DetroitDarin
Scratching a 10 year Itch
I've been on this forum for years. I joined the forum when i had my old truck - 2006 Expedition on 34" tires, slick bumper, whinch and all that. As i grew into my desire for overlanding (read: Driving off road then pulling over to camp somewhere), i was sure the tacoma was the platform i wanted. August of this year i finally got a truck and this past columbus day weekend I got my feet wet.
But back in 2015 i moved to europe and drove a Mini. Over the last five years i've lurked on forums and facebook groups kinda emotionally-salivating to get out into the wild. I didn't even try in Europe - in Germany - because that probably does not exist. Camping is largely in what's tantamount to grass parking lots near or in cities. This forum and the adventures contained herein kept me champing at the bit to start doing the things; and truly the posts here have been inspiring as F, and I'm super grateful.
6 Aug i bought the tacoma - the day after I moved back to the US of A; and it's been wonderful - super happy with it. I'd wanted and maybe still want a RTT but in the mean time I'm just fine with the sleep platform i've built in the bed - it rests on the rails of my bedslide and can be pulled out together with it - there's about 4" of storage space under it - which i'm seeing is not going to be very useful without placing things in totes at some point. Atop the platform I have two 3" latex foam toppers - and between the both of them I slept pretty well. I'm going to need some kind of cover for them long-term - or maybe I'll put them inside sleeping bags?
I also need more cargo strategy as having to remove everything from the bed of the truck to the cab (or place outside) is kind of a pain in the butt.
So - i have things i need to work out for sure. But getting out there and starting was the whole point of my two-overnight trip. I refuse to let 'not ideal' be a reason/excuse for staying on pavement.
My route took me from the OKC area across to and past Fort Smith AR - then up State route 71, then east towards Forest Service road 124 and the Ozarks. The road was tight in places and I ended up unable to pass one tough section - I didn't need 4x4 for the sections i drove, although at a few places i was SHOCKED the truck made it, so am underestimating the tires and truck ability - I'm pretty sure if i'd had a winch I would have kept going through the tough section but am going to keep erring on the side of caution when out there. The tires were aired-down to 20psi front and rear.
Heading down the first not-very-smooth dirt road had my proverbial juices flowing (yes, waterproof seat covers - but where the hell were these juices coming from? ew) - as i descended lower into the valley between hills i couldn't help but think of this moment as 'the' moment I started my new long-desired hobby. Colors were incredible.
Of course the camera is stupid - this was much steeper than appears.
Just beyond that point i was met by two side-by-side things - buggies or whatever. We stopped to say hello. I asked about the trail conditions below - he said about a mile down the trail it gets narrow and "You ain't gonna make it in that truck" was the warning. Side note: I made it 3 more miles - and stopped only when i was facing kind of an off-camber downhill that was mostly mud, and steep and I do not have a winch. But i made it those 3 miles without engaging 4x4 except to back up 100m along a stretch of muddy trail; just to help with control.
Reaching the bottom of the hillside - GoogleEarth promised me a water-crossing. Oof. I'll take it though - as my 'first time'.
I got kind of busy driving and didn't photograph or document as i'd hoped I would. About 90 minutes later, here's me going back the other direction at that spot.
I found no solid camp sites down there - so continued across the top of the hillside towards the back (eastern-facing) side - that road was mostly just dirt/gravel - and nothing else the rest of the weekend would have even required airing down - though I was glad I'd done so purely for comfort.
This tree had fallen over at some point - someone had braced it with a y-shaped stump/log on the right side (of the pic). The following pics were taken the next morning after driving back up.
At my camp site - a wide turn along the road with a good-sized portion of flat land on the hill-side, I got things sorted and ate dinner and walked the pups and simply didn't take pics. It was all so new - and though I fancy myself a bit of a photog, i kind of half-consciously decided i'd rather be in the moment than behind the camera.
Stopped here too - and reversed. I am sure the truck could have made it down and likely back up but i am risk-adverse while out there alone without a winch.
But back in 2015 i moved to europe and drove a Mini. Over the last five years i've lurked on forums and facebook groups kinda emotionally-salivating to get out into the wild. I didn't even try in Europe - in Germany - because that probably does not exist. Camping is largely in what's tantamount to grass parking lots near or in cities. This forum and the adventures contained herein kept me champing at the bit to start doing the things; and truly the posts here have been inspiring as F, and I'm super grateful.
6 Aug i bought the tacoma - the day after I moved back to the US of A; and it's been wonderful - super happy with it. I'd wanted and maybe still want a RTT but in the mean time I'm just fine with the sleep platform i've built in the bed - it rests on the rails of my bedslide and can be pulled out together with it - there's about 4" of storage space under it - which i'm seeing is not going to be very useful without placing things in totes at some point. Atop the platform I have two 3" latex foam toppers - and between the both of them I slept pretty well. I'm going to need some kind of cover for them long-term - or maybe I'll put them inside sleeping bags?
I also need more cargo strategy as having to remove everything from the bed of the truck to the cab (or place outside) is kind of a pain in the butt.
So - i have things i need to work out for sure. But getting out there and starting was the whole point of my two-overnight trip. I refuse to let 'not ideal' be a reason/excuse for staying on pavement.
My route took me from the OKC area across to and past Fort Smith AR - then up State route 71, then east towards Forest Service road 124 and the Ozarks. The road was tight in places and I ended up unable to pass one tough section - I didn't need 4x4 for the sections i drove, although at a few places i was SHOCKED the truck made it, so am underestimating the tires and truck ability - I'm pretty sure if i'd had a winch I would have kept going through the tough section but am going to keep erring on the side of caution when out there. The tires were aired-down to 20psi front and rear.
Heading down the first not-very-smooth dirt road had my proverbial juices flowing (yes, waterproof seat covers - but where the hell were these juices coming from? ew) - as i descended lower into the valley between hills i couldn't help but think of this moment as 'the' moment I started my new long-desired hobby. Colors were incredible.
Of course the camera is stupid - this was much steeper than appears.
Just beyond that point i was met by two side-by-side things - buggies or whatever. We stopped to say hello. I asked about the trail conditions below - he said about a mile down the trail it gets narrow and "You ain't gonna make it in that truck" was the warning. Side note: I made it 3 more miles - and stopped only when i was facing kind of an off-camber downhill that was mostly mud, and steep and I do not have a winch. But i made it those 3 miles without engaging 4x4 except to back up 100m along a stretch of muddy trail; just to help with control.
Reaching the bottom of the hillside - GoogleEarth promised me a water-crossing. Oof. I'll take it though - as my 'first time'.
I got kind of busy driving and didn't photograph or document as i'd hoped I would. About 90 minutes later, here's me going back the other direction at that spot.
I found no solid camp sites down there - so continued across the top of the hillside towards the back (eastern-facing) side - that road was mostly just dirt/gravel - and nothing else the rest of the weekend would have even required airing down - though I was glad I'd done so purely for comfort.
This tree had fallen over at some point - someone had braced it with a y-shaped stump/log on the right side (of the pic). The following pics were taken the next morning after driving back up.
At my camp site - a wide turn along the road with a good-sized portion of flat land on the hill-side, I got things sorted and ate dinner and walked the pups and simply didn't take pics. It was all so new - and though I fancy myself a bit of a photog, i kind of half-consciously decided i'd rather be in the moment than behind the camera.
Stopped here too - and reversed. I am sure the truck could have made it down and likely back up but i am risk-adverse while out there alone without a winch.
