NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES JUNE 2020 ISSUE 1
FINDING A HIKING COMMUNITY OUTRUNNING A PANDEMIC OVERLANDING'S EXPLODING POPULARITY FATHER & SON TIME ON THE TRAIL
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contents
SPECIALS
FEATURES
EXCLUSIVES
06 Maurice de Lannee falls in and out of love with mountain biking
14 Jason Fletcher talks about all things overlanding
21 Trail running and pandemic mindset shifts
10 Cindy asks a talented videographer some questions about his craft.
18 Learn how to find a hiking community with Felicia Hokenstad
13 Rapid swimming lessons
24 A Keweenaw Adventure 28 Father and son travel to destinations and realizations
COVER PHOTO BY JEREMIAH OCHSWALD
WELCOME In the coronavirus age, it's been harder to get together in person so here we are hanging out in digital spaces instead of around a campfire. The world we live in has changed, events have been cancelled, parks & stores have been closed and we are feeling less connected to the people and activities we love. Lets change that. I had the idea to start a magazine years ago but... you know how things go. Ideas get talked about and the excited what-ifs bounce around and then before you know it, its next year. Now there is time to spare and I think this can act as a distraction and a connection to the activities and community we love.
I was aware of a divide between silent sports and motor sports enthusiasts at a young age. There were publications dedicated to each but they rarely crossed over. These days I am seeing some crossover, but in my opinion there never should have been a division to begin with. So many people enjoy both, and I hope to bring you all together to celebrate and enjoy all the activities and the awesome opportunities and stories we have here in the midwest. A wise friend once told me that success wasn't perfection. I am no editor, publisher, graphic designer or writer. I am just a gal who gets crazy ideas, makes commitments and then has to figure out a way to get done what I said I was going to get done. Thanks to the contributors and advertisers for your support. Thank you all for gathering around this, the Northology Adventures digital campfire. Cheers to imperfect success. -Cindy
Griddle me this
Once we made the decision to downsize from our full-sized Tundra to an FJ Cruiser, we’ve had to go through our Overland kit and refine our Loadout. Some unnecessary items will be left behind, while others will be downsized. As we patiently await the uber-thin Pinnacle Pro Stove (available in July), we did receive the Gourmet Griddle which pair perfectly with the upcoming stove. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start using it in the meantime. READ FULL STORY ON THE GEAR BUNKER WEBSITE
Overland basecamp vendors & clinics trail rides swag & giveaways kayak demos dog & kid friendly keweenawoveerland adventureretreat.com
CUSTOM ADVENTURE ITINERARIES OUTDOOR EVENTS & TRIPS CONTENT CREATIONÂ THE ROAD NORTH STARTS HERE
A LITTLE SOUL
NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES 06
SEARCHING
IT ALL STARTS HERE MAURICE DE LANNEE
When I was in high school back in the Netherlands one of my classmates was really into mountain biking and introduced me to the sport by taking me to trails not too far away from our hometown. His family owned a little cottage in the Belgium Ardennes where he could train as much as possible for upcoming competitions. You can only imagine how it would have been to ride with this guy for the very first time as a rookie. At age 14 I won a Merida front suspension mountain bike at the local bike shop that was introducing the brand. Funny part, until this day my dad still has that bike in the shed back in the Netherlands and rides it around town.
Fast forwarding to the United States. Back in the Netherlands I was proactive in the kitesurfing scene. If you have no clue what kitesurfing is, picture a very large kite (about 39ft long and bout 3 ft wide) add some 300lbs Dyneema lines to it and attach it to yourself and hit the water. But the Chicago area is not the best place to do this sport even though we have a huge lake next to us. The wind conditions have to be right to make it really enjoyable and worth the driving that was involved with this sport. Don’t get me wrong – kitesurfing here in the Chicago area got me to some really cool places, places I would never ever think to visit otherwise. But from what I was used to back in the Netherlands where I was spoiled living in an area that would take me to ridable location within the hour to a place where you had to go at least 2.5 hours on some days to get some action going.
"THIS GROUP WAS NO FUN AT ALL"
Kitesurfing wasn’t the thrill anymore that kept me going and I started to search again for other things to do. My wife really enjoyed cycling and while we had beach cruisers we decided to look into different bikes. She ended up with a hybrid bike and my search continued. We walked into Sports Authority one day and we were looking at the bikes there. I found this K2 ZED 26” bike and I fell in love with it. 21 speed, nothing over the top and it could get me going! Here is it, this brand-new mountain bike ready to shred on trails near here. And that is what I ended up doing. Shredding trails around here and joining “Meet-up” to meet like minded people. And boy what was I wrong to join a group like this. The arrogance that was involved with this group was no fun at all. “My front fork is about as expensive as your whole bike" was just one of the comments that was thrown around this day and soon I felt that I had no interest in mountain biking with others and I lost interest of hitting trails.
In 2015 my wife and I went on a trip to Colorado where the main goal was to go off road driving and hiking. My wife insisted to take the bikes along and I am glad she did! We rode the Doudy Draw Trail near Eldorado springs, which was a hardpacked trail where my wife was able to ride with her hybrid bike. This sparked my interest again to get back on my mountain bike and try to local trails again. Three years later it became time to buy a full suspension bike and I found a Trek Fuel EX5 at a local bike shop for a reasonable price. It was such a different experience to ride a 29er. This was also the time that I started an adventure group on Meetup where I met a lot of other people. A small group of people started to form, and we started to ride with each other. All levels of riders and everyone with the same mindset – we go in together we come out together. Having added mountain biking to my “overlanding” adventures increases the sense of adventure. It is a great way to see nature if you slow down a little bit and an amazing way to get an adrenaline rush. Clearing your mind while bombing down a trail before heading back to a week of work.
And honestly, it is a great way to spend time with your family while you are getting some exercise in! My wife is ready to start riding my older K2 ZED 4.6 hard tail and even though we are not going on more challenging trails as I would do with some one else, I enjoy the time outside that we have together. Mountain biking is a great add on for all your overland adventures and to continue where you car can’t go!
I wasn't sure I could trust him but what did I have to lose? He seemed genuine and I had been stressing out about my abilities to capture video for my event that would really express the natural beauty of the area and the friendship of the community. I went and watched his latest U.P. video and that convinced me to welcome Jeremiah Ochswald of Overland Pioneers as an official videographer of the Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat. The video he released from that first event still gets me a little choked up with pride and awe of the amazing beauty of the upper peninsula of Michigan. Thanks again, Jeremiah. On the next page, Jeremiah answers some questions about himself, his trips and gives some great tips.
PIONEERING PHOTOGRAPHY By Cindy Pope
NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES 10
Which came first, the photography or the overlanding? The videography came first. I had been doing comericial work for 5 years, real estate and small business commercial jobs, including legally flyng drones. Then we watched Expedition Overland and those guys got us into it. We liked the idea getting out on a tank of gas and some light gear and build from there. What is your favorite outdoor activity to engage in on a camping trip? Long exposure night photography. Where is the one place you go back to over and over again? Red River Gorge in Kentucky and the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan. One is in our backyard and one is a world away but close enough to enjoy on a long weekend. What are your top tips for packing your photography gear for a long trip? Don’t pack it away, keep everything close by. Have your camera on a gimbal always ready to shoot, you never know when you will see something cool. Overlanding is about the journey and you will want to get shots along the way. Favorite trip last year? Nova Scotia, you should check out the video series on our YouTube channel.
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IN THE COMFORT ZONE A Lesson While Swimming Little Slough Gundy
By Cindy Pope
The kayaks in front of me disappeared over the horizon line. What are we running, a waterfall? I'm pretty sure that swimming this set of rapids is outside my comfort zone. Angela is sitting in a pool at the top and I drop in to get a better look. Darn it, I'm pretty sure I have no business attempting this but there's no turning back now. Angela gives me her big atta-girl smile as I turn towards the drop and paddle over the edge into what I am sure is the whirlpool from Land of the Lost. Immediately I do exactly what Jamee reminded us not to do in her pre-run pep talk. My left hand lets go of the paddle as I bounce off of big rocks. I grab the side of my kayak and over I go. Out of the boat I pop. I try to gather my thoughts- which way is up? Did I just inhale one gallon of river water or was it two? I am now bouncing, bouncing, ouch. Can I catch my boat? Hey, I'm still holding my paddle! Whoa, that was another big drop and lots more rocks. Finally slowing down I see a familiar face coming to my aid. Am I alright, asks Jamee, patting her head in the universal I'm ok sign. I pat my head and nod as I struggle to hang on to my kayak. The panic subsides and I make my way to river left to drain my boat. Sarah paddles over to help and Grace stops to check on me as well. Megan and Bo are recovering their boats, too, with smiles on their faces. I'm pretty sure I am the weakest, least skilled boater of the bunch but being with these gals made me feel like I could try, I could push myself, I could defeat fear. I was ridiculously less than successful but I did it. Instead of freezing in fear or portaging the rapids, I chose to charge forward. I came out the other side with plenty of bumps and bruises but not the regret of a missed lesson. I am so thankful for the friendships and the trust I had with these gals that day. Its so empowering to know that when the going gets tough, I have people to count on. On the river, on the trail, in life, thanks to those who want to see others learn, grow and succeed. When you are out of your element and struggling, that's where you find your real-life comfort zone. NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES 13
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WHY HAS
OVERLANDING BECOME SO POPULAR?
Jason Fletcher - All Things Overlanding Four years ago, I was ready for a new vehicle. As I considered my options, I fondly remembered my 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport that I took off roading and loved when winter time came around. I didn’t have to drive very far for work, so gas mileage wasn’t a big concern. So, with my long history of owning Nissans, and offroading on my mind, I decided that a Nissan Xterra was the right vehicle for me.
NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES 14
I started looking for a used Xterra and doing research on modifications for it, I stumbled across some videos with the term “Overlanding” in the title. The thumbnails for the video generally showed something epic being done in a vehicle that looked a lot like offroading, so I ended up clicking on a few of them. The more I watched, the more I wanted to learn and see. I heard about forums like Overland Bound and Expedition Portal, so I went to them and set up accounts and started reading and bookmarking pages. The more I read, the more my build list for the Xterra I wanted to purchase evolved. As the excitement grew, I finally found my Xterra and started purchasing mods for my build.
"THE MORE I WATCHED, THE MORE I WANTED TO LEARN AND SEE" At the time, it was hard to put my finger on exactly what it was about all the videos and articles I read that created that kind of excitement for overlanding. After four years of building my truck and taking trips, I’ve learned a lot, watched a lot of videos, and even started producing my own content around getting into overlanding and being thrifty with modifications. So, why is overlanding such an enticing proposition for so many people? Why have overlanding gear, modifications, and content become so popular?
EXPLORATION
I grew up in southern Indiana and spent most of my childhood camping and detasseling corn as a summer job. I grew up in the woods and when I wasn’t in school, my brother and I pretty much lived outside every day until it got dark. We built lean tos and huts out of sticks, leaves, and grass. We shot bb guns at targets (and sometimes at pests). Most of all, we learned how peaceful it could be to get out into nature and just relax. Sometimes we’d tell spooky stories around a campfire and that was pretty fun too.
Then, like most kids of the 80’s, we became enthralled with technology. We loved our Nintendos and Playstations and were amazed by things like car phones and VHS tapes. As technology rapidly advanced, it seemed that there was no end in sight for what it could do. Nowadays, I have two kids of my own and it’s clear that technology is everything to them. However, the difference between myself and my kids, is that they never had the benefit of knowing what life was like without technology. They live in a suburban neighborhood near Indianapolis, Indiana and going to Cub Scouts a couple of times a month is about as close to nature as they get.
Overlanding is a fun way that I can get my kids away from the iPads and into nature. While we may not have a forest in our backyard like I did growing up, at least I can pack up the truck and plan a weekend away. When we get back, they have stories to tell their friends who just want to talk about Fortnight and Minecraft. Surprisingly, most of those kids also get pretty interested in my truck and going camping. Most neighbors don’t really care for camping, but they say their kids have mentioned them taking them because of the stories they’ve heard from my boys. Now, I’m not saying I’m the only one. I think there is a pretty significant percentage of people around my age who grew up pretty much the same way. Even we adults can get tired of all the notifications and interruptions and as we get better jobs and mature (a bit), we long to go exploring like when we were kids. Instead of packing up my Ninja Turtles backpack from school with dollar store pots and pans and food I stole from my parent’s pantry, I buy the gear and food I need and take off for some exciting new destination as frequently as my schedule allows. The desire to get away and share it with my family is awfully compelling.
TESTING YOUR RIG, YOUR MODS, AND YOURSELF As a lifelong car guy, I like everything from fast, low cars to big, lifted, capable trucks. While I have my preferences in vehicle make, I respect all builds and enjoy seeing people do things to vehicles you don’t commonly see. That’s part of the reason I picked the Xterra. While the Xterra is a pretty commonly modded Nissan vehicle, there aren’t nearly as many of them as there are Jeeps and Toyotas. So, having a fairly modified Xterra shows my love of Nissan and the capability of the platform. Taking it out on trips to test its capabilities and to see how my current modifications improve (or ruin) the way it copes with obstacles is half the fun. The vehicle itself is pretty capable so I’m currently really working to customize the layout of the interior to make it a better overlanding vehicle. Again, with overlanding, it’s not necessarily about it’s off road worthiness, but more about it’s reliability and ease of handling. Knowing the limits of your vehicle is another piece of the puzzle that makes modifying it fun. The more you take trips, the more you start to see opportunities for improvement in your current set up. You might kill your battery and realize the importance of a dual battery or solar charging setup. Maybe you try sleeping in your vehicle and realize it’s not comfortable or the platform takes up too much room, so you switch to a hammock setup that takes up less space and leaves room for more important items in your vehicle. In my case, I was a tent camper with a cot so I had to find space for the tent, a ground tarp, the cot, a sleeping bag, my memory foam mats, a pillow and more. So, I just finished building my own clamshell style DIY roof top tent, which moved all of that stuff to the roof, freeing up tons of space inside. Even when I’m not on the road, I’m thinking about improvements and working on making changes, which is a large part of the fun of overlanding.
COMMUNITY
Lastly, one of the biggest reasons that overlanding is exploding, in my opinion, is that overlanders are typically some of the most down to earth and helpful people you’ll ever meet. In a world of constant negativity, division, and just all-around rudeness, you’ll see people at their best on overlanding Facebook groups and forums. Of course there will always be a few bad apples, but they have a way of weeding themselves out. The more questions you ask and the more you learn, the more you see the kind of people that are drawn to this type of lifestyle. We help each other out because we all know how quickly it can be you that is stranded or in need of some assistance yourself. Relying on your vehicle is a lot of fun, but at some point, anything mechanical can break down. As overlanders, we’re always looking for ways we can leave an area better than when we arrived or how we can help someone who is in need.
"AS OVERLANDERS, WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS WE CAN LEAVE AN AREA BETTER THAN WHEN WE ARRIVED OR HOW WE CAN HELP SOMEONE WHO IS IN NEED." On my YouTube channel, I always encourage people to email or message me if they have any questions and the most satisfying part of having a channel is the people I meet. I regularly talk with folks from Sweden, to California, to New York and everyplace in between. They all have interesting stories to tell and fun questions that are a challenge to answer. As a relatively new overlander myself, I often learn more from people I talk to than I can impart to them. Just talking about overlanding and seeing everyone’s opinions and ideas is a huge part of what makes it so appealing.
If you’re reading this as a person that has never been on an overlanding trip, definitely head over to YouTube and start searching for overlanding videos because I guarantee you that you’ll fall in love, the more you watch. If you’re an experienced overlander with years of trips under your belt, I hope that this article resonated with you. If not, you know I’m always open for a chat so come say hi at allthingsoverlanding.com and drop me a line. Thanks for reading and as I always say, get out there and live, learn, and discover! Contact & follow Jason at All Things Overlanding on YouTube for videos and podcasts.
FINDING A
HIKING
COMMUNITY IN THE MIDWEST PICTURES & WORDS BY FELICIA HOKENSTAD
Let’s be real. Hiking can seem very intimidating. Finding a hiking community is what really helped me become more confident on the trails. I grew up smack-dab in Central Wisconsin and had never heard of the Ice Age Trail until I was halfway through my twenties! The Ice Age Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States at a length of approximately 1,200 miles and it is in Wisconsin! I didn’t have the privilege of discovering this trail until I had already moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Here, I live amongst many trail systems and a huge outdoor recreation community. It took me a while to find my way into that community, and that experience is exactly what I would like to share with you today!
NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES 18
There are many places to start, but the first place I was successful was online! Many hiking groups or trail associations have a website, facebook page/group, and an instagram. Social media is the norm, so it totally makes sense to start here. I knew that I wanted to become a more experienced outdoors woman, and the best way to do that is to spend more time outdoors. This was a new hobby for me, so I did not originally have many friends who also enjoyed hiking. I’ve heard that you should surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel because energies are contagious. I started by requesting to join some of the organizations below on Facebook! Women Who Hike Women of the Wild Midwest (WOW Midwest) Adventurers on Heels
"YOU SHOULD SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT REFLECT WHO YOU WANT TO BE AND HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL BECAUSE
ENERGIES ARE CONTAGIOUS." Within a year, I had somehow been recruited as an ambassador for the organization, Women Who Hike. This org is a worldwide network of women empowering each other on and off the trail. My “job” is to plan and lead a hike every 3-4 months in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I have met so many like minded women and established some really amazing friendships with people I might not have met otherwise. Shortly afterwards, I linked up with Women of the Wild Midwest, and now I have a network of hiking friends that I feel I can trust and turn to when I need somebody to talk to; whether it’s about hiking, life events, or worldwide pandemics that complicate outdoor recreation. Through the organizations listed above, I was introduced to the organizations listed below. I encourage you to check them out! Many are worldwide and have chapters in multiple states with meetups! Women Who Explore Adventure Mamas She Jumps Becoming an Outdoors Woman Hiker Babes
Another great way to find like-minded people and give back to the community is to become involved with local trail organizations! The Midwest is often left out of the conversation when it comes to outdoor recreation, but if you pay attention to the spaces that you find yourself exploring, chances are there is somebody behind the maintenance of those trails. Here in Marquette, MI, we have many options when it comes to hiking trails. I’ve listed a few notable ones in the areas that I typically recreate.
ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO FIND LIKEMINDED PEOPLE AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH LOCAL TRAIL ORGANIZATIONS!
Vehicle mods Consultations Overland gear Visit us on facebook
NTN - Noquemanon Trail Network (Marquette, MI) Little Presque Isle Multi-Use Pathway (Marquette, MI) North Country Trail Association (Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) Ice Age Trail Association (Wisconsin) Tomorrow River State Trail (Wisconsin) Buckeye Trail Association (Ohio) While these aren’t the only two ways to find a hiking community, they are two really great ways to start. I don’t know where I’d be without the individuals in my life that make outdoor recreation a more fun and safe experience. Happy Trails!
Welcome readers, to the first issue of Northology Adventures and to our first Trail Running section. Our editor, Cindy Pope, asked me to write a monthly column about trail running and with it, the various interests in the trail and hiking community. Topics such as internal and external motivations, nutrition, destinations, gear reviews and requirements, psychology (especially these days) and how to implement outdoor running and walking into your outdoor excursions will all be touched upon and given their due over the coming months. Motivations What motivates us to get up and out the door each day? Running, whether you are an early riser or prefer afternoons or evenings, takes effort and quite frankly isn't easy. I'll attempt to answer what motivates me and how it helps me each day. (Hint: it starts between the ears, not with your feet). Nutrition Full disclaimer- I am a brand ambassador for Match Nutrition. While this topic will not be a self serving advert for Match I will discuss what I find works for me and for friends of mine that make the subject an important part of their lives. (Hint #2: nutrition and exercise often do not go hand-in-hand). Destinations While I am based in northern Illinois and call Rock Cut State Park my running home, there are many fantastic areas in the Northology territory to enjoy whether on foot or by car. I hope to expose some of the great out-of-the-way parks and trails rather than the tourist traps. Gear reviews Yes, there are a myriad of magazines and online sources with gear reviews. My attempt will be to not only review brands and technologies but to explore what makes them great (or not so great). What one person loves another won't. Much more to be shared here in upcoming issues. Psychology The study of the mind and behavior really goes along with motivation. How they work together to help us maintain that desire to get outdoors is the trick. While I'm no doctor I hope to still communicate how this works for me and, sometimes doesn't work so well for me. I'm excited to be involved with Northology Adventures and I hope to bring you valuable information about the topics outlined above and more. -Elwood
COFFEE TOAST RUNNER
ELWOOD TOAST
NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES 21
"WHILE THESE DAYS MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE AND HAVE PROBABLY CHANGED OUR ROUTINES, CONSIDER THIS A TIME TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS."
MEANDERING RUN I write this commentary after my morning run on, pavement. Those who know me well know my first love is trail running and hiking. Mainly though I enjoy tromping through the forest while thinking about everything and nothing. Sometimes nothing is preferable although my wife asks me how I can think about nothing. For guys it’s easy. Just perform the task at hand as best you can and don’t think about stuff. Stuff in your life. Stuff that matters and that doesn’t matter. Ladies, just ask us how we can do it. Not that it matters. I digress. My forest home court is Rock Cut State Park in northern Illinois. So far north that we are only fifteen minutes from the Illinois/Wisconsin border (for travelers who pass this way on your way to more hallowed ground I’ll write about RCSP in a future issue). Since COVID19 reared it’s very ugly head Rock Cut has been closed...midMarch until just recently re-opened on May second. Before COVID I could be found three or four times on the trails there. The remaining mornings I’d run lighter on the roads inside the park or on a dreadmill if it became to cold for me (I strongly dislike winter but go outside anyway unless the temps hit below ten degrees). During this period my only alternative to trail running was to replace it with road running. While not happy about it I quickly realized that, even with the stay-at-home orders by our esteemed Guv, I could still do what made me happy. I’d just do it in a different way. However I tend to find roads rather boring so I needed to find a way to make it more enjoyable. I needed to change up my creation that I call #meanderingrun. I began exploring the area around my home each day. I found roads less traveled and country roads that I could safely use and, I increased my mileage. I became a high-mileage road runner and enjoyed reaching new mileage goals. I watched the signs at gas stations announce lower fuel prices seemingly each day. I began to see new faces each morning on the bike path and waving, smiling to them and saying hello. I watched the toilet paper hordes as I ran through the local grocery parking lots. A new world! LOL.
I also discovered that I could increase my daily mileage while running gradually, every day. No days off, a horrendous running sin. At first it was uncomfortable but now I find it much easier to run longer. All benefits if that is your goal. One downside, I wore out my new ASICS in half the time it normally takes. New shoes. Second downside, my beloved Salomon trail shoes rested for fifty plus days. It hit me during this morning’s run. While these days may be uncomfortable and have probably changed our routines, consider this a time to explore new ways of doing things. Continue to play, get outside and enjoy your hobbies as best as you can and be prepared to change things up just a bit. You may find whether work or play, finding a way to make the best of the situation can possibly be, while different and uncomfortable, a way to discover new and discarded outdoor activities. Elwood Toast May 2020 Find me on Instagram @coffeetoastrunner On Facebook, Elwood Toast
NORTHOLOGY
WEEKEND SUMMER CAMP Private rustic camping above Piers Gorge, whitewater rafting, hiking, off-road tour, mountain biking.
JUNE 19-21, NORWAY MI
Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat
BY CINDY POPE
Photo by Chad Berger
Photo by Cindy Pope
The apprehension was washing over me like a wave. I had spent the last six months preparing, planning, plotting, sometimes crying but here I was with my crew, precious friends who had come together to help launch the first Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat. Jack, Chris, Taylor, Mandy, Jake, Carly I were getting ready, nervously doing some last minute prep before check-in was scheduled to start and the rigs were already lining up. NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES 24
The idea for an overland basecamp gathering started when I visited Rob Ozarawicz at Northwinds. He and I had become acquainted in some Facebook groups and he mentioned that he would like to host a bunch of fancy car campers there sometime. I was down with that, I tell ya! I stopped in on him on a cold, rainy October night on my way up to Copper Harbor with a friend. I could almost physically see his love of the Keweenaw and the outdoors pouring out of him as he gave us a three hour tour of the facility the next morning. I think I knew that day that I wanted to be involved with this idea. Rob sent us off for the rest of the weekend with maps and suggestions for places to hike, mines to explore and secret, sandy beaches and rocky coves. My mind could not stop thinking about the possibilities for hosting an event there as we rode our bikes and combed the beaches for treasures.
After returning home, Rob and I engaged in a flurry of messages with ideas and questions and what-ifs. We had to make this idea of an upper midwest overland basecamp event a reality. Within a few weeks, we met again at Northwinds with Todd & Carol Mowrer of TC Teardrops and my friend Chris Offenwanager of XJP Overland to start planning for the gathering. We were all in agreement that this event would be about community first. I mean, all we really wanted to do was connect with the overlanders, offroaders and adventure types just like us. We knew they were out there exploring and playing in the woods. You can see small convoys of overland outfitted adventure rigs rolling through Marquette, Munising and Houghton if you’re in the right place at the right time, but organized gatherings that cater to that type of outdoors enthusiasts don’t happen anywhere near here.
"...all we really wanted to do was connect with the overlanders, offroaders and adventure types just like us."
And one big, giant Global Expedition Vehicle that left us gasping in awe. We saw license plates from Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Iowa and Arizona. The team exchanged giddy glances and smiles as we greeted each vehicle and handed out the goody bags, “we did it, this is awesome, can you believe this'?" were the silent messages of each grin.
The overland expos and redezvous are mostly in the southwest or southeast but we thought - why not here? Why not in our own backyard? Why not bring these explorers together? And why not invite those who have never been here? Why not do this in the most beautiful place in the upper midwest? Why not on this boreal peninsula surrounded by the greatest lake in the world? Why not explore the deep forest and high cliffs and the history? There was no reason not to, and we set forth to make this plan a reality. And so here we stood in the shade of Chris’s xj’s awning as the first vehicles rolled up at basecamp on that very first day. I don’t honestly remember who was first in line, but I do remember the apprehension turning to excitement as rig after rig rolled into the check in. Jeep Wranglers with mountain bikes on the back, Toyota FJ Cruisers towing TC Teardrop campers, Ford trucks with Xventure trailers, Toyota 4Runners with kayaks on top, and smiling kids and happy dogs poking their heads out the windows of outfitted Nissan Xterras.
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The result was a weekend of friendship and fun. Northwinds was spacious enough to accomodate all of us with plenty of elbow room for all the rigs, tents, teardrop campers, expedition trailers and that huge GXV. We spent the days on two-track and forest roads driving to beautiful views and the afternoon and evenings with some down time, clinics, demos and vendor-sponsored giveaways at the evening community campfire. Campers rode their bikes, hiked, paddled canoes and swam in Love Lake at basecamp. Kids and adults alike played on the low ropes course. We toasted new friends over the fire until late into the night and stood together in awe as the northern lights danced above our heads. At that moment in time, I could not have been more happy. The work and stress had been worth it just to gaze at that night sky with new friends and old, proud of what my team and I had accomplished. Not everything went smoothly or according to plan but the smiles and questions about “next year” as the event came to a close told us all we needed to know. “Success is not perfection,” a wise friend told me, but we were perfectly successful in creating an experience that brought this community together in this amazing place, the Keweenaw Peninsula. -Cindy Pope Join us for KOAR 2020 at our new basecamp at Trails End in Copper Harbor. Tickets are on sale now and there is a rig limit so get them while they last! Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat
WHY DO WE TRAVEL? And what does it mean? That is actually a really great question. A question I don’t even know if I can answer properly, as I believe the answer is different for everyone. For sure, travel means going back and forth on your daily commute from home to work and back again each day. It's a routine, a necessary evil, an inconvenience, and a means to an end. Many of these types of people will live most of their lives in one town or city and raise their families there, and so on, continually breeding the idea of planting roots and staying close by. They will never really get the taste of what getting out there feels like, and that is ok, if that is what they are content with.
RAISING CAIN ON THE TRAIL By Michael Schibline Rzncain Photography
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But to many of us, travel is not the means to an end, it’s just the beginning. It is the ability to make a plan, attempt to execute said plan, and not fall apart when the whole thing goes off the rails, and you are forced to throw away the plan. It's the ability to embrace the uncertainty of what might lie ahead and have planned ahead enough to hopefully how a way out of any situation you might encounter. Travel is being able laugh about these times when “things didn’t quite go how they should have” because, well honestly. What story ever worth hearing started out with, “Ok, so yesterday went exactly according to plan”? Travel is out running your cell phone signal and asking for help at the gas station that every horror movie you ever watched, told you you shouldn’t have. There are so many things that travel is, but I really can only tell you what it is to me. Travel to me, is exploring this beautiful world with those you hold the dearest to you. The only people that in your eyes, rival this world’s beauty. It’s meeting life long friends along the way. It’s using a vehicle as a means to get from one memory to another. It’s about the journey and not the destination. Traveling is that special bond between one's family, friends, their vehicle and the moments we share in between the photos we take. It’s singing together out of tune for 17 hours on your way to see a beautiful mountain scape for 20 minutes. It’s more about who you share it with that even what we see.... That’s what travel is to me. What is it to you?
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Photo by Jeremiah Ochswald