Meet Dusty
We’re two weeks in to the road trip, and it seems rude to not have formally introduced you to our 4-wheel drive, third wheel, Dusty the 2004 4runner!
Dusty joined the family back in May, and like a classic Taurus she’s been nothing but dependable.
Hot specs alert! Dusty’s got that all brawn and some brain V8 engine to tow any and all inflatable boating needs, or, if dreams really do come true, a future trailer! Car-talk got you reaching for the remote to change the channel? Wait, wait! I’ve got the high drama deets you’re so thirsty for.
The wine distributor by day, auto-mechanic extraordinaire by night, Murphey Parker helped install a new stereo, back up camera, and a second battery with an inverter to make sure we have somewhere to plug in the coffee grinder each morning. (See coffee-in-bed diatribe). And like a true professional, Murph didn’t let us leave the driveway without a wash and a wax. For anyone in the East Bay - if you’ve got a car project and the stomach to watch your friend literally take apart your vehicle with a crow bar, then I know a guy who’s got all the tools you need and doesn’t mind getting paid with a backyard grill and chill session in exchange for his manual labor.
Ok. So Dusty has that under the hood hardware; and sure it’s what’s inside that counts, but what about where we lay our Covid-hair every night? And in steps the star of the show! Fillin up Dusty’s big booty, coming in at a solid full bed size with a 4 inch foam mattress topper - it’s our custom dual bed platform and storage system!! Built by our number one SoCal Dude, Brian at Solid Wood Worx, the system holds our kitchen in one drawer section, our closet in the other section, and the two of us on top! (with only B’s size 12 feet hangin over the edge when he’s feeling especially tall) We’ve got the cubbies on either side toward the tailgate for toiletries and charging station as well as space under the bed extension for tools, the bocce ball set, and, most importantly, shoes! (Yeah, there are several shoes. I’m not going to be the girl that shows up to your backyard brunch in Chacos, ok? I’m just not. And what about the season of autumn? You think a gal can just walk around during the autumn without Chelsea boots? So you get it.) And to top it off - our rooftop Yakima cargo box and the solar shower. That’s right, when we do indeed wear the Chacos, we may not have our summer manicures, but we have a nice little rinse from the solar shower waiting for us!
And in case you’re wondering if it’s us in your rearview mirror, just look out for our East Bay Bike Gang (EBBG) American Expedition vanity license plate holder, thanks to Steph and Andrew. If the cops pull us over, we’ll just explain to them that we’re part of a bike gang; nothing to see here.
Check out the family photos. Blake and I are the ones without the dust in our grills (but kind of everywhere else).
