story of a Glassblower and new ArtFair Overland Camping Adventure Tacoma

One of the first vehicles I ever wanted was a first gen Tacoma, along with a Jeep Cherokee XJ, and of course a Jeep Wrangler. Also my favorite movie as a kid hands down was Jurassic Park. Therefore when it came time to get my first vehicle....I went with a Jeep Wrangler (but I was thiiiiis close to getting an old pre-tacoma Toyota pickup that was cheap and rusted.)

Bernadette, my Wrangler, was excellent to me as a first vehicle. I love that thing. It got me through college and once I graduated and began making some money, saw me through some great adventures. I learned how to maintenance vehicles on the wrangler. I stripped the inside out and bedlined the whole inside of the tub, lifted it, installed 285/75r16 Cooper Discoverer S/T on black procomp 7069s, and had a great time offroading. Bernadette and I went on solo camping adventures all around the country. She took me to Colorado, California, Vermont, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina. I loved the simplicity of the jeep, the ruggedness, the bare bones nature. I loved driving a manual.


In those days I was single, and my own business was just beginning to sprout. I am a glass artist. I make and sell hand-blown and carved glass sculpture. (You can check out my stuff at www.robertcobyglass.com, I'm also on Instagram @robertcobyglass.) In the beginning, most of my working time was spent working for other glass artists and teaching glassblowing classes. I made and sold my own work a little bit here and there on the side.

Then I found a wonderful woman, and since then Mel and I have also had a beautiful daughter, Charlotte. Once we got pregnant, I knew my meager income would have to ratchet up to new levels to support a new family while Mel finished up her degree, so I worked the hourly rate positions less and started working on my own work more and more. Now I am proud to say I am able to completely support my family of 3 as a self-employed glass artist. I sell my work at Art Fairs/ Art Festivals all over the country throughout the year. Doing these shows requires that I haul a whole lot of artwork and display material around the country. It didn't take long for me to realize that I needed a vehicle with room for a family, stroller, diaper bag, the whole kit nad kaboodle---I also needed a vehicle that can haul a ton of art fair stuff (literally a TON, for an average show, my display and all the work I haul with me weighs in and around 2200lbs, plus camping gear)

It was with a heavy heart that I had to make the decision to get rid of my Jeep Wrangler. We can't afford for me to have two vehicles, and Bernadette wasn't cutting it for the tasks I needed now.

So what was the right vehicle for me?.....A TACOMA OF COURSE!

I had always liked the Tacoma and one of my good friends that I went offroading with had one already...here he is following behind on a trail here in Ohio...
So I began my search for my Tacoma. I knew what I wanted, now I just had to find it, preferably low mileage, low price.....

And I bought this beauty!!! a used but new to me 2009 Tacoma TRD offroad w/ towing package
and it came in handy for us to move a few days later...

 

And so it begins. So far I'm loving the truck, its been worked a lot already hauling this, towing that, and serving as my Art Fair vehicle. I bought a sweet Leer 100R camper shell with windoors and headliner. My current setup is for all the artfair stuff to go in my trailer, and I camp out of the back of the truck while doing shows so I don't have to waste money on hotels. The Tacoma has hauled the trailer without breaking a sweat, even through the mountains- the same roads the Jeep struggled going up even unladen.... y s

My next step is to build out the bed of the truck for better organization while on the road and camping. Will get to that as soon as I have time. We have to be really conscientious with our spending, but I'm in for new tires before next winter and I'm gonna do my damndest to be able to afford new wheels then too. I LOVED the cooper tires on the jeep, I'll get the same tires for the truck but 265/75r16. Still looking for the right wheel. The jeep looked perfect with the 7069s but I'm thinking for the truck I like the look of the SCS F5, in either gunmetal or BRONZE! I think the bronze would look sweet with the Timberland Mica.

Then as soon as its financially justifiable it'll be time for a lift. Probably Dakars and OME 885's or 886's based on the research I did here before joining.

Also worth noting is I haven't had a problem with the Access Cab with carseats. I did some research here on Tacoma World about that and the rear facing carseat took up some room behind the passenger seat but it was extremely doable, and now we're in the forward facing seat now anyways which leaves plenty of room. I had wondered if the DC would have been a better option but I like the look of the access cab way better, and so far it hasn't been the slightest bit problematic with either car seat.

Alright well that's enough from me for now, it feels good to finally pull the trigger and become a member here, god knows I've read enough on this site already before joining.

 

Welcome to TW. You create some pretty awesome sculptures btw.

 

Subbed.

 

Thanks a lot man