4x4Lamm

I am into this kind of 4x4ing. There is not too much to explore in NE Ohio though.

You can learn a lot of stuff by browsing through expeditionexchange.com. They have tons of cool stuff.

Lamm

94-RUNNER

I agree with the fact that this is going to be a good thread and am going to be watching closely to the post as to pick up helpfull ideas for our expidition type trips. We do between 6 to 7 one week trips into the North Maine Woods a year and love it. We usually have enough provisions to carry us atleast a week plus extra in the woods. No pavement, no grocery stores and no waiting in line at the stop lights. The only time that we have to stop and wait is for a moose or a bear just a little to close to the Runner and to take pic's and that's it. Then a peaceful and quiet starlit nites at the camp and then off again in the AM. There is a lot to be said for being in the wilderness all by yourselves and no civilization for hundreds of miles in any direction. Like some said it takes a little bit of a drive to get there (7 hours) but it is well worth it. Allthough we did do one trip cross country earlier this year, 25 days, 23 states and 9500 miles. We did hit quite a few place on the way like Mojave Desert, Death Valley, Grand Canyon just to name a few. So we do leave our back yard once and a while. I know that our trips are not much in comparison to the ones that others take in other countries but, the way that we look at it is that there is more that we can see here in the United States in a life time so we will just enjoy where we are.

Thrillbilly

I have always thought that expedition type trips would be the way to go. I like backpacking and just getting away from everything, and the idea of doing it with my 4runner has always been a nice thought. Going for a week exploring caves, abandoned mines, what have you would be perfect for what I have always liked doing. Anything to escape everyday life.

jposey66

Any of you guys ever gone down into Baja or considered it? I go at least once a year. Just enough civilization down there that you can usually find gas and a taco every day. Lots of two track riding/driving, 100's of miles from nowhere. Camping on barren beaches and in the middle of the desert. Awsome scenery.

Reliability is 100 times more important than any thing else. Getting 500 miles into a foreign country and having to ask your buddy to pull you on a strap all the way back would stink. Ruins everybody's trip. Carry extras of anything you think is vulnerable. I carry an extra axle, extra cv, oil, atf, coolant, belt, set of front wheel bearings, and U-joints. I'm sure I've forgotten something. I only use the factory 4runner fuel tank, but also carry two fivers on the rear bumper.

Subscribing

Posey

dragr1

iTrader: (3)

Subscribing. I wish I had more time to go out west and do expedition type trips. Maybe when I retire in about 30 years.

Thrillbilly

With school I just don't have the time to take trips like these. I plan on taking atleast one on my summer break, but thats a little over 6 months away. Guess I'll just work on the truck till then.

pogold

just wanted to say: i think about an expedition at least 2 hours a day, if i had it my way, i would be on one right now, and for the next 5 years too. It is heartening to see this thread, and thanks for starting it.
We are the last generation to see the american west the way Edward Abbey saw it, if we are not too late already. The super malls, super churches, and track homes that have taken over the western states and dammed up our rivers will not stop until it is far too late. We too, are one of the last to see the north west wild. Alaska and Canada are not immune to the decisions of thier respective governments. The more people who see these last wild areas, the more there will be who work to save it. ours is a somewhat contradictory interest in that we depend on the infrastructure provided by chevron, shell, etc., in order to get out there. But it is great that people still want to get out there.
Our trucks can be our present day version of the nomads carts, they can be out base camp, and our homes. It seems to me that the most important thing is to see the land. Morgages, loans, husbands, wives, children, college funds, taxes, careers, all are ropes, tie downs. Not to say that each don't have their value. But i am glad to see that there is some manifest destiny left in a few of us, some Pike, some Abbey, some Polo. I for one plan to finish my geology degree, and work till i have enough to build up the ideal expeditioner, keep it gassed, and keep myself fed, and then go hang with the rocks and rivers, the trees, the mountains, and grow some green on the hillside. And when i run out, who knows, live in the present, or the near present at least. We should all speak for the trees, and hills.
I hope others who have a dream to be on the road don't let wells fargo, charles schwab, IRA's and 401K's, take it away from you. it is not unrelaistic, no matter what, people do not need to loose their freedom to ideals that are not their own. I would not say no to being a millionaire, but who want to loose his spirit, who wants to kill her passion, for "security". It never takes me more than three days sleeping outside and alone to realize that i am afraid of nothing more than other people, not the trees, the animals, the sky. Security is knowing that no matter what, you have fulfilled a dream, not an impossiblity, and above all, are content. What is the point of a career that fuels nothing more than the desire for some other life. The expediton is the last freedom many of us have. I can think of many things i want, but only a few that i need; i will not be owned by the bank, or my house.
I hope to see you out there, live the life you know you will love.

94-RUNNER

Yea ! WHAT HE SAID !

Snorkeldepth

. . . . . or WHAT SHE SAID !

bruzer1123

Check out bajataco @ http://www.bajataco.com

He has done some cool stuff with his truck. He post on here occasionally as well...

Thrillbilly

pogold. I want to go on a trip right now.

rngrchad

PoGold, it is a pleasure to see your intellectual side, and a pleasure to experiance your heart felt passion towards all places wild. I imagine I'm speaking for many yotatecher's here, in saying that you certainly portrayed a beautiful summary of what is wrong with views of massed society. I've personally always hated the word "dream". As for myself, I would rather, in it's place use the word goal. Follow goals, not dreams. Goals are attainable, for some reason, I've found people see dreams as extremely far-fetched or highly unlikely to come true. So let us, "yotatechers" take this thread and feed off the energy of one another and use it to motivate ourselves. Let us take that "dream" and turn it into a goal, no matter how short term or long term it may be.
There are wild places your heart has yet to experience. To me freedom can only be truthfully found when I find myself, and that's where the lure of wild places has always gotten me through long days at construction sites. So when I leave for Idaho, solo, on Jan 14th for a month, maybe it'll be for years.?. Anyhow, PoGold have peace man. You have a deep heart and a rare one. Not many realize what a powerfully humbling influence the land has....it is truly the one thing in life you can not lose respect for.

pogold

on the topic of dreams, i agree with rngrchad, goal is a much better way to put it. priority might work as well. a dream seems to me to be something that is never expected to be fulfilled, a fleeting desire that is predestined to remain only a figment of one's imagination. everything i do from day to day is nothing more than a means to an end, hopefully a good one, when my goal will be fulfilled. certainly not fleeting. i'll leave the dreaming to my mind while i sleep. and word to solo trips. i took one last summer, about half the time in utah, but then up to the tetons, and then over to olympic, and then down to the sierras, etc, mostly kayaking, hiking, backpacking, etc. i can think of no more powerful an experience one can take. most people i have talked to think its pretty weird, glad to find some like minded folks. but if you cannot be content chilling by yourself, if you can't laugh with and at your self, sing to yourself, and do j's by yourself, then what do you really have? when you are alone, you can say anything you want, or do anything you want, walk around naked in deserted glacier valleys, and really get to see your spirit. a solo trip gives you a depth of perception and a width of perspective that is overrun in society, that is drowned in the "cares" of "real" life. so yeah, i'm down for some road trips, we should all have peace with our land, its the last real thng we have left. and though it too to is changing in ways we can hardly fathom, it is our root, our anchor, our last piece of solidarity in a culture that has gone so far astray. by the way, the gov just got one step closer to giving the go-ahead for drilling in anwar, whose down for some monkeywrenching?

blupaddler

Here's a few resources:

"Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide" by Tom Sheppard. Pricey, I think they are going for $200. But an excellent guide.


www.4wdtrips.net
www.bajataco.com (frequent poster here, and full of information)
www.expeditionswest.com (Posts here occasionally, also a wealth of information)
www.expeditionportal.com (new vehicle dependent expedition forum-check it out!)
www.earthroamer.com
www.northbyrover.com
www.sandcruiser.com

Snorkeldepth

I've done several solo trips and they've all been just like you described. I did 1500 miles through France on a mountain bike. I did a week long trip on a 21 ft. sailboat around Catalina. I did a week long Sierra Nevada trip and another week long Death Valley trip with my truck. I agree . . don't dream. Instead, set goals. In sailing it's often said that if your "dream" is to go cruising then "go simple and go now." Be prepared but don't let complex plans and preparations separate you from the experience. Up until now my adventure truck has been a stock 4 wheel drive Toyota truck with a shell on the back. The truck is really only a tool. There's plenty of adventure out there. Use the tools you have now and get out there. Getting out there changes your perspective. A perspective changed from the one shaped by clogged freeways, tv, newpapers, budgets, etc. is a good thing.

Oh yeah, and people who are content alone make the best friends.

[Edit] Nice links!

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Yep, solo or small group trips are fun. Often it just is not possible to line up anyone who can take the week or two off to go with or that is interested in the places I plan to go. Like 2 summers ago when I did about 1.5 weeks and 5000 miles solo. But running solo gives flexibility, like this point in my trip across Utah when I hit this intersection in the middle of nowhere and just on a whim took the road south that looked more interesting:



Kind of a fun trip, did not really plan a whole lot of it and 2 days away from home I discovered I had left all my maps at home, DOH! But armed with laptop and GPS I planned the route on the fly and saw way more interesting stuff than if I would have planned it out ahead of time:

http://c-67-170-224-64.hsd1.ca.comca.../MN_Trip_2004/

The is a certain element of risk involved and you need to be prepared to handle most any eventuality. On this trip, I had a shock mount break about 100 miles from the nearest town, I welded that back up. In the process of fixing that, I melted an air/adjuster line to my rear shocks, but fixed that by putting the old manual adjusters back on. Then I had an alternator go out on the ND/MT border. Had my spare swapped in the next morning. There is a certain rush of excitement you get when you make that first turn off the paved road into the backcountry, though.

pogold

yeah, solo trips can be risky, and though acting on impulse is really the only way to do anything, being prepared is a must. and yes, the best freinds are those who are freinds with themselves first, there is no greater truth than that. solos are great because you can take whichever road you like. is so nice not having to consult other people sometimes. and by the way 4Crawler, great picture!!
but as this is a tech forum, i suppose one should talk about that too.
bajataco is a great site, its just about exactly what i would find ideal in a truck.
i think the most usefull info here would pertain to the follwing, and please forgive if i sound ignorant on some of these points, i'm new to the truck thing:


camper shells (for tacos): which ones can carry a load on top; most durable under flex, best options, and of course, reasonably priced.
lifts, both body and suspension: i think most would agree that larger wheels and tires would be convienient, but i for one am not that interested in tranny drops and that sort of stuff, are these absolutly necessary?
what is most likely to fail on the trail, from peoples experience, what spare parts should be brought.
i for one would like to know how realistic, welding skills depending, is fabbing ones own front bumpers. seems like fun, but i would like to keep my air bags operational
how about what people have done for storage in the bed, again, bajataco has a good setup, but i sure other people have done similar setups.

this all of course depends on what kind of rig you roll. maybe the most usefull would be to list your ideal setup and why, or list what you have, and what you like about it and dislike. stay inpired, impulsive and whimsicle, roadtrips are the best

oly884

Raises hand "me me me"

You can see what I have set up in my sig.

It's great, I've slept back there for 2 weeks, and never once had a problem. The only issue I have is that the weight is taking its toll on the stock springs, so I got air shocks, but the lines are a major PITA. So, a mild lift with custom springs from Deaver are in order.

A power inverter is a very nice thing to have, as is a batt only for it. Greg, do you remember when you showed me that battery combiner? Well, that's what I got, and it works wonders. It makes bringing along certain things such as a laptop or even a sterio much easier.

I'm also planning on getting a roof rack for my canopy. It'll help out with a lot of stuff.

Cooking is also something to consider. I bought a coleman two burner stove, some pots and pans, silverware, cups, and plates. I always carry fishing supplies with me, and have ammo cases full of some freeze dried food, nuts, cliff bars, etc. A stash of toilet paper is a must, so is an axe, flash lights, extra cloths, you see where I'm going.

Making it comfortable is also VERY important. I used a futon matress and not only does it fit perfect, it also is quite comfy.

This summer I'm planning on quite a few weekend trips (too busy with work to take a week off) all over Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.

If any of you guys need help building them, let me know and I'll give you some better details of how to build it. Greg, if you'd like me to build/help build what I got for you, let me know, I'll be in town tomorrow, Dec. 21, through Dec. 26th.

Bagger

Pogold and David - you guys really need to check out two of the links that blupaddler posted. Particularly 4WDTrips.net and expeditionportal.com.

With David already having built a sleeping/storage deck and his appetite for trips in his truck, these sites are tailor made for someone who enjoys outfitting and using their trucks as he does. And pogold, your attitude reflects many of the members on both sites. Lots of good vehicle dependent info for all experience levels, from the novice to the guys who've crossed Africa and South America. Give 'em a look. I'll bet you'll be hooked!

MNBOY

David,
Thanks for the offer. I've had a split level sleeping/storage setup for about 7 years now. I just transferred it from the old truck into my current one when the old one died.
I'm glad the combiner worked out for you. I'm in the process of sorting through the final details of a new business and will probably be offering several products that would be advantageous for this type of travel, including a dual battery system.