I am new here. Some of you may know me from Paddling.net
I got the link from Joaquin Sauve when I sold him my beautiful Nomad SOT.
I think this could be a very useful board for me. After the sale of the Nomad, I still have six kayaks ranging from 9' to 18'. I've been kayaking in Northern California for about 10 years, and at this point I have it down to a routine. I paddle Monterey Bay from February to June. I do more kayaking bar hopping than surfing these days. The Eastern Sierra Nevadas from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Mendocino County sometime in the summer, Lake Tahoe in fall, then back to Monterey Bay.
I've got the kayaking thing pretty well down, its the vehicle thing that I am having trouble with.
I have a pretty cool old lady. She a major PITA, like most women, but she is definitely alright for a girl. She is always asking when the next camping trip is. We go at least once or twice a month, with a couple week long trips. This year we did a week at Capitola, two weeks at Mendocino, and off for a week at Tahoe next week.
She also likes kayaking, but will not go out on the open ocean.
On top of being a good camper, she used to be a bus driver, and she drives the monster ' 92 Chevy Conversion van most of the time. She is seriously into trucks, and has strong opinions.
The van is a converted Chevy 20 Van by Tiara. Its got four captains chairs, and I pulled out the rear bench and replaced with custom queen/king sized bed with storage under the platform.
The '01 Silverado step side is her baby. We have trackracks for it, and a Leer bed cover. Obviously we can't use both at the same times, so I have to swap it out twice a year so she can' have the cover for winter.
The little '96 Toyota Tacoma regular cab with 2WD is mine. Its got a camper shell and Yakima racks. Its the kayak and gear hauler. I once spent a summer camping in the Eastern Sierras with this truck, a canoe, and very little gear.
Life is damn good...But....It maybe could be better.
The van is a conversion van with a raised, contoured, fiberglass roof. It just doesn't haul kayaks on top, and the only boat that fits inside is my little '9 Ocean Kayak Frenzy.
Our favorite two boats are 13' and 12'. My Ocean Kayak Mars and her Pungo.
A lot of trips we are faced with taking the van to have a nice warm bed, or taking the Toyota to haul kayaks. We often deal with this by taking both. Despite the gas money, I don't mind it so much. I like driving over Sonora Pass in my little truck with my own music blasting. (JS, Santana is my favorite!)
Kids and grandkids can cause problems. If she takes her 22 YO son, girlfriend, and baby, then we have to take the Toy and the van. I am also OK with that.
If it were up to me, I would tear out the second row of seats out, but we also use the van to haul kids and grand kids around, so that ain't happening. We actually bought the van for about $4K as partners, but I have spent another $10K getting it road worthy, Its done a few long trips.
Its the "compromise" that is the biggest pain in my butt. If we are not taking the kids, but we want to take kayaks, we take her Silverado with the TrackRacs. Its a step side, and she doesn't want a camper shell for it. I agree it would ruining the effect.
We can't just leave the Silverado packed like the Toy or the van , and I hate packing, taking gear from the van and the truck is a pain in the butt. Then putting everything back for the next trip. I spent all day yesterday doing it for a weeklong trip next week.
Here are some ideas:
Buy a new Toyota Tacoma Ext cab and put a camper shell and racks on it. If I did this she could trade her truck for a sports car with good MPG. This is probably my most practical idea, and she would be OK with it, especially if I pay the difference.
She wants to buy a used Class "C" camper. There are some really good deals on them right now. I don't really want anything that big, and to be blunt about it, I am the one with the money.
Buy Granpa's go to hell surf van with a low roof, and walk on kayak racks. This would be a cargo van with windows. Just 2 seats and a big bed with storage under the platform. This would NOT make her happy, but its what I really want.
I got the link from Joaquin Sauve when I sold him my beautiful Nomad SOT.
I think this could be a very useful board for me. After the sale of the Nomad, I still have six kayaks ranging from 9' to 18'. I've been kayaking in Northern California for about 10 years, and at this point I have it down to a routine. I paddle Monterey Bay from February to June. I do more kayaking bar hopping than surfing these days. The Eastern Sierra Nevadas from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Mendocino County sometime in the summer, Lake Tahoe in fall, then back to Monterey Bay.
I've got the kayaking thing pretty well down, its the vehicle thing that I am having trouble with.
I have a pretty cool old lady. She a major PITA, like most women, but she is definitely alright for a girl. She is always asking when the next camping trip is. We go at least once or twice a month, with a couple week long trips. This year we did a week at Capitola, two weeks at Mendocino, and off for a week at Tahoe next week.
She also likes kayaking, but will not go out on the open ocean.
On top of being a good camper, she used to be a bus driver, and she drives the monster ' 92 Chevy Conversion van most of the time. She is seriously into trucks, and has strong opinions.
The van is a converted Chevy 20 Van by Tiara. Its got four captains chairs, and I pulled out the rear bench and replaced with custom queen/king sized bed with storage under the platform.
The '01 Silverado step side is her baby. We have trackracks for it, and a Leer bed cover. Obviously we can't use both at the same times, so I have to swap it out twice a year so she can' have the cover for winter.
The little '96 Toyota Tacoma regular cab with 2WD is mine. Its got a camper shell and Yakima racks. Its the kayak and gear hauler. I once spent a summer camping in the Eastern Sierras with this truck, a canoe, and very little gear.
Life is damn good...But....It maybe could be better.
The van is a conversion van with a raised, contoured, fiberglass roof. It just doesn't haul kayaks on top, and the only boat that fits inside is my little '9 Ocean Kayak Frenzy.
Our favorite two boats are 13' and 12'. My Ocean Kayak Mars and her Pungo.
A lot of trips we are faced with taking the van to have a nice warm bed, or taking the Toyota to haul kayaks. We often deal with this by taking both. Despite the gas money, I don't mind it so much. I like driving over Sonora Pass in my little truck with my own music blasting. (JS, Santana is my favorite!)
Kids and grandkids can cause problems. If she takes her 22 YO son, girlfriend, and baby, then we have to take the Toy and the van. I am also OK with that.
If it were up to me, I would tear out the second row of seats out, but we also use the van to haul kids and grand kids around, so that ain't happening. We actually bought the van for about $4K as partners, but I have spent another $10K getting it road worthy, Its done a few long trips.
Its the "compromise" that is the biggest pain in my butt. If we are not taking the kids, but we want to take kayaks, we take her Silverado with the TrackRacs. Its a step side, and she doesn't want a camper shell for it. I agree it would ruining the effect.
We can't just leave the Silverado packed like the Toy or the van , and I hate packing, taking gear from the van and the truck is a pain in the butt. Then putting everything back for the next trip. I spent all day yesterday doing it for a weeklong trip next week.
Here are some ideas:
Buy a new Toyota Tacoma Ext cab and put a camper shell and racks on it. If I did this she could trade her truck for a sports car with good MPG. This is probably my most practical idea, and she would be OK with it, especially if I pay the difference.
She wants to buy a used Class "C" camper. There are some really good deals on them right now. I don't really want anything that big, and to be blunt about it, I am the one with the money.
Buy Granpa's go to hell surf van with a low roof, and walk on kayak racks. This would be a cargo van with windows. Just 2 seats and a big bed with storage under the platform. This would NOT make her happy, but its what I really want.
