HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB? - Page 5

TomH · 10-18-2010, 06:12 PM

For those of you who are retired, how many of you really go boondocking and use 4x4 a lot. We are saving up for a SMB. I want 4x4, winch, and Pull Pal for the ability to boondock off of light to moderate 4x4 trails. We will be retiring in a few years and in our early 60s. My wife says we will be too old to be out in the boonies by ourselves and not strong enough to be setting up Pull Pals and winches, digging ourselves out of mudholes, or hiking 30 miles to a phone. I tell her that we can take a satellite phone and one of those emergency transponders. She says we have to accept the fact that we ain't spring chickens any more and that we can stay on paved roads with 2wd and have a great time. That "spring chicken" thing is one I'm having a hard time accepting. So again, how many who have reached those golden years find that you really use 4x4 and boondock on backcountry trails?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed in Montana

I get a chuckle reading about sleeping in a RAV4 or a Ford Explorer for long trips. I camped in back of our old Dodge Dakota pickup for years, which seemed luxurious at the time, but was basically very primitive.

LOL, that brings back memories of our first camper: a VW Rabbit pickup truck with a shell that was flush with the cab roof. I had an elevated (1 ft.) platform to clear the wheel wells and storage underneath. Ten small pieces of plywood could all be lifted from above for access. The little 39 hp. diesel engine got 52 mpg. It was small and cozy (about the size of a casket for two

). And we were very young and very much in love.

billwilson · 10-18-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomH

For those of you who are retired, how many of you really go boondocking and use 4x4 a lot. We are saving up for a SMB. I want 4x4, winch, and Pull Pal for the ability to boondock off of trails that are light to moderate 4x4 trails. We will be retiring in a few years and in our early 60s. My wife says we will be too old to be out in the boonies by ourselves and not strong enough to be setting up Pull Pals and winches, digging ourselves out of mudholes, or hiking 30 miles to a phone. I tell her that we can take a satellite phone and one of those emergency transponders. She says we have to accept the fact that we ain't spring chickens any more and that we can stay on paved roads with 2wd and have a great time. That "spring chicken" thing is one I'm having a hard time accepting. So again, how many who have reached those golden years find that you really use 4x4 and boondock on backcountry trails?

Tom
i am a retirement planner
ALL my clients are envious of my rig
We have been to some pretty spectacular places
MOST of them i could have driven my Lexus to
HOWEVER, real glad i have 4x4
TONS of places to go to that the 4x4 gives you peace of mind

I do not have a winch, nor do i want to be in a place that
i need one

What the heck, get the rig
take some trips and if you are 70 and cant get in an out anymore....get a Sprinter

you have the time
shope for a good deal on a used one
test it on weekends
dial it in
save a ton
start now

my 2 Satang

woodbee · 10-18-2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomH

For those of you who are retired, how many of you really go boondocking and use 4x4 a lot. We are saving up for a SMB. I want 4x4, winch, and Pull Pal for the ability to boondock off of light to moderate 4x4 trails. We will be retiring in a few years and in our early 60s. My wife says we will be too old to be out in the boonies by ourselves and not strong enough to be setting up Pull Pals and winches, digging ourselves out of mudholes, or hiking 30 miles to a phone. I tell her that we can take a satellite phone and one of those emergency transponders. She says we have to accept the fact that we ain't spring chickens any more and that we can stay on paved roads with 2wd and have a great time. That "spring chicken" thing is one I'm having a hard time accepting. So again, how many who have reached those golden years find that you really use 4x4 and boondock on backcountry trails?

Hello TomH.

I start Medicare next June. When traveling we boondock camp as much as we can. I prefer to 4 wheel in to camp, but can't always find places like that.
After being an Ironworker for 35 years I have a lot of joint problems and other aches and pains, but I don't let it slow me down to much. I love four wheeling and having the SMB allows me to get closer to things I want to see without having to hike a day to get there. Tom, you might want to check out my website http://www.beckersminerals.com and see where we have been in the last 10 ten months.
We took delivery of our SMB December 2009.
I feel that heavy duty 4 wheeling keeps my reflexes quick and keeps me young.
You can't beat 4 wheeling into spots most people will never see.

Woody

Edie · 10-26-2010, 02:54 PM

Hi Tom, and........,

I'm an 81 year old woman. My sweetheart of 27+ years will be 83 in Jan. We have been going out into the boonies all during that time for fly fishing and painting (I'm an artist). We did most of it in VW campers , but decided that we really needed 4WD in order to get down to those wonderful spots and up and down roads that were impassible without 4WD. We bought a new 4WD SMB in 2008.....and absolutely love it! We now DO get out on those roads and find fantastic campsites away from others.....(but not too far that we can't walk out to find someone). I will say that Ken would love to try some pretty hairy-looking roads, knowing what "Alice" is capable of, but I have to put my foot down sometimes! We carry SPOT to let people know where we are and that we're O.K. Also, if absolutely needed, it has a 911 (GPS)...for us, or others, in an emergency.

We are SO thankful that we have good health at this time, and want to take advantage of it as long as we can. So to all you young "whipper-snappers," as long as you're still able, get out there and enjoy and experience all the beauty there is everywhere! Of course, always be safe.

A very happy camper,

Edie

cellularSTEVE · 10-26-2010, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edie

So to all you young "whipper-snappers," as long as you're still able, get out there and enjoy and experience all the beauty there is everywhere! Of course, always be safe.

A very happy camper,

Edie

Edie,
Your post made my day! I love it that age isn't stopping you from getting off road. I think all of us can learn from you. Thank you!

steve

trombaray · 11-01-2010, 05:02 PM

I'm sad to say I hardly use it. I started a doctoral program a year after I bought it, and I have not had time off for SMB trips in five years. I should have sold it long ago, but hope remained. Now, I'd rather take a different kind of trip (Europe calls), so I need to get off my duff and sell the SMB. '02 Dodge B2500/318 RB50 PH 2WD. Alas.

Ray

Greg In Austin · 02-08-2011, 07:39 PM

We have been trying to keep track of this. We have missed a few days and a few nights.

...but in almost 3 years we have spent ~ 10% of the nights in the SMB and the day usage is much higher.

Ed in Montana · 02-11-2011, 06:18 AM

At the start of the 2011 camping season (37 days until Death Valley!) we have traveled 37,400 miles in 4.5 years in our Sporty . That adds up to 175 days total, or about five weeks (38 nights average) a year out and about.

I wish it were more but we are not retired yet and people still expect me to show up at work every so often. Of the outdoor people I know, we are in the top ten if not the top five for time spent outside in nature each year. Most folks are chained to their jobs and spend the rest of their time shuttling kids to soccer games.

As Thoreau has said; "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation".

**macmcintire** · 02-21-2011, 11:21 AM

I was preparing my tax information today and just realized I used my Sportsmobile more last year than my daily vehicle. I only put 5,443 miles on my daily vehicle, but I drove over 6,000 miles on my Sportsmobile. And all of that was within 300 miles of my home. Since I will be driving up the coast of California in a few months I'm sure I will put many more miles on my Sportsmobile in 2011 than I will on my good ol' Suburban.

jvsontheroad · 02-21-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

For those of you who are retired, how many of you really go boondocking and use 4x4 a lot. We are saving up for a SMB. I want 4x4, winch, and Pull Pal for the ability to boondock off of light to moderate 4x4 trails. We will be retiring in a few years and in our early 60s. My wife says we will be too old to be out in the boonies by ourselves and not strong enough to be setting up Pull Pals and winches, digging ourselves out of mudholes, or hiking 30 miles to a phone. I tell her that we can take a satellite phone and one of those emergency transponders. She says we have to accept the fact that we ain't spring chickens any more and that we can stay on paved roads with 2wd and have a great time. That "spring chicken" thing is one I'm having a hard time accepting. So again, how many who have reached those golden years find that you really use 4x4 and boondock on backcountry trails?

Tom-I would strongly suggest you go with the 4WD option. I'm in my mid 60's and CeCe is 4 1/2 yrs younger. We don't do the more difficult trails you see in pictures on the forum but enjoy remote camping spots best reached with 4WD. We don't have a winch but do have ltd slip in both front and rear axles.

Not sure where you live but there are HUGE expanses of the West (Death Valley NP, Anza-Borrego SP, much of Nevada BLM) that are desert open to you if you have 4WD. Add to that Forest Service Roads. Even limiting yourself to "moderate" roads/trails, 4WD will expand your options 10 fold. PM me if you want to discuss further.

Jack