Death Valley 2022/23

[Kauri]

Ah man we just got back home and all I can think of is exchanging the RAV for a Tacoma, telling my boss to shove it,  and hoping us and the cats would actually enjoy the van life.

4WD/HC is essential but there's loads you can see in something smaller.  Just ask the larger midwestern couple that flew by me at about 55mph on Racetrack Rd in a Subaru with highway tires.  Lol.  They must have prayed hard to the God of steel belted radials to make it at those speeds without having to get the donut spare out.  Hahaha.

And probably the God of shock absorbers as well. I've heard too many stories of people blowing out shocks on a sedan or crossover on the Racetrack road going too fast (maybe they think it's a rally track and not a backcountry road?) 

Daymoth, if you aren't already aware of this, there are lots of aftermarket accessories for modifying a RAV4 for better capability off-road. I have an older model RAV4 as a daily driver (and it goes on some trips with *less* off-road driving as well since it has better gas mileage) and I have upgraded shocks as well as installed a heavy-duty skid plate. And I've heard there are more options for the newer RAV4's. Dobinsons and/or Eibach for lift springs, Northwoods Performance for skid plates (they also have lift kits but let's just say I have some concerns about the longevity of their kits), Bilstein shocks, and I think Megan Racing or somewhere has some stronger control arms as well. Probably more I'm not even aware of. The RAV4World forums is a great resource for such things. Plus a roof-top tent and/or rear cargo area cooking and storage setup and/or sleeping platform is not at all unrealistic in a RAV4, I've heard of quite a few folks who do full-time traveling in a RAV4.