Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Camping…while not camping

techjeeper

TJ Enthusiast
Original poster
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2023
Messages
178
Location
Texas
I am someone who actually likes to use the stuff I own. I have been slowly compiling the things needed for Bikepacking and Jeep Camping. My problem has been making the time to go on trips to do these things often enough to justify owning the stuff. Does anyone else use your camping stuff when not camping? Drive out to the lake, cook a camp breakfast, enjoy a couple hours outdoors then back to the real world? I started trying to do this and have had a couple successful outings and have really enjoyed finding everyday opportunities to utilize some of these things. Obviously tents and sleep setups are not real practical for non overnight uses but the cooking, water setup, awning(tarp, it’s really just a tarp), etc seem to have some usefulness outside of camping trips. Some of my friends think it’s weird that I would get up early, park somewhere headed to work and make my morning coffee on the tailgate with my kettle, burner and press rather than just make it at home. Is it maybe a little unorthodox? Sure. Or when I loaded my bike with my lightweight cooking stuff just to ride out into our local trails and cook fajitas in the dark and sat by the “river” a while.

I’m hoping to take my wife to drive in theater, cook up a good meal and enjoy watching Twisters Saturday. It may not work out quite right but we are shooting for it. Also watching a twister movie at the drive in…awesome.
 
Pocs

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last minute decided I’d make breakfast this morning too since I needed to be at work at 4am for a concrete pour. Coffee went well, eggs not as well. My salt grinder busted open and filled the edge of the pan with pink salt rocks. Hahaha. I salvaged most of the eggs and snapped a blurry pic.

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2nd time this week! Mid morning coffee on an early 300 mile trip. 4am to 10am round trip to our company’s other branch 150 miles away.

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Some of my friends think it’s weird that I would get up early, park somewhere headed to work and make my morning coffee on the tailgate with my kettle, burner and press rather than just make it at home. Is it maybe a little unorthodox? Sure. Or when I loaded my bike with my lightweight cooking stuff just to ride out into our local trails and cook fajitas in the dark and sat by the “river” a while.
I think it's weird that your friends don't see the appeal. Often times the journey is more important than the destination.
 
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...bet you love it when your mommy reads these posts to you and whispers in your ear, "who is my little internet tough guy, huh baby?"
<facepalm>. How was that "tough guy"? But, I hate to disappoint so here is an actual pretend tough guy with yet another message for you to misinterpret...
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I do this all the time. Granted, most of my locations aren't as remote as I can get when heading up to the mountains but I pack up and cruise to the end of the outer beaches, throw a small tarp up and spend the day. I am grateful that I can work from virtually anywhere so many times these beach excursions are a combination of work and testing out gear.
 
We have a few areas that would work good for that, it's only about 50 min to the top of My lemmon where it's about 20-30 degrees cooler, then there's the Saguaro National Monuments East and West, Gate's Pass and Colossal Cave Mountain Park. We went to CCMP yesterday, the only drawback is they lock the gates between 4PM and 9AM so if you're camping you're kind of stuck there till 9AM. The camping is dry and mostly 4x4 accessible only and would be a good place for people coming to Tucson from the East for trail ride meetups to camp overnight. Mt. Lemmon would also be good for people joining up on the back road trip, they could drive up the highway the day before and join the gang the next morning. They have Forest Service fee camping as well as dispersed camping which I believe is free.

In my younger days we used to go up to Mt. Lemmon and stay till Monday AM when I would get up really early and we'd drive back and still make it to work on time.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts