# What was the very first post about on MHF



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I've not found one earlier than this so far.

http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/22-motorhoming-disabled/1025-site-disabled.html


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

The earliest post would have been much earlier than that.. I think that the one you have highlighted was probably the first after the big meltdown of the site in 2005. We all had to register again after that unfortunate incident.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

The original would have been in 2003, when Nuke first started a blog and it developed into MHF's.but due to Melt down it recovered in May 2005.
Have you not read the history Kev.>>

cabby
http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/20-motorhome-chitchat/5185-motorhomes-good-payloads.html


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Earliest I can find so far is 15/12/2003...

http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/20-motorhome-chitchat/837-winter-campsites-france.html

Only found it as I posted in the thread (I joined 16/02/2004) and used the old site to find it.

Pete


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I found one concerning whether to use pig or ox fat to lubricate cartwheels.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Thank you spacrunner, note to self, dont drink coffee when reading posts. ruined a good keyboard.:grin2::grin2::grin2::wink2::wink2:

cabby


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/19-introductions/820-hello-all.html

This is the earliest post that I responded to at 22-11-2003, 17:20

I was one of a few of us who used to 'meet and greet' and encourage folk to come back to a friendly group.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Wouldn't it have had to do with starting a site for discussion on matters related to motorhoming?


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi Kev

Good theme for a thread.

This Thread is the earliest thread 14-10-2003 << I can find. I think some threads must have been lost during the BIG crash in 2005.

But ...Those were the days ... the atmosphere on here was great, help always forthcoming and the camaraderie amongst the members was something else ...mind you there were not so many of us then and the forum was free ...although Nuke was helped a bit by donations from those that could.

I started using the forum at the end of 2003, As I remember Nuke was still motorhoming around Europe and running the forum while on the move.

My 100th thread/post was this daft addition...all about one of the all time stars of MHF .... Link to thread <<

This is what MHF<<link looked like back in 2003.

I think We should continue this thread with links to some of the best MHF threads....if only we can remember them...and find them :grin2:

P.S. not sure why but when Pusser eventually replied to my thread on his return from Spain his replies are shown as coming from "anonymous" .....knowning Puss he probably messed up his username or login :grin2:


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Mike 

Thanks for that. I read it through and wondered when he would reply - just at the end.

I only caught the last year or so of his contributions after I joined, but he was good value. I can still envisage his Avatar.

Sad to note that, except you Mike, I think that no posters on that thread are still on MHF. Thankfully there are still a few stalwarts around, although I am a teenager in comparison to some people's membership.

Geoff


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

Ah, memories. How I loved Pusser's expertise on toilet matters.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I used to drop in and read the posts during 2003 and 2004, it was them that encouraged us to buy a motorhome again and we took off and went down to Spain in search of Pusser.:wink2::wink2:

When we got back the site had crashed and when it was sorted I registered.2005.

best thing we ever did.

cabby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Spacerunner said:


> I found one concerning whether to use pig or ox fat to lubricate cartwheels.


No, not in the least bit funny, no not all, hot tea hurts, it hurts a lot, you should carry a health warning.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It was odd to read those ancient threads and see names I'd not seen before, and wonder what became of them, and to be reminded of those who have gone or left us.

I went on a Pusser hunt but going through his avatar only got me to here and I know he posted earlier than that.

Last post was in May last year I think.

I don't get it when people just **** off, sometimes warning of their imminent departure :roll: I can understand them going to pastures new, that's just human, but surely they still like some of those they leave behind, (the subs wouldn't break a down and out) I sometimes wonder if they are so fickle, we're better of without them.

Just saying


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

There are many reasons for someone to give up posting here and I think you are being unfair Kev.
We will give up motorhoming in the not too far future and I don't know whether I would still come here. It might remind me too much of the happy years travelling and what I have lost to old age.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

autostratus said:


> There are many reasons for someone to give up posting here and I think you are being unfair Kev.
> We will give up motorhoming in the not too far future and I don't know whether I would still come here. It might remind me too much of the happy years travelling and what I have lost to old age.


Possibly Gillian, and I do take your point, but a lot of them purport to have made real friends, then disappear to be seen on other sites, that's not how I see friends, I joined the self build site solely to build my van, I've subscribed twice since then, I don't often need any help from them, but I can help others sometimes, I don't have any mates on there except Peter from here, and no desire to make any more.

This site is more like a social club than a MoHo forum, and your point about reminders should be a positive, places visited etc, a chance to relive happy places, and you will still have loads of things to say, and help to give, I for one would miss your warmth, humour and honesty, so I'd rather you didn't just disappear


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Pusser was on Fruitcakes for quite some time and we were in regular touch by email. Sadly I learned earlier last year he was very ill. He told me he had just four months to live. I have tried to get in touch with him since I returned from France a couple of times but no reply. So I have no idea what became of him. A very funny and kind man though.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

A true character.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Unfortunately, members who disappear could be due to ill health and not able to come back on and say goodbye.If I fall ill none of my family would think to come on here and tell you all. A shame but this is what happens.

cabby

Perhaps I should write my obituary and directions on how to post on here with some extra rude comments.they could not ban me then.lol.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

autostratus said:


> There are many reasons for someone to give up posting here and I think you are being unfair Kev.
> We will give up motorhoming in the not too far future and I don't know whether I would still come here. It might remind me too much of the happy years travelling and what I have lost to old age.


I understand what you mean

But relationships are formed

Not always two way it's true

But we all loose to old age , may well give up mororhoming for various reasons

I'm not sure that is a valid reason for giving up people that you have related with over a long time

Unless of course it's been a strictly business relationship

I miss people that have left

But that's just me

Aldra


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

cabby said:


> Unfortunately, members who disappear could be due to ill health and not able to come back on and say goodbye.If I fall ill none of my family would think to come on here and tell you all. A shame but this is what happens.
> 
> cabby
> 
> Perhaps I should write my obituary and directions on how to post on here with some extra rude comments.they could not ban me then.lol.


Cabby

Good point about one reason why people might disappear.

On the obituary point - we can write it for you (rude comments incl. - although I would charge Kev a lot to insert his)

Geoff


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## DJP (May 9, 2005)

We should form another section? 'The 2005 Club', most posts here are from members since 2005!
I can't remember yesterday let alone nearly 11 years ago!


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

A point to ponder, just how many of us 2005 are there still on here.


cabby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

nicholsong said:


> Cabby
> 
> Good point about one reason why people might disappear.
> 
> ...


Whilst I may take the peeps out of cabs, I would never be rude to the silly arse


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

spykal said:


> This Thread is the earliest thread 14-10-2003 << I can find. I think some threads must have been lost during the BIG crash in 2005.


I think it probably is, the site hadn't been open much longer than that. I joined late in that month in response to a post by Nuke on Yahoo's Motorhome List. My first post was made at the beginning of November 2003.

peedee


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Wow Peedee your post brought back some more memories ... Just like you I started on the Motorhome List and got involved with MHF via Nuke's requests on there. His website was at first just a database of motorhome specifications but within a few days he had added a forum and away it went.

What is amazing is that the Motorhome List which was started in 1998 still exists and even more amazing I managed to remember my login name and password so I have just spent an enjoyable 45 minutes looking back through some of the old messages.

Dave ( Nuke) posted this request in the Motorhome list on 3rd October 2003
( hope no one there minds me copying some of it here)

P.S. It Seems that I am in memory lane mode this morning ....the trouble is my memory is rubbish or rather my brain has all the details in it but it needs a kick like Peedee supplied to get it to function

_David Burley
Oct 3, 2003

Hi
As someone who is on the market at the mo to find that elusive perfect
layout and specs for my next motorhome purchase I have been frustrated by
the lack of a centralised repository of information on models, specs, floor
plans etc.

I decided to utilise my spare time to alleviate the hours spent researching
these things by creating a web site which I intend with everyones help to
create a searchable database of manufacturers, models and specs etc. This is at www.motorhomefacts.com. I have started compiling useful links etc as
well.

I need help with this mammoth task. I need INFORMATION 

I want the following:-

Old (2000+) brochures for models
Floor plans
Specs

Any other information that may seem useful in compiling this database
Any information in digital format that can be emailed to me would be
preferable but physical information (brochures etc) I also require, please
send these to :-

David Burley
************
************
Any info that you wish to relay vocally phone me on 01491 *******

Regards 
David Burley _


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

I came here from the Motorhome List too although my memory isn't as good as yours, Mike.

I used to go back from time to time but my returns were less frequent as I spent a lot of time here with a couple of others members trying to encourage back anyone who popped in to see what was going on.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

2003 I had just got back from 8 weeks in France and Spain and found this site.I had no info I thought would help then, but you might find a couple of posts from me in 2004. Many of us were devastated with the crash, but MHF arose from the ashes again in 2005.

cabby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Any more info on the crash itself as I'd not heard anything about it until this thread.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

There are others here who have probably got a better memory than me but I seem to remember mention that the servers got overloaded as the site grew and finally had a major crash after a couple of mini-crashes.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

There's some history here on the old site:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/history.html
.
.
.
.
.
*The Big Crash [2005]*

MHF was growing faster and faster with more and more motorhome owners finding out about the site and joining up. Up until April 2005 the site was funded 100% by David and some donations from thankful users.

Suddenly without warning the website computer hardware suffered a catastrophic failure and at first it was thought that the whole website data had been lost, but after huge amounts of money raised by the users and some specialist work by data recovery experts the site was regained in almost its previous state.

The opportunity was siezed to use a new framework at the same time as the site was rebuilt from recovered data.

This hardware failure and consequent 'growing pains' like downtime caused by computer hardware working too close to maximum tolerances left David in a quandry.

MHF had grown and grown way beyond his expectations and now needed some dedicated computer server equipment with better hosting companies, more bandwidth requirements and better backup facilities, this all would work out very costly. The site had been primarily funded from Davids' own pockets for 2 years with some donations trickle fed in as and when needed from the community, but this would not sustain the improvements needed to go to the next stage in the site evolution, a push for many advertisers could be attempted, but the problem with these is that too many big advertisers can also limit the effective independance of the site and its community.

The MHF Independance is one thing that we are very proud of as it allows us to question companies customer support and service with no comeback from a large advertiser and allows us to give unbiaised reviews of vans and accessories.


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## blondel (Jun 12, 2005)

cabby said:


> A point to ponder, just how many of us 2005 are there still on here.
> 
> cabby


me, me, me>

can't find any of my posts before 2008 but that is possible as I 'lurked' for a long time at the beginning! :surprise: :laugh:


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