Mini-Barn, Komatik Sled & Winter Prep
This winter’s first priority isn’t some grand cabin build deep in the woods — it’s something far more humble, practical, and honestly more important right now: turning my little 8×8 mini-barn into a warm, dry basecamp where I can get out of the cold, make plans, and slowly carve out the future of Time To Xplore.
The barn needs work, but it’s coming together. I’ve added a solar street light over the entrance and a set of inexpensive solar LED string lights inside. It’s nothing fancy, but it gives the place a warm glow on those dark winter days when the forest feels like it’s swallowing the last bit of daylight at 4:30 PM.
Progress is a bit slow at the moment, mostly because my daughter is using the Volvo as her daily while we wait for the final part and the bi-annual inspection for her Jetta. Dad taxi duties come before adventure rig duties, apparently.
But that’s fine — because I still have Nessie 2.0, the old Explorer.
V6 power… 33-inch mud terrains…
Engage 4×4 and let the mud sling away.
And that’s where the winter project gets fun.
The Plan: Build a Komatik and Move the Shed Deeper Into the Woodlot
Instead of dragging the mini-barn by brute force, I’m going to build a komatik — an Inuit-style wooden sled designed to be pulled over snow, ice, mud, or forest floor. A few 2×10s, a simple rail design, and a couple of chains from storage should be enough. The shed isn’t overly heavy, so the Explorer should have no problem inching it back into the trees.
That little spot, tucked out of the wind and away from the main roadway, will become my winter planning sanctuary — a place to sit, breathe, unplug, and map out the trips and routes ahead for 2026.
But before any shed-moving happens, I’ve still got welding to finish on the Explorer’s rear floor. With any luck (and maybe with a bit of motivation from a few cups of strong coffee), I should have something workable by the first weekend of December.
…
Did I actually just type that?
Shit.
Where did 2025 go?
Want to Follow the Whole Build?
The shed.
The komatik.
The whole messy-but-fun process of carving out a tiny winter basecamp in the woods.
You can follow the journey right here, or — better yet — join the
Time To Xplore Dispatch Newsletter! (Form in the footer)
Hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink 😄
You’ll get early updates, behind-the-scenes posts, and first looks at the 2026 routes and gear plans.