700 miles in a Nomad

[richorme]

I had a boys long weekend with the some mates on their motorbikes recently. Four days meandering through Champagne and the Ardennes, loads of fun.

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Some notes, the Nomad is FUN, maybe the most fun car I’ve ever driven, countless moments of just turning off the road into a random field at 50mph and it just keeps going.

It had a custom roof rack when I bought it that turned out to be perfect for bags and makes me very comfortable we could expedition in it.

An absolute riot of a car, sideways at every single T-junction and yet everyone loves it, even when you are bouncing it off the limiter down their village high st in first

https://youtu.be/1xYUNM9hqcs

It was the first time this group of friends have all been together for fifteen years. I turned up at Folkestone with a friend no-one has seen for ten years and no-one knew was coming. It was really, *really* good to get together, hoon about and drink beers after the last two years of global sh1t.

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We used Calimoto for route planning, it is VERY good at finding twisty fun roads. On one occasion however it took us down a road that ended with a t junction, only the junction had been closed with 100 metres of Armco blocking access to the main road.

We had become separated from the group and so I though I would just drive down the banking behind the Armco then join the road as it ran out.

I should have walked the route, it was 6 inches deep in water at the bottom and we became stuck, the following two videos show how we winched out, we had to go backwards, but the winch is at the front and the only fixed structure we could use was the Armco

Also, without knowing it, we had accidentally run over a dead badger in the ditch, and the smell was horrendous

This is how not to winch

Part one (with badger commentary)

https://youtu.be/VlaDCHqozyo

Part two (success)

https://youtu.be/IauQOfCQpv0

[mynamesnotbob]

Saw your thread and SELOC and thought it should be on here! Looks like a great few days

[Olnorth]

Looks amazing fun! I'm driving mine to Spain / Portugal in June, so any advice about things that help with traveling would be welcomed. Going to try and sort something for luggage carrying, but your roof rack looks mega!

[richorme]

The roof rack was great for both keeping the sun off and strapping our bags on to. I bought a fully waterproof 50L Panga bag from Yeti which doubles as a backpack

https://uk.yeti.com/collections/waterp ... -50-duffel

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Secured with adjustable straps from ROK

Rok Motorcycle Adjustable Strap... htt ... b_ap_share

For clothing I wanted something dry, waterproof, warm and cooling. I ended up layering but these trousers from StellarHQ almost never came off. They tick almost all boxes and have the added benefit it having a really high back - perfect for sliding down into the seats

https://www.stellarequipment.com/produ ... -blublack/

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Lastly, goggles and a snood, I bought the M2 goggles from Anon, they have a magnetic snap on snood that snaps to the bottom of the goggles and provides great comfort at speed on the motorway

https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/anon ... 14200.html

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[richorme]

In fact worth talking about those trousers again, probably the perfect match for the Nomad. Waterproof, rip resistant, rough wearing, lightweight, lots of pockets accessible with harnesses on, the high back good for keeping drafts out (especially if like me your stomach is bigger than your arse and your trousers ride down at the back when you sit down).

Also I attached the immobiliser fob to an elastic ski pass type lanyard and secured it to my belt, dead easy to use even with full harnesses on.

[Olnorth]

Thanks for the advice Rich - Will definitely pick up some of those trousers, and that bag looks like a good storage solution too, but its not cheap is it! I just bought a metal storage box I'm going to try to mount behind the seats, then try and get a spare wheel on behind it.

[Fastlane]

Great stuff, looked like a proper adventure and some good advice on equipment. It must be even sweeter knowing what a bargain you got on that Nomad!

Thanks for the advice Rich - Will definitely pick up some of those trousers, and that bag looks like a good storage solution too, but its not cheap is it! I just bought a metal storage box I'm going to try to mount behind the seats, then try and get a spare wheel on behind it.

I have a Mountain Equipment waterproof bag, which is extremely tough and waterproof and is slightly more suited to my Yorkshire sensibilities cost-wise...

https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/mount ... acQAvD_BwE

[Olnorth]

Thanks! Also being originally of Yorkshire persuasion, that works much better, and is 20L bigger too! Win win.

I have a Mountain Equipment waterproof bag, which is extremely tough and waterproof and is slightly more suited to my Yorkshire sensibilities cost-wise...

https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/mount ... acQAvD_BwE

[Jamier27]

Great write up and great to see and hear a group of old pals on holiday causing a little
Mischief.

Sounds like there is no better car for the trip!