Offroading/overlanding thread

[ditcherman]

I ran a Wrangler Rubicon in Ouray, back in 15. It was a great time. Going to run the Megacab on Engineer Pass next summer.

Forget my exact route but this is after Cinnamon pass.
Fell in love with Telluride skiing in the late 70’s and then again with the whole area summer of 17.

Doing Jeep stuff has always looked awesome, have mostly just looked at it from the front side lifts but there’s so much more.

 

[DapperDan]

Kind of have the overland theme going with one of my vehicles. 2004 Lexus gx470. Removed the factory air ride and installed a small lift, as well as an upgraded steel skid plate. This past year I built a sleeping platform, that is composed of two pieces, and is permanently installed in the vehicle. Still have full use of the rear seats but can fold them down to extend the platform. We’ve taken the rig to Asheville with our dogs to do some hiking and fire road drives. Done some mild off roading here locally as well. Haven’t camped inside yet, but it’s on the to do list.

 

[eldirector]

I won't say we are totally into "overlanding". But, been into offroad for decades now, and have done our share of camping. A normal weekend for us is to just head out and go exploring. Not a ton in Indiana that requires 4x4, but still a few hidden gems.

As for offroading/overlanding: we have done the western side of the KAT, and are totally up for another trip to explore the rest. Might head down to TN to hook up with the Jeep shop in Townsend for some back country exploration this spring. This "plan crash" trail you mention sounds really interesting.

I have a ton of time off through the next year, and can work "remote" as long as I can find internet, so we are trying to extend our range out a bit.

Current 4x4 is our Gladiator Rubicon. Plenty of room for camping gear, wife, kid, and dog. Where are we going, and when do we leave?

 

[jamil]

I ran a Wrangler Rubicon in Ouray, back in 15. It was a great time. Going to run the Megacab on Engineer Pass next summer.

Those are on my list. Maybe on the way to Moab.

 

[ditcherman]

Those are on my list. Maybe on the way to Moab.

To Lake Powell then north from there to Moab. We ferried across Lake Powell from the north heading home.

 

[jamil]

To Lake Powell then north from there to Moab. We ferried across Lake Powell from the north heading home.

Yeah. That's a long trip. I'm thinking that I should probably break things up so that I don't feel rushed to skip interesting trails just to make time for the next next location. So maybe one trip out in late June to San Juan mountains. Then do another trip in late Oct/early Nov to Southern Utah including Moab.

 

[snapping turtle]

. Then do another trip in late Oct/early Nov to Southern Utah including Moab.

Brice canyon is one my must see list. Only seen it from the plane above it.

 

[WebSnyper]

Kind of have the overland theme going with one of my vehicles. 2004 Lexus gx470. Removed the factory air ride and installed a small lift, as well as an upgraded steel skid plate. This past year I built a sleeping platform, that is composed of two pieces, and is permanently installed in the vehicle. Still have full use of the rear seats but can fold them down to extend the platform. We’ve taken the rig to Asheville with our dogs to do some hiking and fire road drives. Done some mild off roading here locally as well. Haven’t camped inside yet, but it’s on the to do list.
View attachment 253833 View attachment 253838 View attachment 253837 View attachment 253835

I've heard great things about the GX series, even on the FJ forums they are more than well respected.

 

[Brad69]

I have a Rubicon with a winch and big steel bumpers!

 

[snapping turtle]

This is sandy. My mistress. She only drinks top shelf Gas. Stock as the day she was born in Japan. She has an attitude towards other SUV’s and thinks FJ stands for f*** jeep. She likes to go with me on vacations and to gun shows. She almost never goes to work with me as she is not for work but just for fun.

 

[ditcherman]

Yeah. That's a long trip. I'm thinking that I should probably break things up so that I don't feel rushed to skip interesting trails just to make time for the next next location. So maybe one trip out in late June to San Juan mountains. Then do another trip in late Oct/early Nov to Southern Utah including Moab.

That’s awesome if you can pull it off, but you do know about Kansas, don’t you? Between here and there and very long?

We (buddy and I) did 10 days but with the wife’s blessing to be home whenever, which was awesome. We had an invitation to be at a BLM public affairs officer’s home on a certain date, and that was the only thing that dictated any kind of schedule, which was awesome.

Great tour of Escalante Grand Staircase, 2 nights in the bottom of the Grand Canyon, camped wherever. Trip of a lifetime, but here I am being greedy…

 

[gregkl]

I have a Rubicon with a winch and big steel bumpers! View attachment 253937

What model Hella's are those and how thick are they if you don't mind me asking. I was planning on putting factory fog lights on the XJ but they are more for show than go and now I'm thinking of something else.

But I have a stock bumper so not a lot of room for thick housings.

 

[jamil]

That’s awesome if you can pull it off, but you do know about Kansas, don’t you? Between here and there and very long?

We (buddy and I) did 10 days but with the wife’s blessing to be home whenever, which was awesome. We had an invitation to be at a BLM public affairs officer’s home on a certain date, and that was the only thing that dictated any kind of schedule, which was awesome.

Great tour of Escalante Grand Staircase, 2 nights in the bottom of the Grand Canyon, camped wherever. Trip of a lifetime, but here I am being greedy…

Sounds like a great trip.

But yeah. i’ve made the trip out west many times over the years. I have relatives that live in Colorado. Kansas or Nebraska. Either way it’s a dull trip.

 

[bwillits]

We dabble. Have done sections of the DBBB, had it on Ferry’s and shipped out to remote islands, and more. This next year I’d like to do the Arkansas high watermark trail as well as the TWAT. We definitely will do some longer road trips with smaller side quests getting the tires dirty.

Jeep is an EcoDiesel and the rotopax are for the generator when we are way off grid for days.

 

[Brad69]

What model Hella's are those and how thick are they if you don't mind me asking. I was planning on putting factory fog lights on the XJ but they are more for show than go and now I'm thinking of something else.

But I have a stock bumper so not a lot of room for thick housings.

They are 2.6 in thick!

HELLA ValueFit 500 LED - My Hella Lights

myhellalights.com

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Having spent most of my life in the Army, I've driven a lot of miles off road getting to places in Jeeps, trucks, and tanks, and other tracked vehicles. It got so that this traveling off the beaten path was my very favorite part of being in the Army, and a big reason why I stayed in as long as I did. Now I just love the peace and serenity of being out where nobody else is, and the challenge of going over rugged terrain. It gives me the feeling of being an explorer / settler from the distant past only with a 4x4 rather than a covered wagon.

I even started a facebook page called "Indiana overlanders" a few years ago, that morphed into "Midwest overlanders" when others started to join up. Our small group did a few meets, and camps, but them I had a seizure coming back from the VA and totaled my truck.







Since then, I've been absent from the overlanding community, and from offroading in general. I am, however, building a Jeep from the frame up, so I hope to soon be back on the trail. (Soon is a relative term. I've been at it 5 years so far.)

Jeep build thread. https://www.indianagunowners.com/threads/building-a-120-cj7-from-the-frame-up.482728/

 

[RustyHornet]

I picked up a set of lightly used 285/70r17 KO2’s for our 2003 Yukon tonight. Searching for a set of cheap 6 lug GM steel wheels. Going to sell the 18’s that are on the truck as getting tires for those were lots more expensive than 17’s…

 

[ditcherman]

Having spent most of my life in the Army, I've driven a lot of miles off road getting to places in Jeeps, trucks, and tanks, and other tracked vehicles. It got so that this traveling off the beaten path was my very favorite part of being in the Army, and a big reason why I stayed in as long as I did. Now I just love the peace and serenity of being out where nobody else is, and the challenge of going over rugged terrain. It gives me the feeling of being an explorer / settler from the distant past only with a 4x4 rather than a covered wagon.

I even started a facebook page called "Indiana overlanders" a few years ago, that morphed into "Midwest overlanders" when others started to join up. Our small group did a few meets, and camps, but them I had a seizure coming back from the VA and totaled my truck.

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View attachment 253988

Since then, I've been absent from the overlanding community, and from offroading in general. I am, however, building a Jeep from the frame up, so I hope to soon be back on the trail. (Soon is a relative term. I've been at it 5 years so far.)

Jeep build thread. https://www.indianagunowners.com/threads/building-a-120-cj7-from-the-frame-up.482728/

Hey, I’m in that!
I just not really on Facebook, haha.
I remember reading about your wreck, I’m glad your doing better, good luck with the jeep build!
OB3743.

 

[Brad69]

Nothing better than wakening up buck naked and screaming at the sun while overlanding!

Who is down for a meet up!

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Hey, I’m in that!
I just not really on Facebook, haha.
I remember reading about your wreck, I’m glad your doing better, good luck with the jeep build!
OB3743.

Started out as a sub-group on Expedition Portal, then went over to facebook to get more people involved. I kinda dropped off the radar when I destroyed my truck,. and couldn't go out on runs anymore, but I check in from time to time. Dying to get the Jeep up, and running so I can hit the trails again.