Off-Grid “reference” article in the Club Magazine

So you noticed it too did you Johnny?? I thought it was a total waste of not only everybody’s time but good paper too. What’s the point of an article that covers ground that thousands of caravanners do every year? 

It was pathetic. What should have been done is to do some diligent searching to find what the modern technologies can do and how they have changed the perspective of off grid camping. As a lithium battery owner, I can tell you it’s phenomenal. It’s another world! The article was 10 yrs out of date and the fact that they did it on an EHU site shows the mental process behind it. ‘If we fail, we’ve always got the EHU’ !! I’ve been away for 11 weeks this year, used the toaster virtually every day and sometimes twice, heated meals and drinks in the microwave, used a hoover when needed, a blender for prep,  watched DVDs on wet evenings- and there were plenty of those in Wales- for 3 or 4 hours and I wasn’t worried about what was in the battery- I knew I had loads! It was to be a proper, in depth, article, but I guess the club are protecting their EHU’s. A real shame because even if folk are not interested in going down the off grid route , it would have been far more interesting that the same old same old. We have one thing to be thankful for though- they didn’t call it ‘Back to Basics!!’

Merve glad I am not the only one disappointed! The triumph was it was titled Off-Grid and as you say not back to basics.

It's a shame that members who use Off-Grid sites where not asked for some input as they will know more than most.

But does it really surprise you, Johnny. Those at Ho don't know their a**e from their toupee!!

I suppose members with a good knowledge of off grid camping could actually submit their own article for consideration by the magazine?

David

What makes you think that it hasn’t Dave?. If they won’t keep a promise to run an article with my van open to full inspection, what makes you think they would run a well written and informative article when they have failed so spectacularly on doing it themselves. And I thought that a magazine was a method of getting new and interesting copy to people!   There are publications that will actually run it and funnily enough, they are organisations with no EHU’s to protect!! They simply are not bothered about off gridders - simples. 

Don't get Merve started on that on David. He's been in touch with them and they were supposed to be interviewing him for an article but then went back on their word. No surprise there either!!

And  I waited and waited for the call that never came! 

In those circumstances I would write to the Editor, especially if they have reneged on an understanding. Perhaps worth considering that his main objective might be the style of article rather than whether it is purist enough. Given that we know the magazine seems not to publish anything in that much detail perhaps suggests that style over detailed content was the driving force!!! Unless one could see the two articles side by side its difficult to make a judgement.

David

Thank you David but It’s not worth the effort. I have done all I could reasonably do. I’m not trying to convert people from the EHU, just give them food for thought!  I met with Sammy at the Roadpro stand in February, swopped phone numbers and arranged to be interviewed, photographs taken and the article prepared and released in September. Yes, it would have been detailed (why wouldn’t it be) but I’m sure not to the point of boredom- I would have, because of the odd complexity and addition of the system, wanted a qualified person to check the text to make sure it made sense but that only makes sense for the reader- we are not morons, and the style of the article would have been left to them - the editorial dept- Anyway, it’s done. No point going on about it. All I really wanted to do was prove there was an excellent alternative to the status quo. I’ve proved it to myself but unfortunately the one organ that could have informed its public failed to engage. “I completely forgot about it” just doesn’t cut the mustard especially when a supposed reporter also has it in her diary. No, it’s time to back off and enjoy what I have without sharing it which is all I ever wanted to do. I have the measure of them. 

Ref the article - On a positive note the CL photo showed a relaxed approach  to spending time away in that the family were able to use a fair amount of space which could possibly encourage more members to try CL’s.