Blue Friday 2019 Tacoma, one solution to "The Problem"

[cookiedough]

The Problem -

The problem with travel is you never end. And once you travel, or spend time outside, it just makes the list of ‘Places to Go’ longer. Not that I’m a list person, in fact at work I actively rebel against it, but the places in my head just keep compounding. Places that rank on the remoteness scale. There are only a few in this entire country ya know. So, after lurking and reading through numerous build threads, I’ll add mine for another perspective.

When our kids were growing up, we had a pop up tent trailer. Was awesome for us. Sold it once the kiddos were out, Wife and I did the REI BaseCamp 6 for awhile. Had a pre-bedtime reading corner setup for her, Exped Duo 10 for us until an ill-fated Thanksgiving camp where a pack of coyotes made her and our doggo super nervous. A Hiker Trailer entered our family. The Hiker was nice, but towing it and constantly looking for ways to turn around was tedious. Wife’s desire for camping somewhat diminished so we sold the Hiker and I used a Softopper.

Similar to HikeCampShoot, I come from a backpacking perspective where ounces = pounds. First long-ish trip with a group was with a Softopper. Several of the people I traveled with had GFC’s. They looked amazing.

Our group chat is what we consider “a safe space to spend each other’s money” - and that they did. A quick FB marketplace ad mention with my name highlighted led to a little research, an enthusiastic approval from the wife, and yep, purchased a used V2 (5634), to put on a 2019 DCSB TRD Offroad. The best part of that story was when I added the photo of the GFC on my truck to that chat and @hikecampshoot’s response was “holy s**t, it worked?!?!”

Initially a stock rig, but with the add of a ~265 lbs continuous load a bit of suspension work was desired. At work the fundamental question usually revolves around “what is the intended use case”. My interest is camping, the truck gets me to those places. The wheelin’ aspect isn’t my focus. Being from AZ, a requirement to avoid sun exposure was to “still fit in the garage”.

With all that background, here’s my solution to my desires.

*Armor*

TRD aluminum skid

Greenlane Offroad aluminum sliders (our friends to the north - take off ‘eh)

*Suspension, wheels, tires*

Bilstein 5100’s +1” on the front

Icon RXT leaf pack, Stage 1, just the right amount of lift ~1.25”

TRD OR wheels - function > form (just switched to SCS Ray 10’s)

Goodyear Duratrack RT - almost stock weight with 3 ply sidewalls

Perry Parts bump stops - 3dprinted solution? I’ll try

*GFC*

30 Ah LiFePO4

100w Rich Solar mono, custom rack

HardKorr flex LED 1m

custom corner electrical (USB A&C, ciggy, Anderson PP 30)

@buhlockaye latch covers

@lumberingbear v1 water bottle holder

custom MoonShade & table rack

custom shovel & saw rack

Dometic CFX55im

Dometic Go 11l jugs

MoonShade, custom printed quickfist mounts

PakRak bed stiffeners

@jedgar drip rails

Currently:

[cookiedough]

The first mod - adding a campfire on command.

The Softopper camper mode - still amazed my wife actually did this trip:

When we added the REI 6 person - the tent being in stealth mode:

Running battery tests with the Dometic 55im

Hiker Trailer mode - didn’t like that as much as I thought we would.

First group “big” trip, GFC’s looked amazing:

After that trip, did a smaller group, still in Softopper mode, but ended up at 9F over night. Frost on the sleeping bag foot end was extra “special”

Ended up having a “rapid deceleration event” due to an inattentive fellow road traveler, added electric brakes to the Hiker.

King of the Hammers time, and remembering past outings and how awesome the GFC’s were:

Needed a trip, but couldn’t rouse anyone for an early chilly run - so Comb Ridge area called and I did a solo run.

About this time, the group chat kicked off and yeah, that GFC joined our household.

New battery - 30Ah LiFePO4 and testing for use. 2 gallons of water, 90F outside, open a few times a day, 100w panel. My wife humored me with all this on the patio.

Made a few attempts to rig up bedding, but ultimately didn’t really like the bedding in the back. It went back to the cab.

New year trip in the making, needed better tires this time around, and yes, even though the GFC is lightweight, added the Icon RXT - hover mode initiated

And when I got home, still clears the garage - not by much though.

Now it’s looking good in the native environment:

Still happy with the load out - Dewalt extra large toolbox as Kitchen and bench and step into the sleeping area. Low cost but effective Plano bins - pantry and compressor labeled, bucket which contains the mylar bag which contains those LNT blue bags.

Fixit Pass in the Swell, bigger stuff than I would normally do, but a couple of fantastic spotters, led this blue truck through.

After the Swell trip, started thinking about the house battery. Knew the 30Ah would get me through 2 days no sun easily, started making cutouts. Wanted the wheel well to protect the tender bits. Used some cordage to run potential wire lines.

Need another trip to clear the mind, couple of friends from work, did a 3 day weekend together. The 4Runner at the end, Taylor, used a wok and made stir-fry. Crazy Cats did that smell good! Put on my list to experiment with a wok for a cooking utensil.

Still pondering on the electrical - maybe mounted on the cab side wall? Eh, don’t like the aesthetic- but put it to CAD (corrugated aided design) to confirm

Ended up with a side panel, protected from stuff in the bed by the wheel well. The 30Ah battery and Victron 75/10 SCC worked well on a 9 day trip through Idaho’s Lost River Range.

Couple of shots, enjoying the modifications and deliberate definition of the use case.

Coffee setup, always pairs well with a sunrise

Added side panel access for table and Moon Shade. Previously they lived on the top of bins in the back. This is so much nicer and quicker for setup. SendCutSend for the win.

@Rancho ie. LumberingBear water bottle holder

Lost River Range trip Aug 2025, slept comfortably with ~40F nights. Great group of guys to be out with.

Quick 3 day weekend trip Kaibab NF, more GFC’s.

Still lovin’ it. Time to finish 2025 strong. Saw this quote in Adventure Journal #38 -

Orion

The old scoundrel spends his summers lurking behind the sun, then come late August starts to rise a little before dawn, heralding the arrival of a new season and climbing toward his inescapable presence in the winter sky. Orion slides through fall as he always does, in eternal pursuit of the seven sisters of the Pleiades. Fortunately, the distance between them remains forever unbridged, the stout bovine presence of Taurus between them, just in case.

BTW - the magazine is worthy of a subscription, especially when out enjoying the sounds of “not city”.

[cookiedough]

additional stuff

[HikeCampShoot]

You’re welcome

[HikeCampShoot]

Blue can put in some work though…..

[YetiX]

Looking good!

[cookiedough]

Mmmmm….Thanksgiving. It had been awhile since I had sat around a campfire and Thanksgiving at my sister’s place gave me a good reason to road trip and do an overnight stay outside. Moab is the halfway mark of that journey and it has some great places for morning tailgate coffee.

Over the years of family trips, I had noticed a sign for the La Sal Loop Rd. This was the trip to finally explore that loop. A quick message to friends on a Signal chat yielded some potential overnight spots.

I’m a ponderous traveler, or as some say “you drive like a grandpa”, preferring a good soundtrack (yep have over 1,500 songs on the usb) and point of interest stops rather than a schedule. But, that characteristic didn’t serve me well on this trip. I arrived at the first spot on Polar Mesa which had a deadfall blocking the entrance - about the time the sun was setting. Backtrack a bit and head on down the original plan - Kokopelli Trail towards Onion Creek.

Found a site, and quickly prepped a GoodTo-Go Thai Curry in the dark. That aforementioned campfire? Yep, dark night, slight breeze and juniper made for an evening as Abbey put it - “One breath of juniper smoke, like the perfume of sagebrush after rain, evokes in magical catalysis, like certain music, the space and light and clarity and piercing strangeness of the American West.”

After having slept the sleep of the just, woke up refreshed and ready for coffee. Tailgate coffee looking at snow covered La Sal’s is quite the privilege. Now, it was on to Thanksgiving - fully prepped.

Almost to the end of 2025. We’ll see if I get any additional nights under the stars. 22 nights out this year. Didn’t make the goal of 30, but it’s on the target again for 2026.

[YetiX]

Those are some beautiful pictures, looks like a good time. My goal for this year was 30 nights too, I might get 15 but this year has been crazy

[Staticline]

I made it to 21 days this year, currently in Project/Hibernation mode. I plan on kicking off at the end of February at the SAVE Expo in Florida…The Blue truck looks great!

[cookiedough]

I’ve been thinking about this comment and the goal of 30 nights out. A friend at work and I talk about getting out and mods on vehicles. I have come to rely on the expression “my mods need to reduce the friction to get out of the house and onto the trail”.

With my bins, inventory list, and a refresh of supplies when I get home the friction is most certainly reduced. This time trip it felt odd to be packed in less than 45 minutes - clothes and food. The bins make a little more friction at camp, but overall they serve the needs of the outing.

I do appreciate the comments and this build sub-forum. It’s always helpful seeing what people have put together and how it’s being used.

[YetiX]

I’m similar. I now have all my gear in two bins. If I need to replace something that I use over the weekend, I make a note in my phone. I also made a Google checklist which I’ve updated over the years to make it both shorter and more comprehensive.

Sadly, for me the most common reason I don’t get out when planned is that life gets in the way. At least when I can get the time, I’m ready to go in 20 minutes

[cookiedough]

Agreed - responsible person life gets in the way sometimes - FTFY!

Your Goog checklist comment made me smile, I have the same, it’s been through a bunch of iterations, 1 page only, printable, revision controlled and broken down into segments. Early on I downloaded the REI and Overland Bound checklists, then the XOverland checklist (which looked super cool) took what I thought were the best elements (tried to be a graphic designer, but alas, just a pragmatic engineer). I wish I could figure out a good way to menu/meal plan. I just have an expanding spreadsheet currently where I write in each of the meals then make a shopping list below it.

When I was backpacking I had a gear list with weights and some conditional formatting, 1’s & 0’s to select a piece of gear and add up the weight. Probably excessive - lol - but at the time those ounces added up.

All the best to ya! And I’ll raise a cheers to getting out more in ‘26

[cookiedough]

Had to look up the SAVE Expo - looks like a good time! But….all that mud? - ewww! Desert Southwest and moon dust! That’s where it’s at - lol

Last time I was in FL was for a college buddy’s bachelor party out in the bogs near Clearwater. Shinin’ for 'gators and camping, was a great time.

Thanks for the compliments - and yeah - cheers to a common 30 goal!

[Staticline]

No mud at SAVE, but a great time for a growing regional EXPO

[cookiedough]

Just noticed I didn’t update the side carrier bracket. The table bracket worked so well and I had space on the angles, added in the ability to carry both the table and Moon Shade. Last year during the Thanksgiving kickoff of the shopping season, I purchased the RollerCam Molle Kit. They worked so well, I standardized my oval cutouts for their 3/4” straps.

Corrugated and X-Acto blades are my friends - lol

[Dempster333]

Curious how you have been setting up and using your Moonshade awning? I got a deal on one and pulled the trigger but I haven’t found a great way to set it up with the GFC yet.

[cookiedough]

Ah, I see I didn’t add that in. I have the Moon horizontal strut pole and use the Quick-Fist mini mounts. I printed up a riser bracket to extend beyond the latch mechanism. It works, eventually I think I’ll make up an aluminum extension, but the printed one works for now.

The red moon dust from the San Rafael Swell is particularly attracted to it - has survived several washings and the snowy trip home from Wyoming.

[randomxy]

That’s a very cool solution for the Moon awning. I’ve been using Nite-Ize ties to the GFC release knobs and crossing my fingers the winds don’t pick up

[cookiedough]

Little bit of an update. I work at a manufacturing facility so we have holiday plant shut down between Christmas and New Years. I know, it’s a wonderful thing and I greatly appreciate it. The owners of our company are super cool.

With that time, was able to do a couple of “Quality of Life” projects. I had stored my Starlink in an Apache 4800 case which rode in the driver side back seat. It worked, but when cold-ish weather camping, gear always ended up on top and the 4 closing buckles would always end up inside and I’d need to fight with the case to get it closed or completely remove it. (whew, quite the run on sentence) Not the fun-est and definitely added friction to the Starlink usage.

I saw a reddit post about putting the SL in a Milwaukee low profile case and thought it was pretty cool. MUCH smaller than my 4800 case. Home Depot and their Buy More/Save More sale ultimately was my undoing. Worked on and finished a pretty good solution in my mind.

3d printers for the win.

On the Thanksgiving trip, I arrived after dark and was really wishing for some scene lighting as I was setting up camp. A couple friends have the Baja Designs Rock Lights and they are awesome. Looked at the KC Cyclone and see that these two run between 400 and 600 lumens. But they require wiring and I really wasn’t wanting that right now.

Enter the budget Husky 500 lumen rechargeable. $15 and I had one in my hand. Turned off the lights in the garage and held it up on the side of my truck - yeah, this should work adequately when needed. Do a bit of modeling and print off a couple of mounts for in camp/setup use.

A couple of items that reduce the friction of getting out and in camp with less stress.

I try to get on with as much time in front of a campfire, to avoid the waste as Amos Tversky said, “You waste years by not being able to waste hours.” Get yourself to that campfire with all do speed.

[cookiedough]

Sunrise, sunburn, sunset, repeat. Luke Bryan had some words, granted different purpose than my weekend out, but still apropos.

At my age I try to avoid the sunburn part, but sunrise and coffee, sunset and campfire, those are the super important parts of my trips and worthy of repeat.

A friend did need to remind me we had Monday off, since I was messaging about a Fri/Sat/Sun trip, to which I exclaimed “oh yeah!” and quickly canceled the PTO request. One more day saved for a future outing.

In my last “friction reduction” post, I printed up a couple mounts for the lights. This trip I did end up getting to camp super close to sunset - and cabana mode sure makes some nice images.

The Husky light on low provided “exquisitely adequate” scene lighting. Also, I may have set an alarm to remember to take a photo during the blue (half) hour. One of the advantages to solo trips - it didn’t matter if my cook pot was fully cleaned when the alarm went off - just put it down and take the photo.

Concept validated.

And just two more since the GFC looks so good in its native habitat - The Outdoors. And coffee. Here’s to wasting more hours.

Cheers.