One of the things I've been oddly fascinated and imaginative about is the set of switches that come built into the Ford SuperDuty Trucks - usually used by plow trucks and emergency vehicles but I could also imagine many possibilities too. While I can't emphasize enough that I haven't decided for sure on getting a SuperDuty truck, I am sure leaning in that direction come February when I start checking out trucks at dealerships.
With over a foot of snow expected tonight up in Rensselearville and temperatures all day hovering around the single digits and the breeze now gentle but still bone chilling and expected to pick up as snow came in this evening, I decided to call it quits.
It really was a hard decision on my part, ☃️ knowing this was the end for Big Red. There will be no more camping, no more trips with Red. But I also realized while the book may be closing on Red, Rensselearville State Forest, the hills and hollows – and other trips will not be coming to an end. I won’t have truck this winter, I won’t be embracing the bone-chilling cold up at camp, but I will most certainly be getting a new truck come spring. 🛻 Probably another Big Red truck – a SuperDuty most likely and installing a cap on it. With more solar, more batteries, and by next winter, getting a diesel heater so those nights under the cap winter camping won’t be so frigid. It was so cold yesterday, all I really did was set up camp, gather firewood, then started campfire for warmth. I can’t understated how much the wind was roaring up there on the hill. Truth is I wouldn’t have even gone out on this trip based on the forecast, except I wanted to go out one last time to say bye to Big Red.
With snowfall rates expected over two inches an hour, ☃️ and the wind picking up, it would have been another bitterly cold night. Maybe not as bad as last night, but there is a lot of appeal to the warmth of that heated blanket at home. Last night was the coldest night I’ve ever camped, between the wind chill and mercury which dropped below zero. Tonight will not be much warmer. Indeed, it actually wasn’t a bad thing that I came home today – when I got home I discovered my bedroom was 40 degrees. I turned off the heat when I was loading my gear yesterday to head up to camp. Ran around, turned up the heat and a space heater in my bedroom, and checked for frozen pipes and faucets. All was good and things warmed up quickly. 🚰 With the hard cold, all my camp water was pretty much frozen, as was my milk, eggs, maple syrup and likely my beer.
The more immediate concern too was I was concerned about having enough fuel ⛽ especially should the snow be heavy and unable to leave until Sunday. I only put in 10 gallons of fuel a week ago, but besides Rensselearville drove to work one day, to my parents house, Walmart, and obviously the state forest. Been keeping the fuel level down, as I don’t want to waste fuel or park the truck full of expired fuel, and because the beam that holds up fuel tank is rotted out and I don’t want excessive weight on it. It was cold and I would need to idle the truck a fair amount to maintain a safe charge on the batteries and stay warm. Plus more alarming was after four nights camping, 🏮 the propane tank was getting light and while I might have a gallon left, after another cold long night, it would be pushing it to make it Sunday, and I didn’t want to exhaust the propane in the cold. Plus the wind and cold left my toes, hands, and face wind burnt and dried out from the cold. Still, I knew it was the end for Red. Plus I wanted to drive home with no risk of snow or ice, and I figured if Red hit a bump and broke apart, on a Friday, it would be much easier to summon a tow truck and a ride home. It was fine, but I can really feel the truck falling apart, especially when it was so loaded down with all the camp gear.
Coldest morning I think I’ve ever camped with Red. 🥶 At least least it’s no wind. 🌬️ Alternator was running at 15.4 volts this morning, engine at high idle while warming up. 🔥 My toes were cold, next winter got to buy myself a diesel heater to heat my truck cap, lol. 🦶Actually somewhat considering getting a slide in camper for my next truck which will likely be a long bed reg cab SuperDuty, but I think I prefer just the camper shell cap but I’m getting old and sleeping completely unheated in one degree weather is less fun. 🛻But at least no wind this morning. Every time I close a door even more rust falls off Red. Yesterday a 2 feet by 9 inch piece of rusted sheet metal fell off.😔
Last night was so bitterly cold with the roaring wind. 🌬️ 🥶 It was bad. And today is still a bit cold with the breeze. I had set up tarps to block out the breeze but they kept having the ropes and grommets ripping out. Twice the camp stove blew off the table, the second time with a perculator and frying 🍳 pan on the stove. The wind was that strong and cold. It caused both burners to come apart and I thought the stove was wrecked but I put it back together and it’s working fine now. Then the wind broke one of my Christmas lights sets, ripping the wire off and my camp chair blew into the fire and half melted. 🔥 That kind of sucked, it wasn’t a uncomfortable $10 Walmart mini chair that’s mad uncomfortable but more non burn trash. The wind 🍃 ain’t so bad now but it’s still a bit breezy and cool and the sun has disappeared into clouds as snow approaches. 🌥️
One question on my mind ⚖️ is to head home 🏡 today or stay until tomorrow or possibly Sunday. We are getting a foot of snow 🌨️ tonight. I want to do one more or maybe two nights with Red but it’s cold and going to be icy. For once I get home it will be the last camping trip until I get my new truck in the spring. I’m not thrilled about the performance of my truck with the frame so rotted especially on icy roads. And I’m down to the last 1/8th tank on my truck fuel ⛽ so I got to be careful on that and it’s been four cold nights since I last got propane so I’m likely okay for two more but I’ll be pushing empty in the cold and snow. 🏮 But knowing if it go home today, it’s just city 🏙️ life through April. No wilderness, no camping even I do in a few weeks starting climbing in SuperDuty trucks. And a Toyota too not that I’m that inclined to get a Mexican taco 🌮 truck. I like Tacos but I hate crew cabs plus I have so much gear I bring especially for week long wilderness trips.
Long bed, regular cab trucks aren’t super popular anymore but I like them especially those with less technology to break or be fiddlesome.
I am thinking of getting a truck like this in the April F-250 regular cab long bed 4×4 with the 6.8l Mini Godzilla Gasser Engine. I like them as they are really old school, reliable technology. Granted not three on the tree and they have air conditioning but it is 2026.
Old fashioned incandescent $12 headlights and $2 1157 bulb taillights – no LEDs. Simple Group 89 starting battery that Walmart sells for $80 and takes 10 minutes to install yourself. engine no auto stop shutoff and no cylinder deactivation. I avoid driving on roads with stop lights so I don’t need the EPA engine trashing woke technology. Big burly 250 amp alternator. Recommend 5W-30 oil that actually lubricates the engine. Not the horse piss non lubricant endorsed by EPA. Tiny little digital displays, you turn a key in the ignition to start.
While the WOKE might despise such trucks, the EPA designed Wokemobiles that comfort every need including heating your back with their crew cabs are such disposable crap. I’d much rather pay a little more for a basic reliable truck and a bit extra in fuel that I can get inexpensive, reliable parts and repairs compared to the wokemobiles all the advertisers are pushing full of screens and LEDs. When I see a truck advertising all the comforts and technologies, I have to scream! I don’t want a F-150 or a Maverick with every sensor and feature of imaginable.
Hell of it is – to avoid going woke – you got a spend a lot of money. As all the cheap vehicles are Uber Woke full of TV screens. But you do get a lot of capacity in exchange for your money, big powerful engine and alternator, roomy bed. Hell of it is with the sofa on wheels Wokemobiles with their mandatory crew cabs, they’re only 4″ shorter than the long bed regular cab Superduty. Oh, I do like the color red.
