Howdy from Arizona...time to plant my feet firmly~ in thin air!

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Duke

Active member
Joined
Sep 23, 2017
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Location
Chino Valley, Arizona
Caught some youtubes of Bob interviewing real people & touring their rigs.
So very grateful for their sharing of their experiences and same for those sharing here! It's really lit something up in me!

Escaped the urban sprawl of Phoenix two years ago to move where I had liked to camp, Northern Arizona...Big Sky Country.
My jaunts from my place keep seeing me glum when I have to return and "play householder". 

I crave motion and nature at my door. When I'm in my house, it feels like a box; or even a mausoleum.
Folks here have sparked my wanderlust to a different level.
In my 60's now, I've no need for a static dwelling. 
I need to be. In the box I feel like a noun, in the real world I feel like a verb.
Feels like time to shed the shack and be free!

Time to downsize (again) and allow a plan of sorts to come into view. 

What For a Rig?  First thoughts go towards truck camper. Often my first "gut" is right.

Of rigs I've owned the Four Wheel Campers mod to the International Scout afforded the greatest access to remote and high Rocky Mountains. It was nimble and the pop-up felt safe on dicey forest roads with hugely steep drop-offs.  That mighty-mite would be too tiny for full-time ops.

The crew cab dually with mongo-sized camper was impressive, but the family wasn't into it and it waddled too much on mountainous dirt roads and often felt unsafe.
It barely offered more off road than a C Class, so I got a C Class. It left me wanting more offroad capability.

Perhaps something in between. I do favor four wheel drive and the exploration possibilities it brings.

Pop-up or hard side truck camper?

The pop-up truck campers are very nimble offroad & offer less wind resistance. Plus in the down mode, the cabin still provides sleeping, for stealth urban visits. But such visits would be minimal anyway. Wondering if full-timing in a pop-up vs hard side would be too cold, too noisy in wind, too big an issue with condensation? Plus, their water storage and grey tanks are spartan (not concerned about black tank...other thoughts there).

It's true that the hard sided truck camper is more comfortable,and full-timing might just make that a decent trade.

This really is a question for me. Any inputs will be appreciated.  :huh:

Great to find a forum of like-minded folks!

Time to cut the anchor and join the Vagabond Life!

Duke
 
Hello Duke, welcome

I had a Class C and found it didn't give me the Off Road Capability I wanted. I also had a conversion van, it was not a high top, but did work. High top would have been nice, though. I am considering a pop up truck camper, not pull behind, too. I will watch your thread to see what others post, but Welcome.

Glenda "From Oz"
 
Hi Duke and welcome. Best of luck to you and I hope you find some great views from your "front door".
 
Welcome Duke!  Can relate to your need to get mobile.  You're in the right place!  Best to you in your plans.
 
Welcome.. I'm from AZ too. Still down in the Phoenix area right now. Probably be here most of the winter then move to somewhere cooler for next summer.
 
Welcome Duke 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. highdesertranger
 
Perhaps a shell on a 4 x 4 pickup and a 16ft camp trailer combo would serve you well.
leave the trailer in camp when you wish to serious off-road for a few days ??
wheels
 
wheels said:
Perhaps a shell on a 4 x 4 pickup and a 16ft camp trailer combo would serve you well.
leave the trailer in camp when you wish to serious off-road for a few days ??
wheels

That's an interesting approach, thx wheels!
 
I'm thinking a toy hauler or 22' flat bed trailer pulled by 1 ton single wheel 4x4 with room on the back for a Samurai or Dune Buggy and a box on the front bed room / bathroom / living quarters maybe that way if you stick or break one you have one to drive. Dreaming is half the fun!
 
bullfrog said:
I'm thinking a toy hauler or 22' flat bed trailer pulled by 1 ton single wheel 4x4 with room on the back for a Samurai or Dune Buggy and a box on the front bed room / bathroom / living quarters maybe that way if you stick or break one you have one to drive.  Dreaming is half the fun!

Now THAT's the spirit bullfrog...could prolly squeez a dual purpose mc on there & use the top of the box as a heliport!  :p
 
The January RTR, in Quartzsite, is a great opportunity to see the full range of rigs. There are a **lot** of different choices. People are usually quite happy to show off and talk about their particular choices. I'm a fan of starting simple and building from there, basically a mobile camp in a vehicle. This can be started with what you have now. Having a tent available to hold a camp spot or in case of a maintenance loss of vehicle is a good backup and is a good long term purchase. They can degrade in the sun, so only set up as needed.
 
Personally, for simplicity and cost with enough to cover most offroading I'd just go with a full size rwd van and add posi.
Full size vans are on truck chassis' and have surprisingly good ground clearance plus can accept many of the same aftermarket parts.
You get pretty darn reasonable capability and MUCH better fuel economy. Plus, can still tow toys if you need/want.
My Express is for sale here in AZ if you're interested by the way. I'm in Sierra Vista. Ad in the Trading Post section.
 
DLTooley said:
'The January RTR, in Quartzsite, is a great opportunity to see the full range of rigs.  There are a **lot** of different choices.  I'm a fan of starting simple and building from there  Having a tent available to hold a camp spot or in case of a maintenance loss of vehicle..' 

Thanks Douglas & Gideon, appreciate your thoughts!

The KISS [keep it simple stupid] idea DL, helps quiet my currently racing brain. The tent idea I really resonate with. I often put one up for latrine or to de-clutter whatever rig I'm in. Using as a space-holder or fall-back bivouac seems right prudent. 

Gideon- the posi idea brings vans into a different realm. I have scouted some 4x's and selection is limited & expensive. A Detroit Locker or Dana ought be under a grand. Hadn't even thought of mod'ing...thx.

Duke
 
Duke said:
Thanks Douglas & Gideon, appreciate your thoughts!

Gideon- the posi idea brings vans into a different realm. I have scouted some 4x's and selection is limited & expensive. A Detroit Locker or Dana ought be under a grand. Hadn't even thought of mod'ing...thx.

There's 4wd and AWD offerings but they cost more initially, cost more to maintain, more to break, and really don't offer that much of an improvement when you're talking about a rig as big and heavy as something reasonably sized and situated to live out of. Unless you have the bankroll to do a serious expedition vehicle type rig. 

Not to mention, a 2wd with some type of lsd driven by someone that knows what they are doing EASILY trumps someone in a 4wd who THINKS they know what they are doing, haha. 

With a Ford 8.8, a GM 9.5, or a GM 10.5 - There's plenty of options for gaining traction. Plus, a little work and you can easily fit some serious tires and gain some lift too if needed/wanted.

You end up spending a whole lot less, better MPG numbers, have something more reliable and cheaper to maintain, and you can still tow a trailer or throw some dirtbikes on a hitch mount.
 
Gideon33w said:
- There's plenty of options for gaining traction. Plus, a little work and you can easily fit some serious tires and gain some 
Thanks for broadening my understanding Gideon.
Lived in Arizona 30 years and have always had 4x...only needed it less than two dozen times. 
And with a posi rear that need count would be way less no doubt.
 
Thr vast majority of people rarely need 4x4 so its just a waste of money for nothing. My old 2wd Astro (Blazer chassis) did surprisingly well with just some reasonable and slightly oversized tires.
 
Really, you almost never need 4x4 in AZ? I've been stuck probably a dozen times in 6 years in AZ. That's the difference between full-timing and an occasional visit. When it rains in the NF of AZ, in most of them you WILL get stuck eventually!! Even 4x4 can just bury you deeper faster in the gumbo!! And if you live on public land, you have to be out there when it rains. No house in town to go home to.

Same with sand when you live out there all winter. Eventually, you'll push it just a little too far, and bam, you're stuck!

It's one thing when you spend 30 days a year out there, and another when you spend 365.
 
No no. I mean what I said, which is that the majority of people rarely need 4x4. Which is completely true.
It's a different case when intentionally taking your rig offroad and double during weather.
That said, still only ever been stuck here once and that was during monsoon. Been here for most of the past decade.
If anything, my full-time awd Astro caused me to try things I probably shouldn't.
Still never gotten into anything an e-tool and some elbow grease couldnt rectify.
And in the end, I'd still certainly rather have some type of lsd versus an open diff for off-pavement use.
 
Went shooting with an ol Army buddy not that long ago. I watched him drive his little 2wd Ranger right into the deep sand of a wash and stop.
He dropped her right to the axle. Ended up pulling him out with my little fwd Volvo wagon because I never left the hard pan.
A little awareness, forethought, and knowledge of vehicle (and driver) limits beats vehicle capability hands down.
 
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