DCLB Overland/Long-Term living build

I am living out of my truck in the national forests around Leadville, Colorado while finishing up school ( yes, will be there in the winter as well. and yes, i am a bit nuts haha)

I explore all the old mines and moderate trails around colorado in the truck when not in class so it gets a work out.

 

Much more to do on the build out, i have a 63qt Edgestar fridge i got for free because it wasn't cooling, $30 in parts and it gets down to -17* easily.

The fridge is getting mounted in the back seat on the passenger side


I am waiting on a water pump to have onboard water for "showers"/rinsing off, and will build my dry food storage box once that gets in.

My Dad helped me build all the wood parts, and my Mom is helping me with all the sewing.

insulated blackout curtains, there is reflectix in the middle of the curtain fabric and will attach with magnets to washers ill epoxy to the camper shell so it is removable


I also have 4" memory foam from a queen size matress topper i cut to fit my bed that my Mom has sewn a sheet slip so it is like a normal bed and have an old quilt and a few blankets ill use depending on temps. (5* sleeping bag for winter)


The OLD setup- lived in this setup for 6 weeks


and The Truck, as of this posting, bone stock 2013 DCLB texas editon.

 

A few of my friends are business owners in the offroad racing industry and i am hoping i can talk them into letting me use the shop space after hours to do the cab mount chop, and get a very basic 2" lift on there with 5100s and icon AAL.

Before winter hits i want to get cooper 255/80/17s ST Maxx tires on the truck and call it good.

the only other big upgrades happening while im at my parents house in texas is a dual battery setup, the parts are on the way and at that time ill be doing the Big3 upgrade. In December if i come back down to texas for christmas i will have a friend bend me up a basic roof rack to mount an awning and 100w solar up top.

Is it still overlanding if it is my permanent home haha

 

Sub!! Sounds like your in for a great adventure!!

 

It's great that your parents support your decision to live the truck life. Far too often do you hear of young people's parents just putting a damper on their ambitions instead of cherishing them. Cheers mate, stay warm!

 

That's going to be fun!

 

Nice rig, I was just in leadville doing the breck-mosquito-leadville-hagerman-basalt trek. Good luck w the build!

oh, and sub'd

 

Looking forward to this! Awesome plans for sure, not sure where your located in TX but I've got an old set of AAL's sitting in the garage taking up space. 4 free if you;d like them.

 

Oh boy!

 

Mosquito pass is open now? i was going to do that the week before i left but the sign on the Alma side said closed.

They are nervous about the winter months, but they like that i finally found a "niche" of going on these long adventures outdoors. It does help my degree in school is Outdoor Recreation Leadership, so at least i am learning technical skills that keep me safe ha

I am in Houston, i would be grateful for the AAL, where abouts are you?

 

Have you considered the snowflake rated BFG KO2 in 33x10.5x17 ?

 

I have not, have you any experience with them?
I've ran coopers on all my past vehicles and loved them so it is hard to change.

 

Haven't personally run them yet but they are likely my next tire as a snowflake rated tire is required by law here now in winter

 

We came from the leadville side as we did the trip from my parents place in woody creek back to mine in denver. Started heading down to the alma side, able to bash a good bit but then met our match and had to go back to leadville and pavement it to copper. I'm prob going back this weekend and attempting from the alma side so I can at least see if theres a gate earlier. Leadville side is clear.

 

I lived in Leadville in 1990 - '93 in Martin Acres... the landlord has a private compound with two hundred foot hydroponic tomato greenhouses called two mile high hydro, at 10k+ ft elevation. The electricity for the dozen houses was provided by a generator in a cave that he fueled with waste oil that he trucked up from Denver, til the EPA showed up one day, in force. haha....
The winters are cold but as I'm sure you know the sun shines far more often than not and at that elevation it can be so powerful that you need only a flannel during the height of the day. Good luck and keep warm!

 

Ill have to get some pictures posted of the town up here, i doubt much has changed aside from a few new houses. I've been exploring Halfmoon and turquoise lake areas for my camping spots, but now that it is summer more folks are out by the water so i move deeper into the forest haha

 

diemar and sellar are nice and fun too

 

Such a beautiful place... i lived out by the lake in a propane fueled school bus with a teak two story cabin on the back for a summer, bonfires every night... mentioning Turquoise lake reminds me of a time 3 friends and myself took two beater snowmobiles way back past the lake midwinter... well one broke down and the other ended up 20ft down in a pit mine.... sun setting, think soaking wet jeans, sweatshirts. Cellphones? Heck no, there were none back then!! Barely got out alive, haha... some pics of town would be cool for sure! I wonder if the Golden Burro is still in biz?

 

i have breakfast at the Golden Burro 2 times a week. ha the menus state "Has not closed since 1936" it is also for sale currently, so who knows what may become of it.

Sounds like a gnarly time on the snowmobiles, i found one in the back country by St.Johns ghost town near montezuma... that hike had to suck

 

Awesome. I love that area. Enjoy the freedom of truck life! (subbed