The Grey Mouser: Reboot
- Thread starter Haggis
- Start date
Well the Mouser is all ready the do it all rig. But while it’s a great travel vehicle and woods runner the limiting factors of the 5’ bed, the lack of cargo capacity with the cap on and low towing rating doesn’t let it do some of the truck things I need.
Remember it was originally bought as Michelle’s daily driver when I had Fafhrd to do all the heavy truck things. Having 2 trucks was sweet. After it was decided that the Tacoma was going to be my ride I figured I wouldn’t miss or need it to do all those things as life and work requirements got easier. Plus I bought a trailer to help out with hauling which helps but can be annoying. I was wrong, I at times have to borrow the Old Man’s Tundra to tow our heavier equipment (skid steer and such) or to transport bulky items that won’t fit in that damn cap. My current truck makes for a damn nice SUV.
All our rides are paid off, nobody makes our dream vehicle (I want a midsized 3/4 ton V8 truck with at least a 6.5’ bed) so we’re not hot to trade it off on something new. Besides 90% of the time the Mouser is perfect. So we’re kicking around about getting a used regular cab 3/4 to fulfill the roles a Tacoma can’t. But that leaves me with looking at Fords, Chevys, or Dodges...ugh.
I need to channel my inner @Gallowbraid and go buy more vehicles.
Remember it was originally bought as Michelle’s daily driver when I had Fafhrd to do all the heavy truck things. Having 2 trucks was sweet. After it was decided that the Tacoma was going to be my ride I figured I wouldn’t miss or need it to do all those things as life and work requirements got easier. Plus I bought a trailer to help out with hauling which helps but can be annoying. I was wrong, I at times have to borrow the Old Man’s Tundra to tow our heavier equipment (skid steer and such) or to transport bulky items that won’t fit in that damn cap. My current truck makes for a damn nice SUV.
All our rides are paid off, nobody makes our dream vehicle (I want a midsized 3/4 ton V8 truck with at least a 6.5’ bed) so we’re not hot to trade it off on something new. Besides 90% of the time the Mouser is perfect. So we’re kicking around about getting a used regular cab 3/4 to fulfill the roles a Tacoma can’t. But that leaves me with looking at Fords, Chevys, or Dodges...ugh.
I need to channel my inner @Gallowbraid and go buy more vehicles.
The current load out is working great! Camp set up or broke down in under 10 minutes with the two of us. Some stuff we brought but haven’t used mainly to the great weather we are experiencing.
Backcountry campsites are scattered but out there in the Blackhills National Forest and are pretty much empty despite the number of Overland type builds on rigs around here (a lot of Rubi JKs/Gladiators). Not a one of those is muddy or covered in dust, even though we’ve seen the same rides touring around 3 days straight. We see them parked in the various Lodges as we drive by early in the morning. The only folks in the backwoods we have seen, other than the local ranchers and loggers, have been in a Sprinter van, a 2000 something Mazda 3, a Volvo sedan and a nice late 90’s 4runner. Oh and lots of SXSs touring the forest roads.
And Cows...lots and lots of cows.
The Mouser has been well coated in Wyoming and South Dakota soil and fauna..
Backcountry campsites are scattered but out there in the Blackhills National Forest and are pretty much empty despite the number of Overland type builds on rigs around here (a lot of Rubi JKs/Gladiators). Not a one of those is muddy or covered in dust, even though we’ve seen the same rides touring around 3 days straight. We see them parked in the various Lodges as we drive by early in the morning. The only folks in the backwoods we have seen, other than the local ranchers and loggers, have been in a Sprinter van, a 2000 something Mazda 3, a Volvo sedan and a nice late 90’s 4runner. Oh and lots of SXSs touring the forest roads.
And Cows...lots and lots of cows.
The Mouser has been well coated in Wyoming and South Dakota soil and fauna..
We started in Wyoming and than have been slowly coming back East. Stupid Coporate suspended two week vacations this year so we’re making the most of the time we have available.
Michelle has 4 more Western trips laid out already lol.
My sister and brother-in-law are out in Montana now as part of their year long trip. They say that they have never seen so many campers and RVs in the dispersed camping areas north of Yellowstone.
Michelle has 4 more Western trips laid out already lol.
Come on over to Montana. The smoke is supposed to clear tomorrow and I'll show you around. 
We are happy with both the truck and the way it’s equipped. It’s not a show piece, wont rock crawl the Rubicon and doesn’t have every imaginable mod thrown at it but it works perfect for the way we travel. It’s basically a pack mule with a transfer case.
The only thing I would change is the amount of weight the cap and Maggie cause us to carry around. But we have to determine if the Mouser is a long term truck before we throw more money at it and switch to a pop up canopy like the AT Summit. That alone would drop over 200 lbs over the current set-up.
The only thing I would change is the amount of weight the cap and Maggie cause us to carry around. But we have to determine if the Mouser is a long term truck before we throw more money at it and switch to a pop up canopy like the AT Summit. That alone would drop over 200 lbs over the current set-up.
Just a few pics from the last quarter of the year. Work has been all consuming so this is were our adventure truck takes me 6 days a week. Geez...
Fall was all about family commitments and mandatory overtime. We did have one of the nicest fall seasons in years hereabouts and I would drive home taking the back roads home in the golden light of late afternoon to enjoy the colors.
Hunting season came and went and though I was only in the woods a handful of times I filled the freezers. The Mouser got to fulfill its meat wagon role a couple of times. This was my archery tag...
We had a brief visit from Old Man Winter over Christmas and I took the truck out for a backwoods tour of our local roads. We’re having a very mild winter this season so far.
This is not a snow wheeling picture. It’s a truck parked in the snow. The lack of a lighted LED bar or $1000 amber fog lights blazing means I’m not equipped for such extreme photo shoots. Lol!
Fall was all about family commitments and mandatory overtime. We did have one of the nicest fall seasons in years hereabouts and I would drive home taking the back roads home in the golden light of late afternoon to enjoy the colors.
Hunting season came and went and though I was only in the woods a handful of times I filled the freezers. The Mouser got to fulfill its meat wagon role a couple of times. This was my archery tag...
We had a brief visit from Old Man Winter over Christmas and I took the truck out for a backwoods tour of our local roads. We’re having a very mild winter this season so far.
This is not a snow wheeling picture. It’s a truck parked in the snow. The lack of a lighted LED bar or $1000 amber fog lights blazing means I’m not equipped for such extreme photo shoots. Lol!
