Sunday, January 31, 2021

I forgot fog was an actual thing!

Back in my hay day in Southern California fog was an everyday occurrence through the fall and even sometimes in the spring. Living in Kingman for fourteen years I've forgotten all about it. Well welcome to Chandler, it's a damn thing here! I hear it gets bad at times, last night was nothing, I only slowed down to 8 over the speed limit 😂

Friday, January 29, 2021

Just contemplating having too go to work.

Today's day 7 of overnights, I'm beyond tired and dreaming of a dirt road and a camp fire.

Friday, January 22, 2021

Singer Porsche All-terrain Competition Study (ACS) | Specs, Details — Overland Expo®

One more for the day.

I've had a couple of Baja's over the years, this is just a sports car version of those. Well not really at 450 HP and all-wheel drive, I bet it's a kick to drive! I'll have to wait to hit the PowerBall to purchase one of these.

https://www.overlandexpo.com/whats-new/singer-porsche-all-terrain-competition-study-acs?utm_source=Overland+Expo+General+Interest+List&utm_campaign=e65eab13a7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_01_21&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_39010529c3-e65eab13a7-407910481&mc_cid=e65eab13a7&mc_eid=09e7331044

This All-Terrain Porsche Is the Overlanding Coupe of My Dreams

Yes, I know that a Porsche 911 would make for a woeful overland rig. It's tiny, with stiff suspension that has virtually no flex, and its frunk offers little space for gear. Nevertheless, just conjuring the mental image of trying to conquer the backcountry in one of Stuttgart's finest has the endorphins flowing through my blood. I don't care if it's stupid, I want to do it.

Finally, my imagination can take a rest. That's because the illustrious brand Singer turned its sights on not one but two 1990 964 911s and turned them into trail-taming Teutonic runabouts. The pair have been dubbed the All-terrain Competition Study (ACS). And they are truly the things of my dreams.

If it weren't obvious from a quick glance, these cars have been totally transformed. The bespoke bodywork, created entirely by Singer for these two cars, might mimic the 959 911-based supercar of the 1980s. But rest assured, these are all Singer.

The ACS' 3.6-liter flat-six-cylinder engine now churns out 450 horsepower and 420 foot-pounds of torque. That power is routed through a five-speed sequential gearbox that can be shifted manually, should the driver choose, with paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. That new sequential box routes powers to not just the rear but to all four wheels (yes, it's AWD) and the rear differential is a limited-slip unit.

The ACS twins do more than look the part. They have hardware to back up their sporting exteriors. Inside there is a full roll cage. The fuel tank has been enlarged. And Swinger found space for storage for spare wheels and tires in the frunk and rear parcel shelf.

The twin ACS were commissioned by a sole individual for god knows what purpose. Perhaps embarrassing every Subaru they encounter? Whatever inspired them doesn't matter to me. I am just glad they had the gall and the gold enough to ask Singer to make them.

EarthCruiser XTR: Details, Specs, Price — Overland Expo®

It's fun to dream, but what a price tag!

https://www.overlandexpo.com/whats-new/earthcruiser-xtr-expedition-vehicle?utm_source=Overland+Expo+General+Interest+List&utm_campaign=e65eab13a7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_01_21&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_39010529c3-e65eab13a7-407910481&mc_cid=e65eab13a7&mc_eid=09e7331044

Could the US Market Get a 70-series EarthCruiser Someday?

Don't hold your breath, but it is fun to dream.

EarthCruiser is well known around the world for building some of the toughest and most capable expedition vehicles on the planet. Last summer, EarthCruiser released the EarthCruiser Extreme XTR built on the 79-series Toyota Land Cruiser chassis. It is a beautiful combination of modern design and off-road function.

In the world of astronomically expensive campers, RV's and expedition vehicles, let's take a look at what $250,000 plus gets you in an expedition vehicle — one built by a company with expertise in the expedition vehicle industry.

The Toyota Land Cruiser 79-series, the base vehicle for this camper, is a capable, reliable and time-tested model that has been in production in international markets since the mid-eighties. Under the hood of the 79 is a 4.5-liter turbo-diesel with 151 kilowatt (202 horsepower) and 430 Newton Meters (315 foot pounds). The standard 79-series comes with a five-speed manual but can be optioned with a six-speed automatic as well. The XTR can be outfitted to the single cab or dual-cab model of Land Cruiser 79.

Outside of the engine bay, the rest of the vehicle has been modified to accommodate expedition travel. Fuel storage comes standard with 130 liters (34 gallons) of capacity but can be upgraded with an additional 120 liters (31.7 gallons) of capacity.

The house electrical system is robust to say the least with a four hundred amp-hour lithium battery and a 3000 watt inverter, powerful enough to run most any electrical components that you might need. The batteries are powered by the standard 270-Watt solar array with the option for an additional 270 Watts of solar. All of the coach components are controlled by the eighty-function touchscreen panel.

The brakes have been upgraded to ventilated disks on all corners with a 30% stronger brake booster. A Jmacx axle and differential make the drivetrain nearly bulletproof and a portal axle upgrade is available. Bilstein shocks ensure that the beast stays as planted as can be expected on tough tracks and comfortable on long pavement slogs. Additional expedition equipment can be outfitted for an extra charge including a bull bar front bumper, additional lighting, on-board air compressors, and much more.

The EarthCruiser Extreme XTR is available in Australia now starting around $240,000 AUD ($184,000 USD) and can be equipped up to $300,000 AUD ($230,000 USD). This tough and tested expedition vehicle is currently not available in the United States without some very "creative" import procedures, but this vehicle looks like it would be a sure winner in the states if EarthCruiser wanted to bring it over (wink, wink).

Header photo by: EarthCruiser

Overlanding Industry News by Zach Elseman. Follow Zach @okienomads.

Nerd Alert: Rewatching my favorite movies

Personal opinion: The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the greatest collection of movies ever made.

With the exception of 2008 The Incredible Hulk movie... which is literally the worst movie ever made.

I wasn't always a fan, in fact, a lot of the movies I didn't even watch until last year. My interest in the movies started by chance watching Thor: Ragnarok on cable one afternoon. It was really a strange place to start in the saga. After Disney+ became a thing, and all the movies were in one place, I really got interested in the whole universe. Now hear me out, for those who are not superhero nerds, try and watch the universe of movies laid out in the list below, it'll change your mind I'm sure, while all the movies exist in their own world they really did a great job in telling a complete story, unfortunately, that story is centered around the Infinity Stones. There is a lot of information and debates on the stones, and I'll let bigger nerds argue those points online. While I don't really have an opinion, either way, there are some problems in how the story evolves around the lore of the stones.

Marvel cinematic universe in chronological order.

(The easter eggs in the credits bind these stories together, don't miss them)

• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

• Captain Marvel (2019)

• Iron Man (2008)

• Iron Man 2 (2010)

• The Incredible Hulk (2008)

• Thor (2011)

• The Avengers (2012)

• Iron Man 3 (2013)

• Thor: The Dark World (2013)

• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2014)

• Ant-Man (2015)

• Captain America: Civil War (2016)

• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

• Doctor Strange (2016)

• Black Panther (2018)

• Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

• Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

• Avengers Infinity War (2018)

• Avengers: Endgame (2019)

• Spiderman: Far From Home (2019)

If you want a more complete view of the universe, try this list, which includes all the TV shows as well. While the TV shows only mention the MCU in passing, they do add more lore to the timeline. As an example, Agent Carter develops the creation of S.H.I.E.L.D. In 2021 Wandavision develops a bridge to the next phase of Marvel movies, as it builds the lore of chaos magic first mentioned in Dr. Strange.

The complete Marvel Chronological Universe

* Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

* Marvel's Agent Carter Season 1 (2015 8 episodes )

* Marvel's Agent Carter Season 2 (2016 10 episodes )

* Captain Marvel (2019)

* Iron Man (2008)

* Iron Man 2 (2010)

* The Incredible Hulk (2008)

* Thor (2011)

* The Avengers (2012)

* Iron Man 3 (2013)

* Thor: The Dark World (2013)

* Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

* Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 1 total of 22 episodes (2013)

* Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

* Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

* Daredevil Season 1 (2015 13 episodes )

* Avengers: Age of Ultron (2014)

* Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 2 (2014 22 episodes )

* Ant-Man (2015)

* Jessica Jones Season 1 (2015)

* Daredevil Season 2 (2016 13 episodes )

* Captain America: Civil War (2016)

* Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 3 (2015)

* Luke Cage Season 1 (2016)

* Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

* Doctor Strange (2016)

* Black Panther (2018)

* Iron Fist Season 1 (2017)

* Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 4 (2016)

* The Defenders Season 1 (2017)

* The Inhumans Season 1 (2017)

* Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

* The Punisher Season 1 (2017)

* Jessica Jones Season 2 (2018)

* Luke Cage Season 2 (2018)

* Cloak and Dagger Season 1 (2018)

* The Runaways Season 1 (2017)

* Daredevil Season 3 (2018)

* The Punisher Season 2 (2019)

* Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 5 (2017)

* Iron Fist Season 2 (2018)

* Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

* Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 6-7 (2019-2020)

* Avengers Infinity War (2018)

* Avengers: Endgame (2019)

* Wandavision 1-9 (2021)

* Spider-man Far From Home (2019)

Thursday, January 21, 2021

I’m sure we’ll see a lot more headlines like this in the coming years.

www.drivinvibin.com/2021/01/21/popular-boondocking-site-closed/amp/

Just one site for now, but I'm sure it's just the first.

Monday, January 18, 2021

Life in Quartzsite Az

The old folks are winding down their trip to dirtbag winter camp, ok that's not fair, this is the Mecca for the snowbirds in Arizona. Years past they've seen over two million campers spread across the desert. This year was light year with probably around 100k campers. It's definitely a fun event to see. There are vendors and food trucks, even during a pandemic!

More van talk

https://drivinvibin.com/2021/01/18/winnebago-revel/amp/

$183k for 133 square feet of living space. Yes you can live anywhere and move any time, but that's a husky price tag for a van down by the river. Van life isn't lived in sprinter vans or their equivalent, nope it's Astro vans and E-series panel vans, converted with plywood boxes and sleeping platforms, but damn wouldn't it be nice to have one of these!

https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-review-winnebago-revel-44e-class-b/RV Review: 2021 Winnebago Revel 44E Class B

A $220,000 camper van from a company that became a nationwide hit - Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/custom-camper-van-company-interest-tripled-amid-pandemic-2021-1
A $220,000 camper van from a company that became a nationwide hit - Business Insider

Vans are awesome, they're functional, cool looking, and all the rave, but damn are they expensive! On average a home in the Phoenix area is selling for $100-150 a square foot, but one of these vans will start at a $1000. For full time living I would look elsewhere, but for a cool Instagram influencer that just won't do.

Sunday, January 17, 2021

The 6 Ultimate Teardrop Trailer Upgrades

Open SmartNews and read "The 6 Ultimate Teardrop Trailer Upgrades" here: https://share.smartnews.com/k6Ek

To read it on the web, tap here: https://share.smartnews.com/DvkD

———
SmartNews
https://www.smartnews.com

Sent from my iPad

Thursday, January 14, 2021

We really have a problem!

The wife and I love Chick-fil-A, like an unhealthy obsession with it. And now we can still enjoy the saucy goodness on Sundays as well! Breaded chicken and tator-tots at home!

I'm such a simple man. 😂

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

TruckHouse BCT's 2021 Toyota Tacoma Is One Luxurious Overlanding Rig

Wow! Not a fan of Toyota's, but that's a sharp looking rig... and I'm sure it's worth every penny! 🤦‍♂️ seriously though a lot of these are just so over the top.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/toyota-tacoma-truckhouse-bct-overland-camper/
TruckHouse BCT's 2021 Toyota Tacoma Is One Luxurious Overlanding Rig

Sunday, January 10, 2021

The most surprising things about what it's like living in a camper van

www.insider.com/surprising-things-about-living-in-a-camper-van-what-it-is-like

The most surprising things about what it's like living in a camper van.

Living in a nontraditional situation will put strain on every relationship. When we moved to the Ranch in 09' we weren't sure how we were going to adapt. While we had more room than in a van, it was hot in the summer and cold in the weather, which is hard when you're off-grid in the desert.

I've lived in a camper van in New Zealand with my partner for a few months, and many things have surprised me about my new life.
I learned I still need to have a routine and make plans even though I'm living a spontaneous lifestyle.
It's also important to find places to park, since we can't set up camp and sleep anywhere we'd like.
Traveling around the world in a van can be cheap, but I'm glad my partner and I saved up plenty of extra money before embarking on this journey.

Not all van-lifers drive vans

www.gnomadhome.com/truck-camper-for-van-life/

Owen and Mak from www.boundfornowhere.com are awesome peeps, their current setup is a dream rig for full timers. If you don't follow them on social media at least go checkout their YouTube channel. After following their exploits on IG, we had a chance to meet them IRL at Overland Expo West two years ago, where we talked their ears off one early morning. The overall size of their truck and camper is huge, but it's well laid out and has been very reliable for them.

Shared via the Google app

Arizona the land of free boondocking

www.doityourselfrv.com/boondocking-in-arizona-permit/amp/

Snow birds are always welcome in Arizona. Well not welcomed, put up with! 😂 some info for those who want to get out of town and don't want to stay in an RV park.

All this for $18k

www.yankodesign.com/2021/01/09/this-compact-yet-spacious-millennial-friendly-teardrop-trailer-comes-with-a-transparent-panoramic-viewing-roof/

While small teardrop trailers are convenient to store, can be towed behind almost any small suv or even a car, they should never cost more than $5k! Eighteen thousand dollars for something you can't standup in should be a crime! 😂

Saturday, January 9, 2021

Jeep Gladiator Owner Fixing Her Own Truck After Dealer Allegedly ...

www.thedrive.com/news/38601/jeep-gladiator-owner-fixing-her-own-truck-after-dealer-allegedly-voids-warranty-for-mudding

Jeep Gladiator Owner Fixing Her Own Truck After Dealer Allegedly ...

When I made the decision to buy the truck I thought about other stories like this. Automakers design their products for use on the road, even the fancy "off-road" package vehicles while they are off-road capable, are not warranted to be used off-road exclusively, so it's something to think about if you want to buy something. Repairs may not be covered by the manufacture's warranty.

Meet The Sexiest Camper on the Road (Hint, It’s not an Airstream)

https://drivinvibin.com/2021/01/09/bowlus-road-chief/
Meet The Sexiest Camper on the Road (Hint, It's not an Airstream)

We've been looking at camping solutions for years, I love these articles. They are always fun, but the price tags are out of this world. This gem runs a modest $225k