Hands-on gear & build talk.
23 April 2023
The trailer base is a 2017 Mirage 6x12 cargo trailer. I have been working on this conversion since October of 2022, doing absolutely everything myself, and have put in well over 550 hours of work into it.
22 January 2023
This project started in October 2022, with the purchase of a 2017 Mirage 6x12 cargo trailer.
31 December 2021
Random highlights from 2020 and 2021 that didn't make it into their own posts.
15 November 2021
Winter camping brings with it the challenges of sub-freezing temperatures. We've previously tent camped without heating in as low as -24C, but this year we decided to make such trips a bit more comfortable by adding a quality, canvas tent (on the way!) and wood stove for heat.
14 November 2021
12 October 2021
As my dog is getting older, she's having trouble jumping up as high as she used to, so I decided to make a step to the 2nd row seat.
08 May 2021
A week spent on the road through central BC.
01 March 2021
A few days in the hills overlooking Osoyoos, BC.
19 December 2020
Short winter camping trip near Golden, BC.
28 November 2020
Another trip with our Hymer to our favourite, lake-front camping spot.
08 November 2020
First trip out with our new (to us) Hymer GT550 trailer.
19 September 2020
Week-long trip looping south from Vernon, through the Kootenays, up to Nakusp and back home.
28 August 2020
Weekend adventure over new trails, leading to a remote, mountain lake.
24 July 2020
A quick, two-night trip to the Cariboo with our friends from Vancouver.
19 April 2020
Today we went exploring an area we've long been interested in. We found a myriad of FSRs leading into the mountains & along small rivers, as well as numerous recreation sites nested throughout. We'll have to come back in the summer and spend a few nights along these great views!
01 February 2020
This project changed-up my rear-drawer setup to remove the drawer platform, and replace it with a custom-built dog crate, along with a single drawer on the side.
14 November 2019
The Free Spirit Reaction (FSR) M60 Adventure Series is our second roof top tent, after having previously had a James Baroud Explorer hard-shell. We got the tent second hand, with a trailer purchased this past spring. In that time we've used it on a dozen short trips, and the tent has impressed!
14 November 2019
I've been using DeLorne (now Garmin) inReach for a few years, relying on it to keep me in contract when I am far from cellular reception. It's an excellent tool, and I discovered there's a way to save on the monthly service costs between trips to keep the service costs very economical.
09 November 2019
This weekend we headed east, hoping to find plenty of snow to camp in. We planned on exploring an area near the massive Arrow Lakes in the central Kootenays, and quickly found a suitable-looking forest service road to take us away from the highway and into more remote backcountry.
01 November 2019
We hadn't gone camping for a few months and we were itching to get out into the woods. Early November presented an opportunity to do just that, at a nearby lake just an hour from home.
27 July 2019
At the end of July we (yet again) headed into the Kootenays, but this time the central area. The first night was spent at a pullout off a quiet FSR, but on day two we found a wonderful, secluded spot right on the water. Other than some day-time users of the lake, we had the spot all to ourselves.
28 June 2019
Another trip to the Kootenays! This time with more friends, and over a wonderfully relaxed long-weekend!
17 May 2019
In Mid-may my buddy and I met up in the Kootenays to open the 2019 camping season at a great riverside spot, nested in a valley between some snow-covered mountains.
01 February 2019
The drawers project started off with construction of a "base plate" that will be attached to the LX, and will hold the drawers themselves. The base plate was made from 1/2" baltic birch plywood, and the frame from 3/4". Cut-outs were added for some minor weight savings.
The comparison of ground tents vs. RTTs seems to be a weekly topic on most Overlanding communities. Having tried both, here's my take on it.
12 June 2018
The Chris Christensen D-Flite 400 Standard Tack Box is meant for dog grooming supplies, but it also doubles as a great starting point for a chuck/kitchen box.
22 April 2018
A few weeks ago we headed down on another Death Valley road trip.
24 February 2018
In 2017 I purchased a brand new James Baroud Explorer hard-shell roof top tent. It was just the right size and was incredibly quick to setup and tear down. It was supposed to be of the highest quality on the market, so despite the very high (~$4000 USD) price tag, I made the plunge. Coincidentally, a friend of mine bought an identical, new tent a month later.
24 December 2017
In late December we headed into the interior for even more winter camping, in the form of a quick overnighter in Kentucky Alleyne Provincial Park. Easily accessible, scenic and quiet, it was a perfect weekend getaway.
09 December 2017
The Aspen Grove area near Merritt is scattered with lakes and trails, making it a perfect place to explore over a winter weekend.
23 October 2017
Not wanting to give up on fall just yet, we decided to head to Cabin Lake for the weekend. With beautiful sunshine in Vancouver, we underestimated just what we were getting into this late in the season.
15 October 2017
Trails and views around and above Cat Lake, in Squamish, BC.
04 September 2017
We spent a few days exploring Lillooet Lake, nearby hot springs, Harrisson and Nahatlatch regions.
31 August 2017
A relaxing weekend on the shore of Squamish River.
22 August 2017
I met up with a few old friends for a weekend of camping near Kamloops.
31 July 2017
Eight-month update: the cases have held up very well to numerous road trips, across all kinds of terrain. From Death Valley's washboard roads, to being snowed on in -24C temperatures, the cases are no worse for wear. Very happy with them, and highly recommend them as a great alternative to much more expensive options.
01 June 2017
Any extended use of a truck will involve electrical accessories, and it's important to be able to easily (and properly!) connect them.
01 April 2017
This is a kitchen & fridge slider I built for my 2016 Tacoma.
21 March 2017
A 16-day trip through south-western US in March of 2017.
29 July 2016
With a week of free time, the trip started off on a trail to a lake near Merritt.
01 May 2016
The second project for my Tacoma was a storage drawer and sleeping platform for the truck bed.
01 April 2016
Within 24hrs of buying my 2016 Tacoma I removed the rear seats and started making a platform for my dog.