Overland Adventures Magazine - December 2020 Edition

Journey with no boundaries

Magazine | December 2020

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Overland Adventures Magazine

Winter 2020

www.OverlandAdventuresMagazine.com Editor: Mary Beth Ebnet Designer: Rich Johnson Contributors: Helene Raynaud, a very special thanks for all your help!

Photographers: Vill Van Merwe (Covers), Hailey Jean (Pages 30-31) Miguel Rangel (Beth Head Shot)

Main Features 8

Team Overland, Robert Raetz (SSgt USMC)

34 The Longest Journey of Me, Adimasu Gebeyehu

Personal Overland Journeys 5

MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to connect and inspire people from all around the world who have a common passion for adventure and overlanding.

Sharing adventures that just might be in your back yard and inspiring you to expand your bucket list!

VISION STATEMENT Our Vision is to help build an overland community across the globe where everyone’s perspective, knowledge and passion can be shared and valued.

CORE VALUES It doesn’t matter what kind of rig you drive, or how much money you have spent building that perfect rig. We are all here for the same thing…. Adventure, a journey and maybe, just maybe, an amazing destination!

Whether you’re a family making memories with your kiddos or are a group of friends enjoying a weekend together, or sharing an amazing trip with that special someone; we want to feature you! And let your journey expand our minds, help us learn something new… and soar into something amazing and life changing! We want to give our passionate community a voice. If you would like to submit a story contact us at beth@overlandadventuresmagazine.com.

Our Lives as Overlanders, Andrea & Mike with Aimee

10 Our Approach to Overlanding, Will & Kate Fowler 12 Becoming an Overlander, Mike Buell 14 Overlanding 101, Joseph Tucker 16 Off-Grid and Off-Road: Touring Mongolia without a Net, Dean Karalekas 18 Family Overland During COVID-19, Eric Mowell 21 In Case of an Emergency…Be Ready, Matt Mercado 22 Stand Out Where It Counts-The Hi-Vis Story, Brad Self 24 Overlanding Loop-A 6-Day Adventure, Jeremy Bailey 26 The GOAT (Go Off-road Armor) Story 28 Thick & Thin-Overlanding, Right? ,Austin Head 32 When Gear Fails, There are Helping Hands, Karin-Marijke Vis & Coen Wubbels 38 Overlanding in Hungary, Ferenc Elekes 41 Kansas Overlanding, AJ & Sarah Williams 42 The Enchanted Rockies Trails and the End of Rumble, Michael Hyden 44 Flyover State, Cullen Powers 46 Adventures in Minnesota, Angel Hinkley 48 Overlanding the Lone Star State, Ross Aguirre

Technical Corner 37 How-To: Service (Cleaning and Rebuilding) Hi-Lift, Dan AdventureTaco 50 The Best Digital Map for Overlanding on GAIA GPS 4

MEET OUR EDITOR – BETH EBNET

Hi – my name is Beth! I have been an avid camper, traveler with a passion for adventure my entire life. I grew up on a hunting club-game farm in Minnesota with 9 siblings! The most fun I had growing up was going on adventures and camping in the backyard. However, our back yard was over 500 acres! There were lakes, ridges, wild animals and large mosquitoes. I learned how to navigate through the woods without maps or a compass, spending years exploring the land by using landmarks. If we didn’t make it home by 9:00pm, my mom would ring an old, huge school bell that could be heard miles away! That was our homemade GPS. I remember the joy and excitement of my early traveling adventures with my family. We went to Itasca State Park once, where the Mississippi River starts. We had a yellow Chevy truck with a camper top where my parents slept.

All the kids shared a very large army green tent. I remember waking up one morning and stepping outside the tent right onto a pile of bear poop! Then try sleeping in a tent for the next 3 days… We were catching fish to eat, hiking the trails and swimming in the river.

Another memorable trip was heading to Snowball Lake up in the Iron Range, traveling in a rented RV. We slept on top of it, under the stars. That’s when I learned how to cook on

a campfire. I have many more memories, but these truly stick out the most.

As a hard-working small business owner, I understand the need to escape to new destinations and find ways to have an adventure – even close to home –. Once in a while, I like to venture to Western Maryland to Green Ridge State Forest, or spend a long weekend in Davis, West Virginia or drive up to Pennsylvania to meet up with some friends.

That’s one great thing about our overland community: you can always find a group to meet up with! Do a quick post on social media asking if anyone is going out for the day or weekend. Sure, enough you’re onto your next adventure!

What I currently drive and my current set-up…

She’s a 2015 stock AWD Honda Pilot with almost 200k miles on it. She works perfectly for what I enjoy doing: hitting the National and State Parks and doing some light water crossings! I have an ARB fridge, a large/small tote for my cooking and other gear. A Coleman 10x10 instant 60 second tent, that’s about 5 years old. An Aero queen air mattress with a Vector Maxx Power Inverter that plugs into my cigarette lighter to pump it up. My trusty propane buddy heater. AND the most important gear of all: my dog Bella - my travel buddy that is always up for an adventure! She gets more excited than I do pulling out all the camping gear!

My dream rig will always be that beautiful old classic FJ44 Toyota Land Cruiser with four doors and a pop-up tent in bright yellow! From the very first time I saw one, it was love at first sight!

My favorite destination so far? Definitely Davis, West Virginia. I went there for the first time in November 2019 to relax, after working non-stop for months on various large projects. It was colder than we thought, with a little snow on the ground and crisp fresh air. We camped at Red Run by the river and hit a couple trails there.

Then, we went off to the West Fork Road & Trail. To some people, it’s not that spectacular of a place to go. It might seem like a simple little place, but to me, it will always be a special place to visit.

My dream overlanding trip would be heading to Ethiopia, to see the Oma Valley Tribes, as well as to Kenya and Namibia. There are many more places I dream of going to, but these are the top picks. I have met so many wonderful people around the world through the overland community that I would love to visit them all!

What I am trying to accomplish through this new endeavor – our magazine – is to connect regular people, share their adventures around the world, introduce you to places that might be in your backyard. And that you can put on your bucket list and say…I can actually do that!

Our lives as Overlanders When Mike and I met 12 years ago in Zürich, Switzerland, we found out pretty quickly that we shared one dream: to travel the globe in our own vehicle.

Since then, we have explored over 50 countries in two completely different vehicles covering around 180’000km (111’846 miles). We have tried to summarize 10 years of overloading across the globe in this article, highlighting different experiences we have had throughout our journey.

Only a year after we met, we had sold everything we owned and shipped our Land Rover Defender from Switzerland to Boston where we started a three-year journey through the Americas.

We started out with a roof top tent which we sold on Craigslist once we reached Seattle and started sleeping in the Defender instead. This change happened due to one evening in Utah where we were just climbing into our roof top tent and Aimée, our dog, smelled something in the bushes, growled and something growled back. We have never climbed that ladder faster. In the future, we didn’t want to encounter a situation where we would have to get out of the tent in order to get into the driver’s seat. To this day though, we don’t know what animal growled back.

We drove along the Rockies all the way to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. The weather wasn’t very pleasant, and we

kept switching seats to cover the distance. It was summer and the days were really long, it was hard to keep track of time. One day, I remember driving, the watch was showing 3 o’clock but we didn’t know if it was pm or am.

So, we had to force ourselves to pull over for a break and tried to sleep a little. Nature up north totally amazed us. We encountered plenty of moose, bears, eagles, caribous and arctic foxes.

We looped back through Canada, visited several national parks in the States. To this day, Moab is one of our favorite places on the globe. We could not get enough of the seemingly infinite red rocks and sand. Also being allowed to drive trails though this landscape was fascinating. Coming from Switzerland, we are not used to being allowed to drive off-road. So, we really enjoyed those liberties in the US. 5

From the West Coast we crossed the border to Baja California and took a ferry to the mainland. Then we continued through Central America and shipped the Defender in a container from Panama to Ecuador.

In Ecuador, the Defender got stuck at 4’263m alt.

(13’986 ft) which made the task of shoveling mud for hours really exhausting. In the end we used a dead man anchor for the first time, by burying our spare wheel since at that height there were no trees to attach our winch. The vast landscape of South America fascinated us. Finally, there were no fences or „keep off “signs and we could explore freely.

for as long as we wanted. French Guyana has a spaceport ESA and per chance there was a rocket launch planned just a few days later. Of course, we would wait around for that! The rocket launch was exhilarating! We could see it flying into space until it was too small to identify in the blue sky.

We continued through Suriname and Guyana, drove through the jungle to the border to Brazil and the headed north to Venezuela.

We spent a night in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. You could lay on the ground and see the sun just over the horizon on one side while on the other side, the sky was already dark and the first stars were emerging.

Driving to the Laguna Colorada we reached 5’300m asl (17’388 ft), the highest we have been, but we felt good, no signs of altitude sickness. Aimée even attempted to hunt some Vincuñas. We loved driving the Carretera Austral in Chile with its wild nature and on Tierra del Fuego we paid a visit to the then just discovered colony of King Penguins (the only one on mainland) and drove all the way to the „end of the world“ in Ushuaia.

In Mar del Plata we witnessed the start of the Dakar Race 2012 which was a mind-blowing experience and I think, that was where the seed of having a bigger truck was planted in Mike’s mind.

We continued our journey through the north of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and along the coast of Brazil. Reaching the Amazon river, we decided to cross its delta on a ferry. We spent three days on a boat where the passengers lingered in hammocks on the deck.

Shortly after, we crossed the equator again. We had last crossed it heading south in Quito, Ecuador and now we were on the opposite side of the continent, heading north. In French Guyana, we were welcomed home. This little piece of South America belongs to France, which is a Schengen country, so we could technically have stayed 6

A few days into Venezuela, we had one of the worst days in our lives. A lady smashed into us with her car, our Defender was totaled, the trip was over, time to go home.

This happened very far south in the country, where it was hard to get in touch with anyone or even organize a tow truck. Luckily a very sweet family invited us into their home from where we could make daily trips with the local taxis into town to at least have access to the internet and phones. A tow truck then took us to Caracas which was a three-day drive away.

Long story short, a day before our 3-month visa expired, we were finally able to leave the country, having put the Defender in a container, made dreadfully long trips to the port, banks, offices or Swiss embassy on a daily basis. Our feelings were in turmoil, we had to get through this super complicated export process before we could even start to process our feelings about the crash.

We returned to Switzerland ruined financially, but the desire to keep traveling had not vanished. That idea of a bigger truck had now grown into a plan and we knew what our next goal was.

Five years later we were able to start a project which took us to the coldest inhabited and hottest place on earth within one year. The biggest challenge of the concept of the new truck was, that it had to work in both extreme climates, cold and hot.

We headed off in our ex-(German) military truck with a 10sqm (107 sq ft) living unit on the back which would keep us comfortable in every climate zone.

Through the Balkan states and Turkey, we reached Iran, where our first extreme destination awaited us in the Lut desert. This desert has unique sandstone formations, through which we drove until we saw no further tracks.

The average temperature we experienced in the Lut desert was +65°C (149°F), the record temperature is +70.7°C (161,06°F). We used our air-condition the keep the unit at a cool 40°C (104°F) so we could at least sleep.

From Iran we drove through Armenia and Georgia, through the south of Russia, across Kazakhstan, to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and then headed north to the coldest inhabited town on the globe, Oimjakon, Russia.

To reach the pole of cold we had to cross several frozen rivers. The sound of the cracking ice when driving over it with our 13-ton diesel truck definitely gave us an adrenaline rush. According to locals, we visited during a „warm“period, the temperature only dropped down to -52°C (-61,6°F) plus windchill, which was cold enough for us. The record temperature though is -71.2°C (-96,16°F).

the system would have frozen and there would have been no way of turning it back on without outside help.

After reaching the pole of cold, our mindset completely changed in regard of the conditions ahead of us. We knew that it would not get any colder than it did in Oimjakon, the most difficult part was behind us and we now knew what our truck was really capable of.

Our next journey was delayed two months due to Corona. We planned to drive around the world within three years. Mid-summer we were at least able to start our route through Europe. In the last five months we have explored northern Europe extensively and are now planning our next move. In between the shutdowns and possible daily changes, we have to stay flexible. We don’t really mind where our next destination is, as long as our wheels are rolling.

We spent around 2 months in temperatures below -20°C (-4°F) and one month at temperatures below -30°C (-22°F) down to those -52°C (-61,6°F). Throughout 5 weeks the engine of our Mercedes Axor was running 24/7. If we would have turned it off, within a few hours the liquids in

Andrea and Mike with Aimée the dog www.instagram.com/4xtremes www.4-xtremes.ch

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Team Overland Established March 7th, 2015, founder and former CEO Matthew Havniear created a nonprofit organization that uses outdoor adventures as an outlet to overcome challenges associated with Post Traumatic Stress.

Matthew is a Marine Corps Veteran. After serving as an infantryman, including a deployment to Afghanistan in 2008, he returned home to only now struggle with stress brought on by PTSD. Growing up in Southern Oregon, Matthew’s late father taught him at an early age the importance of staying connected with the outdoors and nature. Having this in mind, Matthew used these memories and his struggle with PTSD to create Team Overland.

Team Overland provides overland adventure trips to veterans who are looking for a healthy and natural way to manage their own mental health issues. When veterans leave the military, the camaraderie and training that existed is not there anymore. Having lost the brotherhood while leaving the military, the veterans are now facing a new challenge…. reintegrating into civilian life.

Since 2015, Team Overland has grown and has gained interest on a national level. Originally, the team consisted of only a few volunteers who would take veterans and civilians out on the trail. As a team, they would overcome obstacles encountered on the way. This would consist of spotting on trails, setting camp up, and assisting those who needed it. In 2018, Team Overland merged with another 8

nonprofit organization based out of Sisters, Oregon.

Warfighter Outfitters, led by Brett Miller, has allowed Team Overland to expand what is available to their guests.

After the merge, former guest turned guide, Robert Raetz (Bobby), stepped up and became lead guide/ executive director of Team Overland. Bobby is a 9-year Marine Corps Veteran. Just like the other veterans who have joined on trips, Bobby was lacking something. He was missing that camaraderie that veterans all lack once out.

Having been raised in Wyoming and Colorado, Bobby has always loved the mountains and outdoors. Team Overland filled that void.

Now led by Bobby and a great team of 11 guides, veteran and civilian, Team Overland organizes up to 6 adventures a year to get veterans and civilians out on the trail, set camp up, and sit around a campfire. All the guides are volunteers and use their own vehicles. Having said that, their vehicles have been modified to their specs on their own dime. The love and support that the guides have for Team Overland is shown by how they interact with the guests. The team provides any support the guests need to make the trip a great experience. Breakfast and dinner are provided and prepared by the team.

Unlike some nonprofits out there, Team Overland encourages civilians to join in on the adventures. “We have found that our approach builds bonds between military and non-military members through the shared interest of outdoor adventure and teamwork on the trail”, says Havniear.

Team Overland would not be able to continue growing without the donations and sponsorships that have been secured over the past 5 years. Companies like Cascadia Vehicle Tents, Warn Industries, Factor 55, Ironman 4x4, and many others keep the guides and guests safe while on the trail.

Robert Raetz (SSgt USMC) Team Overland – Executive Director Warfighter Outfitters – Board of Directors Toyota Master Diagnostic Technician www.facebook.com/TeamOverland www.TeamOverland.org Donate: www.warfighteroutfitters.org teamoverland@warfighteroutfitters.org

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Our Approach to Overlanding Overlanding came to our family by surprise. We were not huge outdoor enthusiasts, big campers or hikers, and to be honest, we didn’t really like sleeping in a tent (too many critters ...insert nervous shiver).

But when a good friend invited us to go “Overlanding” (what is that??), and introduced the idea of taking our Jeeps across the mountains, on rarely-accessed roads, to camp in a remote part of the wilderness just a few hours from our home - we decided to go for it.

What we found was an instant connection to our deep love for adventure, exploring, and trying new things. We found that Overlanding requires a great deal of preparation and planning; a mind open to exploring and being a little uncomfortable at times; it requires perseverance and problem solving; and it requires gear. Lots of gear. And it just so happens that all those requirements fit exactly with what we love in life.

We began by learning, testing. Research became our hobby. Rig walk arounds informed a never-ending wish list for our Jeep. Gaia maps and topo were the stuff of nightly dreams. And YouTube channels were our source for Overlanding news.

Packing...this deserves its own article because it is so critical to our approach. This was a priority for us, a 10

close second only to ensuring we had the rig ready to take the terrain and keep us safe. With a great deal of research and watching how other Overlanders approach packing, we crafted our unique way to stay organized and get everything we needed in the Jeep to be off-grid for 2-3 days as a family of four. We were also intrigued by the challenge of not only getting the gear and the goods into the Jeep, but following some of the ‘glamping’ tenants of comfort; my wife coined her own “@glmrlnd” approach as a way of ensuring gourmet food and drink are on the menu, and we have a clean home-like atmosphere at camp for us and the kids.

Over time, we identified what makes a great overland trip: 1. Plan your route. Research where you’re going and make sure you know the roads. Have alternatives because roads may be closed, clearings for camping may be occupied...there are a million unknowns. And you likely won’t have cell coverage.

2. Plan your meals. Prep meals and bring fresh ingredients. Everything tastes better off-grid, but eating nutritious, scratch made foods is not as hard as it sounds and it adds a whole additional level of satisfaction when you end your day eating delicious food.

3. Sleeping well matters. For us, a ground tent wasn’t going to mean good sleep, so our roof top tent was a game-changer. It also helped ease set-up/take-down and made storage of sleeping bags/pillows a non-issue. That said, an RTT isn’t required; we have many overlanding friends that have the quick set up tents and sleep so well they snore.

the trail. We have bear spray, sunscreen, med kits, you name it. We’ve been to the Emergency Room 2x’s this year alone. Be ready. And never underestimate the need for water and gasoline. We think about this well ahead of the trip as we plan our route, and make sure we have plans to stay hydrated and fueled.

We’ve learned so much from fellow Overlanders we’ve met on the trail, on Instagram, and on YouTube. Each Overlander has their own unique approach to adventures off-road, and there is no one size fits all or ‘right’ way to do this well. Part of what we love about this lifestyle is the freedom it affords for individuality, coupled with the comradery of shared experiences and love for the open road.

At the end of the day, our best advice to get started with Overlanding: open your mind, open your heart; get ready to fall in love with this beautiful land and its endless possibilities.

4. Invest in storage. We invested first in thinking time to strategize the best way to optimize our space, getting the gear and goods in the Jeep to make sure we have a safe and enjoyable time off-grid. For us, we have the dual constraints of two kids in the backseat, plus we want to be able to take the top off on weekends we aren’t Overlanding. So, we invested in containers that can go in/out of the Jeep, chairs/tables that pack down to the smallest possible space, and maximized the rear wheel carrier and roof space.

5. Safety first. This is last, but the most important.

We invested in technology so we can connect to people in an emergency if there isn’t cell coverage.

We thoughtfully pack and install tools/recovery/ winch/traction boards/etc. to make sure we can take care of ourselves and possibly others on

Will & Kate Fowler www.instagram.com/venture2roam www.youtube.com/venture2roam

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Becoming an Overlander I remember vividly the days of pushing my stock 1990 Nissan Hardbody to its limits. Looking for the deepest mud and the toughest climbs we could find. Trucks were only $15k new back then, we were young, and we were carefree. We loved to go “off-roading” on the back roads of Vancouver Island, British Columbia and while those days back in the 90’s were tons of fun, they were mostly day trips with some buddies around our hometown.

Fast forward a few years to the mid 2000’s and I was once again sporting the Nissan logo in my 2005 Nissan Xterra. What an awesome vehicle, such a unique look with tons of capability. I added some mud terrains and a small budget lift - it looked awesome! I liked my Xterra so much, I started a club. The Southern British Columbia Xterra club (SBCX). We had 14 members, decals, and did monthly runs in the Fraser Valley of BC. This was a great group of guys that came from all walks of life, and we all loved our Xterra’s. We held meet & greets as well as our day trips into the back country where we pushed the limits of our rigs. At that time, the aftermarket for the Xterra was very limited, so all of our rigs looked very similar. It was nothing like the Jeep and Toyota after-market.

I think I got my first taste of overlanding, not that we used that word back in 2008, when six of us from the club decided to do a multi-day trip up to a mountain lake called Cabin Lake. It was at 6,000 feet and for us, there were 12

some challenging trails to overcome to get there. Once we arrived and I saw this amazing little lake with a fantastic grassy green rec site to camp in, I believe I became hooked. I may not have known at that time what it would be called or what it entailed, but I believe it was the moment that a seed was planted. Almost 10 years, later that seed has grown and become my passion.

Fast forward to today, many vehicles later, and onto my second Jeep Wrangler, I am fully immersed into the world of overlanding. My overlanding vehicle is a 2018 JLU Rubicon with many modifications made to make it my ultimate overlanding rig. My Jeep, aptly named Ferris the Jeep, is my daily driver which means that, when building

the rig, I needed for it to be practical for daily use yet very functional for overlanding. The Mopar 2” lift with Fox shox was the first task which was quickly followed by 35” Falken Wildpeak ATIII All-terrain tires mounted on 18” Fuel Beast wheels.

I ordered my Firecracker Red Rubicon from the factory with all the options including the steel bumper package as I knew I would be adding a Warn 10S Zeon winch. I don’t look for deep mud pits anymore, it’s fun in the moment, but I do not enjoy the cleaning process. And as a result of avoiding unnecessary mud pits, my winch is yet to be used.

But it’s ready!

Next was to install the Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform and Backbone system to allow me to add a Roof Top Tent from Wild Coast Tents. There are many other additions to Ferris, but the last one, which I personally built, was my overland kitchen drawer system. It tucks nicely into the back-cargo area of the Jeep and has really completed my overland build. Well, are we ever really done?

who have the same passion as I do and believe that I have influenced some of my friends to join me in the crazy world of overlanding. My wife and kids all enjoy getting out into nature and are slowly learning to like “wild” camping.

I love the challenges of preparing for our trips and I am always looking for ways to make the experience better, more efficient, and more enjoyable. I am an Overlander.

I may not go on overlanding trips for weeks, months, and even years, but I am an overlander. I may not get out every weekend of the spring and summer, but I am an Overlander.

Mike Buell The love of vehicle-based travel regardless of the duration of the trip burns inside me. Whether it’s a weekend trip or a couple weeks of vacation, I enjoy it all.

The challenge of finding that epic camping spot in the middle of nowhere. Having the ability to survive in the back country for days and weeks with only what we have in the Jeep is exciting! I have made so many new friends

Vernon, BC, Canada Okanagan Overlanding www.instagram.com/okanaganoverlanding www.facebook.com/okanaganoverlanding www.okanaganoverland.com

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Overlanding 101 Packing

One major problem in the overlanding world is feeling the need to take everything along with you. I have been through it and go through it just about every time we pack to leave. “I feel like we are forgetting something.” “We need this and this and this…” Without fail, what we feel like we “need” is never used, we just haul it around for miles and days. It is a hard thing to learn. What to take and what to leave at home. One thing is for sure, you cannot fit all of your household conveniences in your rig, so some things must be culled. Although most of the following topics will be expanded in this series, I will try and break the necessities down for you and give you helpful pointers as to what should stay and what should go.

Cooking How much do you love cooking in the outdoors?

Personally, I enjoy it just about as much as anything so I go overboard on cooking items. With the size of our rig, I am limited to what I can take and still must have to go through a small decision process as to thinking about our meal preparations and deciding how I am going to prepare those meals. I have to have answers to a few questions when making this decision. Can we have a fire? Can we have charcoal? Several places we went this past summer had burn bans on and did not allow fires or even charcoal while camping there. That told me I would be using propane to do all of our cooking. If we can have a fire then I can do open flame roasting. If I can use charcoal, then we can grill and even bust out the Dutch oven. Since we could not have either, I took along the Coleman folding oven that sits on top of the propane stove to cook cinnamon rolls, biscuits and other baked items.

For some reason we always take too much food. It is hard to determine how much food you will need for a trip. If you plan to be out for a weekend and have 5 meals to plan for, then think in your head, make a note on your phone, or write down what you would like to prepare. If there is any prep work with any of these meals, I highly recommend doing as much prep work beforehand at home and putting those chopped up onions and other vegetables, cracked eggs, or any other item you can prep at home inside a freezer bag, reusable silicone bag, or sealable container to 14

be placed in your fridge or cooler. That saves you a ton of time to enjoy other things and also helps with cleanup and limiting the amount of trash you create while outdoors. If you do not want to cook for one reason or another, think about Mountain House, REI, Patagonia Provisions or other freezedried meals. Most of these are high quality meals that only require you to boil water and cook in the bags that the meals come in. This also cuts down on cookware you have to bring and again, the amount of trash you accumulate.

Cookware is one of my downfalls. I love cast iron. Even though it is heavy and bulky, I do my best to make room for it as it is my preferred way to cook all of our meals. It is easy to clean and holds heat extremely well, but again, it is very heavy and takes up a lot of space. If you do not want a lot of cookware taking up your space, try looking at the Jetboil series all in one with a burner and container. You also will not go wrong with any of the GSI packages found just about anywhere online. It is all about preference and what you are used to. It also depends on how much space you have and how much space you can dedicate to this part of your kit.

Tent and Bedding We sure have done our part in flip-flopping around this area. We have ground tents and rooftop tents. We have everything you need and more for our Oztent with the cots and little nifty nightstands to go in the corner. We were spoiled to this setup as it has many different awnings that go up and a special place outside the tent that covers you from the weather elements. But it is an extravagant setup and takes a while to get everything in its place. Others I know have different types of ground tents, which also go up very easy. The Gazelle family of tents are really nice and easy to set up. But the comforts that you decide on may depend on whether the complete setup is easy or not. Cots are nice and comfortable but take up a ton of room and many are very heavy. Then you will need some form of sleeping pad, sleeping bag or cover and pillow. All of these things, again, will have to be packed separately, which takes up space and weight.

The rooftop tent option has its pro’s and con’s as well.

Although you can pack up your bedding, mattress and pillows inside the tent, you add the component of having to climb up and down a ladder each time you enter and exit the tent. This could make it difficult with small children, pets and even with the capacity of your bladder overnight. Then you have to think about other things. Will you leave it on your vehicle or take it on and off? Do you have to worry about theft? Do you park in your garage and will it fit? Will

a hardshell be better or will a soft shell fit your family the best? Then you have to figure in cost. Yes they are very popular and are sure to add you to the short list of actual “overlanders” but the cost compared to a ground tent can expand from one end of the spectrum to the other.

Clothing and Personal Items This is a difficult subtopic to cover especially if you are a female or travel with one. To find a partner who knows how to pack conservatively is like finding the elusive four-leafed clover. It does not come around often and is as rare as a Bigfoot sighting. If you are one or have one, I applaud you and consider this my moment of egregious jealousy. Before we leave for any trip, I tell my wife how many days we will be gone and the exact number of clothing items to take. I give her a specific sized carrier to place her items in and state emphatically that every single thing must fit inside this carrier. Consequently, the clothing items do, but then there is the bag for the makeup and cleansing of this or that and the bag for the hair products and the bag for the bathing products. I then must convince her that no she cannot keep these bags under her feet in the front seat because we will be traveling for hundreds of miles for multiple days and for the sanity of both of us we will need to compress and compact, filtering out what is necessary and what she can live without.

Find something good and stackable in which to pack your clothes. Whether a box like a Frontrunner pack or a soft duffel bag. Whatever works best for your setup and packing style. Take one day more than what you will be planning to stay. You never know if you will get hot and sweaty, need another layer, rained on and wet, fall and get muddy, or whatever else that is bound to happen out in the middle of nowhere. On long trips, we have taken soap and line in order to wash clothes. For long trips, you will not want to pack enough clothes for each day. You will want to pack half and go find a laundromat or just wash in a creek and dry on a line. Packing clothes and keeping them easily accessible is one of the biggest frustrations that I have when we go out. I cannot seem to find what I need and another piece of gear is always stacked on top of our clothes. I am still working on and perfecting this part of our setup.

Make sure and take proper clothing for the weather. If it is going to be cold, take long pants, hoodies, jackets and boots of some weatherproof kind, etc. You can always put more on. In warm to hot weather take shorts and water shoes, flip flops, etc. Make sure you take bug, mosquito and gnat spray as summer time always seems to make the hungry bugs search for campers. Always have some kind of rain gear handy and never leave home without your deodorant. You are going to need it. A toiletry kit is necessary with the essentials of toothbrush, toothpaste, Triple Antibiotic ointment and sunscreen.

Safety and First Aid Kit Now you do not have to have a $500 medical trauma kit but it does not hurt. You know how far you push yourself.

Make sure you always keep a medical kit that meets or exceeds your daredevil lifestyle. Many different kits out there are available with a wide range of prices. Also make sure and install or just carry with you (wish easy access) a fire extinguisher. You do not want to find yourself neck deep in a grease fire or a fire that has escaped the fire ring with risk of setting the National Forest on fire without a fire extinguisher. Remember to pack necessary daily medicine and any medicine that might be needed for special illnesses.

You most likely will not be anywhere near a 24/7 pharmacy.

Conclusion This is an area of trial and error for everyone. There is really no better way to discover the how and why of this except to just get out there and get some experience. Just like everything else, we have changed the way we pack and what we pack our items in, multiple times. There is no set way that would encompass everyone and no “How to” book that could possibly be made to fit everyone’s lifestyle, and needs. There are all different sizes of rigs so you might be more limited or freer with space. You may have a trailer and have much more space than others have. You may have a large family and be extremely limited or even have to take more than one vehicle on your adventures just to be able to fit everyone, along with their gear and supplies, and make it to any certain destination. I do not know and do not have all of the questions. All I can do is offer proven tips that we have tried and proved to be useful to us and hopefully help you in some way make your experience a little better.

I hope you have thought this out. I hope this does not keep you from getting out and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle that we love. Being able to live without certain items is part of the fun. Having the thought process to (as Clint Eastwood stated in Heartbreak Ridge) “Improvise, Overcome, Adapt” will make your experiences better each time. Find ways to make it work. If not, find a Dollar General as they are everywhere, and buy what you need. Plan your routes to replenish items you know you will run out of. Think through and plan. You will not regret it and will get better and better each time you leave the house.

Joseph Slayton www.facebook.com/joeytheBROfessor www.instagram.com/joeythebrofessor/ www.overlandPhilosopher.com Podcast-Overland Philosopher

15

Off-Grid and Off-Road:

Touring Outer Mongolia Without a Net Outer Mongolia in the 1990s was not a tourist destination. Entry visas were difficult to secure, and there was very little tourism infrastructure outside of the capital, Ulaanbaatar. The Berlin Wall had fallen, but a Communist party was still in power here. The grocery store shelves were still largely bare, and shopping consisted primarily of the stolid State Department Store and a black market that popped up occasionally in the northern part of the city.

In those days, there was little for the foreigner to do to pass the time other than drinking to excess at the Bayangol Hotel bar, frequented by mining executives, freedom fighters, and smugglers working the China-to-Eastern Europe route. This is where I spent most of my time in those days, and I found ready acceptance. Being alone on the edge of the world is an insular existence, and any new faces like mine were enthusiastically welcomed (read: interrogated) by the older hands—new grist for the rumour mill.

It was here that I met Mike and Mike, a pair of German adventurers cursed with the same name. After conducting various experiments on who could imbibe more alcohol, Germans or Canadians (Germans, it turned out), we were about to go our separate ways at closing time when they announced that they were heading south the following morning, to the Gobi Desert, and would I like to come along, to share the cost. I readily accepted their kind offer, 16

and rushed back to the apartment I was renting to pack. I only hoped that, once the effects of the alcohol wore off, they would remember inviting me.

The following morning, we met up as arranged and boarded the train to Sainshand, the capital of Dornogovi Province. There we met our guide Oktai and driver Altan, and threw our baggage in what was to be our home and chariot for the next week: a UAZ 469 Russian jeep.

At the time, I was unfamiliar with this model of offroad military light utility vehicle, but by the end of the trip I would be a convert to the excellence of Soviet automotive engineering. It was like a Kalashnikov rifle: it was reliable, it never jammed no matter the conditions, and it had few moving parts you couldn’t fix with the most basic of tool kits. Moreover, it could handle any terrain.

For example, at one point on our journey, long after we had left the road behind and were rattling over raw desert, as the Mikes and I played car bingo with the species of wild animals we could spot—wild horses, camels: at one point we thought we saw a wolf; a sign of good luck here in the Gobi—we passed close to a herd of black-tailed gazelle. Without pausing a beat, Altan kicked it into gear and started chasing down the herd as Oktai leaned back and beckoned for his rifle. At top speed, the octogenarian kicked open his door and balanced his firearm in the crook.

As the wind suddenly invaded the cabin, I exchanged glances of amazement and confusion with my fellow passengers. With a single shot, Oktai expertly wounded one of the fleeing antelopes, slowing it down enough to close in for a kill shot.

We all got out and marveled as Altan expertly fieldstripped the animal, discarding the offal and wrapping the liver, and strapped the carcass to our roof. That night, we made a gift of our trophy to a nomadic herder and his family, in exchange for their hospitality in allowing us to sleep in their ger. Called a yurt in Siberia, a ger is a felt and lattice-wall tent that provides a warm home out in the remote desert, or up in the windswept steppes. It can be broken down and rebuilt in less than an hour, after the seasonal move to fresh grazing land. The wealth of a Mongolian herder is reckoned not by the numbers in his bank account, but by the numbers in his herd. This patron offered me a pinch of snuff from an enormous bottle, and I learned that snuff bottles are a status symbol here: the larger it is, the richer the man.

That night we cooked the gazelle’s liver on a fire fueled by cattle dung, there being no trees in the desert. We sat around the hearth eating, smoking cigarettes, exchanging stories with our hosts, and drinking vodka in the traditional Mongolian manner: served hot, in a silver-lined wooden bowl, with yak butter and salt. As we were guests who had traveled a great distance to be here, most meals became a special event demanding round after round of Mongolian vodka.

This is how we spent each of our nights: driving through the desert and seeking a remote homestead upon whose hospitality we could rely for shelter, in exchange

for whatever gifts we had brought along. Mike delighted in introducing the Mongolian children to that marvel of Western technology, the drink’n box [i.e.juicebox]. How their eyes lit up. He also had a walkman, and would let them listen to whatever German thrash metal band he had on cassette tape. The kids were less enthusiastic about that bit of cultural exchange than they were about the drink’n box.

We saw much more, just by serendipity, driving around the Gobi than could ever have been planned by a tour guide in Ulaanbaatar. We walked in Zuunbayan with fossils crunching underfoot, where I imagined Roy Chapman Andrews must have found the dinosaur eggs that saved his bacon. We dined with the local magistrate, who tracked us down to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, after seeing foreigners—foreigners! —a long distance off, watering camels at a remote desert well. We happened upon a group of tomb raiders excavating a half-buried Buddhist monastery, which had been destroyed in the 1930s in the Stalinist-inspired purges led by Choibalsan. They were looking for bricks for use in another building project, but along the way unearthed several Buddhist sculptures and other votive objects. We bought what we could carry.

The Chinese border was the end of the line for us, and here we were welcomed by a lonely military outpost guarding the frontier. After spending a night drinking more vodka and trading more tall tales with the soldiers, it was time to head back to Ulaanbaatar—a sad prospect. Even sadder was leaving Mongolia to continue my travels south through China.

I never saw the Mikes again, or Oktai and Altan for that matter. These were the days before the Internet, and you didn’t bring your social circles with you on your travels.

We’ve gained much with the ubiquity of modern technology, but I think we’ve lost a certain degree of intrepidity as well.

I have often thought about returning to Mongolia, but the country has changed so much, I think I would rather hang on to my memories as they are. I guess home is not the only place you can’t go again.

Dean Karalekas 17

Family Overlanding During Covid-19 From a 2wd Ford Ranger with a Walmart special tent, as a young married couple, to an Adventure Trailers Horizon towed behind a fully built Toyota Tacoma, with a newborn and a toddler, we have made several adaptions in our overlanding setups through the years. Our changes have been largely based upon a combination of budget, space and planned destinations. As our boys, now 11 and 13, continued to grow, we found ourselves once again contemplating a change. This time around however, an entirely new and unexpected change would affect our build and our travel.

Early this year, we decided to list our 2015 Toyota Tacoma for sale, just hoping to gauge some interest. As the interest level peaked, we began planning out our next build.

We knew we wanted to go full-size, so the search began.

After a bit more research and scouring the country for just the right truck, we found the perfect Toyota Tundra for our needs, and we jumped on the deal.

A four-hour drive from our home in East Tennessee took us to a dealership in Birmingham, Alabama. During our wait for paperwork processing, we watched the news as school systems and local governments began to announce closures on that rainy March afternoon. Covid-19 had now become a reality for most of the US. 18

As each day passed by, the news became flooded with stories of the pandemic. Schools closed, businesses closed, flights were canceled and the world quickly became a different place. The sure thing interest in our Tacoma began to wither, and we worried that we had made a mistake.

Fortunately, we were already a home school family, and I worked from home as an independent contractor, so the initial impacts did not affect us greatly. Churches began to close, restaurants closed, and even basketball courts began removing rims. The urban environment was practically shutting down, and everyone was feeling the impact.

Having the Appalachian Mountains in our backyard allowed us to quickly get outside in the fresh air and away from people, so we found ourselves getting out even more than usual with plenty of opportunity to test out the Tundra and continue planning. Once the Tacoma sold, we immediately began executing our build plan on the Tundra.

Phase 1 of the build was of course suspension, wheels, and tires. We went with a Dobinsons heavy suspension, SPC upper control arms, and Method 701 Wheels wrapped in 35” Nitto Ridge Grapplers. We also ordered aluminum skid plates from RCI.

As we waited for parts to come in, we were on the hunt for a camping system to put on the back of the truck.

Having previous experience with Adventure Trailers, and several tours at multiple Overland Expos, we were partial to the AT Overland Habitat. We found a listing for a used Habitat in Northern California, and the owner indicated that he would be willing to drive to AT Overland headquarters in Prescott, AZ to make the exchange. After a brief negotiation, we made a deal and began planning our trip.

It’s a long way from Tennessee to Arizona, so we knew we wanted to make an adventure out of it.

Our friends at Rock Your 4x4 in Knoxville, TN finished the Phase 1 install on May 15, and we hit the road the next morning. We pushed hard on Interstate 40 to make it to Prescott in 3 days. After a stay in the historic Hassayampa Inn, we arrived early at AT Overland for the install.

The team at AT Overland is always amazing to work with. Despite this being a used Habitat, they did not

hesitate to go through a full run through of every detail, just to make sure we knew how to properly use, maintain, and enjoy our new-to-us camper. We even got some tips on some great campsites and areas to explore.

After grabbing some lunch for the road, we headed north to Sedona, and what a beautiful drive it was.

The scenery through the Prescott National Forest and the historic town of Jerome helped set the tone for the beginning of our overland journey.

After a nice hike in Red Rock State Park, we dropped out of the arid conditions of Sedona into the lush greenery of Oak Creek Canyon. Our first night in the Habitat was spent at Cave Springs inside of Coconino National Forest.

It was a cool and peaceful night in a beautiful spot.

Our drive the next day took us through the Painted Desert on the way to Marble Canyon. We took in some sights, including the temporarily abandoned Navajo Bridge (another Covid-19 closure). While we were able to park and walk across the bridge, the native shops and visitor’s center were closed. Nearby Lee’s Ferry was a great spot for lunch. This was one of the few options we found that had an open picnic area and restroom. A hike down Cathedral Wash took us to the Colorado River. The icecold water was refreshing after a warm hike, but it only took a few moments to chill us to the bone.

We spent the night at an amazing location along the rim of Badger Canyon, overlooking Badger Creek Rapids, where we met up with some friends from back home, that just happened to also be traveling in area. It was a great night to share a spot under the stars.

The next morning was spent warming up with the sun and working remotely. I have to keep up the work to enjoy the travel. We took our time packing up, then we continued through the Vermillion Cliffs, heading toward the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

For the first time that I can remember, Grand Canyon National Park was closed. Of course, it was due to the concerns over the spread of Covid-19. About the time we started our trip, we learned that a few areas of the South 19

Rim were beginning to open on certain days, for a limited amount of time. Unfortunately, those days did not coincide with our time in the area. So, our plan was to explore the Kaibab National Forest, working our way as close to the rim as possible. Being at a higher elevation than the South Rim, the North Rim was heavily forested and significantly cooler. The weather was perfect, and the miles of dirt roads were well groomed and fast. We hardly saw anyone else our entire time in Kaibab. We eventually made our way to Parissawampitts Point, catching our first glimpse of the vast canyon. Along a short hike, we came across an epic campsite just mere feet from the rim. We marked it on our GPS and hiked back to get the truck. A few new pinstripes were embedded in the side of the truck as we made our way through the narrow dirt roads. The campsite couldn’t have been much better as we enjoyed the sunset over the Grand Canyon.

Our journey continued heading north until we reached the town of Kanab, Utah. It was time to catch up on laundry and work, so we masked up and visited the local laundromat, which fortunately had good Wi-Fi. One of our best discoveries in Kanab, was a great little restaurant called Big Al’s Burgers at the Junction Drive-in. Things were very different with the CDC regulations in place, but we were still able to enjoy their bison burgers two days in a row!

From Kanab, we ventured into both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. The entry fees were waived due to Covid-19 related partial closures. Many of the most popular areas were closed, but we still had enough access to enjoy the uniqueness of each park. From the Narrows of Zion to the Hoodoos of Bryce, we hiked many miles, but were unable to camp inside the parks. While we didn’t pass up 20

adventuring in the national parks, getting in those nearby areas on BLM land with dispersed camping and less people, was much preferred.

Continuing west through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, we took the opportunity to get off the beaten path to enjoy some lesser known slot canyons and hidden campsites. Around every corner was another breathtaking view. We eventually made our way through Capital Reef National Park and up to Interstate 70.

Beyond the free admission to the parks, much of our travel had been minimally affected by Covid-19 closures.

However, as we traveled through more populated areas on our journey back east, the impacts became more apparent.

Traveling normalcies, we often take for granted were now very limited. From rest areas to restaurants, and even gas stations, closures on the final leg of our journey required more careful planning than expected.

Arriving back home, we were tired but thankful for the incredible public lands available to us - places we can get away, get active, and get refreshed. These opportunities to spend time as a family, exploring together, are so important to us and many overlanders alike. Don’t take them for granted, even during a global pandemic.

Eric Mowell 356 Overland Proverbs 3:5-6 www.instagram.com/356overland www.facebook.com/356overland

In Case of an Emergency…

! y d a e R e B

So, you’re packing your rig. Do you have your plans set? Does the weather look good? With all of the questions you ask yourself, what are you forgetting? Through the excitement surrounding packing and getting your rig set for the long-haul, what are the small things that you don’t remember to bring?

There’s always questions around what supplies you may need, the big topic with my family is always “what are we going to eat?” The real question is what are we packing in case of an emergency?

Sometimes it seems like this is the topic least visited for many who call themselves adventurers or thrill seekers.

How do you even pack for an adventure or that big trip that you have planned? Well, that’s where we start. Having a plan for emergency situations based off your trip and knowing where you’re going, is a big part of it. Knowing the environment that you’ll soon find yourself in can assist you in knowing exactly what to pack as far as her aid is concerned. For instance, where you’re heading, are you considered to be “off the grid“? Are there towers where your cell phone can receive signal? What type of activities do you plan on doing when you get there? What type of terrain, animals, plant life will you be in countering?

piece of advice that I always love to give is; know how to use what you pack in your aid bag. Having the equipment is only good if you know how to use it. Don’t be afraid to buy a few of some of these items and practice using them prior to heading out on your trip. One of the most important items that I tell people to carry it may not seem like much of a need, is water. Being hydrated is one of the best things that you can do for yourself. If you were to get hurt, dehydration can be one of the turning points from being lucid and going into shock.

Things to pack in your aid bag would be sterile gauze, Band-Aids, bandage tape, bandage scissors Bacitracin, Neosporin (antibacterial cream), and Hydrocortisone cream. Some OTC (over the counter) medicines are packed, including: Tylenol, Motrin, Naproxen, as well as Advil for pain and inflammation. Other potentially necessary over the counter meds include: Benadryl, Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, or allergy meds.

Now, if you are into adventuring off the beaten path and are susceptible to greater injury, you may want to pack a tourniquet in addition to what is already listed. These are not highly technical medical devices or medications but they can cause harm if not used in the right manner.

These are just a few of the things one should ask them-self prior to heading out on their trip. If you can answer most of these questions, then I feel like it’s the appropriate time to start packing that bug out bag! Knowing the terrain, how far out you may be adventuring, or even the wildlife that you may encounter, it’s so significant to what should be in your bag. For instance, if I’m going hiking, I may want to pack some splints and tape. Thinking about terrain features that you may have to traverse; you subconsciously are subjecting yourself for potential for injuries. Slip and fall, twisting of an ankle over a loose boulder, or even the slightest tweaking of an ankle while walking. You should want to be prepared for anything.

When thinking of packing your aid bag, you should be thinking of immediate need(s) and what is necessary to get yourself to the next level of care. One of the most essential, yet often forgotten about items, is freshwater. Depending on your environment something else to keep in mind which is an emergency blanket. They come in various sizes and are great when it comes to maintaining body heat or for the purpose of active rewarming. The foil lining side of the blanket helps to keep the heat in by reflecting it back upon the body. Some emergency blankets have a fluorescent orange backside which helps when visibility is needed for recovery.

One often forgotten idea while packing is, how far from my vehicle or base camp do I plan on being. This really helps me with my packing, that way I know if I should be packing light or if I should have more equipment with me because I will be further out. Simply put, I may not have the speed or accessibility to get to all the safety equipment that I have back at my vehicle or camp.

The best thing to have when thinking about any trip, packing an aid bag or “bugout bag,” is to have a plan.

Having the equipment is great, but having a plan is even better. Knowing what you’re going to do when things don’t go to plan and you need to initiate some sort of care is why we share our knowledge. Don’t forget to let someone know where you’re headed and stay safe.

There are many medical pouches or aid bags on the market that you can purchase. Lots of them come with similar items, mainly bandages and items to help stop bleeding, splinter removal, to minor pain medicine. One

The Wrap Up:

Matt Mercado Former Army Combat Medic

21

Stand Out Where It Counts The Hi-Vis Story

Camping for me started when I was much younger. I grew up camping in Pisgah National Forest with a mountain bike locked up to a tree or bumper through the nights. My brother got me into most of my outdoor hobbies, camping and mountain biking has always stuck with me. I went a hand full of years without camping because I was stationed overseas in the military. Once I returned, I was missing something, so I got back on the bike and started finding camp spots again. Little did I know I was about to be starting one amazing life journey. My 2013 Jeep Wrangler was my clean barely used canvas. I began building it just for trails like most builds start out. Regretful modifications filled the beginning stages of the jeep build but I quickly found the route I wanted to take with the Jeep. I began to be exposed to the overlanding style builds and was quickly inspired. I was inspired so much that one of my early goals was to explore the northeast and make my way to Maine.

Goals changed and my focus was shifted on attempting to travel the TransAmerica Trail. In February of 2017, I had a maiden voyage on the Georgia Traverse for a 4-day weekend. I was officially hooked, the TransAmerica Trail was in sight. I knew I had bit off more than I could chew, but that kind of seems to be what I do in life. I set out on a life changing journey along the TransAmerica Trail. At the time, it was 5,000 miles from Western NC to Southwestern OR. Hi-Vis Overland was created somewhere around Utah just before Salt Lake City if I'm not mistaken. I was really 22

set out on that trail because I wanted to find out what I was supposed to do in life, and it took me roughly 9 days to realize that I was right where I needed to be. There were some ups and downs to that trip. The beta tent that I slept in for the TransAmerica Trail is what I now call the Crag Rooftop Tent. It is the flagship of Hi-Vis Overland and will always be my favorite tent.

The idea of Hi-Vis Overland started as just a way for me to camp at the trail head without having to drive all the way home after riding a few hours away. It has now evolved into so much more. The trail head camping

idea has now turned into an amazing base camp. Hi-Vis Overland has had the "Stand out where it counts" slogan since pretty much the beginning. This safety slogan was influenced by many safety briefs in the Navy due to working around aircraft. There are many things out there that can cause you harm. What if you're hurt... your camo tent or earth toned gear isn't going to signal or help be a beacon for assistance. Well don't worry, that's my goal. I am flooding our markets with safety influenced gear. No, not everything has to be orange... even though it would be sweet! As Hi-Vis grows and evolves, so will our gear and technology.

The future of Hi-Vis Overland is looking more red, white, and blue. The 13.50 Series is the new Hi-Vis Overland US made series of products. The 13.50 Series continue the Hi-Vis Overland safety mindset with unique reflective markings. The first product coming to the 13.50 Series is the newly designed Watchtower Rooftop Tent.

See you out on the trails or at an event. Safe travels.

Brad Self Hi-Vis Overland www.instagram.com/hi.vis.overland www.hivisoverland.com

Hi-Vis Overland has introduced the new Hatch Rooftop Tent, which is an aluminum wedge style tent with load rated roof to carry your gear. The Hatch will also be paired with an optional cross bar and roof rack package. There will be another option that will brighten up the trails all around you too. The Hatch will have multiple lighting mount options that can carry camp lights all the way to the larger off-road lights. Fall of 2020, Hi-Vis Overland introduced a safer designed telescopic ladder for the Crag and Aerie Rooftop Tents and debuted the new rain fly with the SunShade Technology.

23

Overlanding Loop A 6-day Adventure

It doesn’t matter if we are staying for a day, week, or a month, we must pre-plan our trip to know the route, campsites, and location, so that we can manage food and gas accordingly. There are many social media groups and other resources that can help us with our pre-planning. The first thing that we try to determine is which area we would like to explore and which sites we would like to visit on the way.

The most recent trip that we made was a 6-day trek that started on Saturday morning and ended on Thursday.

We needed to reach Uwharrie National Forest, NC, by Wednesday afternoon, so there was plenty of time to do some hiking on this journey. I prefer to plan my route on a laptop and then sync it with mobile phones and iPads.

GAIA GPS is a preferred application. However, we also had a paper map. For this trip, we used some already established routes, and fortunately, they had several waypoints for gas stations and a few campsites on the way.

If you want to find campsites, then you can use websites like Freecampsites.net and the iOverlander app.

We prefer to use free sites in the forest; however, we knew that you would need to spend some money, so we ended up spending it on a one-night cabin.

Next, we enlisted the food that we wanted for each meal on our way. We made this list to make things easier 24

for us. It helped us to figure out what we had in our home and what we needed to purchase from the grocery store.

DAY 1: We headed out on Saturday morning with decent weather and the 4Runner packed up with most of the necessities for our 6-day adventure. The preplanned route took us West on Rt 460 and over the Blue Ridge Parkway, VA. From there we made a quick stop in Buchanan to walk on the Swinging Bridge and then over to Roaring Run Furnace to hike to the Falls. We got a bit of rain during the hike and only ran into 4 other groups of people during the short hike. After that we followed the preestablished route south west past the Pines Campground.

We were running out of daylight, so we skipped Tub Run

Rd. Which is a great forest road across the mountain. That night we camped at White Rocks Campground, which cost us $8 for any site we wanted. Had we known they were having water problems (bathroom facilities were closed), we may have taken our time and camped along Tub Run Rd instead. Due to the rain, we cooked dinner under the tailgate.

DAY 2: After having breakfast under a vehicle’s tailgate due to rain, we packed up our camp and left. We made a short visit to Mountain Lake Lodge due to intense fog continued our route back to the forest. We continued to follow the forest road and found Dismal Falls. It was a very short walk to falls from the road. After having lunch, we hit the road again. We made a short stop at Saltville for some gas and also visited the Museum of the Middle Appalachians. Our route took us to the Mendota Fire Tower. The GAIA app showed a hiking trail to the top however while driving the forest road we came to a small parking area with a few other cars and it was suggested to follow a narrow trail straight up the hill. We hiked the trail and enjoyed the views from top. Next stop was Fort Blackmore, VA and finding a campsite in the forest. We were going to run out of daylight fast and were given permission to camp along Stony Creek and the main parking lot for the Devils Bathtub hiking trail. Falling asleep to the rushing water from the creek was quite enjoyable.

DAY 3: We woke up to decent weather and cooked breakfast on the TemboTusk skottle, eggs and potatoes and prepared to check off a bucket list item: hiking to the Devils Bathtub. There is a direct route of roughly 1.8 miles that takes about 2 hours, and a loop that’s roughly 7 miles.

If you ever get the chance for this hike, don’t miss the left turn if planning for the direct route. Also, bring an extra pair of shoes. This hike led us to several water crossings and considering the amount of rain we had, some of these crossings involved knee deep water. Fortunately, the water was crystal clear so our only consideration was the rushing water and uneven rocks. We returned to the parking lot for lunch and then packed up to get back on the road. The route would take us to another forest road, which led to a water crossing…. without a bridge. Unfortunately, we had no idea how deep the moving water was considering how brown and murky it was. This is where it helps to be prepared for alternate routes. We backtracked to Fort Blackmore and followed an alternate route to get us to the National Tunnel State Park, VA. It was well worth the few bucks to pay for parking at the park and we hiked down the hill to check out the tunnel. After the visit, we continued on the paved roads and headed to Tennessee. Our plan was to camp at Cardens Bluff Campground at the south end of Watauga Lake in the Cherokee National Forest, TN. However, we were told they had just closed the previous weekend for the season and found an alternate site just around the corner at the Boots Off Hostel & Campground. What a

great way to end the day, and what an incredible place to stay right along the Appalachian Trail. We cooked dinner on the skottle and hung out in the main kitchen area to enjoy conversation with others. This place was definitely geared for both hikers and vehicle travelers. They had a few cabins, several campsites, and the Bunk House. There were modern outhouses as well as outdoor showers, and a large campfire area.

DAY 4: After a quick breakfast and packing up, we headed to Boone, NC to replenish some food. Most of the day would be paved roads, and we stopped in Blowing Rock for a short visit. Blowing Rock is quite the tourist town, if that’s your thing. It’s a pretty cool place to stop.

Next, we followed the Blue Ridge Parkway south past Grand Father Mountain and on to Linville Falls, NC. We made the quick hike to the Falls. Eventually we followed Old NC 105 to find our campsite. The route we had showed several possible sites, and at first, we found most of the good ones taken. However, we ended up finding a perfect site overlooking Table Rock Mountain.

DAY 5: We woke up and saw the beautiful scene of sunrise. After having a delicious breakfast and packing up, we followed Old NC 105 down the mountain to Lake James. The views were outstanding on the way. We jumped on Interstate 40 and made our way to Uwharrie National Forest, NC, and got checked in at the Eldorado Outpost. There we enjoyed a lot with our friends and had a delicious dinner around the campfire.

DAY 6: Started the day with a simple breakfast and eventually headed over to one of the moderate rated trails.

After the short trail ride, we headed back to camp to pack our stuff and head home. It was a full day of driving after taking several breaks along the way since neither of us were in a hurry to get back that night.

This trip was an incredible experience and allowed us a chance to recharge from our normal lives. It was the perfect time of year, while we experienced various weather and enjoyed the change of season in the mountains.

Regardless of the current COVID regulations in place, we were still able to meet a variety of interesting people, hearing stories of travel and anything that did not involve work.

Jeremy Bailey Blue J Overland www.instagram.com/BlueJOverland www.BlueJOverland.com

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The GOAT Story Go Off-road Armor

Back in 2016 I bought a new LR4 and decked it out for some “Overlanding”, a newish term to me back then, having come from the Jeep world. Some college buddies of mine and I struck out for Utah for some statewide offroading over the course of a week. We stuck mostly to the deep desert, White Rim, and the south rim of Canyonlands National Park. After a long and glorious week of exploring, we headed back to Denver stopping off in Glenwood Springs for some much-needed showers, hot food, and some beverages.

While sitting there enjoying our food at the Historic Doc Holiday’s Saloon, we were chatting about the trip, and one of my friends brought up the excessive pin striping on my black, and very new Land Rover. This sort of thing wasn’t new to me, having crushed several brand new paint jobs on Jeeps. I opened up that I had been pondering an idea to help protect vehicle panels from brush and branch strikes when wheeling. They thought it was a great idea and after a couple of well-timed shots of whiskey, we came up with Go Off-road Armor Tech or “GOAT”.

Fast-forward a bit to early 2018, and I finally decided to pull the trigger on this idea. I had done some research and this isn’t a new idea, with a French company doing the same concept since as far back as 2003, as well as a few domestic companies doing this for Jeep 26

Wranglers. With a new Tacoma in the garage, I figured why not the Toyota crowd with the Toyota off-road pedigree and robust aftermarket.

The first mockup and production set were ready in plain black by August 2018 and the website was up! Then it was crickets…. for a while. I realized that I needed to get this word out much more actively, and Instagram was the mechanism. Patterns grew, new models came out, the word got out, and the orders came in. What a surreal feeling to watch something that I created, grow. I am not a trained businessman nor seasoned entrepreneur. I was

always a corporate lackey, a cube dweller; a minion. This was new territory, terrifying and FUN. Now GOAT is officially a little brand, growing and evolving. We are always trying to find ways to improve the product. We have done design changes, and are constantly challenging our material manufacturer to come up with better, less maintenance, innovative materials and solutions. This has been a helluva an adventure, but worth every late night and stressed out day. I think we all need to try to do something crazy and daring in our lives, and this is my big All-In. Every night, I put my 7-year-old to bed who reminds me to not stay up too late working. A little tidbit: he is the one that most of the time fills in the shipping info for order fulfillment email, with not one mistake yet.

He grabs my phone, goes to the website admin page, and knocks it out. Teach your kids they CAN!

The GOAT Future: GOAT will continue to strive for the best product with the release in Q4 2020 of the new v3 material which features a major upgrade in the truck facing substrate that will allow the panels to stay on much longer than the current offering. Models currently offered are the Gen2 & Gen3 Tacoma, Gen5 4Runner, and the FJ. We will release

the Gen3 Tundra CrewMax and the Chevy ZR2 in late November 2020. 2021 will hopefully see big growth with the Gen4 4Runner, and getting into the Subaru, and Lexus markets.

Custom and semi-custom orders are an agility that is built into this business model and we do a lot of custom color ways on existing patters, vector art adds, and full ground-up custom designs from scratch. We do commercial advertising sets, but are selective about what brands and businesses we make armor for. We want to keep it “in the family” so to speak, working with businesses in the off-road, outdoors, sporting, and aftermarket world.

Sorry folks, we won’t bling out your plumbing van!

Matt Uhart www.instagram.com/goattruckarmor www.facebook.com/goattruckarmor www.goat-truckarmor.com

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Thick & Thin Overlanding, Right?

Let me start by saying “Hi, I’m Austin”, I Co-Founded WolfPac Outdoors with my wife Summer. We are a family of 4 adventurous souls, on a journey to experience the world through vehicular exploration. But before we get started, I want to ask you this, what is overlanding to you?

I think of overlanding like this.

A Vehicle. At its most basic level a vehicle could be as simple as our bodies, or as complex as a spaceship.

A Mindset. This mindset is continually developing and fluid, it’s not stagnant nor does it cease. It’s a state where, when you’ve reached the top of a mountain, you desire to reach beyond, to experience and learn more. When you see the peak of another mountain in the distance and you can’t resist leaving the comfort of your current situation to experience that journey. While on the journey you soak in your environment, always learning and exploring. This new destination isn’t a stagnant place it’s fluid and will develop into the next adventures and experiences.

And Sharing. If it were just myself, well, that would be ok, but here’s a secret of mine… having my wife and kids with me while we complete steps 1 & 2 IS the icing, it brightens my whole world. Sharing our experience with

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you, encouraging you to reach for your dreams, and seeing your journey IS the icing.

For me overlanding is a way of life, a deeper meaning to existence, and something I passionately enjoy talking about.

So how did we… or better yet WHY did we?

As you’ve probably heard before; with a strong enough WHY, even the most tedious jobs become accomplishable.

So, why?

Overlanding started at a young age for me. Growing up I constantly moved, was homeless, or I lived with “family friends”. The one thing I always had were my feet, and an adventurous spirit. In 2001 I moved to Hawaii, more specifically the Big Island. While there I built an Overlanding Rig from a Ford Ranger. I loved that truck, it took me all over the island, and by the end of 5 years I had explored almost all of the nooks and crannies (and fixed nearly everything on that truck too). Those experiences were invaluable in helping me “find myself” and “to find a deeper purpose to my life”.

learn, share, and experience, for us and our children. So, we explore, we dare to experience as much of the world as we can before time runs out, and our children are by our sides, exploring with us.

Let’s dive deeper next time as we lay the groundwork for our friendship in the next article.

For now, Welcome to WolfPac Outdoors… The place you can feel safe to be yourself, a place dedicated to family, adventure, and friendship. Thank You for Joining Us, we hope to see you on the trail.

Stay Adventurous Friends.

Live Unbound.

Always Explore. Family Forever.

Shortly after moving back to California I met my soulmate Summer, and we married in the winter of 09’.

Then something happened, life began to feel like this constant rush to meet the deadline, to close the deal and to get the promotion. We chased what we thought was the “American Dream”, and when we finally found it, it wasn’t all that appealing.

Like you, we found we were more interested in getting the best experience from life. Daring to explore beyond the possibilities excites us, taking the road less traveled invigorates us, and enjoying the experiences within the journey fuels our souls.

But Why? The short… to impart a deeper purpose in life to our children, but I feel it’s more than just that.

We were given the gift of having a Liver Transplant child, for the first 7 years of her life we weren’t sure what the outcome was going to be. That struggle gave us an in-depth personal relationship with the fragility of life. We technically still aren’t really sure what our future holds, but we do know we have right now, and there is so much to

Austin@WolfPac-Outdoors.com www.instagram.com/WolfPac_Outdoors www.youtube.com/WolfPac-Outdoors

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Bear Face Photography Photographer: Hailey Jean 30

www.facebook.com/BearFacePhotos

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When Gear Fails, There Are Helping Hands “We have roadwork to do and will close off the road for the concrete to harden. You either leave early tomorrow or you will have to wait ten days,” a road worker told us.

That was an easy one. Who would like to be stuck in a small Land Cruiser parked in a meadow in the middle of nowhere when days of rain have been predicted? We had arrived on one of the few gorgeous autumn days and had made the best of it with a beautiful hike into the Kaçkar Mountains of northeastern Turkey. However, with this weather forecast it was time to move on.

The day didn’t start well. We overslept. When we got up, we spotted the workers getting ready to fix the road surface, right in front of where we stood parked. Like a bat out of hell we took down the rooftop tent, broke camp, and Coen fired up the old diesel. Within the first foot of driving, the left side sank into the swamp caused by a night of torrential downpour. Fountains of mud churned up behind the Land Cruiser and the wheels clawed deeper into the sludge. The car wouldn’t move an inch.

confidence that he knew what he was doing. He unrolled the winch-cable, hitched it to a telephone pole and set himself behind the steering wheel. He then pushed the button of the remote control, took up the slack in the winch cable and the Land Cruiser inched forward.

The purchase of the Land Cruiser, a couple of months earlier, had come with a winch. We hadn’t taken the time to check how it worked, let alone test it, but Coen exuded

Pang! The winch emitted a tiny whirl of smoke. We had no clue what just happened but that was the end of the winch. The road workers had finished their first stretch of

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resurfacing and lent a hand. They pushed and pulled the Land Cruiser, creating space underneath the wheel. I filled it with rocks I had collected at the nearby stream. It was to no avail. The car sank deeper into the quagmire and tilted even more. The workers gave up and offered to organize a tractor for 200 US dollars to pull us out, saying it was impossible to do it on manpower alone. We rejected their offer.

Using the hi-lift and the shovel to dig the left rear tire free, I could add more stones under the wheel. Two elderly men appeared, we assumed from a nearby village, who helped me gathering rocks from the river. The Land Cruiser’s angle was frightening and I feared it would topple over. Coen, on the other hand, was confident as he took his place behind the steering wheel. He revved the engine, put

it in gear and powered backwards. Clouds of mud flew up and the Land Cruiser freed itself.

A moment of triumph, which we celebrated with shouts and hugs. There was a minor detail thought, we still stood in that field. We figured there was only one option left, which meant Coen would have to drive through a narrow, uphill passage with high boulders that could easily smash the roof rack if the Land Cruiser rocked too much to one

side. With confidence Coen went flat out and tackled the slope. Our home on wheels reached the top undamaged.

More shouts of joy.

But now what? A fresh layer of concrete lay in front of us, the road workers since long gone. Our kind helpers told us to drive through it; they would fix it afterwards.

We shared a tea and bade them farewell. The puddles in the road rinsed the tires before the concrete on them hardened. Half a mile down, workers had just poured the second batch of cement. They let us pass, staring in disbelief. We triumphed.

As so often happens on our journey, when gear fails there are always helping hands to get us back on the road.

Beautiful people abound, all over the world.

Karin-Marijke Vis and Coen Wubbels www.instagram.com/landcruising.adventure www.LandCruisingAdventure.com

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The Longest Journey of Me My Name is Adimasu Gebeyehu. I was born and grow up in Southern Ethiopia Banna Village in Omo Valley. My overlanding journey started when I was taking care of my goats and cows at 7 years old with my other friends.

One day, I was take our cows to Omo River to fetch water for them and for our self. On that day I saw for the first time a car passing through off-road. It was rain, wind and cold day. There was a lot of mud, the car couldn’t move it was in strong mud.

We saw him, we were not sure if he was an animal or a human painted white? We paint our bodies to protect from mosquito’s and scare animals. And dress up to show our beauty to others. (Suri Trib) We have never seen a white person before.

He asks me and my friends to pull the car out. We helped him and finally he got way out from strong mud. We could not communicate with him. But knew he was very hungry. We bring him to our home to give him food. For the first time I ride on Landcruiser 2h 1988 model.

That is when I meet Mr. Chris from France, who sponsored me to finish my school. Once I have done school, I went on university and finally graduated in tourism. Been working as tour guide in different companies for 10 years now. I started my own expedition company 34

over East Africa, been doing a lots off-roading by myself and taking some people with me on adventures.

One Day I have got email from in 2016. Mr. Kingsley Holgate, a well-known Land Rover adventure organization to Africa with Kingsley Holgate Foundation-Hope Crosses Many Terrain together with Land Rover. https://kingsleyholgate.com/ He wants to do expedition in Southern Ethiopia to Chew Bahir-Hamer Tribe. They are most friendly tribe.

Where a boy to become man, he jump of the bulls. Before jump of bulls, he must be naked and hair shaved. Rubbed body with sand rid any bad luck, rubbed with cow poop to give strength. He must jump over bulls four times show his bravery, strength and agility to get called Maza. Means

traveled all Africa every year with new Land Rover.

Getting Kingsley advice for my feature. He teach a lot about off-road and Bush camping. I was born in rural village no electric, no mobile phones at that time. So, I told thanks for your advice I will manage the camping. Please just teach me more about how work on off-road vehicle.

So, he was very kind to share with me about Zulu Land driver with Land Rover. While his driving sometimes has to cross big muddy roads and rivers. So, he teach me more how to drive on muddy roads and rivers.

he is a man and to marry woman picked by his father. The woman dress and line up to watch for father to pick for wife.

And Mursi Tribe plating with lip also horns in hair.

I was so happy to get this email from Kinsley, because it was always my dream to meet with experienced expectation leaders. So finally, I meet them in Addis Ababa to start the trip to Southern Ethiopia. I took Kingsley Holgate, his son Ross Holgate and the expedition team. I was so happy to drive well equipped Land Rover and had lots of new experience with Kingsley. Because he has

Very kind enough to give me his Land Rover so that I can do test on Lake Chalbi and Omo Valley. This expedition was some very unique to my life. I had wonderful experience with Kingsley. Today this experience made me different from all other tour operators. Kingsley also told me; expedition is something you can’t go out from it. And it is true, now I can’t go out from it. It’s my passion, who I want to be in life! I would like to say many thanks to Kingsley Holgate my off-road experience partner!

Finally, the trip ended in Kenya. I managed to comeback by on another expedition. I have rework on my old land cruiser garage maintenance by myself. I start taking some photographers around Omo-Valley. Finally, I have managed to save to get brand new 2019 model Toyota Landcruiser v8 engine. I have been dreaming for this 4wd drive every day of my life since I was 7.

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During my expeditions in Ethiopia. I do take travelers from all over the world who really love to be on adventure experience our culture, people and nature. This is what I am doing for living at this time. From what I earn I use some to support education in southern Ethiopia. Where there are kids can’t afford to buy books, pens and pencils.

In some areas help them also with health care. People who can’t afford to go to hospitals I pay from what I got.

Thanks to my friend Beth Ebnet, she’s supported our project during new year. Feeding homeless in Ethiopia.

Living on adventures is something you never take out from myself. Some people think I am crazy, they often told me to do other jobs. Which I can get more money, but it’s no interest for me. I only love being who I am on my expedition driving bring people to my culture from all over the World. Expedition is something I will always live on and work.

Finally, now I enjoy every moment while I am driving my Landcruiser! Doing expedition all over Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Kenya. Meet different tribes every day. I drive over Simen Mountains, Bale mountains and Dannakil desert often. Each time I am on the road, I remember 36

when I was kid. I always wanted to live in the nature as much I can. So finally, now I am here.

With Kingsley I have to him, to my people tribes of Omo-Valley, Dorze Village, Konsso Village, Banna Village, Arbore Village Hamer Village, Karo Village and Nechsar National Park and chew Bahir or Lake Stephanie close to north of Kenya. Many thanks and Blessings!

Adimasu Gebeyehu ADIMASU TRAVEL AND TOURS Addis Ababa, Ethiopia www.adimasutravel.com

How-to: Servicing the Hi-Lift (Cleaning and Rebuilding) It’s amazing how many Hi-Lifts I see driving around these days. If you didn’t know better, you’d think all these folks took their vehicles off-road! Of course, for many, the Hi-Lift has achieved maximum purpose and use in its mounting and visible expo factor on the vehicle - but for some, it becomes a critical safety and recovery tool when on an adventure.

Depending on the state of your Hi-Lift, the first order of business may be to purchase a Hi-Lift FK-1 Fix-it-Kit (http:// amzn.to/2tsV3HT). Relatively cheap, I’d recommend this if you have any concern that your shear bolt is bent, either of your climbing pins are significantly gouged, or if the springs have weakened.

For those folks, it’s important to keep the Hi-Lift in top shape. That means servicing it on a regular basis, ensuring that all parts are in good working order - free of oxidation, rust, and grime picked up on the trail. Without servicing, it can be stiff and harder to work than it should be - and your jack is the last thing you want to be fighting when you’re attempting a trail repair!

In addition, you’ll need a set of sockets (or couple of crescent wrenches), hammer, punch, pliers, and some steel wool to complete the refresh. Of course, add rustconverting spray paint (http://amzn.to/2oU1Wxo) to that list if you want to repaint any part of your Hi-Lift.

With all that in hand, you’re ready to get started! For a step-by-step photo guide on the entire process, head on over to https://adventuretaco.com/how-to-servicingcleaning-and-rebuilding-the-hi-lift/ The next time you’re on the trail and in need of a jack, you’ll be glad you did!

Dan of AdventureTaco www.instagram.com/goadventuretaco

So, if you have a Hi-Lift, I recommend finding a rainy day between trips to bring it back to smooth operation.

https://adventuretaco.com

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Overlanding in Hungary Hungary is probably not the first country that springs into mind when it comes to planning an overlanding trip.

There are lots of great destinations around Hungary, such as the coast of Croatia, the Austrian Alps or the hidden villages and adventurous trails of Transylvania. The landlocked, relatively flat and densely populated Hungary, however, is not on the Top 10 lists of overlanders.

If you happen to drive through Hungary as part of your London to Singapore adventure though, what are the routes and places to visit that can’t be missed in this country?

Perhaps it takes a bit more research, but in Hungary you can still find amazing places that make overlanding as a travel and lifestyle so appealing.

Due to Hungary’s turbulent, 1000-year long history, there are numerous places in the country that are not only beautiful but also provide some interesting historical facts and anecdotes.

When choosing a destination in this country, for a full experience it’s always good to pay attention to these historical places and plan accordingly, even if you don’t spend too much time here.

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Budapest If you travel to Hungary, Budapest simply cannot be missed, regardless of your travel style. Whether you’re an overlander or a regular traveler, Budapest is a must-see destination.

The city has a huge significance in the country from many perspectives. It’s the center of the economy, the culture, and the history. It attracts more tourists than any other part of the country.

Overlanders can choose the Niche Camping of Zugliget on the western edge, or the Camping Arena on the opposite side of the city. Both are excellent campsites and great starting points to discover what Budapest has to offer.

Of course, there are also high-quality hotels in the center if you’d prefer that.

banks and even on river islands in this region, you can take a tour to visit Visegrad and Esztergom in the area.

Budapest became a major tourist destination during the last decade, thus travelers can choose among various organized city tours. However, the center of the city can also be discovered independently just by walking around, or perhaps by renting a bicycle.

As you can’t escape history in Hungary, you can continue to learn more in these two towns about battles fought and kings crowned. The area in between provides countless opportunities for other adventures, such as kayaking on the Danube, fishing, hiking or mountain biking.

Get yourself a great guidebook and get lost in the Castle District on your own. It’s the best way to see Budapest.

At the end of the day, you can relax in one of the restaurants in the old town of Visegrad with a cold beer and a grilled trout.

From the Bridges of the Danube, through the thermal baths, the Parliament and the Castle District there are countless tourist attractions that are considered as “mustsee”.

This is only just scratching the surface, though. Literally.

Immerse yourself in the history of the city further by visiting the Hospital in the Rock. It’s a fascinating museum that will capture your imagination. It functioned as a hospital that was built right into the rocks below the Castle District and later was turned into a nuclear bunker.

Furthermore, the city has a great nightlife with bars and restaurants offering their services at very reasonable prices.

It’s no surprise that Budapest was chosen as the number one European destination by many travel blogs and tourism boards all around the world.

Starting from Budapest, you will find great overlanding destinations within a 1-2 hours reach in every direction. Due to the size and structure of the country and its road system, Budapest can serve as a starting point to discover different destinations in every direction within Hungary.

Bend of the Danube

Lake Balaton If there is any single area or region other than Budapest that can’t be missed in Hungary, it must be Lake Balaton.

Being the largest lake in Central Europe, it offers great activities for all travelers if you decide to spend a few days here. The hills located north of the lake provide breathtaking views while you can enjoy the local cuisine and wine in one of the “csarda”-s, an old, traditional tavern that you can find everywhere in the countryside.

You can visit the monastery on the peninsula of Tihany that was founded in 1055 A.D. The small town of Tihany is a great place to spend the afternoon and pick up some souvenirs.

Since the lake is completely surrounded by built out areas, towns and villages, it’s hard to find any wild camping opportunities, so your best bet is to find one of the traditional campsites. However, as the lake is immensely popular among local and international tourists, you may need to book a few days in advance.

The Old Steppe-Tower “Pusztatorony”

The Bend of the Danube is literally a 90-degree bend of the river, about an hour north of Budapest. The surrounding hills and villages offer a beautiful view anywhere you go in this area.

Besides the brilliant wild camping options on the river

Driving around the Lake Balaton is a great route on its own, however, once you get to the southwestern corner of the lake, it’s good to take a small detour and visit the Pusztatorony 39

(‘Steppe-Tower’) in Somogy County.

Once you’re standing in front of the tower, it’s hard to comprehend that it was built in the 12th century. It’s still standing strong and it’s a perfect place to camp for the night.

It’s assumed that it was surrounded by a village in the past, however, today it towers over grain and corn fields.

Sunset makes the site a uniquely beautiful place.

From here you can take the country roads either back north towards Budapest or carry on further south to the Mecsek Hills.

Mecsek Hills

Among the Mecsek Hills the area around Orfu, Kovacsszenaja and Magyarhertelend is perfect to find off-road trails and campsites, but if you’re a keen hiker or mountain-biker as well, you will love this region even more.

Hungary is a wine making nation, and arguably the best wines in the country are made on the southern slopes of Mecsek. You shouldn’t miss a wine tasting tour in Villany, if you decided to visit this part of the country.

Mountains on the Northeast If you drive towards east from Budapest, you can explore the small mountain range in the northeastern part of the country.

Medium sized hills and mountains occupy this region, where the Matra, Bukk and Zemplen provide great terrain for some overland adventures.

Before you get all the way to Zemplen though, make sure to stop in Eger.

In this picturesque town, you can take part in yet another wine tasting tour, but you can also learn about another piece of medieval history.

The fort that dominates the skyline of the little town played an important part in protecting Europe from the Ottoman Empire. In 1552, during the Siege of Eger the 40

defenders successfully repelled the attack of the much larger Ottoman army and thus denied the Empire of further expansion.

You can take an exciting guided tour in the fort, and after a short wander around the Old Town, you can continue further to the Valley of Beautiful Women.

A great windy road through the Bukk going east from Eger will get you closer to another beautiful medieval fort, the Fort of Boldogko.

You will be able to find a great spot for camping right below the fort where the small plateau is overlooking the surrounding area.

Carrying on from here the next day, overlanders can take small country roads driving south, to eventually arrive in the Hortobagy National Park. Wildlife in the park is well protected, as the park managers pay attention to light pollution as well.

This has a second benefit as the Park became a dark sky reserve.

It’s the best spot in the country to marvel at the night sky.

Once you’ve counted the constellations of the Milky Way, in the morning you can visit the Nine Arch Bridge, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Continuing Your Overland Trip In this eastern part of the country, you’d be in a very good position to carry on further east towards Transylvania. When it comes to overlanding, there are few other places in Central Europe that are similarly perfect as Transylvania. Beautiful mountain ranges with almost untouched areas are easy to find.

However, since Hungary is relatively small, any other surrounding country is easily reachable. Towards south you can plan your adventures on the Balkans, but if you decide to drive north, the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia will take your breath away.

Hungary may not be the best place to find challenging off-road trails, but you will have a chance to get to know a unique culture and long history of a European nation in the heart of the continent. And that’s definitely part of overlanding.

Ferenc Elekes www.instagram.com/overlandsite

Kansas Overlanding Kansas is not your typical Overlanding destination. When people picture Kansas, they think of flat farmland and little towns with funny names. Most people consider it a fly over state or the state you must drive through to get to the overlanding paradise that is Colorado. I must admit it doesn’t have the stunning vistas of some of its neighboring states. But, as a Kansas native, I have spent a lot of time exploring its back roads and off the beaten path attractions. One of the great things about the back roads and trails in Kansas is that most can be explored with a fully stock vehicle. If you are looking for a relaxing weekend out on the trails, you should check out some of our favorite Kansas overlanding destinations.

In Western Kansas there are fields as far as the eye can see. If you have ever taken a drive through Kansas on I-70 you probably napped during that portion of the drive.

There is a lot more to this part of the state than the wind turbines, prairie dogs, and the awesome Wheat Jesus billboard. While out in the West, you should check out the Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, Syracuse Sand Dunes State Park, and Monuments Rocks.

The jewel of Central Kansas is the beautiful and serene Flint Hills, located in East Central Kansas and extending from around Wichita to Topeka. There, you can spend a whole day cruising through the gentle rolling hills. The land is a combination of private and public lands. All the

local cattle ranchers ask is that, if you open a gate, that you close it and stay on the marked roads, so you do not damage the natural prairie.

If you like driving hours to see rocks like we do, you will love Mushroom Rock State Park, located in north central Kansas outside the little town of Marquette. The small state park features some really cool natural rock formations in the shape of - you guessed it - mushrooms. Teter Rock is a large stone monument located high on a hill in the heart of the Flint Hills. The monument and a couple stone foundations are part of what was a once bustling oil town and is now a ghost town. It is the perfect spot to stop, rest and eat some lunch while traveling through the Flint Hills.

These are just a small number of the fascinating sites to see when overlanding in Kansas. Overlanding is about the journey. I encourage you to get out of the house and explore your state’s byways and back roads.

AJ & Sarah Williams www.facebook.com/ExpeditionRecon www.ExpeditionRecon.com

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The Enchanted Rockies Trail and the End of Rumble

I’ve had a Jeep Liberty for years. I was kind of known as the Jeep Liberty guy and I wore it with pride. I liked having something different. I enjoyed building an overloading rig out of something not many would attempt.

Even before a lift I was trimming fenders and removing the front bumper to make it better for off-roading. To be honest when I started, I had never heard of overlanding, I just knew I wanted to combine my love of camping and hiking with driving off-road. I made all the mistakes; I bought a cheap spacer lift and I bought cheap gear. I was getting started and that is what most of us do, in the beginning.

We try to save money here and there not realizing in the long run it would cost way more. This quickly became real as I started to go out longer, further, and to more remote places. I replaced the lift with an Old Man Emu lift, bought better gear and stayed out longer and went further. It was fun to see the look on people’s faces as I pulled up in a Jeep Liberty. They all thought I would get stuck or even break down on the trail. In that Liberty I only got stuck once and I never had to leave it on the trail, although the last trip I did get worried. It was approaching 160K miles and for a Liberty driven the way it had been that was really high.

I took it on the Enchanted Rockies Trail with eleven other rigs in June. We spent several days on the trail, because of the heat we decided to start the trail near Weed, NM, yep Weed, NM. The plan was to go as far as 42

Angel Fire, NM. Most of our group drove fast, I mean fast.

We covered so many miles per day it was crazy. A few of us decided to slow way down and go at our own pace.

We stopped often to take in the trail, photographing the experience along the way.

The first night on the trail was so windy we could hear the wind in the trees coming down the mountain, it sounded like waves coming into the beach. We woke up in no big hurry, since we started in Weed, NM we were a day ahead of schedule. So, about an hour or two onto the trail we found a great campsite with more than enough room for all eleven rigs and a few trailers. Some of the guys

decided to go out from there and explore, while a few of us decided to just relax a camp. This gave me an opportunity to try and make a campsite old-fashion. I used Oil Fire Whiskey, citrus bitters and cherries. Oil Fire Whiskey is a rye whiskey with a liqueur blend making it sweet, no need for simple syrup, thus making it much easier to make. A few drops of bitters and a cherry, BOOM an awesome Old Fashion. We might have gone through 2 bottles that afternoon.

We headed out of Weed the next morning, moved along to Cloud Croft., where we stopped to get gas and a few items at the Dollar Store. I’ll just say that in Cloud Croft they took mask wearing seriously, beware. We would be reminded of this at towns along the way, Covid was in full force around the country. On the third night, we stayed in the Lincoln National Forest just at the footsteps of an amazing cliff. The wind was blocked and we slept like babies. The next morning, a few of the rigs in the group decided to head to Santa Fe by blacktop roads. Seven of us would split into two groups and head down the trail.

This was an amazing section of the trail and super bumpy.

It wasn’t technical but the rocks were just big enough to make you go slow and pay attention, it beat the hell out of us!

We would spend our third night on the trail in Santa Fe at campsite full of RVs. We grabbed a good shower, Joey and I sang “You Lost that Loving Feeling” Top Gun version, it was magical, ask Lee. The next morning after gassing up we headed to the Carson National Forest. We turned up forest road 76 stopped to eat lunch as a full group before climbing up the mountain. As usual Joey, Lee, and I hung back. Lee brought his young daughter and she liked to get out often and run around. It was perfect for Joey and I because we wanted to stop and take photographs. This section of the trail was beautiful. At each corner, I wanted to stop and grab a few photos. I was blown away the we didn’t pass any other vehicles even though we passed a sign that read “not recommend for cars”. The trail was easy but the sights were breathtaking.

We made it up to 12,000 feet where we decided to set up camp. Joey and I walked down a side trail and found the perfect campsite, the best I’ve ever camped. We were on the side of the mountain and could see for miles. So many mountain peaks with an almost 270-degree view.

There is nothing that compares to the poop spot I had at 12K feet. I can’t tell you how many photos I took in this area. I walked around and found so many awesome things at screamed TAKE MY PICTURE! That evening, we sat around a propane fire for warmth and to have a campfire conversation, no wood fires were allowed. The entire trip I stayed in Les Opus’ trailer. It was amazingly comfortable and so capable on the trail; it never lifted a wheel. I’m excited about the new Opus Lite coming out soon. I brought my Gazelle T4 but we had a family with us that had an old clumsy tent so I let them use mine, the set up for the Gazelle T4 is so fast and easy. Brian told me each

day that he was thankful that I let him use my tent, I was completely ok with that because I got to stay in the Opus Trail, it has a heater!

The next morning, we would wake up, break camp, and head down forest road 76 towards Angel Fire. This part of the trail was so beautiful and the road was again not technical but it was rough. At one point we said wow that is rough and then noticed a Kia Soul park about 50 feet off trail camping, just proves that you don’t need the best rig you just need to go. (although I don’t recommend a Kia Soul LOL). We finished the trail at Angel Fire and we had some great pizza.

My Jeep did have some issues, I had to keep it running when we stopped in fear it wouldn’t start. It had been a problem for a while and no one could nail down the reason. We never talked about it out loud or near Rumble, my Jeep. This was a major concern for Joey as we both left the group and headed on a 9-hour drive home, 13 for him. Joey followed me all the way to my turn off and was relieved I made it home. My Jeep handle the trail with no real issues, the starting thing was annoying but easy fix with some starter fluid. Two days after arriving home Rumble threw every light on the dash. It was determined by two different mechanics that to fix everything, including a possible transmission rebuild was going to be over $7K. This would be the last trip I would ever make in the vehicle that helped me develop a love for overloading. It was not only a vehicle to me but a part of who I was, I was the Jeep Liberty guy. Rumble was known around the world. So, getting a new rig and parting with Rumble was not easy.

I still see a Jeep Liberty and smile. Now I am building a 2016 Nissan Pro4X, and I am excited. Be sure to follow me at All Over Overland to see how the build comes along.

Michael Hyden www.instagram.com/alloveroverland www.facebook.com/groups/992895090817427 www.OverlandRadio.com Podcast: All Over Overland

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The Flyover State Iowa is a flyover state.

The 29th state is not known as a destination for many travelers. Those searching social media for the most visually appealing locations to explore or camp rarely land here. You won’t find us on many people’s bucket list, but that’s because most people have not actually been to Iowa.

I’ve introduced my home state to dozens of friends. Most had never more than driven through Iowa. Now, they have all become repeat visitors, even introducing their out-ofstate friends to Iowa. However, being under appreciated has its upside. In an age where trails, campgrounds, National Parks and the like are bursting at the seams with visitors, and infrastructure is overwhelmed, places like Iowa can still offer easy access to peaceful outdoor environments.

Just 2% of land in Iowa is public. Because of this, much of the camping is found off paved or dirt roads, accessible to everyone. Many sites are modern, but there are still some primitive sites which require hiking in. I have several friends who make a point to find as remote of sites as they can around central Iowa, spending time on Google Earth scouting locations that may otherwise not be marked on any map or labeled on any sign.

Camping is allowed year-round in Iowa. With hot and humid summers, frigid and snowy winters, the busy 44

season, not surprisingly, is usually fall and spring time. Fall 2020 was likely one of the busiest on record, with the influx of recreational activities in the face of the COVID pandemic and the nationwide rise in the popularity of camping over the last 5 to 7 years.

Iowa has the Missouri River and the Mississippi River as bookends to the west and east, respectively. Those two river valleys provide my favorite areas to camp and explore. To the east, Pikes Peak State Park contains rocky bluffs which overlook the winding Mississippi River.

Nearby Yellow River State Forest offers scenic trails, great for driving, hiking, or even horseback riding. More great hiking and exploring is available to the south, at Maquoketa Caves State Park and Mines of Spain. On our western

border, near the Missouri River, you will find Loess Hills State Forest. This unique geological shaping comes from centuries of windblown soil settling into rolling hills that stretch all along the river valley. Preparation Canyon State Park is a well-known spot located within the hills, which has several Level B roads (unmaintained) in this area. These types of roads are about as close as you’ll find to “offroading” on public land in Iowa. In the center of the state is Des Moines, our capitol and my home. A handful of great parks surround Des Moines, including Ledges State Park and Jester State Park to the north and Pammel State Park to the south. I’ve spent the most time exploring in these three parks, due to their proximity to home, but camped at them the least, due to their proximity to my bed.

Over the lifetime of the state, Iowa has seen agriculture take precedence over all else. Many prairies, wetlands and forests have long ago been replaced by corn and soybean fields, farms and confinements for cows and hogs. The world class soil in Iowa has been a key to the state’s economy, but a detriment to the natural landscape of the countryside. Through the 99 counties in Iowa, there are 83 state parks and zero national parks. While Iowa’s landscape differs greatly from that of Zion or Yosemite, with the right kind of appreciation, one can find beauty, nonetheless. Not every campsite has to have that epic, Instagram-worthy view.

Sometimes it’s just about getting away from your TV, even if that means the campground is on a paved road 20 minutes from your couch.

Cullen Powers www.facebook.com/Powers-4x4-333721367343029 www.Powers4x4.com

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Adventures In Minnesota When you plan out an off-road adventure, the Midwest often gets overlooked. While Minnesota may not have high evaluation mountains or vast desert, it does offer you the opportunity of off-roading through beautiful farm side valleys, thick wooded forests and breathtaking overviews of our 10,000 plus lakes.

The Minnesota 4 Wheel Drive Association (MN4WDA) in a non-profit organization of volunteers that was established in 1987 to serve and represent the off-road community in Minnesota. The organization works tirelessly to create new trails and park opportunities in the state, along with advocating for the continued public use of our trails and touring routes. The organization is made up of a little over a thousand club members, individual members and business associates and is led by a small group of officers, board members and committees along with a legislative lobbyist.

Over the past 30 years, the MN4WDA has created several unique places to wheel. Our most popular offroad parks can be found in northeast Minnesota on the Mesabi Iron Rage where you can find 36 miles of OHV trails through shale rock and pine trees in the Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area. Amongst the blood red dirt terrain, rock cliffs and scenic overlooks you will experience trails for all levels of experience and 46

vehicle types ranging in core roads all the way up to extreme obstacles. Local lodging, camping and restaurants conveniently located in the town of Gilbert, just a mile or two from the off-road park.

One of our most exciting upcoming opportunities is for our overlanding and soft roading enthusiasts. We are in the final stages of creating our Border to Border Touring Route.

This new travel route takes you across northern Minnesota from North Dakota to Lake Superior on street legal roads, made up of state and national forest, township, county and state roads. Most of the roads are rugged dirt or gravel with natural attractions, historical stops, and plenty of lodging and camping along the way.

We are excited to see a formal plan created and cannot wait to start on the trail improvement and projects bringing more opportunities to enjoy our beautiful state with our family, friends and off-road community!

Angela Hinkley MN4WDA Public Relations Director For more information, check out www.mn4wda.org dnr.state.mn.us and MnORVmasterplan.org.

This is just the beginning of off-road adventures in Minnesota. We are currently working on creating and Off-Road Vehicle (OHV) Master Plan that will identify opportunities to enhance and improve our current trails and off-road parks, along with creating new opportunities, while ensuring that we are being environmentally sustainable.

This is a community-influenced effort, led by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Minnesota 4 Wheel Drive Association and contracted consulting firm SE Group.

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Overlanding the Lone Star State

It’s the end of the workday on Friday and I’m packed and ready to go. One of my favorite spots in Southwest Texas is well worth the eight-hour haul from Houston.

Midnight arrives before I finally get to the first dirt road on my journey and there are still 25 miles to go, over an hour between me and my camp for the night but I’m excited. I can feel my right foot lean heavy on the accelerator as the fragrance of sage in bloom fills the air. Cattle guards are common here but my GX470 floats over them easily with my Dobinsons MRR suspension. Suddenly, at 45mph in the dark of night, I hit one of them at an unusual incline and caught air. The next hour and half is consumed fixing the bent bulbar that the unexpected obstacle has gifted me. Eventually I make it to camp and find a semi-level spot to park my rig, open the Quick Pitch RTT, and fall asleep.

The next morning, I am greeted with all of the beautiful scenery surrounding the bedrock slab that is our camp.

With no cell service and the weekend to burn, our group spent most of our time relaxing in the river and taking walks upstream. This annual end-of-summer relaxation trip is something that I look forward to all year. The wonderful people that make up Go Native Overland are such a pleasure to be around.

Overlanding in Texas may not be what most people visualize. Generally speaking, overlanding conjures up visons of roof tents popped open against a backdrop of towering snowcapped peaks in the distance or an intense 48

steep rocky trail beyond a deep-water crossing. But from 20-foot-tall pinstripe-screeching Ocotillo plants and mesquite in the West to the deep piny woods and thick clay in the East, Texas has much more to offer those looking for an overland touring adventure than most realize. It is true that approximately 95% of the lone star state is private land. At 268,597 square miles Texas is the largest state in the lower 48 by far; yet only 1.8% of it is federal land, and that includes military bases. There are four National Forests, two National Parks, three National Grasslands, one National Sea Shore, and two National Recreational areas scattered throughout the state. Texas also boasts 80 state parks almost all of which are very well maintained and offer amenities however, these tend to be tailored more toward RV camping.

East Texas is full of deep forests with towering longleaf pines, black gum trees, and old oaks. Routes like the East Texas 450 will take you on a tour of back roads, logging land and two national forests. With a mix of sand and clay roads it can present a challenge even if there is just a little rain. This roughly 450-mile loop will leave you smiling.

Texas also has the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) has 65+ miles of beach and is home to both sea turtle nests and great fishing. If remote beach camping and warm tropical waters are what you are searching for then look no further. It is not uncommon to lose cell service cruising down the beach and sometimes that’s just what you need to escape and recharge. Enjoy time to breath in the salty Gulf air and wiggle your toes in the sand.

The Hill Country is crisscrossed with dozens of backroad routes peppered with river crossings and small towns. It’s also home to a host of vineyards and wineries just outside of Fredericksburg most of which have tasting rooms. The roads in this region wind through canons, dry creek beds, and draws only to crest the next hill and present you with another breath-taking view.

The true beauty of overland touring in Texas lies with the people and groups who have made it possible, groups like Texas Overland that have members from all over the

state. Many of them have spent hours poring over maps and running routes down public roads (a few of which will make you question the definition of the word “road”) all in order to map them out so others too can enjoy the roads less traveled. There are dozens of routes that wind their way through some of the most scenic landscapes in the state. Some of them crisscross and link together, and many run past private camp grounds and small towns where you can settle in for the night. One of the best routes to showcase the state is Go Native Overland’s Texas Epic Adventure Trail. This route links in some of the most enjoyable tracks in the state and runs the intersection of the Trans America Trail in Westville, Oklahoma to intersect with the New Mexico BDR. At 2,300+ miles it is one of the longest routes through the state and incorporates some of the best scenery in the state. The diversity of landscapes across Texas gives us an environment for almost any kind of adventure. While there may be a little more planning involved to make sure you are near a place to camp or check in for the night, Texas is an Overland destination full of adventure.

Ross Aguirre www.facebook.com/TGMoverlandoutfitters www.TGMoverland.com

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The Best Digital Maps for Overlanding on Gaia GPS USFS Roads and Trails often displays more roads and trails than any other map, making it very helpful for route planning. It can also help you get out of a jam: if you are following a road that ends, you can use this map to find new route opportunities.

MVUM - Motor Vehicle Use Maps

Half the fun of overlanding is dreaming up all the places you’ll go on your next trip. Nothing ramps up the excitement like drawing out a route on your favorite map and planning side excursions, lunch spots, and campsites with the best views.

But with all the different maps that are available these days, the choices can be overwhelming. You can order both paper and online maps directly from the Forest Service, National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or the US Geological Survey. Or you can find all these maps — and more — in one place on Gaia GPS. Gaia GPS offers hundreds of maps and weather overlays that cover the entire globe.

We teamed up with the experts at Gaia GPS to bring you a list of the very best digital maps in Gaia GPS’s catalog so can plan and execute your next overlanding adventure with ease.

USFS Roads and Trails The United States Forest Service (USFS) Roads and Trails map is probably the single most useful map layer for overlanding in the US. This map highlights maintained routes, 4x4 trails, back roads, and little-known paths across U.S. national forests and grasslands.

Use the USFS Roads and Trails map to find information on road surface, maintenance level, and trail width. Click or tap on a road or trail to learn if the route is passenger vehicle friendly, and if it’s paved, gravel, or made from native material. Additionally, color coded trails indicate which activities, like hiking, biking or motorized sports are allowed on each trail. Just tap or click a trail to learn more details.

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The Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) use data from the Forest Service to bring vehicle-accessible roads to maximum visibility on the map. As a supplement to the USFS Roads and Trails layer, MVUM maps indicate which type of vehicles are allowed on a road or trail. It also provides information on seasonality, usage, and the condition of various roads. Just tap or click on the route to learn more.

The MVUM layer typically contains the most up-todate information on which Forest Service roads are open to motor vehicles, which helps ensure you don’t break any rules or drive where you aren’t supposed to. Not all USFS lands have an MVUM, but this map data serves as the legal standard for trail access regardless of any signage on the ground. MVUM is modeled off of the paper maps, making it easy to switch between paper and digital.

Gaia Topo Gaia GPS’s flagship map — Gaia Topo — is free to use and shows most Forest Service roads and 4WD trails.

Best yet, this map provides worldwide topographic map coverage, allowing you to access your map even if you cross the border or sail across the ocean.

Gaia Topo brings more details into focus as you zoom into the map. This design makes the map source efficient to download, meaning large swaths of land — even entire states — can be downloaded in a matter of minutes. The apps baselayer also has selectable points of interest, land ownership designation, and many more details that make it easy to discover places to stop along your journey.

Public Lands The Public Lands layer helps you find places to camp on BLM land, and identify land ownership like national parks and forests across the US. Pair the public lands layer with USFS to find free, dispersed campsites as you travel off the grid.

World Imagery

National Geographic Trails Illustrated

Topo maps are invaluable, but there are times when you want a snapshot of the physical characteristics of land.

That’s where satellite imagery comes in handy. Get a birdseye view of the landscape to discover terrain features, potential camping spots, and small secondary trails that lead to open areas. Satellite imagery makes it easy to scout out clearings for dispersed, unmarked, and/or hardto-find campsites.

Gaia GPS offers hundreds of NatGeo Trails Illustrated titles. These maps display offroad trails, hiking trails and trailheads, camping locations, picnic areas, and more. It’s especially useful for visiting national parks with off-road trail access like the Death Valley National Park.

Cell Phone Use Coverage Wondering whether you’ll have cell service on your adventure? Wonder no more, because the Cell Phone Use Coverage Map tells you how deep your cell service provider reaches into the backcountry. Find out ahead of time, whether you can access internet or send texts while exploring the back roads. Discover where cell service exists anywhere in the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Find out where your network provides 3G and LTE coverage for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Southern Linc carriers.

USFS 2016 The USFS 2016 map brings topographic coverage of all 172 national forests and grasslands in the US. Easy-toread Forest Service road numbers make route planning simple. This is the most up-to-date, rasterized map available from the US Forest Service and includes labeled trails, roads, and vegetation shading. This map is great for planning hiking, backpacking, camping, off-roading, hunting, or fishing trips.

USFS Recreation Sites The USFS Recreational Sites map directs you to established campgrounds, visitor centers, trailheads, and other points of interest on national forests and grasslands throughout the U.S. Tap or click on a site to learn about fees, access restrictions, and more. This layer is particularly useful if you are arriving in a new area late at night and need to quickly find a campsite or just want to find some things to do during the day near your base camp.

Even More Maps and Weather Layers to Explore

Wildfires (current) View current fire conditions before heading out on the trail by using the current Wildfires layer over any basemap.

It can be used whenever you have an internet connection and gets updated daily by the USGS. Reference the map before leaving home to check for actively burning wildfires.

USGS Topo The US Geological Survey (USGS) maps include the official quadrangle maps for the US. Another detailed topographical map layer, the USGS Topo can be layered on top of Gaia Topo to compare trails and points of interest.

Precipitation Forecast Available in 24, 48, and 72 hour views Precipitation forecasts help determine general weather patterns. This layer is great for overlanding because the nature of a dirt road can change drastically when it becomes wet; what may have been an easy drive on the way to camp may quickly turn impassable after a storm.

Check the precip forecast before you leave cell service to give you a picture of how much rain to expect.

How to Get Gaia GPS The maps listed here only scratch the surface of what’s available from Gaia GPS. You can check out a limited number of maps for free on the app or on the web at www. gaiagps.com/offroad. Sign up for a membership to access a range of topographic maps, satellite imagery, and road maps. Chose the Premium Membership to get the entire catalog of maps and weather overlays.

Gaia GPS allows you to discover trails, plan trips, navigate, and record your tracks. One of the coolest features added to Gaia GPS this year is its compatibility with Apple CarPlay. Now you can sync your phone to the navigation screen and pull up all your favorite backcountry trail maps right on the dashboard. Navigate offline and in places far from cell service with a Membership or Premium Membership.

Whether you’re headed out on a day trip on your local trails or planning a month’s long excursion across the country, Gaia GPS maps help get you find your way in the wild. Visit www.gaiagps.com/offroad for a 10% discount on these plans or sign up for a free membership to get started.

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Cover Photographer: Vill Van Der Merwe www.instagram.com/geoscoutadventures