Great day for a ride. Desert Hills trailhead to Sidewinder to Apache Wash Loop and back. Roughly 18 miles.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/vi...150000182&z=14


Top of Sidewinder looking SSE.

Very nice. We’re running out of good weather. Get it in while you can.

Yes. Have done a few things around Austin and North Padre Island.
In a month or so going to take this:



to west Texas/southern New Mexico around Guadalupe Peak



https://www.overlandtrailguides.com/...dventure-trail

i highly praise the phrase brooding Guadalupe Mountains and the surrounding desert plains and prairies

Nice! Any tips for someone new to the overland thing?

Here's the things I think are a must:

• emergency contact - iPhone 14 and newer have sos text via satellite, if your phone doesn't, then something like a Garmin InReach or equivalent
• first aid kit
• winch, tow/kinetic recovery rope and shackles
• traction boards
• 1 gal water per person per day
• 2-3 extra days of food
• enough gas so you use 1/3 on way out, 1/3 way back, and 1/3 in spare. I have two 2.5 gallon tanks I mount on roof
• tire patch kit
• emergency battery Portable Jump Starter
• basic tools
• shovel/pick axe/axe
• full size spare tire
• air compressor
• fire extinguisher
• map software on phone/ipad/laptop such as gaia gps with maps of area downloaded

stuff that's nice to have but not required

• large jack
• auto tire deflators
• battery powered impact wrench
• second spare tire

then your typical camping stuff

• food
• camping stove
• table
• chairs
• tent
• cot
• sleeping bag/pillow
• Insect repellent
• paper towels with heavy holder
• Kitchen towels
• toilet paper
• Wipes
• Hand soap
• trash bags
• lighters

Last weekend I built a bed for the truck and ordered a mattress for it so I'm skipping the tent for the next trip and just sleeping in the truck.

and also in the nice to have but not required is something to wrap around a tree or rock if you need to winch out.
I decided on this one as it can be buried in the sand if there are no trees or rocks around




https://www.deadmanoffroad.com/colle...the-deadman-v2

Thank you for such a thorough post! I just installed some MOLLE panels in the rear of the Runner and mounted my first aid kit, tire repair kit, and fire extinguisher. I’m going to mount some of my other recovery tools soon.

I will eventually get a winch but want to get some rock sliders and a proper roof rack, first. In the meantime, I’ll probably just keep a come along in the rig and hope I never need to use it.

Have you ever heard of or used a Lifesaver Jerrycan Water Purifier? I’m considering getting one but I’m on the fence given the price is a little steep for what it is.

This. Really nice area. It's been years since I was up there, but as I recall, the hike is pretty long, medium difficulty. But you're rewarded with great views once you get to the top of Texas.

I have molle panels along both sides in the back as well as on the rear door. I couldn't find what I wanted at a decent price for the sides that were made for the FJ so I bought ones made for the 4runner and cut and bent them to work.

Rock sliders are on my todo list. Place I want to order from takes 4-6 weeks so they probably wouldn't get here for this trip so I'm going to wait to do those later. I kept a come along in the truck before I had the winch. Thankfully never had to use it.

I've seen small bottles that do the same as the lifesaver but never a can that big. I've never considered getting one as the places I go tend not to have any water so there is no point. I have a 5 gallon water jug, use the melted ice for washing dishes and the dogs, and bring a bunch of bottled water, Gatorade and coke. Most trips I take are less than 2 days so taking enough water has never been an issue. If I lived somewhere that had streams/lakes and I was going to be out for a week I would defiantly look into that so I didn't have to carry so much water.

It's cute that Texas thinks 8700ft is high.


Actually, I was just there. Didn't hike to the top, but the area was interesting.

assuming you already have the vehicle but without any modifications, just a standard one off the lot - how big an investment are we talking to soop it all up, ie i watched that vid and I'm thinking the cost of a winch alone is probably several thousand dollars

I bought my FJ 2 years ago for $28k. Reason I picked this one over others is it already had most of what I wanted on it.

$1000 - winch
$1300 - front bumper to hold winch
$1300 - roof rack
$800 - rear bumper
$2000 - 6" lift kit

I then added:
$2000 - wheels (I took the wheels off my 4runner that I wrecked, so didn't really cost me anything, put the shitty wheels the FJ had on them on the 4runner which I sold for parts)
$2400 - tires
$200 - compressor
$100 - emergency battery Portable Jump Starter
$65 - fire extinguisher
$200 - tow ropes
$265 - deadman v2
$100 - big jack
$100 - traction boards
$200 - gas cans and mount
$150 - shovel, pick axe, axe
$300 - light bars
$300 - molle boards to mount stuff
$50 - wood to make bed
$50 - mattress for bed
$200 - tarp that mounts on back of truck for shade
$1000 - all the camping ****, coolers, water jug, stove, table, chars, tents, sleeping bags, cots,

You can easily spend $10k but if you're just doing dirt roads that aren't too hard with some small rocks you could get away with a stock 4runner, tundra, bronco, or a chevy/ford/dodge 4x4 pickup. Add a come along, some safety stuff listed above and some camping gear and you're good to go. You can order broncos with 35" tires which will get you to even more places. Before the FJ I had a pretty stock 1997 4runner that I took off roading. It couldn't do what the FJ can but I picked easier routes and avoided big rocks/drop offs/steps.

https://www.overlandtrailguides.com rates the trails and tells you what you need to get by. Most of the trails they rate are marked "stock 4x4 truck or suv"

thanks, really appreciate it, seems more affordable than i would have guessed

MUCH better... so comfortable and natural feeling.

What place are you looking to get sliders from? RCI is on the top of my list, currently.

10.....or 30k

Rickroll, Can I give you my wife's phone number and tell her how affordable this is?



https://budbuilt.com/2007-2014-FJ-Cr...ers_p_523.html

dammit. you made me look and it's down to 1-4 weeks. decisions decisionons

I really like the RCI stuff. I want the skid plates from there.

them shoe perfect for land of the lost cyberpunk sleestak cosplay

also cute how didace callibrates comparative elevation against his denver altitude

Man, you’re organized with your mods!

How do you like the roof top tent? I’m leaning toward either just a ground tent or possibly an SUV tent where I can open the rear hatch and connect the tent to it. Kids can sleep in the back of the Runner and wife and I in the tent but it all looks like one big tent.

well still an expensive hobby but not outlandish as i originally imagined, ie i know from the campervan world than a fully decked out camper van where professionals do the mods runs over 6 figures and since installing a winch requires a lot more engineering than a solar panel where a solar panel installed unproperly just means no microwave whereas winch installed incorrectly means no front of vehicle

ie i could do the camper van stuff myself, there's no way i could install a winch by myself




so i was looking and assuming you couldn't get into overlanding without six figures set aside, to find you can attain that for less which is dope


also really cool to learn that you can sort trails by stuff that off the lot 4x4s can handle

Dune...
them's sandwurms in Redrock canyon!

besides, EDC is in town this coming weekend.




I have the Sleestack cap already...