Dat 4Runner Life Doe - Adventures in a T4R

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Plans can change in a moment. We decided to just get a hotel last night, it was cold and rainy all day and there’s a wind advisory for 30-40 mph sustained winds with gusts of 60 mph. So hot showers and warm beds made sense. Where we’re heading today just got hammered with a foot of snow. This could get interesting.

Here’s the next update from summer while on WiFi.
Stopped at a place for Ciders on the way to getting my oldest son to take him to Top Fuel.
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These 2 faces sum up Gavin’s first experience with Top Fuel cars.

First is the look of terror on his face from a pair of 11,000 horse power blown nitromethane dragsters come by and you realize just how loud a thing can actually be… (fun fact - a pair of top fuel cars were once measured at the starting line during a race and they shook the ground enough to register as a 2.3 earthquake on the Richter Scale).

The next face was the reaction after the initial shock of a vehicle being so loud that it blurs your vision and shakes your guts as it passes by and it slowly starts sinking in how awesome that was.

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Toyota ! Epic
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Those 2 faces... :lolol:
:wap: Where are these mangos?
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Dbest wrote: Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:11 am
Detroit wrote: Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:43 am Man, this is so 5/7.

How's the RTT working out for your guys?
Few years and lots of nights in here my honest opinion.


Pros:
- Very very fast setup time with a hardshell
- Very fast tear down time with a hardshell
- Don’t need to pack and unpack the tent in and out of the vehicle since it’s attached
- Doesn’t take up any interior space
- Storing sleeping bags and pillows inside frees up more interior space
- The ground surface of camp doesn’t matter - wet, rocky, uneven, soft, not level, whatever
- Increased sense of security (especially for the significant others)
- Being off the ground gets you away from water, bugs, and animals that may show up unexpectedly during the night
- Cleanliness of not packing away dirty/muddy tents/tarps
- Hardshell is more comforting in bed weather
- Having a real mattress
- Increased comfort overall in every aspect
- My son loves it and WANT to go out in it
- It’s just 1 piece of the puzzle but it’s a big step towards making your vehicle a self contained basecamp
- With the tent and sleeping stuff already in it, it makes grabbing a couple items and being ready to go a little bit faster and more convenient
- You can always move it to a trailer
- When you have an special camping buddy, having flat, not lumpy ground, and a mattress has its benefits. Plus ladders and platforms can be exciting...

Cons:
- Prohibitively expensive for a lot of people
- Climbing up and down for bathroom breaks
- Tent with rack is heavy in general, but all the weight is up high which raises the center of gravity
- Tear down before being able to drive anywhere
- Having to find a place to park and dry it out after packing it away wet
- It effects the height of your vehicle, from trees on trails to parking garages, you need to be mindful
- Harder to take off and store

I typically get 20-30 nights in it per year and not once have I regretted having it.
Space isn't really an issue for the 3 of you?

I bought a hardshell from Costco back in the spring for all the pros you listed. We then never used it for various reasons, so I'm debating returning it. Wife thinks it's going to be too small, ours is a bit smaller than yours, it pops straight up. Camping season is over now for us, so we'll see if we use it in the spring.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:30 pm
Dbest wrote: Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:11 am

Few years and lots of nights in here my honest opinion.


Pros:
- Very very fast setup time with a hardshell
- Very fast tear down time with a hardshell
- Don’t need to pack and unpack the tent in and out of the vehicle since it’s attached
- Doesn’t take up any interior space
- Storing sleeping bags and pillows inside frees up more interior space
- The ground surface of camp doesn’t matter - wet, rocky, uneven, soft, not level, whatever
- Increased sense of security (especially for the significant others)
- Being off the ground gets you away from water, bugs, and animals that may show up unexpectedly during the night
- Cleanliness of not packing away dirty/muddy tents/tarps
- Hardshell is more comforting in bed weather
- Having a real mattress
- Increased comfort overall in every aspect
- My son loves it and WANT to go out in it
- It’s just 1 piece of the puzzle but it’s a big step towards making your vehicle a self contained basecamp
- With the tent and sleeping stuff already in it, it makes grabbing a couple items and being ready to go a little bit faster and more convenient
- You can always move it to a trailer
- When you have an special camping buddy, having flat, not lumpy ground, and a mattress has its benefits. Plus ladders and platforms can be exciting...

Cons:
- Prohibitively expensive for a lot of people
- Climbing up and down for bathroom breaks
- Tent with rack is heavy in general, but all the weight is up high which raises the center of gravity
- Tear down before being able to drive anywhere
- Having to find a place to park and dry it out after packing it away wet
- It effects the height of your vehicle, from trees on trails to parking garages, you need to be mindful
- Harder to take off and store

I typically get 20-30 nights in it per year and not once have I regretted having it.
Space isn't really an issue for the 3 of you?

I bought a hardshell from Costco back in the spring for all the pros you listed. We then never used it for various reasons, so I'm debating returning it. Wife thinks it's going to be too small, ours is a bit smaller than yours, it pops straight up. Camping season is over now for us, so we'll see if we use it in the spring.
:ohdang:

How much is the Costco unit? My wife refuses to camp in a tent because she is afraid of bears (yes, I've told her this is totally senseless and irrational, it's never going to change). She has seemed open to a roof top thing :doe:

It would be a challenge to store but would be pretty :neat:
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D Griff wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 2:51 pm
Detroit wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:30 pm
Space isn't really an issue for the 3 of you?

I bought a hardshell from Costco back in the spring for all the pros you listed. We then never used it for various reasons, so I'm debating returning it. Wife thinks it's going to be too small, ours is a bit smaller than yours, it pops straight up. Camping season is over now for us, so we'll see if we use it in the spring.
:ohdang:

How much is the Costco unit? My wife refuses to camp in a tent because she is afraid of bears (yes, I've told her this is totally senseless and irrational, it's never going to change). She has seemed open to a roof top thing :doe:

It would be a challenge to store but would be pretty :neat:
Like, anywhere? Camping in Denali NP is bear central, but say, throwing up a tent on the OBX seems okay?
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Desertbreh wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 2:54 pm
D Griff wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 2:51 pm

:ohdang:

How much is the Costco unit? My wife refuses to camp in a tent because she is afraid of bears (yes, I've told her this is totally senseless and irrational, it's never going to change). She has seemed open to a roof top thing :doe:

It would be a challenge to store but would be pretty :neat:
Like, anywhere? Camping in Denali NP is bear central, but say, throwing up a tent on the OBX seems okay?
She would likely do OBX, but like anywhere in the woods/mountains is a no. Sure, there are bears in the Appalachian Mountains, but they are very rare, keep to themselves, not aggressive, etc. I have been camping/hiking/spending weeks in the mountains here for m entire life and have seen two bears. One ran in front of my car on a back road drive in GA south of Highlands, NC, one was on a backpacking trip many years ago as a teen in Boyscouts somewhere in western NC. It is a statistically nonexistent risk, but she just will not.

I do agree there are some places where it's more possible, Grand Teton, Denali, Glacier, etc. and one should take precautions, but it is always a :rolleyes: :really: thing with my wife. :ohwell: , we all have some irrational fears and behaviors.
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Hotel on the water, distillery, and road trip

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5/7 views human and non
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Detroit wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:30 pm
Dbest wrote: Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:11 am

Few years and lots of nights in here my honest opinion.


Pros:
- Very very fast setup time with a hardshell
- Very fast tear down time with a hardshell
- Don’t need to pack and unpack the tent in and out of the vehicle since it’s attached
- Doesn’t take up any interior space
- Storing sleeping bags and pillows inside frees up more interior space
- The ground surface of camp doesn’t matter - wet, rocky, uneven, soft, not level, whatever
- Increased sense of security (especially for the significant others)
- Being off the ground gets you away from water, bugs, and animals that may show up unexpectedly during the night
- Cleanliness of not packing away dirty/muddy tents/tarps
- Hardshell is more comforting in bed weather
- Having a real mattress
- Increased comfort overall in every aspect
- My son loves it and WANT to go out in it
- It’s just 1 piece of the puzzle but it’s a big step towards making your vehicle a self contained basecamp
- With the tent and sleeping stuff already in it, it makes grabbing a couple items and being ready to go a little bit faster and more convenient
- You can always move it to a trailer
- When you have an special camping buddy, having flat, not lumpy ground, and a mattress has its benefits. Plus ladders and platforms can be exciting...

Cons:
- Prohibitively expensive for a lot of people
- Climbing up and down for bathroom breaks
- Tent with rack is heavy in general, but all the weight is up high which raises the center of gravity
- Tear down before being able to drive anywhere
- Having to find a place to park and dry it out after packing it away wet
- It effects the height of your vehicle, from trees on trails to parking garages, you need to be mindful
- Harder to take off and store

I typically get 20-30 nights in it per year and not once have I regretted having it.
Space isn't really an issue for the 3 of you?

I bought a hardshell from Costco back in the spring for all the pros you listed. We then never used it for various reasons, so I'm debating returning it. Wife thinks it's going to be too small, ours is a bit smaller than yours, it pops straight up. Camping season is over now for us, so we'll see if we use it in the spring.


With 3 it’s fine. 2 adults then the kiddo on the side with whatever we brought up down by his feet where there’s plenty of room. It’s not like super spacious or anything but its 100% functional. No issues.
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max225 wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 11:28 am 5/7 views human and non
I can’t argue with that
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D Griff wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 2:51 pm
Detroit wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:30 pm
Space isn't really an issue for the 3 of you?

I bought a hardshell from Costco back in the spring for all the pros you listed. We then never used it for various reasons, so I'm debating returning it. Wife thinks it's going to be too small, ours is a bit smaller than yours, it pops straight up. Camping season is over now for us, so we'll see if we use it in the spring.
:ohdang:

How much is the Costco unit? My wife refuses to camp in a tent because she is afraid of bears (yes, I've told her this is totally senseless and irrational, it's never going to change). She has seemed open to a roof top thing :doe:

It would be a challenge to store but would be pretty :neat:
$2k, but it looks like they don't sell the one I bought anymore. Return policy still applies :doe:

They do sell one that appears to be similar to the subject of this thread :doe: I think I like this better than mine because it's bigger and not that much more expensive.

https://www.costco.com/mia-overlander-l ... 91990.html

Hard part will be mounting it to your JL. You'll need some sort of rack to go around the soft top, making an RTT a $3k endeavor probably.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Dbest wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 5:29 pm
Detroit wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:30 pm
Space isn't really an issue for the 3 of you?

I bought a hardshell from Costco back in the spring for all the pros you listed. We then never used it for various reasons, so I'm debating returning it. Wife thinks it's going to be too small, ours is a bit smaller than yours, it pops straight up. Camping season is over now for us, so we'll see if we use it in the spring.


With 3 it’s fine. 2 adults then the kiddo on the side with whatever we brought up down by his feet where there’s plenty of room. It’s not like super spacious or anything but its 100% functional. No issues.
Nice, this is good to know.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:17 am
D Griff wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 2:51 pm

:ohdang:

How much is the Costco unit? My wife refuses to camp in a tent because she is afraid of bears (yes, I've told her this is totally senseless and irrational, it's never going to change). She has seemed open to a roof top thing :doe:

It would be a challenge to store but would be pretty :neat:
$2k, but it looks like they don't sell the one I bought anymore. Return policy still applies :doe:

They do sell one that appears to be similar to the subject of this thread :doe: I think I like this better than mine because it's bigger and not that much more expensive.

https://www.costco.com/mia-overlander-l ... 91990.html

Hard part will be mounting it to your JL. You'll need some sort of rack to go around the soft top, making an RTT a $3k endeavor probably.
Yeah, after thinking about it, it's a dumb idea. My wife just isn't a camping chick, wasting money/time/energy to try to change that is silly. Maybe one day when the post COVID sell-a-thon of outdoor shit happens, I'd consider it on the cheap, but I'm not into it at the moment.
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D Griff wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:33 am
Detroit wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:17 am
$2k, but it looks like they don't sell the one I bought anymore. Return policy still applies :doe:

They do sell one that appears to be similar to the subject of this thread :doe: I think I like this better than mine because it's bigger and not that much more expensive.

https://www.costco.com/mia-overlander-l ... 91990.html

Hard part will be mounting it to your JL. You'll need some sort of rack to go around the soft top, making an RTT a $3k endeavor probably.
Yeah, after thinking about it, it's a dumb idea. My wife just isn't a camping chick, wasting money/time/energy to try to change that is silly. Maybe one day when the post COVID sell-a-thon of outdoor shit happens, I'd consider it on the cheap, but I'm not into it at the moment.
Smart. Mine likes camping and we haven't even used the RTT yet. It's a big investment to just be hanging in the garage.

But we also haven't camped since we moved into our house. It can feel like camping anytime at home, so going somewhere to setup with a bunch of :derp: is just :butwhy:
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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We had a bachelor party ATV trip

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It took 3 side by sides with winches too get Jamie out lol
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And a rare occurrence, a picture of me.
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Mountain top picnic

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And a trip to the island
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That’s the boat my girlfriend built from scratch
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We went for a cruise around the island
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This was me swimming out to the airboat anchored in deeper water. Image

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A day trip to the mountains with some out of town friends road tripping in their 4Runner

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And a couple of his pics
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T4R with the ice cream man at work
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This little dude is out growing this bike, he’s going to need another.
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Dbest wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:09 am Mountain top picnic

And a trip to the island
What island? Looks like great lakes...
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Madeline Island in Lake Superior. She has family property there, it’s where she built the boat back in the day.
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Dbest wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:51 am Madeline Island in Lake Superior. She has family property there, it’s where she built the boat back in the day.
:amazing: :wub:
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Randomly exploring

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We took a couple of friends out for dinner on a mountain top. There was a section of trail that someone camping actually came over to watch me drive, he had said I was the first person to try it and not turn around and go back. We definitely forgot the regulator for the stove so we winged it and used the ammo can fire pit as a grill. It came out great.

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Part 1

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