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Another Around the World Tacoma

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by MR E30, Nov 30, 2021.

  1. Jan 29, 2024 at 8:48 PM
    #361
    PoolFixer

    PoolFixer Well-Known Member

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    Awesome thread! Thanks for sharing! The installation and information about the Diesel heater was really interesting as well. My only concern would be that the inlet for the heater blower fan is just after your engine exhaust and you may some some fumes in the camper.
     
    MR E30[OP] likes this.
  2. Jan 30, 2024 at 5:08 AM
    #362
    TailHook

    TailHook Oh, what shall we do with a drunken sailor?

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    I highly doubt that he will be running the engine and heater simultaneously...
     
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  3. Jan 30, 2024 at 6:09 AM
    #363
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for the compliments Poolfixer.

    Tailhook is right though, I do not foresee any situations where both would be on at the same time, though it certainly isn't impossible.

    My larger concern is just remembering to check that the entire system is 'clean' before firing it up. Some mud does get thrown into that area. Just need to check that nothing gets too caked or clogged up prior to use.
     
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  4. Jan 30, 2024 at 9:01 AM
    #364
    PoolFixer

    PoolFixer Well-Known Member

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    While that would most likely pose an issue, I was thinking more along the lines of idling while stopped or driving slowly with the heater off. He essentially has a vent going from where exhaust gasses could be, and piped from that area in to the camper. It could be a complete non issue though.
     
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  5. Jan 30, 2024 at 9:08 AM
    #365
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Running a test now. Camper is fully closed, truck is completely stationary, idling in the driveway. I'll give it 15 minutes and then hop inside of the camper and see what I smell.
     
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  6. Jan 30, 2024 at 9:19 AM
    #366
    Stuck Sucks

    Stuck Sucks Aerodynamic styling with functional design

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    Here's a few Baja photos for you -- not so many critters.

    Headed south to watch the Baja 1000 Off-Road Race
     
  7. Jan 30, 2024 at 9:28 AM
    #367
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Test completed. It is a basically windless day, and around 60 degrees outside.

    Shut off the truck, jumped in and closed the backdoor quickly, and started to take big, deep breaths.

    No noticeable exhaust smell at all. Just the same, stale Phoenix air that is always present. Doesn't seem like the exhaust fumes can migrate through the pipe and into the camper.

    After hopping out of the camper (was inside for ~60 seconds) I slid under the truck just to check. I can also smell no exhaust fumes while sitting directly under the truck, after that short period of time.

    Thankfully we appear to be in the clear from this particular concern.

    To clarify, the diesel heater was NOT running during this test, just in case that wasn't clear.
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2024
    chrslefty, Phessor and PoolFixer like this.
  8. Jan 30, 2024 at 10:27 AM
    #368
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I finished the slider refresh yesterday afternoon.

    Got everything taped off:

    [​IMG]Slider Refurbish by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Much better. Went with (3) cans of the HD 2X spray paint in Flat Black. Applied a couple coats to the low traffic/abuse areas, and several coats to the spots that get beat up by rocks and mud.

    [​IMG]Slider Refurbish by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Finished it off with two coats of matte clear coat.

    Hopefully this holds up for two years, but I'll keep an eye on it.
     
    chrslefty, Phessor, Frog4aday and 5 others like this.
  9. Jan 30, 2024 at 12:22 PM
    #369
    PoolFixer

    PoolFixer Well-Known Member

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    Hey that’s great! I’m glad it won’t pose a problem for you on your next journey.
     
    MR E30[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  10. Jan 30, 2024 at 2:38 PM
    #370
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Probably time to share the secret, as maintaining its presence will be all but impossible when we leave this weekend.

    We didn't come back to Phoenix just to install the diesel heater.

    The 5 wheels that have been with us since September now have 5 more wheels tagging along.

    Disclaimer time! I fully reserve the right to openly admit that this was a bad idea, if the need ever arises in the future. This change will take some getting used to, and it may not be as smooth as Stacy and I have convinced ourselves that it will. We determined it was at least worth the effort to give it a shot, and to see how it fits into our truck life.

    Alright.

    The first 3 wheels belong to this:

    2004 Light Duty Cargo Trailer

    [​IMG]Trailer for R1250 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    And the final two wheels belong to this:

    2023 BMW R1250GS Adventure in Triple Black, widely considered the pinnacle of adventure motorcycles, affectionately referred to as simply the 'GS' from here on out.

    [​IMG]BMW R1250GSA 2 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    [​IMG]BMW R1250GSA 1 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    [​IMG]BMW R1250GSA 3 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Yeah. Skip to the end if you want to read all about the justifications and reasoning and explanations as to why.

    I'll start by sharing the trailer upgrade/refurbishing process.

    Once we decided that this was something we wanted to try (we had spent numerous hours walking and talking this out, weighing as many things as we could envision, as we came to the decision over the course of several weeks), I went and bought this tiny dirtbike trailer for $700 and immediately took it home and started transforming it into what we need.

    I opted for this tiny trailer for a few reasons. Mainly, it is very light. It can be picked up and drug around with just one hand, by just one person. It is very short, so backing up with it is easier than a longer trailer. If worst comes to worst, the bike can be unloaded, trailer detached, things repositioned, truck turned around, things reconnected and reloaded, and then we can be on our way. Towing the empty trailer is 100% unnoticeable. It weighs in at maybe 300 lb. so the truck does not care at all.

    Disclaimer: I have absolutely no idea how long this trailer will hold up. I already have a custom trailer being designed (by me) that I will have fabricated (by someone more qualified) sometime later this year.

    This was on a Tuesday iirc, and we knew that Friday was the big day, so I broke the trailer down to just what we needed to carry out the task of bringing the new adventure bike home.

    After an exhausting day at the motorcycle dealership (alright, it was just a few hours, but it felt like an eternity), we loaded up the bike and brought it home.

    Towing the trailer with the bike on it also made no noticeable impact on how the truck drove. No change in gas mileage on our semi-long trip home. I will obviously keep an eye on it and report my findings after we spend more miles dragging it along, but suffice to say it is not lugging on the Tacoma in any noticeable way. I do foresee a drop in MPG during steep climbs, but I can't see it being too bad on flat surfaces. I wouldn't be surprised if the bike and trailer live in the bubble of air displaced by the truck and Alu-Cab, though I have no proof to back this up.

    [​IMG]Trailer for R1250 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Bike unloaded, we spent the weekend making the trailer better. And by better I mean a bit cleaner, less rusty, and more applicable to our use case.

    First was to slim it down from carrying three bikes to just one. Second was to reposition the center channel farther forward, as the trailer basically had zero tongue weight originally. Third was to install (6) new tie down points, placed appropriately for the GS. Fourth was to spruce up the wiring, and to fix some damage from the PO.

    People generally use just (2) tie down points to haul a motorcycle, but I like a bit of redundancy, and the trailer will be pulled along on bumpy roads, so we want the bike secured well.

    Stacy and I worked together, and I had her do all of the hard stuff (I kid) while I strategized and planned.

    Strip it down and then strip it down again.

    [​IMG]Trailer for R1250 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    All surface rust removed, no serious rust present anywhere. All unnecessary chunks of metal unbolted and put aside. Additional practice loading took place to fine tune the location of bike tie down points prior to disassembly.

    Numerous holes were drilled for mounting points and aluminum edging to cover the edges of the expanded metal used as the floor. A sheet of 22 gauge sheet metal was added to where the kick stand rests, aiding the expanded metal flooring is holding the leaned back upright. The rear of the bike tray was crudely bent outwards to accommodate the huge rear tire of the GS. The poorly attached, and very wobbly spare tire holder was cut off, and the tire was moved forward and down onto a non-jiggly cross member. Much better. The remaining channel had the front end levered down to allow the bike to be even further forward on the trailer, allowing us to remove the overhanging piece at the rear of the trailer. The bike loading ramp found a permanent home as well, secured with wing nuts for ease of removal.

    Loads and loads of paint and installation then occurred. Wiring was upgraded, and routing was done better, wired connections improved, and everything was tidied up and secured well. This trailer is about to get A LOT more use than its used to. Best to do our best to make it the best that it can be.

    [​IMG]Trailer for R1250 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    We finished off the trailer by mounting the Pelican im3220 case that used to be on our roof on the the passenger side of the trailer. This will be used to carry a variety of bike related items, mainly our gear. Some heavy items that were high up in the Tacoma also got moved and placed in this case.

    We also slightly modified a collapsible aluminum ramp that I use to walk on as I am powering the bike onto the trailer. Studs on the person ramp and the bike ramp keep the ramps from sliding off of the trailer. Safety first as they say.

    [​IMG]Diesel Heater Install and Slider Repaint by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    The license plate subsequently came in and the thing is ready to go. Wheel bearings greased, tire pressures checked. Clean bill of health. For now at least.

    Onto the bike.

    Why a bike? And why the BMW R1250GSA?

    Well (and I am sure I am going to forget a lot of our discussions and reasoning, but I'll do my best), you see. Hm. Let me just start rambling I suppose.

    Despite living out of a truck, neither of us are actually huge fans of driving. Weird, maybe, or for sure, depending on who you are, but the truth for the two of us.

    We would often find ourselves skipping past offshoots (wildlife preserves, recreational areas, etc.) because to take that offshoot would require quite a bit of gas and time in the Tacoma, and their allure is rarely strong enough to warrant that effort. 30 miles down a paved road to a wildlife area in the truck is a much bigger commitment, especially given its overall speed, relative to zipping in on a machine meant to crush miles on relatively little fuel (43 mpg vs 17 mpg). There are loads of areas that are exciting to check out, that unfortunately do not allow you to camp there.

    And the world, especially here in the west, is pretty damn expansive all things considered. The distances are pretty vast. And sitting inside of a truck to get there is one thing, but being outside, on a bike, is a completely different experience altogether.

    They say, when you drive across a desert, you are in a car. But when you ride across a desert, you are in the desert. Too damn true. The travel becomes a part of the adventure.

    Also, when we find a place to camp for the week, we get the truck situated all correctly, we get things pulled out and set up, and then we live our week and work life. But our desire to tuck things away, pack away the tent, and use the truck to drive 5-9 miles to a TH for an evening hike just isn't that strong. We would still get our exercise in, but it would take place around our camp, keeping us from hiking the relatively nearby trail. Call it laziness, but I call it something else:

    I really, and I mean really, want to take this truck to so many fantastic places. Just like I stated at the beginning of this entire thread, it is going to go places, and my desire for that is so strong that it is basically a guarantee.

    However, I am not so concerned with taking the truck down every trail, or to every trailhead, or to use it to get to less noteworthy places. That desire is rather weak tbh. I want the truck to live the high life, going to Yellowstone, or The Dempster, or around Africa, etc. but I don't want it burdened with the monotony of life. The back and forth trips, the quick jaunts to dead ends or wastes of time. It deserves better than that. I want to give it what I am trying to give to myself, I suppose.

    So, a capable bike fits the bill. Small enough to accompany us by being towable behind an overloaded mid-sized truck, but capable enough to ride both dirt and pavement with ease (especially the pavement), absolutely demolishing miles while sipping fuel.

    Alright, got the bike part out of the way, at least kind of. So why this bike?

    Well, more rambling:

    Stacy wants to ride 2-up (fancy bike lingo for two people on one bike). She likes being close to me, and me to her, so makes sense. Riding 2-up means you need a decent payload, and some power. With a payload of ~500 lb, the bike can easily carry the two of us (maybe 330 combined) and enough gear to allow us to enjoy ourselves. And with 1/2 the horsepower of the truck, but only 1/10th the weight, I don't need to tell you that this thing flies. And I mean, flies. Holy hell. The 106 ft*lb. of torque at ~5500 rpms is also absolutely mind blowing. Two completely different worlds between the GS and the Tacoma. It felt weird to use a highway lane that wasn't just the right one the first time I took the bike out onto the freeway.

    We both also happen to like safety. And this thing is loaded with technology, making it both safe and easy to use.

    Time to load Stacy on to the back of the bike? What do I do to the rear suspension to compensate for the added weight?

    Oh, nothing? The bike takes care of it itself, automatically, in just a handful of seconds as soon as it senses the overall weight? Well I'll be damned.

    6-axis DTC and ABS? Yep. You can confidently grab full front brake (the front brake lever also actuates the rear brake a bit) while leaned, in a corner to come to a quick stop. In the past, this was a recipe for disaster, as your front tire is going to slide out from under you, and you are going down. Not anymore. The magical ABS system will not only stop the bike, but also right it, bringing you upright as you come to a stop. The telelever front suspension does wonders on the road (heard it can be a bit disconnected feeling offroad), avoiding brake dive even under the heaviest of braking. This allows you to grab and progressively squeeze the brake lever with a lot of confidence.

    Wheelie control? Yes please. This thing is too powerful. TPMS system down to the tenth of a psi? And the recommended PSI is displayed right next to it? Nice.

    Cruise control? Hell yeah. 7 riding modes, with two of them being fully programmable? I'll take that, even though I will likely only ever use 2 of them. Full TFT display that just looks gorgeous? Yep, has that too.

    Fog lights, armor/bracing, and (3) Touratech pannier hard cases? Check.

    Oh, and that rear wheel. Seriously drool worthy.

    [​IMG]Rear Wheel by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Fully tubeless tires (F&R), single swingarm, and by golly, no damn chain to maintain. This single component, all on its own, was enough to sway me away from a 750/850GS or any KTM/Honda. It is truly a work of art.

    Finally, it's just big. Its mass inspires confidence while moving quickly, or while on the freeway. It rides exactly the same with just me on it, or with the two of us on it. No massive revs to get the two of us moving from a stop. Rotate the throttle back and it still rockets away with ease. Push on the handlebars and lean and it responds so confidently. All bikes weigh exactly the same when they are upright; they weigh nothing.

    The truck is so slow by comparison. Every time the truck comes to a stop, or turns, it slows down, and then I gently bring it back up to cruising speed. The bike just goes. Need to slow it down? Alright, done, now you just get right back to speed. It's lovely.

    We both have motorcycle licenses (Stacy's is hot off the press, but she is a fast learner) and I first started riding motorcycles, on and off over the years, back in 2007.

    Stacy is a beast, so even though she can't flat foot the bike due to her height, she can still wrangle it and ride it. I am 6'3" and mostly legs, so I can straddle this damn thing, even when the electronic suspension is at maximum height (another feature you get to control).

    I have been devouring information about this bike, and everything surrounding it. It is a lot of fun. So much to learn.

    Just one more time, since it is simply such a masterpiece:

    [​IMG]BMW R1250GSA 2 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Excited to get more photos of it.

    We still have a lot to learn, and taming such a machine offroad will take a lot of practice, but I'll commit myself to do it. It will never be a single track sort of machine, as it's just too big. But it will definitely cruise along FR roads, taking us from where we park the truck for the week to the tiny side attractions that we want to explore.

    I am sure I will share more of my feedback and thoughts as time goes by.

    Thanks for sticking through all of the text.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2024
  11. Jan 30, 2024 at 4:02 PM
    #371
    Bishop4WD

    Bishop4WD Well-Known Member

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    San Diego until I escape Communist California
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    I'm not a motorcycle guy but holy hell that thing is sweet.
     
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  12. Jan 30, 2024 at 4:37 PM
    #372
    Roadkill69

    Roadkill69 Well-Known Member

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    @MR E30 dannng that is sweet! I'm not gonna lie, your posts are starting to make me feel super lazy lol! And I was feeling that when you were talking about the rock sliders still!!

    I got my new popup camper 12 days ago, a Tune M1 on my 21 Tacoma 6ft bed. Have been wiring and doing insulation, lighting, mounting my diesel heater, and working on some bench buildout. And of course my wife said she wants a spice rack like Stacy's lol...
     
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  13. Jan 31, 2024 at 8:41 AM
    #373
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, we appreciate the compliment!
     
  14. Jan 31, 2024 at 8:43 AM
    #374
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Haha, it most certainly is sweet. We are still enjoying it, which hopefully doesn't come as a surprise.

    Egh, the two of us prefer to work (at least during the day) than to rest. After about 4 pm though, I like to wind down.

    Nice, the work sounds fun. Are you documenting it at all anywhere? I'd like to check it out if so.
     
  15. Jan 31, 2024 at 8:57 AM
    #375
    Roadkill69

    Roadkill69 Well-Known Member

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    meh...
    I'm making a few bad videos, and just figured out a youtube account last week. Then a hundred disparate long posts and replies on Facebook Tune owner's group, and ExpeditionPortal, and have linked vids. So, really not very usable at all, even I can't find my post on FB a week later lol. I should group it all together like you have, to be actually usable. But like you, can't decide where I want it etc. Not FB, thats for sure, need to copy and move that stuff lol! And private blog stuff will just never be seen by anyone really. So, here or ExpeditionPortal or YouTube I guess... but I'm not as gung-ho as you, and I'd rather read your adventure than edit my own stuff lol!
     
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  16. Feb 13, 2024 at 3:01 PM
    #376
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I learned with one of my first E30's that build threads could be very invaluable. I turn back to this one often to re-remember things that I have done when folks ask about it.

    ExpedPortal is alright, just not nearly enough traffic.

    Haha fair enough!
     
  17. Feb 13, 2024 at 3:49 PM
    #377
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Update time:

    Since departing Phoenix a little while ago we have been having some great times, even while dealing with some terrible weather.

    We wound up camping on some State Trust Land southeast of Tucson, AZ, right near a trail crossing for the Arizona Trail.

    Most noteworthy: We survived two days of 30 mph winds. That storm that caused severe flooding in Southern California made its way towards us, and wreaked a bunch of havoc.

    After seeing high 70's in the week before leaving Phoenix we were optimistic that we were in the clear, weather-wise, for the rest of winter.

    Not!

    Washing dishes in the snow.

    [​IMG]Colossal Cave Plus by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Probably not getting too many of those sun rays for the batteries:

    [​IMG]Colossal Cave Plus by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    It wasn't all doom and gloom. The day it snowed we had a ~4 hour tour planned to the depths of Colossal Cave. This would be the inaugural trip for the Wild Cave tour, so we were lucky to be the first group to go down. Dalton, the man with the plan, had meticulously reconstructed the route after everyone who knew it had retired or moved on from giving cave tours.

    We actually learned about the Wild Cave tour while doing their Classic Cave tour the week prior. We had taken the GS out for a ride and we just so happened to swing by and arrive in time for a tour. With a military discount I got the two of us on the basic ~45 minute tour. No gear, you stick to walkways, protected by guardrails and all that. Fully lit the entire time, etc.

    Dalton was our guide for that one too, and man he left an impression with his enthusiasm for his job and caving in general. As soon as he mentioned the more in-depth tour, I knew we had to partake. It was right up our alley.

    Pardon the blurry photo, someones potato wasn't calibrated that day.

    Stacy and I in the middle, Dalton to my immediate right, Adam (the other guide) on the far right, with Paul (looks a lot like Weird Al, who I am a big fan of) on the far left, and Dave (nicknamed The Eel from back in his boiler inspecting/cleaning days, the guy could slither through some tight spaces for sure!) on Stacy's left.

    [​IMG]Colossal Cave - Inaugural Wild Cave Tour by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    The tour is limited to 6 people, fyi. The cave is a 'dead' cave, meaning no flowing water of any kind, and maintains a consistent 71 degrees Fahrenheit and ~70% humidity anywhere within its 39.4 miles of underground passages. With it being 39 degrees outside, the cave was a welcome reprieve.

    Suffice to say, it was worth the cost of admission. Such a cool experience.

    No good photos due to the lack of light, so you'll just have to believe me.

    [​IMG]Colossal Cave Plus by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    The entire experience, after you leave the paved walkway, was just immersive and made of pure excitement.

    The most challenging portion arrives when you are roughly 9 stories underground, and it is called 'The Squeeze'. 10 inches is all you get, at its narrowest point, to make your way between the rock walls.

    It was tolerable because we were being led by someone who had been there plenty of times before. I would have never tried to pass through on my own.

    Paul had one helluva time getting through, actually getting stuck for a couple of minutes. Massive props to him for maintaining his cool while being pressed upon by the rock walls. He just slowly worked at it, shifting and squeezing, until his torso eventually popped through. We were similar in height, so he had the extra problem of getting his legs on and through, just like I did. I honestly don't know how he made it, as my sternum was seriously crushed against the front wall, even with me putting all of my strength into crushing my back into the wall behind me.

    We had the opportunity to turn all of our lights off and simply sit in the ABSOLUTE darkness, and deadening silence. It was such a pleasurable experience. Someone once said "Silence is something that you can actually hear' and after sitting in the 1923 Room, I can definitely jive with that.

    If you are ever in the area and have a hankering for a challenge, the Wild Cave Tour is well worth it.

    While we have been here we also hiked just about 50 miles of the AZT. You find some interesting Saguaros out here:

    [​IMG]Colossal Cave Plus by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    We look forward to hiking the remaining ~750 miles of the AZT in the near future.

    We took a smaller hike to an old spring a few miles from our campsite. The road to the spring is treacherous, so I doubt it sees much vehicle traffic. While all the way out there, we found this abandoned tent. Had some spooky vibes for sure. Broken poles, abandoned gear, the whole nine.

    [​IMG]Colossal Cave Plus by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    We could tell there was something inside, a cot, so I found a zipper and saw a big lump on top of the cot, covered by a large blanket.

    Tentatively reached in and pulled back the blanket.

    Thankfully there wasn't a human head on the pillow, just more gear.

    We zipped it back up and made our way out of there. Haha

    While I certainly didn't expect to use the diesel heater this much, this soon, but I am very, very glad that we have it.

    We probably have ~100 hours of run time on it now.

    A review: It is just blissful. The air it expels is just so warm, it makes you feel so damn good inside. Seriously, get one of these. They are a game changer.

    In about 7 minutes we can feel a significant difference in air temperature. And it can make the inside of the camper very, very hot.

    [​IMG]Colossal Cave Plus by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    It didn't feel this hot, because everything inside of the camper was still ~50 degrees or so. So it was this enjoyable feeling of hot air, but cold being radiated off of everything that is surrounding you.

    I should have prioritized the install of this thing from the outset. It is a massive mood boost during inclement weather, of which we have experienced a decent amount these past two weeks.

    And now it's time to get to the bad part. The humiliating part. The part where one has to admit their own faults, and admit that an idea was not as flushed out as one might have thought.

    Yeah. The addition of all of these extra wheels has not gone according to plan.

    So, even after only being with us for a very short period of time I'd like you to join me in waving goodbye to the 20.... *cough* *hhrmmphh* *cough*

    Ah. Phew.

    Man, that was a rough one. Why am I even typing still?

    Whoosh.

    Anyways.

    Where was I?

    Oh yeah.

    That.

    Alright, please join me in giving a solid goodbye to our recently acquired companion, the 2004 Light Duty Cargo Trailer.

    [​IMG]Diesel Heater Install and Slider Repaint by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    Yeah. This thing was really, really good at one thing:

    It was absolutely amazing at taking two independent machines, both of which that were designed/engineered and built to tackle the terrain very well, and handicap them both into oblivion and despair.

    It combined these two machines, both refined and phenomenal, and spat out a literal turd. It actively degraded both the Tacoma and the GS by being used to tow the GS. Either vehicle capable of blazing down dirt roads at 20, 30, 50+ mph? Connect em together and now you have a firm limit of 5 mph. It was just abysmal. It's also more fuel friendly to drive each separately, as towing dragged down our MPG's to ~15.5 (from our typical 17), while the bike gets ~50 mpg.

    So it has to go. Removing it from the equation immediately solves every single problem that the addition of the GS initially created.

    New MO:

    We will pilot both the truck and the GS independently, one of us behind the wheel of the truck, and the other behind the bars of the bike, every time we move campsites/areas.

    Yes, this introduces new problems ("Who will ride in the rain and cold?" Answer: Probably me, but Stacy can handle it too), but nothing that we can't overcome through either patience or fancy gear.

    The GS is just so exquisite, as I've said before, that I am so excited to be forced to ride it all of the time. Plus, I feel like I can literally have the best of both worlds: the freedom of riding a motorcycle along twisty, windy roads, while also having the capability and infrastructure of a well-built home on wheels.

    With this new change, Stacy has been getting a crash course in driving the Tacoma. She's doing great with it. Wrangling this heavy, slow to slow, top heavy beast ain't all that easy, but she is stepping up to the occasion. I really like this too, as I really didn't want her to simply ride shotgun for 1, 2, or 10+ years, as I drive us around the planet. She can be an active player, and that makes me very excited.

    Plus, I will finally have the opportunity to do something that everyone except for me gets to experience: I get to see my own truck being driven around! I can finally watch it in action! And that is really cool to me. It looks so good to me parked, I can't imagine how sweet it will look while in motion.

    So yeah. I think we found our niche: both driving and riding while living on the road.

    Let's see where this takes us!

    Photo of the 'Plus 2'

    [​IMG]Tacoma and GS by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

    And from our family (however non-traditional) to you and yours!

    [​IMG]Stacy & Mike Plus 2 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr
     
  18. Feb 14, 2024 at 3:26 PM
    #378
    POOLGUY

    POOLGUY Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    JEFF
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    Wow, what an adventure. Good to know the diesel heater is the way to go for warmth. It’s a shame that the GS isn’t lighter. If it was you could do what some of the old guys did back in the day. They would mount a bike carrier to the front bumper. Motorcycles back then were smaller and lighter also. I forward to your next report.
     
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  19. Feb 14, 2024 at 6:11 PM
    #379
    Roadkill69

    Roadkill69 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    @MR E30 great report! I've done a bit of caving in unopened caves with rock climbing involved, so your post really brought back the memories.

    Now I am really looking forward to how your convoy style life will work, it is giving me a lot of Mad Max vibes, or those post apocalypse shows. You just need a shotgun mounted on your back, and some goggles, to complete the look!
     
    MR E30[OP] and POOLGUY like this.
  20. Feb 15, 2024 at 7:28 AM
    #380
    MR E30

    MR E30 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Wherever it's parked
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    Thank you Jeff!

    Yes, without a doubt, well worth it. We have been seeing approximately 20 hours of run time on a single gallon of diesel, which is pretty good, especially when compared to if you were trying to warm the camper up with electricity. The hot air is so dry too (which we personally love, being from the southwest and all that), so keep that in mind if you are a big fan of humidity. I had a slipper that fell out of its hiding place and got soaked in some rain. ~1 hour in front of the heater outlet and it was as dry as could be, and the camper was still warm. We sometimes get wet, and our gear gets wet, in these canyons that we do. So having a handy way to dry it all out in less than ideal weather is another added bonus for us.

    Ah yes, the weight of the damn thing. It certainly feels weightless while riding it, but at every other moment it makes you aware of its heft.

    We went back and forth for a long while: Should we get two bikes? Should we get one smaller bike and risk overloading it?

    In the end the decision kind of made itself. Slightly smaller bikes (850GS/750GS) don't really weigh that much less (50-80 lbs). These can still carry two people and some gear, but they sacrifice on rider comfort and tech.

    Only when you step down to really small bikes (500cc or less, especially 300cc) is where you see large decreases in overall weight. But those bikes struggle to even cruise on the freeway. And their little single piston just revs like crazy, so their maintenance schedule is more frequent. And their high speed, long haul cruising comfort is definitely lacking relative to the GSA. Even at 6'3" I barely feel any wind on any part of my body while riding, and that is amazing.

    So the big GS just worked. Many people have over 100,000 miles on them. I don't have to do anything to the bike outside of its 12,000 mile services. And no chain maintenance either. Our mtn bike chains get so worked out here, that keeping them cleaned and rust free was a weekly task in most cases.

    If we had a bigger truck, a Ram 2500 or some Super Duty I would definitely have the GS up on a front mounted carrier. But the Tacoma is too small for that. It's too small for any motorcycle really, as I feel like I am at my personal limit with what I want it to carry.

    Talk soon!
     
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