“When a man must be afraid to drink freely from his country’s river and streams that country is no longer fit to live in. ” – Edward Abbey Back when I was a youngster my parents took my sister and I backpacking all over the Sierras and up and down the California Coast. I can …
Category: Review
Don’t get me wrong – I love my Gore-Tex outerwear. It is light, packable, extremely water-resistant and stylish as well and so that’s what I use those items for. Then there are times when work must get done. Times that the activity I’m undertaking or the task I’m performing demand something more suited to those …
Another great footwear option for a wet, dirty environment are Birkenstock’s Super Birki Clogs. When you just have to step outside for a quick chore these are easy to step into and slip out of. No need to touch them with your hands and no need for a boot jack. No straps to move or …
As the name implies these are a great option for when you need to stomp around in muck and simply hose them off when done. The first time I lived in a farm environment it was on a sheep ranch in Humboldt county. That equals wet, mud and sheep shit. The owners of the ranch …
When we are in camping mode for more than a day I wanted to give Willow a way to get in and out of the shell area of the Tacoma at will. With her somewhat reduced mobility we looked for a solution to give her the freedom and flexibility to live her life on her terms and this ramp seemed …
I’m a firm believer that everyone on an adventure should, figuratively, carry their own weight. When out on a hike this means Willow has to carry her own backpack. Her standard load is her water in two one liter Platypus soft bottles (one on each side for proper weight distribution), her booties in case they’re needed, …
After installing the dual-battery system I needed a way to keep it charged up when we’re not on the road. I looked at both wind turbines and solar options. Most turbine options need a mast of 20′ or (ideally) more to get them up and away from turbulence caused by the ground, nearby trees, rock outcroppings and the …
UPDATE (Dec. ’23): We upgraded to a larger, dual-zone fridge for longer adventures. ======================== After deciding to undertake this adventure we set about thinking what we’d need and how to set it up. One of the most important things we need is to store refrigerated food for long periods of time. After the Tacoma was acquired, the ARB Fridge/Freezer and the …
I traded in my old mid-90’s snugtop camper shell for a brand new snugtop Hi-Liner. I now have no idea why. I am extremely disappointed in the fit and finish and lack of attention to detail they took when making it. The installation was of the same low caliber as well. Aluminum drill shavings were left in and …
I am the 2nd owner of this Tacoma. The previous owner did several upgrades to it and a couple of them I even like. One that was not to my liking was his change to 15×12 wheels with substantially larger than stock Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ 33×12.50R15LT (318/72/15). While certainly fun and cushy off-road they had their drawbacks. …