Hi from Albury, Australia

[pretzy]

Hi guys, thanks for adding me.

I'm a 56 year old guy from Albury, New South Wales, Australia. I grew up on a farm not far from here, and have always loved the outdoors, hiking, camping, hunting and fishing. Oh, and motorcycles, music and life in general.

I help out at my local Lutheran Church, and am one of the youth team leaders there. I would dearly love to organise some outdoor trips with the kids, but that is not so easy to do these days. I really believe so many of todays issues could be sorted if we taught our kids to love the outdoors and respect the environment, and camping out is a great way to do so.

I don't get out as much as I used to due to a spinal injury, (did I mention I love motorcycles?), which is what led me to my interest in hammocks. I find they help my back a lot, including the hammock type chairs.

I currently have a TTTM setup, and a couple of auction site cheapies, and have been playing around with suspension systems and portable frames.

I just picked up a lightweight kids swing set that uses about inch and a quarter steel tube with swagged ends that all slips together. The top corners are a three way welded setup which makes the whole thing quite handy and practical. Apart from the threeway corners, it is all four foot pieces of tube, and uses flat round ended hex bolts like ledger bolts, very neat. I just need to extend the top tube a bit to make it useable, and maybe fabricate an alternative fitting that attaches to my old Pajero roof rack for a quick setup when travelling. No sharp bits anywhere, so very hammock friendly. Planning on cutting a hollow pool noodle down one side and slipping it onto the top tube, and throwing a tarp over the whole thing. No exposed ropes or straps to catch water.

Thanks again for the add, I have been spending some time here reading lots of cool threads with great ideas. This is a great forum and resource for anyone into hammocks. Hoping to check out a lot more DIY stuff too.

Hope you all had a great Christmas

Ian. (Pretzy has been a nickname most of my life, either is fine)

[ofuros]

Welcome to the forum, Pretzy.

[SilvrSurfr]

Welcome from the Jersey Shore.

[johnspenn]

Hello and welcome from Marietta GA.

I agree with you that it is important to instill a sense of wonder about creation in our youth!

Happy hanging!

[cap624]

G'day from Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. In the late 1980's, I lived in Canberra for a year. Beautiful country! I visited Sydney, Melbourne, and Tasmania, and spent a week attending the World's Fair in Brisbane (that was a long drive). Enjoy the forums!

[greyhound352]

Welcome to the forum from Florida.

[outdoorsguy]

I just saw on the news that somewhere in Australia it's 115 degrees. Pretty cool that it's summer there while we're freezing here��. Welcome.

[pretzy]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

Cap, I was there in '88 with my dad too. Pretty big event for our little town of Brisbane. I don't go much on crowds though, but it's something I will always remember and enjoyed very much at the time.

outdoorsguy, yes has been pretty warm here after a very mild start to Summer. You guys have been copping a Winter hammering the last few years. It's hard for me to imagine living in snow, although I have been to our snowfields, I live not far from them. It doesn't snow here where I live, but we do get some of the chill. Usually only below freezing at night.