NAS LR3 build with an overseas twist

[Ray_G]

In an effort to continue earning the kind words about being forthright about the RTT and other things....shots from this weekend. We are looking at 3 straight weekends of camping, with a break, and then several more on the agenda as the summer unfolds so the tent will be earning her keep.

This weekend was up to WV to assist with trail building/renewal, others were coming who we gave the bed space 'in the inn' to since we have a bed on the roof. That enabled shots like this from our Fri pm setup.

Of course the peeps on FB called me out bc, let's be honest, it was outside of the park owner's house...

I have no shame with that given the aforementioned bye on the guest beds. First night nothing to report, then we spent a day clearing trails, making new ones, and repairing the decade old log bridge that an I4WTDA instructor's troopie broke. Then it started raining.

Thus Sat night was spent in the tent in driving rain.

Tent was flawless. We found that entry/exit from the back is better than the side as it mitigates any water coming in. Temps were in the low 50's outside the tent, and with two of us inside the interior temp was about 60.

Maxtrax mounts help with the entry/egress a great deal.

More to follow, next weekend is a small Rover event and then Memorial Day comes.


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[Ray_G]

2nd of 3 straight weekends we'll spend in the truck down. Nothing significant to report with the truck other than she works. In this case I started my Fri am in Va Beach.

When done with work down there, drove back to Northern VA, linked up with the wife, drove to WV to be there for the next morning's start time. Arrived circa 1030, tent was up and we were in it in minutes. Ended up setting up in the shade of the park's office, both to minimize sunlight first thing in the am and be ready for the LR MD folks that were coming up.

As is often the case at Twin Mountain, it seems dry but the trails down in the draws retain a lot of water. So the easy trail ended up being less than easy. First a Dii lost traction and almost ended up in the stream, and was so out of position that we ended up winching her over the log bridge and up/out backwards. The LR4 that followed her got the right line, but with the spirited driving managed to tear a hole in his sidewall. So as he got to the bridge his front tire was totally flat and required changing....

Plenty of other action to get the group out took place. As the above shot notes, maxtrax/action trax were used extensively along with the winches. I was in Coyote for all of this and will post some more pics there since this is about the D3 for the most part. That said, never get shots of myself so this cracked me (screenshot from a video), coil sprung 3 in the background came across with no issues...and I got a good workout throughout the day hauling muddy MTs.

Eventually we got everyone out. As we made dinner that night I got a good shot of the back of the truck being used for pretty much everything: prepping kabob, eating hummus, pouring wine, and airing up someone elses tires. All at the same time.

Final shot of two of the three coil sprung trucks on site this weekend together.

Love the sticker, may have to get it in dark gray/black for my truck.
And finally my two girls together.

A few days of 'down time' doing the regular job, and then memorial day will make the 3rd weekend out in the tent in a row.
r-
Ray

 

[Jwestpro]

Hey Ray, here's that air line splice in brass, may help in sourcing an available one as this one shows unavilable atm: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BXBQZZZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Ray_G]

Hey Ray, here's that air line splice in brass, may help in sourcing an available one as this one shows unavilable atm: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BXBQZZZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bit perplexed on this. I guess I could carry them for all the folks running EAS. I mean we end up using my recovery gear all the time may as well carry spares for them too!


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[Ian_Barry]

I mean we end up using my recovery gear all the time may as well carry spares for them too!

oof - not all EAS is hopeless/unprepared.

Glad to see you're getting you're still getting your PT in.

 

[Ray_G]

oof - not all EAS is hopeless/unprepared.

Glad to see you're getting you're still getting your PT in.

Ha, in fairness the EAS trucks running the trails did fine as it relates to their suspension. I just love stirring the pot b/c of all of the butthurt about coils on FB.

You need to get up to the mountain!

 

[Jwestpro]

Bit perplexed on this. I guess I could carry them for all the folks running EAS. I mean we end up using my recovery gear all the time may as well carry spares for them too!


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Hey, LOL, I got you confused with a PM sent to me asking about where I found metal air line splicers. His forum name is NASDIESEL which I just connected to the NAS forcthis thread was using my phone so didntvsee clearly.
Anyway, you should have these tucked away in the LR3 anyway

 

[Ian_Barry]

Ha, in fairness the EAS trucks running the trails did fine as it relates to their suspension. I just love stirring the pot b/c of all of the butthurt about coils on FB.

I can't bring myself to get of FB anymore, for any reason. That said, I do miss the EAS/coils food fight.

You need to get up to the mountain!

Desperately - I ended up/had to move to NYC so it's a little bit different for me to make the trip. I have a bikepacking trip in the area next month - if the timing works out maybe I can stop by to help with some of the trail work. If it doesn't I will make a more dedicated trip - maybe it could not rain on me one time.

 

[Ray_G]

3rd weekend in the tent in a row. Did some roaming around WV on dirt too.

Played with the starter drone a little.

Weekend playmates.

Out exploring the forest service roads.

Inevitably I got few shots despite hours of driving

There has to be a story to this.

Fantastic food with friends and family

This pretty much sums it up.

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[DiscoNels]

****** is this?

 

[Ray_G]

****** is this?

LC's owner has a sense of humor.

Fate has a sense of irony

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[Ray_G]

Well, we did a thing. Closed on a 3br/3ba 'cabin' adjacent to the Monongahela National Forest on Fri. One might say the garage had a large impact on the choice...

Essentially the eventual retirement home, in the meantime it means a place to store all the toys while the career wraps up.

Not too far from Seneca Rocks, basically in Smoke Hole Canyon WV. Thus near Dolly Sods, Spruce Knobs, and just 45 min fm Twin Mtn.

No furniture? Not a problem...

Front porch view, rainy weekend but that's ok, comes with the territory.

Shot down to the rocks for lunch Sat.

So true, suffice it to say I'm psyched.

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[A.J.M]

I have garage envy.

Wish you all the best for the move when it comes and that retirement is enjoyable.
Would love a place like that for my own retirement, in about 30-35 years.

 

[Ray_G]

I have garage envy.

Wish you all the best for the move when it comes and that retirement is enjoyable.
Would love a place like that for my own retirement, in about 30-35 years.

Appreciate it; the garage was really what sold the place to us. If I was going to build a garage from scratch, this would be the bones of it. Now I can finish it off (think bar in the loft once that is finished, a lift installed eventually, etc).

As far as retiring, that's still a little ways off but this lets me store everything and have a place to escape to between now and then. Moreover it puts a very fine point on the feeling we have of working for the sake of working, but in areas like West Virginia a lot less $ goes a lot further. I'm ready to be done with the fast pace.

Mind you, I say that...then there is fear about 6 weeks in I'll be losing my mind but that's a challenge I'm willing to face.

 

[sunrisehiker]

Wow Ray..It looks like an amazing property down there but it looks like the garage would be a selling point to me as well ! Insulation and lift would be 2 things I would do first..Rovers need addressing pretty often after all. Congrats !!
All I know now that, thanks to your review, I will defiantly never buy a soft top RTT but steer your route and source a clamshell or partial clamshell hardshell Roof Tent.
After completing a 8000 miles road trip with soft-shell, it is not for us for sure. Scary and very loud in moderate winds and fuel economy goes way down with it. I lost around 100 miles to a tank driving with it on top of Prospeed roof rack. Cheers !