Jefe - We did call the folks who are arranging the Overland Expo, but the program was already full. Who knows. perhaps next year.
I fully agree with the "run watcha brung"; the fact is you can do the same trip we did in almost any vehicle. Sure, some are better than others, but no matter how bad the road is in South America, you will always see a Toyota or VW van of some sort, used as a mini-bus (collectivo), that made it down the same road (the passengers may have to get out and push from time to time though). To be noted is that we did not seek out true 4x4, rock-crawling tracks - we have many of those in Colorado - but we would go down most any other road.
And if we give an overland presentation, that will be the gist of it: anyone can do this. At times I think we all get too caught up in, or are too fearful of, the vehicle / equipment side of the equation, and thereby don't get around to actually making the trip.
Below is a pic from the Oberland Hotel in La Paz, Bolivia. The Oberland is a well known place where overland vehicles are welcome, hence the number of vehicles in one place. From left, you have a Swiss MAN based vehicle ($500k+), ours, a Mercedes panel van based camper, and a Toyota HiLux based, rented, truck camper. I'm sure they all worked fine. That said, I still think a truck camper on a 2500/3500 truck, is a great choice for these types of trips. Very capable, rugged, comfortable, and comparatively inexpensive.
Cheers, Henrik
I fully agree with the "run watcha brung"; the fact is you can do the same trip we did in almost any vehicle. Sure, some are better than others, but no matter how bad the road is in South America, you will always see a Toyota or VW van of some sort, used as a mini-bus (collectivo), that made it down the same road (the passengers may have to get out and push from time to time though). To be noted is that we did not seek out true 4x4, rock-crawling tracks - we have many of those in Colorado - but we would go down most any other road.
And if we give an overland presentation, that will be the gist of it: anyone can do this. At times I think we all get too caught up in, or are too fearful of, the vehicle / equipment side of the equation, and thereby don't get around to actually making the trip.
Below is a pic from the Oberland Hotel in La Paz, Bolivia. The Oberland is a well known place where overland vehicles are welcome, hence the number of vehicles in one place. From left, you have a Swiss MAN based vehicle ($500k+), ours, a Mercedes panel van based camper, and a Toyota HiLux based, rented, truck camper. I'm sure they all worked fine. That said, I still think a truck camper on a 2500/3500 truck, is a great choice for these types of trips. Very capable, rugged, comfortable, and comparatively inexpensive.
Cheers, Henrik
Henrik,
Do put a presentation together. Are you going to be at the Expo in Flag in a couple weeks?
There will be lots of presentations similar (but not as extensive) to your trip during those three days.
The bottom line is "run whatcha brung". I have been a hard-core off-roader and rock crawler since 1965 when I did my first SOA (springs-over-axle) on a 1949 Willys ute wagon. We slept in that wagon for many years as our 'RV'. That was also the first year we toured Baja California when just south of Ensenada the pavement ended; and ended big-time. Man, was it primitive. Pemex had just doubled the price of diesel fuel to $.16 a gallon. Yes, it WAS $.08 a gallon just before we got there.
I would have no fear of running an older diesel/ TC south of the border with a smaller hardside truck camper, because I can work on it and know the yeahs and the nays of older rigs. The 10 foot elevation of the TC is lower than most of the loads on Japanese and German over-the-dirt-road trucks you see prevalent in Mexico and S. A. Same with the width. The trucks are wider than just about anything you could take down there. I only saw one parking arcade on your blog that would stop my rig.
It was interesting to see that you used 4WD so little. I think you were there at a good time of year or waited till the mud dried. I have been in Baja Sur during a Chibasco, and even with 4WD we were sweating it, so to speak, crossing all those rain swollen arroyos.
I'm just so impressed with the way you thought out the trip; nit picked every little detail, and researched all the destinations with as little experience in doing so that you had available. Here is a pic of our 1970 Toyota L.C. FJ55 in 1976 in the doldrums of Baja's Vizciano Desert ( singularly the most remote place I have ever been) where the springs on our jeep trailer let go and we decided to take the axle off and lay the hulk on the Tomba Burro and tongue on the roof driving with the doors open all the way back, 150 miles to Guerro Negro to get it fixed:
regards, as always, jefe
Do put a presentation together. Are you going to be at the Expo in Flag in a couple weeks?
There will be lots of presentations similar (but not as extensive) to your trip during those three days.
The bottom line is "run whatcha brung". I have been a hard-core off-roader and rock crawler since 1965 when I did my first SOA (springs-over-axle) on a 1949 Willys ute wagon. We slept in that wagon for many years as our 'RV'. That was also the first year we toured Baja California when just south of Ensenada the pavement ended; and ended big-time. Man, was it primitive. Pemex had just doubled the price of diesel fuel to $.16 a gallon. Yes, it WAS $.08 a gallon just before we got there.
I would have no fear of running an older diesel/ TC south of the border with a smaller hardside truck camper, because I can work on it and know the yeahs and the nays of older rigs. The 10 foot elevation of the TC is lower than most of the loads on Japanese and German over-the-dirt-road trucks you see prevalent in Mexico and S. A. Same with the width. The trucks are wider than just about anything you could take down there. I only saw one parking arcade on your blog that would stop my rig.
It was interesting to see that you used 4WD so little. I think you were there at a good time of year or waited till the mud dried. I have been in Baja Sur during a Chibasco, and even with 4WD we were sweating it, so to speak, crossing all those rain swollen arroyos.
I'm just so impressed with the way you thought out the trip; nit picked every little detail, and researched all the destinations with as little experience in doing so that you had available. Here is a pic of our 1970 Toyota L.C. FJ55 in 1976 in the doldrums of Baja's Vizciano Desert ( singularly the most remote place I have ever been) where the springs on our jeep trailer let go and we decided to take the axle off and lay the hulk on the Tomba Burro and tongue on the roof driving with the doors open all the way back, 150 miles to Guerro Negro to get it fixed:
regards, as always, jefe
