What It’s Like Overlanding Baja In A Truck Camper (The Wayward Home)
Published Date: August 9, 2021
By FWC Admin
You may have seen him on the big screen acting opposite Tom Cruise in War of the Worlds, or on television on the show Shameless. But in his off-time, Justin Chatwin prefers camping and dirt biking to the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles.
Chatwin did extensive camping in a pickup truck camper shell before deciding he wanted something a little more comfortable for his backroads adventures.
“I wanted a fridge. I got tired of getting ice every day or two. I wanted water, a comfier bed,” said Chatwin. “So, on day I was scrolling Instagram and saw Bound for Nowhere’s truck camper by Four Wheel Campers, and it looked so cool, I just become obsessed.”
He couldn’t stop looking at truck campers online and on the road, so decided to take the plunge and buy a Four Wheel camper called The Raven.
“I have a Toyota Tundra that was already built out with suspension, wheels and a light bar, and I wanted something I could just easily put on my truck,” said Chatwin.
Overlanding Baja in a Truck Camper
Chatwin’s first trip in his new truck camper was to Baja, California with his girlfriend. The two spent six months exploring the bays, beaches, mountains, towns and missions of the Baja peninsula.
“I’ve been going to Mexico for years,” said Chatwin. “I rode my Harley to La Ventana 11 years ago. I’ve really gotten to know Mexico and it’s totally won over my heart as one of my favorite places.”
The couple used the iOverlander boondocking app plus sailing guides to find the best secluded campsites.
“I had about 12 places on the map I’d never been to, like really remote beaches and little peninsulas,” said Chatwin. “I went to destinations I wanted to sail to, but I just drove there in my truck instead. Some people would stay for a couple weeks, but we’d usually stay 5-6 days.”
They also stayed on private property, paying locals between $2-$10 per night to park in picturesque settings. Locals would come over to offer fresh fish, fresh shrimp and even kayak rentals.