"Wheeler's Anonymous"

I really should do something now that I have kids so I can play with them as they get older and not be out of breath in 5 min.

 

I'd be down for some back packing trips this summer. I have all the gear already. Haven't gone in a few years. Need to get my ass ready for hunting season in August to pack another elk out.

 

My father wanted us to climb Mt. Whitney again this summer, 3 weeks before my fiancé and I want to do our wedding, lol. Told him I should probably aim to do something a little less risky, though that was an amazing hike last year. Thinking about doing Half Dome again instead, I did that one a few years ago and it's much more doable (so long as you don't slip off the chains that you use to climb to the top). Still not as nerve wracking as Angel's Landing though.

 

Zion is such an awesome park.
I didn't get nearly enough time there. My sister and I hiked up the river/canyon but we didn't get to do any of the other trails as it was one stop of many throughout Utah.

 

I really want to go back and just take a week to drive/hike through the whole thing, we did it over Thanksgiving with the family last year and it was fun, but only got to see one corner of the park. Angel's Landing is nuts, how people don't die every day on that hike from falling off the ledge is beyond me. Has happened several times but it's crazy to think that it doesn't happen more often with how narrow and crowded that trail gets.

 

yeah fuck that for sure. People don't believe me, but you could tell me there's a bear, mountain lion, rattlesnake, whatever, on the trail or in the camp and I wouldn't freak out or lose my cool. But tell me there's a giant ass spider on my back, oh hell no.

I guess to be fair if a mountain lion was actually on my back I'd probably freak out too.

 

The LA Natural History Museum was having a special spider exhibit a few months ago when I took my oldest for the first time. She really wanted to go see it but inside I was like "HELL NO".

Especially since it looked like there wasn't much between the people and the spiders.
I told her we didn't have time that day and that it cost extra.
Next time we went the exhibit was over.

I saw spiders from outside bigger than my hand.

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE

 

Spiders are Good! They help take care of the shit you really really don't want. Fleas, mosquitos, bed bugs, etc.. you know those things that carry deadly plagues.

 

Didn't say spiders were bad. Just said I don't like them near me.

 

yup. I'll leave 'em be if I see them outside, but anywhere in the house/truck/tent/whatever...all's fair in love and war.

 

I get where you’re going with the topic but despite the undoubtedly hate for the “overland” community, I see where a lot of practicality in an RTT.

As discussed, the weight is a factory but I also like not having to carry around multiple sleeping plateforms to be comfortable. A ground tent works for high school kids, but the ground sucks all of the heat out along with your soul and the mattress is a HUGE upgrade from anything you can bring without taking up a ton of room. Bring a cot, but then you’ve got more to pack and manage so your “takes up a little room” statement is less valid. My RTT doesn’t exceed the height of the cab so the center of gravity isn’t horrible. Honesty, there’s not been a single place I haven’t already been that leaves me wanting more camber cababilities.

The “overland” community may be a huge PITA but they use some creative ideas. I’m all about being comfortable at the end of a long trail day.

The idea of being higher off the ground is there but as discussed, anything that is large enough to really create a danger is going to be able to get you anyway. I’m not down to wake up with spiders and snakes though. Also, the materials that an RTT is made of far surpass any ground tent I’ve used/seen. I’m not the most experienced ground sleeper, but I have woken up many times with a tent laid over my body due to wind and you won’t get the same structural integrity as an RTT.

 

I think the most attractive feature of a RTT is ease of use. Check out the RTT thread, some members have their setup down to a couple of minutes and they don't have to dig it out of the truck, mess with tent polls, or setup any kind of mattress. Sure comes at a cost, but to other members money isn't an object and that's why CVT, Tepui, and other high-end manufacturers charge as much as they do. They wouldn't charge so much if people weren't willing to pay for it. There's a market and people like them, even despite the stereotype. Doesn't mean you have to like them too.

 

Oh yeah, a setup like that is way more efficient for backpacking or a campsite where you cannot bring a truck. In my share of backpacking that's similar to what I have integrated in my setup depending on the destination. However a RTT is more of a luxury item that's integrated into the truck and makes it somewhat of an RV. Plus a wider pool of ladies like them, far less of them have an appreciation for backpacking. My significant other can't do it because of her asthma.

 

Taxes .... *sigh*

 

Unfortunately, no matter what having a freelance income means owing $$$ every year in April for me. I don't freelance full time anymore so it doesn't really make sense for me to go through the trouble of filing quarterly, otherwise that would help it hurt less. No matter how you prep yourself for it, it always hurts to see what's owed lol.

 

Bro. You need a better tax guy.

 

Using a new guy this year so hopefully it helps lol.

But since I don't get any tax taken out of those client checks when they're given to me, I gotta square up every April.

Unless there's some way to get paid and not have to give any of it to the government ...

 

cough.
I'll never say my tax guy can fix you
But I'll very happily him your information for his decision. He's very discerning of his clientele.

 

You guys need more write offs. Construction life haha. 18k in deductons...fml...only time it pays to pay to work ....

 

I feel you. Me too