Northology Adventures August 2021

A MIDWEST OUTDOOR OVERLAND ADVENTURE PUBLICATION

NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES

AUGUST 2021

OVERLANDING MISTAKES What mistakes you SHOULD make

MICHIGAN TO MOAB The trip of a lifetime

BEST IN SHOW

All Toyotas of the Midwest

ALL THINGS OVERLANDING // MOLEISUREXVENTURES // WANDERLOST OVERLAND

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THE GEAR BUNKER CAMP COOKING

OUTSIDE ADVENTURE EXPO In person & hands on

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BUSINESS PROFILE

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VEHICLE PROFILE

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14

FOCUS

MISTAKES WERE MADE

Tips and info for getting the most out of your night shots

How some mistakes can be good for the learning process

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34

MICHIGAN TO MOAB

MUCH TO LOSE

From the U.P. to the slickrock of Utah and back again

KORC is aiming to preserve access in the Keweenaw

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DANGEROUS ELEMENT

MIDWEST TOYOTA SHOW

embedded videos directly

Lessons leaned on the water

ATOM car show

on the page. There are

52 WANDERLOST X NORTHOLOGY Meetup at the park

INTERACTIVE CONTENT Or, how to read this magazine! Clicking on the video play icons allow you to watch the

also live links that will briefly highlight when you turn the page to indicate the linked content and you can click on underscored text and the ads too- thanks for reading and sharing! Cindy

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MEANDERING RUN

date of publication. The views

Chasing shoe issues

opinions and are not necessarily

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Photo: U.P. Jeeping

TACKLING THE TRAIL IN DANNERS TRAIL 2650 GTX HIKING SHOE

OVERLAND PIONEERS + REDARC REDVISION Find your home on the forest floor, and stay as long as you want, with onboard power.

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A LOOK INSIDE

OUTSIDE ADVENTURE

EXPO

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FOCUS

Photo: Asa Lee Meadows

By Asa Lee Meadows

8 THINGS YOU NEED TO GET SOME COOL SHOTS AND RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN THEM. Editor's note: The Milky Way is burning bright in the northern sky, the Perseid Meteor Showers return in August and the approaching Autumn Equinox brings increased chances for displays of the Aurora Borealis. We are rerunning this info from our July 2020 issue to help beginners interested in shooting the night sky with some tips and tricks.

Camera with manual mode. It can be mirrorless (the new hotness) or DSLR. Full frame or crop sensor. You don’t have to spend thousands on gear. I shoot with a Nikon 5300 crop sensor. I have 3 kit lenses: 18-55mm, 55-300mm, and a 35mm prime. Also, if you are going to shoot at night, get your lens focused to infinity during the day when you can use autofocus to help, and tape it so it won’t be out of focus later that night.

If need be, use your camera’s live view to zoom in on a star or planet and manually focus.

Shoot in RAW mode. JPGs don’t have enough info to bring out photos in post processing. I did a castle night shot in Ireland only to find out later that I was still in JPG mode. I couldn’t bring out the colors of the milky way. I learned that lesson the hard way.

Tripod. If you are doing a night shot, you’ll be doing a long exposure. You need something steady. I once forgot mine, but was still able to get a decent shot, using a piece of firewood and my camera bag to angle the camera up to the sky. Zooming in on the moon, will require a fast shutter speed (around 1/100 or 1/160 of a second) but if you shoot handheld, you’ll still introduce shake and get a fuzzy shot.

Extra batteries. Long shots eat up power. Especially if you are doing a timelapse.

Remote trigger or time delay. Pushing the button on the camera introduces camera shake. The mirror moving up so the light can hit the sensor introduces shake. I have a cheap intervalometer but wifi remote can work too, as well as the 2 second delay on my camera. On the expensive side, I have a tool called Arsenal that I use to remote trigger, and see pics right on my phone, but it can also lock up my mirror further reducing shake.

Clear dark skies. You can wait out the moon and sun to set, but it’s hard to get through clouds. I use Clear Sky Charts in Michigan (Map) to check the 2 day forecast. So far it’s been 100% accurate. You want to aim for clear to 0-10% cloud cover. This site also has a light pollution overlay slider to see if where you’ll be has dark skies, or check the marked spots that are close to your campsite. Also be mindful if you have a campfire, that can put off too much light and ruin a shot. Using a flash light to briefly light up the foreground is a cool way to add interest.

Know where to aim, so you can compose your shot in the daytime. Say you want to get the milky way behind your campsite. Well, you need to know where the milky way will be during the night when the moon (preferably close to new moon phase) is not out. It’s in the southern sky, but I use PhotoPills to plan how to set up my shot, using which lens and a free app Sky Map to also find where constellations and other heavenly bodies will be at what time (stellarium mobile is another free app as well.) I also use https://www.timeanddate.com/ to get a monthly view of moon and sun time information.

Google is your friend.

Youtube can teach you how to use these tools, post process an image, pretty much everything is available online to find how to do something; so get out and shoot!

MICHIGAN- HEADLANDS DARK SKY PARK This park is set among some 600 acres of woods and two miles of undeveloped shoreline is free to the public and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

MICHIGAN- STATE DARK SKY PRESERVES Michigan is lucky to play host to both dark sky preserves and parks that offer stellar celestial landscapes. -MI DNR

MINNESOTA- VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK Voyageurs, named an International Dark Sky Park, has may places with open horizons with beautiful views of the night sky. All campsites are water-based, require a permit, and can only be accessed by boat.

WISCONSIN- NEWPORT STATE PARK The first and only park in Wisconsin to receive an official “Dark Sky Park” designation from the International Dark-Sky Association. With has 17 backpack (hike-in) campsites, campers must hike or bike in all gear.

WISCONSIN- WILDCAT MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

GREAT LAKES STAR-GAZING

Park your vehicle in a lot for your cart-in site, the park supplies a cart, load your gear and travel on foot no farther that 400 feet to a campsite off the beaten path.

Brockway Mountain Drive Photo: Brian Buckler

Mistakes new overlanders

should make

JASON FLETCHER ALL THINGS OVERLANDING

I make videos that I put on YouTube sometimes and occasionally (not very often), a few people will watch them. My favorite part about making videos is the engagement and comments that I get from the audience. The reason that I mention this is that the idea for this article actually came from a suggestion from one of my viewers.

The comment essentially said that everyone talking about Overlanding always focuses on what to avoid. Whether they’re talking about gear, common mistakes, rig selection, or any Overlanding-related topic.

In his comment, the viewer asked what mistakes a new Overlander SHOULD make in order to learn valuable lessons or to improve something with their setup or gear.

The suggestion was so good that I decided to write this article and I’m going to use this opportunity to walk you through the top three mistakes that I think new Overlanders SHOULD make when they’re first getting into Overlanding.

GO WITH TOO LITTLE GEAR As a new Overlander, it can sometimes give you pause to go on a trip because you feel like you aren’t prepared. You’ve watched all the YouTube videos and seen the over the top, fully kitted out Tacomas climb the side of a mountain in the snow while loaded with roof top tents, expensive awnings, custom bumpers, and more.

Without a Skottle, a super expensive hard shell roof top tent, a 100 qt. dual zone fridge/freezer, and a dual battery setup, how could you possibly go Overlanding? Well, what would you say if I told you that you don’t need any of that?

In fact, if you go out and overbuy gear, you will likely waste a lot of money and still get the wrong stuff.

Of course I’m not advocating for putting yourself in a dangerous situation or going without the necessities (water, food, shelter). However, don’t put off trips because you feel like you have to wait until you have XYZ piece of gear. If you have the basics, just get out there and you’ll learn where the holes in your setup are. What may appear as a mistake to some, can actually be a valuable learning experience.

WHAT MAY APPEAR AS A MISTAKE TO SOME, CAN ACTUALLY BE A VALUABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

TRY WINTER CAMPING I often hear from people (friends, family, people online) that I’m crazy for primarily going on trips in the winter. They say it’s a huge mistake to go when I have a heated home with a nice, warm bed. Let me tell you that giving this “mistake” a try could change your outlook on winter camping.

I feel that people often form opinions about camping or Overlanding based on things they’ve heard or generalities that they assume to be true. However, those opinions aren’t based on facts.

Again, I’m not advocating for going out on a 0 degree night with one fleece blanket and a kids tent. But take plenty of layers and use what you’ve got to start. You can always look at other gear like Mr. Buddy Heaters, Diesel Heaters, or even Hothands hand warmers later, but get out there and figure out your limits and what you need to make your trip better.

Let me lay out some reasons why I think it’s worth figuring out whether it’s a mistake for you based on your own experiences.

1. The fire has never felt better than when you’re out in the woods and the temps are dropping into the teens.

2. There is something amazingly serene and peaceful about a National Forest in the winter. There are no sounds of bugs, very few (if any) other people, and even a lot of the wildlife is gone so you get a surreal experience that you can’t often experience in the comfort of your home.

3. If you’ve camped in places during the more popular summer months, you may be familiar with the occasional difficulties of finding a spot that isn’t already occupied. In the winter, you will likely have your choice of campsites because there aren’t many people camping.

Maybe it does turn out to be a mistake that you don’t want to repeat, but you’ll never truly know until you try it yourself. Don’t take my word for it. Get out and give it a shot!

EXPLORE NEW AREAS, EVEN IF IT’S INTIMIDATING

"IT MAY NOT BE A MISTAKE TO PUSH PAST YOUR BOUNDARIES."

Humans in general are creatures of habit. I know that I personally have a few spots in the local National Forest that I know really well and I tend to return to the same places most trips because I know I’ll have a nice, private location away from the main road and with something to look at.

However, I would encourage you to get outside of your comfort zone and go explore. Yes, sometimes it may result in getting a worse spot than your normal favorite or even not finding a spot at all. But, when it does pay off with a beautiful new spot or challenging trail, you’ll see why it may not be a mistake to push past your boundaries.

Exploring when you’ve got some great spots in mind already can seem uncomfortable or like a mistake, but it could teach you better GPS reading skills or some new recovery skills if you get stuck.

I’ll give you a great example from my experience.

I went to Georgia with a buddy to pick up my new roof top tent. Once we got the tent, we were thinking of driving home (which would have been the easier, more comfortable option).

However, we spoke with the guy who I got the tent from who lived in the area and he gave us some coordinates to check out. So, we drove for a couple of hours and then hit the gravel to explore.

We came to a beautiful river with dispersed camping spots all along it. We were super excited until we realized that every spot was full.

After driving up and down the gravel road a few times, we happened to come by a spot that was full before, but empty this time around. We spoke with the people in the adjacent spot and they said they had just left. So, we lucked out and ended up with a beautiful spot right on the river. It was outside of my normal comfort zone but ended up being one of the best nights of camping ever.

So, while people might say that something is a mistake, often times, they can actually be extremely valuable learning opportunities that can propel you forward as an Overlander. With a focus on safety, you can often have more fun without all the fancy gear, in the winter, and in new places that you’ve never been.

Hopefully this was helpful. If you enjoyed this article, feel free to come hang out on my social media channels. I’d love to chat with you!

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"...tourism has exploded in popularity and I've noticed this has changed how I like to Adventure."

Our most recent adventure takes us out of the UP of MI and halfway across the country, to Moab Utah!

There is always a lot of preparation required for trips of this magnitude and this one was no different, from vehicle prep to passes, permits, and reservations. In the last year or so outdoor tourism has exploded in popularity and I've noticed this has changed how I like to Adventure, it's much harder to just wing it and go to popular destinations these days, and Moab was a prime example.

Planning for the trip started a few months prior with making camping reservations and getting day use and camping permits for white rim road.

Once the logistics of the trip were finalized it was time to move to vehicle prep!

We were taking a well seasoned 2015 Jeep Wrangler with nearly 150k miles on the clock that needed some basic maintenance as well as some mechanical upgrades. First up was to address a few oil leaks, mainly the notorious oil filter/coolant housing O-rings were replaced along with valve cover gaskets, upper and lower intake gaskets, and while we were in there new spark plugs. The Jeep already had a 2" lift and 35" BFG AT KO3's but still had the factory 3.21 axle gears, not the best combo for driving through the mountains of Colorado! I scored a used take out 2014 Rear Rubicon D44 with 4.10's, factory E-locker, with 77k miles to swap over in place of the standard D44. I then regeared the front D30 to match, keeping it open for reliability reasons. One of the most important steps of the whole vehicle prep was to torque and loctite everything as miles of dirt washboard roads and days of rock crawling will loosen every bolt!

Day 3, Colorado backroads...

Day 1 and 2; Driving, driving, and more driving across Iowa and Nebraska...

Fighting cross winds, the smell of cows, seeing storms miles off in the distance, endless fields as far as the eye could see. Although these states do have a lot of interesting things to do and see, we were on a mission to get to a friend's house in Colorado, have a well deserved beer, some good food truck fair, and really kick off the trip. Lessons learned here; a jeep can do 90 although I found 78 to be a comfortable speed, a 20 mph crosswind requires about 15 degrees of constant steering input, and a loose negative battery cable can cause a chain reaction of issues and a Christmas tree lighting scenario with dash warning lights.

I’m going to skim over this section but give some highlights of this epic drive, this could be an entire story in and of itself, one that I intend to expand upon soon. Leaving from Denver we dropped down Southwest on 285 to Buena Vista and down to highway 50. While in Buena Vista we explored the historic downtown, went to a few shops, and had lunch at one of my favorite food trucks, the Buena Viking. Heading West on 50 takes you over the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass, 11,312 feet.

At the end of May we were pretty excited when we hit snow going over the pass! We continued on 50 West through Gunnison, along the Blue Mesa Reservoir and into Montrose.

From there we headed South Down to Ridgeway and West again on progressively smaller and smaller roads until we finally crossed over into Utah on a small 2 lane blacktop road. I highly recommend taking this winding route through Colorado, it took us over 8 hours of driving but was well worth it. This route could easily be stretched out to several days of camping and dirt roads. By the time you are reading this we’ll probably be back in this area taking a bit more time to explore.

Day 4, First day in Moab, Poison Spider Trail Our first day in Moab we headed out for the Poison Spider trail. It is one of the more popular trails in Moab, it’s considered a moderate to difficult trail that gets you out to a very impressive view of Moab and great spot to stop for lunch and photos. The trail is about 13 miles and it took our group of 4 vehicles about 5 hours to complete. For the most part the trail is fairly easy, with a few obstacles that make it more difficult such as “the waterfall” and “the V notch. 35’s and a rear locker make pretty easy work of this trail, although one of our group was driving a stock 4 Runner that with the help of a spotter once in a while made it with no real issues. You can also access Golden Spike and Gold Bar Rim trail from here, to do all the trails in this area would be a very long day.

Day 5 & 6, Canyonlands National Park, White Rim trail As far as scenery goes, the White Rim Trail is pretty high up on the epic scale that any good reliable 4wd should be able tackle. The trail is located in Canyonlands National Park and loops around below the Island In The Sky Mesa on the white rim sandstone formation. The trail is about 100 miles long in total and requires day use and camping permits if you decide to break it up into a 2 day trip, so it’s something that needs to be planned in advance. With minimal stops you could do this trail in a long day if you were not able to get camping permits. But it’s more enjoyable if you don’t have to rush, and the designated camping spots are pretty amazing.

We started the day by pulling onto Shafer Canyon Road and airing down our rigs to about 15psi to help smooth out the long trail ahead.

Shafer Canyon Road is a very narrow “shelf road” that leads to a series of steep, tight switchbacks that descend down into the canyon and onto the white rim sandstone formations, if you’re not a fan of heights this section will be pretty intimidating. The switchbacks are not very technical and there is room to pass oncoming traffic if need be, just take it slow and keep it in 4 low to save your brakes.

...lost count of how many times we said “wow” or “amazing” at just about everything we drove past.

Now is about the time you start really noticing all the different layers of sediment that formed most of the Moab area, and this is where we started to geek out and read all the literature that was given out at the park entrance to try and figure out what was going on here. You will drive past many different layers, each representing different time periods, and different ancient seas, lakes, marshes, and sand dunes.

Because of erosion from water, ice, and wind over the last 20 million years you get these amazing landscapes and formations that we see today. I tend to immerse myself in my surroundings anywhere I go. I like to learn about why things are the way they are, or who lived there, or what I’m looking at. We definitely lost count of how many times we said “wow” or “amazing” at just about everything we drove past.

White Rim Trail winds around the Island In The Sky Mesa for several miles, towards the midpoint of the trail is the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers. From here you slowly work your way down in elevation and closely follow the Green River. We ended up reserving a campsite at the Taylor Canyon campground, which was 6 miles off the main road. We were treated to an amazing sunset that evening and a full moon later on that illuminated the canyon most of the night.

While the trail wasn’t hard it will still test you and your vehicle, we had a few more squeaks and rattles at the end of the day! I’m glad I got to check this one off the list!

Day 7, Hells Revenge Trail, Hells Gate, Escalator Hells Revenge is another very popular moderate rated trail with several more difficult optional obstacles, this one can be extremely busy on the weekends with it being so close to town. Right out the parking lot you climb up a narrow fin to get onto the trail. Not far into the trail you can stop and check out petrified dinosaur tracks in the sandstone. Hells Revenge Trail has some of the more famous obstacles in Moab, the “hot tubs”, Hells Gate, and the Escalator.

Spectators gather around these and watch as drivers give them a try.

Hells gate is described as a technical and difficult optional obstacle, in reality anyone with a bit of off road experience can make the climb without much of an issue.

It’s all about picking a line that keeps your suspension travel to a minimum and keeping your tires planted on the ground. Another famous obstacle we hit was Escalator, this one will grab your attention! It’s a very short and steep climb with a “hot tub” mid-way up that will try to flip your rig if you take the wrong line or are too top heavy. I felt this one was questionable for the Jeep to be able to pull off, but I didn’t drive halfway across the country to not give it a shot! I slowly nosed up to it just to see if the Jeep could climb it. Surprisingly it climbed up into the water filled hot tub and past the point of backing out easily, basically from here you are pretty committed to finishing it. I took it as slow as possible and crawled through it on pretty much the only line I think a relatively stock vehicle could make.

"...don’t get too complacent or you’ll end up finding that one large rock in the trail with your diff..."

Day 8, Arches National Park, Gemini Bridges Trail, Long Canyon Road

We took a break from bouncing around in the Jeep all day to visit Arches National Park and get some hiking in. To beat the crowds and the heat we got up early and drove through the gates at 6:30 am. We did several short hikes until mid morning when the heat and crowds started to become too much. As we were leaving the park we noticed the gates were closed due to the park being at capacity. That’s just another thing to consider when traveling to popular tourist attractions, get there early or you might not get in!

That afternoon we hit up the Gemini Bridges Trail to see a different type of Arch formation. The trail starts a few miles north of Moab off highway 191 and quickly climbs up in elevation with some fantastic views.

The Gemini Bridges are natural bridges formed by flowing water that erodes away the sandstone, as opposed to an arch which is formed by weathering processes other than water. Either way both are pretty interesting, and from the trail it was only a short hike out to view these 2 bridges. It was hard to get a good view of them from the top, there did appear to be some trails down in the valley that might be worth exploring though.

To turn this trail into a nice loop that heads back to moab we decided to take Long Canyon Road back. Long Canyon Road winds you down in elevation through a narrow canyon until you near the Colorado river.

Most of this road was a fairly easy dirt road with the exception of “pucker pass” where it gets a bit narrow and bumpy. There were some outstanding views from just about everywhere along the road. Both Gemini Bridges and Long Canyon are doable in most stock SUV’s with good ground clearance, I’ve done these trails once before with a stock Jeep Liberty with no issues.

Day 9, 10, and 11, Wagons east! (obscure movie reference) And so ends the trip. We aired up our tires and tightened all the loose nuts and bolts and jumped onto I-70, set the cruise at 80, and drove east for 3 days… total mileage was around 3800 miles with more than 500 pictures. It’s hard to condense a trip of this magnitude to fit into the confines of an article in a magazine, each day, each trail, or each experience I’ve written about could be a lengthy article on its own. It has been fun reliving our trip as I’ve written this, and looking at all our pictures trying to find the perfect ones for this article… Hopefully I’ve done a good job here and have planted the seed of adventure in a few of you. If anyone is interested in seeing a few more pictures, find me on Instagram @UPJEEPING

32,000 acres of Keweenaw lands are at risk of being lost.

"In early 2021 hundreds of KORC members, conservationists, and outdoor recreation users answered the call to send nomination forms to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund to acquire, protect, and expand the Keweenaw Tip Recreation Area. Additionally, hundreds of letters were sent to elected officials, including local officials Senator Ed McBroom and State Representative Greg Markkanen who support our collective effort.

Unfortunately, the State passed on the first opportunity to take action, and now 32,000 acres of Keweenaw lands are at risk of being lost. "

SOURCE: KEWEENAW OUTDOOR RECREATION COALITION

A KEWEENAW FOR EVERYONE Keweenaw residents and visitors have historically been able to access lumber company land for recreation for generations.

Once owned by the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company in the copper mining heydays, this land has changed hands a few times over the last century. It is currently owned by a hedge fund, The Rohatyn Group (TRG) and a potential sale threatens trails and access for many user groups. The fear is that new owners may close roads, trails and land that we have enjoyed and used for decades and in turn, strike a blow to the local tourist-based economy. There is also concern that development could put pressure on ecologically sensitive areas. "Now, residents, public officials and recreationalists are urging state leaders to step in, hoping for a public land buy or other solution to prevent wouldbe buyers who might see the land as a development opportunity or an exclusive personal sanctuary" according to Bridgemi.

The outdoor adventure community could lose big if these land sales happen.

THE END OF WILD CAMPING? Someone once said that with the way humans tend to behave badly, in 10 years there will be no such thing as dispersed camping, in the U.P. or elsewhere.

Overlanders do not want "easy road or trail access" to every place in the Keweenaw. It's the old "pave paradise and put up a parking lot" thing. This is why I believe it is important for folks who enjoy the overland lifestyle to join KORC. We see the various groups listed that could benefit from the work KORC is doing to preserve the Keweenaw and we need a seat at that table.

Locals and advocates alike need to know that not everything needs to be a formal campground or graded road. We need to step up and be part of the "everyone" that this area is being preserved for.

And we then need to put our words into action and get involved. Whether we adopt a trail, or show up to cleanup days or fill out the letters to the governor for KORC's Call to Action, let's take some ownership of this situation and answer that call. I believe the overland community has the heart and compassion to be the stewards of the lands that we explore.

SLATED FOR DEMOLITION The photos in this article could stir up a lot of anger. Locals and visitors alike may be upset to see what they perceive as their secret places shared in a publication of such magnitude (sarcasm, folks.) But in the age of social media and satellite maps, nothing remains a secret for long.

I have my own reservations about sharing these places publicly but how can we ask for help without showing you what we are trying to preserve? I am hopeful about the ethic and integrity of this community. And we need your help.

Recently, the Michigan DNR had indicated that this 100-year old log cabin was to be leveled. Gina Nichols of KORC reports that they convinced the state that the cabin is of enough historical significance and local endearment that KORC will maintain and assure it's upkeep. Crisis averted, for now.

Northology Adventures and the Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat have asked to be involved with this effort and hope to adopt some of the trails, campsites and structures as our special cause. With the help of Michigan Overland and Wisconsin Overland, we hope to raise funds and gather volunteers & materials for projects and preservation.

"Public access, outdoor recreation, and conservation efforts could be drastically affected.... Outdoor recreation needs to be part of our State's infrastructure plan, it critically intersects with the current administration's mission to support rural economies in Michigan, improve public health, protect sensitive habitats, and so much more."

"The Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition was created in 2019 to bring together a variety of user groups with one shared goal: to protect the Keweenaw's vast landscapes for everyone, forever.

Whether you bike, snowmobile, hunt, hike, or birdwatch, we need your help to make this vision a reality.

Whether you are a powder hound on skis or a hunter that values well-managed and undeveloped forests, protecting the Keweenaw's at-risk landscapes is vital if we are to preserve our local traditions.

The loss of lands owned by absentee investment firms affects us all. It is for this reason that we have united to stand up for our entire community. By bringing together groups under our umbrella, the Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition can speak with one voice to better advocate for our shared interests.

Become a member today! Any level of support is welcome, but your membership is key to the mission of KORC."

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This summer has been a hot one!

I asked our friends if we needed to

Seems like everyone is heading

wear a life jacket, they told us that it

outdoors in search of some water to

should be an easy float and the water

cool off in. Activities in and around

isn’t very deep, so I didn’t wear mine.

water are very fun but water as an

I’ve been swimming since I was 8, am a

element can be very dangerous. Please

certified lifeguard and water safety

take heed of my story, it can help save

instructor and was confident if I flipped

your life one day.

over I could swim/float/walk to safety.

Enoch wore his life jacket.

It was another sweltering day in Moab.

A couple of friends invited us to float

As we floated we were chatting, taking

down the Colorado river with their

in the scenery and just enjoying the

friends. We jumped on the opportunity

cooler temperatures in the water. We

to cool off in the river. We gathered our

went over a couple of class 1 rapids

supplies, 2 life jackets, 2 inner tubes

and didn’t think anything of it. Since

and we were ready.

this was my first time floating a river, I didn’t know how to classify rapids. As

We arrived at the river outlet, blew up

we continued floating we noticed there

the tubes, got in and started floating.

were some rougher rapids coming up.

This was my first time floating a river in

Enoch told me to brace myself because

an inner tube. I decided I wanted to be

the next rapid was going to be a

connected with Enoch in case I didn’t

tosser. We went over the class 2 rapids

know where to go.

fine but little did we know there was a

class 3 right after it.

Enoch scream my name. Swimming backwards, I kicked with all of my might

Unprepared, we hit Whites Rapid and

to go towards his voice, all at the same

immediately got flipped from our tubes.

time trying not to swallow more water.

I went under and spun. I drank water and started choking. I kicked my legs as

When I finally reached Enoch, I was

hard as I could to get to the surface to

exhausted. Thankfully he had both tubes

get air. I can’t even tell you what I was

with him and I was able to just grab

thinking at that moment. All I knew was,

onto him to catch my breath for at least

I needed air! I got to the surface, tried

a moment. I immediately put my life

my best to gasp for air and a wave hit

jacket on, got back in the tube and

my face. I choked and spun under

Enoch pulled us to the side where we

again. Again, I swam as hard as I could

could stand. I had swallowed so much

to get to the surface. I got to the

water, I was still heaving trying to get

surface, was able to get some air and

air into my system. My whole body was

catch a glimpse of land to orient

shaking and I could barely stand up.

myself in the right direction. I knew that I had to swim backwards, to keep my

The whole experience replayed in my

face away from the waves and to keep

head and all the “what-ifs” started

myself from choking on water. I felt my

coming up. What if my head had hit the

back hit a rock. Luckily, I went over the

rock. What if I had just escaped death. I

rock on my butt and was able to

was thankful for all of the aquatics

bounce over it. I was able to hear

experience I have in my life and that I

was thankful that Enoch had his lifejacket on. Thankful that I was alive.

But I was also mad. Mad at myself for

River safety tips

not wearing a lifejacket. Mad at the people we were with for not telling us there were going to be rapids. But overall mad that I didn’t do my own research to be prepared before committing to these plans.

We learned that the acquaintances we were with knew there was going to be a big rapid and got out of the river right before to avoid it.

Always research the activity beforehand. Check the weather and water conditions. Make sure you are prepared for the day.

I decided then that I was going to use my story to teach others about river safety. No one should have to experience a situation like this.

Inspect all of your equipment to make sure everything is in good shape. Test any equipment that hasn’t been used recently to ensure that it still works properly.

Be confident in your swimming ability. If you are not a strong swimmer, do not go into the water alone.

Always wear a life jacket. Even if you’re a strong swimmer, having a lifejacket on can help reduce the amount of energy used to get to safety.

Water safety and survival are very important at all ages, please take the time to research and familiarize yourself with this knowledge.

Please use this knowledge whenever you can. Do not be overconfident like I was and regret your decisions later. Water activities are always fun, just make sure to have fun safely. This summer has definitely been a scorcher! If you decide to go outside, to find somewhere to cool yourself off, please stay hydrated, have fun and be safe!

If you fall into a rapid, swim upward to get air.

Once you reach the surface, swim/float backwards against the waves. Try to make your way to shore or “ride the rapid out.”

BEST IN SHOW RYAN RODMAN

BY BRETT RATELL The ATOM (All Toyotas Of the Midwest) car show started In 2016 and has been growing every year since. I was always wanting to attend but it seemed like I was out camping, working or had something going on.

The 2021 show was hosting a great inspiration for me to finally attend, one of Ivan Stewart’s trophy trucks that I have always loved was set to be on display. There were also a few other noteworthy Toyota race vehicles from SCCA, NASCAR, IMSA and Indy. Over the last couple years, the feature vehicles have been displayed inside the Lexus Velodrome in Detroit.

IVAN STEWART

LUKE KIRTLEY

AMANDA LATZ

I started in there where I quickly spotted Ivan’s multi-race winning Toyota pickup in all it’s long travel glory.

It was so cool to finally see this truck up close and in person There was also a nearby row of 5 Supras all making well over 1000 hp each. Also inside was Ryan Rodman’s long travel Tacoma, Luke Kirtley’s imported 70 Series Land Cruiser and a Lexus GX460 disguised as a Land Cruiser Prado.

Outside there were several other Toyota trucks. I immediately spotted Amanda Latz’s 4Runner kitted out with lots of overlanding goodies (including a trailer).

Her rig was getting a lot of attention!

Rolling in close to her beautiful 4Runner was a clean 1980 FJ-40 with an LS swap that sounded quite nice.

Wolverine Toyota of Dundee provided 3 black 2021 TRD Pro models for display; a 4Runner, Tacoma and Tundra. There were several 4Runners and Tacomas scattered throughout the approximately 80 cars and trucks. The cars varied from uber-horsepowered Supras, lowered Lexus (or is it Lexi?) to some nice older Celicas, Supras and MR2s There was even a pair of vintage Toyota vans. A big surprise was a Subaru WRX with a large-turbo’d 2JZE in it!

As a first time visitor to the show, I was impressed with the quality of vehicles present. If you are a Toyota enthusiast, I would highly recommend this growing show. It has been gaining popularity every year.

Maybe next year there will be a Barcelona red 2017 4Runner in it.

Oh yea. I later found out that Amanda’s Canadian-imported 2011 Trail Edition had won Best Of Show!!

Protecting the Keweenaw's vast landscapes.

For everyone.

Forever.

WELDING, AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SANDBLASTING, PAINTING

TRAILS END CAMPGROUND RUSTIC CABINS & CAMPING 14203 M26 Copper Harbor, MI

ADVENTURES IN CAMP COOKING Ah... the old end of the day camp stand-by, the s'mores. Tried and true or tired and ewww? After more years of camping than I care to admit, the old standard was not that exciting anymore. Then I saw people using the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Thins in place of the standard chocolate bar and Girl Scout Cookies Thin Mints instead of graham crackers. Now we are talking!

I recently ran across this chocolate fondue recipe from Trisha Yearwood and decided to try it out. Yep, easy and delicious, this will be added to the camp treats list.

S'MORES FONDUE

2 cups heavy cream 12 ounces semisweet

Time

Serves

Level

5 Minutes

ADAPTED BY CINDY POPE

Ingredients

Prep

Everyone

Directions STEP 1 Warm the cream in a small saucepot over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges and steam rises.

STEP 2

chocolate chips

Dump chocolate chips in a bowl and pour the hot cream over them. Let it sit for 3 minutes, stir until well mixed, then whisk in the sour cream.

1 cup sour cream

STEP 3 You can pour the ganache into individual ramekins or do this family-style if you trust your dinner companions not to double-dip!

Dip roasted marshmallows. graham crackers, friuit, nuts, cookies and more!

10 Minutes

Easy

TEMBO TUSK SKOTLE STREET TACOS

One pound flank steak cubed or shredded One quarter pound Chorizo Salt and pepper

Time

Serves

Level

5 Minutes

BY JERRY L’ECUYER

Ingredients

Prep

10

Directions STEP 1 Mix the steak and Chorizo in the Skottle pan, salt and pepper to taste. Set the burner to a medium heat and keep the meat moving. Cook until brown and all the meat is cooked through; about 10 to 15 minutes.

STEP 2 Place flour or corn tortillas all around the edge of the Skottle rim to warm up. Best to use the small street taco tortillas.

STEP 3 When ready, fill the tortillas with meat; add some cheese and sour cream for a delicious taco. Add hot sauce to taste!!!

20 Minutes

Easy

PEACH COBBLER OVERNIGHT OATS

Time

Serves

Level

5 Minutes

BY TIFFANY TAYLOR TAYLORGIRLFASHION.COM

2-4

Ingredients 2 tbsp. Crushed pecans 1 tbsp. Chai seeds ½ c. oatmeal ¼ peach, diced This recipe is super easy- mix and store. You will wake up to a creamy breakfast with just enough crunch. I recommend buying your ingredients from a bulk supply grocery store and filling your bags to last you until your next trip because this saves space. Last note- stasher bags are amazing, they help reduce waste and are super easy to clean.

Prep

½ milk of choice 2 tbsp. Maple syrup 2 tbsp. Vanilla greek yogurt 2 tsp. Vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

20 Minutes

Easy

Directions STEP 1 Combine the first 3 ingredients in your bag.

STEP 2 The night you plan to make it, add in peaches.

STEP 3 In a separate container, add the wet ingredients, mix well.

STEP 4 Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well.

Place in cooler or fridge overnight. Wake up the next morning and enjoy!

ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE

TOYOTA & JEEP SUSPENSION SPECIALISTS GEAR & AXLE UPGRADES - FULL REPAIR FACILITY OVERLAND VEHICLE OUTFITTING CALL 989-593-2533 FOR QUOTE expeditionvehicleoutfitters.com

EXPLORER / OVERLANDER MEETUP Wanderlost Overland and Northology called out adventurers from all over northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin to meet up at Rock Cut State Park in July for some rig gawking, games, prizes, campfire time and camping in the rain.

Stay tuned for future events!

PHOTO: NORTHOLOGY

PHOTO: DERICK ANGARA

PHOTO: DERICK ANGARA

WANDERLOST "Our first meet & greet co-hosted with Northology was a smashing success! It was great to gather likeminded people for a day of fun and good conversation, right in our own backyard. We will definitely do this again! Thanks to all who participated."

NORTHOLOGY "We were honored to participate in the meetup, it was so fun to do gather and hang out with our neighbors and friends. We were impressed with the variety of rigs and the creative games Merri came up with to keep us entertained. Must do again!"

PHOTOS: NORTHOLOGY

PLAY GOOFY GAMES, WIN AWESOME PRIZES Bigfoot races, hydraulic hot wheels car races, we had a hoot and won some neat prizes.

"I'm a beginner at all things overlanding. I've never camped or taken a vehicle off road until very recently. Overlanding is a combination of things I enjoy and new adventures that I can do with my family. I came to the meetup to check out other rigs for ideas and to network with other people that are more experienced in the hobby. The best way to learn something new is to make connections with others that have been there and done that."

-Andrew Christopher @nevertoolatetoescape

PHOTO: DERICK ANGARA

PHOTO: WANDERLOST

PHOTO: DERICK ANGARA

“I just love attending these local events especially when the people hosting and attending have the same interest and passion of Overlanding. It was my first time at Rock Cut State park and I wished I booked a camp site. It was great seeing friends and meeting new ones. Can’t wait for the next one! “ -Derick Angara @Derick1105_clicks

"Meetups are like going to a playground, everyone shows up have fun and show off their new toys. Just like a playground we all laugh and have a grand time, telling stories of our adventures and the trails we've conquered."

Austin Gibert, @FreedomRetrofits

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MEANDERING

RUN

ELWOOD TOAST @CoffeeToastRunner

Last month in the June 2020 issue I wrote about what to ignore as a new runner. This month I thought I would touch on “how not to listen to Elwood’s coaching advice when it pertains to avoiding running injuries".

In reality I’ve been very fortunate and remarkably injury free for most of my running career. Of course I’ve been injured and that is the subject I’m writing about this month. That all said, those of us who choose running as our chosen sport will have those niggling small bouts with soreness and stiffness even when not injured. The goal is to be able to push your body just enough so that it becomes stronger over time but not so much that you start hobbling around. If you run long enough you'll understand.

In the eighties I had become fat. Simple as that. So I began to run on my own with a brand new pair of Nike shoes (read #3 in last month's column). The blue and gold Nike Internationalist served me pretty well and by today’s standards would probably be considered a mid heel-to-toe drop shoe (the difference in height from the toe of the shoe to the heel). It was built on a curved last which in my opinion is not the best shoe design to run in if you over pronate as I do.

Curved lasts do not support your inside arch area well, straight last designs can offer better support of your arch, keeping it and your inner knee from collapsing during foot strike. But I digress.

Being self coached I read the Runner’s World and Running Times mags and picked up advice here and there. So I knew to start my training slowly and to gradually build my miles. So far so good. I even began to enter some local races and usually went all out.

Things were good…my weekly mileage slowly increased. I was gradually running further on training runs and I was loosing some weight.

I went through three pair of those Internationalists. Then in retrospect I made my first mistake by visiting my local running store and there they had the brand new red, white and blue Nike Waffle Trainer on display. The very shoe that was in the latest running mags ( read #1 & 2 in last month’s column) and most of Team Nike were racing in them. They were hot and I had to have them so I retired the Internationalist and began running in a flat, zero drop, racing waffle.

I began having some sore inner knee and leg issues. While I liked the Waffle trainers and their light weight I could tell they were not supporting my feet very well. Off to the store again only to find that my beloved Internationalist was no longer being made, replaced by the Nike Pegasus (a mythical winged horse). Pegasus was a mid-drop shoe but was overly soft and it did not support my legs and feet well. So I fell into the readthe-mags-and-try-the-latest-thing worm hole with shoes from New Balance (to clunky), Saucony (to wide), Asics (also to wide) in succession with mixed results. My knees and ankles became progressively worse. I stopped running.

Back to my local running store for help.

Steve suggested the Nike Structure, a new shoe that was designed primarily to support runners with over pronation issues. I loved them from the start and shortly after wearing them my nagging injuries went away and I felt much better. I went through many versions of that shoe until Nike screwed it up by making it lighter and less supportive. Why do shoe manufacturers think every running shoe must be 'lighter' and 'faster'? But I digress again.

So how does my past experience translate to my current plantar fasciitis and tendonitis issues? During the shutdown of 2020/21 I was homebound like everyone else so I started running more. I was running trails and roads and basically doubled my monthly running mileage. Quickly. Plus, because I was running much more, I needed to buy shoes more often. I tried road shoes from New Balance (too clunky. Ditched them after only 20 miles), Asics (probably my fav

The goal is to be able to push your body just enough so that it becomes stronger over time but not so much that you start hobbling around.

If you run long enough you'll understand. of the group) and new models from Salomon (to wide). (Trying new shoes plus increasing mileage quickly = major mistake).

Increased mileage. Poor shoe choices. Not listening to my feet when they started to ache and feel tired. I kept running anyway.

Runner’s Creed, “I won’t get injured and if I do, I’ll just run some more”. So I’ve begun walking and riding my bike this summer in an effort to recover, so that I can run again at some point. I'm not 100% and some days still feel worse than others. For now, I’ve settled into the New Balance 860 Fresh Foam road shoe which is very comfortable and seems to be my new supportive shoe pick. That is, until they change it for the better. You know...by making it lighter and all. And on it goes.

See you out on the roads and trails.

calendar AUGUST 8/7 Subaru FL4T Fest, Madison, WI 8/7 Toyota Take-Over, Silver Lake, MI 8/14 3rd Annual Artemis Expo, Springfield, MO 8/27-29 Overland Expo Mountain West, Loveland, CO SEPTEMBER 9/9-12 Mountain Rendezvous, Camp Tahquitz, CA 9/16-19 Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat, Copper Harbor, MI

September 16-19, 2021 Copper Haarbor, Michigan

Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat

THANK YOU, JASON & JIM OF OFFROAD GARAGE PODCAST FOR SPONSORING THE EVENTS CALENDAR! SUBMIT YOUR EVENT AT INFO.NORTHOLOGYADVENTURES@GMAIL.COM

BUSINESS PROFILE

Artemis Overland Hardware Founded in 2018 Owner- Aaron Matkowski Location- Springfield, Missouri www.artemisoverland.com phone- 417-501-1190 aaron@artemisoverland.com

Tell us about Artemis, why did you start this business?

A 2004 Land Rover discovery started Artemis Overland Hardware. I was always a camper and love to adventure. My wife and I did backpacking and long range kayaking. But the kids came along and jobs had more responsibility.

In 2013 I was in between jobs and was looking for a new car and Keri (my wife) said buy a Discovery.

After looking I found it. Now what to do with a luxury off-road vehicle? I started asking around about trails you could drive on, everyone said go to the off road park. I knew there had to be something more.

At time went on I started seeing Youtube videos about this thing called "overlanding" and they had a lot of cool gear. Most of the companies they were using were small and were happy to have dealers.

I got a business license and a website and started Artemis Overland Hardware as a side hustle while working a full time job. I had tons of experience with retail, distribution, manufacturing and retail consulting so I had my foundation laid. I built and ran the website for a year before any sales came, then stared getting calls from customers wanting to see the gear before they bought it.

"We are community builders and that is what drives us."

-Aaron Matkowski In 2019 I got a small retail space.

Now several years later it's a full time gig with 5 employees. We have over 30 brands and 15,000 products a 4,500 sqft retail location/warehouse. Artemis has flagship brands Alu-Cab, SnoMaster, Goose Gear, 23Zero, Kovea and many more and always adding.

What makes Artemis unique?

We are community builders and that is what drives us. I love meeting new people and treating everyone I encounter as family.

What are your plans or vision for Artemis? Do you have any big plans or projects coming up?

We are always adding new brands. The most exciting thing coming down the pipe is we are the official US distributor of Howling Moon tents and awnings.

Howling Moon is known as "Africa's Best" and is the number one selling tent in Africa and the most used by safari rentals. We are also releasing several Artemis branded products.

How has the pandemic affected Artemis?

Everyone is now camping.

Are your sales mostly online or in the store?

We sell mostly online and have shipped to every state and many counties, but our retail store stays busy.

Tell us what unique items, services or products are available from Artemis?

Anything overland we sell or can get it. We install everything we sell and we also install anything you bring in. We have a customer appreciation lunch complimentary every Friday prepared by an award-winning chef and we love to talk gear.

Pineapple on pizza, yes or no?

Pineapple, yes

Name: Cody & Alex Eschen @Northwoods_Overland_Adventures Hometown: Rockford, IL Vehicle: 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road- Cement DrivetrainEngine: 3.5- Liter V.6 Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic Transfer Case: Standard Toyota Equipment Front Axle: Standard Toyota Equipment Rear Axle: Standard Toyota Equipment Suspension/wheels/tiresSprings & Such: It has a 2" Lift with Bilstein Shocks Tires- LT275/70R17 BFGoodrich All Terrain Ko2s Rims- 17" Helo HE878 Steering: Standard Toyota Equipment Lighting: All LED headlights and fog lights The extrasPrinsu Design Studios Roof Rack 40" Heretic Light Bar on the Roof Body Armor 4x4 HiLine Series Front Bumper w/20" LED Light Bar Rough Country 9500 LB. Pro Series Winch w/synthetic line KbVooDoo Fabrications Low Pro over Tonneau Cover bed bars Body Armor 4x4 Skyridge 2 Person Roof Top Tent ARB 4' Awning Alpicool cf45 Fridge Ecoflow Max Power Station Mountain Hatch Tailgate Insert

Why did you choose this vehicle? Very capable from the factory and ALOT of aftermarket items to make it even better.

What outdoor activities or hobbies do you have? Overlanding, Camping, Hiking, Kayaking, just about anything outside.

What is the next thing on the build list?

Shower set up for longer trips.

- ARB compressor under the hood - Dual Battery set up Where was your latest adventure?

South Dakota

What drives you to adventure? How do you get there? We want to see and share all the rigs that get us out in nature! If you would like to have your vehicle profile included, email us at info.northologyadventures@gmail.com. Published submissions will receive a sticker swag thank you gift and be entered in our Rig of the Year contest in December.

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