Car Camping / Trip Reports / Photos / Buildouts / “Overland” / Expedition Rigs Area (homeless?)

What's the best way to find trails that take you through states. Like the trans Atlantic trail. Want to do a road trip but not all road miles

 

Here's one in Wisconsin I want ti try some day.

http://lonewolfexpeditions.blogspot.com/p/trans-wisconsin-adventure-trail.html

 

I have done most of the Utah one. It is a good route.

 

Not sure of MPG loss, but I wouldn't enjoy having it mounted up there every day. Honestly, I wouldn't have gotten my RTT if I didn't have a garage and a garage ceiling to hang it from.

 

No noticeable MPG drop with the bedrack and tent from me. The roofrack hurt MPG more than the RTT. You might see more of a difference mounting it up higher than me, though.

 

I dont lose that much MPG. It bothers me most that it is up there getting unnecessary wear. It probably wouldnt bother me as much if it were on a bed rack and not up high on my cap. Ive been using it a lot lately and it is too hard to get people over here to lend me hand removing/installing it since I live way out in the sticks.

 

Mine stays on. It's too big a pain to remove and my tiny garage is full of other shit. With all my additional weight and 37s I average about 13mpg. That's with 200k miles. My rack is considerably lower than yours will be. I had mine built at 13"s. The RTT is about 3" above the cab with pillows and blankets inside. I believe to clear a soft topper the rack needs to be about 23" high.

 

Softtopper makes racks for roof top tents.. just something to look into.

 

Finally getting the solar shower I've been building for my truck tuned in. I've got two weeks off work starting Friday. Gearing the truck up for a large outdoor music festival and some exploring in the Kootenay Rockies. They have showers at the festival, but the lineup is usually ridiculously long so this was my solution.

I bought myself two black scepter military water cans and a water spout. I originally modded the spout to take a standard garden hose.

I needed a shower head. I was originally just thinking of using a small garden hose and sprayer. However, I didn't like the idea of any metal garden hose/sprayer next to my truck so I decided to go with an all plastic RV shower head and hose. I modded the spout again to take the shower head and hose.


I wasn't happy with the flow out of my shower head while I was testing the MWC being gravity fed so I decided to pressurize my MWC's. I went to a local tire shop, asked them if they had any threaded schrader valves and the guy was nice enough to hand two of them over to me for free. I went home and drilled out the caps and inserted my valves. Pumping up the MWC's with air significantly increased the flow.

I needed a way to support these jugs on my rack and also a way to carry them. I built a box to hold the water cans and also added some storage for the shower head and extra bungees. Not the prettiest looking thing, but it will do the trick.








I still need to put together a shower curtain rod that will extend off the rack bent out of EMT Pipe. I'll probably tackle that tomorrow.

 

Very nice.
@KB Voodoo

 

That's awesome! Bookmarked...

 

not a bad option for shower/hose

http://adventure-journal.com/2015/07/nemos-better-backcountry-shower/





and for $100...

 

The Helio pressure shower is nice. I have had one for 2-years and really like it. I heat it up in the sun and take warm showers in the evening with it. I think it's best used for base camping.

I own many camp showers.

1. 4-Gallon Stearns sunshower (bag type)
2. Helio pressure shower, 3-gallons, heat with sun
   
3. Zodi Extreme, propane powered, pressurized, stand alone, 3-gallons
   
4. Road Shower, aluminum tube, truck mounted on Yakima bars, heated by sun about 5-gallons.
   
5. 30-plate heat exchanger truck mounted with thermostatic mixing valve.
6. Simple shower (invention from expo member)

If you camp a lot, it's hard to go with just one shower solution because they all have pluses and minuses.

 

I've never had great luck with solar showers. I assist with scuba classes and I'd love to have something I could just plunge into our students wet suits when they come out of the 55 degree water freezing. We dive in Monterey where it's frequently cloudy so solar doesn't work so well. Iv been thinking of this along with a 5# propane tank. I could also run my stove off the tank instead of the little green bottles.
Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater and Outdoor Shower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TXOJQ4/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_SK7TvbTVNJ483

 

^ I tried the Eccotemp a few years ago, but the system has a flaw IMO. When you engage the system, it ignites a pilot flight. The pilot light is subject to being blown out by wind. I got frustrated with mine and sent it back and got a refund. I really wanted it to work, but I wasn't willing to play games modifying something I just bought.

 

If its 7 days or under I don't worry about cleaning, one less thing to worry about toting around. Sometimes I'll jump in a lake or stream. My wife hates me for it

 

invalid argument for deserts

 

Good to know!

How well did it work otherwise?

 

I'll take "Rinsing out bacon grease on the ground a few feet in front of your tent in bear country" for $1000, Alex.

 

I say buy one and try it. If it works for you, it will be awesome!