I created this website so that my friends and family can follow our adventures.
Michael and I started back in 2016 with a 2007 Toyota Tacoma and a Leer topper:
The first thing we did was create a storage system for the topper.
There are four lidded compartments plus the open space down the middle. The whole thing comes out in three sections. Height of the platform was originally based on Elvis, our border collie/Australian shepherd mix.
We needed there to be enough space for him to stand up comfortably.
During a 2013 camping road trip through New Mexico, we decided to stop setting up the 6-person tent every night and started just sleeping in the back of the truck. This required a trip to REI, of course, but it worked out so well we wanted to continue. Then we acquired a second dog, Bailey.
Two adults and a 48-lb dog were cramped but do-able, but adding Bailey (at 60 pounds) made things just a little too cozy.
The solution: a roof top tent.
The RTT is by Cascadia Vehicle Tents. This setup worked remarkably well for us for over a year, and you can read about those adventures on the blog. Elvis the border collie died in 2017. We had him cremated and carried his ashes with us for the remainder of that trip.
We settled for a few years in California, and then in 2020 moved to Northwest Arkansas. Even since we began this overlanding journey, though, we had our eyes on one setup in particular: a slide in camper.
See, the downside to the RTT setup became most evident in inclement weather. We both got real tired of the outdoor kitchen real quick. It’s no fun making coffee outside when it’s 40 degrees and raining.
In 2021 we added a new adventure dog to our pack, Rider.
And in 2022 we were able to make the camper dream a reality.
I drove all the way to California to pick up this bad boy. It was worth every minute.
Check out the blog for all the details!