grey ribbons

Dunmowin · Guru

grey ribbons

Ma · Guru

There are quite a few of us who fly grey ribbons from our tug aerial Dunmowin.

It is supposed to make it easier for our fellow nomadians to recognise us coming the other way.

A just put a whole heap of that grey (silver) stuff you wrap around pressies and curled the ends. It's been on there for 12 months at least and doesn't even look like fading or unravelling. Cheap at half the price. Got mine at Sam's warehouse but you can pick it up at any $2 type store.

Dunmowin · Guru

Hey Ma, is that for members of this forum only?

We currently have my GN brother and wife staying with us, have been on the road now for about years, and say they have not seen a tow vehicle with grey ribbons.(they are not members of this forum)

"GN she" also says that they have not noticed the Greynomad.com stickers - but have now told them to look out for them

straycat · Veteran Member

HI MA
Being a bloke, I use duct tape,But this year so far,,I've been from Adelaide tothe Ayre Peninsula ,, Feb & March-(Loved it ) then op to Cairns & now in Gilgandra, & I have'nt seen 1 grey ribbon,, so COME ON FOLKS,, put your grey ribbons up ,,( or duct tape)

Happywanderer · The Master

Must go buy myself some grey ribbon, will put it on my car for now.

Ma · Guru

We have only seen one and that was in Lithgow and we had arranged to meet some fellow GN's and they had the ribbons too. Apart from that we haven't seen any either.

Pam · Guru

This forum has just under 2000 members. I wonder what percentage of all travellers this represents.
Then you have to consider that not everyone here are full time GNs maybe thats why we don't spot the stickers or ribbons.
It is habit forming, peering at vans as they go past or deliberately walking past parked ones just in case there is a sticker.

Happywanderer · The Master

Not all grey nomads will be travelling around in caravans and campervans. There must be a certain percentage who travel in their car and just stay in CPs or other cheapish accomm.

Dunmowin · Guru

If you were travelling along the Gateway Motorway heading northbound between, say, Eight Mile Plains & Wynnum Road on a weekday morning (reverse for the afternoon peak, and you were passed, or you passed a 15 YO camry with a grey ribbon on the arial, would you wave to me, please?

Cos, even though I am a member of this forum, won't be full time GNs till July 11 cry

and unfortunatly have to drive 15yo camry till then.

Happywanderer · The Master

That has to be Brisbane, I'm presuming Dunmowin?

Dunmowin · Guru

well done Happy Wanderer!

brickies · Guru

In all my travels have yet to see a grey ribbon or a grey nomad sticker we are a great group but in the big picture of grey nomads we are a very small group , always asking fellow traveller have they used our forum site and yet to find one who has heard of us , so we are a special little group helping one an other and I think we do that well

GrumpyOne · Senior Member

I have encountered the issue that because I tow a boat and not a van, not a soul but one with a van waves back, I have passed at least 50 or so heading north along the Princes Highway between Sydney and Lorne so far.

I am easy to spot, big white dual cab ute loaded on top with tents and jerry cans, got my GN sticker on the Bullbar and the tailgate, N Aussie flag on the UHF.....

If your down the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and South Aust I will be heading West.....give me a yell on UHF40 or at least a toot n wave...

Hoo Roo Haooy Days
Grumpy

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Like the idea of silver ribbons Ma... seems to have a bit more style than dull grey! smile

We often call up people on the radio when they have things like "Tom and Mary UHF 18" on the back of their van... have yet to get a reply. Probably thats because everybody uses channel 40 on the road! hmm

Cruising Granny · Guru

I have silver gift wrap ribbon flying from Rosy's aerial, from Spotlight. I have the sticker on the back of the tug and van, but even in Cairns over the busy tourist season I haven't seen another sticker or ribbon.
I have to admit the sticker on the car is fading fast, so I may have to request a replacement before I hit the road again.
I'll also refresh the ribbon too. After more than a year it's a little frayed, but still flying.
The percentage of us across this huge country could make it less likely to see flags and stickers.
I have UHF with channel 40 cited on the back. If we chat we go to 18 or another channel, to be fair to other radio listeners.
Those who travel off the beaten track and free camp are probably less likely to be seen or to see fellow GN's. Then there are many caravan parks in Cairns, and it's a percentage thing again.
I have caught up with 2 GN's in the last week. One on wheels, Jim (no ribbon) and one who flew in to visit family, and me. (no sticker or flag there).
So my travelling friends, it's a percentage thing. We're not likely to be travelling on the same highway in the same region very often. It would be a chance meeting.
I promise to wave to you all, if you promise to wave to me.
I'll be on the road between Cairns and SA, across to 3ways, down the middle from late October.

gillyb · Senior Member

I'm heading off next Thursday on my first short trip to Mildura for a week and will proudly display my stickers on the back of my A'van, I will also try to remember to get some ribbon to attach somewhere too so hopefully someone will spot me and say g'day smile

pricey43 · Guru

I'm still waiting and hoping to encounter some other grey ribbons. I have had quite a few comments on our stickers with a 'must look that up'.

No querie about our ribbons, but it is easier to find in the car park.

smile

Ma · Guru

They sure are handy in the car parks Pricey, especially if you car happens to be just that tad taller than the average car.

BarbandDaz · Senior Member

Our Nissan proudly flies the grey ribbons......

Dunmowin · Guru

Hi BarbandDaz, next time we are down in the Redlands, we will look out for you smile

Pejay · Guru

Ok Barb & Darryl, without being rude, where on your Patrol do you 'fly' your grey ribbons - on our Patrol the aerial retracks (big word for a Friday arvo) and the CB aerial is a fairly small one. If we could find a place to 'fly 'em' from, we certainly would.

Pete & June

Dunmowin · Guru

Our aerial retracts also, however, we have a "round town" aerial and a "not so round town" aerial. I will be putting our grey ribbon on the big one. (have to take it off round town, cos we don't fit in work car parks, or our own garage for that matter)

BarbandDaz · Senior Member

Hi Pejay,
They proudly fly from the UHF aerial wink

'cos the other one retracts

Would be great to meet up Dunmowin once we get home.
Barb

Dawn · Senior Member

We are not on road yet but van in driveway packed ready to go- we have our GN.com stickers all on van & car as well.
Just a thought though why doesn't someone make & sell a nice small triangle grey flag that flies on an ariel with the GN signature on it. Then we would recognise it from a distance? confuse

Might even be a good thing for some GNs to make them and make money along the way- How about you Ma? You could surely make these and sell them? Just a thought!

-- Edited by Dawn on Sunday 19th of September 2010 01:19:42 PM

brickies · Guru

We must remember that other groups use grey ribbon has there symbol like Diabetes ,Asthma and Brain Cancer so be aware the Ribbon you see may be for another cause

Ma · Guru

I'll give that a bit of thought Dawn and see what I can come up with when we get home. Only a few days to go and back to reality............boy how time flies. Been away for just on 5 months and what an amazing time we have had.