Let's discuss offroad adventure and "Gucci" vehicles

[Rockhounder]

To the OP, most people like to have a hobby. Most people also like to dream. Those with extra monetary means, I have noticed tend to over buy for the actual needs of their hobby. Those mentioned vehicles tend to be marketed to the ones with money and dreams. Nothing is wrong with that, Those people then go and enjoy their version of this "overlanding" hobby in the way they deem the most fun for them.

Myself, i enjoy the overlanding hobby as well, but to a different type of goal of enjoyment, which is using the platform of a built up 88 suburban to get us to rockhounding gem and mineral specimen collecting sites, where many times you DO have to use serious rock crawling type of driving, across 10 miles of no-trail type landscape to get to some of the remote locations. We also do a lot of extended camping type living, and have spent half a year living out of our antique Boles Aero travel trailer in Montana, building a rustic cabin for a client. Some of the work we had to do was go out and literally hand-quarry rock slabs and clinker for the cabin flooring, the only way we could even get up to the site in the mountains was to have serious 4wd and loading the rock slabs one piece at a time, and driving back the two hours to the cabin at Flathead Lake.

I guess we use our vehicle closer to perhaps how you think these type f vehicles should be used. We thoroughly enjoy it, and the fact that we have done some work to convert our sub into a "zombie apocalypse" and SHTF bug out vehicle as well is just our way of enjoying the overall hobby in our unique way.

The hobby/sport really can be whatever you decide it to be... I wouldn't spend too much time thinking about how people use their rigs. Although I do agree with you that most of the big, top heavy rigs that the uber rich seem to go for wouldn't be able to navigate a tenth of the typical BLM trails we have out in the west without getting hung up or stuck, due to the fact most of those roads are navigated by a certain wheelbase and center-high clearance average, and once you get on lateral hillsides, where trails often degrade so the run of the trail is leaning too much, it would be suicide to take any top heavy vehicle, for tipping danger.

 

[tommudd]

So an Expedition has to be a 2 year venture around the world then?
Where as if you can only get away for weekend / week long trips you have Indiana Jones Syndrome?
Just trying to figure it out here
Plus thinking what my trips in Tanzania are now???

 

[proper4wd]

tommudd, I think you understand what I'm saying.

If I pack my fridge with steaks and beer, load up some topo maps on the tablet, and hit the trail exploring for 2 nights in the roof tent before making it home for sunday dinner... I don't call that an expedition. It's camping/exploring/traveling for a couple days. I don't need to hype myself up with these delusions of "expeditioning" like I'm Louis and Clark.

 

[ExpoMike]

One could answer like I hear Harley riders do, "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand".

That said, though this is not King of the Hammers, it is definitely not your fire road to the local camp ground. This is our rig going up Mengal Pass in Death Valley.

 

[Rockhounder]

One could answer like I hear Harley riders do, "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand".

That said, though this is not King of the Hammers, it is definitely not your fire road to the local camp ground. This is our rig going up Mengal Pass in Death Valley.

Just to the north of there, about 4 miles up the ridgelines, there are some fantastic lace agate seam areas. That whole area is loaded with great collecting sites, even including some fossil areas.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Is this important?

I mean really. Why does it matter what other people are doing with their vehicles? This same topic comes up over and over again. "Well, these people aren't doing trails as hardcore as I do, so why do they need that stuff?" Or, another one of my favorites, "you're just going camping, so why don't you just use the kind of camping gear I use instead of that fancy stuff?" So what? Let's be honest here. This hobby isn't a need to do thing. It's a want to do thing. I like to go about my recreation in my own way. Having a fridge and rooftop tent makes me happy. No, I'm not traveling for months at a time in remote locales, but I like having the amenities.

In my point of view, I really believe that these days overlanding is more a state of mind than a state of being. The days of grueling overland expeditions over a period of months for the purpose of exploration are long over. We don’t need people traipsing about the globe to draw the map for us anymore. We have satellites and Google to do that for us. However, I think everyone has their own personal journeys of discovery, and unless you’ve been everywhere on the globe, every trip to someplace you’ve never been is, in effect, exploring and expanding your world map. In this way, those who explore using their vehicles are still overlanders.

Personally, I am a 4×4 overlander. I like exploring deep into the backcountry, to places where few people usually drive, or where few people are able to drive. I grew up camping in the mountains of Montana, and I still enjoy camping out in front of that amazing view. This is why my overland adventures take place in a 4 wheel drive truck. At the same time though, I love to experience cities and culture and people wherever I go. So 4×4 might not always be required.

To me, it really matters very little what you call it, or for what reason you travel. It’s the act of getting out and exploring that really matters. The world has a lot to offer.

 

[Scott Brady]

Most people that build a rock crawler do not compete in KOH. Most people that build a 4wd exploration vehicle do not drive around the world.

I will dig up some images, but EarthRoamers have been over the Rubicon (I drove it) and the big EarthRoamers have been over Mosquito Pass, on Moab trails and around the world. EarthCruisers have been over the Road of Bones.

Drive what you like, and stop caring what other people think or what labels qualify. I drive some Gucci trucks, but also have the passport stamps not to not give a . . .

EarthCruiser Road of Bones: http://www.goannatracks.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

EarthRoamer XV-JP over the Rubicon (even has a shower and toilet): http://expeditionportal.com/votd-earthroamer-xvjp-on-the-rubicon-trail/

Big EarthRoamers on Mosquito Pass: http://earthroamer.com/adventure/earthroamer-owners-rallies/3544-2/

Big EarthRoamers on slick rock: http://earthroamer.com/adventure/earthroamer-owners-rallies/3383-2/

Around the World EarthRoamer: http://earthroamer.com/adventure/earthroamer-owners-blogs/********-pip-smith-around-the-world/

 

[DiploStrat]

Late to the Party

This subject is already being hashed out here: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/135959-Planning-for-my-first-expedition-vehicle

I am a charter member of the "wheeling'-ain't-overlanding" club. And, since i prefer overlanding, to me, it is the rock krawlers that are the overpriced Gucci vehicles. This 4wd RV has driven in 55 countries, probably close to a record: http://www.travelin-tortuga.com/Travelin-Tortuga/index.html To me, that is a lot more hard core than the Rubicon. Trick is, it is simply a different hard core. Can your vehicle go 1000 km without taking on fuel or carry enough food and water for two weeks? If not, I would call it a toy.

dwh's post in this thread sums up my views very nicely; both hobbies have their place and I am all for off road racing and rock/sand crawling because without the R&D and market of of the hard core 4x4 crowd, I would not be able to afford all of the goodies that my past and present my overlanding vehicles have had.

The only time this becomes an issue is when one side or other tries to look down on the other. You can do either or both.

Pax!

 

[southpier]

To the OP. You have to keep in mind, this is not a rock crawler, it's a house.

http://youtu.be/u6diwW8_7KQ


This one has a garage. (turn up the music, very dramatic)

http://youtu.be/V4t9_q3tCnE

if I stay in this condition for more than 4 hours - I should call someone, right?

 

[pappawheely]

if I stay in this condition for more than 4 hours - I should call someone, right?

Just don't call me.

 

[Yuman Desert Rat]

if I stay in this condition for more than 4 hours - I should call someone, right?

If stuck for more than 4 hours... use your hi lift? Or call more ladies....
Great conversation...:lurk:

 

[Coby65]

I understand a little where the OP is coming from but see it from this perspective...
I have a 05 LJ Rubicon on 35's that is registered and street legal. I have been on the Rubicon, Tellico, Fordyce, and others. Never been to KOH because it's not the side of the sport I enjoy. What irks me is when one of these non registered and non street legal crawlers shows up on one of these trails with an ***** behind the wheel driving it like it is a competition. Used to be, you could take a stock Cj2a across the Rubicon. Now the trails get torn up by green sticker crawlers with 40+ inch tires and a heavy foot on pedal with high hp V8.
I will probably never go expedition extreme like traveling to South America I just want to explore more of the back roads in the west. This is why I bought a JKRU for exploring and looking to build a camping trailer. Just want to find a better view without the extreme rigs around.

 

[kpredator]

overland,4wheeling,crawling,

this will freak you guys out,when we are in africa. we are solo 99% of the time.

we avoid 4 wheeling, instead found another way around the water crossings.

could we have made it? probably ,often we are on a evening game,photography drive and its not necessary to push our luck.

I have had the pleasure of recovery with just the wife and myself.frankly I am just getting to damn old ,maybe half smart to go thru the effort to get unstuck.

we get our share of 4 wheeling but only when its necessary . google river crossing gone wrong ,khwai river.

jm2c

kp

 

[Run dog]

Hey guys, definitely some great responses and thanks for opening my eyes to some things. The relevance to King of the Hammers was 193 miles of various terrains from open desert, box canyons, rocks etc at speeds from 1mph-125mph while navigating and fixing flat tires, broken Axles/ u-joints etc and it is not a chase race but survival. My comparison was having a flat on a 400lb tire and having to figure out how to change it and load it and keep going. I would imagine most owners would struggle changing a 400lb XML 41" tire we often see under the mugger rigs. As far as rock crawling, I'm not talking about a dedicated purpose rock buggy. I'm talking about a very built rig capable of driving to the trail, surviving the Rubicon, camping for a week I some of the prettiest terrain in the US and driving it home! Yes, you could take it anywhere comfortably. Most of the Expo guys I talk to rarely go off-road and would struggle recovering or fixing these $300k behemoths. Maybe, my conclusion is more show than go!

 

[dwh]

My comparison was having a flat on a 400lb tire and having to figure out how to change it and load it and keep going. I would imagine most owners would struggle changing a 400lb XML 41" tire we often see under the mugger rigs.

Like anything else - you just gotta know the trick and have the right tool.

http://www.billcaid.com/2010/1017ACamperConstruction20100921/Part12/Part12.html



As for loading/unloading the spare - most of the bigger rigs have either a winch or a crane for that.