California Club Meet Dorset Cali Meet , Highlands End Bridport - 16-18 March

[T6 CFO]

Likewise staying put. Snowman completion later is the most likely entertainment.

Mike

 

[SimonB]

Very posh!!
I'm just expecting the butler to walk in....stay warm

We gave the butler the evening off, in case he got snowed in☺

 

[Gazellio]

On Facebook Highlands End Page...

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https://www.facebook.com

 

[Gazellio]

Well done to those that stayed on I had no choice but to go home not related to the weather. Good to meet lots of Cali Cubber's

 

[Ocean Spirit]

On Facebook Highlands End Page...

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https://www.facebook.com

Link isn't working for me.

 

[El Greco]

We are staying too. Winter wonderland in mid March

 

[Borris]

More to the point, why has somone got a trailer for a 2 day meet

And why not? No one's asking you to take one.

Whilst I don't use it for touring, a trailer is very useful for those occasions where you drive to a meet and stay for several days.
The advantages are:
1. When not in use, it stays in the garage (fully stocked with all the camping equipment including the bulky drive away awning). This is very useful if you use your van for all sorts of other uses as we do with our Beach.
2. When driving you don't notice that it's there.
3. When on site, instead of having to sit amongst all of your stuff you can stick anything you don't need in the secure, dry, locked trailer.
4. You can store wet clothing and muddy boots in there, out of the elements.
5. It has a flat top so is very useful for picnics and outdoor entertaining in nice weather.
6. The flat top also makes it easy to fold up items like the Cali topper, the Comfort awning sides, windscreen covers etc without them getting muddy on the ground.
7. You can buy them with up to four lockable bike racks fitted on top. I don't like those towel rails stuck to the back door.
8. You could even sun bathe on it, if that's what you do.
9. Having the trailer enables us to take the necessary stuff to entertain our Cali friends in comfort. You can only ever get four or five in a Cali whilst we have had fourteen in our drive away awning/tent. The alternative when the weather is bad is for everyone to go to ground and hide away in their own vans which you could do anywhere. Surely Cali meets are more about meeting people rather than our Calis?
10. If it's raining (or snowing) when you leave the site you can just bundle up your wet drive away awning, other wet accessories, clothing, walking boots etc and throw it all into the trailer. Sort them all out when you get home. So there's no need to have a whole lot of soggy things in the Cali with you.
11. It allows the maximum use of the Calis interior space by all occupants whilst traveling and remember that some of us have up to seven seats not just four.

Disadvantages:
1. Reversing, but only if you don't know how. In that case remove the trailer first.
2. It can occasionally be more difficult to find a suitable parking space.
3. Cost of purchase.

So to conclude, they are not compulsory but extremely useful.

 

[Bill R]

And why not? No one's asking you to take one.

Whilst I don't use it for touring, a trailer is very useful for those occasions where you drive to a meet and stay for several days. The advantages are:
1. When not in use, it stays in the garage (fully stocked with all the camping equipment including the bulky drive away awning). This very useful if you use your van for all sorts of other uses as we do with our Beach.
2. When driving you don't notice that it's there.
3. When on site, instead of having to sit amongst all of your stuff you can stick anything you don't need there and then in the secure dry locked trailer.
4. You can store wet clothing and muddy boots and clothing in there out of the elements.
5. It has a flat top so is very useful for picnics and outdoor entertaining in nice weather.
6. The flat top also makes it easy to fold up items like the Cali topper, the Comfort awning sides, windscreen covers etc without them getting getting muddy on the ground.
7. You can buy them with lockable bike racks fitted on top. I don't like those towel rails stuck to the back door.
8. You could even sun bath on it if that's what you do.
9. Having the trailer enables us to take the necessary stuff to entertain our Cali friends in comfort. You can only ever get four or five in a Cali whilst we have had fourteen in our party tent. The alternative when the weather is bad is for everyone to go to ground and hide in their own vans. Not the sort of thing to make a Cali meet memorable.
Disadvantages:
1. Reversing but only if you don't know how.
2. It can occasionally be more difficult to find a suitable parking space.
3. Cost of purchase.

So to conclude, they are not compulsory but extremely useful.

You did a great promotion a pitch there, I think I Want one now !

 

[Ady77]

I think once you start talking trailers you may as well become a caravanner as you lose all the freedom the Cali is made for like nipping down narrow lanes and passes, pulling over for a cuppa in a small remote car park, going to the supermarket market and finding a space big enough, stopping off at a tourist attraction and having to find two spaces instead of one,lower speed restrictions. I could go on as I used to be a tugger and know how restrictive towing is.

 

[Borris]

I think once you start talking trailers you may as well become a caravanner as you lose all the freedom the Cali is made for like nipping down narrow lanes and passes, pulling over for a cuppa in a small remote car park, going to the supermarket market and finding a space big enough, stopping off at a tourist attraction and having to find two spaces instead of one, speed restrictions. I could go on as I used to be a tugger and know how restrictive towing is.

We are only taking about a small trailer here. None of the above are really strong limiting factors with the exception of the
speed limit. For us at least sticking to 60mph is no real issue either.

 

[Gazellio]

The are so many if & buts in Motor-homing its fair to say there is no actual answer as its very much each to their own IMHO.

 

[WelshGas]

Made it to Chertsey despite the plonkers intent on overtaking the traffic in the inside lane, who are proceeding safely, they use the snow covered outside lane in a hale of slush and then wonder why people won’t let them in when the road narrows to one lane.

 

[Carissa]

Yep we made it home too, roads weren't too bad.
Thank you guys for making us feel so welcome on our first ever meet. Most impressed with @Boris' party tent, amazing cooking feats and candleabras! So I for one think the trailer's gotta be a good thing!
Lovely campsite, lovely vans, lovely people. Hope to meet more of you next time

 

[2into1]

@Carissa , I meant to take a note of who did your graphics (from your rear doors) but forgot. Can you let me know? Cheers

 

[Carissa]

No problem it was done by Sign Express 023 923 83821

 

[CampervanTime]

Lovely to meet some of you, hopefully more next time we are on a meet.

Thank you to all the organisers, great job and very welcoming.

We left at about 9ish and the A35 to Doncaster was very 'interesting' in places, a few hills were very white and we nearly had to stop at the bottom of a long drop and consider just setting up camp there! We thought we'd give it a go and managed to get up the other side. Bring on our own van with all weather tyres!!

Got back to Leicestershire after about 4hrs 40 of driving, slushy snow everywhere.

Very memorable, great site, great photos.

Thanks everyone

 

[WelshGas]

Lovely to meet some of you, hopefully more next time we are on a meet.

Thank you to all the organisers, great job and very welcoming.

We left at about 9ish and the A35 to Doncaster was very 'interesting' in places, a few hills were very white and we nearly had to stop at the bottom of a long drop and consider just setting up camp there! We thought we'd give it a go and managed to get up the other side. Bring on our own van with all weather tyres!!

Got back to Leicestershire after about 4hrs 40 of driving, slushy snow everywhere.

Very memorable, great site, great photos.

Thanks everyone

Ah, it was you we passed on the A35, at the bottom of a long downhill stretch, with hazards on.

 

[CampervanTime]

Not guilty ! We waited for only a small car to pass us and then we were off up the hill. Must have been someone else unless you snook past!!

 

[Moose]

Just to say we had a enjoyable first outing in Moose though slightly colder then expected MANY THANKS for all the organisation and looking forward to the next outing and hopefully some sunshine.
Dispite the weather conditions we managed to get to lunch with our son and family in Potter bar and even had half an hour to spare, my son who lives 10mins from the pub was late

 

[Trebor]

And why not? No one's asking you to take one.

Whilst I don't use it for touring, a trailer is very useful for those occasions where you drive to a meet and stay for several days. The advantages are:
1. When not in use, it stays in the garage (fully stocked with all the camping equipment including the bulky drive away awning). This very useful if you use your van for all sorts of other uses as we do with our Beach.
2. When driving you don't notice that it's there.
3. When on site, instead of having to sit amongst all of your stuff you can stick anything you don't need there and then in the secure dry locked trailer.
4. You can store wet clothing and muddy boots and clothing in there out of the elements.
5. It has a flat top so is very useful for picnics and outdoor entertaining in nice weather.
6. The flat top also makes it easy to fold up items like the Cali topper, the Comfort awning sides, windscreen covers etc without them getting getting muddy on the ground.
7. You can buy them with lockable bike racks fitted on top. I don't like those towel rails stuck to the back door.
8. You could even sun bath on it if that's what you do.
9. Having the trailer enables us to take the necessary stuff to entertain our Cali friends in comfort. You can only ever get four or five in a Cali whilst we have had fourteen in our party tent. The alternative when the weather is bad is for everyone to go to ground and hide in their own vans. Not the sort of thing to make a Cali meet memorable.
Disadvantages:
1. Reversing but only if you don't know how.
2. It can occasionally be more difficult to find a suitable parking space.
3. Cost of purchase.

So to conclude, they are not compulsory but extremely useful.

Hi Boris Sorry we missed you yesterday . Great to see your trailer ! We met up with Mr and Mrs t6 CFO and Walrus at the Watch House cafe on the beach to discuss our trip to Lapland in October . Good to see the candelabras out providing extra heating . Bet you’re glad you didn’t get rid of your winter wheels ! But this is a trailer . Oh and this is another one . Trebor .

 

[Ginab]

Just to say we had a enjoyable first outing in Moose though slightly colder then expected MANY THANKS for all the organisation and looking forward to the next outing and hopefully some sunshine.
Dispite the weather conditions we managed to get to lunch with our son and family in Potter bar and even had half an hour to spare, my son who lives 10mins from the pub was late

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I see you have two gorgeous whippets who take up the whole of the bench seats, as whippets are inclined to do. Where do you sit during the day and where do you all sleep at night? The reason I'm asking is that we have a whippet and are picking our van up this week but haven't decided where to put him. We're hoping he will travel on back seat with harness but spend the rest of the time on the floor in a nice thick basket and fleece, like he does at home (at least when we're around). We hope to sleep upstairs whenever possible, otherwise I can see it would be three in a bed downstairs.

 

[Borris]

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Hi Boris Sorry we missed you yesterday . Great to see your trailer ! We met up with Mr and Mrs t6 CFO and Walrus at the Watch House cafe on the beach to discuss our trip to Lapland in October . Good to see the candelabras out providing extra heating . Bet you’re glad you didn’t get rid of your winter wheels ! But this is a trailer . Oh and this is another one . Trebor .

I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there otherwise I'd have come over and had a chat. Next time come and have a natter.
Best wishes
Paul

 

[PJ500]

Thanks to everyone for a most enjoyable weekend in snowy Dorset - a good test of the Cali's heater..

Great to meet lots of you including the legend that is Borris - just a little bit disappointed to find that his real name is Paul !!

Now back home in equally snowy Essex having had a nice quick traffic free drive. Think leaving at 2pm was a good move.

Some of you I spoke to were interested in coming to the music festival at the Burnham Deepdale Campsite in Norfolk which is on over the weekend of 28th to 30th September. I will start a separate post on the 'informal club meets' page but you can find details on the campsites website: www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk

Hope to see some of you there.

Regards,
Paul & Joan
AKA Blue Van Man

 

[Moose]

I see you have two gorgeous whippets who take up the whole of the bench seats, as whippets are inclined to do. Where do you sit during the day and where do you all sleep at night? The reason I'm asking is that we have a whippet and are picking our van up this week but haven't decided where to put him. We're hoping he will travel on back seat with harness but spend the rest of the time on the floor in a nice thick basket and fleece, like he does at home (at least when we're around). We hope to sleep upstairs whenever possible, otherwise I can see it would be three in a bed downstairs.

Hi when travelling on short trips Alfie & Jack tend to stay in the floor space on their memory foam mattresses!!!! On longer trips we lay the bench down so they can see out the windows.
This was our first overnight trip so it was trial and error but worked well, we slept up top and they sleep on the laid down bench. During the day having to spend so much time in Moose due to the weather (as you are aware Whippets do not like the cold/wet/wind etc etc haha) we coped amazing well. Alfie would curl up on the driver seat (both seats turned around) Jack would sit either on the floor or share the bench with one of us. Oh and we have the VW waterproof cover fitted. Enjoy your camper we love ours. Paul, Chris & AJ

 

[Ginab]

Hi when travelling on short trips Alfie & Jack tend to stay in the floor space on their memory foam mattresses!!!! On longer trips we lay the bench down so they can see out the windows.
This was our first overnight trip so it was trial and error but worked well, we slept up top and they sleep on the laid down bench. During the day having to spend so much time in Moose due to the weather (as you are aware Whippets do not like the cold/wet/wind etc etc haha) we coped amazing well. Alfie would curl up on the driver seat (both seats turned around) Jack would sit either on the floor or share the bench with one of us. Oh and we have the VW waterproof cover fitted. Enjoy your camper we love ours. Paul, Chris & AJ

Ive got a feeling I'll be fighting a tough battle if its no dogs on seats while we're at the campsite. When we had two whippets we sometimes discovered ourselves sitting on the floor at home whilst they laid stretched out on the sofa! Despite the cold, it looks as though you all had a great time - Highlands End is only a stone's throw from where we live but when we had our caravan we'd stay there sometimes and it felt we were miles away from all our day to day troubles.