Ramble 2007 - Fly & Camp Trip

R Introduction

R Ramble Pictures

R Maps

Ramble through The Rocks !

    Rebel Ramble 2007
15^th Annual   Fly & Camp Trip    * Rebel Ramble Through The Rocks ! *
July 3rd to July 20th, 2007 The Trip of a Lifetime !!    Fly Across Canada !

Things To Bring

The following are just some suggestions - please send along information on anything that
you have found useful for "fly 'n camp" !

Clothing: Plan on packing only enough changes for about 5 to 7 days - we will hit laundries. Some of the motels we stop at have laundry rooms, as well. We've found cotton washables from Tilley Endurables to be great value.
They're pricey - about $129 for Classic pants, and $120 for a long-sleeved shirt, but - they last for years. I have several Tilley Shirts that are over 15 years old - and they still look good ! You can wash them in a shower, hang them on a rod, and they look pressed in the morning !!
We like the Maverick vest ($159), also - lots of pockets !
(Lifetime guarantee on their Classic shorts ($115) & T3 hats ($60) !! )
Of course, jeans & cotton T-shirts work great too ! Wear whatever is comfortable.
Tilley Endurables, 900 Don Mills Rd., Toronto M3C 1V6 - (416) 441-6141- call for free catalogue ! Also in Montreal & Vancouver. They have lots of stylish travel clothes for ladies, too !

Suitcase: We have friends who go to Mexico for 6 weeks with only one carry-on bag like ours - a Stradallina, nylon fabric, with 3 full zippered compartments, (Sears, about $75). It just seems to grow ! I found a very handy carry-on called Lugger Commuter Soft Pack at Grand & Toy for about $60 - it has straps hidden in pockets that turn it into a back-pack ! Holds about 3 days of clothes. Very handy for that hike into town from the airport ! (Airports are almost always far from town !!)
Over the years, we've developed the "2 Bag Trick" - the large bags with most of the clothes are buried in the back, and we keep a small, easy to carry bag each, right on top, where we can grab it quickly & head off ! The small bags hold 2 or 3 days clothing, toiletries, and a couple of food bars & water bottle - just in case !

Sleeping Bag, folding pillows (Can. Tire), & comforter : a good sleeping bag, 3 + lb. will work well, and, instead of a second bag, we sometimes take along a polyester comforter (duvet). If it's warm, we put the sleeping bag underneath, and the comforter over us. If it's cold, the reverse keeps us a little warmer, and you can put both together if it's really cold ! Sheets & pillowcases make for more comfort, are easy to wash, and don't weigh a lot. We switched to Thinsulate lightweight sleeping bags a few years ago - they're much smaller & lighter, and can be plenty warm.

Rain poncho (& folding umbrella) : Yes, it does rain on Rambles ! The poncho can be small, light, & disposable - Canadian Tire again ! (they are available at Oshkosh, but you will likely need it before then !) A plastic garbage bag will do in a pinch - 2 or 3 of these are handy to have, in any case.

Shower shoes (flip-flops) , swim trunks, and suntan lotion are essential for Oshkosh ! Wear the swim trunks, flip-flops, and a shirt to the showers (do not take a wallet or watch !) - quick to get in & out of, and you avoid getting mud on your good pants. Change into walking clothes back at the tent after. (Wallet is locked in aircraft.)

Don't forget the bathing suit - sometimes we go wild and stay in motels with pools, saunas, and whirlpool tubs ! You never know with Ramblers ! A large bath/beach towel can be handy, doubling as a blanket if it gets cold.

Hats: You definitely need a good hat, with a wide brim, to keep the sun off at Oshkosh (& elsewhere!) . We love the cotton hats from Tilley Endurables - great value ! They're pricey - about $45, but - they last for years, include tie-down strings, and have a lifetime guarantee !! (I'm on my second free hat now !)

Tent: For what it's worth, we've tried many, and so far, the easiest to set up & pack away is the square dome. (NOT Hexagonal !) The 8 ft. square, at least 6 ft. high, is a good size - roomy enough for 2 for Oshkosh, but small to pack. (Canadian Tire - about $150) The 10 ft. square is roomy, but harder to put up. Get the highest tent you can - it makes dressing a LOT easier !

A few years ago, we started using a "3 second UP" tent, with a steel spring wire frame. Just take it out of the bag, toss it in the air, and it's all set up when it lands !! Our Quickdraw Vagabond II tent is about 6' x 9' x 52", not as high as we'd like, but just great for Rambling one-night stands - fits nicely under a wing. It folds ('coils') up into a round bag, about 39" in diameter, and 3" thick - fits nicely at the back of the Rebel's baggage area. Initially, we suffered from "3 Hours DOWN", but now can pack it away pretty quickly. We'll bring it to the pre-Ramble briefing - might be interesting for others.

Air mattresses: Again - tried lots, really like the self-inflating air mattress from Canadian Tire, about 2" thick (on sale, about $40, better ones about $80). Works better than bubble packs, easier to pack & lighter than foam. Later trips found us with "self-DE-flating" mattresses, so we've gone back to plain old 'El-Cheapo' air mattresses, double bed size ....

Fleece-lined (nylon) shell jacket, warm sweater, and gloves: It gets cold at 10,000 ft., and in the evenings ! Layers of clothing work best for flexibility. One of those aluminized plastic "space blankets" could be handy, & they don't take much room.

Zip-Lock Baggies & freezer bags: Very handy for storage, and emergency relief, and air sickness.

Water bottles & insulated covers: 1 1/2 L. water bottles can save your life on a hot day ! Beware dehydration !

Sturdy tie-downs: You will need the best you can get ! And good ropes, too ! The "doggie ties" can work, if you use 2, in an "X". I hear the "Alaska tie downs" are great, as are the "Pole anchor" type, with a flat plate.

A good camera: 35 mm with zoom & panoramic capability, and lots of film ! Or, if you're more modern, a zoom digital camera, and a few extra flash cards to store pics on ! Most of these now have short movie capability, and you might find that adequate, instead of lugging along a video camera too. Don't forget the rechargeable batteries - and a charger ! ( For cell phone, too ! )

These are only a few suggestions - send yours along !!

Downloads : 1. < Click HERE to download the 'Things To Bring' PDF >

2. < Click HERE to download the 'MORE Things To Bring' PDF >

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Come & Fly with us - EVERYONE WELCOME ! (Especially owners & lovers of the Murphy Rebel)

These fun flying trips are much like LIFE - the object is NOT "to get to the end", it's "TO ENJOY THE TRIP" !!

           We don't always get to the place we expected , but we DO see interesting places,
                                            meet interesting people, and share a lot of fun.
   Fly along with us, learn a bunch, share lots of experiences, and create some happy memories !!

Fly along for just a day, or 2, or the whole trip !

Please call & get on the Mailing List ! Everyone can fly along - and we'll ALL have FUN !!

Don't be shy !! Acey-Ducey, Bonanza, Champ - - to EXtra, Yankee, & Zenith - (and everything in between ! )

This is a casual, low-key, semi-disorganized FUN trip !! (We'll be Winging It all the way !)

Suggestions welcome - navigation by consensus !!

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Please register for the Ramble NOW ! Send $5 cash and we'll add you to the special Rebel Ramble mailing lists.

.. You will be kept up to date, and it will help us with planning ! ........ THANKS !

Bob & Anna Patterson (905) 457-5238

Ontario Factory Rep. - Murphy Aircraft Mfg. Ltd.

22 Baronwood Court, Brampton, Ont. L6V 3H6

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