My Journey

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ben.....my "policy" is to never accept anything for helping someone out (especially a beer since I'm a non drinker). I'm an admitted knucklehead, I hate unexpected expenses, so I treat my fellow knuckleheads as I would want to be treated.....but there are limits. I had tried pulling that Sprinter van out first and broke my tow strap (the one the dogs were yanking on in a previous post). That guy gave me $30 for a new tow strap and I felt that was fair and I accepted the offer.....

Ace.....simply incredible the number of new people on the road.....not a good thing.....

chet6.7.....I've seen a few of the videos and yea, that's good stuff.....

tgil.....a couple interesting facts about the Double Dipper.....I talked with the white Jeep driver yesterday and he told me that it was the exact same spot that he had yanked the truck out of the week before. On the second pull he accepted $20 for the tow. I turned down a $20 offer for my help that day and the following day that same truck driver dropped me off a new 30' tow strap.....

Regarding a tee shirt, you'd be better off with a hole in your head.....

JD.....the winds here have been brutal for weeks.....near constant and enough to drive a man insane.....

ITTOG.....like I told tgil.....get the hole in the head instead.....



DAY 68.....LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.....

It's funny.....I came here 68 days ago.....I thought it might be for a night or two.....living life on the road.....

So I was thinking that I might share with people my struggles and my failures with my attempts at upgrading my road rig. And while doing so I thought I'd add some pictures of some of my favorite evening skies here along the western shores of Lake Mead.....





I first came up with the idea of returning to South America last winter and my initial thoughts were to purchase a Defender 110 and have a complete rebuild done and have it built out for full time living.....





I found a company to work with and we began to trade ideas. Along came Covid-19 and I decided to put everything on hold. Eventually I contacted these guys once again and started the process to plan a new rig. The one apprehension I had with these guys was that they were not responsive.....at least in my opinion (and I'd guess yours as well). And when it came down to it, how could I trust a company with tens of thousands of dollars, probably six figures when all was said and done, when repated phone calls and emails were not returned.....





So I decided to move on to something else.....and it was and has been no surprise that they've never followed up since then.....I considered buying a new Ford F150 4 x 4 next and I kind of became enamored with the Kimbo truck campers.....





I was impressed with these guys when the sales manager was emailing me on New Years Day of 2021 and I thought for sure I'd go the Kimbo Camper route but much like the Defender 110 builder, it was impossible to get these guys to give me a call. Again, I'm not giving my money to anyone that's too busy to provide good service.....I moved on once again.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Several months ago I made the decision to go with a new 2021 Ford F550 gasoline engine 4 x 4 crew cab with lots of planned aftermarket upgrades & I definitely wanted to keep my Northern Lite truck camper to mount on that truck......so I gave the Ford dealer in Bozeman, Montana a call and started the process of yet another "build".....





Now it turned out that Ford had already quit taking contracts on 2021 models yet this salesman in Bozeman, Montana was still pushing me to put down a deposit. Fortunately I connected with Daniel Little at DBL Design somewhere down south in Texas. Now this guy is first rate.....he responds to all calls and emails in a timely fashion and he knows his stuff really well.....when I apologize for taking up too much of his time.....he replies "it's my job, don't worry".....





Daniel connected me with a Ford truck salesman (Dan Munro @ Grand Prairie Ford) down there in Texas and this guy has 35 years experience selling trucks.....I was impressed.....and as a side note he loves Golden Retrievers.....





So now the plan was to order a 2022 Ford F550 in Texas, and in 3 or 4 months when the truck arrives, then have it delivered to DBL Design for suspension upgrades, Fox shocks & upgraded coil springs, heavy duty bumper with 16,500 pound winch, fender flares and 41" wheels / tires, and some other stuff.....





Unfortunately we've run into a huge problem and that huge problem is finding an appropriate location to install a full size spare. We've gone round and round for the past 2 weeks.....I've come up with 4 options.....none are really viable. Ford will begin accepting contracts on 2022 models on March 18th.....not sure that I can move forward with such a huge question unanswered.....a full size spare is, of course, mandatory.....

 

[Ace Brown]

I full timed for 8.5 years 2004 to 2012. During that time one of the favorite topics of the “rubber tramps” was the best rig and the only thing we agreed on was there was no best rig. During my time on the road (and lots of dirt too) I went through four rigs. I think the best for me was a 4x4 Sportsmobile, at least on paper. It should have been perfect but it had too many mechanical gremlins to be trusted. So I sold it after three years at a big loss because diesel price had gone way up.

If I was doing it again I’d go with a 1/2 ton 4x4 pickup with the AT Overland camper (Atlas?) that just sits on the bed rails and has a pop-up roof. It weighs almost nothing. Then build out the interior your way. Keep it simple and light so it could be your home on wheels and replace the Jeep too. I’d rent a shop space for a few months to do the build. Of course me being the off-road nut that I am the truck would be lifted, lockers, tires and all that stuff. Just a thought.

Like everyone on here I’m loving to watch the bonding between the new trio.

Alan


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[Arjan]

Goedeavond,

I think not going the Defender route was a good decision (although for the wrong reasons) - I say this as a 4 decade + LR Addict - as for your way of travel there is just not enough payload and cubicle feet / Metre of living space on a 110 / 130 chassis. I travel solo these days and soon a lifting roof section will allow me to stand upright inside. I'd suggest a Iveco 4x4 (I love them) but that is in the US not an option..



Looking forward to see where your voyage will bring you.

And the Goldens are doing really, really well by the looks of it.

Thanks

 

[nathane]

You have probably already considered bonnet (hood?) Mount or front bumper (fender?) Mount for the spare? My defender has the former, my mog the latter.

 

[Riversdad]

Jerry, I just got a 21 Tremor with the 7.3. It is surprisingly powerful and I really don't miss my diesel. I thought I'd go with simplicity this time over chasing a few mpg's.
If you're going to keep the same camper why are you stepping up to such a more heavy duty truck? Do you believe South America will tear up your one ton?

 

[tgil]

Such great pics!

 

[Frazeur1]

Agree, beautiful photos!

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Alan.....I've looked at quiet a few different options but I think that a lot of the stuff out there is way overpriced due to the rapid increase of "overlanders". I'm pleased with the Northern Lite, it's perfect for full time travel, and I have made the decision to stay in it.....thanks.....

Arjan.....the Goldens are indeed doing very well and I am so ready to move on from this place. Trapper gets spayed on Wednesday.....so I'm thinking that Saturday is move on down the highway day.....thank you.....

nathane.....the weight of the Continental MPT81 spare tire is too much for the front bumper plus there's the cooling / over heating issue. Already my F350 has issues with cooling / over heating on the long, steep mountain roads. The spare tire is 12" wide so there would be a visibility issue if it was on the hood. And the weight (maybe as much as 250 pounds) on an aluminum hood.....that can't be good.....

Riversdad.....yep, my goal is to overkill the truck (suspension, tires, etc.) as much as possible. And it's not only South America.....it's North America too. I've already done suspension damage to my F350 so yea I desire overkill. I'm waiting on a call from Sherptek to discuss building a truck bed.....and they may be my last resort. The Tremor I love (post a few pictures for us).....lucky you.....

tgil.....it's not the pics.....it's the sunsets.....thank you.....

Frazeur1.....welcome and thank you very much.....



20 evening skies.....now.....20 morning skies.....







So I finally hit my breaking point at the western shores of Lake Mead.....I snagged a Friday evening appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine so I decided to get it and I never (well, almost never) went back.....







Funny thing about that decision is that I left my Jeep, my water, and some of my tools at the campsite so eventually I did have to return.....





But I just had to have a break from all the people that are camped out there and from the day trippers as well.....how bad is it you may ask.....I've spent a night in a Walgreens parking lot and a night on the side of a dark residential road.....and honestly.....I feel better there.....



I love the lake.....I love a campfire.....but the people.....not so much.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

It truly is hard to believe the amount of trash that is left behind here.....the vast majority of the fishermen here either leave their trash on the lakes shoreline or they just simply throw it into the lake.....



And what's not thrown into the lake will eventually be blown into the water from the near constant winds.....





And then just beyond the lakes shoreline most places seem to be covered in human waste and toilet paper......toliet paper flutters in the near constant winds.....





It's interesting to see the differences between here and the nicely well groomed city park such as the one we frequent in Henderson, Nevada.....





I'll miss some aspects of this beautiful place yet at another level I'm thankful to be moving on. People have pretty much spoiled what should have been a special place.....



It's just really, really depressing to see what people can do.....

 

[tgil]

That last sunthing! Wow!

 

[Riversdad]

No matter how beautiful a place, people will come along and destroy it, either purposefully or through laziness and stupidity. I don't blame you one bit for wanting to be anywhere that people aren't. I always say the more people I meet, the more I love my dogs.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Im glad you were able to get a C19 vaccine.

I am curently on a contract deployment for 120 days, for FEMA mass vaccine sites. I have personally done, 3k in the past 30 days. With my Arizona locations doing 80-90k.

Thanks for posting, I am enjoying the read until i am able to get out again.

 

[ITTOG]

Sorry to hear of the troubles at the lake. I have wanted to visit but may mark that off the list.

I hope all works as planned with trapper and you can leave soon.

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[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

PNWY.....thanks.....unfortunately I had a mix up with the pharmacist (long story) and she canceled my second dose appointment. There's always a battle to be fought.....

tgil.....lots of unsettled weather these past few weeks have made for some beautiful skies.....thanks.....

Riversdad.....it's been a difficult 2 months for sure watching the behavior of the vast majority of the people that come here. Here I speak fact.....first hand observations. The biggest offender here is the fisherman.....as a whole, they seem to have no real respect for the environment. Second to them are the people that come here and stay in their cars, tents, and overlanding vehicles. They have no toilet facilities and under the secrecy of the dark skies (and sometimes even in broad daylight) they lay their human waste and toilet paper damn near anywhere and everywhere.....it's difficult to see.....

ITTOG.....Lake Mead is massive and Government Camp / Point is just a tiny portion of what there is to see. I would recommend a visit to Lake Mead.....just avoid this place (although the coyotes here are amazing !). I've stayed here for way too long and it's had an effect on me.....but it has served a purpose.....and here is why I stayed:

1.) Unlimited free camping.

2.) Free dump & free water 10 minutes away.

3.) Henderson, Nevada is a 15 minute drive away and all the conveniences of a big city are there (groceries, fuel, propane, $2 hot showers, etc.).

4.) The dogs loved swimming at the lake.

5.) Walking on fairly flat hard surfaced gravel roads to assist in healing the pulled groin muscle.

6.) Getting Trapper spayed.

7.) Getting my Covid-19 vaccines.

8.) Getting my truck tags delivered (that took 3 months due to Covid-19 !).

9.) Amazing Verizon service here.

10.) I got lazy.



Sunday evening I decided to return to the lake still undecided if I would stay the night or just grab my things and hit the road. The decision was easy as I arrived at my campsite that evening and less than 100 feet away was a construction generator attached to an old RV.....that sound enough to drive me to instant insanity.....



I yelled to the owner of that generator "hey.....you can have my campsite if you'd like. I'm moving on". As I pulled out, he was preparing to move in.....I left him firewood and we wished each other well.....



I had hooked up the Jeep, got my water & tools and was ready to move on down the road.....it'd been 2 months.....full of good and bad days. Before leaving I looked at my campsite and recalled the mess that was here when I had initially arrived.....eight firepits now gone.....trash removed.....the entire area restored and covered with maybe thousands of stones that I thrown into that previously disturbed area.....



Plants had begun to rise up from the land which was once filled with tire tracks, glass, metal, and what not.....





I had restored such a small area here on the western shores of Lake Mead. Sadly thousands of people will come here in the coming days and the vast majority of them will continue to abuse these lands.....I wonder if these new plants have a chance.....



While I was away the United States Park Service had come in and graded new ditches & built berms along that nearly 2.5 mile asphalt access road where I had spent 4 days picking up trash.....



My guess is that this is an annual event.....soon enough the ATV's will breach the berms & ditches.....they will be followed by the four wheel drive vehicles.....and eventually new roads will have been built across those very ditches & berms.....and then the RV's will come too and illegal campsites will be rebuilt.....



On our last walk at the lake a coyote spied us from a ridgeline above.....



March is the month when the coyotes give birth to their new litters.....

"A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven".....

Pete Seeker