Northology Adventures September 2021

A MIDWEST OUTDOOR OVERLAND ADVENTURE PUBLICATION

NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES SEPTEMBER 2021

EXPEDITION IN THE U.P. Orbis Overlanding

NICOLETROCHE

Solo Mountainbike Trip

ICE AGE TRAIL

Earning those views

WELCOME TO THE OUTDOORS // NEW HOLLAND OVERLAND// OVERLAND EXPO MOUNTAIN WEST

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CAMP COOKING

03 60

VEHICLE PROFILE

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THE GEAR BUNKER

ICE AGE TRAIL

Wisconsin Hiking

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22

TOYOTA TAKEOVER

NICOLET-ROCHE TRAIL

New Holland hosts at the Dunes

Mountain Biking bliss In Wis

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EXPEDITION IN THE U.P.

WELCOME TO THE OUTDOORS

There and back again.

Braxton reviews, you decide

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48

OVERLAND EXPO

WILD SOUTH

Fun postponed is still fun

History lessons on the road

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

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WISCONSIN JEEP GROUP

FL4T FEST

turn the page to indicate

Rookie Day Success

Subarus gone wild

the linked content and

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on the page. There are also live links that will briefly highlight when you

you can click on underscored text and the ads too- thanks for

MEANDERING RUN

reading and sharing! -

Fall Trail Run Opportunities

Cindy

Northology Adventures Magazine has made all efforts to make sure that content is accurate on the date of publication. The views expressed reflect the author(s) opinions and are not necessarily the views of the publisher or editor. All content is published in a good faith. Northology Adventures does not guarantee or accept liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by this magazine or errors in the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers.All rights reserved and nothing can be partially or in whole be reprinted or reproduced without a written consent. By using links in this magazine, you acknowledge that and agree that Northology cannot be held responsible and shall not be liable for content of other websites and advertisements.

Photo: Bo Robinson Cover photo: Josh Colgrove

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

OVERLAND PIONEERS + KEWEENAW OVERLAND ADVENTURE RETREAT Watch and learn why the KOAR event is our favorite event of the year and how it nurtured our love of overlanding and the upper peninsula of Michigan.

CUSTOM ADVENTURE TRIPS & ITINERARIES / OUTDOOR EVENTS / CONTENT CREATION / ADVENTURE MAGAZINE

Wisconsin's

Ice Age Trail

By Sarah Michals

...full of history and wonder Wisconsin has some amazing hiking trails. One of my absolute favorite trails is the one that spans the entire state Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail - and it’s full of history and wonder.

Earning the designation as the country’s 10th National Scenic Trail in 1980, the Ice Age Trail winds through about 1,200 miles of Wisconsin’s glacier moraine landscape carved during the last ice age over 10,000 years ago. The path showcases kettles, potholes, eskers, kames, drumlins, and glacial erratics formed during this time. The western terminus is located in Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls, WI and the eastern terminus is in Potawatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay, WI. The trail passes through 30 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, covering more than 600 miles of yellow-blazed segments and over 500 miles of unmarked connecting routes linking hikers through several of the Ice Age Communities.

Each segment throughout the state is unique, showcasing Wisconsin’s awesome natural history and amazing views. There are plenty of “Wow look at that!” scenes. And, don’t forget the “Was that a mosquito or a pterodactyl?”, the “Muddy or the “Here we go, uphill both ways!” moments, too. Get out there and explore some Wisconsin beauty.

Resources: It’s always a good idea to check the map for trail closures before heading out. The Ice Age Trail Alliance is a volunteer- and memberbased nonprofit organization whose mission is to conserve, create, maintain, and promote the Trail. The Alliance publishes a guidebook, and also offers an interactive trail map that is extremely useful for mapping out your hike and checking trail closures and conditions. They also are hosting the 41-mile Mammoth Hike Challenge in October.

"Hiking makes you earn those views and experiences, and there’s plenty of adventures to be had along the trail."

Sarah Michals is an intrepid adventurer, hiker, motorcyclist, snowmobiler, offroader, paddler, photographer and kombucha brewer who's exploits have taken her all over north & south america.

You can find her work and photos of her many awesome adventures at sarahmichalsphotography.com

Learn more about the ice age trail at iceagetrail.org

TOYOTA TAKEOVER

CITY LIFE \\ ASHTRAYNUTZ

ALL PHOTOS BY BO ROBINSON

A

NEW

HOLLAND

OVERLAND EVENT AT

SILVER

LAKE

SAND DUNES, MI RECAP BY JEREMY BYINGTON PHOTOS BY BO ROBINSON

The 6th annual "Toyota Take-Over" at Silver Lake Sand Dunes is one of the largest gatherings of Toyota off-road enthusiasts in the state of Michigan! Sponsored and hosted by New Holland Overland, the event this year drew in 165 vehicles including Tacomas, 4Runners, Highlanders, Land Cruisers, FJ Cruisers, Tundras and a few Lexus GX series. Toyota Take-Over is a show-n-shine meetup, giving like-minded Toyota enthusiasts a chance to not only show off their rigs, but make new friendships and connections with other like-minded people. With over 2,000 acres of sand to cruise around in, you have a chance to see all sorts of differently built Toyotas from prerunners, to overlanders, daily drivers, rock crawlers, etc. Being that this was the 6th annual Toyota Take-Over, it also was the largest as the event doubles in size every year. Next year's 7th annual Toyota TakeOver is poised to be even bigger and better with introducing new vendor spaces, additional sponsors, give-aways and raffle prizes, and a show-n-shine space where you can walk around and check out all the Toyota Rigs!

The Silver Lake Sand Dunes State Park ORV Area open season runs 7 days a week from April 1–October 31st, 2021. Season hours AprilMay 1 are 9:00am-8:00pm (May 1st– September 15th) are 9:ooam–10:00pm daily; and Late Season hours are (September 15th– Oct 31st ) 9:00am–8:00pm daily.

All you need are the ORV permits & passport in the photo to the right, all can be bought at the DNR ORV Welcome Center 8505 W Fox Rd. Also an 8ft dune safety flag, mounted to be 10 ft off the ground. These flags can be purchased at Duneland Off Road Center right out side the ORV entrance.

-thinkdunes.com

Special thanks to photographer Bo Robinson and furry friend, Chance for the awesome photos. You can see more of Bo's Silver Lake photos at @dingo_boy_explore on Instagram.

Custom off road trailers, accessories & gear g3fabrication.com

Nicolet Roche

A solo journey

by Ben Wicklund

Sometimes I wonder if I'm too old to continue to pursue mountain biking. Biking, especially mountain biking, I've always had a passion for. And it's been one of my biggest causes of scars and bruises. At 35 years old, there isn't an arm, leg or hand at this point that doesn't have some mark left by a bike. At the same time though biking has such a solid mental and physical reward to it. Heading 200+ miles from home to bike solo on some trail ranking in high difficulty seemed risky but admittedly I'm not going to get any younger.

Healthy Club Nicolet Roche is a amazing trail system run the Langlade Area Mountain Bikers Association (LAMBA.) Their club seems very active and healthy. I was very impressed with the trail maintenance there was hardly any dead fall or other issues within 8.5 miles I rode. Healthy club means healthy trails. They had a group ride the morning of my arrival but I was just a bit late.

The Trail The trail itself is a good mix of tech features and challenging climbs and downhills. The first thing I noticed was that it's true single track trail system. There were a few areas my handlebars just barely stuffed through, as the bike climbed and descended the narrow bending flowing chutes of trail and trees.

The Boulders The area had such unique boulder gardens. Big rocks always seemed to throw a mild mix of trials and skill based riding into mix. Multiple times I stopped just to have second or third try at the boulder obstacles.

There were some rock lines that you had to hit, shove and turn just exactly right to make it through.

Buck Snort This bit of trail challenge provided a great thrill much like navigating a rough rocky trail in a 4wd. There were many optional lines that would send you jumping or rolling over boulders the size of riding mowers. Taking my monster truck of a fat bike was definitely the right option when it came to the difficult rated Buck Snort trail. The Buck Snort contained far more rock gardens and short punchy climbs and descents. On a few occasions Buck Snort did it's best to buck you off the bike.

Downhll Hanging on for the downhills was some of the most fun riding I've done this year. There were nicely smoothed bermed sections you could sail through like a ore cart flying off the rails.

I was most shocked by how few users were using the trail. This is a premier level trail system and I never once crossed paths with anyone during my ride.

Definitely a 9/10 trail for me would recommend and will be back for sure.

"If you have never ridden the Nicolet Roche Trails, you are missing out!

These trails are some of the original mountain bike trails built in and around the Langlade County area. Originally started as trails utilized for an off-road triathlon, the Wolfman Triathlon, have evolved into a network of beautiful single-track trails winding through the woods and large boulders of the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest. These trails will not disappoint and will appeal to riders of a wide range of skill levels."

- L.A.M.B.A. website

WELDING, AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SANDBLASTING, PAINTING

MORE THAN A JOURNEY, OR A DESTINATION

THE ORBIS OVERLANDING UP EXPEDITION 2021

By Patrick McKenney

Photo: Josh Colgrove

Photo: Josh Colgrove

I know the first tower is close, because the AT tires are singing on the metal grate, but the fog from the straits is so thick I still can’t see the towers of the Mackinac Bridge! What makes my heart sink is of the 8 vehicles in my convoy, two of them have never crossed the Mighty Mac and into the UP prior to today. Having made the trip numerous times over my years now, this has to rank up with one of the least epic of them all. Finally the tower comes into sight, right as I pass underneath it, the beauty of the straits and the approaching shoreline remains elusive on this crossing. The rest of the day, didn’t get much better.

But in all honesty, it wasn’t that bad. I mean really, in the UP exploring with 9 other rigs for a week. It really was an epic adventure.

The group was about as motley as possible, 6 Subarus , a Lexus LX450, a Nissan Frontier and a Ford F150. The goal was straight forward, or so it seemed. After crossing the Mackinac, we’d head east and north, and spend the first night up near Whitefish Point, second night was scheduled for the Au Train area, then on into the Huron Mountains, from there the schedule got a little loose, but the end goal was to get to the Rocket Range and camp a High Rock. What none of us could know was how the trip would impact each of us.

We cut north off of US 2 on the west side of Brevoort lake and headed into the Hiawatha National Forest, the first leg was open gravel and sand roads and we made good time, for a while. I had put a lot of effort into planning out the route, and included way points that I used to tell me if we were ‘on-time’ or not. So far, so good. The only issue was the drizzly rain and fog that remained. But it wasn’t a hindrance.

Our first stop was at the Fiborn Quarry, this limestone quarry was closed in 1936, and now the ruins are a really cool glimpse back at what used to be there. A significant portion of the trail slowed us down, and after the Quarry, and meeting up with our final member of the group who came up from Wisconsin, we spent some time putting miles behind us on the pavement. The fog was still an issue, but didn’t completely block the first view of Lake Superior, first view ever for several members of the group in fact, as we approached Paradise on the way to a stop at Tahquamenon falls.

The first night we made camp on the shore of Lake Superior, west of Whitefish Point and off the West Wild Ca t Road. The drizzle continued overnight and into the early morning. There was enough of a break to get camp broken down, gear packed back up and have

some breakfast. Shortly after getting back on the trail the rain gave way to partly cloudy sky for the remainder of the day. Our route for day 2 pushed us further west into the Lake Superior State Forest, with targets of getting to the Crisp Point lighthouse, as well as making stops through the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. The planned route was a somewhat ambitious 133 miles to make it over to a camp site near Au Train. As it turned out, the length of the proposed route would become the least of our worries.

About 9 miles into our route, we meet a full-size truck going the other way who warned about some upcoming puddles, he didn’t think a bunch of Subaru’s would make it through. In the lead position, and as the host of the group I took on a lot of responsibility to ensuring that everyone in my convoy will be safe, and be able to tackle obstacles we come across. Sure, we can push our boundaries and learn, but there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed. As I approached the first puddle, I called back on the radio I was going to walk it.

The first puddle was no issue, neither was the second or third. The fourth puddle after walking it, was questionable, there was a bypass, and it looked like we could make it. But there was also a blind curve. I decided before we attempted the bypass I’d walk up to the curve and see what I could see around it, and what I found was a bit scary.

As I rounded the corner at first, I couldn’t figure out what I was looking at. About 500 feet further down the trail was another puddle, really more like a small pond, the puddle itself was probably about 300 feet long. In the middle of it, sunk in with water up to it’s fenders was a Chevy Silverado, an elderly lady was sitting on the roof, as the cab had filled with water.

The 2 other occupants were sitting in the cab, in the water, both near hyper o thermic . We later found out they’d been sitting in the water for nearly 2 hours. In the Subaru’s we were in over our head, but the F150, lifted and with a winch, driven by Ethan Wolfe was the right rig for the job. Several members of the group with ample recovery experience took over and a recovery was mounted. I had a different task, our route was blocked, and this was going to take some time. It was never a question of if we had the time to help or not, for all of us, there was little doubt we ’d be en put in that place, with the crew we had for a reason. That recovery took priority , and I had complete confidence in the guys on the trip who were performing it . T he fact remained , we had a lot of miles to cover to get to Au Train, and for us, this was the end of the road!

Photo: Cody King

A COMMON DESIRED GOAL

TO SEEK ADVENTURE in a way we’d never done

Photo: Josh Colgrove

Photo: Jenn Kline

Photo: Jenn Kline

Photo: Jenn Kline

The challenge now was, there weren’t many options.

Due to the area we were in, the Shelldrake River and frankly the wilderness there was no other route to the west, save one and it was gated off. I knew the Vermillon road didn’t take us where we needed to go.

There was one option, on the map that looked good, but by now we’d lost so much time, we’d not even had lunch, we needed to put the miles on. So with little other choice we rolled back east, hit the West Vermillon Road and rolled on down to 123, back in Paradise we fueled up, and made lunch. We made a tough decision and Crisp Point Lighthouse was omitted from our stops. This was especially frustrating for me, as Crisp Point has been a destination that has alluded me for several reasons for years! And once again, my visit there would have to wait. After lunch we headed out on M123 and caught H37, found our way through Grand Marais and into the Pictured Rocks National Lake shore. We made a few stops through Pictured Rocks, and although it was in fact an amazing day, it was getting long. We rolled on through Munising and west on M28 to our campsite on the AuTrain river.

I had a lot of concerns about how the whole reroute and the events of the day would unfold, after camp was setup, and people had dinner, we had our nightly drivers meeting. I had been closed lipped about the route, so I was giving out route information for the next day the evening before. After a quick discussion about where we were headed the next day the discussion around the fire went to the events of the day. Hanging out that evening was when many of us realized this was a group that was connecting very well. From there on, as a team, we rolled with changes, tackled problems and flat out had an incredible trip.

Photo: Cody King

Photo: Jenn Kline

The next morning, I awoke to a beautiful sunrise, and was ready to hit Marquette, which is one of my favorite cities and head on into the Huron Mountain areas. We headed south, and then west through the national forest, made a stop at the Lakenland Sculpture Park and headed into Marquette. Did the obligatory ride around Presque Isle park and then stopped at Third Street Bagel for a late morning breakfast. After a supply stop and fueling up we headed out County Road 510, caught the AAA west then the Ford Road and headed out into the Huron Mountain area. We arrived at our campsite for the evening at a decent time at the Mouth of the Huron.

We were early enough in the season that it wasn’t busy and setup camp for the night. Getting in a bit early was great and left us time to hang out into the night. This really is one of the best beach areas around , and far better when there is really no one else there.

Photo: Patrick McKenney

Photo: Patrick McKenney

Photo: Patrick McKenney

Another curve ball came in that evening, as I was checking some route details for the next day and listening to the weather radio pretty strong thunderstorms were predicted for the following afternoon, and into the night. I had to be a bit creative to get good coverage on my phone so I could get some good looks at the weather, but it did seem like the area we were in, which was where we planned to camp again tomorrow evening was going to get hit. So at near midnight, I found myself working on an updated route for the next several days.

The mist and drizzle was back for the next morning, some of the crew needed to be headed back down state today, they had planned to leave early and hit Point Abbaye before heading out. With our route change however, it turned out the later group would likely head up there as well. We made a final wave to that early group heading out as we passed on the road up to Point Abbaye a little later on. The fog and drizzle

Photo: Jenn Kline

lingered on, and in doing so gave the tip a very eerie, almost surreal feel where the rock and the lake just sort of melted out of each other. We headed on out, back toward L’Anse and to the destination of the day, which now with the route change became The Rocket Range.

Standing on top of Brockway mountain , we could see the fog rolling in from Lake Superior . Black clouds could be seen moving up to the south, likely confirming the decision to change the route was the correct one.

From the top, or from the overlook on the north side you could barley see Copper Harbor through the fog.

We made our way through town and to the end of US 41, where we stopped to air down for the t rek out to the Rocket Range. I had made the drive out there last fall, in September of ’20, and it was a significant accomplishment for me, it marked the end of the 7 Hour Plane Crash route, which is the first overland ‘route’ that I’d accomplished. But this wasn’t my second time, many years ago I’d done this road.

It felt good to be back. And now, returning not even a year later, leading a group it took on a different meaning. Several members of our group had to head home in the morning, had we not made the route change they wou ldn’t have been able to make it to the Rocket Range, and spend the night at High Rock Bay. So , although, most of us still had one more night. This really felt like the final day, and thus the Rocket Range truly was the final destination for us.

Photo: Patrick McKenney

Photo: Patrick McKenney

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The accomplishment was more than just driving from the The Bridge to High Rock. Lets be honest, that can be done in a day. And it was more than just spending several nights camped out in the woods. The accomplishment was that all 9 of us, came together with a common desired goal. To seek adventure, and see and experience things we’d never had before in a way we’d never done. The result, as we stood there at the Rocket Range with me handing out little Rocket Range stickers was, we’d done it together, we’d worked through problems, we figured out new routes, we experienced things together and as a result we’d formed a group of lifelong friends. They say in Overlanding, the destination isn’t the goal, the journey is. For me, I’d like to go one step further, the journey isn’t even the goal. It’s a fantastic and thrilling by product of the real goal, which is seeking out and exploring with my friends, whether those friends I see regularly, or roll into a rally point parking lot for the very first time. I’m always lucky to have them along.

WELCOME TO THE OUTDOORS Welcome to the Outdoors is a one stop shop for information about everything Outdoor Gear related.

We focus on giving out non biased information about any product and let the viewer decide if the product is right for them.

REDARC BCDC 1225 D

When Looking for alternatives, I came across the Red arc

As a full time content creator that lives out of my Jeep

battery through my vehicle's alternator and solar. This means

Cherokee, I need power for a camera, drone, GoPro, gimbal,

that I am able to charge and power all of my accessories

laptop, Nintendo Switch, fan, portable light, portable power

without worrying about draining my vehicle's starter battery.

BCDC 1225 D. This system allows me to charge a secondary

banks, Weboost, and a fridge. At first I was trying to run and charge everything off of my vehicle's battery, but that

For my setup, I decided to build a box that houses everything

wasn’t even possible because it always left me with a dead

and put it behind my driver's seat. But also sits flush with my

battery in the middle of nowhere.

drawer system.

In the box I have the Redarc bcdc 1225d , which is

The battery is also powering a weboost. The weboost allows

connected to my starter battery and also connected to a

me to boost my cell phone signal to a more stable

100ah lithium battery in the box. And then that battery is

connection so I can use the internet when the signal is weak.

sending power to a pure sine wave 1000w inverter which I

The battery is also connected to a mini fuse block which is

mainly use to charge my laptop and drone batteries but I

connected to my fridge and 3 12v usb sockets. These

can use it to power anything that has a regular wall socket.

sockets are Used to charge and power anything through usb.

So my Camera batteries, go pro batteries, portable batteries,

I’ll usually run an extension cord from the inverter and out

portable light, fan, and even my laptop since it can take a usb

the back of my trunk because if my rear hatch is open,

C power delivery.

which it usually is at camp, the rear hatch doesn’t turn on my cabin lights.

What I like about this Redarc setup is that I don’t even have to think about power because I know I will always have it. I

And, if it’s raining or If I’m in my tent but still need power, I

can also tailor my setup specifically to my needs and if I

can close and lock up my jeep while running the extension

want to add anything else to my setup like lights, I can easily

cord out the back.

wire it in.

HUI LINGYANG TENT The last thing that I want to do while camping is waste time setting up and breaking down camp. So that is why I purchased this $150 Amazon instant pop up tent.

PROS Setup time is seconds, literally seconds.

The rainfly is already attached, so there isn’t any time wasted trying to find the rainfly and also put it on.

No leaking in stormy weather.

It's low profile does great in the wind.

It has a vestibule for shoes and wet things so you have a place to put them without bringing them all the way into your tent.

It Can sleep 6 people but of course with any tent claiming such things, that means everyone is shoulder to shoulder. If you are a solo camper like me, you have a ton of room.

CONS Rainfly is attached, I know that this was a pro, but since it cannot be removed, it doesn’t have great airflow during warmer nights which brings me to my next con which is Air flow. This tent only has one main entrance and two smaller side windows. On the backside where there is typically an identical entrance, it just has a little vent flap. Even with everything open, this tent gets pretty warm.

It's not the easiest to get in and out of. An adult can’t stand in this tent which of course is a con, you have to crouch or crawl, or hunch your way in and out of the tent.

If you have the rain fly door down, that means you have to go through a total of 3 different zippers, the rainfly, the vestibule, and then the actual living quarters.

Packing it up is tricky, I actually had to screen record an Amazon review video of a guy instructing how to collapse the video just in case I forgot how to do it which I always do.

The last con is its odd shape when packed up. It’s a big flat round disk that only really has a place in the trunk of a vehicle, there really isn’t anywhere else you can put it without it being a major obstruction.

My experience So I really enjoyed this tent until I broke it trying to figure out how to collapse it. On the last fold, you kind of have to use some force, and if that fold is right on the weak joints of the poles, that will cause them to fail. Now this can be user error, but I want gear that can take a beating and still hold up because I don’t have time to baby everything.

OVERLAND EXPO MOUNTAIN WEST

BY DAVID ZEMLA Over the past decade or so, the Overland Expo franchise has become something of a juggernaut, the end all, be all of Overland events and a must-attend for the hardcore enthusiast. Originally announced late in 2019, Mountain West in Loveland Colorado would be the perfect scenic destination for the middle of the country and was bookended by the Flagstaff and Virginia Expos. Like most events in 2020, it was pushed back, but the enthusiasm never waned and the 2021 version was everything we had hoped for.

"THE ENTHUSIASM NEVER WANED AND THE 2021 VERSION WAS EVERYTHING WE HAD HOPED FOR."

Attendance numbers are not in as this was written only a day after the event, but safe to say the promoters should be satisfied with the results.

Dozens of classes, countless vendors and thousands of campers made for an epic weekend. We rolled in Thursday night thinking we’d get a “good” spot, but in reality they were all pretty much the same and as is typical of these events, you’re camping in a field, so good is judged mainly by the random collection of neighbors in your immediate vicinity. My sister and I had each driven 1000 miles from opposite sides of the country and were surrounded by both veteran and newby enthusiasts, all a delight to camp with.

Our only regret was not getting contact info so we could stay in touch.

"A MUST-ATTEND FOR THE HARDCORE ENTHUSIAST" The expo area was massive and we walked close to five miles on Saturday making sure we caught each and every rig and vendor and were never disappointed. The collection of vehicles was unbelievable, from home-made bug out trailers to six plus figure EarthCruisers, every example of Overlanding seemed to be present. A few standouts included the bombastic Hunter RMV that looks to be as much Overlander as it is an armageddon survival rig. The Audi Wagon was a sure standout amongst countless Gladiators and Tacomas and the fun twist of the weekend was the Harley Davidson demo trailer (love the new Pan America!)

We’re already looking at logistics for the East version in October and will likely make it down for West in 2022. Hope to see you there!

For info on Overland Expo, check out their website.

FINDING HISTORY AND SOLITUDE IN THE BACKROADS AND

WILDERNESS OF THE SOUTH

BY PATRICK MAHAN @GREENLANE_AMERICA This June I hit the road with my wife Kate and our two children for a two week, 3,300 mile trip through the Deep South. We left our home in New Jersey and headed to Nashville, making a quick sidetrip to Whitetop Mountain in southwest Virginia. This mountain peak, accessible by a rough gravel road, offers expansive views over the Appalachian Mountains.

Unfortunately the peak was shrouded in clouds. But after taking a break for lunch, the skies cleared a bit and we had a dramatic view of the clouds moving through the valley.

We continued to Nashville where we began traveling the entire 450 mile length of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The parkway is operated by the NPS, and follows along the path of the original Natchez Trace, a trail used by Native Americans and later by white pioneers.

It travels through Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, with the greatest portion of it in Mississippi. Before steamboats became common, trappers

The NPS maintains 3 free, first-comefirst-served primitive campgrounds along the length of the parkway. There are a few other campgrounds available for cyclists only. The parkway passes by several state parks and national forests, so everyone can find a campsite that suits them. For the 3 nights we stayed on the Trace, we chose to use 2 of the NPS campgrounds and spent one night in a state park. All were less than half

and farmers would float on rafts down the Mississippi River to Natchez, MS to sell their goods. Then they would walk back to Nashville, or other points, using “The Trace”. It was a dangerous route

full. We expected tent camping in Mississippi in June to be quite hot and humid, and we were right. However, we used a battery powered fan which helped a lot. One other trick that

and many people met untimely ends due

worked well was hosing ourselves down

to bandits or the elements, including Meriwether Lewis, who died on the Trace under mysterious circumstances.

with cool water from our Reliance portable shower before going into the tent to sleep.

Along the trace, (both on and off the

tons of small towns. We always try to

NPS property) historic sites abound, spanning a multitude of topics, and several thousand years of history. We stopped at Civil War Battlefields, ancient Native American mounds, the grave of Meriwether Lewis, the birthplace of Elvis Presley, and many historic homes and buildings. The NPS even maintains several miles of the original Trace that you can drive on.

Along the route there are countless dirt roads to branch off and explore and

visit the small towns on our trips and they never disappoint. The visitor’s center in Colinwood, TN, for example, offered friendly conversation and even some homemade brownies.

As we continued south, rolling hills gave way to flat land and cypress swamps and the landscape took on a decidedly more “southern” feel. Red dirt roads, live oaks draped with Spanish moss, and big old plantation homes.

This was what I had been dreaming about for months. We stopped at the ruins of the Windsor Plantation. Once one of the grandest homes in the south, only the

the historic ghost town of Rodney.

Rodney was the site of a Civil War skirmish in which a shootout between Union naval officers and Confederate

brick and iron columns remain today.

Though it was spared by General Grant during the Civil War, it fell victim to an accidental fire in 1890. Further south we

cavalry broke out at the Presbyterian Church during Sunday service. A Union ship responded by bombarding the town and a cannon ball remains lodged in the

got way off the beaten path and visited

brick wall of the church today.

Once a bustling port town, Rodney was

to do it. The history and culture in this

left high and dry when the Mississippi River changed course. It now lies over 2 miles from the river, unusable as a port, but still prone to regular flooding events. There is only one sure way to get to Rodney, as the other roads are overgrown or flooded. Two churches, a Masonic lodge, and a general store remain abandoned there. After reaching the end of the parkway in Natchez, we explored the town, then continued on to visit a few Gulf coast beach towns before heading home.

part of the country are rich. The historic sites are important parts of our national identity. Traveling on The Trace is a great way to get in touch with the experiences of the earliest Americans, and the forest buffer on either side means it's almost possible to drive the entire length without seeing anything besides forest and fields. However, that also means you’ll miss many of the best spots if you don’t plan ahead or take some chances. So get off at random exits, and take the next dirt road. You never know where it may lead.

If you’re going to visit the Deep South, driving the Natchez Trace is a great way

CUSTOM BUILT TEARDROP CAMPING TRAILERS

HAUL YOUR BOATS, BIKES AND CAMPING GEAR IN ONE EYE-CATCHING, AFFORDABLE PACKAGE

TCTeardrops.com

You may even get free brownies.

TRAIL STOP PHOTO OP

A DAY IN THE WOODS JILL CARR ADDRESSING THE ATTENDEES

CHRIS CARR-TRAIL BOSS

WISCONSIN JEEP OWNERS GROUP HOSTS AN EDUCATIONAL ROOKIE MEETUP & TRAIL RIDE "We wanted to have a beginner/rookie event because we have so many new members in WJOG and we are passionate about their knowledge, their safety, and their Jeeps! It's so enjoyable to create a safe environment where people can ask any question they want without fear of being poked fun at. These events foster education, friendships and community.

Being able to teach hands-on and coach people helps build confidence and understanding. We like to get people just slightly out of their comfort zone to safely show them that they have an extremely capable adventure vehicle that can take them to wonderful places safely. " -Jill Carr

ROLLING OUT FOR A TRAIL RIDE

"Had a fantastic time yesterday. Emily and I really appreciate the work everyone put in for us Rookies. Hoping to do another event soon!"

-Bruce Larson "A simple thank you is just not enough for our beginner ride!!! Jill and Chris made me step out of my comfort zone. I may have shed a few tears through some of the “puddles” but we made it through.

My little stock setup did just fine.

However, the other half now sees we need a lift kit and new rims and tires!!!"

-Katie Marie

"Thank you for organizing this event! It was educational and a lot of fun for us."

-Fred Dollen

WATCH FOR INFO ON THE COASTAL CLEANUP 9/18

Protecting the Keweenaw's vast landscapes.

For everyone.

Forever.

Photo: Chris Stapelton

Photos : Jon Garland

The annual Wisconsin Subaru FL4T FEST celebration was held on August 7th at the Madison International Speedway. This is a charitable event benefitting the American Family Children's Hospital and Dane County Humane Society. Activities included a car show, autocross, and rallycross!!

"We grow every year so get connected and get involved!"

-FL4TFEST

Photo: Josh Colgrove

calendar SEPTEMBER 9/9-12 Mountain Rendezvous, Camp Tahquitz, CA 9/16-19 Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat, Copper Harbor, MI 9/24-26 FL4TFEST Overland Adventure Prairie du Chien, WI 9/24-26 Overland Expo West, Flagstaff, AZ 9/25 Beadlockers Swap Meet, Sheboygan, WI

OCTOBER 10/8-10 Overland Expo East, Arrington, VA 10/14-16 Rendezvous in the Ozarks, Byrd's Adventure Center

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

MEANDERING

RUN

ELWOOD TOAST @CoffeeToastRunner

Fall is trail running season here in the land of Northology and there is no shortage of great trail races to choose from. Reminder to review each races announcements regarding COVID preparation. In most cases pre-registration is a good idea although a few race directors may choose not to refund fees.

Rock Cut Hobo Runs

Rock Cut State Park Rockford/Loves Park, IL September 10-11-12 I've run this series five times, completing it four times. If you want to literally run all weekend this is the place to do it. Go for the Triple Crown by running the 10k on Friday night (flashlights or headlamps are a must), the 25k Saturday morning and, return Sunday morning for the 50k...Triple Crown! You can also register to run individual races if three races in two and a half days are a little to much. Run Up!

Fall Color Festival

Whitewater, WI September 25 Annual mountain bike event held at the John Muir trails that raises money for future trail development and trail maintenance. Take your pick, bikers! The thirty three mile race starts early morning, followed by a twenty two miler, an eleven mile and a five mile trek.

Birkie Trail Run

Cable, WI September 24, 25 Pick your favorite race distance while enjoying the peaceful, quiet northern Wisconsin weather. Run the Birkie!

Upper Midwest Trail Runners

Minnesota The Upper Midwest Trail Runners organization is first rate and they host a full schedule of trail runs. You need to be a member in order to run their races but it is easy to join up on their website. The minimal $20 annual fee is cheap compared to all the benefits you receive.

Indiana Trail 100

Chain O’Lakes State Park The Upper Midwest Trail Runners organization is first rate and they host a full schedule of trail runs. You need to be a member in order to run their races but it is easy to join up on their website. The minimal $20 annual fee is cheap compared to all the benefits you receive.

Black Hawk Ridge Trail Run 8k, 16k

Dane County, WI October 24 The 8K and 16K courses begin together with a scenic prairie loop to the north. Then runners will divide and the 8K course runs South along the ridge top with dips down a few side valleys, taking you through restored prairie, hardwood forest, and pine plantation with views of the Wisconsin River valley and beyond. The 16K heads to the bottom of the ridge to tour the Wisconsin Heights battlegrounds. You'll climb back up to the top of the ridge, then rejoin the 8K course, pass by the cabin, and head out for the last 6K of your event.

Galena River Fall Half Marathon & 8k Galena, IL October 30 Beautiful Galena, Illinois hosts this half marathon along the scenic Galena River Trail.

An 8k and 16k version is offered up. Heads up, I’ve run this gravel trail many times… bring your bug spray.

20-40% OFF GAIA PREMIUM

ADVENTURES IN CAMP COOKING Pudgie pies, is there another name for them? How I lived to middle age without experiencing this simple campfire treat is beyond me. Most people say they use sweet fillings and have pudgie pies for dessert but the variations for both sweet and savory campfire pies seem almost endless.

Simply put, pudgie pies are white bread "crusts" placed in a pie iron, filled with pie filling, chocolate & marshmallows, fruit, jams, and more. What do you put in your pie irons?

Please let us know for our ultimate pudgie pie list we are compiling, email us at info.northologyadventures.com

SKOTTLE FRIED CHEESE

BY JON GARLAND

Ingredients Juusto Cheese

Prep

Time

Serves

Level

5 Minutes

Everyone

10 Minutes

Easy

Directions STEP 1 Cut the Juusto cheese into 1/2" cubes

STEP 2

Oil for frying

Add a little oil to a hot Skottle and turn heat to medium.

Condiments- chili sauce, pepper jam, hot sauce or any condiment of your choosing

STEP 3 Stir/flip the cubes until all sides have browned and begun to crust.

Remove cheese cubes to plate and enjoy with any sauce of your choosing Warning: you will attract hungry neighbors, curious bystanders, cheese connoisseurs, and bears.

Juustoleipa (hoo-stah-lee-pah) means 'Bread Cheese'. It is a buttery flavored baked cheese that has been produced in Finland and Sweden for over 200 years originally from reindeer milk!. The baking process forms a tasty crust similar to bread.

FISH FOIL PACKETS

One fish filet per serving (bass, bluegill, perch, pike crappie, whitefish, trout) butter salt & pepper lemon optional: chopped white onion, beer, tomato

Time

Serves

Level

10Minutes

BY CINDY POPE

Ingredients

Prep

Everyone

Directions STEP 1 Rub butter on 14"x14" foil sheets

STEP 2 Place filet on buttered foil and turn edges of foil up to contain ingredients

STEP 3 Salt & pepper fish, optional- add onion & a splash of beer, lay sliced lemon & tomato on top of fish

STEP 4 Seal foil packets and lay in coals or on grill/grate. Rotate packet occasionally, cook for 15-20 minutes

CUSTOM MADE SPECIALLY FOR US TO SHARE

OUR LOVE OF THE WOODS WITH YOU NORTHOLOGYADVENTURES.COM

WJOG FALL JEEP CAMP

OCTOBER 8-9-10, 2021 2018

CAMP OPENS AT NOON FRIDAY

THE FEILD, PEMBINE, WI

RUSTIC CAMPING // TRAIL RIDES // WATERFALL TOUR DOOR PRIZES & DRAWINGS // FAMILY FRIENDLY

NORTH WOODS GOODS

20 Minutes

Easy

DUTCH OVEN ITALIAN BEEF

Prep

Time

Serves

Level

15 Minutes

6-8

BY CHAD POPE

Ingredients 3-4 lb chuck roast

Easy

Directions STEP 1

Prepare your fire. Salt & pepper, then brown roast in olive oil in the Dutch oven.

STEP 2

olive oil 24-32 oz jarred sliced pepperoncini crusty bread or rolls provolone or mozzarella cheese

3-5 hours

Pour undrained pepperoncini over the roast , reserving 1/2c for garnishing sandwiches.

STEP 3 Cook low and slow for 3-5 hours, maintaining a low simmer by placing additional coals on top and below every hour or so.

STEP 4 Shred beef and serve on crusty Italian rolls or bread with provolone or mozzarella cheese and extra pepperoncini.

ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE

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

Delivery to your inbox Exclusive discounts PRESALE event notices Subscriber's drawings FREE SUBSCRIPTION Southern Wisconsin's Leading Jeep & Truck Accessory / Fabrication Shop

performanceoffroadwi.com 262-372-3173 waukesha, wi

Prerunner + Overlander = Prelander?

You may have seen a glimpse of Lars's 4Runner in the August issue of Northology Adventures.

Lars was along for the UP Jeeping trip to Moab.

He was definitely "in the right place at the right time" when his 4Runner was noticed by some

Four Wheeler Magazine people on their way back from Outside Adventure Expo '21. Lars got a nice feature of his rig in the magazine and we love his 4Runner so much, we thought we would share some details of it with you, too.

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.

Name: Lars Carlson, @axelfabllc Hometown: Roscoe, IL Vehicle: 1990 Toyota 4Runner DrivetrainEngine: 1990 Toyota 3VZ 3.0 Liter V6 Transmission: R150F Transfer Case: 1980 Toyota 4cyl 4.70:1 gear set Front Axle: 1990 Toyota 7.5 IFS cad delete Rear Axle: 1990 Toyota IFS with Tacoma E locker 4.88 ratio Suspension/wheels/tiresChassis: Total Chaos Gen II Caddy/2.5 Coilovers 2.5 Bypass Tires- 35" BF Goodrich Rims- Black Steel Steering: TC upgrade Front coilover conversion The extras"Front and rear bumpers fabricated by myself in my personal shop. Tried to keep all original Toyota parts in build to keep reliability up to Toyota standards.Removed back seats to add sleeping platform for prelanding!

Added RotoPax fuel tanks with fuel transfer pump to transfer while driving to increase fuel range. The adaptation was engineered and fabricated myself."

Photos by Jill Burbey

Photo: Ben Wicklund