Backpacking After Retirement

[rlown]

You're not the Tom. CC is.. But since you're here, how is the new house and the move coming along?

[Dave_Ayers]

The only thing changing for me so far is taking more trips. Needing to take vacation restricted it to 1-2 backpacking trips per year. I was taking a week off from work and doing 7 day trips to maximize backcountry time vs. drive time. Usually going Sunday to Saturday, giving a day before for chores and to pack up and a day after for chores. Now the day of the week is no matter and it's multiple trips per year. I may eventually extend into shoulder season and winter too. When I only had vacation for one or two trips, the focus was on prime season.

[Tom_H]

You're not the Tom. CC is.. But since you're here, how is the new house and the move coming along?

Well, don't want to hijack the thread, but maybe a change of direction might be good anyway. The house was supposed to be done by now, but it rained so much up there (N side of the Columbia River) that the ground is still too wet to pour concrete. The lot's on a hillside and uphill water is seeping down. Adequate French Drains will go in after concrete's poured. The soil engineers are testing daily and say it's soon. It will be nice in the end though. As you enter the neighborhood there's an incredible view of Mt. St. Helens. As you turn onto our street there's an equally amazing view of Mt. Hood. From our back porch we will have a view across a preserved meadow with a round knob on the other side and a swift moving stream at the edge of our hill and the meadow. The stream is just big enough for kayaking. The big city of Portland is minutes away on one side and the Cascades minutes away on the other. I see some enjoyable day hiking in my retirement (there-got back on topic!)

[rlown]

get used to the rain..

[Tom_H]

get used to the rain..

We have an off road 4x4 Sportsmobile on order. I have plans to always be someplace where the weather's nice and nature beautiful!

[ERIC]

We have an off road 4x4 Sportsmobile on order. I have plans to always be someplace where the weather's nice and nature beautiful!

Tracks for the quad? Tracks for your truck? If anything like that, I'm requesting pictures.

[Tom_H]

I'm requesting pictures.

4WD conversion with extensive suspension upgrade. Camper floor plan per buyer's custom design. The Ford Econoline conversions are the most off-road capable, and the Mercedes Sprinters the second most. Ford doesn't make regular E-series any more, but still makes Econoline cut-aways. SMB is now building on those. I know some backpackers and climbers who have SMBs and use them to reach difficult trail heads.

030d.pdf

Company website: http://sportsmobile.com

Users' forum: http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/forums/

[rlown]

Nice.. I've looked at those before, but cannot bring myself to buy a Ford product. Repaired 3 of them in my youth. All engines. Did that as well with a V4 Saab Sonnet III (Ford engine) and my parent's '72 Chevy suburban.. That Chevy engine/tranny combo was the one I liked the most. We did Summer and Winter trips from CA to MN; flawless. Tried offroad in the Saab and in my Triumph Spitfire '73. Amazingly nimble cars on granite and if you drop a tire into a pothole, two of you can pick it up and move it out of the hole.

Tom, you will tell us when you get high centered or stuck, right? Winches are nice.

I like the manual locking front hubs in your last picture. When I got the Suburban stuck off-road at Grizzly Island, I had to crawl out and reach down and spin the hubs. Then, back, forth, back, FORTH and we were free to continue.

Dad dropped her front diff on a rock in Utah on a back road you should never be on.. All 6-10lb rock.. I looked at him and said "I know what to do".. He got out and let me rock her off the rock.. Learned a LOT..

[ERIC]

Thanks! That thing is A BEAST!

[Cross Country]

I agree wholehearrtedly with Tom H. The first 6 years of my retirement I went on some great trips. Bypass surgery changed all that. Not all surgeons are good surgeons.