Hello from NW Arkansas

[Lotsahorses]

Hello to all you fellow wanderers.   I'm retired and live in NW Arkansas near the White river.  In the last 5 years I've made several trips to the NW and SW on my motorcycles mostly off-road but some road trips as well. Now I'm thinking a truck camper along with a motorcycle is a great opportunity to stay longer and get the best of both worlds.  I would really love to stay longer in boon-docking situations and explore an area.  I'm fascinated with petroglyphs and ancient ruins and they would be a big part of my adventures.
There is a slight chance I might come to the RTR.  I certainly want to.   I've been selling off excess antique furniture and making donations to Goodwill and I hate to interrupt that as inertia is a powerful thing and it feels so good to see the mountain of stuff going away and generating money for my truck projects. 
I have two vintage GMC trucks that will probably become truck campers; a  1958 GMC 1/2 ton pick-up and a 1949 GMC 1 ton flat bed.   Both are getting close to being on the road from complete mechanical overhauls and I am jazzed (when I'm not bummed about set-backs).  I have started a foam slide-in camper for the pick-up and if that works out,  I will be doing a larger version for the flat-bed.  If I decide to drop everything here at home to join you at RTR it will be in my Suburban as my truck finish dates just keep moving back. 
I was a hiker and backpacker in my younger days and really miss meeting other kindred spirits.   I look forward to meeting you guys as I can but until I do I'm traveling with you in my mind....Tim

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the CRVL Forums    

So are you building a Foam Truck Slide in ?   You know lots of us are going to want to see photos of that  project.    I can imagine it being made to look as vintage as either of the trucks.  

Good luck with it.

 

[wagoneer]

I often stop on my way to Lida Nv. from Dyer, mile marker 11 had a short climb to some great petroglyphs.

 

[ArtW]

Some of us want truck pics even without the slide ins
I'd also be interested in the foam slide in, it might even be light enough for my Ranger lol

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Lotsahorses to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you. we love pics please give us some. for sure come to the RTR. highdesertranger

 

[user 13531]

What motor did you drop in the 49? I'm dying to see pix of that bad boy.....

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome aboard Tim !
I think you should sell that 49 to me !!!!
But finish it and the foamy first ......
Waiting for pics of both and foamy builds too !
Skuh kuh kuh kuh kuh

 

[Lotsahorses]

Thanks for the replies everyone and I'm surprised at the interest in the vintage stuff.  Yes,  I'm planning to do a foam build for both trucks If the first one works out well and if I can keep chugging that long.  I'm at that stage where I just want to get out there and quit working on stuff.  
I'd be happy to do some photos but I need to learn the process for getting photos into a post-I'm not the best at the tech stuff.   I'm putting a GMC 302 6 cylinder in the one ton that was from a military 6 X 6 and a 270 6 cylinder in the 1958 pick-up.   And then there's the dream truck I'll be retrieving this spring-It's a  1949 REO speedwagon.

 

[ArtW]

of course there are lovers of vintage stuff here, we're everywhere, nice pic, can't wait to see more, and congrats on the REO, that's special indeed

 

[Lotsahorses]

Luckily my other half was nearby to help get some photos up.  I hope I can remember how to do that.   Thanks guys.  Tim

 

[highdesertranger]

waaaay cool. do build threads, please. highdesertranger

 

[ArtW]

hey, there are more pics now, cool, thanks

 

[SoulRaven]

Howdy from a fellow "Arkie"!
         I'm in Heber Springs. Like you, have spent the last 15 years or so adventuring on a dual-sport motorcycle whilst "rough" camping for weeks/months at a time. I'm currently on my second camper, a Dodge B350 van and tow my Susuzki DR650 on a small trailer (Oh the shame! hahahaha). It' the ideal setup for me. I can ride all day and return "home" to "warm and dry". Makes riding the moto better because I lost the weight of camping gear and clothes as they stay with the van. Light is right while off-road.
         The best advantage for me is I no longer am concerned about finding a place to set up a tent to sleep. Simply pull off the road, turn off the van engine and I'm home! Makes traveling so much comfortable for me, although not as challenging as motorcycle camping. I see it as the best of both worlds. I do carry minimal backpacking gear for a day or two away from the van if I'm walking or riding the moto, very handy in Death Valley for exploring, without worry of getting the van stuck "way out there". My favorite part about van camping is getting up in the morning, warm and dry while I get dressed and cook breakfast. Sure beats pulling on cold clothes in the tent and shivering while waiting for coffee to boil. Yes, I still feel very connected to nature but now have a "hidey-hole" when the weather gets nasty. I'm spoiled and love it!
          I'm wrenching on the van trying to make it to the RTR but it looks like I'll have to wait until Monday/Tuesday to leave because of the weather front moving in to our area today, brrrrrr. I plan on going I-40 and turning South at Holbrook, New Mexico. Hope to make your acquaintance either there or on the road in Arkansas some other time. Your vehicle collection is awesome!

Live like you mean it!
Chuck in Are-Can-Saw

 

[Lotsahorses]

Chuck, glad to meet you! You said it all better than I did. A few years back I stayed in Moab for 10 days and rode the various sections of the Utah Back Country Discovery Route with my niece and got to return to a base and collapse. She was still a beginning rider and it would have been too much to make and break camp as well as the tough riding.
As much as I enjoyed verde omelets at the Moab diner before sunrise, I think I enjoyed falling into bed after a shower every bit as much. I hope we get to meet up sooner than later. Getting to the RTR is going to be hard to pull off because I have a couple home construction projects along with the trucks.

 

[Tinman74]

Lotsahorses

My brother raced a 38 chevy coupe back in the late 50s and he ran a 270 Jimmy engine. The racing association had a 300 CI limit so he couldn't run the 302. The 270 was a real power house. Good luck with your restorations.
Bob