California to Panama in a T100

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

The border crossing Panama to Costa Rica on the Caribbean side was interesting. It is a smaller operation with fewer people going through. Checking out of Panama was super easy. No lines. Done in 15 min. We then had to wait for a truck entering Panama to be inspected because the only way to Costa Rica is across a 1 lane bridge and they do the inspection on the bridge.
We got a pretty minimal inspection. The Inspectors always ask what the fridge is. It goes something like this.
I open the tailgate
Inspector: What's that big box?
Me: A refrigerator.
Inspector: Open it.
Me:OK
I slide the fridge out and open it. The cabinet lights illuminate the frosty cold air coming out of the open fridge.
The inspector looks inside at the frosty drinks and Ice trays. Then waves his hand into the cabinet and looks at me with surprise.
Inspector: Cold!
Me: Yes sir.
Inspector: Very good. Nice.
Me: Yes. Thank You
Inspector: OK. Safe Travels.
Me: Thank you.
So if your carrying any contraband, don't put it in the fridge. It's the only thing they ever look at

Any way, we cross the bridge, park the truck and get into a line of tourist being herded around by their tour guide. It proves to be the most efficient Visa line we have ever seen. 2 Costa Rican officials that both appeared to be trying to do their jobs well processed the entire bus load and ourselves in 20 minutes.

Now for the temporary Import Permit for the truck. We were hoping we could get a new TIP, but Costa Rican law says you have to take the vehicle out of the country for 90 days before they will issue a new one. We were gone for less than 30 days. We tried asking really nicely, but no luck.
We planned ahead for this when we left Costa Rica on our way south. We put the TIP on hold instead of canceling it and we left with 3 weeks still on the original TIP. So, we now have 3 weeks to make our way back north through Costa Rica. It's enough time. It just means we won't be heading back over to the Pacific coast to revisit any of the beaches we liked.
Just when we thought we were done with the border crossing process the official handling our TIP informed us that he couldn't give us the reinstated TIP without proof of insurance. It's always something. We walked into Costa Rica asking people in the dirty back street. where the insurance office is. Eventually we found it. Its back up on the main road across a little foot bridge. The office insists that they can only sale 90 days worth of insurance even though our tip paperwork is for 3 weeks, but we do get a discount since we had our old policy paperwork with us. Unfortunately the lady processing our policy doesn't know what she is doing. so after sitting in this odd store/insurance office watching her hunt and peck at the keyboard for 30 minutes she goes and asks for help from the young lady working the store register. This girl seams annoyed with the other woman who has apparently made a mess of things. Another 20 minuets goes by before various printers get unplugged and plugged back in and we eventually get our policy.
The Costa Rican Tip officials had everything ready for us. They just looked over the insurance policy and sent us on our way. We were back in Costa Rica. This time we plan to spend some time in the mountains exploring the jungles and rivers of central Costa Rica.

 

[txmxer]

Hey awesome ongoing trip report! Now that you've been doing this a while, do you have any regrets or things you would change about your truck set up? Like do you think a different set up would suit you better?

I have a tacoma with a shell and this is a trip Ive been thinking about doing for a very long time, trying to decide on the platform for vehicle that I want to do this. Have you been in any situations where you would be screwed without 4x4?

 

[buckwilk]

I have been in C.A. quite a bit over the years and the trials and tribulations you detail haven't changed in years. Here's a tip I was given years ago and it worked killer. Buy ballpoint pens with bling in bulk, not cheap but not high dollar either. Whenever you interact with an official, pull one out and hand it to him. Para Ti, you will almost always see an instant change in demeanor and cooperation. This has to be the first act, not after issues come up. For those of you considering a trip like this---do it ! You wont regret it as long as you have patience and try to understand and appreciate the culture. One more thing, when dealing with policia, have a manual of english/spanish translation. Pull it out and start trying to translate everything he is saying. You might learn some spanish and he will get tired of it and move on. That worked for me multiple times. Que ti diviertas !

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

I have been in C.A. quite a bit over the years and the trials and tribulations you detail haven't changed in years. Here's a tip I was given years ago and it worked killer. Buy ballpoint pens with bling in bulk, not cheap but not high dollar either. Whenever you interact with an official, pull one out and hand it to him. Para Ti, you will almost always see an instant change in demeanor and cooperation. This has to be the first act, not after issues come up. For those of you considering a trip like this---do it ! You wont regret it as long as you have patience and try to understand and appreciate the culture. One more thing, when dealing with policia, have a manual of english/spanish translation. Pull it out and start trying to translate everything he is saying. You might learn some spanish and he will get tired of it and move on. That worked for me multiple times. Que ti diviertas !

Good tips. especially the "do it" advise
When it comes to cops, military, or any government employee your best weapon is patience for sure. It's beneficial if your like us and not in a hurry. Make it clear that you have nowhere to be and all day to get there. I often use police interaction as a free Spanish lesson too! We haven't paid a bribe or received a traffic citation yet

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Hey awesome ongoing trip report! Now that you've been doing this a while, do you have any regrets or things you would change about your truck set up? Like do you think a different set up would suit you better?

I have a tacoma with a shell and this is a trip Ive been thinking about doing for a very long time, trying to decide on the platform for vehicle that I want to do this. Have you been in any situations where you would be screwed without 4x4?

I would make some changes and plan to after we get back to the USA. I'm happy with the T100 platform for this part of the world. Drivetrain, steering, and suspension parts have all been readily available. The same can't be said for the friends I've met driving USA made Fords.

The main thing I would do differently is give myself a lot more time for the build and doing trial runs.

With more time I would have endeavored to make a more comfortable living arrangement, and that is what I intend to do in the future. I haven't decided if I will stick with the T100 platform or not, but my plan is to ditch the stock bed and build my own aluminum low-side utility bed. Then build a custom camper to meet my needs. The goal would be increased comfort without going any bigger than my current set up. And something at least as off road capable as my current truck. Our set up works well in good weather, but has been pretty tiring during Central America rainy season.

I have met plenty of happy travelers without 4x4, but I have used it a lot and have gone plenty of places I could not have easily accessed without it. Something to consider is that you will have your vehicle loaded down with gear so you will have more trouble in soft sand, mud, or steep terrain and with all that weight in the rig your likely to break something if you try to carry too much speed to power your way through obstacles as you might in a light weight 2wd vehicle. When I put it in 4x4 its almost always in 4low. I used it a lot in Baja and accessing remote surf spots in Central America during rainy season. You probably don't need it if your all about cities or OK with the idea of skipping anything that may require 4x4.

A gen 1 tacoma would be too small for my wife and I with all of our toys, but I would consider a gen 2 for sure. This comes down to how many people and how much stuff.

It's hard to give someone vehicle advice because it all comes down to what motivates you to travel. I like to surf and be outdoors in remote places, so I have pushed my stock 4x4 truck to its limits and I try to carry everything needed for 2 people and a dog to be self sufficient for 4 days and much longer if we can find a water source. Meanwhile I have met several people with 4x4 that had never really used it and folks with 2wd who had never been stuck anywhere.

I have been filming interviews with other overlanders that I have met along the way for a project that will be released on our YouTube channel soon, so I have talked to lots of people, driving all kinds of vehicles, with all kinds of travel styles. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask. I'll try my best to help.

 

[txmxer]

I would make some changes and plan to after we get back to the USA. I'm happy with the T100 platform for this part of the world. Drivetrain, steering, and suspension parts have all been readily available. The same can't be said for the friends I've met driving USA made Fords.

The main thing I would do differently is give myself a lot more time for the build and doing trial runs.

With more time I would have endeavored to make a more comfortable living arrangement, and that is what I intend to do in the future. I haven't decided if I will stick with the T100 platform or not, but my plan is to ditch the stock bed and build my own aluminum low-side utility bed. Then build a custom camper to meet my needs. The goal would be increased comfort without going any bigger than my current set up. And something at least as off road capable as my current truck. Our set up works well in good weather, but has been pretty tiring during Central America rainy season.

I have met plenty of happy travelers without 4x4, but I have used it a lot and have gone plenty of places I could not have easily accessed without it. Something to consider is that you will have your vehicle loaded down with gear so you will have more trouble in soft sand, mud, or steep terrain and with all that weight in the rig your likely to break something if you try to carry too much speed to power your way through obstacles as you might in a light weight 2wd vehicle. When I put it in 4x4 its almost always in 4low. I used it a lot in Baja and accessing remote surf spots in Central America during rainy season. You probably don't need it if your all about cities or OK with the idea of skipping anything that may require 4x4.

A gen 1 tacoma would be too small for my wife and I with all of our toys, but I would consider a gen 2 for sure. This comes down to how many people and how much stuff.

It's hard to give someone vehicle advice because it all comes down to what motivates you to travel. I like to surf and be outdoors in remote places, so I have pushed my stock 4x4 truck to its limits and I try to carry everything needed for 2 people and a dog to be self sufficient for 4 days and much longer if we can find a water source. Meanwhile I have met several people with 4x4 that had never really used it and folks with 2wd who had never been stuck anywhere.

I have been filming interviews with other overlanders that I have met along the way for a project that will be released on our YouTube channel soon, so I have talked to lots of people, driving all kinds of vehicles, with all kinds of travel styles. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask. I'll try my best to help.

Thanks for your insight! Im mainly looking for the same type of thing, I want remote surf spots and it would just be my dog and I. My ideal vehicle would be a gen 2 or gen 1 4x4 tacoma with a flat bed and a custom camper on the back as well. Or a slightly lifted chinook. Very jealous of your travels man! Cant wait to get to do the same myself

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Thanks for your insight! Im mainly looking for the same type of thing, I want remote surf spots and it would just be my dog and I. My ideal vehicle would be a gen 2 or gen 1 4x4 tacoma with a flat bed and a custom camper on the back as well. Or a slightly lifted chinook. Very jealous of your travels man! Cant wait to get to do the same myself

Oh yeah! Just you and the dog, a Gen 1 or 2 would be plenty of space. If your a surfer, don't give up the 4x4. Even well known spots often involve pulling out onto a sandy Bech parking area that could be problematic in a loaded down 2wd. Those 4x4 chinooks are pretty cool. flat bed with a popup camper in a solid set up. Remember not to go too tall either. we are right at 8 feet and have had to trim or push branches a few times in the jungle.

 

[mccustomize]

are my eyes fooling me or does the old T-100 have a slightly larger tire on it now?

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

You have eagle eyes McCustomize.
We started the trip on the 29 inch tires that came with the truck because they still had a lot of tread left, but after a blow out on a dirt road south of Puerto Vallarta and finding out that the spare tire is actually a 31x10.5 I decided to replace all four 29s with 31x10.50 BFG AT Ko2s that we surprisingly found in one of the first little towns we came to. They cost less than they would have in USA and instead of charging me to dispose of my 3 old tires, I got $50 for 'em. Score

 

[mccustomize]

Can't beat that! Any pros/cons you've noticed with the larger rubber?

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Pros: It is a noticeable improvement off road. Extra traction in the mud, longer footprint for the sand and the extra inch of ground clearance are all small improvements. Even after the larger tires I managed to get hung up on the transmission crossmember climbing pico orizaba in Mexico.
I also believe they are a more durable tire with a more protected side wall than our old tires which were kind of aggressive street tires that I wouldn't quite call an all terrain.

Con: The larger diameter makes for a taller overall gearing. With all the weight we are carrying this is very noticeable. I have used 4low several times just to climb steep hills in busy little Pueblas or any other situation where I can't carry speed.

I will probably go with a 32" or 33" x10.5 in the future. I think one of those is the largest I can go on a T100 without rubbing. And I will just regear the diffs to get a gearing similar to what I had with 29s.

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Costa Rica
Here's a map showing where we went in Costa. We did the Pacific coast on our way south and then came back up from the Caribbean coast and made our way through the mountains.

Our first activity we had planed was rafting the Pacuare river. We headed into the area and asked around. We ended up finding a tour for $65 usd each, which was cheaper than anything we had seen online. We ended up on a boat with a father and son from Sweden and a couple of young guys from Spain and our local Costa Rican guide. We all spoke a mixture of English and Spanish to each other and all seemed to enjoy the experience. We had a lot of fun on the river and we scored a pretty nice camping spot with a view too.


Next, we headed a short ways north to a small nature sanctuary hosting many species of tree frogs. We had a young lady as our guide who was studying sustainable tourism at university and said that she hoped to start a nature preserve tourist business too some day. We had fun helping each other out with our English/Spanish and learning about the wildlife.


Our next stop was Rincon de la Vieja National Park. It was a bit of a long drive, but we made a couple pit stops along the way. We stopped at the Lake Arenal Brewery so Amie could get an IPA, then we cooled off in Llanos de Cortes waterfall.
We actually stayed at a lodge just outside of the park so that the dog would be allowed. Then we hiked into the park to visit a hot spring. The pool was hot, but it was also silty and had a strong sulfur smell. It was still a beautiful hike though.


This provided a good starting point for our next border day as it was only about an hour from Nicaragua.

 

[mccustomize]

Costa Rica looks amazing, did you ever stop eating shock bushings?

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Costa was way cooler than I expected. It has it's touristy areas like everyone says, but with your own 4x4 you can get out of those areas pretty quick if you want to.

I came up with a fix in La Paz, just before we got the ferry over from Baja. Wow that was over a year ago.
The shocks were being over extended at full drop. Not sure why since the truck's suspension is stock and I double checked with Bilsien on the part number of the shocks. Any way, I purchased another bushing, cut it in half, and added an extra half bushing to the lower bushing of the upper shock mount on each side. Basically making a spacer.

I tied to explain it in episode 12 of our travel vlog: http://youtu.be/sM3bdVEs3fg

 

[mccustomize]

I watched that episode, just wasn't sure if it fixed the issue, I was going to suggest some limit straps for the front suspension, always a good idea to prevent over extending the shocks.