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Post by sutcac on Apr 11, 2014 10:12:07 GMT 10
Wow .Wow . Colac Colac . Looks looks great great.!!!!! Good call having 2 nights there!! The Qld contingent is packing up this weekend. Brendo/Staceys Sandman/16'Sunny is rearing to go and Sutcac's Fugly is kickin' the garage door down. Megsy keeps askin'...."How many more sleeps 'till I meet Ratty? Is he really THAT good looking?" Been practising the camp fire/oven drill in readiness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2014 4:59:14 GMT 10
Just a bit of a "Tour De Alps" update Kiddies...
For those of you that expressed interest in having seafood on Thursday night at Governers Hill Caravan Park..
Prawns are off the menu at Goulburn...
I usually try and support the small business local blokes when I am travelling through towns......road side fruit stalls.. small independent servos etc... However.. I am not prepared to pay $32.00 a Kg for king prawns. Maybe Easter has inflated the prices and it appears it takes a week or two for prices to "deflate"
Will sort something out amongst us when we get there Thursday arvo??
Other news..
Looks like a certain carpenter from out Western Sydney way is coming on the tour... Commodore wagon and Sunliner . A regular at a lot of the NSW vintage van get togethers
Not long now folks.
Reddo
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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 15, 2014 20:22:30 GMT 10
Never mind. Maccas is almost next door ;p
Seriously, there are BBQs and a camp kitchen...let's just bring some food along and make our own nosh-up. This is beef and lamb country, after all!
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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 15, 2014 20:24:01 GMT 10
But thanks for checking out the prawn option Reddo ('cause people like us who LIVE in beef and lamb country don't mind a bit of variety now and then)  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2014 21:27:44 GMT 10
Thanks Diamondgirl
It has just dawned on me that I am only 1/2 hr from Newcastle Fish co-op.
Why was I thinking I had to chase up the Goulburn local bloke ??
I could swing by the Co-Op and pick up a few KG of the good stuff .. drop it in the Engel..before shooting home and hooking up the van on Thursday morning.
Maybe a .. "Reef and Beef" BBQ might be still a happening thing!!
Leave it with me... Its all good.
Hmmmmm.. maybe "value added " with fresh Hume Hwy roo road kill??.. Reef and beef.. Hop and drop;
Reddo
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2014 13:42:37 GMT 10
Hi All Just a bit of an update on "what's doing" on the tour. I received an email from Jennison the other week with contact details for Cooma Car Club. Jeff suggested that we might be able to talk the club into opening up its sheds in Cooma while we are there?? Similar to the deal we done with Merimbula / Pambula car club when we where at Tathra a few years back... So.. managed to catch up with 2 of the club committee members. Robert Wolfe and Steve Redden. They are happy to open up the shed at 2.00pm on the Saturday arvo and put on a cuppa/sangas and bickies....for a few dollars per head donation. They will try and contact their club members and ask them to bring their cars around to the club while we are there... I mentioned a few of us will be driving collectable historic cars as well.. . So,,, should be a good arvo. Also the club is having a run over to Jindabyne Areo club Saturday morning to help the aero club celebrate their 21st anniversary.. (ooooooooooooooooo.. there might be free beer  ) Steve hasn't got back to me as to where kick off for that run will be  .. but has stated that we would be welcome to tag along for a look see!! In return I have invited members of the car club to drop in on the caravan park and check out our vans anytime over Anzac Day and Saturday the 26th. I mentioned that we will probably be out of there by mid Sunday morning but anyone interested could still drop in if they wish early sunday.  So.. That's it for now. Tour kick off is only a week away now.. although a few of the QLD crew are already on the road. Cheers fa now Reddo |
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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 19, 2014 9:43:31 GMT 10
Mate - you could organise an Olympic Games! Surf and turf sounds good, but extra work for you so only if you feel like it.
See you next week.
Robyn
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2014 16:37:14 GMT 10
Its official... I have just spoken with the "Bear" that made a cameo appearance at Tenterfield on the "Toads and Roaches " Outback NSW tour last year. It seems he is heading south for the winter ...all the way from the Yukon ..and will be making an appearance at Cooma....and a few other hamlets along the tour trail.  SO BLOODY WOT YA MIGHT SAY IN CHORUS ?? He has been hibernating in "the shed of Invention" ..He snores a lot ... so I put him to work with the rest of the shed plebs.. End result He has with him a pic-a-nic basket just like the one he and "Boo Boo" use to get in trouble off Ranger Smith for stealing in Jellystone park all those years ago.!!!! I have had a sneak preview of the "Goodies"in the basket and... Those on the tour proper.. after Cooma are in for a treat. Apparently he cant get around as quick as we do, ... so I have taxed him 6 cartons of XXXX Gold for costs to cover exotic livestock transport to Cooma ( Hey.. have you ever had to hose out a bear enclosure after they take their first "Dump" after 6 months hibernation??..it aint pretty folks !! Once we unload him at Cooma he is going to do a bit of cross country hiking and be at our camp every second night to hand out the goodies...  Just don't tell Ranger Smith OK... we aren't suppose to "get friendly" with the critters!!!.. there is a law against that "The Rrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaanger aint gunna like this Yogi??".. " Neeeeeevvvver mind Boo Boo ..leave it to me.... aye aye aye.. ...I wander if the blonde that grabbed my tail in the Tenterfield camp kitchen is going ta be there? Cover your ears Boo Boo !!!! Reddo |
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Post by Jennison on May 3, 2014 16:21:53 GMT 10
Back from the ALPS tour today and what a week. Reddo excelled himself as tourguide(no mention of our 4WD jaunt from Omeo to Click Clack!!!!) and we saw some amazing country! Freecamping at Jingelic....WHAT A SPOT!!!!! Fires every nite bar the last and Sutcacs amazing dampers - not to mention Barbs amazing stew which she produced from donations of ingredients from each of us. MT Hotham was scary.....high winds and the thickest fog/cloud any of us had ever driven in! Visibility 10m max!!!!! before the van in front completely disappeared into the gloom. Took a photo of all the vans lined up but the only one visible was Col and Kris' at the front!! Touring the NSW/VIC ALPS a must for all and I'd love to do it again.  Top company with the Kaybees, Brendan and Tracy, Sutcac and Barb,John and Pam, Chippiedave and of course the Reddotourguide himself Jenno |
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2014 16:30:04 GMT 10
Glad to hear you guys had a good time! However, I don’t understand why some would travel approximately the same distance to participate in a tour of so few numbers as they would’ve to attend the Broken Hill Nationals  They missed out on what was an excellent event . The bi annual opportunity to catch up with so many of our old forum friends and meet many new people at the same time is second to none! To socialise with these people and to check out their many and varied cars and caravans and enjoy the many attractions historic Broken Hill & Silverton had to offer was just awesome! Mark |
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Post by Roehm3108 on May 4, 2014 16:36:36 GMT 10
Glad to hear you guys had a good time! However, I don’t understand why some would travel approximately the same distance to participate in a tour of so few numbers Mark That's democracy in action, Mark |
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Post by kaybee on May 4, 2014 16:55:12 GMT 10
Glad to hear you guys had a good time! However, I don’t understand why some would travel approximately the same distance to participate in a tour of so few numbers as they would’ve to attend the Broken Hill Nationals They missed out on what was an excellent event . Mark ....no we didn't, we had possibly the best time ever that could be had in a convoy of vintage vans......stunning scenery, great company, magic campgrounds ( dunno how Reddo finds them). A full week of touring in the vans and old cars does it for me! |
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2014 19:43:23 GMT 10
Glad to hear you guys had a good time! However, I don’t understand why some would travel approximately the same distance to participate in a tour of so few numbers as they would’ve to attend the Broken Hill Nationals They missed out on what was an excellent event . The bi annual opportunity to catch up with so many of our old forum friends and meet many new people at the same time is second to none! To socialise with these people and to check out their many and varied cars and caravans and enjoy the many attractions historic Broken Hill & Silverton had to offer was just awesome! Mark Hi Mark Touring V Static National displays in a van park.. there is pros and cons for both!!!. "to participate in a tour of so few numbers " Sometimes its not about the quantity.... but the QUALITY !!! Not of the vans ....Not of the cars... but of the company kept.... Quality Time!!! ... just quality time spent with people that over the years have become very close mates... and who can we thank for that Mark??.. You mate.. .......You. !!! Oh .........and Thanks for sanctioning our little tour as a www.vintagecaravans.com event....the flag was raised at every opportunity (Thanks Jennison .. and the so very few of us that travelled over 1000 miles together to the far flung corners of The ACT, NSW and Victoria on the tour promoted your website at every opportunity. Thanks to our meanderings there is a hell of a lot more people aware of your website and the Vintage van hobby... surely that is a good thing ?? No seeking out the media to beat the vintage van drum while on the tour ... the public found us every time we stopped in a town....Similar to those travelling to the Nats... Word travelled fast and people knew we where where heading their way. There is no better advertising... or vintage van awareness campaign than that ... would you not agree mate? . I am enjoying the pix and comments from the website nationals...Great stuff......The organisers are to be applauded. It was hard enough keeping 7 travelling vans under control for 10 days let alone over 100 in a van park. Likewise ..lots and lots of tour photos to share with others on this thread. Stay tuned to this station... Regards Reddo |
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Post by Jennison on May 4, 2014 20:54:05 GMT 10
Most eloquently said Reddo even if you still can't spell goulburn!! (Did I spell elloquently right??). Thanks again for a top week and I agree... Looking forward to all the pics from both BH and the Alps as people get home and back on line! Jenno
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2014 21:02:17 GMT 10
The Tour day 1. Getting to Golburn Left home around 11 arrived Goulburn around 3... Shortly after ... Diamondgirl arrived with their 61 Roma  over the next few hours the Sutcacs arrived with the ever faithfull "Fugly" bobbing along behind.....  Then Brendo and Stacey with the Sandman and 16ft Sunliner...  Then John and Pam "Strugglebrook" in HQ wagon and 12ft "Wanda" ( Franklin) Bondwood Just the 5 on the first night....  9 people with a very healthy apetite.. We managed to devour 4kg of Newcastle fish co-ops finest King Prawns over a few noisey beers in the camp kitchen.... an early to bed night tonight.. some of us heading for the Anzac Day dawn service next morning.... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Day 2 Up early the next day and on the road heading for Cooma John "Jvan" was out the front of the park in his EH sedan with neat little bondwood waiting for us to emerge, so 5 became 6 ... Picked up Jennison with Stateman and Jennison Pathfinder van and Chippydave with 57 Chev pickup and sunliner on the Nor west side of Canberra and..... 6 became 8 . Pushed on down the Monaro Hwy to The Snowy Mountains Tourist Park at Cooma.  More later. Reddo |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2014 10:59:06 GMT 10
Day 2 cont... Got to Cooma without any breakdowns... The biggest problem with travelling in convoy is that you end up with a "log Jsm" of cars and vans at the caravan park gateway on arrival. While waiting to book in The "Kaybees"... Col and Kris came motoring up past us all and swung on to their site. They had arrived an hour or so earlier and set up camp after a long steep haul from Gundagai through Tumut and up to Adaminaby to Cooma. Spent the arvo just chatting with old mates... Fortune had it that we where allowed CAMPFIRES .... with an unlimited supply of iron bark firewood courtesy of the park management.... Break out the camp ovens and jaffle irons boys and girls    This is how grandma and grandpa would have enjoyed camping / vint vanning back in the good old days !!!  Day 3.. Out of bed , and after a big brekky cooked on the open fire we set off to Jindabyne Airfield to join in / be part of the 21st anniversary display day. Very windy... Parked up with the cooma car club for an hour and checked out the displays.    A bit too windy for the old planes to do a fly over , However a Jet from another airfield kept us entertained with a few low passes and barrel rolls.. He was only there a few minutes and had to return to base .. the club had paid for 800 litres of fuel and he had all but used it up !!!!      Thanks to a lead by "Jennison" I had done a bit of ground work with the car club leading up top the tour. We had been invited back to their clubhouse for an afternoon tea and a look around the facilitys and cars stored there.. I will post some pix of their amazing set up later on.. Regards reddo |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2014 20:06:44 GMT 10
Mid Saturday arvo of the tour we met up at the Cooma Car Clubs sheds for a cuppa and a look see.. If you are ever heading into Cooma the sheds are on the right just before the Malborough Motel on the Northern outskirts of town.. The shed cost the club $180,000  It use to be the Cooma indoor sports and Liesure centre....Its HUGE Then the club volunteers set about renovating it to suit their needs... A large modern Kitchen and fully stocked bar for starters.   The view from the stage looking back across the area where they hold their meetings to the bar and kitchen......   They have a well stocked separate library... [U  RL=http://s10.photobucket.com/user/reddo71/media/reddo71023/DSCN2151_zps9c769541.jpg.html]  [/URL] from this mezzanine area you walk through to a landing which looks down onto the car storage area...  members can store their car(s) here for $10 a week. building has security and survellience camras as well as alarms. Obviuosly there is dozens of other cars owned by members that are not shown here .. stored at home. I wouldn't be happy knowing that my Ferrari or lambo was stored in a shed on the very outskirts of town !!!    a few of our members have the "hots" for the val wagon in that last picture.   After filling up on jam scones, cups of tea and coffee.. yyyyeeessss we turned down the offer of a beer or two. I thanked the club members for opening up the building for us vanners and invited them back to the park to inspect our vans.... which they accepted. They where totally amazed at Sutcacs Foldavan ... old Fugly had em baffled. such a little van with so much room inside when set up. On the way back to the park we where invited to a shed in the lane way near the royal Hotel.. The shed is Called" BSR" Abbrev for Back Street racers... a bunch of old speedway drivers have kicked off a shed .. very much Valiant and Chrysler orientated.. and... you can have any colour you like as long as it is.. RED. Its a pretty cool hang out for the Mopar boys    [U  RL=http://s10.photobucket.com/user/reddo71/media/reddo71024/DSCN2164_zps36823803.jpg.html]  [/URL]   So .. a pretty full on day out in Cooma. Back to camp.. the eskys ... and a big warm fire...Chef Sutcacs swung into action with Damper queen Barb mixing up another award winning damper and passing it on to the Kitchen Master Clyde to do his thang with the hot coals. By the time Barb give the nod that the damper was ready for consumption, we had a line extending 20 feet out from Kaybees annexe table.. all with plates in hand waiting to get our share of yet another perfect damper. Lashings of real butter....washed down with a cuppa or a cold beer. Yummmmmoooooooooooooo. Lots of friendly banter around the bushmans TV until late... a mild night.. after a great day. Reddo |
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Post by Geoff & Jude on May 5, 2014 22:22:47 GMT 10
thanks for the stories and pictures - it looks like you all had a fun time on the tour. those car clubs must have some serious fees to be able to buy that kind of real estate. geoff 'n jude |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2014 7:07:04 GMT 10
thanks for the stories and pictures - it looks like you all had a fun time on the tour. those car clubs must have some serious fees to be able to buy that kind of real estate. geoff 'n jude Yes and Yes on both comments there Geoff and Jude.. Thanks for helping out with a couple of good shots of camp Cooma too Kaybees. Everyone that signed in at Cooma have probably received a survey email from the snowy mountains caravan park by now. Don't forget to fill it out and mention how important it is to be able to have "OPEN FIRE PITS"...We all agreed its a game changer when sorting out where to stay on tours and other vint van gatherings It was a surprise to us all to find we where not only allowed to have a fire.... but... also to find that the park managers gave us open access to a 3 metre high pile of cut and split ironbark. In my survey return I mentioned that to them. I appreciate that public liability and the risks associated with allowing open fires.. or fires in drums etc prevent most parks from allowing fires ... things like annexes catching on fire.. idiots getting drunk and falling in into fires.. unsupervised kids hurting themselves...etc. etc..but we found a lot of parks allowing fires....I don't want to get involved in a verbal armwrestle with anyone here over this issue. All I am saying is that the fires where a god send on cold nights, and drew everyone together at night like moths to a light bulb... There is a section on the survey that asks" what could do with improving"...it was the old chestnut for groups staying in van parks.. especially in the cooler climates.. Katoomba,, Blackheath , anywhere in the alps... "A decent enclosed camp kitchen where people can gather at and enjoy a chat/meal/drink without being exposed to the elements." Places like Goulburn, Tathra, Moruya, Tenterfield have got it right.. Nuff said... Out of bed Sunday morn.... Wave bye - bye to those that have to set off for home ... and work on Monday. Its around about now it occurred to me that I was really on holidays .. and all he work of planning the tour was coming to fruition. 7 vans in convoy set off for Adaminaby and the first fuel stop only about 50ks along the road.. just to ensure that we had enough fuel to get us up over the mountains and down the other side into Victoria and the next fuel stop. Turns out there is fuel at Cabramurra.. and .. a bit of a shock to find it is almost 20 cents a litre cheaper than what I have been paying for petrol in Newcastle for the past 3 months... go figure that out??? A cool morning ensured that none of the cars overheated on the way up to Kiandra where we had a brief stop to let our four legged companions out for a bit of R&R&P..and us humans to stretch whatever needed stretching..   then back on to the black top  Hang a left and on up through a lot of twisty lefts and rights and some magnificent tall timber country scenery to Cabramurra for a lunch break at the general store and info centre.. Bleak cloudy conditions gave way to brilliant warm sunshine..off with the jumpers and boots.. on with the thongs..and here we are in the highest inhabited town in Australia in the middle of snow country !!!!  How good is this weather... It really is a ...  . If you are ever up this neck of the woods , take the time to check out the photo display in the visitors centre of the early days of the Snowy Mountain scheme and its construction. It truly is a man made wander. To attempt building something like this nowadays would cost Billions.   From Cabramurra its a steady downhill twisty run. I pulled into a siding to allow the brakes on the EH to cool down.. I could smell 'em !! Spent the time there cutting /loading up some firewood for tonights camp fire Back on the road and on down to Towong . Then along the southern bank of that Beautifull Murray River through some of the prettiest country in Australia at this time of year.... The trees really do put on a show with their Gold, brown, red, light green leaves ...That contrast with the lush green paddocks and the changing colours of the river banks dotted with contented grazing sheep and cattle...It really drives home to me just how lucky we where to be travelling through this sort of territory. Tintaltra, Walwa roll by....then on to our next nights stay at Jingellic free camp behind the Jingellic Pub on the NSW baks of the mighty Murray.      With countryside like this to boast about perhaps the town should rename itself "Angellic"    Happy hour around the fire became second happy hour up the pub for me.. chippydave.. Brendo and Stacey. A few beers followed by a dozen oysters Kilpatrick shared between us and very kindly shouted by Brendo and Stacey.. thanks heaps guys, Back down to the fire for a few more ales and then off to bed... Here is a shot of the crew all lined up and ready to rock on to Porepunkah Bridge Van park the next morning..  Life is good on the road !! Reddo |
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Post by akeepsake on May 6, 2014 11:42:52 GMT 10
Good on ya Reddo ! What a great location and laid back atmosphere ! Now that your retired maybe you could organize a " Tassie Tour" in the Spring Great to see all the pics and well done ! Cheers Andrew |
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boots
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Post by boots on May 6, 2014 14:06:02 GMT 10
Thanks for sharing your pic's of the tour , looks like you had a great time,. I feel a Toads and Roaches tour coming on CLYDE were are you!!!! Boots  |
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Post by sutcac on May 6, 2014 16:43:32 GMT 10
Hi Boots. Your wish is my command darlin'. Had a chat with those on Reddos "Alps" Tour and all were keen for another 'Toads and Roaches'(+ Mexicans too) tour next year, about the same time. Probably start in northern NSW(Tenterfield or Casino, maybe) and do a loop up into inland SE Qld. It seems a good recipe that has evolved for these tours is one night stops alternating with 2 night stopovers, mixing up various stays with caravan parks, showgrounds, free camps.Not too many km's travelling between stops. With plenty of time to stop and savour whatever the area has to offer.( Antique shops. Op shops, car grave yards etc The major prerequisites appear to be;....dawg friendly open fires hot shower and clean toilets at most stays(keeps the ladies happy!!) I will get busy and plan a proposed tour soon and put it up for all to share / comment. Cheers, Sutcac. |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2014 19:27:23 GMT 10
Day 5 .. Monday.. We head out of Jingellic and head west along the Murray to Tallangatta for a pie break and a look around the antique shops....Interesting to see the community and school kids at a town centre Anzac Day service. Whilke here Kris suggests we take a detour from the planned trail around to Porepunkah and head over to Yackandandah for a looksee at the antique shops.... So we did. Col scored an unusual heater that I immediately barred from being plugged in at any of the van parks.... I still have night sweats and horrific nightmares over the Moruya Van Park Blackout and doomsday event when The ebay queen plugged in her toaster and blacked out the east coast of Australia. From Yackandandah we motored on to Myrtleford for another op shop escapade.. well some of em did... by this stage I had become weiry of the campaign and retired to the quite solitude of the nearest pub to wash the highway bugs out of my teeth.. shortly after followed by Chippydave and Brendo... half way through our beers we where discovered by Stacey and where marched out of the pub .... Bugga. Myrtleford to Porepunkah Bridge Caravan Park is only a short hop and before we know it we are all set up and the manager arrived with a fire bin and some blocks to place it on... Yaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooo Another night clear sky / star filled night of Open fire in a van park..Sweet.. Oh.. and running water at our doors.....     There was even big green frogs....  The deck chair judging was a huge hit ... until someone farted...  The culprit is seen here trying to make good his escape...  There is nothing like camping near a running river/creek / brook to help put you off to sleep.... a few Bundys sort of helps too.  Off to bed after a good feed and the usual banter around the fire. Tomorrow we takle the ascent of Hotham hieghts... which proves to be one of the scareiest drives I have ever done.... More later Reddo |
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Post by chippydave01 on May 6, 2014 19:56:24 GMT 10
Some more photos of our great adventure. 
A surprise visitor who was asked if he did private shows by a lady sitting at our camp fire. |
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Post by chippydave01 on May 6, 2014 20:25:28 GMT 10
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.. but has stated that we would be welcome to tag along for a look see!!
