Tips

This page is for other travelers that are just beginning their journey and ones on the road, please feel free to comment on what has worked for you or has not.

Stuff-At first we thought that we would need a lot of crap, but as it turns out we just need each other and a sleeping bag or two.  We have been getting rid of items and rearranging all the time, at times it seems it takes up more time than it is worth.  You will end up rearranging on the road, probably in Mexico and there is always a Walmart (not a fan but they have it all) in every bigger city in case there is something you need to make life more comfortable.

Truck Organization-We initially decided on a drawer system in the back for cooking supplies, we are now going to dispose of it and sell or giveaway items.  This room will allow us to sleep in the back with comfort and ease, the way we had it set up with the drawer system did not allow enough headroom to be comfortable.  We are planning on purchasing a fan so sleeping in the car is more comfortable.

Security-We have taken precautions while on the road.  So far we have felt safe, however we did not go out at night and drive around and go around to the local cantinas late at night. We have a rule of not driving at night, but if we know the area we may take the chance.  However we let our guard down one time in broad daylight in Guatemala City and it bit us in the rear end.  Yes, we were robbed.  After that it has
Here is what we use for precautions
-Steering Wheel lock bar, you can get them anywhere in Mexico or Central America.
-Standard issue alarm that is on the Pathfinder, however I would upgrade.
-Wheel locks on the rims
-We are currently fabricating a metal box with a tamper proof cover for the padlocks that will be bolted to the floor behind the passenger seat.  We highly recommend this for your documents and electronics.
-Tinted Windows, it is half the price in Mexico and they do a great job.

Borders-They are not as bad as they seem, after a while they are fun as long as your paperwork is in order. Our first time entering Mexico was a little nerve racking but just ended up  being excessive spent energy.  We had no problems and everyone at the border and immigration was very nice.  At the time we did not speak much Spanish so that was a little intimidating but we still managed.
Before you arrive at any border make sure you have your paper work and several extra (4-5) copies on hand and organized.
Wikioverland is full of info on border crossings and lets you know what fees to expect and what you need, very well put together.

Mechanical-If you need any work done just buy your parts in the states so you know you have them and have the work done south of the border, the prices are a quarter of the cost in the states or less.

Kitchen-We had a dual burner propane stove with a 20 lb tank but have since given it away.  Now we are very happy with our MSR International WhisperLite stove that is very packable and can be used for backpacking too.

Camping-There are more places to camp than you think.  Just ask at restaurants on the beach, peoples homes, churches, organization, etc.  People will always take you in and offer you a meal when you least expect it.  We usually do not plan where we are going to camp, we just know that we will always find a spot.  We are currently taking out the box system in the back for a more comfortable experience and plan on purchasing a 12v fan for hot nights.
We had a Big Agnes 2 man Emerald Mountain tent but it was stolen and we miss dearly.  We now have a Big Agnes 3 man Copper Spur (can't wait to try it out, thanks Chris).  Big Agnes tents are easy to set up and durable for all weather, we have been in violent storms, bug infested areas and hot steamy nights but slept comfortably.

Three things to look for when choosing a tent.
-Durable and Reliable brand, we recommend Big Agnes.
-Plenty of screen that goes to a foot above the ground and a fine bug screen so the no-see-ums (sandfly's) can not enter and so there is sufficient air flow.
-A tent that is the right size, we had a 2 man that was ample for us but when the chance arisen after ours was stolen we decided to up grade to a 3 man for gear, the weight was not a factor as it was only a 13 ounce difference.

A tent from the big box store is not recommended as they are cheaply made, are not waterproof for very long, take forever to setup, weigh a lot, put a target on you and are just wasted space.  We have set our tent up even in houses to avoid being eaten alive be mosquitoes, once inside we just terminate the ones that made it inside so we can have a great nights sleep without all of the buzzing going on in our ears.