Modes of Travel

Over the years I have traveled the globe by just about all means imaginable, from planes, trains and automobiles… to motorcycles, dug-out canoes and even camels, to name a few… I am willing to try just about any mode of transportation available, as long as it gets me farther along on my journey.

Vehicle Selection for a WAND3R3R: One of my favorite travel quotes is, ‘Happiness is along the way, not at the end of the road.’ When I travel, I’m more interested in the journey rather than any particular destination. It’s about the great people I meet and awesome experiences I have along the way! My desired end state when it comes to travel vehicles is quite simple, ‘what vehicle(s) will allow me to travel off the beaten path…’ With that in mind, the vehicles I have chosen are……..

Bigfoot Truck Camper on a Ford F350, 4×4, DRW Truck: Many of my readers are Truck Camper enthusiasts or fans of small RVs. I often get questions about “Bertha” the Truck Camper so I’ve decided to dedicate a page to the wonderful lady! The Truck Camper is a great way to travel on or off-road and is perhaps the most versatile RV available today! “Bertha” is a 2002 Bigfoot Truck Camper, mounted on a 2005 F350 4×4 (Lariat) DRW Diesel Truck. Some of the modifications to the Truck and Camper include;

– Torklift International “Stableloads.”

– Torklift International “Frame Mounted Camper Tie Downs.”

– Torklift International “FastGuns.”

– Custom Back Porch by “Corns Metal Sales” in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

– Cargo Carrier, for the 2″ Trailer Hitch Rola Swinging Enclosed Cargo Carrier.

– Bodiak 2″ Front Hitch Carrier Receiver.

– MaxxAir Roof Vent Cover.

Bertha the BigFoot Truck Camper, Monterrey Bay, 2011.

Monument Valley, 2011

Mississippi River, 2012

Bertha’s Bedroom, Kentucky Farm, 2013.

Bertha’s Bedroom, Kentucky Farm, 2013.

Toyota Tacoma TRD T/X Pro: In the Spring of 2013 I bought a new vehicle that I hope will help me to continue to explore the world! I wanted a vehicle that would be more off road capable than Bertha the Bigfoot Truck Camper. The vehicle I chose was a 2013 Toyota Tacoma T/X TRD. The lower profile of the Tacoma will make it easier to explore off the beaten path and will also allow the vehicle to fit into a 20 foot shipping container for possible international travel. As I outfit the Tacoma for more “expedition-type” travel, the main guiding principle is to keep all equipment as simple as possible and independent from other equipment / systems in the vehicle. I want the freedom to be able to move equipment easily from one vehicle to another. Any systems built into a vehicle, like plumbing or electric, become less “expeditionary.” I enjoy comfort as much as anyone, but I have realized that the more complicated the systems are, the more time you spend repairing systems. As the vehicle “systems” become more complicated, one can spend all of his time repairing “systems” instead of using the vehicle for what you purchased it in the first place, to travel and explore!

The 2013 Tacoma, aka, the WAVE or World Wide Adventure Vehicle, Mt Mingus near Prescott, Arizona, 2014.

2013, Toyota Tacoma TRD.

ARE Topper with Tool Boxes.

ARE Topper on Tacoma.

Interior of ARE Topper.

Camping at Pisgah National Forest, 2013.

Smokey Mountain National Park, Cades Cove, 2013.

Camping at Oscar Scherer State Park, Florida, 2013.

In the Oaks, Florida, 2014.

Kentucky Snow Storm, March 2014.

Looking for Dinosaur Tracks, Black Mesa State Park, Oklahoma Panhandle, 2014.

The Road to Toroweap, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, 2014.

Toroweap, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, 2014.

Torrey Pines Glider Park, San Diego, California, 2014.

In Slab City near Niland, California, July 2014.

Hammock Camping in the Prescott National Forest, July 2014.

Honda XR650L Motorcycle: Probably the most off-road “exploration-capable” vehicle is the kind with 2 wheels! I wanted a dual sport motorcycle that would allow me to explore places that most 4x4s can’t go. For the combination of performance and price, the Honda XR650L is hard to beat! I have spent the last 2 years getting the “Big-Ole-Mare” aka (B.O.M.) ready for some extended travel!

2003 Honda XR650L

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