Driving Cross Country in my Tacoma

I agree about not staying at truck stops, it does not sound like an appealing option when i am out west.
Regarding safety sleeping in the bed, it just feels like I would be very exposed to a lot of things, mostly unscrupulous humans that like to harm others.

 

Sleeping in the cab sounds brutal !! Wow I'll be impressed if you manage that for the 3 week trip. Why not at least bring a small tent?
Unfortunate the bed will be "wasted" space. EDIT: (just saw the bed will be secured with some type of lock). That's good.
No cheap shells on craigslist in your area? Props to you if you sleep in the cab for that whole trip. Pack lots of liquor.

 

Go below the rim at the canyon. The view is amazng.

 

Spend the money
Buy a used cap
Sell it when you get back

 

I’ll be doing a cross country round trip next year last week of March from Portland Oregon to Philadelphia and back. I’m looking forward to your experiences.

 

Totally agree.

 

Op, they make a blow up matress that is made for the back seat of your truck ( my buddy had one) i don't remember the brand but i think he paid $40 for it, having been from AL to WA state myself, if you plan on bombing through just stay at a rest stop for a couple hours for a nap then drive to the next rest stop or a well lit truck stop...both are safe options mainly because someone is always walking around..bring a pistol if you didn't already plan on it, got past the Oregon border around 2am and was looking at my paper map and had a homeless guy try and ask me for something i didn't have...( better safe than sorry) as others have said i would at least bring a tire repair kit because you never know and they're cheap and small..layout the route before you leave- more important than you know- not along the way, at the very least bring a hoodie...left home it was 65 degrees got to wyoming and it was full on snowing...bring some stuff you can actually survive on not just cheese its and popcorn...you'll be surprised at what time when you will arrive somewhere and when places close..what route you are taking also depends on the responses you will get from here..do you have a route planned yet?

 

I've been camping in the West for 15 years, in truck beds, tents, and under the stars, in paid campgrounds, in forest service campgrounds, in dispersed campgrounds, in flat dirt patches in the hills, and occasionally on the side of the dang road. I've never encountered the scalawags you're describing. Not saying they don't exist, just saying they shouldn't keep you from sleeping comfortably outside in the best country North America has to offer.

 

I would suggest what others have suggested and try to find a used cap or just bring a tent and a good sleeping pad. I bought a yoga mat and an inflatable sleeping mat to use for a similar trip I'm planning for pretty cheap. Plenty comfortable on the platform built in the back of my truck. You could probably manage sleeping in the cab, but I'd imagine that it would get cramped after a while. Could maybe mix in a few nights at a motel or cabin also. Ultimately it's whatever you're most comfortable with. So long as you're getting enough sleep to enjoy the trip.

Did a quick search and found this. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/off-road-tips-and-gear-list.15254/ Just something to go over and give you some ideas what you might want or need. I would just focus on what is essential for you. The average traveler doesn't need to be a mobile repair station to have an enjoyable cross country experience. Besides, it isn't really an adventure until something goes wrong.

At any rate, bring what you feel is necessary for you and give yourself a comfortable place to sleep and I'm sure you'll have a great time. Best way to learn how to do this sort of thing is to go do it. Hope you have an awesome time!

 

I think you're too concerned over personal safety. Lock yourself in the cab instead of using a tent? No, dude.

I've ridden a motorcycle in every lower US state and most of Canada and I've renegade camped under the stars on those trips probably...400 times? I've taken several month long cross country trips and a month long trip to Alaska and have similarly renegade camped on those...70 times? You know how many times I've been fucked with? Zero.

Also you can't sleep for shit at a truck stop. Too bright, too noisy. Plus, truck stops are on interstates. Are you driving interstate across America? No, dude. Fuck, no.

I respect your appreciation for adventure that is leading you towards taking this trip. Now foster those feelings and get the fuck off the beaten path and camp out under the stars.

Edit: Michelin US atlas and National Parks Pass

 

Where are you on the East Coast OP?
Facebook Marketplace has a number of used caps for sale in NJ, probably where you are too.

 

I think the shell is great for a trip like this. If you find that you're not off the beaten path where you can set up a tent, you can just boondock in the shell, with decent comfort. I also love the shell because your stuff is protected from the elements.

 

I dont have the exact route planned yet (as in exact highways i will be taking) but have a general idea of my route. I kind of wanted to wing it of sorts, I do not want to spend the whole trip on the interstates however. I plan on inter stating it out of the north east (from RI). I really want to go see the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA/NC so that is my first destination of sorts.

A used shell would be up for consideration, but currently there are none around me that I can find for sale. So unless something comes up soon I have to prepare as if I will not have one.

The comments have certainly eased some fears I have regarding personal safety so thank you all for your comments there. I have never done a road trip like this and coming from the North East where most people are assholes, I expected the worst unfortunately. This has been helpful so again thank you for anyone who took the time to comment. I knew making a post here would give me a wealth of info (and opinions!).

 

so 3 weeks and coming from RI, how far West have you been? if you are going to travel along the Blue ridge, go to some of the threads for those areas and hit up some of the local guys to see if they have any recommendations...might have better luck on what to see in the areas you are going to be travelling and you never know might just have a new friend to guide you to a terrific spot or to your next back road attraction... worth a shot at least... no matter what man you gotta take some pics and post them up on a trip report if you can

 

I drove from Georgia to Oregon, down into Cali to Nevada. Then since I came across the middle of the US i shot up to the top to come back across. Drove till I got tired and pulled into a rest stop and slept in the bed with a cap over it. Had a blast doing it.

 

Yes, you have to wing it. Don't plan shit, except the day you have to be home to go back to work. You need to be able to say "fuck it, where does that road go?" and follow it, or go check out a random roadside 'biggest ball of twine' stop, or follow some signs 20 miles to an obscure covered bridge or something. The adventure and the true America is random and unexpected. A litmus test I use when I am riding somewhere and see something that might could be interesting and worth a stop is "when will I pass this way again?" If the answer is "maybe never", then I stop and check it out. If I think about something I just passed for more than a few minutes after I pass by it, I go back and check it out. If I drive by something and think, "shit, I should have got a picture of that", I turn around and get one.

BRP is pretty cool. I used to do 4-5 day trips up and down it a lot when I lived back east. It's funny how proportionate the experience is though. Meaning, you drive it the first time and you're like "fuck yeah, this is awesome!", and you're stopping every overlook to take 30 pictures... then you find yourself 2 weeks later out west on some unnamed dirt road in the mountains at 12,000' and it's like 100 times more incredible than the BRP and you're like... "damn... BRP was cool but this is epic shit"... and then you realize there's so much you've never seen and you wonder what the next more epic thing will be. That's what fuels the wanderlust. The next more epic thing.

 

Backroads are best but will add to your travel time.

 

Try to plan your route so that you can stay at as many national/ state parks as possible. There are usually free or very cheap camping options there. That way you can minimize how many times you'll have to sleep in the truck. It might be more difficult here on the East coast, but the further West you go, you shouldnt have trouble finding cheap or free camping

 

I’m about to do the same trip with some remote overlanding in CO, UT, and CA. Here is a list of my gear:

- Dewalt 63 gallon mobile hard case to hold everything. Chained down to bed for thieves.
-farm jack
-Tools
-fluids
-Slumberjack Roadhouse Tarp
-Tent with blow up mattress
-Amazon electric tire pump
-7 gal “reliance aquatainer” - Amazon
-Spare battery in Attwood hard case mounted in the bed with USB plug and solar panel trickle charger wired to it.

-luminoodle led light rope
-solar battery bank
-single burner butane stove
-homemade rocket wood stove
-windproof lighters
-various forms of tinder in recycled protein jar
-axe
-hatchet
-shovel
-DIY PVC tube solar shower
-metal plates and cups
-cast iron skillet
-5 gallon bucket

 

I have done 3 weeks out of my taco before and could only do it thanks to the canopy and bed platform setup I have. That being said, I have a regular cab so sleeping in the cab is not an option for me, maybe you could have better luck.


To add something new to this conversation, if you are planning on stopping at more than 1 of our beautiful national parks, I cannot emphasize enough the need of one of those handy-dandy interagency recreation passes (also called the "America the Beautiful Pass"). If you are under the age of 62, the pass is $80 and will waive the entrance fee on all national parks, national monuments, and other national sites that charge an entrance fee. You can purchase them at most (if not all) national parks and monuments, field offices, REI and other outdoor type stores.

If you are travelling on I-94 through Montana come say hi! I work at a little National Monument right off the highway. Great place to stop stretch your legs, and learn a little bit of cool history