You know, it struck me today that it’s a danged shame when something like good service and dependability become unusual enough to remark upon, yet that’s certainly become the case.  We’ve come to expect danged little from service providers these days, whether it’s the airlines or shopping for dinner at your local grocery store.  It seems like the primary competition in business these days is to see just how little one can get away with providing before the bottom line is impacted.

With that said, if good service stands out, then excellent service is definitely worth recognition… and that’s what I’ve received over the years from Four Wheel Campers, the makers of the camper that graces my truck. 

In September of 2004, I decided I needed something more substantial for truck camping trips than a shell and an air mattress.  I didn’t want a trailer, because I often haul the horses around, so whatever I got had to fit in the bed of my truck.  At the same time, I didn’t want to sacrifice road-worthiness and fuel economy with one of the gigantic cab-over campers.  A “Class-C” camper van or RV would never get me into some of the places I go on hunting trips.  And all I really needed was something with a bunk and a galley, and room to store some of my stuff. 

What I found was a Four Wheel Camper, a pop-up cabover that’s built specifically for people like me.  It’s designed to be used on off-road pickup trucks, but also to be comfortable when deployed in camp.  The camper is really lightweight.  I got the deluxe model, just about fully loaded (no AC), but even that one weighs in well under 1000 pounds, even with a full tank of water. 

Anyway, I already said this much and more in a review I wrote for Jesse’s Hunting and Outdoors back in the spring of 2005.  No point in saying it all again.  You can read about it there, and see how much I really like this camper!

Some people buy a camper like this and use it a couple of times a year.  Statistically, most of those folks tend to stop using the camper as the family moves on to other interests.  It ends up sitting in the yard, or sold off to make room for new hobbies.  Not so in my case! 

Since the purchase of this camper, it’s seen an awful lot of miles and time in the field.  I’ve camped from the high Sierra to the Rocky Mountains, and hit most of the great deserts in between.  I’ve hauled it up and over mountain jeep trails, and down interstate highways equally, and it’s served as well on a backcountry trailhead as on the paved lot of a RV park.  It has been my base camp for countless horseback trail rides, hunting trips, and coastal excursions. 

So with this kind of use and abuse, how has the Four Wheel Camper held up?  (more…)

It’s not something you can just scratch and make it go away.  You can’t spray Bactine on it, or take some antihistamines to clear it up.  It’s worse than mosquito bites on top of poison oak, and it never goes away.

I’m sitting here this morning, eaten up with it.  I know I need to get to work, but all I can think of is hog hunting. 

My thoughts drift from actually chasing the hogs, to all the preparation I could be doing right now. 

My “new” hunting vehicle needs some work, since the brake lights and turn signals appear to have come unwired.  I also want to look into replacing the springs on it, so it doesn’t rattle my teeth quite so bad on the slightest pothole.  And, as much as I’d like to delay it, I need to go see if it will pass the CA Smog test, so I can complete the registration process.  I also want to look into getting a vanity plate for her.  Her name is Petunia.

There’s a big part of me as well that just needs to get out of the bloody office and into the field.  I know that envy is one of those seven deadlies, but I can’t help being a little jealous of the folks who make their living in the outdoors.  Game wardens, biologists, full-time hunting guides and outdoors writers.  Here’s what I really wish my office looked like:

Anyway, I guess I’m not feeling too bad about it.  At my weekly chiropractor visit yesterday, I got to talking to the Doc.  I’ve convinced him to join me at Tejon over the Memorial Day weekend.  This’ll be his first hog hunt, and he’s gone all in about it.  Every time we get together now, a good part of the visit is spent discussing gear, hunting strategy, ammo, and anything else related to hunting. 

The itch is contagious, and now that I know I’ve passed it along, it makes my own case much more bearable. 

Well, I’ve been chewing on this idea for a few years now, letting percolate and run through the filter, then passing it back into the reservoir to churn through once again.  My 3/4 ton Dodge diesel truck, the Tactical Vehicle, is just not fit for climbing the tiny, off-camber, slicker-than-goose-crap roads that I spend so much time on during my hog outings.  Of course, I use it anyway, which has led to some fairly precarious situations.

I was initially looking for a Jeep, particularly a Willys, but it’s danged near impossible to find one in running condition for a price that a semi-normal person (that’s me) can afford.  After a lot of discussion with some off-roading friends, I kept hearing the recommendation to try the “Sammie”, and following research of my own, I decided to go for it.  That was four years ago…and the idea has finally borne fruit!

Pending any changes in schedule, and some time in the shop for some maintenance and check-outs, the Strike Vehicle will get its initiation to Hog Country at the end of this month, as I go chasing hogs and turkeys down at my friend Chopper’s place near Hollister, CA. 

 We’ll let you know how it worked out.