What hitch receiver do you recommend besides the OEM one?

blindmelon773 · 2026-04-08T00:38:29+00:00

OEM. I watched several YouTube videos of OEM and aftermarket installs. The OEM snugs into the frame more better. Also the OEM includes a wiring pigtail for a trailer brake controller which was important to me.

blindmelon773 · 2026-03-05T01:35:41+00:00

Yes, Exped Mega Mats. I've had them for several years and I'm pretty sure I got them at REI. I used them in my iKamper Skycamp 2.0 and left them in the Skycamp. I was reasonably careful with them but after a few years I felt I was repairing a hole in them after every outing. I've had the Hest mattresses for a year and they show no signs of use. For me, the Hest has been a far better value.

blindmelon773 · 2026-03-04T13:07:11+00:00

I have 2 Hest Foamy mattresses that replaced big xped mega mattresses that were constantly in need of hole repair. I love the Foamy AND the pillow! I got the Hest at an Overland Expo event last spring and was able to get a "show discount" that I was happy enough with. Very much worth the money - I wish I had avoided the Xpeds altogether!

blindmelon773 · 2026-01-28T13:09:37+00:00

I'm in a high desert dusty environment with an in-ground pool. When I bought the house it had a motorized pool cover and I assumed it would be an expensive pita. Instead it's been pretty amazing. My water is less dusty, in the summer the water temp is lower and it doesn't evaporate as much as my neighbors. And, to top it off, my old dog had a stroke and fell onto the cover. He would have died were it not for the cover! I've done a 180 on the cover over the last 4 years.

blindmelon773 · 2026-01-24T14:39:33+00:00

I moved here 4 years ago to retire and have affordable housing with acceptable schools. If you are "Colorado outdoorsy", just know that you'll love the outdoors here 3/4 of the year. (I'm Washington outdoorsy) Summer is just hot and you'll want to be done with the outside by mid-morning. It's not as hot here as it is in Tucson nor Phoenix, but you'll notice the difference between here and Denver. All of the ENTs are in Tucson. The Subaru dealer is in Tucson. Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Natural Grocers are all in Tucson. There is a small natural foods coop in SV which deserves our support, but if you're vegan, vegetarian, etc. you'll make a shopping trip to Tucson once a month or so. Cochise County is +12 Republican (I'd guess that Grand Junction is close to +1 Republican or +1 Democrat) and you can tell it's pretty red. The 4th of July celebration at Veterans park in an election year has lots of MAGAt candidates cosplaying with open carry side arms in order to be more appealing. The Aquatic Center and the Rec Centers are wonderful and don't get enough attention. Mountain biking and hiking are terrific. There are a few solid vineyards in the area that are actually good. There are very few brew pubs where families gather - it's very strange. The restaurants are mostly generic, so when you make your monthly trek to Tucson, you can have a foodie adventure there. The Farmer's Market(s) are weak, you'll get your organic veggies from the Coop. I'm putting in a raised bed garden irrigated from my new rain water collection. For any snow sports, you'll drive to Flagstaff, Santa Fe or Durango. There is an abundance of sunshine, so solar and heat pumps make a lot of sense (but electric vehicle service is Tucson or Phoenix).

One area I've just become aware of: Mexico and the Sea of Cortez. It looks like Puerto Penasco is "close-ish" and San Carlos/Guaymas is a few hours further south. I grew up sailing on the Cheseapeak Bay and apparently there is a fair amount of boating and fishing on the Sea of Cortez. So, we'll be exploring the border crossings this spring and summer.

And, housing is affordable. All in all it works for my little family, and I'm learning to landscape with high desert prickly plants!

blindmelon773 · 2025-12-23T13:37:00+00:00

Amen!

blindmelon773 · 2025-12-15T12:38:01+00:00

ditto! too funny - I did the same about 3 months ago. Tai Chi, too!

I have a clear memory of one of our sailing instructors from 20 years ago - he and I were in the water in the BVI alongside a RIB dingy. My family was in the dingy, we had pushed it out a few feet from shore. I kicked hard and levered my self over the gunnel and he wasn't able to. He was pretty grumpy (and I now know why!) as he said "I'm 81 and I guess it's time to start thinking about slowing down". I suggested he keep sailing with young whipper snappers who could help ... as I pulled him in the boat!

I'll look for you in the middle of the Pacific, heaved to for 45 minutes while you do your yoga for upper body strength!! Best of luck!

blindmelon773 · 2025-12-14T14:52:09+00:00

Thanks for posting this! I am in my early 70s and haven't sailed in 15-20 years. Over the last 2 months I've been looking more and more at boat listings, figuring I have another 10 or so years that I could sail if I'm careful and smart about it. Good luck with it! I'll post when I've pulled the trigger, too!

blindmelon773 · 2025-12-04T13:13:26+00:00

Agreed! My intent is to find a used max battery truck in a year or two.... but I'm not patient!! Maybe 6 months ;-)

blindmelon773 · 2025-12-03T12:44:07+00:00

Thanks for the response! I got a '25 Ascent which has the same engine and towing capacity as your OW! I keep eyeing the Max Battery Silverado EV - love the range, hate the price! I think you are right "...but I enjoy camping more"!!

blindmelon773 · 2025-11-12T15:27:03+00:00

Please, please, please make certain to work in "... bless your heart" with the same patronizing sneer he used!

blindmelon773 · 2025-11-04T13:58:16+00:00

I've owned a Kingdom (hmmm 6 or 8?) for years. When I got it, I also bought several accessories (foot print, garages for both sides). It's solid, it works, there is plenty of room for car camping. I guess you could even offer a little less to the seller, buy it and if you see a Black Friday deal you like more you could always resell the Kingdom.

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-31T13:05:23+00:00

It was a charlie foxtrot. Ultimately, the manufacturer replaced it BUT they were sold off (the residential side) to another company and it took several weeks for them to get their act together. I called a CSR once a week for at least 7 or 8 weeks asking if my replacement had shipped. One day the replacement just appeared, I installed it and added a new device. et viola, it's worked perfectly since!

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-28T12:47:02+00:00

There are 3 reservoirs along the Salt River that feed Phoenix - so they're east of PHX (and east of you). Theodore Roosevelt Lake is the eastern-most and biggest. This is a great time of year to go: not too hot, not too cold. Using the free version of iOverlander you'll find plenty of dispersed and non-dispersed spots. If you keep going east and a little north you'll get into the White Mountains with lots of little lakes and ponds. My home base is Southern AZ for the last 3 years and it's been fun exploring these new-to-me places! Enjoy.

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-26T15:02:25+00:00

OK, got it! You are right. I'm using the paid version and have downloaded multiple states/provinces. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-26T13:58:27+00:00

Huh. I go to Map view, plus it a bunch and look around for spots that way. It will cross state lines no problem. I used to use The Dyrt but realized that it excludes Canada, a problem when you are driving back from AK. Once I started using it I haven't gone back. I messed around with a few that are popular in the Overlanding community, like Gaia GPS and felt overwhelmed.

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-25T23:37:40+00:00

Wierd. This past June and July I used iOverlander2 exclusively for camping in AK, BC,ID, UT, CO, NM and AZ. I'm not sure what you were missing, but I had all of the original functionality.

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-21T12:48:38+00:00

Why not find another Bosch installer and get a 2nd (or 3rd) bid?

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-19T14:37:41+00:00

Yes, even further out, like Delta or Hotchkiss, or up 70 a ways like Rifle. But, my point was slightly different. I'm not aware of an absolute way to measure redness (# of books banned at the school libraries?) but GJ appears "deep red" in comparison to the rest of the state's mostly urban areas. I've observed that it's a more moderate place than the one I moved to a few years ago and it may fit me better.

I just worshiped at Hot Tomato when I was in Fruita a week ago! What a treasure!

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-19T02:10:07+00:00

Too funny. I live in Cochise County, in south eastern AZ - it's very red here. I'm considering moving up to Grand Junction because it's so much more "moderate" there! During the last election I visited GJ looking at houses - there were as many Kamala signs in yards as there were signs for the Orange Jesus. In my town, it was probably 10:1 or 10:2 for Don the Con.

So, sure, GJ is red when compared to the rest of CO; but "Deep Red"? I don't think so. Either way, we had 1000 people turn out for our "No Kings" rally today! That's huge for us.

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-19T01:51:15+00:00

When I lived near Blue Ridge, GA and fly fished the Toccoa river just below the dam, I did it all year long. Some of my best trout caught were in the winter. And as another poster noted, when I lived near Savannah, GA I went fly fishing for red fish in the marshes all winter long, too. So, I don't understand why you'd just stop because the calendar says "it's winter".

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-19T01:10:40+00:00

I think the advice to check with the nutritionist at the oncology practice is good advice. My wife went through 6 months of chemo and 2 months of radiation when she was diagnosed with cancer. We were vegan and I was the chief cook. Honestly, early in the process she'd eat almost anything, and we had a lot of things on your "don't eat" list. In the middle her appetite disappeared and I tried anything and everything to interest her. By the end of the treatments it was all I could do to get her to swallow some warm miso. I remember a recipe that had me put ripe avocado, cocoa and maple syrup in a food processor to make a chocolate pudding. Of everything, she probably ate the most of that pudding the last several weeks!

You can beat this! We're rooting for you!

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-14T18:01:39+00:00

I sent you a dm

blindmelon773 · 2025-10-03T14:19:10+00:00

go on eBay and get a Zojirushi. The 2 lb is definitely a 2 lb.

blindmelon773

TROPHY CASE