Working with Jeff at HEO to finalize the financing and build of a T3 for use with the Sanctuary, adventure camping for DV survivor families, and some private use for myself since I will be making the payments.
Jeff has been amazing! Turning the numbers to make this happen! Later this year I may be doing a LOT more adventures.
I have chatted with a couple of T3 owners and they love their trailers.
Here's the model I'm going for.
http://www.heoutfitters.com/trailers/t3/
Camp at the Hoh River
Did a little work on it today. The white sides and back areas are now back, the LED tail light strip is on and ready for me to wire up in the morning.
Awesome !
It's home, finally! Pics from on the way home. Left home at 12AM saturday morning, round trip to Montana, and home at 6pm. That was brutal. I'm going to sleep well tonight.
East of Vantage
Somewhere in Montana
One more day... and a few hours... I'll be on the road to Montana around 1am Saturday morning to pick it up!
Just six more days! I'm so excited. The last time I did something for myself like this was many years ago. I have been so busy getting the Sanctuary running, funded, and somewhat stable, that I just have not had the time or money to focus on me at all. While this trailer will be used with some of the kids from the sanctuary, it really is for me. I can't wait to test it out at the Hoh August 3rd.
YEA!! the finished trailer will be dilivered in MOntana on the 28th for me to pick it up... Just in time to get it ready for NWOL on the Hoh!! Pretty excited, I have the time from the 27th of July through the 7th of Aug off from work! plenty of time to get the trailer home and ready for camping!
I think it needs a huge NWOL sticker across the back...
SO freaking stoked!
Sweet!
My trailer is built... Now I just gotta get it home so I can "make it mine"! Going to need to find someone who can paint a forest on the sides of it for me...
7/10/18, A few more minor touches and the RTT will make it complete and ready for shipping.
Jeff at HEO says it should be complete in the next few days! Then the shipper will get it for delivery the last week of July, so I should have it for the Hoh trip! Now I just have to figure out the rest of my gear.. Really need a good cooler, but the really good ones are out of my price range for now.
It has tires now! and tail lights too...
Looking more like a trailer! Standing on it's own now. I'm getting kinda hyped to get this on/off the road!
Very shiny
Newest image.
It has some side panels, and a hitch thingie... "Lock N Roll" hitch...
AND, Fenders....
It has a floor...
and an access door for when I add a battery system...
Thinking the backside of this door will be a good place to mount a biggass first aid kit with a fold down shelf.
Since I paid for the electrical system upgrade (7 pin harness, terminals for later additions etc). Jeff at HEO did the access door free of charge. He's pretty awesome with customer service and such. Really keeps me updated daily with the build progress.
Geek Link... http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA6063T6
The frame and skeleton is constructed of MIG welded 6063-T6 tubular aluminum. The exterior will be covered with an aluminum composite material, which consists of 2 sheets of aluminum bonded to a polyethylene core. The interior is clad in aluminum tread plate. All this riding on a Rockwell American Torsion Axle. Tent is branded HEO, but I think he buys them from a larger maker.
Latest updates...
First day progress on the T3 trailer build... Kinda cool that as he builds, he's sending updates with pictures. It's like Christmas every time I open my email...
Since we got a few donations in for the Sanctuary, It freed up a bit of my personal income so I can afford to buy this trailer for myself. I won't be writing off any of it's cost or use, only the actual expenses when we take the kids from the Sanctuary out. This trailer is really for me after all, that it will be used for the kids is a bonus for them, as well as being way more convenient than ground tents. This past year, 90% of the budget for the Sanctuary came out of my pocket, so it's nice to have a few donations cover some of that for a while. I can rarely afford my own "toys".
Jeff at HEO is awesome. He knows I have an event planned, and he knows just how much this rig will be used for taking the kids from DV Sanctuary out in the woods with their moms. One of our staff has a large Camper for the adults, so the kids will get to stay in the T3 (mobile tree house). We have been taking the kids camping during the summer for several years now (as budget allows), but ground tents are a pain! Some of the kids we take have never been camping before, let alone been out in the woods "off grid".
Wow that's a really quick build time. Nice!
Mine will be bare aluminium for a while. I have a friend who does some airbrush work who may do a forest scene on it... Might plastidip it in the mean time... haven't decided.
Super excited, The paperwork is all done. The trailer is being custom built for me and should be delivered at the end of July. Hoping I have it in time for the adventures on the Hoh planed for the 3rd of August!
Aaron - that was the plan. But it turned out that our daughter and her family picked this weekend to move back from Michigan. It hurts to miss the rally. Next year for sure. Hopefully we can get out with the NWOL crew this summer/fall.
Bringing your Turtleback to the rally, Craig?
Mine will be pretty much no frills. All the extra bits just cost too much right now. The bank, and Jeff from HEO have been working hard to make it happen with little down, and a low payment too.
Not a HEO. We picked up a Turtleback Trailer earlier this year and love it. Makes everything so much easier - we are so much more likely to just "go" now that the packing, setup, takedown, etc. is simplified. That and we carry a few more luxuries too :)
I'm sure you will love the HEO.