Recent content by AlanMcW

Thanks DPSMedic, this looks like a great resource.

Hello OTH, this is a very generous offer, thank you. Seattle is very much part of the plan, we also hear that the coffee there is good.

Hello Zombiecat, these are great suggestions, thank you. Booking early is the plan, but I fear that there will be too much variability in the itinerary to lock in too many camp locations in advance. I think parks like Yosemite will have to be booked, but others will have to be ad hoc as we get...

Hello MMc, thanks for the tip about Joshua Tree, and also for the offer of help with Baja.

Hi NJCoastal, thanks for these tips. Heading East is going to be a set of very tough decisions for us when it comes to picking a route. My wife has been to Chicago several times and she has always told me I must see it - so we'll have to juggle a "Northern Route", a "Southern Route" and maybe a...

Thanks Zim, I have not looked at East coast ports yet and your Baltimore tip is appreciated. I am guessing that the transatlantic shipping options are wide and varied.

Hi Sojourner, our plan is to eventually head East as the next step is to ship to the UK and Europe. Sadly, we'll not have all the time needed to give as much time to the East coast as we'd like. That will be a whole other vacation.

Hello RT, We looked at the Canadian option but it is not a significant issue for us as we only plan to stay in the USA for 12 months this trip. Arriving in LA is also a good option for us in terms of catching up with friends. We've looked at insurance options, and the most cost effective seems...

Arizona is currently moving into number one spot for the winter months, just ahead of Baja, and will probably be after my wife takes time out to go home for some time with her mum. I'll blend in with the snowbirds

This is great, thanks Alanymarce. So far I think the community has provided enough information for at least three trips. It is very clear that New Mexico and Arizona will have to be included in our plans.

Thanks BCNP4Runner, I was not aware of how the UHF radio specs in the USA differed from Australia - which is a dumb rookie error on my part. I'll do some more research about the technical aspects of swapping the antenna cable from the existing UHF to the input of a US spec one. We have a...

Thanks again Alanymarce, and yes, "plan B" does involve buying a 4Runner in the USA and equipping it there. It is my least preferred option, although it does have some support from my wife. I think a reasonable. low mileage SR5 would be a pretty good choice for the trip, and I guestimate about...

Hi Alanymarce, we love Canada and Canadians - we have some friends in Vancouver and Kalona in the Okanagan who we plan to catch up with. Having said that, time is kind of against us and Canada really is a whole other vacation. Shipping rates are what they are, and like currency exchange rates...

Thanks for this post Neal, and yes, the weather is a critical factor in the planning of this trip - but yours is a big country and we have so little time to see it. We'll be constantly juggling the itinerary to plan around conditions. I've known about some of the UT and CO trails you mention and...

Jack Absolom was an amazing character and those videos were actually on prime time TV here when they were new. If you like those try searching for Les Hiddins, his series is called Bush Tucker Man. Les was a major in the Aus Army who specialised in survival and asymmetrical conflict tactics, his...