camping (81)

Lloyd’s Camping Vehicles, Part 3

In 1988 I bought a 4-cylinder, 5-speed Tacoma 4×4 with the Xtra cab (meaning a 6′ bed). Then in 2003, I got a new one, same model. The engine is a bit gutless going up long hills, but will run forever.

By this time I knew exactly what I wanted:

A metal camper shell made by Tradesman in Winters, Calif. It opened on all three sides, was way stronger than plastic shells. I bought an aluminum rack from Hauler Racks. It came disassembled via UPS and I bolted it together and mounted it. It rests on the truckbed sides, not on the camper roof.

At Campway’s in Santa Rosa, Calif., I got the inside of the bed sprayed with a waterproof membrane to protect the metal. Also a “carpet kit,” with storage boxes along the sides and sliding middle panels inside the bed.

You can see the pull-out drawer and side storage boxes. I shot this photo on Hornby Island, BC on one of my four trips to Canada shooting photos for Builders of the Pacific Coast. I remember one afternoon collecting oysters way out on a reef (beyond the commercial guys and cooking them for dinner on a beach fire with aluminum-foil-clad potatoes, red wine, AND just-picked blackberries with …(ahem)… heavy cream and brown sugar.

More on TheShelterBlog here.

Post a comment (2 comments)

Lloyd’s Camping Vehicles, Part 2

These days I’m doing less posts on this blog and more on The Shelter Blog. I realized that I had a lot of build-garden-homestead-forage experience (and assemblage) to communicate and liked the idea of putting it all in one place.

I’ll cross-reference some of my posts on the new blog with this one, such as this:

1983 Toyota 4×4 Pickup Truck Used on Baja Beaches and Desert

I bought it used from a builder friend. It didn’t have the “Xtra cab,” so the bed was 8′ long.

Tarp for Shade:  I had a Yakima Rocket Box on racks on the camper roof, with a flea market tarp (12’×14′) folded up inside. The frame was 1″ electrical conduit, with special connectors tightenable with wingscrews. The tarp was aluminized fabric. It was weighted down with canvas bags filled with sand and hung from each corner (ingenious!). Took maybe 45 minutes to set up. I’d place it butting up to the truck bed.
Read More …

Post a comment (2 comments)

Englishman Ed March’s Worldwide Adventures on Honda C90 Motorcycle

Lloyd,

… Ed March is this kid from the sticks, down in south west England. He is a bit of a nutter, with a great attitude. He travels on a Honda C90. An old reliable tiny engined “step through” motorbike/scooter moped ? He has had a few adventures to bike rallies, then up to the arctic circle. Then — he boxed it up and shipped it to Malaysia and rode it home. 14,000 miles across Asia, India and Europe. Its a truly epic journey.

   I watched most of it compulsively on youtube. Then he did a kickstarter/crowdfunding appeal and managed to raise enough to get the videos edited up and released as a DVD.

   To me he is a hero. Has great attitude and will go a long way.

   Check him out: 

https://www.youtube.com/user/c90adventures

   Enjoy

   Rich (Jones)

Below is one of Ed March’s adventures. If you click on the above link, there are a bunch more. This guy is out there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc_IKEdptq0?list=UUVqpNG1R72i21jh-nAxEk4A

Post a comment (2 comments)

Books, a 3D Pen, Camping Hacks, and Fun Maps from Mike W

Book Arts

A blog for creative types interested in the (un)conventional world of Book Arts! Posts here will feature artist’s books, illustration, book binding, typography, sketchbooking, scrapbooking, print-making, paper making, altered books, how to guides, zines, paper engineering and more! Feel free to submit your own work, thoughts around the subject, or even just inspiration new and old. Happy researching!

fuckyeahbookarts.tumblr.com

Smallest 3D Printing Pen

The world smallest 3D printing pen enables you to doodle in the air!

41 Genius Camping Hacks You’ll Wish You Thought of Sooner

www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/camping-hacks-you-must-try-this-summer

40 Maps They Didn’t Show You in School

part 1: www.boredpanda.com/fun-maps-they-didnt-teach-you-in-school

part 2 (38 more): www.boredpanda.com/interesting-maps

Mike W

Post a comment