I would have liked to have composed and posted this earlier in my new relationship with Gia. While it’s not necessarily a need, it is an advantage if I can get into “the flow” before I write and dealing with a reactive puppy with a short attention span is not conducive to those conditions. Be …
Category: Gear
For years I have relied on a simple, old-school solar shower for my warm or hot water needs. They work fine as long as you have sun and it is warm and calm enough outside to heat the bag’s contents. Those variable conditions mean you might end up, at best, with barely warm water even …
After waking up, if at all possible, I like to start my day with a large cup of coffee. Frankly I am not a huge fan of the taste of coffee and use it more as a drug delivery system for caffeine. That being said I do notice the flavor difference between instant (with “flavor …

I started this mobile adventure with a base Yakima roof rack and eventually added the Load Warrior Basket and it’s extension. It has worked well but there were a few issues that slightly annoyed me. First, it is made of steel which is heavy. That added weight causes a couple of less-than-desirable traits, namely lessened …

My old ARB awning worked well for what it was for many years and I am glad I had it. I finally decided to upgrade to something bigger and better and to that end decided on the Alu-Cab 270 Shadow Awning. Numerous companies make 270 degree awnings at various price points but only two that …
My old tried and true ARB awning has worked and held up fairly well over the six years I’ve owned it. Apparently I’ve never taken a ground level picture of mine deployed so grabbed this one off it’s page at Amazon to give you an idea of what it looks like in action. When I …

Just kidding. A snorkel (a.k.a. a “Dorkel” by some with a sense of humor) is actually a useful addition to a vehicle when used like we use our Tacoma. Granted, if you are (or know someone who is) a “Mall Crawler” than this addition is truly a waste of time, effort and money…unless all you …

I don’t remember exactly when I first realized I was regularly heading into and back out of situations when a substantially lower tire pressure greatly improved either traction or comfort (or both). I assume that newsflash hit me during one of those excursions where I ended up deflating and then reinflating my tires at least …

One of our favorite times of year to head out and camp is in early Spring. Days are still brisk, snow can be found at higher elevations and it seems the multitudes of summer campers are staying home. On the negative side of the ledger are washed out roads and trails, snow or landslides blocking …
My last dog, Kuma, was a Northern Breed (predominantly Karelian Bear Dog). When he was in his prime we played and camped in snowy conditions regularly. With Willow being a shorter-haired sun and heat enthusiast I have substantially cut back on my normal winter camping schedule. To keep both of us on our toes we …