...Somewhat new to ExPortal, but extremely excited to start doing more overland/camping adventures now that we have a little one! My wife and I have camped pretty regularly up to when she got prego and started to get uncomfortable. This last weekend we took our first trip in my freshly built (from stock) '86runner, AND it was the first camping trip for our little girl who is 7 weeks old. I'm not really seeing many other posts w/ children this young. Would you guys say that it's a little too young? We went overnight, and I tried to bring anything we might need!
So, we didn't do any wheeling on this trip (don't even have a front DS yet) but it was the first time i'd had my runner anywhere but around here. I was a little worried about freeway handling, etc, and lugginess with the auto tranny, but the truck did great! It pulled up most hills at 60, and the only thing that kept me from going much over 65 on the flats and downhill was a little bit of a DS vibration. Once I get the u joints replaced I don't think it'll have any problem doing 70-75! (as long as there is no head wind ) Did I mention that the A/C was cranked the whole way back and it kept us chilly, while doing 65??? I love it!
We also used the SUV tent that we recently purchased, and I love that set-up! We sleep in the back of the runner, and have our "living room" down in the tent! It works out great! For trips like this camping on the beach, a camper might be nice, but for more remote destinations where a camper or trailer couldn't go, I don't know if there could be a much nicer set-up!!! We used a tarp to extend out the awning for some extra shade for the baby.
I also (finally) used the army medical box w/ drawers that I bought awhile back to make my "camp in a box" that includes all of the little camping stuff that usually takes forever to pack and you usually end up forgetting something important like toilet paper or bug spray. I arranged the drawers (which have organization dividers in them) to fit pretty much all of the camping necessities that I could think of. Now when we go camping we'll have to pack some clothes, sleeping bags, tent, the cooler, and the rest is ready to go in the box. I got 2 boxes, and the other one will be in the runner permanently as my tools/fluids/recovery gear box (leaving the drawers out) They both fit perfectly between the wheel wells. You can see the drawers in one of the pics, and the tool box is on the floor of the tent as our step up into the runner.
I built this rig as a DD/weekend camping/mild wheeling/drive to moab and back comfortably rig and I couldn't be happier so far with the 'runner and it's performance! Now for a front DS so that I can have some more fun with it!
What do you all think? I still have plenty more mods to the 'runner that i want to do like a house battery routed to a couple solar panels, roof rack for light stuff that takes up space in the back like camp chairs and sleeping bags, swing away spare tire carrier w/ jerry can/hi lift holder.....the list goes on. I'm just stoked that it's finally street legal and ready for some camping action!!
So, we didn't do any wheeling on this trip (don't even have a front DS yet) but it was the first time i'd had my runner anywhere but around here. I was a little worried about freeway handling, etc, and lugginess with the auto tranny, but the truck did great! It pulled up most hills at 60, and the only thing that kept me from going much over 65 on the flats and downhill was a little bit of a DS vibration. Once I get the u joints replaced I don't think it'll have any problem doing 70-75! (as long as there is no head wind ) Did I mention that the A/C was cranked the whole way back and it kept us chilly, while doing 65??? I love it!
We also used the SUV tent that we recently purchased, and I love that set-up! We sleep in the back of the runner, and have our "living room" down in the tent! It works out great! For trips like this camping on the beach, a camper might be nice, but for more remote destinations where a camper or trailer couldn't go, I don't know if there could be a much nicer set-up!!! We used a tarp to extend out the awning for some extra shade for the baby.
I also (finally) used the army medical box w/ drawers that I bought awhile back to make my "camp in a box" that includes all of the little camping stuff that usually takes forever to pack and you usually end up forgetting something important like toilet paper or bug spray. I arranged the drawers (which have organization dividers in them) to fit pretty much all of the camping necessities that I could think of. Now when we go camping we'll have to pack some clothes, sleeping bags, tent, the cooler, and the rest is ready to go in the box. I got 2 boxes, and the other one will be in the runner permanently as my tools/fluids/recovery gear box (leaving the drawers out) They both fit perfectly between the wheel wells. You can see the drawers in one of the pics, and the tool box is on the floor of the tent as our step up into the runner.
I built this rig as a DD/weekend camping/mild wheeling/drive to moab and back comfortably rig and I couldn't be happier so far with the 'runner and it's performance! Now for a front DS so that I can have some more fun with it!
What do you all think? I still have plenty more mods to the 'runner that i want to do like a house battery routed to a couple solar panels, roof rack for light stuff that takes up space in the back like camp chairs and sleeping bags, swing away spare tire carrier w/ jerry can/hi lift holder.....the list goes on. I'm just stoked that it's finally street legal and ready for some camping action!!
