Stockwell45's Adventure Thread

[crazydubman]

Very cool downpour. Kinda funny that i was looking through your build thread today haha. My wedding is next August and the honeymoon will be taking up all my vacation time so next year would be out. Maybe a week long trip in 2014 would work though. :thumb3:

 

[downpour11]

Very cool downpour. Kinda funny that i was looking through your build thread today haha. My wedding is next August and the honeymoon will be taking up all my vacation time so next year would be out. Maybe a week long trip in 2014 would work though. :thumb3:

Nice man congrats! Yeah I'd be down for summer 2014. I have no plans of moving since I've decided to go back to school up here in Chico.
Here's a link to the house in Kanab, it's a vacation rental but I can obviously stay there for free. So if we still have our trucks by then I am down for sure!

Kanab Vacation Rental - VRBO 418706 - 3 BR UT House, Red Rock Canyon Retreat

Sorry for the threadjack stockwell lol

 

[Stockwell45]

Amazing trip so far. I need to get out to Utah soon for some wheelin. My dad has a cabin in Duck Creek in the south eastern corner between Bryce canyon and Zion. Hopefully when you get back we can set up a wheelin trip at slick rock and deer valley. I really want to hear more about your trip and check out what you have done with your runner in person. :bigok:

Enjoy your trip and be safe. :driving:

Thanks man, it's been a blast! Let me know next time you head out to your dads cabin, I'm out here in St. George all the time since my parents live here now. It would be cool to wheel out here with someone!

I was just thinking of this thread.... updates???

@crazydubman - my family has a house in Kanab right by Zion too I've been wanting to get out there for a while now!

Well, I got back into California in mid December. I spent a little over a week at our cabin in the eastern sierra at Mono Lake, getting hammered by snowstorms nearly everyday. Beautiful out there though!

After that, I came home for a few days to relax. Then I parked the 4Runner, got in the Sequoia and headed back to Utah for a late Christmas with the rest of my family. And here I am now.

The 4Runner needs a lot of work. The drivers side valve cover has a huge crack in it now, and I can't add oil to it without it pouring out of the crack onto the block. Front suspension is shot, new LCA bushings and shock bushings should be at home by now waiting for me.

I plan on finishing up my trip in April or early May. I need to take an EMT course before this summer in preparation of the park ranger academy in the fall. Otherwise I'd be out somewhere exploring all winter! I'll be at the Overland Expo in Flagstaff in late April. The plan is to leave there and explore through New Mexico, Texas and maybe even further east.

downpour11, shoot me a PM next time you head out to Kanab in your 4Runner. I love that area, beautiful area and awesome wheeling!

 

[the great him]

-just so we are clear on this, i hate you :bigok::cheers:

 

[downpour11]

downpour11, shoot me a PM next time you head out to Kanab in your 4Runner. I love that area, beautiful area and awesome wheeling!

Definitely will man! I still haven't been out there. Hopefully this summer I can get out there for a week or so. Really want to go see Zion and Bryce Canyon.

 

[Stockwell45]

-just so we are clear on this, i hate you :bigok::cheers:

I've been dying to wheel and explore the PNW, so I hate that you get to wheel and work an awesome job in that area. I'm way jealous of that!

Definitely will man! I still haven't been out there. Hopefully this summer I can get out there for a week or so. Really want to go see Zion and Bryce Canyon.

Right on, eventually were gonna have an awesome 4runner convoy out here!

 

[hrt4me]

Well, he hasn't made one since mine. But he is just itching to make more. Just don't have the business being way out in the sticks and not enough advertisement.

how well is your rear bumper holding up, especially at the spindle?

 

[Stockwell45]

how well is your rear bumper holding up, especially at the spindle?

The bumper is holding up extremely well. If 6000 miles of bouncing around with 2 full jerry cans and a spare tire hanging off that spindle hasn't damaged it, I don't know what will. The spindle is designed to hold a 37" tire, it's pretty beefy.

 

[hrt4me]

The bumper is holding up extremely well. If 6000 miles of bouncing around with 2 full jerry cans and a spare tire hanging off that spindle hasn't damaged it, I don't know what will. The spindle is designed to hold a 37" tire, it's pretty beefy.

does your spindle include a greaseable Zerk fitting?

did the rear bumper have to be custom fit to your '97, or were you able to pretty much just bolt it right on to the frame?

 

[Stockwell45]

does your spindle include a greaseable Zerk fitting?

did the rear bumper have to be custom fit to your '97, or were you able to pretty much just bolt it right on to the frame?

Yep, nice and greaseable! I forget the brand of spindle he used on there, I can ask him...

And the bumper was completely custom made to my 4runner, but it bolts up to the 8 bolt holes for the tow hitch on the frame.

My bumper was made for my 1" body lift, so it would bolt right up to any 4runner with a 1" body lift. he could just as easily make one not designed for a body lift though, it would probably be a little more simple actually.

 

[Stockwell45]

Back on the road!!!!

Well, I guess it's time to jumpstart this thread again...

I'm back on the road again. But unlike my trip last year, I've got my dual sport and trailer. I've been in Moab the past few days, was out in Glenwood Springs, CO to meet up with friends before that. My plan is to head to Grand Canyon, Vegas, Death valley, SoCal and Big Sur before I head home. Hopefully I can hit them all!

Unfortunately I left the cord that goes from my camera to my laptop back in Cali, so I'll only be able to put up crappy ipod pics for now. And no smartphone for me, so I'll only be able to update this as long as I find wifi. The 4Runner won't be seeing a ton of trails this time, it'll mostly stay at camp while I mob the bike around. But I will hit a few.

So here's what I got so far. Stay tuned!

 

[hrt4me]

nice to see you out and about again, looking forward to as many photos you can post since many of us live vicariously through the extended travels of others...

 

[Stockwell45]

Well, I've had one hell of a week. Put in hundreds of miles between Moab and Grand Canyon. I hiked down the Grand Canyon today, so I am beat. Here's some pics, Heading to San Diego tomorrow to start my trip up the coast!

 

[1blink]

Awesome

 

[griplimited]

Inspiring.

 

[hrt4me]

thanks for the update!

weren't you planning to come to Texas last Summer or Fall?

 

[MattAK]

Love the thread! Just read through it. Top of the World and Elephant Hill are two of the trails we've done in Moab the most over the years. Now I'm dying to get out there this spring. Drive safe! Should think about going to Alaska sometime. The Alcan is a gorgeous drive!

 

[Stockwell45]

thanks for the update!

weren't you planning to come to Texas last Summer or Fall?

I was! And I wish I could still do that. It's hard to realize how expensive a road trip is going to be until you actually hit the road. Every time I head out, it ends up costing way more than I thought. That's why I haven't made it there. I will eventually though!

Love the thread! Just read through it. Top of the World and Elephant Hill are two of the trails we've done in Moab the most over the years. Now I'm dying to get out there this spring. Drive safe! Should think about going to Alaska sometime. The Alcan is a gorgeous drive!

Driving the Alcan has always been a dream of mine. If I had the gas funds to do it, I surely would!

A good friend of mine that works for the NPS at Canyonlands NP told me today that they will soon require permits to wheel Elephant Hill, due to the amount of trash and broken rig parts people left behind. Makes me so mad!

 

[Stockwell45]

You guys are all gonna hate this...but I gotta head straight back home to Sonora tomorrow, no coast trip for me

I applied for California Highway Patrol over a year ago. I've been jumping through the hoops of the application this whole time, and today I've officially been accepted into the academy, which starts in a month. I need to go home and buy my uniforms, do paperwork, and all the other junk associated with it.

I'm just so happy I've had the chance to explore around and take road trips like this before being tied down by a career. It's been absolutely amazing!

 

[MattAK]

Driving the Alcan has always been a dream of mine. If I had the gas funds to do it, I surely would!

A good friend of mine that works for the NPS at Canyonlands NP told me today that they will soon require permits to wheel Elephant Hill, due to the amount of trash and broken rig parts people left behind. Makes me so mad!

I've driven the Alcan 4 times going up and back for summer work and I never got tired of it. Such gorgeous country up through there. The $1500 gas bill for the round trip isn't so fun though.

We haven't been down through Elephant Hill in a few years so I haven't seen it recently. Can't take the stupid out of people. Permitting can be good, you already need a permit to do the White Rim Trail which helps keep the traffic down and ensure that the trail will still be there years from now.

You guys are all gonna hate this...but I gotta head straight back home to Sonora tomorrow, no coast trip for me

I applied for California Highway Patrol over a year ago. I've been jumping through the hoops of the application this whole time, and today I've officially been accepted into the academy, which starts in a month. I need to go home and buy my uniforms, do paperwork, and all the other junk associated with it.

I'm just so happy I've had the chance to explore around and take road trips like this before being tied down by a career. It's been absolutely amazing!

Congrats! My grandpa was a CHP officer for 35 years in Los Angeles and loved it! Good luck!