Outback Trip 2 - Day 2 and 3 - Renmark and Leigh Creek

Setting out from Balranald we planned on getting ourselves across to Renmark.  The route we had set was for about 300 or so kilometers on highway.  The intention was to stay in a caravan Park, do a minimal set up and then push on to somewhere like Leigh Creek.

And the reason that I add all of this in one little post is that the camera went on the fritz and there are no photos from this part of the holiday.

Suffice to say that the stop in Renmark was fantastic.  The owners of the caravan park on the riverbank treated us extremely well and we got ourselves settled in, cleaned up, the car checked out and everything ready for a really long day.

So after an early night we did set off fairly early to get to Leigh Creek before dark.  The main part of the drive was through grazing country, the along the edge of the Flinders Ranges, and then in to the Caravan Park at Leigh Creek.

Again treated well by the caretaker, who gave us a couple of nice spots under trees and told us to head up to a communal fire at about sunset.  We did and had were able to have a bit of a chat with fellow travellers.  All was looking up for what I believed would be the real part of the trip.  Hitting the dirt road to Oodnadatta, seeing Lake Eyre and experiencing this part of the outback.

So after a not so early night, and realistically a not so early set off the next day we were into it!

Sorry about the lack of photos!

I didn't realise the camera was on the fritz at this stage and kept snapping away oblivious to the problem...

Review - Coleman chair and table

After 'borrowing' some words about winter camping for my blog from the friendly folks at Coleman they asked me if I would like to take a couple of bits of their gear for a camp - see what I thought about it.

I agreed.  Not often one gets to review equipment.

After a bit of 'to-ing and fro-ing' the gear arrived and it was time to head off for a local weekend camp on the banks of the Murumbidgee River to give it a try.  I'll put up a post about the campsite in a while.  In the meantime some words about the gear...

The kit that arrived was a camp chair (which has a snazzy folding table) and a four way camp table set.  Cool.

The chair first - It is a directors style of chair and it folds up flat, rather than the more common 'cylindrical' shape of my other camp chairs.  To be honest the flat fold up suits the way things are packed in the back of my car.  It is easy to carry with fabric handles sewn in to the 'armrest' part of the chair.  It sets up easily and positively.  By that I mean you can feel it lock in to place.  The swing table flips up and has a fair bit of room and a handy cup holder built in.  The cup holder even has a cut out for long stemmed wine glasses.

It's a nice chair, well built sturdy and comfortable.  Personally I would like to see it a couple of inches higher.  But I had no problem with relaxing with a drink watching the camp fire burn.

Would I buy one - YES, yes I would.

The next thing we got to try out was the 4way table.

The four way table is a really cool set up.  Not only is it well built and a sensible size but it has multiple uses.  There are effectively two tables that can be set up individually or joined to make a single table.  Each table can be set up at different heights.  The heights are actually well thought out - the taller set up is a good 'kitchen bench' height.  Lower heights are goof for eating at or even using as a coffee table.  All of the bits and pieces lock in to the underside of the table, including the legs and the piece that allows the two tables to be locked together to make up a big tabletop.

 

 

 

 

I like the table.  It is easy to set up, all of the parts have a home when it is packed away and it is well made.  It packed into the 4WD nicely.

 

Would I buy one of these - YES, yes I would.

 

Thanks to the good folks at www.coleman.com.au for the loan of the gear.  If you are interested in these items they can be ordered online or in camping stores across the country.