Sunday 9/20 - Sucker Pond Trail, Bennington VT

@Checkers10160
You can upload whole videos to youtube if you're on it and post full length videos there.
Just a heads up.

 

Thanks man! Unfortunately when recording with Snapchat, it's in 10 second segments. Gotta find a way to stitch them together without makin it look like garbage

 

Once I get the RTT sorted out, these trips will be way more do able.
Still would have loved to prove my stock sport 3rd gen isn’t the piece of garbage I have been made to believe here on TW

 

I’m glad we could entertain lol

 

I'm pestering this guy with some questions about his build.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...d-and-exploring.407850/page-112#post-24219132

I'm debating about an RTT but only if I can find one for 500 or less (not including bars). I know it'll be used, have to keep my eye out because if they aren't priced at the same cost as new, they go within like an hour on facebook. Turns out they hold resale better than a Tacoma does!

BUT this setup, if it works, gives me fully waterproof setup with zero setup time. In theory, which is why I just posted to ask about how easy it would be to set up and break down the passenger seat part of it. I'd prefer to be able to have the seat easy in and out. If it was just the back seats, F IT, but the passenger seat is a bit more important I guess. If this works though, leaves the whole bed open. TBD might do some planning over the winter.

 

It's not that thing can handle quite a bit
That info probably comes from more wheeling people but I've been around my fare share of them on all sorts of terrain.
To be honest it's more about driving skill and spotters and tires.
Granted your not going to attempt certain things but I'm a wheeler and I don't attempt certain things.
Everyone was egging me on to go through a huge mud pit when we were out there...
I didn't do it on account I was unsure and I knew I was going to get stuck.
Pick your battles.

 

No knock on your intel at all, it was spot on. My own meter needed calibration, I've never had to lead a group that size through anything like that at all. You warned me that the stockers would need a good deal of spotting and I underestimated how much that would slow us down.

 

Holy crap, not the direction I plan to go. If I find the right deal on a set up for over the softopper rack and RTT, I’ll buy used. If not, I’m goin to go the almost bankrupt way and get a hard shell RTT and either rack or cap. I hope to had it sorted an ordered by Feb/March 2021 for another June trip out west.

although the wife did say, if I get something sooner she would love to do some fall camping.

 

Need all the softtopper room?
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-bed-bars-for-rtt-and-softopper.575527/

You have low mount bars, but you can still use the bed space up to the rails, and mounts it a bit lower. Keeps it more dry, and less "conspicuous".

Your setup, your rules I'm just throwing some stuff at you I have found recently when searching around for some sleeping setups. I'm doing it solo though, maybe +1 dog, but not +1 human so that's a different game.

 

I have no doubt it’s a capable truck in stock form, unless I believe what I read here on TW. And I for dam sure would have been very encouraging about seeing someone else in the mud hole. You folks seem to be a very capable group, and I know I would learn a ton from one trip, let alone a few. Just need to find something way closer, so I don’t need to spend 8 hours driving just to get to the wheeling spot. Again, once I am set up to be able to sleep up top, I’ll get to more trips.

Oh and getting stuck is just a way to learn how to use recovery gear.

 

@BadDNA
You took on alot.
You dealt with it better than most, much credit is due.
It was a learning experience for everyone.
But the thing is, when you go wheeling expect the worst and hope for the best!
I couldn't believe we didn't fare worse than what happened.
I mean every truck made it out and home.(well I hope they made it home anyway)
You taught alot on line choosing and how to overcome obstacles.
You may have even learned more than the noobies
You know me I got your back to hell and back again.
Just the way I role with anyone.
You got them through that trip.
Well done Eammon, well done

 

Ya, I think keeping the softopper space is a safe bet. It will be wife and I and maybe the dog, he isn’t excited to ride.

 

Yes!
Recovery gear learning is huge!!!!
I know a lot but I still learn everytime I do it.
As luck should have it one of my best friends is a tree worker and he has taught me so much.
I'm always willing to pass down the knowledge I get from everything I've learned

 

Lol and here I am going back to a tent.


I love my RTT though

 

Why not just get a Coleman ground tent from Target? There is 0% need for a RTT on these trips. Nice to have yes in some instances, not required though and could be detrimental in off camber situations.

 

I'm taking my tent out this weekend
To bad the trailer and RTT hasn't seen any action this year.

Oh well it's built ( well mostly)
And ready to rock!

 

Much agreed, RTT is glamping.
I needed it for the wife, otherwise I would get

 

Certainly not required. But it is a ton more comfortable most of the time. Haha


But I do probably a 60-40 split these days between the two.

 

I'll go 1st, this is the only damage I've found. I'm totally amazed there wasn't alot more damage, since I'm stock height in the front and only a 1.5" add a leaf in the rear. I'll have to say my SOS IFS and BAMF LCA skids more than paid for themselves on this trail!! And thank goodness that TPMS valve stem held pressure for the whole trail ride, just couldn't beleive what I was seeing as I went to air up.
(PS : sorry for the doubles on a few photos)

 

Bennington Vt. is such a pretty area. I was up that way 3 years ago for a wedding. I'd love to do a wheeling trip up that way sometime.