Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

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Discussion on how to enjoy the outdoors.

by bgwolfpack » Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:01 pm

I like the style of top tent. It decreases the amount that can be held on top, though. I still question the 200lbs rating for the roof of our vehicles. Has anyone gone beyond the 200lbs?
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by OregTrailBlazin » Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:04 pm

teebes wrote:
The Roadie wrote:And I discovered libraries.


What are those??? :slap: :finger:

:hijack:

We had a presenter recently at work that was trying to demonstrate how information has progressed over the past few decades. I was shocked that folks only a few years younger than me didn't know what a card catalog was. I mean, I'm not 'that' old... Am i?




I'm pretty sure my kids will be freakin when they're old enough to realize I was born in the 1900's.. :awesome: ....

"And Grandpa was born when??" .. "yep before they invented the TV"..

Luckily I live in a small enough town, My daughter's school (she just started kindergarten) still has the card catalog in their lil' library.. It kinda freaks me out, the same school I went to, bringing home some of the same books I used to read, and I'm only 25... I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to feel this old yet!!! :wallbash:

Remember kids!! :safe: :safe: :safe: :safe:
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by bgwolfpack » Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:08 pm

OregTrailBlazin wrote:
teebes wrote:
The Roadie wrote:And I discovered libraries.


What are those??? :slap: :finger:

:hijack:

We had a presenter recently at work that was trying to demonstrate how information has progressed over the past few decades. I was shocked that folks only a few years younger than me didn't know what a card catalog was. I mean, I'm not 'that' old... Am i?




I'm pretty sure my kids will be freakin when they're old enough to realize I was born in the 1900's.. :awesome: ....

"And Grandpa was born when??" .. "yep before they invented the TV"..

Luckily I live in a small enough town, My daughter's school (she just started kindergarten) still has the card catalog in their lil' library.. It kinda freaks me out, the same school I went to, bringing home some of the same books I used to read, and I'm only 25... I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to feel this old yet!!! :wallbash:

Remember kids!! :safe: :safe: :safe: :safe:
You don't got nothin that feels old yet kid
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by Philberto » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:07 pm

:hijack: Anyways, back to the topic at hand... zombie apocalypse :finger:. Your best bet if you're sticking with a roof rack, particularly a large one, is to put the lightest, bulkiest items on top (think blankets, bedding, freeze-dried food, clothing, etc) sealed from the elements in bags or by tarp. You would also want to put any gasoline outside the vehicle in case of fire.

As has been said earlier, a cargo tray on the rear can allow you to store more stuff and make room for the 5 people you're considering. Even better would be a trailer (like what Teebes has). Either the tray or trailer could be removed if no longer necessary or practical and abandoned if necessary.

Key to consuming as little space as possible is versatility. You want most everything in your vehicle to have at least 3 functions. Remember that blankets can be shelters, storage bags, and in the most exceptional of cases, fuel for a fire. Tarps can serve as rainwater collection devices, hammocks, and more. Tools should be multifunctional, but not flimsy like Leathermans and the like.

Communications should range from simple (ability to produce fire and smoke) to complex (SPOT, CB, FRS, or SatPhone).

And don't forget your vehicle as a tool as well... it can serve as a heater (provided you have sufficient fuel and route exhaust out), oven and grill, generator, mode of transportation, shelter, pack mule, water heater, and the list goes on.

Simplicity is key. For every complex system you have, you need replacement parts, maintenance items, and tools for repair. Make sure that you attach nearly everything to your vehicle with the same slotted hex head screws (dual driving options). Pack replacements for non-repairable items and electronics, and repair kits and tools for repairable items.

As far as weapons, you want the most durable, efficient weapons you can find. Guns are great for defense, but ammo is always a concern, and they are complex items. Much better items include compound bows or crossbows, machetes, hatchets and axes :viking: , knives, and the multipurpose GI shovel. These items can be reused again and again with a minimum of maintenance.

On top of everything, you just need to remember to provide for the basic human needs for however many people you have. You will need a livable temperature, shelter, food, water, protection, and basic medical facilities. Your goal should be to be as self-sustaining as possible while balancing that capacity with simplicity and ease of maintenance, setup, and takedown. Anything you need to obtain to maintain should be relatively easy to get or at least to produce.

This is, of course, a long-term view of survival. Short-term situations allow you much more flexibility in what you do and don't need.

Hope this is enlightening and useful for some,


-Phil :fro:
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by bgwolfpack » Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:01 pm

Heavens Philberto, It's to the point when I see you're on the forum I automatically make a pot of coffee. :coffee2: Thanks for the insight. I'm leaning towards getting a trailer. Have you heard of these trailers?www.adventuretrailers.com/chaser.html :coffee: :salut:
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by Philberto » Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:18 pm

Ooooh, you can't go wrong with Adventure Trailers if you can afford them. They're my dream trailer! And if you ask Teebes, he can tell you all about his Horizon trailer. Also, if you check out expedition portal, there are a lot of guys who pick up a used mil surplus trailer and then mod it for their needs...


As for the coffee hehe :coffee2: I'm not that long-winded, am I? Usually I post on here when I'm sitting at work and there's nothing to do. Then my mind kicks into overdrive and I bang out these posts...



-offtopic: Hey I'm 21 and I still remember super-8 and Laserdisc! My friend's dad has a couple hundred Laserdiscs that he got when they came out... what a shame.
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by bgwolfpack » Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:30 pm

Hey been following the roadies tracks and found a gem of a trailer built by SAR_Squid79 at expedition portal.
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I like the simplicity of it and someone like HARDTRAILZ could built it easy.
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by HARDTRAILZ » Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:43 pm

bgwolfpack wrote:Hey been following the roadies tracks and found a gem of a trailer built by SAR_Squid79 at expedition portal.
1002286.jpg
I like the simplicity of it and someone like HARDTRAILZ could built it easy.


I think I still have a 10 bolt rearend with the 6 lug pattern and I know I have a basic 4x8 trailer frame I could use as a base, but it will be awhile before i build anything like that. I have 6 trailers at my disposable from a 7x12 hydro dump trailer to a 6x10 flat and a car trailer. Plus I like my tent and have a cabin at the farm. But now you got the brain thinking. Thanks
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by teebes » Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:07 pm

We need a jedi mind trick smilie... Get a trailer.. Build a trailer.. You NEEEED a trailer :finger: :finger:

Yes, ExpeditionPortal.com is a great resource for trailers, retail or custom built trailers and where I often lurk. IH8Mud is also another great forum that probably has more custom build threads.

The Adventure Trailer's are top of the line and a sponsor over on Expo. Read nice and pricey!! Campa's are pretty nice too, but you don't hear as much about them out here or on expo for some reason. Price wise you're looking at 15K and higher for any of the AT's. Yea, you saw that right. Of course, that's brand new while there are surprisingly a couple used ones available on expo right now for bit little cheaper.

There's even a Conqueror Compact like mine on Expo for sale, though with a 25% higher price tag :shoot:

Regarding custom trailers, many folks have some kick ass custom setups completely hand built. I'm beyond envious of those guys, but do remember one important trend. Majority of custom builds seem to take at least a year from start to finish. You're looking at 3-400 man hours, realistically. Make sure to budget appropriately for costs and TIME :)

That said, I'd LOVE to see a trailer build on ORTB :fro: :friday: :drive:
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by cbbryan » Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:59 am

You ALL should reevaluate your lists because either all of you aren't big on sanitary issues or you just completely overlooked toilet paper, soap, germex, anti bacterial baby wipes, etc...

Good ideas on everything else though, but you might need to wipe your ass. When the zombie apocolypse comes I'm not gonna waste time looking for paper because they can smell when you are most vulnerable.

Rule #3 beware of bathrooms (Zombieland)

Serious note: should you ever really need to bug out for any situation, I'm sure you will cram the wife, kids, and every other essential into your TB.
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by Philberto » Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:22 am

I thought that's what we had immune systems for? i don't use those things because i figure it gives my immune system practice. i wash when i go to the bathroom, but never use wet-naps or germex... no need if you're not immuno-compromised
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by bgwolfpack » Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:26 pm

Philberto wrote:I thought that's what we had immune systems for? i don't use those things because i figure it gives my immune system practice. i wash when i go to the bathroom, but never use wet-naps or germex... no need if you're not immuno-compromised

You don't have kids :slap: :safe: :safe: :safe:
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by bgwolfpack » Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:34 pm

teebes wrote:We need a jedi mind trick smilie... Get a trailer.. Build a trailer.. You NEEEED a trailer :finger: :finger:

Yes, ExpeditionPortal.com is a great resource for trailers, retail or custom built trailers and where I often lurk. IH8Mud is also another great forum that probably has more custom build threads.

The Adventure Trailer's are top of the line and a sponsor over on Expo. Read nice and pricey!! Campa's are pretty nice too, but you don't hear as much about them out here or on expo for some reason. Price wise you're looking at 15K and higher for any of the AT's. Yea, you saw that right. Of course, that's brand new while there are surprisingly a couple used ones available on expo right now for bit little cheaper.

There's even a Conqueror Compact like mine on Expo for sale, though with a 25% higher price tag :shoot:

Regarding custom trailers, many folks have some kick ass custom setups completely hand built. I'm beyond envious of those guys, but do remember one important trend. Majority of custom builds seem to take at least a year from start to finish. You're looking at 3-400 man hours, realistically. Make sure to budget appropriately for costs and TIME :)

That said, I'd LOVE to see a trailer build on ORTB :fro: :friday: :drive:
Thanks teebes for the insight but I can build a trailer in half that time, hopefully. :salut:But not as nice as Campa :drool3:
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by cbbryan » Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:44 pm

I wasn't saying you have to constantly use germex just trying to point out that as common sense as it sounds someone here will forget the TP and they'll have a funny story to tell later.
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by bgwolfpack » Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:09 pm

cbbryan wrote:I wasn't saying you have to constantly use germex just trying to point out that as common sense as it sounds someone here will forget the TP and they'll have a funny story to tell later.

Sounds like you've got a douse' to tell,tell? :thumright: :raspberry: :thumleft:
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by cbbryan » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:14 am

Well by the time those MREs work their way through your system that little bitty pack of TP isn't quite enough. I used my underwear then burried it, then in true commando fashion I had to take a picture to show how "HOOAH!" I am.
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by bgwolfpack » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:01 pm

:thumright: EAST coast Guys :thumleft: If any of you are looking to build a 'Bug-Out trailer' check this out.http://cgi.ebay.com/small-generator-tra ... 588d9d16If it wasn't 3000 miles away, I'd jump on this puppy :shock:
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by teebes » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:19 pm

Here are some more:

07 AT Chaser: $9K: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/s ... hp?t=32892
Custom for $6k: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/s ... hp?t=31476
02 Conqueror Compact (like mine): $7K: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/s ... hp?t=31645
09 Sherpa: $4K: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/s ... hp?t=32882
M416 Mill trailer, basic: $500: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0378192644

There are a handful of other M416s in varying condition in the forsale section Expo, too. Keep you eye's peeled:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/f ... y.php?f=37
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by KE7WOX » Thu Oct 08, 2009 6:14 pm

I'd suggest those considering it (and those who aren't aswell), to take the ham radio test. With about the same amount of money that gets you a decent CB you can get a VHF mobile, which has much more power. You can study for an hour or two every day for 1-2 weeks and then take the test, no morse code and the test is only $15.

Last weekend we had a rally here in Prescott, and pretty much all rally comms were handled by hams (myself included) using the local repeater. In an area where cell phones don't have signal (or you only get coverage with 1 company) and mountains around, the repeater worked really good (we did have areas where the quality wasn't great, but you could still do some basic comms).

And in most scenarios the radio will work with the repeater (minus a nucler or electromagnetic holocaustg), and if power is out, it will work at least in Simplex mode, which is still good when your radio is putting out 45W+.
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by dirtychevymama » Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:13 am

We have 2 of these, have yet to use them:
http://www.etrailer.com/p-59100.htm

Found a 50x50 Surco on Craigslist for $100, hopefully picking that up this weekend. As of this am it's still available.
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