Exploring the West - A couple's 2 week travels through CO, UT, and AZ
- Thread starter JamesDowning
- Start date
nwoods
Expedition Leader
James, thanks for that Dr. Suez poem. Amazing! I'm going to make a poster of it and frame it in my house (possibly the garage if wife insists 
2ELO, you don't NEED any mods to your truck to do a trip like this. Yes, you need some camping gear, but what you don't already own can be inexpensively rented or even borrowed. Do NOT let any petty obstacles like having an RTT or the ideal swing out rear bumper hold you back. Make sure your truck has good tires, basic tools, recovery and safety gear, and then get your butt out there!
2ELO, you don't NEED any mods to your truck to do a trip like this. Yes, you need some camping gear, but what you don't already own can be inexpensively rented or even borrowed. Do NOT let any petty obstacles like having an RTT or the ideal swing out rear bumper hold you back. Make sure your truck has good tires, basic tools, recovery and safety gear, and then get your butt out there!
haulindave
Observer
Once again James, great report awesome pics ! Really cute wife :elkgrin: your lucky ! I had read some of your report before we left for the N. Rim Grand Canyon and Point Sublime . But was busy before we left 10-29-11 thou 11-8-11 I think ? So miss your post on 10-18-11 about your visit to Point Sublime .
Wish I would have , it would of helped . I would of been more prepared for the trees down that we encountered . :exclaim:
That Buffalo you encounterd looks like the one we almost hit in the white out snowstorm when we were there :Wow1:
Still have to read the rest of your report but just wanted to comment about Point Sublime .
Thanks for writing report , Dave
Wish I would have , it would of helped . I would of been more prepared for the trees down that we encountered . :exclaim:
That Buffalo you encounterd looks like the one we almost hit in the white out snowstorm when we were there :Wow1:
Still have to read the rest of your report but just wanted to comment about Point Sublime .
Thanks for writing report , Dave
2 E L O
Adventurer
Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word "modifications"... The "modifications" that need to happen are baseline maintenance and preventative maintenance items for a multi-thousand mile round trip through some mildly to moderately harsh terrain. I would want a few fun "modifications" like a fridge and a winch, which in turn might necessitate a dual battery setup to be on the safe side.
Yes, it could be done without a fridge/freezer, but dealing with coolers and ice would be a total hassle for a trip like the one James completed....
My truck is also my DD so the serious armor and heavy duty equipment will never happen. The truck has to remain easy to drive on the street everyday, and it needs to fit in my garage!
Anyway, my main point is that at this point in time I don't have the confidence in my truck's reliability/safety to be out in the middle of nowhere away from civilization or a tow truck!
/hijack
JamesDowning
Explorer
Good points, and kinda the same thought process I had. I knew I would have one chance to prove to the wife that this sort of trip would work, and I wanted things to go smooth. I had worked up to this with weekend trips, but never anything over 1000 total miles.
This truck is my DD, which actually helped me feel confident in it's reliability. If you don't drive it, how do you know it's reliable?
And the Fridge was certainly nice... but I had trouble with my 2nd battery halfway through this trip, the wiring gauge I used to charge the rear battery wasn't big enough, and the fridge eventually surpassed the charging ability of the system. Luckily at night the fridge didn't climb in temperature that much, during the day it was powered by the alternator. So, my point is that there is something to be said for the simple reliability of a ice box.
This truck is my DD, which actually helped me feel confident in it's reliability. If you don't drive it, how do you know it's reliable?
And the Fridge was certainly nice... but I had trouble with my 2nd battery halfway through this trip, the wiring gauge I used to charge the rear battery wasn't big enough, and the fridge eventually surpassed the charging ability of the system. Luckily at night the fridge didn't climb in temperature that much, during the day it was powered by the alternator. So, my point is that there is something to be said for the simple reliability of a ice box.
Congrats on a great thrip and thanks for the great report!
On fridges and batteries, dual deep cycles or a dedicated deep cycle and a starting battery would be nice, but I'm running one Group 31 deep cycle and an Engel fridge plus an inverter for a computer as well as other 12v chargers (inverter rarely used if the Jeep isn't running) and even in the summer, even with the Wrangler Unlimited's black top I get 2 1/2 days or so before an inline low voltage cut off switch kills the fridge - that without starting or running the Jeep, which is not my DD. In Moab this sprinng and the again this August no issues. Heck, we see over 100* from time to time here (also a MD'er.) I've had the fridge and the battery about a year and no issues whatsoever.
JPK
On fridges and batteries, dual deep cycles or a dedicated deep cycle and a starting battery would be nice, but I'm running one Group 31 deep cycle and an Engel fridge plus an inverter for a computer as well as other 12v chargers (inverter rarely used if the Jeep isn't running) and even in the summer, even with the Wrangler Unlimited's black top I get 2 1/2 days or so before an inline low voltage cut off switch kills the fridge - that without starting or running the Jeep, which is not my DD. In Moab this sprinng and the again this August no issues. Heck, we see over 100* from time to time here (also a MD'er.) I've had the fridge and the battery about a year and no issues whatsoever.
JPK
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JamesDowning
Explorer
Yep, now that I've re-done the wiring for charging the rear battery, it's been working fine. I didn't have time to really test it out before we left... so maybe that's the greater take-away. Even if the fridge is running fine for a few days, it may still eventually run down the battery. Appropriate shake-down duration for a dual-battery fridge system is more like a month. :sombrero:
m3at333hp
Adventurer
James, amazing documentation and stunning photos. Your write-up has inspired me to convince my girlfriend that we should do a similar trip come May. Many thanks! I will be sure to send her a link to this thread so she can get an idea of what to expect. By the way, you and your wife look very happy together, also inspiring
VDBAZFJ
Adventurer
Bravo! Simply awesome! Great videos and pics as well as the write up! I would love to do a trip like that someday. But I will say: I had a little "tightening of the booty" when I saw the shelf road and the Jeep in the video. Yikes! It didnt look wide enough for the two of you!
less_than_adam
New member
I know this is an old thread, but thanks for sharing it with us. Amazing trip!
outdoornate65
Adventurer
Dude....
Thanks for a great trip report. I'm heading over to SE Utah in April and found your TR while doing a little research. Hoping to explore Beef Basin for a few days.
Safe travels...
Nate
Thanks for a great trip report. I'm heading over to SE Utah in April and found your TR while doing a little research. Hoping to explore Beef Basin for a few days.
Safe travels...
Nate