"Parents have eyes on the back of their heads."  If only that was true.  Well, even if it was we still wouldn't be able to see beyond the backseat of this truck. We need eyes on the back of the Frontier. That's where we need them, and my reason isn't without a story.

So, how to install a HAM radio in the Nissan Frontier? Funny that this question comes up a lot. The tight dash area leaves in its wake a crowd of head-scratching Nissan owners hoping to install a communication radio somewhere up front . . . where it's makes sens

So what's this business of roof top tents? Mark takes a close look at his purchase after 3 years of ownership.  Are they worth buying?  Just foo-foo nonsense? Let's find out.

The JJ Cole Essentials Sling back diaper bag has gone everywhere with us for two-and-a-half years because it's ideal for moms (or dads) who prefer to travel light and like a stylish, rugged diaper bag.

I can fit a drink, snack, couple of toys, change of clothes, couple of diapers, and wipes in the compartments along with a few of my own womanly essentials for an outing. This bag adjusts to fit different body types, which makes it versatile enough for both parents to use.  And yes, if you can believe it, dads will not mind shouldering the diaper bag burden when it's this compact and easy to wear.  If you are tired of the bulkiness and clutter of diaper bags and want something new, or if you're becoming a first-time parent, this bag is a great addition to any family's travel gear.

Marytn Davies, globetrotting-off-highway-trailer-master and guru of all things Adventure Trailers, has his favorite camping chair.

The chair?  Made by Front Runner (and also made by GCI, called the "Xpress Lounger," you'll see why it's called that). When it's folded up, the chair is the size of a Mac Book Pro stuffed in a carrying case: a mere 2.5"x17"x17".

So check out this video he put together showing just how clever this collapsing camp chair is.  At 0:32 notice how Martyn is already kicked back with one leg outstretched and wondering where the heck he placed his cocktail.  Perplexed, he packs up and - I'm guessing - heads off to the local pub instead.

That's how slick and fast this chair is. (Bonus Trivia!: What does Martyn's video have in common with Penn and Teller?)

It's cool.  We own two of them in part because they fold so small and in part because the framing is so robust.

You know what they say, right?  "Don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle."  So, here's a picture not of the chair, but of what the chair might mean to you:

If there's anything to do on the Beach in Mexico, it's definitely this. If you don't know what this is, well, then there's no hope for you.

If you have to know, our daughter Chloe wasn't conceived at home, or in a hotel, or in the backseat of a car. So what choice is left?
Get the woman's perspective on this luxurious safari tent that keeps us, warm, dry, and really really comfy when we're on a trip. So comfy, in fact, that we're likely to reproduce.

Campfire tales for river lovers, canyon lovers, and adventure lovers

Handmade recylced journal from www.bookjournals.com
Since becoming a father, I've watched my journal writing deteriorate.  I used to fill two or three large format writing journals each year.  On July 9th, I wrote this:

"I'm coming up on August 17th.  That marks one year with this same journal, and it's only half filled.  Really?  Is this what I think of my life these days?  Is this what being a ThirtySomething boils down to?"

You'd think it'd be different.  In a writing journal, the owner gets to call the shots.  Gripe about the world or that grumpy s.o.b. in the BMW who dangerously tailgated this morning on the freeway and flicked his cigarette butts out the window. Go ahead, USE THE F-WORD IN BIG CAPITAL LETTERS all over the place if it helps; it's your book, your private space.

And it's far better to do that than to work out your life by hijacking airplanes or treating your wife with indignation. For this reason, you'd think it'd be a no-brainer to sit down with a pen and blank book and just tell it like you see it, work out the grime of your own little world, write down the moments with your daughter and wife that sustain you . . .

This year, I've set a goal to write in my journal once a day, no matter how short the entry.

Anne Frank wrote in a journal. She wrote while she and her family lived in hiding in the Netherlands during World War II.  You should already know the bulk of the story.  If it hadn't been for her writing (and the foresight of Miep Gies, who helped hide the Frank family and saved Anne's diary pages from destruction.  Miep died this week at 100 years old, by the way) we may not know nearly as much about the horror Jewish familes endured during Nazi occupation.

Do you know what Anne inscribed at the beginning of her journal when she was just 13 years old?

"I hope that I shall be able to confide in you completely, as I have never been able to do before, and I hope that you will be a great support and comfort to me."

I don't dare compare my modern, protected middle-class American life to her's. I only want to illuminate the one little thing she and I share - maybe you too?: a blank book we each own and write within.

I'm often disappointed when trying to find a decent store that sells nice, yet unassuming journals.  Many are leather-bound with perfect lined and gold-edged paper.  That doesn't work well for me.  Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona once had a selection fo handmade Guatemalan blank books, two of which I snatched up.  A basic black sketch book works great for me, too.

Then I found "ex libris anonymous" (www.bookjournals.com) a few years ago.  Jacob Deatherage recycles vintage books by cutting the binding off, salvaging a few sections from within, and reassembling them with 75 pages of 24/60#, acid free blank paper and the original cover.  Each book is unique, and his selection is always changing; from cookbooks and children's books to old text books. If you're lucky, you score some pages that have drawings or notes from a previous life, maybe library stamps.

Writing in a recycled book feels so befitting, like it's the right thing to do.

I've selected one of Deatherage's books to begin my small daily writing pursuit.  It once lived as a textbook for Mexico - how appropriate - complete with a map.  Check it out:

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Flashlight art on New Years Eve
As 2009 creeps to the horizon, I'm taking a moment to think back and hand pick 20 photos that sum up my 33rd year on planet Earth.

I'm talking about the memories and stories here - if you find technical prowess in the photos, it's just coincidence because I picked these for multiple reasons. We managed some superb trips and massive memories. Brooke trained for, and competed in, her first triathalon. I managed to make this website a reality. At the top of the "2009 FAIL" list: Chloe, our 2-year-old, isn't potty trained yet. It's not for lack of trying.

Funky Snowman poem by Calef Brown, Polka-bats and Octopus Slacks
If you're "one of those people" who's all bent out of shape at phrases like "happy holidays," prepare for your blood to boil.

Here's a winter greeting in our house these days: KICK IT, FUNKY SNOWMAN!