Outskirts Overland Podcast
📸 Join us as we dive deep into the thrilling world of overland travel, off-road exploration, and outdoor adventures! 🌄
🎧 Tune in to hear captivating stories, expert tips, and interviews with fellow travelers and industry professionals. Get inspired to embark on your own epic journeys! 🌍✨
#AvantLink #1316929
Outskirts Overland Podcast
Rough Rides and Camping Tidbits for the Overlanding Enthusiast
Ever had that moment when you realize your trusty vehicle's suspension isn't up to the task of your adventurous spirit? That's precisely what sent me down the rabbit hole of upgrades, and I'm eager to recount the journey – from the painful lessons of costly mistakes to the thrill of unexpected partnerships and testing Rough Country's M1 shocks. Fasten your seatbelt for a rugged ride as we navigate the peaks and valleys of selecting the right gear for your overlanding needs and how it can drastically change your outdoor experiences.
The landscape of overlanding is a curious one that has recently seen a decline in social media content despite the industry's growth. I've shared my musings on this puzzling trend, inviting you to contribute your thoughts on why the creators who once fueled our wanderlust seem to be steering their life's vehicle down different roads. This episode isn't just about the mechanics of your rig, but also the dynamics of our community and how the changing tides of content affect not only creators but enthusiasts like us.
As we gear up for the warmer months, I'm dropping some savvy tips to elevate your camping smarts, from leveling your campsite to ensuring your hygiene doesn't go off-road in the summer heat. These hacks and reflections are rooted in real-life experiences, sprinkled with a dash of humor and practicality, ensuring your next outdoor escape is as refreshing as a mountain breeze. So, let's gear up, tune in, and get ready for an off-the-beaten-path episode that's all about embracing the rugged, rolling out smarter and sharing the journey together.
You, thank you. So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is Outskirts Overland. I appreciate you guys all being here. It's week 12 of the stream slash podcast and I appreciate everybody being here.
Speaker 1:A few things to get out of the way. First is first things. First, if you are into Toyotas and you live in the Midwest, go ahead and follow Toyota Trucks of Arkansas. It's a Facebook group. A lot of good people there. I have seen a few more people from out of state looking to come into Arkansas, uh, joining the group lately. So that's pretty freaking awesome. And secondly, if you work for go fast campers and you ever want to partner up and help out your boy get rid of his rooftop tent, I'm here for you. I'd love to do that. I'll just keep putting it on here every week in hopes that you know, after you know 200 of these, maybe they'll find some value in it. All right.
Speaker 1:And secondly, a new kind of partnership with us here is Onyx Offroad. So I want to talk about Onyx Offroad a little bit. So you guys know it's downloaded on the App Store. It's also if you've got CarPlay or anything, it's going to be automatically on your CarPlay. You can map routes, do breadcrumbs. It has offline maps. It has private land, public land, blm land, so Onyx Off-Road is going to be a great resource for anybody trying to make sure they're going down the right trail. They want to be going down or not going into any private land that's going to get them in trouble. So onyx off-road is very available. Um, go check it out. I'll probably do a tutorial here in the next week or so on how to plan routes and stuff with it and how I do it.
Speaker 1:I've done a previous podcast just discussing it but I've never done showing it and since I made that podcast I have since learned how to screen, share and do all those things so that you guys can see what I'm doing as well. So this week I was I wanted to just touch on. You know I've had, I've had a couple of guests on, but I wanted to take a break from that to just kind of be myself this week to talk about some things that I'm seeing in the Overland space. More Expo just did happen. Some more Expos ironic. Some additional Expos are coming up.
Speaker 1:It's kind of the beginning of the season. A lot of people around here say the more Expo kicks off the season and in a lot of ways it's kind of the right time. You know April and I would agree with that it was crazy here in the Midwest lots of tornadoes and stuff last weekend, so that kind of kiboshed our start to getting out. But regardless of any of that just I mean it is kind of the start of the season. A lot of things were introduced at More Expo. Looks like some new brands are getting into the Overland space and some brands that have been in the space sort of kind of are taking a bigger part in it. I did not go to More Expo but like any other individual ever, you can for sure watch YouTube videos about what was there and through my other social media buddies I can see what they've. You know their, their, their stories and stuff. I kind of see what's out there. So I'm for sure seeing that.
Speaker 1:Um, so, as the season gets started, uh, hope everybody gets outside safely Again. Like I said, some pretty gnarly weather around my place this weekend. Some houses got torn up in a little west of us. Looks like some really gnarly tornadoes, so I hope those folks are doing okay. That's all I can hope. That's all I can hope.
Speaker 1:But yeah, so I want to talk about myself. I just spent quite a bit of time and I've spoke about it a little bit on here upgrading my truck. And I want to talk about it because I made some pretty expensive mistakes and I've learned a few things from those mistakes. And granted, I'm going to talk about it. And they in relation to suspension, cause that's where I messed up. Um, I kind of upgraded my suspension on my truck. Initially I had toy tech and this is no nothing negative on toy tech, but I had toy tech two and a half front lift springs in the front or lift struts in the front with stock control arms, you know ball joints, the whole nine. And in the rear I had I don't remember what they were, they were a dual, they were like a dual valve, single, they were like a, they were a single piston but they had like an extra place for um oil, I think they were a Fox shock, but they weren't an external reservoir, so they had like two reservoirs internally. Either way, they're fine.
Speaker 1:Um, and where I messed up is I did not have I had upgraded bump stops on the front. I did not have. I had upgraded bump stops on the front but they were not, you know bigger. So essentially what occurred is not only my bushings failed prematurely, my my islet bushings in the bottom on my Tacoma it's IFS. So not only did those bushings fail me but, uh, the shock bent. I had one of my shocks bent. It's got a little bend to it and I was noticing it. Something just wasn't right on my truck. So I went and rotated my tires. Reason to get in there. So I went and rotated my tires and as I looked at it I was like this shock is strut Whatever it's done, game over. Shock is strut whatever it's done, game over.
Speaker 1:Um, and I think a lot of that was due to the shock. The shocks didn't have enough travel. The shock was essentially my bump stop before my bump stop, if that makes sense. So that was not not a no good Um. So I think that kind of ended the strut. Now, as far as the bushings are concerned, that just shouldn't have happened. So I'll be reaching out to them on that. Um, that just shouldn't have occurred.
Speaker 1:Uh, so I really wish I could get, I really wish I could find a shock company, a strut company, whatever for front struts that actually uses polyurethane bushings everybody. I think they get a lot of hate, but they're so good. They squeak a lot but they're so good. Everybody that I see either has like a hardened rubber bushing at the bottom or it's it's a metal, like heim joint style and they're replaceable too, and I get it. But I just want polyurethane bushings. Like, they're cheap, they're easy, they work, they're greasy you can make them greasable, so anyways.
Speaker 1:So, um, and again, I'm not bought by anybody, but I did, uh get some shocks, front struts and shocks from rough country which, uh, totally out of you know left field I and they sent me these. I don't have to say anything good about them. Um, they sent me M one shocks and struts. They're like a more, they're like an aluminum body, digressive valved um shocks. They're not your normal, what everybody knows rough country for you, you know, spacer lifts and those cheap n3 shocks that they have and they're very affordable and, if you want to lift your truck, super affordable. But they, they sent me out these n1s because I was looking at bill steen 6112s and you know I was just kind of seeing.
Speaker 1:You know, I'm guy that's like I'll email companies, not even because of this podcast, I'll just email companies. My truck's pretty cool and I'll be like, hey, what can we do? You want to work together? You want to review? Do you have any pictures with this on the vehicle? And I said this way earlier, like my frame slider's on my truck. I'm leaning to the side right now for you guys to listen Free 99, free 99. And if you go, look on, I'm not going to advertise that brand, but if you ever come across it, my truck is on their website. It is literally my truck on the website they had just came out.
Speaker 1:I had recently posted a review of something else I got from them. They saw my truck, they liked my truck and they were like hey, are you interested in this? And I was like, abso-freaking-lutely, they sent me frame sliders out, so pretty psyched on, or rock sliders, whatever you want to call them, rock sliders, frame sliders, so got those for free. So as my front struts kind of, so got those for free, so as my front struts kind of bit the dust way prematurely, I only had them on for a year and I think partially part of that was quality and part of it was just me, the bump stop situation, and I addressed that as well. But anyway, so I reached.
Speaker 1:You know I was reaching out to companies trying to get you know, see if I can get a discount or get whatever, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Either way, rough country's like we'll send you some shocks, and I was like tight, yeah, perfect, that's awesome, you know, and, and, and at this point, my last ones that were supposed to be way better crapped out on me in a year. So I was like, hey man, if they're, you know, whatever you know, that's the right price. So I've had them on for probably it's three weeks, two weeks, three weeks. Now.
Speaker 1:I drive a bunch, though, and I've had a chance to get them, you know, off road, not crawling quite yet, but on a bunch of different roads, gravel roads, potholes, different elevations, different things and I'm going to be honest, they far exceed my expectations, and my truck runs way better than it ever did with the previous stuff on it, which was from what I saw. The prices are three times more money, and along with this, because I went with digressive valve shocks, which actually is a little stiffer to keep from so much body roll, and the Bilstein 6112 is the same. This is a direct competitor to that. The Bilstein 6112 is digressive valved. The Toyota TRD Pro box shocks are digressive valved for this exact reason, and what that means is they're stiffer under, like abrupt stuff, but as you get into bigger stuff they soften, like naturally. That's how they're valved, um, and that's how these are too, and they're adjustable. I think they go from two inches to three and a half inches, like adjustable. I have mine set at three. I have two inches on the back and I have extended rear M one shocks. My shocks all match now, um, and they're aluminum bodied, rigid.
Speaker 1:There's not a bunch of different stuff that they're freaking nice. I mean. I got to tell you guys they're actually kind of nice. Um, and again, I'm, like the rest of you guys listening to this right now, probably going rough country. Yeah, they're decent too. Now they're not as cheap as the other rough country stuff, like they're expensive, but they've upped their game. I mean I can't say anything bad about them. I mean they've been great.
Speaker 1:I also going with digressive valve. I got rid of my sway bar. Um, no more sway bar at all. It was, it was just. It was just. It was limited me from what I really want to do and, honestly, I took it off and I don't even freaking notice it really, and those shocks make a huge difference. Like before, even with the sway bar, when I hit, hit the brakes hard, it was like nose dive in and anyways, the I hate to say it these shocks from you know, first month driving on these shocks versus my other ones, these are outperforming them for again a third of the price. So I'm not going to give anybody advice, but but maybe spend a little more time looking at the mid-range stuff, like the Bilstein 5100s, 612s, these M1 Rough Countries.
Speaker 1:I think they're all kind of pretty similar. I think that there's like EBOC makes a similar digressive valve lift strut with different spring options. I do have a heavier spring on it now too, which makes a big difference, um, so anyways, going over that, I did get extended bump stops now too. So I mean these shocks should last longer, just based on the fact that I'm not bump stopping through the shock, which was stupid. Further, I got a U-bolt flip kit and the Timbren extended bumps for the rear. So I also you know that the rears were okay, but I got free rears, so they went on and they look nice they actually look really nice.
Speaker 1:But anyways, I got the extended bump stops for the rear because I have Ironman constant load springs. So there's a lot of travel. It's not a block lift by any means. So I got the Timbren flip kit with the big Timbren bumps I'm putting on. So I'm spending a little more time paying attention to some of the smaller things instead of the, you know, grabs you right out the gate things.
Speaker 1:I also did put on Grim Off-Road upper control arms. They gave me three and a half degrees of caster which then turned into a whole nother situation where, with all the more travel I have now and the caster then I was hitting my body mount and my fender. So chop that out. Last week did a body mount chop last week which with the with the stock control arms, even with the mid travel suspension stuff, that was a non issue. So I had to chop the body mount and I, you know, notch the pinch welds and beat them back to no more rubbing now as it goes.
Speaker 1:But all things that had, I don't do what I did, actually Just get the cheapest thing that could have saved me from spending another. Well again, I, I myself got you know, um lucky um as far as cost, is, is, is concerned. But in the case of um, you know the previous shocks, I, the, the bushings did wear out prematurely but the shock getting straight, bent and messed, that's again because the shock was stopping. Like I was reaching the edge of the shock at tuck before the bump stop. I could have avoided that for $30 of bump stops, like that was just dumb on my part and again I've rectified it now. But just don't do what I did, okay, like, get longer, like extended bump stops, and they make progressive ones. You know Sumo Springs makes them, timberland makes them Dural Bumps makes them Super Bumps, makes them Energy Suspensions makes them. Like everybody freaking makes them and you can get them on Amazon. You can get them on amazon. You can get them on, you know, real truck or extreme terrain or whatever. You want to get it on any any site, really. So get extended bump stops. Don't make the same mistakes I made. Um, so yeah, that's what's going on with my truck. That's all done now.
Speaker 1:Very expensive last couple of weeks with, you know well, body mount chops, cheap, extremely. I mean I already had metal, I can weld, I have tools, I have grinders, I have the whole nine. So I mean, that was just time. I already had, you know, flat black, rust-oleum paint. No big deal there, um, but the suspension. I went ahead and redid my inner and outer control or my inner and outer tie rods. I didn't definitely did not get any help on the upper control arms so they were expensive. So it was an expensive endeavor.
Speaker 1:Um should do the suspension. So it would have been way worth it to just get the. You know bump stops Idiot. But yeah, what do you do? You know, um, so that's going on or went on and that's done with. But I thought I'd pass that info on to you guys, cause I would never have looked at the that brand ever Like if I was buying, you know, just based on their previous you know quality of stuff reviews, it just anyways, great stuff, like super nice Um, so beyond thrilled that. But anyways, so that's what's going on with that Um and my truck and me and how we're going there.
Speaker 1:Um, another thing that I saw that's just a random overland thought is I went down a rabbit hole randomly one night about air filters and I had a dry K&N air filter. I got stock air box because I got a snorkel on it and I watched like many videos down some deep dark hole about air filter particles getting through, getting through the filters and stuff, and I ditched that freaking K and N cause it was getting like tons of dirt particles through it, which again it's higher flow, like duh, right, like no crap. But so, anyways, I ditched that um, just based on like independent research on that. So I was like, well, and a couple other like bigger overlanders and stuff. So they were talking about it a little bit and you don't want to dust out your engine, dirty your oil, blah, blah. I mean stuff we all kind of know. So, anyways, I ditched it at that point, went back to a paper filter. I was like couldn't, that was just like such a small dumb thing I was doing too. So like welcome to episode 12, things that I've just just just did that weren't smart. You know, like stuff I just did that was dumb, not thinking and yeah, don't do what I did.
Speaker 1:Um, so on to what I was going to get into is I wanted to talk about like the overland space. Right now. It's like a really weird time and, uh, I'm passionate. Like I'm passionate about overlanding, but I'm also pretty passionate about like social media and overlanding. Actually, that's why I'm here. Like I'm pretty passionate about the YouTube creators, the podcasters, any of these brands or channels that are coming out so we can all and there was videos out there that kind of helped me out, you know, from creators, but what the reason I bring all that up is because that has drastically slowed down A lot of the creators that I have watched or listened to podcasts as well. Like there again, x Overland just came out with a new video. I think that's I. I do think that's inspirational for sure.
Speaker 1:I think that we all can agree that's outside of most of our ability, though, but super entertaining. But there's a lot of creators that were more like us, that maybe we even might run into at an expo or or out, you know, somewhere local to them. They're somewhat normal people. But I've noticed that social media as a whole, as far as overlanding and even off-roading in a lot of these cases, like people I used to watch it has drastically slowed down to the point I've been asking myself like, did something change on YouTube? Like did something and I don't know? I mean hell, maybe one of these folks will listen on here, but I've noticed way less content, and way more of the content that is there is that ASMR style content, which is just, like you know, tack, tapping on like it's silent not silent, but no talking and I'm just like man, what's going on? I almost felt like I wanted to address it on a podcast Cause, like you know, somebody else has got to have noticed this Like I'm going back years to watch content Cause, like, I'm always trying to get ideas.
Speaker 1:I'm going back years to watch content because, like, I'm always trying to get ideas, whether they're from old stuff or new stuff or or or different people with different style, vehicles, rigs, whatever. Like everybody, everybody does something a little different and I'm always trying to evolve what I'm doing to best suit me, but that that doesn't mean all my ideas are original. So I'm always trying to learn something and I've just noticed that lately, you know, overlanding content's way down, I really like van life and really enjoy that content and that's like almost doesn't exist. Everybody's leaving van life, everybody's, you know, buying land or building a house, really right now, if you wanted to build a house and watch that on YouTube through the roof, but I don't. I'm noticing a huge shift there in the content that I've been consuming. Again, I spoke about this earlier on a different episode.
Speaker 1:I really enjoyed the content exploding during COVID because I'd been doing this so long that that there really wasn't a lot of info out there. You know there was a few, there was a few. You know there's there's some OGs and they're still kind of doing it, but they've slowed down even so. But I've really enjoyed it because I really liked this hobby and the content was like abundant and I don't, I don't know, you know it's 2024, even last year the content was abundant. So I just don't know.
Speaker 1:I keep coming back to like what's changed. You know, I felt like the industry was getting pretty commercialized, you know, but in a lot of ways that would push content, I feel like, instead of, you know, digressing essentially. So it's been real weird, but I was hoping to get it out here. And man, some people email me whatever charlieatoutskirtsoverlandcom or comment on YouTube, send me a DM on Instagram, whatever, and I don't say that to like plug it, but like. Is anybody else noticing that content has like slowed down, like even me, as I put out this podcast every week. If you guys search on Apple podcasts overlanding, there's not very many of them that have that are uploading regularly. Even like I don't know what's going on.
Speaker 1:I'm going to be here, whether I'm talking to myself or a few of you guys listen, I'll be here, but like that's not my point in this. Like, oh, I'm, you know what I'm like about me, but like all this, it just seems like a big shift and that shift is to less. And now, again, I'm sure that making videos is a ton of work. Um, even this podcast, for me it's like quite a bit of work. But like, at the same time, like I'm just passionate about it and I'm doing it for nothing, you know. Like you know I'm doing it for nothing.
Speaker 1:Like, even though you could say what you want to say, I got some shocks, um, like whatever my friends do ark and you know, toyota trucks of arkansas, etc. But like none of that's monetarily helping me. You know, like onyx, off-road, they're coming on, you know, but like no monetary help. Just this is just people that I like and stuff that I've used. I've used Onyx for freaking ever hunting. It's been around for hunting forever and uh, so it was like a no brainer to to do this, to do that. It's an awesome app. I use it. It's about all I use. I like it way better. So there we go. That's what I use already. That's what I use already.
Speaker 1:But you know, I just felt like everybody was doing having more content and in some ways and I don't know if this is you know I love this hobby but it takes dedication to pack all the stuff, get ready to go, go. You know it does take some dedication because at times and I was just talking to a friend of mine about this earlier this week like the amount of people that just bail on you, right, and so like going alone is like is, is is typically my go-to Um, and not because I don't have friends that go, but like we might not all agree on where we're going, even like they might want to go here and I might want to go there. So I just I kind of default to alone and if I feel like being around people, you know I'll try to plan that like way out, but like something like bigger activity involved with it as well. Um, anyways, less about me, but I feel like sometimes that entertainment and that content and these people, hopefully they listen to it because like as another you know, quote unquote creator in the space now, like I don't rely on that content but it does help get me out of a funk when I'm, when I'm kind of like having a hard time to get out or clean my stuff, even, you know, and I see somebody else and they're getting it and I'm like it's. It's kind of like when you don't want to go to the gym and work out, but like then you do and you feel so much better after. It's exactly the same. Like sometimes I need to watch this guy that's doing it and be like, yeah, I really need to do it, and then I do it. I'm so happy I did it. Well, now I'm finding different methods because that content's not as prevalent. There's a lot more still content Everybody's getting back into.
Speaker 1:Look at what I got on Instagram, but it's just far less like, here's what I'm doing, here's how I'm doing it. Not necessarily here's the location where I'm going, but here's where I'm going. Here's me getting stuck. Some of the struggles I had, stuff I've upgraded. Here I'm going. You know, here's me getting stuck. Some of the struggles I had, stuff I've upgraded. Here I'm going to a trailer Like I I really and here we are growing with my family doing it. Or you know one one of the creators I Epic family road trip. They went from more people to less people and you know now they're empty nest sort of kind of one of their sons is working for X Overland, the other son's doing his own thing on YouTube, their daughter's doing something else, like, but I I I don't know how else to say like I've enjoyed that and I feel like it is just way less now and it's just real weird.
Speaker 1:So I wanted to bring it up on a podcast, just jabber away myself, you know, because I have. I've just it just seems like it's really freaking prevalent all of a sudden. But I don't know, maybe some of them will listen to this, maybe they won't. But I just wondered if anybody else was having that kind of experience, cause, like you guys aren't, you can watch me. This will be on YouTube later. It's on YouTube right now and I can be inspirational to you guys aren't? You can watch me. This will be on YouTube later. It's on YouTube right now and I can be inspirational to you guys hopefully. But I try to be more or less the open source guy, like I'm just not a video maker, editor, so I try to be at least knowledge for you guys hopefully.
Speaker 1:Touch on topics, explain topics verbally for you guys. You guys hopefully, touch on topics, explain topics verbally for you guys. That makes sense to help you guys. You know, make good consumer decisions and safety decisions and you know, financial decisions, et cetera. Based on just my experience and some of my friends' experience, some things I've seen. But it does kind of stink and I hope that, whatever is going on, I don't have to go to every single, I don't have to pay for everybody's Patreon to do that. And now I say that and that's kind of crappy. I get it, it's kind of crappy and these people need support. I do agree with that and somebody will say that. But man, that'd just be a bummer for me and a lot of people and I love that stuff, so it would just stink. So, anyways, that's. I mean, there we are on that, that was my, that was my. You know what's going on with social media, like just just, uh, just you know what's going on with social media, like just you know what's going on with it, kind of what I'm seeing. I wonder if anybody else is seeing it, unfortunate.
Speaker 1:I'll be here, talk about whatever you guys want to, or just whatever I want to. I am going to have guests on more. I'm going to do probably some tutorial stuff here coming up on more. I'm going to do probably some tutorial stuff here coming up, like showing you guys exactly how I do some stuff. The sun's out a little longer now, so I could probably get on board with showing you guys a little bit more about how I organize stuff, how I pack stuff, the reason behind some of the things I have that you either have seen before or haven't, but nobody's explained, um, and how I use things I use. I'm very, um, I don't know, problem solver minded. I guess I find unique ways to make stuff work in, you know, efficient ways. So anyways.
Speaker 1:But so anyways, justin, yes, you are about a half hour late. I, you didn't really. I mean, you didn't miss anything too too, too detrimental, my man. Um. So, for those of you listening, that's the chat, um, um. So, for those of you listening, that's the chat Um.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so, as as as the weather changes here and we just got this super gnarly weather with the wind, with the storms and everything, and and again, I wouldn't advise anybody in the world to be camping in that Um, like, seriously, like I didn't go and it was not a will thing, it was like safety, but it it does make me think for all you guys that do go out and rooftop tents and stuff. Um, you know, take some, some cords. You know even my rooftop tent here. You see where I'm like again, if you can't see me point at it like I have a clamshell rooftop or a. It's like a side clamshell rooftop tent, not a wedge, and it folds out over the top. I have seen where these things flip up in the wind. So bring some cords with you guys.
Speaker 1:Make sure you're securing your stuff down in the wind. It is spring, it does rain and get windy rains heavy on stuff too. You don't want all your stuff collapsing, getting you wet and everything else. Make sure you're you're you're cording your stuff down. Um, make sure you know that's the. It's the worst when it's already raining and you're under an awning or something and then it like totally gets annihilated by the wind. And now you're in the elements and and you just you broke something that's really expensive. Like, bring the poles, bring the tie downs, bring the stakes. You know, even though you got that rooftop tent, you can still stake down. You know the ladder, the like. Try and keep the wind from taking your stuff away. Um for sure, something that I don't ever see. But I'm pretty sure every rooftop tent comes with stakes and guidelines for that exact reason. Um, if you're in a ground tent, you know, make sure you're securing your stuff. You don't want your tent to just take off in the wind. That would be highly unfortunate as well. So just super duper, duper windy lately and it's just weather sucks, which makes me want to just travel Southwest, where there just isn't less likely to happen. But that's neither here nor there.
Speaker 1:I will, I, I, I had a. I had a situation today where I thought I was going to get to go on a pretty large adventure. I guess I'll call it a venture. I always call it a road trip, but it's more than a road trip. You know, there's camping and other stuff involved and that kind of fell through like pretty quickly and I'm still kind of bummed about it. I was like I was like let's leave the world behind, let's go for a week, like it's going to be awesome, like I was like. And then that kind of all just crumbled like about as fast as it spun up and I was like, damn it, that sucks. So now I got the itch. Now I got the itch, I got to get out and do something. For sure I know there's some people out there that are listening to this that got it too, Like they got the itch.
Speaker 1:This weather, when it gets like this and I don't get to go out for a week or two weeks, you know, like I had to work on my truck, that took time away. Now the rain and tornadoes and weather took my time away. Now I'm like I got to go and then it's getting to be like where everybody else is going to be going, so I'm going to have to go further, which is cool. I like that, so we deal, but I mean I could get after it. I could get after it. I like doing it so much.
Speaker 1:My book I have a couple of books that I read. When I go out, my books are just sitting, not reading them, not making progress, not getting anything done on them, because I haven't been out to read my books. I need to do that. Yeah, so that sucks Real bad, really sucks, but it is what it is, I guess, and life goes on and so I'll go on another trip. It'll happen, but it's hopefully, actually hopefully none of you guys got any hail damage, actually, sorry, I didn't. I hope everybody's safe, but I hope all your stuff's not. Hope your stuff's okay too, if you do situations. Um, I have been.
Speaker 1:I have been trying to get content out to you guys on a more regular basis on my Instagram. My Instagram is going to be the place where you guys can catch all this. I have some people on right now. They're watching on Facebook. I just don't post a lot on Facebook. I have a Facebook group. I'm live on Facebook right now. I just don't do a lot of Facebook. So if you guys really want to know what's going on with me or see what I'm doing or any of the people that are coming on the podcast or any of the people I'm interacting with, I share stuff from friends of mine, other creators, like that's all happening on Instagram, so hop on the Instagram. That's where you're going to find it. That's where it is going to find it. That's where it is Um or for for any of you.
Speaker 1:So Justin just asked if he's the only one watching on YouTube. No, there's people watching. There's not commenting, bro, so and that happens every week I got people that watch. They probably put me on. They're probably doing something else. They're not chatting so, which is fine. It's totally fine, yeah, they might be. Yeah, see, there you go. You're not there you are. So, yeah, that's how it goes. Man, I'm trying to do the stream. Some weeks are going to be more popular than other weeks. People got stuff going on.
Speaker 1:Quite frankly, right now, if I wasn't doing this, I'd have been mowing the grass. The weather sucked and it doesn't suck right now. Mowing the grass, it's it, the weather sucked and it doesn't suck right now. So I'd have been mowing the grass here in Missouri. But uh, I do often have more people viewing than interacting and that's totally fine. So, um, yeah, yeah, I mean that's just the way it goes. I think that's probably how it goes for streaming. I mean, it fluctuates too.
Speaker 1:So he said it looks like there's only a couple people on and it'll go from, like I can see it here like when you're streaming. Not that I want to get too much into what streaming is. I have very, you know, small subset of experience here, but sometimes it'll peak, like it'll go from, like it'll increase, like 10 people, and then back down and like. So like, hop in, watch it for a minute, maybe not interested, hop out, etc. Etc. Again, like I said, sometimes people you know they'll interact. Sometimes they won't, sometimes they're busy, sometimes they got stuff. A lot of people, a lot of people are listening to this after the fact. So that's also the case. I probably had my best. I mean, I definitely had my best cumulative week of listeners. So thank you guys all for that Last week. It was probably like I probably had like three times that people listened last week than my first month combined. So I'm getting the people are listening.
Speaker 1:So, and, that being said, as we get into the rainy season and we're getting into camping and we're getting into, you know, going out and it's rainy and it's wet and it's nasty, you know, one thing I want to address is well, first off, we're out of I believe we're out of diesel heater season, so we all just gained another two foot of space in our stuff, First off. And secondly, we are now in sweaty, nasty, you know, longer trips, hotter, what's going on. So one thing to bring up that I don't know if I've brought up previously and guys, make sure you're watching your toiletries, like for your own sanity, like I've been on trips, you get kind of nasty. I mean I have a pump shower, like a pump water shower, like a solar one kind of, but I also carry a lot of wipes with me, like shower wipes or, you know, soaps or something. So, like, think about that, guys, because we're getting into sweaty season and there's nothing worse than when you get into the tent or whatever the truck, the tent, insert sleeping place and you kick off your shoes and your freaking spouse. Make sure when you're going camping that you're wearing technical fabrics that breathe. Make sure you're taking your stuff with you and I don't say that like I'm some bougie camper by any means but you also don't want to just be like straight rank for your own good either.
Speaker 1:Like, so make sure you're getting some shower wipes, like I think they make, like I don't know, they make a bunch of different bags. Shower wipes, um, you can get them at rei. You can use baby wipes. You know, reverts back to a conversation I had, um previously. Make sure you got a place to throw them away. Don't throw them away out in the wilderness, but have them so you don't freaking stink all over the place. There's nothing worse than when you go camping with somebody and you're by the fire and you're cooking food and all you can smell is but nobody liked that, nobody's about it and and you're gonna take off your shoes after 10, 12 hours and who knows what, and just it's gross. So don't be gross.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, justin just said I'm a truck driver and, freaking, I carry baby wipes all the time. Um, and yeah, I mean like just, and it's real, like I was in the military. It's. It's to me it's not like a weird thing, it's not even a novel thing, it's not like taboo, it's not weird.
Speaker 1:Like maybe wipe showers, wipe showers, you know, get a water bottle. What I, what I've done in the past before I had a showers, I'd get those big water bottles and I would poke a hole in the top with like a knife or what I? You know, I've even used a what am I thinking of? Bungee cords. I've taken like pliers and straightened out the hook on bungee cord and slam it through a water bottle and then just like shower with the water bottle, cause now I got like a sprayer as I squeeze it like whatever I mean, make it happen. Make it happen Cabin.
Speaker 1:Stay clean though. We've been in this colder weather and people aren't sweating and stinking and we're all trying to stay warm. Now we're in sweaty, stinky land where you need to start thinking about hygiene, where you start thinking about hygiene and how you need to kind of keep yourself clean Also, that way you don't get infections. Also, that way you're checking yourself for ticks and bug bites and, you know, insert any other hygienic stuff. Yeah, tyson, tyson is on here and Tyson just said totally shocking conversation, funny story about Tyson and this specific. I have a lot of funny stories about Tyson because I go with Tyson Okay, that's all there is to it. Guys, we are not lovers, we're just friends.
Speaker 1:Okay, camping, uh, two years ago, I guess it was two years ago, and it was like October, september, october time, and it was like ridiculously hot for the time and Tyson had like some waterproof hiking boots and like thicker socks. And I will never forget the noise. Ty is his fiance, they get up in the tent and he takes off his boots and I just hear her just like just freaking and he starts. He starts laughing and I'm outside, I'm outside, I'm like by the campfire when they're going to bed and she's like oh my God, he just took his shoes off. So that's your commercial for wipes guys. God, he just took his shoes off. So that's your commercial for wipes guys.
Speaker 1:And again, had I been up there, I would have been totally talking crap to you. I'd have been like are you freaking, kidding me right now? Get me out of this plastic bag of stink. I'm not about it. So, anyways, just make sure you're paying attention to it. Also, it's getting warmer, so make sure you're paying attention to how you're packing your food. Make sure you're paying attention to pre-cooling your cooler and I brought this. You know I'm going to touch on so much stuff over and over and over and over and over and over.
Speaker 1:No, pre-cool your cooler. Get your cooler inside. Get your cooler inside, open it up, let it cool down. Then put your ice and your food and everything in it. If you let it sit out of the sun, you load it up. You're already set up. You're not setting yourself up for success. Pre-cool your cooler, whether that's a Yeti, even with your fridge, if you want to save any power, don't start. Don't power that sucker up in the sun or after it's been in your car or the garage. Get it inside, you know. Open it up, let it get to room temp, start cooling it down.
Speaker 1:It's that time of year where that stuff's going to be extremely important. We're not going to be putting beers in the snow. We're not going to be putting meat in the snow. We're going to be putting those things in coolers or it's going to go bad. It's going to be a big deal. That's a big deal coming up. I've been doing this since February. It's all winter, rain, warm. Now it's hot. Keep yourself cool, don't make a mess, don't be grody.
Speaker 1:And Tyson just said he he wears sandals or takes it off at the fire and yeah, and I mean, and I mean it's such a little thing and it's a funny story. It's nothing negative on tyson, but like it's a story that like in an afterthought, it's just a complete and total afterthought like I have camping slippers, some of my friends have camping slippers or flip-flops or whatever but like don't be getting in your tent. Yeah, don't be getting in your tent and freaking, you know, locking yourself into just miserable, you know, sauna of your own stank. It's not going to be awesome. It's not a smart idea at all.
Speaker 1:One thing that I was going through some pictures today and a thing and the thing I was noticing is I don't talk about this at all and I think a lot of anyways. I don't talk about it at all and I think a lot of. Anyways, I don't talk about it at all, but I was going to talk about leveling your truck when you get to camp. I have done a few different things for leveling your truck at camp. I see a lot of people use like. When I say leveling your truck at camp for those of you guys that are listening I mean like when you get to a camp spot, if you use a rooftop tent or you sleep in your truck, you don't want to be going on some extreme incline decline, lean to the left, lean to the right, so you want to try and level your truck out. So I use a bunch of. I use a bunch of different methods, of different methods. So so one thing I did on my truck Tyson is in the chat asking me to talk about it I got little levels.
Speaker 1:They're little, they're like two inch levels and I put one on the back of the rack and one on the side of the rack and they're butted up to one corner so I could see if it's level. You know, front to back and side to side, just like, and I just double-sided, taped them to my Princey rack, which is my roof rack, that my tent sits on, but you could easily put them on. I mean a tailgate, uh, you know, whatever anything. They just stick on, you could put them. You could put them somewhere. Um, I also been looking and found like one that goes in your cup holder. That's like more of a circle and it's more spherical so it can cover all the angles. So if you're, if you're somebody that want to do it from inside, but either way, that's that's what I use to find out if my rig is level.
Speaker 1:But in order, but to level it, I don't use rocks, I actually use go treads and I carry both go treads and max tracks For different reasons of my own. I mean, you don't need both, but I usually level my truck with those. I usually level my truck predominantly with the GoTreads because you can stack them higher, so they're just a multifunctional tool at that point. Maxtrax tracks now you use them as a shovel and they help, and max tracks are well, I've never used a go treads as go treads. Quite honestly, to be completely honest with you guys, I got them. I could use them as go treads. I think there are situations where a go tread would be nice because they if you don't know what a go-tread is. It's like a blocked like in it folds up. It's like a blocked um recovery device where a max tracks like a solid device and the bigger form factor, those go-treads go right up into their own little case and it's super convenient and I love that. Um, but I use them to level my truck.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to think no, and this picture that I have is my background. You guys can't see it, but I'm sure there's goat treads under it. So I always use some type of of something that's not like a rock or something as I've seen, like those are kind of pointy and and they can kind of be getting into your tire and I mean that always just kind of sketches me out that that's how you're leveling your rig and it creates like a fulcrum, like if you're up there moving around, like I might not look like a huge guy on this podcast and I'm definitely not a tall guy, but I'm not a small guy. So I mean, as I roll over and stuff, I don't be falling off some rocks. I want to have a little more steady footing for my truck. So that's something that I do like clockwork, like not even a thought I got those levels on the sides, got them at a camping world for I don't even know a couple bucks, not expensive, I can tell you that. And make sure I'm leveled out. It just makes for such a better sleep.
Speaker 1:Before I really made an effort to level out man it you could get like you could wake up kind of crappier, like you could wake up shittier because you're all jacked up sleeping. So that's like a that's like a weird easy thing to do. That everybody should be doing is leveling out their truck and I mean I'm not saying you got my go treads or max tracks, make get some blocks, I mean whatever. But you should definitely be aiming to level your stuff out and if you tent camp, you should be aiming to find a level spot. Aiming to find a level spot. Tyson just said they make those levels like I had that. I stuck on with magnets. They also have apps for your phone. I just like having the two accesses. You could easily get that with magnets. That's something to get, for sure I so that's something to get For sure. I think that's.
Speaker 1:There's so many little dumb things that I have that I've done. It'd probably be better for Tyson to talk about stuff that he's noticed I have Than to me think about it, tyson or Brad, but Brad's like gun shy, so I don't know if we'll ever talk to Brad, but I'm always finding little trinkety stuff trying to bridge the gap between. Trying to bridge the gap between when I lived in a camper and and and now and doing this more often. So that's where, like making sure you're level huge, making you know having stuff to make that easier to do, huge Making sure you're not under, you know don't be under widowmaker trees that are going to fall and just wreck your actual life, making sure you're not like in dangerous spots in general, a lot of that's just stuff I learned over years and and I lived in a camper for years, more than one year, like for life, all the time, which is again why I think van life would be amazing for me. Tyson just brought up I have red lights everywhere.
Speaker 1:I do have red lights in my truck. I do have red lights in the back of my truck. I do have portable red lights everywhere. I do have red lights in my truck. I do have red lights in the back of my truck. I do have portable red lights. I do have a Devo's light ranger with a red, with a red um filter and the reason I have that is because it doesn't affect your eyes.
Speaker 1:So like if you're in the dark for a while and you look at a brighter light, it kind of kills your natural night vision. And white light also attracts bugs and a bunch of different things. You know white light's going to, it's going to illuminate things a little differently. So red light kind of keeps away bugs, keeps your night vision. It doesn't have as far of a reflective property. So if you're trying to be a little more stealthy, again it's a red light. You can still see it, but not quite like a white light. So red lights is for sure a more functional light than a white light. Even in my truck all the lights interior lights are red and mine don't switch to white, they're red all the time. Every time you open the door in my truck the lights are red. They're LED and they're red. The lights in the back of my truck, in the bed, red, portable lights red. Everything I got is a red light. I don't have any other stuff that's white except my headlights. And there's a lot of health benefits to red light. Absolutely and positively has nothing to do with why I have red light.
Speaker 1:Um, when I was in the military, you always used red light because if there was, if the light was low, like say, the moon wasn't low you you'd know what the night's illumination was, for instance. So you'd always want to use red light because you'd want to maintain the best night vision that you could have. Um, white light is is extremely detrimental to your function in the dark. You know, it's great if you have continuous light, but it's not good and you can look at a red light in the dark and still like, get away from the red light and see in the dark better. Um, that's a more of a tactical thing. But also, you know I'm somewhat light sensitive. I don't. I mean, everybody now makes a freaking, everybody now makes a. You know, 95 000 million lumen light and I'm over here like the candles are too bright. I like red light. So I'm a big, I am a very big ambient light person. I don't even like direct light, um, for the same purposes.
Speaker 1:But red light's a big deal. You spend some money getting red light. It's going to take you some time to find red light. It's not easy to find red light stuff or red light filters for stuff you already have, but it'll be worth it for you, I promise for your eyes. And like tyson said, it's harder to see from a distance, like if somebody was. It's not as intrusive on other camps either, I guess is a good way to put it. Like my red light's never gonna shine in a way that gets in another person's eyes, like whether and I don't camp with people much but like if you're shining a flashlight you're 75 000 billion lumen, surefire somebody 600 meters away you could blind them. You're never going to do that with a red light and you're still going to be able to see. Even my headlamp has a red light. So yeah, anyways. So you're also not going to be intrusive on anybody else. Whether you're going with friends, family, there's other people around. You're not going to be inconvenienced on anybody.
Speaker 1:I do have to say that's one thing that I actually dislike when we go to events is the flashlight folks. So if you're flashlight folks, stop with the flashlights, get a headlamp and look at the ground Like I don't want to keep getting blinded by your $1,700 flashlight. I hate you flashlight people. Stop. That is probably the most brutal thing. Or to people that when we go to these expos, come in at like midnight with their freaking off-road lights on, like come on man, come on man, like I don't know, I don't know what there's a better option, but like damn it, you're waking everybody up. Ah, anyways, but I love the expos, I love the people. I do realize not everybody is even thinks about that stuff, like. Again, I do realize there's levels to the shit you know. So people just don't. Sometimes people just don't know like and there's cool factor, lights and different things, and I get it. And EDC and I get it. I totally I got you. But keep it. Edc. Like not for camping. Um, just uh, welcome to my Ted talk. So, um, but yeah, a couple of one thing that's on my list right now on my radar. But yeah, one thing that's on my list right now on my radar Tyson actually just brought it up. He brought up a suction cup paper towel holder.
Speaker 1:Paper towels are something that getting a solution for when you're camping man it is tough. I mean, I see a lot of guys, girls, guys, whoever, they put like a bungee cord. They put like a bungee cord across their rig to some extent and put paper towels on it. They unroll, though. There's a company Expedition Essentials. Expedition Essentials. They make like a super nice metal, magnetized. It's got a flap that goes over and holds your paper towels. Man, it's a lot of money, but paper towels are something that's. They're like a trash bag. You don't even know you need them until you don't have them. And you're I. How do I? How do I wipe anything off here, like what do I do? And again, you get a rag. You use your shirt. You could just wash your hands and let them air dry.
Speaker 1:I mean I'm being, you know, dramatic to some extent, but that's, that's a that's. I mean, that's a thing that I'm always kind of and forth on Harbor Freight paper towel holder, the nice paper towel holder. That's where I got to start bouncing it off my girlfriend because she makes better decisions than I do. I'll buy something purely based on a review somebody else had, or that it looks cool, or that it's cheaper. In some instances, and probably 10 out of 10 times, that screws me. So I revert to her most of the time, or at least I mean her for sure, and if I think she's also, if I potentially disagree with her, like if she doesn't have enough logic coming at me, I might be like I gotta ask somebody else too.
Speaker 1:Um, so yeah, tyson brought up the bag I throw under my truck. You talking about my clothing bag, tyson? I think he's talking about my clothing bag. I carry my clothes in a completely waterproof duffel bag so that I can just chuck them under the truck. So, yeah, that's what he's talking about. Okay, so I carry all my clothes in a completely waterproof bag, duffel bag, and I throw them under the truck in the evening and my truck, my stuff will never get wet, but that's so that I can open up space in the back of my truck, cause, as I, as as we're at camp, you know, you're moving the propane and chairs and different stuff. You don't want to keep putting your clothes and stuff back in. So I take that bag out it's like the last thing I'm going to need, throw it under the truck. It's fully waterproof and everything.
Speaker 1:It's also bright, freaking yellow, like so bright yellow. If that bag was black, I would run it over. I would completely and totally forget it 100%. That's something else I do all the time. My keys are right here, bright orange, keychain Bright, freaking orange, bright orange, blue.
Speaker 1:I got to have stuff that makes that's colorful phone case bright, freaking yellow and orange. I lose stuff. I lose stuff Like it's going out of style, man. So always makes sense. It always makes sense to me to have bright stuff, um, so that I can locate it and not forget it. Anything that's black, gray, green, brown, that blends in, it's a waste. I will completely and totally forget it somewhere. So I do make a point in that again, I've spent. I spent hundreds, maybe a thousand dollars on crap that I've forgotten. So don't again, don't be dumb like me. You know even my cups at camp and everything bright, freaking red. Everything is orange or red or yellow or lime green, or I lose too much stuff. So that's something to maybe consider too.
Speaker 1:If you guys start going a lot, like if you drop something and we've all done it every, well, and if you haven't done it, you're gonna do it you're gonna drop something. You're gonna be looking for it forever because it's, you know, black. My crap is brighter than bright, like if I don't find it, somebody else probably gonna find it, or you know it's super bright, it's like I think that's why tennis balls are the color they are. You can always find them somewhere. So but anyways, that's I mean I I'm sure I could go on all day about just little stuff, when the chap brings in here, um, but uh, one thing I've never done I want to bring this up to justin justin on here and he said the best sleep he's ever had is in a hammock.
Speaker 1:I've never slept in a hammock. I've never even sat in a hammock, guys, ever. My friend Brad Hammock Camps, his friend Justin Hammock Camps, my girlfriend has a hammock, tyson has a hammock. I've never even been in a hammock, ever, never sat in a hammockyson has a hammock. I've never even been in a hammock ever, never sat in a hammock, never done. I'm, I'm a structure person. I don't know that I can't.
Speaker 1:For, for vigilance purposes, guys, I don't think I could get out of a hammock fast enough. You know to be, to be a defensive individual in a less than ideal situation, and I base most decisions in my life off of that one factor. Do I have advantage? Can I get in and out of it quickly? Like, am I vulnerable? Can I see? But that's me Again, guys, you don't have to adopt all that.
Speaker 1:Like I said, I was in the military, I did combat things, so that's still in my mind 100 of the time, all the time where I sit, what I do so. That doesn't have to be you, but a hammock seems like a tactical inefficiency so I don't. So I don't do hammocks. Um, I've never been in one on purpose, it's not. It's, it's on purpose, it's not an accident. So comfort, great, defend your position, not so great. But you, yeah, tater chip, you got to set, set it up correctly. I mean, yeah, by not getting in it you sit in a chair. Sorry, I just talk shit all the time, but it's never going to be for me. You guys can set up your defense position from a hammock if you want. It's not going to be my choice ever. But whatever, that's a little thought. That's probably a little more personal.
Speaker 1:Look into my mind than any of you guys care to even know about. Which, uh, brings me to. I'm going to hop off here in just a second. It's been an hour and I've just been jabbing. But if you guys have any interest in a discussion about like stuff I carry for that, like that kind of stuff, like EDC stuff or or what I carry, um based on, like you know, preparedness, protection, um, if that, if that interests freaking anyone, um, I, I mean I, I'd be happy to talk about EDC stuff, knives, flashlights, like stuff that I carry on a regular basis or when I go camping, and how I kind of integrate that in, because I do go camping with other people. I do. They got their kids. Um, you know, they got their kids and you want to make sure everybody's protected. Uh, a guy that's. That's, it's.
Speaker 1:It's like one friend removed from me, baker Overland, has a video out on YouTube and I would recommend you all go watch it about a sketch situation that happened out at Frog Bayou Falls in Arkansas and it's scary and that just further solidifies my mindset, to be quite honest with you guys. But I would recommend all of you guys, as you get into camping and it's summer, that I don't want to spoiler alert on that video, but look at baker overland on youtube and he's got a video and I'm I'm sure it's by far his most popular video. It is a fantastic video, um, and it's a story about something that happened to him and he had his kids and they were camping and it didn't end up bad. So you, I guess I'll spoil that Like it's not bad, but like it does make you consider, like just be safe, like be safe, and what does safe mean to you? So think about that, guys.
Speaker 1:Um, I would really appreciate anybody that listens to this man guys, you guys are crap at writing me anything. I want to know what topics you guys want to talk about. Like I just said, I talked about red light, I talked about bags, I talked about social media. I am here to talk about whatever in the overland space, in the, you know, outdoor space period. I am trying to get a couple more interesting people on, but schedules are hard to uh, hard to line up, especially different time zones, uh, different days of the week. Um, so it it's just, it's just hard to get the some interesting people that you guys all want to talk to. So sometimes you just gotta be interested in me, cause that's what I'm going to have. Um, but please, please, please, please, email me, comment, dm me something. What are you guys looking at Interested in? Let me do some research on it. What opinions do you want? I have beyond been impressed, actually, with how many of you guys were interested in my free campsites, my free camp podcast and naturally, as I already knew, the 12-volt podcast still the best performing podcasts. I have videos, I have, so I mean, but that's out there now, anyways. So, hey, guys have a good evening. I'll see you guys next week.
Speaker 1:Next week I'll probably be getting a little more into trip planning events coming up, like maybe, how I plan stuff with kids and family, because it is that time of year to start planning for those things. The hot months are around the corner. It's May 1st now, you know, as Justin Timberlake would say, you know it. So I'll probably do a little more on that. Getting ready for that, I will be bringing on, bringing some screen share on about how to waterproof your stuff as well. I also mentioned treating yourself for bugs earlier, and I'll be showing you guys what that stuff is as well.
Speaker 1:So hope to see you guys next week. It might be just me, it might not be just me. So the topic I have lined up for next week about planning trips I could do that with somebody else too and still get some quality questions answered. So by all means, but please, guys, please, please, please, please, please. Leave a comment on the podcast, a review, a comment on the YouTube video. Send me an email, dm me on Instagram. I don't want this for algorithm purposes. I want it for getter into what the hell you guys want to listen to purposes. So help me out, help me, help you, or I'll just jabber about stuff forever. So have a good night. I'll see you guys next week and keep after it Later.