Recent content by Chris in TX

I grew up in Fbg, and worked at the Nimitz Museum back when it was a TPWD site. It’s come a long, long way since then. I gave tours at the Pacific combat zone (which means I got to see inside the PT boat 😎). If you get a chance to see one of their living history weekends, check it out. It’s...

A while back I posted a pic (that I can no longer find) of a Ford Focus RS with a rtt. I guess if hotel options near the track are limited... Now, I'd rather see Porsche doing a 911 with a rtt, long-travel suspension, underbody armor, and smaller wheels with AT tires and a full-sized spare...

As someone who owns a 2.5 L Outback (2019), I can tell you that 260 hp sounds WAYYY better than 182. It's a heavy car. The Wilderness is even heavier. That said, if you're going to ditch all the OEM Wilderness parts (suspension, skid plates, etc) and replace them anyway, why not save the...

Done. Of course, "likely to buy" depends a lot on the definition of "off road capable". Hell, make a 4wd Miata with a longer suspension travel and some good skid plates and I'd probably buy it.

There's a good aftermarket for Subaru offroad parts, though rock-crushing trail monsters they'll never be. Lifts, skid plates, lights, etc, a lot of which come from the rallying side of Subaru. You'll be no less able to drain your wallet on parts than you would with any other offroad vehicle...

Lovely! My wife and I stopped at Pecos NHP on a whim a few years ago on the way back to TX from Santa Fe (my wife worked for NPS so we have to stop at whatever NPS units are along our route). It turned out to be a very nice little park in a very pleasant piece of terrain.

I wonder if something pine-smelling would be less enticing or novel to a bear. Not something I want to function-check myself, though

Correct, but (at least in Texas, which is the only set of laws I've reviewed for this purpose, so YMMV) the use of wasp spray to the eyes could (COULD, I know of no caselaw) be considered Deadly Force due to the risk of Serious Bodily Injury, which can put it (legally) on the same level as a...

Also worth planning for, if you enjoy a good hike, are the (very limited) Open Days at the Davis Mountains Preserve. Its Nature Conservancy land, so vehicle trails are minimal, but it's a cool property...

YES. I have to consciously leave room for one, though; some of them are dang near a meal (not a HEALTHY meal, mind you) by themselves. I'm still a little bummed when the Limpia Hotel's restaurant changed hands a few (several) years ago. I feel like the food quality isn't quite as good, and...

That looks like a fun trip! I've been backcountry camping at Big Bend Ranch State Park several times, but the only camping I've done at the NP was at Chisos Basin. Ya'll also picked a good time of year to hit the coast; I used to work in Galveston and the quiet winters were my favorite part...

Looks good! Have you gotten a chance to take it on dirt/caliche yet? If not, there are some good roads in the area between Llano and Menard that should be easy to get to. I tried both the CX5 and the RAV4, and the leg/shoulder room ruled them both out as an option, so I wound up in an Outback.

This right here, this is how I hike. Fat, sleepy, and chillin' on a rock in the sun while people go past me

How to not freeze **************** off with a wool blanket like it's 17somethingsomething Townsends'll learn you good. That said, I had THREE wool blankets in my Outback on a not-particularly-cold night (high 20's F) last month, and while I was toasty for the most part, feet and other spots with...

Thats a pretty nice Old Man Truck :cool: Any ideas re: skid plates/underbody protection, or do you think the new tires+torsion bar adjust would make them unnecessary/not worth the weight penalty for the sort of driving you're planning on doing with it?