Scrappy came along, he was just rarin' to go.



Before I found a place to settle in, my buddy Drew and I did some offroading, the Dodge definitely gets around where the Jeep never could. Ended up on top of a mountaintop for a great view.


While we were up there, Drew noticed a car had been rolled down the mountain. As it turns out, it had been hotwired, so it was presumably stolen. It was also riddled with bullet holes. No blood was to be seen, so we doubt anyone was in it when it went down the mountian.


On the way down off the peak, we visited the Slab O' Doom! it's a 3 and a half foot long, 75` angled rock slab that sits right in the middle of one of the paths. I didn't try to cross it with the truck, but Drew went over it with his Wrangler.


When I redo the suspension on the truck, it's going to flex like this.



I took this picture with my fingers in between the tire and wheel well... barely.

I know it's hard to tell, but the Jeep is actually level in this photo <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

After we wrapped up Offroading, I went to my favorite valley on the mountain, no cell reception, not alot of people, and the trailhead is easy to miss, meaning few annoying visitors at night.

This time, however, I was able to drive my vehicle right up next to my spot, a secluded fire pit hardly 150 feet off the maintained road, but almost invisible from both the trail and the road. It lies in a very dense stand of pine, and it appears to be so rarely frequented that there is an overabundance of dead wood for making fires.

Scrappy, as always, assisted me in finding firewood.



I was accompanied by a Bussekin on this trip as well.


After improvising a shelter (more on that in a sec), it came time to test out my newest idea. While tearing down crates at work last week, I stumbled across some highly compressed particle board bricks. It dawned on me that those firestarter logs they sell at 7-eleven are just compressed sawdust and lighter fluid. You can probably see where I'm going with this. So, I cut several 1 inch cubes and tossed them into a plastic bag, then poured in some Tiki torch oil and let them sit and soak up the oil.

The result.

And the inferno that it was easily built up to later.

So, my little firestarters were a complete success!

And of course I couldn't camp out without a shelter. This is what I managed to improvise using a shelter half, a military poncho, and a LOT of paracord.




The accomodations were quite roomy.



The Best news of the night, despite it being completely thrown together, the shelter worked fine. If it had rained, it might not have worked as well, the shelter half would have soaked through, but I did wake up at 1:00 AM to this caving in the shelter.


When I saw this I decided it was probably time to break camp and head home before I got stuck in the valley from the snow. I think my truck did great off roading today, but I was in no hurry to find out how it did in the snow without someone else there to pull me out. I got home about 3 AM. Now I'm going to go sleep in a warm bed.

ECF, this might work for your "shelter".

take some 2x2 and cut them to fit the stake holes in your bed rails. IN THE FRONT next to the cab, take another (2x2 maybe) and nail or screw to the stake hole boards. forming a brace as it were from one side of the truck to the other. Then you drape the tarp over and then UNDER this "Brace" and lower it into the stake holes (you could also use some Velcro to attach the tarp to the brace)and this would help any moisture to roll off the front and not get into the bed. Then do basically the same thing for the back of the bed but with taller uprights. This would in effect give you a lean to in the back of your truck without having to use any para cord. You could even make side "braces" to go from the front to the back on each side as well. And if your tarp was long enough you could let it hang down below the tailgate and provide a flap.

Hope my explanation is clear enough for you to understand. I have a hard time getting my ideas across some.

Looks like you guys had fun. One thing about using the back of a truck to camp in, if the wind is blowing or if the ground is cold you are going to really feel it if you don't have a good sleep system. I envy you btw.

Awesome! I wish I could figure out a way to make money and be close to family while living in CO. It's just an awesome place!! That...or WY.

ECF...please be careful with Scrappy...I fear my wife may steal him from you (she thinks he's so cute <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ) If he winds up missing...we know who to interrogate <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I didn't see any pictures of the firepower...but I know it was there <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Looks like you had a great time. I camp in my truck sometimes, but I cheat and use a camper cover and an air mattress.

I cheat and use the inside of my landcruiser <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

If the back of my Explorer would lay flat I would use it too. But it don't, and I can't sleep in the front seat laid back.

OLD MAN! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Who are YOU calling old? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I'm getting to chatty. check out my ZDC response.