Without getting to sappy I wanted to give a brief background of how I found myself here. Hopefully it will clear up a lot of questions or stupid comments that may come.
Unlike most of the forum members here, I don't have any background in off roading. To be honest I don't know how much I'll be doing in the future. All of my adventures to this point have been on foot, by pedal, or paddle. I grew up backpacking with my family and friends. Adding mountain bikes, snowboards, and kayaks fit into how I was raised, utilizing the all the outdoors with as little as an impact as possible. Getting away from the mainstream and some how getting to know myself more.
As much as I have tried, some of my adventures have been too much for close family and friends. It seems not everybody enjoys eating granola, backpacking 15 miles up hill both ways in the snow to see a waterfall. Sure, there were always friends to bike, backpack, and snowboard with. However it seemed the deeper I searched for a new adventure the further I distanced myself from the people I wanted to share the experience with the most. How could I fulfill my adventurous itch with my wife a young daughter?
Car camping looked like my best option. All the amenities of home crammed in the back of my truck, surrounded by 100 other families looking for the same. Sure it's a great way to introduce my daughter to the outdoors. It also didn't leave blisters on my wife's feet or render any broken bones. However I was left feeling a lack of accomplishment. I guess I've always felt I had to earn my reward through blood, sweat, and tears.
I still have my own adventures from time to time. I'll always have one or two friends that enjoy the pain that sub freezing tent camping offers. Or the risk of a double black diamond ski run. But I've come to realize that making my daughter attempt these activities is likely to push her away from enjoying the outdoors, and possibly her father.
But that's when I found " The Enchanted Rockies" YouTube video. Sure, some may have thought it was Disney meets off roading. But it lit a spark, an idea.
This is something that can be done together, something that has that since of adventure, of not knowing what's next, and most importantly a since of accomplishment. It was overlanding and I was ready to go all in!