Light and Nimble Round 2 - Travel/Adventure Rig

In 2015 I bought a 2012 RC 4x4 2nd Gen and although I really liked it I felt I needed more interior space, a little more power, and most definitely more creature comforts. I sold that to purchase my Ford Transit 350HD in February of this year which I've been using as my primary mode of transportation along with bumming rides/borrowing my girlfriends car.

Obviously the Transit is my work truck and I needed a daily driver so enter a used 2016 Access Cab, Auto, Off-Road in black with 20k miles in pretty good condition minus two dents and a bit of paint correction needed. I was very wishy washy in my color basically taking either a Black or Barceolna Red as my top two options and didn't care which one I ended up with so black it is.

I've already got wheels and tires ready to go and they'll be on tomorrow but w/o suspension as of yet. I do plan on going with Bilstein B8 8112 fronts and 8100 rears, a Dakar medium leaf pack with possibly the 3rd leaf removed along with my wheel/tire combo I already have. If time allows I'll get some pictures up tomorrow.

My last truck was my first foray into owning a pickup and I learned a lot of what I wanted and didn't want. I feel this second round will be a bit more thought out and also of a higher caliber. Beyond wheels/tires/suspension I'll be adding most likely a high clearance bumper from CBI and possibly rock sliders. I don't really feel the truck needs anything more for what I'm currently doing and right now I'd rather invest extra money into other areas of my life.

So rather than this be a 100% build thread that never ends with mods it'll be a straight forward build with trips/adventures that I go on and pictures to go along with it. My girlfriend and I have gone through many changes in the past year with our jobs, vehicles, and personal matters so we're looking to do a bit of traveling this coming year exploring the US a bit.

More to come tomorrow if time allows.

 

Yeah I'm too busy.... lol Pictures have been taken after a detail. She's sitting stock with regards to suspension atm. I know I'm listing 8112's and Dakars but I'm still thinking what route to go. Here's pics from today after I did some more trimming in the front and also bed liner coated the chrome bumper. Came out acceptable for $10.

 

An update? What? Here's a photo dump of the winter. The next update will be far far more impressive with a ~5500 mile 3 week trip report from PA to Colorado back to PA. It was absolutely epic. One teaser shot at the end.

Also: Incoming vehicle changes:

SCS F5 16x8 -25 offset (same color/wheel as what you see in the photos just different offset)
Maxxis RAZR 315/75/16 35's.... joining the quasi-big-boy-club.

5 x BFG KO2 285/75/16 and SCS 16x8 +0 will be for sale within a week.

 

Colorado Trip Report:

I've been wanting to do this for a few years now but didn't have the means to do so. After some upgrades and changes to my personal life I now have the ability to have a more flexible schedule with my girlfriend and we were lucky enough to take off roughly 3 weeks from mid September to Early August of 2019. I prepped the truck with various expedition upgrades (of which I'll do a separate post on) over a month and 1/2 I would guess. Other changes were done earlier including wheels, tires, and suspension.

Keep in mind my girlfriend and I have NEVER done anything like this and we sort of dived into it head first. I learned a lot and will be making a lot of changes on our next trip. We brought too much, we missed a few items, the packing could be a lot better, but all in all I think we did alright with minimal trail/trip damage.

The goal of the trip was something like this:

Trip camping priorities/goals:

• Dispersed #1, National Park/Forest Camp #2, Campground #3.
• Camp somewhere different every day like nomads. Leave no trace, follow all proper guidelines especially in regards to avoiding bears.
• Trip breakdown:
  • Phase 1: Drive out stopping to visit a friend in Ohio, continue on to Colorado Springs. Camp at paid camp ground with showers to acclimate for the first 2 days. Visit and stay with relatives in Colorado Springs while doing tourist stuff. I've cut out pictures of personal stuff and family things and have just focused on the truck here.
  • Phase 2: Drive Colorado Springs to Denver via Rampart Range Road with camping stops in-between as we go. Stay with my other Uncle in Lakewood for a Saturday, see Joe Rogan LIVE!!!!
  • Phase 3: Depart Denver, drive north to Estes Park then Rocky Mountain National Park, then Great Sand Dunes National Park, back to Colo Spgs, drive home.

• As I've visited Colorado about 10 times over the years always visiting the touristy spots I was a tour guide for my girlfriend showing her as many hot spots as we could around Colorado Springs. We visited the following broken down day by day:

• PA -> Ohio
• Ohio -> Camp in Missouri (Misery??? It was 90+ at night and humid)
• Missouri -> Fort Wallace, Ted's Montana Grille for Bison with a view -> Campground
• Campground -> Cave of the Winds, Manitou Cliffe Dwellings (she loved this!), Manitou Springs and Maintou Springs Brewing
• Garden of the Gods and the gift shop, Downtown Denver for beer
• Airforce Academy and Chapel, Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Bristol Brewing / Ivywild School
• Pikes Peak, Royal Gorge, Skyline Drive Dinosaur Tracks (a hidden gem recommended to us by a local), Drove past NORAD / Cheyenne Mountain
• Had a down day while I planned the next leg of our adventure
• Left family in Colo Spgs and drove Rampart Range Road, visited the Reservoir, camped on a site off the road
• Drive North -> 1st mountain lake camp ground over 11,000ft
• Camp -> 2nd mountain lake camp ground over 11,000ft
• Camp -> Lakewood to visit Uncle, see Joe Rogan show
• Drive North -> Nederland and Ward -> Estes Park
• Rocky Mountain National Park drive through on RT 34 -> Winter Park National Forest Campground
• Winter Park -> National Forest Campground outside Granby
• Granby campground -> Great Sand Dunes
• Stayed at Dunes for 2 nights
• Sand Dunes -> Pueblo -> Colo Springs
• Colo Springs -> PA non-stop swapping drivers. We didn't want to camp

Things that didn't happen:

• Telluride to Ouray mountain pass. We were too knackered to do this as the trip was nearing the end and we decided to relax at the Sand Dunes instead. I will be doing this in the future and exploring more in Colorado!

Additional mods done before the trip and a quick rating of how they faired and what I think of them:

• Leitner Designs Rack/Storage 4/5
• Tepui Autana Ruggedized 3 person tent w/ Annex 4/5
• Dakar Leaf Pack +330lb 5/5
• Total Chaos UCA 4.5/5
• Cheapo 40QT Fridge 2.5/5
• SDHQ 8 button switch panel 5/5
• ARB Dual Air Compressor 5/5
• Dual 65Ah Odyssey, Off Grid Engineering Dual Battery Mount, Blue Sea Charging Relay 5/5
• Shower pump 4/5

 

Missouri camp boiling hot temperatures at night. THANK YOU

$150 Milwaukee M18 Cordless Lithium-Ion 6-1/2" Circular Saw - 2630-20 - ( MILWAUKEE ) - BARE TOOL

Milwaukee M18 Fan!




Driving through Colorado back roads:




Our first campground @ the Lone Duck:




Spotted a Tacoma in downtown Colo Springs:




Climbing Pikes Peak:




Grilling Steaks over a fire on Pikes Peak:

 

Sounds like an incredible trip! My dad and I did a similar week long wheeling and camping trip this summer and had a great time. It’s always fun getting off the beaten path and enjoying the great public spaces of CO.

Here is my documentation of (half) our trip if you’re interested. I’m slowly but surely getting around to the writing the breakdown of all our days on the trail, but it’s been taking longer than expected haha.