s
