Overlanding in a Borrowed Four Wheel Camper (Pt. 1)

Finally! We’re releasing some new videos! I promise we haven’t been slacking. In fact it’s quite the opposite, we’ve been so busy filming our Alaska series that we didn’t get a chance to edit all the footage from this fun trip back in March! I might be biased but I think it will be worth the wait ;)

Late in 2020, after having to cancel a major project with our friends over at Four Wheel Campers (due to COVID), they asked if we’d be interested taking a test trip in two of their demo rigs. Not ones to pass up such a fun sounding opportunity we immediately turned to our friends Chase and Aimee of Tight Loops and asked if they’d be interest in trading in their Vanagon for two weeks to travel in a FWC! They’re yes people, which is why we love them! We made plans to pick up the rigs at the end of March 2021.

View from our camp outside of Bishop, CA

Together we arrived at the FWC headquarters in Woodland, CA and spent a few hours loading into our trusty rigs. Chase and Aimee settled into A Ram 3500 with a slide in Granby and Owen and I into a new Project M on a Ford F150. As soon as we were packed we pointed ourselves due east for the eastern side of the Sierra Mountains!

After an intense drive due to an unexpected snowstorm we made it to the Bishop, CA area well after the sun went down. We woke up to incredible views and decided to spent the day climbing.

We set off on foot because the boulder field we wanted to climb at was a short walk away. Thankfully we were able to leave the rigs parked and Levi (Chase and Aimee’s cat) comfortably set up at camp.

Levi in his new palace

Levi enjoying the view outside his palace

Levi heading out to explore the land around his palace

When we returned exhausted from climbing, it was nice to come back to a fully set up camp. It was nice to sit still for the evening after such a long drive the day before.

Leading up to this trip I think we were all a little nervous for how Levi would transition into a new home on wheels. Low and behold Levi, instantly loved the camper! It only took him a few minutes for him to settle into the living space and become king of the castle. He loved lounging on the bed and counter tops where he could easily look out the windows.

Camp in the shadow of the Sierra Mountains

As the sun went down we schemed our next moves. The plan was to wake up early and move into Death Valley National Park. Ultimately, our plans were deeper in the park but we decided to make a pit stop for the night along the way at the base of some of the tallest sand dunes in the country.

Aimee, Chase, & MAK at camp in Death Valley NP

Owen waiting to head into the dunes, Death Valley NP

MAK driving the Project M rig to Death Valley NP

We arrived at camp during the heat of the day. With tops popped we worked on a little craft project while we waited until closer to sunset to head into the dunes.

The project at hand was to decorate a teakettle that we picked up on our way out of Sacremento. We had plans to leave this kettle at a special place, of which we will get into more later.

Aimee working on our teakettle

For now our objective was to decorate it to commemorate our trip together to this wonderful place. We all took turns adding our own personal touch to the kettle. I like to think that we’d excel at a school group project having now made this little work of art. I think we were all pretty happy with how it turned out.

On the bottom we all signed it with one last message: “Luna, Wish You Were Here”.

MAK with the final kettle

“Wish You Were Here”

Finally the heat of the day passed and we ventured into the dunes. The plan was to climb to the top of the highest dune to watch the sunset.

Owen and Aimee heading into the dunes for sunset, Death Valley NP

Thankfully we made it with plenty of time. We sat atop the dunes with a bird’s eye view of the whole valley laid out in front of us. Though this is a place we’ve been to many-a-times, the light and the ever changing sandy landscape makes this place feel new every time we go.

The crew <3

We felt so lucky to be there with Chase and Aimee. As pictured above the have a real knack for making even the simplest of outings feel extra fun. We sat up watching the sun set with a grin ear to ear. And to think this was just the beginning of the trip!

Episode Two of Wish You Were Here will come out Sunday October 24th at 5pm PST! See you then!

Love,

MAK