I find myself wondering why you would ever come back......you can sell the shop on line and transfer all the bucks online.....get SS when your 65........rent the houses......monthly income eventually.....visit every few years to get a new rig. hell build the new rig into the shop sale......:wings: Am I wrong here? Huh..Huh..huh?
Team Equipt's "Central America Expedition"
- Thread starter benedmonson
- Start date
benedmonson
Disabled Adventurer
We like the way you think bobDog!!!:sombrero:
benedmonson
Disabled Adventurer
Team Equipt's "Expedition Mundo Maya"
We have never driven up above Cancun before and wanted to see what the Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico looked like up there, so we did. We found a killer beach, but the guy wanted us to pay 100 pesos per vehicle to drive through his gate and that also included his so called insurance. The insurance he explained was for coming and pulling us out when we got stuck?:Wow1: I don't think so! We drove around his gate and went down the federal zone which he said we could do, but we would be on our on. Except for getting literally carried away by some serious mosquitos at dusk it was a great campsite. I will post the GPS coordinates as soon as I get them off my unit. This is a great boon docking spot and we will visit again.
Beverly is continuing to hone her skills at driving in the sand which as her husband makes me very, very happy!
Our camp right on the Caribbean Sea, this made us very happy and not an RV in sight!
Not the best moon shot I've ever taken, but this last only a minute or two before it went behind the clouds. Couldn't believe how red it was!:Wow1:
Paul and Heather May taking in the sights, we are like little kids when we get to drive on the beaches.....
Our little Jackson is becoming one hell of a navigator riding shotgun!
We have never driven up above Cancun before and wanted to see what the Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico looked like up there, so we did. We found a killer beach, but the guy wanted us to pay 100 pesos per vehicle to drive through his gate and that also included his so called insurance. The insurance he explained was for coming and pulling us out when we got stuck?:Wow1: I don't think so! We drove around his gate and went down the federal zone which he said we could do, but we would be on our on. Except for getting literally carried away by some serious mosquitos at dusk it was a great campsite. I will post the GPS coordinates as soon as I get them off my unit. This is a great boon docking spot and we will visit again.
Beverly is continuing to hone her skills at driving in the sand which as her husband makes me very, very happy!
Our camp right on the Caribbean Sea, this made us very happy and not an RV in sight!
Not the best moon shot I've ever taken, but this last only a minute or two before it went behind the clouds. Couldn't believe how red it was!:Wow1:
Paul and Heather May taking in the sights, we are like little kids when we get to drive on the beaches.....
Our little Jackson is becoming one hell of a navigator riding shotgun!
benedmonson
Disabled Adventurer
Team Equipt's "Expedition Mundo Maya"
Team Equipt wants to introduce you to a very nice englishman that we met at the campground at the Palenque Ruins last week. His name is Marc Noonan (http://www.thelongtimecoming.com/) and he is riding his Polaris Quad Bike/4 wheeler all the way from Mexico to Peru. He is doing this to help and visit hard to reach charities and it has been a dream of his for a very long time. He hung out with us all night and we were blown away at is stories from the road/trail. Can you imagine the look of a farmers face when this guy comes riding through your field or farm?
Marc himself was an orphan and this is his way of giving back while seeing the world, it is also very unique! So far he hasn't had any problems from the local police or border guards and is now traveling Belize. We wish him safe travels and please donate to his cause if you can!:ylsmoke:
Marc on his Polaris with his jungle hammock.
No A/C or windshield wipers, pretty much barebones.....
When we met him he was awaiting a shipment of new tires as he still has to drive on the pavement quite often.
This is one of my favorite ways to sleep while in Central America, thank you Graham Jackson for introducing me to the jungle hammock.
I generally don't push the "Charity" expedition thing, but I think that Marc's heart and soul is in the right place and is actually doing some good. If you can donate to his cause please do so.
Team Equipt wants to introduce you to a very nice englishman that we met at the campground at the Palenque Ruins last week. His name is Marc Noonan (http://www.thelongtimecoming.com/) and he is riding his Polaris Quad Bike/4 wheeler all the way from Mexico to Peru. He is doing this to help and visit hard to reach charities and it has been a dream of his for a very long time. He hung out with us all night and we were blown away at is stories from the road/trail. Can you imagine the look of a farmers face when this guy comes riding through your field or farm?
Marc himself was an orphan and this is his way of giving back while seeing the world, it is also very unique! So far he hasn't had any problems from the local police or border guards and is now traveling Belize. We wish him safe travels and please donate to his cause if you can!:ylsmoke:
Marc on his Polaris with his jungle hammock.
No A/C or windshield wipers, pretty much barebones.....
When we met him he was awaiting a shipment of new tires as he still has to drive on the pavement quite often.
This is one of my favorite ways to sleep while in Central America, thank you Graham Jackson for introducing me to the jungle hammock.
I generally don't push the "Charity" expedition thing, but I think that Marc's heart and soul is in the right place and is actually doing some good. If you can donate to his cause please do so.
Equipt
Supporting Sponsor Presenting Sponsor of Overland
Hola Everyone
I thought I would finally chime in here. I want to thank Ben and Beverly for putting out all this great content. I am the silent type. Drive along and smile. That's more my nature. It has been great to see this thread build the way it has. We really are on quite an adventure. And sometimes there are setbacks.
If any of you are following our Spot Messenger link, you would have noticed that we haven't moved out of Oaxaca for quite a while. That is my fault. I spent a month there last week. I had a little bit of a vehicle issue. The front driver side suspension started to squeak quite a bit. So on Monday we stopped by a shop to have it looked at. They diagnosed the problem as a dry lower control arm ball joint. OK, fine. But when they lifted the passenger side front to check things out, they found a much worse issue. The passenger upper ball joint had completely failed.
Apparently, the 100 Series is not even in their parts catalog. Nada. So we ended up air freighting in the replacement part from Salt Lake City. Two days. I am absolutely impressed at how the world works these days. Getting the part was the easy part. The tough part was to follow. The forward bolt on the control arm that holds the ball joint was frozen in place. Not good. They ended up cutting, grinding, hammering their way to the connecting bolt. Two more days later, and I am back on the road. Everything is good, and Team Equipt is mobile again.
Thanks to everyone for following us. Ben and Beverly might be staying a bit longer than me. I am headed back to the US to go back to work. Tough, I know. I should be back in early March. We'll see how the adventure goes for Ben and Beverly.
Cheers,
I thought I would finally chime in here. I want to thank Ben and Beverly for putting out all this great content. I am the silent type. Drive along and smile. That's more my nature. It has been great to see this thread build the way it has. We really are on quite an adventure. And sometimes there are setbacks.
If any of you are following our Spot Messenger link, you would have noticed that we haven't moved out of Oaxaca for quite a while. That is my fault. I spent a month there last week. I had a little bit of a vehicle issue. The front driver side suspension started to squeak quite a bit. So on Monday we stopped by a shop to have it looked at. They diagnosed the problem as a dry lower control arm ball joint. OK, fine. But when they lifted the passenger side front to check things out, they found a much worse issue. The passenger upper ball joint had completely failed.
Apparently, the 100 Series is not even in their parts catalog. Nada. So we ended up air freighting in the replacement part from Salt Lake City. Two days. I am absolutely impressed at how the world works these days. Getting the part was the easy part. The tough part was to follow. The forward bolt on the control arm that holds the ball joint was frozen in place. Not good. They ended up cutting, grinding, hammering their way to the connecting bolt. Two more days later, and I am back on the road. Everything is good, and Team Equipt is mobile again.
Thanks to everyone for following us. Ben and Beverly might be staying a bit longer than me. I am headed back to the US to go back to work. Tough, I know. I should be back in early March. We'll see how the adventure goes for Ben and Beverly.
Cheers,
FireGuy
Adventurer
This has been one awesome trip to follow. Although not the intent of the trip, it was a good opportunity to compare two popular Land Cruiser platforms, the 80 and 100 series. Both of your rigs are set up very similar. Did you guys notice any advantages either model had over the other? How did they compare on such a long trip?
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ChuckB
Expedition Leader
I'm interested in this comparison as well, as someone who will be shopping these two platforms in the next 6-12 months. (recommend a new thread in the Land Cruiser section if desired?)
mk216v
Der Chef der Fahrzeuge
Our camp right on the Caribbean Sea, this made us very happy and not an RV in sight!
Gorgeous!!
Our little Jackson is becoming one hell of a navigator riding shotgun!
Go Jackson and Beverly! :sombrero::smiley_drive:
(I just love that you took the dogs along. I'm right there with ya!)
mk216v
Der Chef der Fahrzeuge
You're doing the typical-Equipt-stellar-job of customer service even from down there Paul, why the need to come back to the US already? :26_7_2:
benedmonson
Disabled Adventurer
Team Equipt's "Expedition Mundo Maya"
I got some more images uploaded to my photo bucket account so wanted to share more of our Mitla experience.
Our place of residence was in the family's home that doubled as a clothing manufacturer and store front.
Jackson decided that he wanted his picture taken to!
Still in use today, what a great way to recycle old bike wheels....
The family's loom that is used everyday.
An alternate view of the cathedral next door to the family's home.
I love the way they use cactus as fencing, makes sense!
As we are right in the heart of incredible coffee country this was all that was available to drink at the local eateries!!!:Wow1:
I couldn't quit photographing the cathedral in different light.
From our room at the family's la casa........:sombrero:
All in all this was a great place to visit and meet the locals, now if we were only fluent in spanish!
I got some more images uploaded to my photo bucket account so wanted to share more of our Mitla experience.
Our place of residence was in the family's home that doubled as a clothing manufacturer and store front.
Jackson decided that he wanted his picture taken to!
Still in use today, what a great way to recycle old bike wheels....
The family's loom that is used everyday.
An alternate view of the cathedral next door to the family's home.
I love the way they use cactus as fencing, makes sense!
As we are right in the heart of incredible coffee country this was all that was available to drink at the local eateries!!!:Wow1:
I couldn't quit photographing the cathedral in different light.
From our room at the family's la casa........:sombrero:
All in all this was a great place to visit and meet the locals, now if we were only fluent in spanish!
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benedmonson
Disabled Adventurer
Team Equipt's "Expedition Mundo Maya"
Back tracking a little bit (I didn't want to give everybody ruin overload) after our trip to Chichen Itza we headed over to a little known of or visited ruin. Ek Balam is located in the Yucatan near its rock star sibling, but hardly ever mentioned. Its name translates to "Black Jaguar" in Yucatec Mayan. The site dates to the late classic period of 600 to 800 A.D. From the top of its largest structure the Acropolis you can see the Coba and Chichen Itza ruins. There are 108 steps or so to the top, but robbers long ago removed the sun god statue that most likely once rested here overlooking the jungle.
During our time here we had it all to ourselves for a couple of hours until a local school class showed up for a serious session of "Show & Tell!" There was one of other european couple with the chic only wearing a thong that showed up for a bit
It was well worth the drive off of the beaten path to see this massive structure and its ornate carvings....
I believe this is the backside of the "Oval Palace."
The "Entrance Arch."
My first glimpse of the massive "Acropolis."
I'm not sure of the official length, but it is very large! The "Acropolis" not the bikini
Some of the art work that is now protected from the sun by thatched roof as it most likely was when in use.
Part of the 108 steps to the top, hard on this gringo:sombrero:
Beverly getting a closer look.
These guys had quite an imagination I'm pretty sure....
We were blown away by the detail in these statues.
Once you've climbed the 108 steps you are rewarded with this view of the southern end structures. Wow!
If you're passing this way this is a good stop and you can camp right in the parking lot if you wish.
Back tracking a little bit (I didn't want to give everybody ruin overload) after our trip to Chichen Itza we headed over to a little known of or visited ruin. Ek Balam is located in the Yucatan near its rock star sibling, but hardly ever mentioned. Its name translates to "Black Jaguar" in Yucatec Mayan. The site dates to the late classic period of 600 to 800 A.D. From the top of its largest structure the Acropolis you can see the Coba and Chichen Itza ruins. There are 108 steps or so to the top, but robbers long ago removed the sun god statue that most likely once rested here overlooking the jungle.
During our time here we had it all to ourselves for a couple of hours until a local school class showed up for a serious session of "Show & Tell!" There was one of other european couple with the chic only wearing a thong that showed up for a bit
It was well worth the drive off of the beaten path to see this massive structure and its ornate carvings....
I believe this is the backside of the "Oval Palace."
The "Entrance Arch."
My first glimpse of the massive "Acropolis."
I'm not sure of the official length, but it is very large! The "Acropolis" not the bikini
Some of the art work that is now protected from the sun by thatched roof as it most likely was when in use.
Part of the 108 steps to the top, hard on this gringo:sombrero:
Beverly getting a closer look.
These guys had quite an imagination I'm pretty sure....
We were blown away by the detail in these statues.
Once you've climbed the 108 steps you are rewarded with this view of the southern end structures. Wow!
If you're passing this way this is a good stop and you can camp right in the parking lot if you wish.
cruiseroutfit
Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
Dave Bennett
Adventurist
:lurk:
