Don’t leave home without HiTech Toyhauler goodies.

    I'm one of those gadget freaks that have to take my hitech gadgets with me in the toyhauler. My cell phone, laptop computer, 2 gps_s, pda, FRS radios, metal detector, digital camera, and well you get the idea. Here are some short descriptions of what I use.

    Why do I carry all this stuff with me? I'm not sure. But as I write this I'll tell you how we use each of these thingamajigs. The nice thing about a toyhauler is there is lots of room to carry unnecessary stuff. Something I'm notorious for.

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    1. First one my list toy hauler goodies is a cell phone. These days this is more of a requirement than a luxury. I even carry this while I'm out riding the quad. Yea, it's kind of a yuppie thing. But I'd rather be yuppie than laying on a sand dune somewhere by myself with no way to call for help! Don't have a cell phone? Try Visit our toy hauler adventures page to see why you need a cell phone.

    2. My Toshiba laptop is starting to show its age (4 years), but it keeps on ticking. I take it on every expedition. It's been dropped, sat on, subjected to dust, heat and a host of other indignities that those warning labels on the box tell you not to do.

    I use it to maintain this toyhauler web site, check email on the road, map out our next great adventure and store the vast number of photos that our digital camera generates with out regard for the dying film industry. Also to watch movies when we're not out on the toys. Or to show off our collection of photos and videos to other campers we meet. A great ice breaker.


    3. My tough as nails GPS is a basic yellow Garmin eTrex. Having been inadvertently thrown upon the rocks, submerged in Lake Hosmer, and generally abused over the years it has proven its durability time and again. When riding or Geocaching in the great outdoors I still use this GPS.

    An awesome Garmin M5 PDA GPS has replaced the eTrex for most of our toyhauler travel needs. It has full mapping abilities, such as finding, routing, and directing to a location. After entering what I looking for, the M5 searches its data and displays list of locations matching my search. I pick the one I want to go to and click "route to it". Using the GPS function it figures out where I am and the best route to my selected destination. All I do is start driving, the display shows where I am and what turn is next. Not to mention a friendly voice that directs me to each turn. And routing back home is even easier, a single click.

    The M5 is also a powerful Pocket PC. Using pocket versions of popular Windows software, it will do almost anything my laptop can. You name it, the M5 can do it; mp3s, videos, emails, internet, spreadsheets, eBooks, games, the list goes on.


    4. Next on the list is a pair of FRS (Family Radio Service) radios. We use these little guys to keep in touch with camp and other riders. Simple and fairly cheap.


    5. My wife's Whites Metal detector provides hours of killsometime entertainment. We haven't found anything valuable yet, but we do have a pretty good collection of dirty coins started. It is also great for finding lost toyhauler tools and parts in the sand where we ride and play.


    6. Our Nikon 8800 digital camera captures all the excitement, hilarity, and scenery of our travels. Why Nikon? To steal a line from the Pretty Woman movie "because it's the best". IMHO It's nice to have the freedom to take all the pictures we want, without having to worry about the cost of film or developing.

    As soon as a memory card is nearly full of photos, we transfer them to the laptop computer and we're ready to take a couple hundred more on the same card. Rinse and repeat!
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    It's pretty rare that I'm caught saying "I wish I brought the ______ with us." I just load up all the toys, electronic as well as mechanical.

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