Mountain State Overland - exploring and protecting appalachia

[msoverland]

Hey guys! I just saw your videos on Youtube. It's nice to see fellow Overlanders out on the East Coast. Do you plan on doing any major trips up north or out west? Are you guys planning on going to any of the Overland Expo's on the East Coast? I know you guys probably get asked this a lot but are you guys looking for a 100 Series Land Cruiser or 2013 Tacoma to join your group?

Thanks doubleroses, the East is alive my friend! Up north, yes we are! Out west; nope, not this year (insert sad face). And yes again, we'll be at OE East, will you be there? We missed the inaugural show as a result of adding a little one to the family. Looking for another truck? Anything is possible, just keep in touch!

I knew you all had to be on here, just needed to come across you.Great to see I have some videos to watch while on my trip, that is, if I have service.

Hey man! Yep, you found us. Great to see things coming together on your end man. We'll be following you every step of the way my friend!

 

[msoverland]

Mapping routes takes a fair bit of time between trips but sometimes we find places that we didn't even know existed. I guess the thought process behind the effort lies in giving us an excuse to find something new and learn more about what options lay within a short drive from home when we can't escape for a multi-day trip. The greatest part of each adventure we plan brings us closer to the people and the environment we cherish so dearly.

 

[msoverland]

Hey EXPO! Just another little update from our trip to Greenbrier Offroad Adventures in WV. We'll have a pre-season video recounting our trip soon; it was epic, a true test run for the rigs.

 

[msoverland]

PS1: Test Run - Video and Trip Report


VIDEO

In this pre-season episode of Mountain State Overland, Team MSO hauls the camera equipment over to Greenbrier Offroad Adventures to put their recent truck builds to the test. With a few lessons to learn, the Team preps themselves for their travels in southern Appalachia during Season 2.

TRIP REPORT by Jamie - Team MSO Cook

When we started planning this excursion it was a means to an ends. We were hoping to get out in the woods and have a little fun while filming some footage and testing out some of the gear. Let me give you some details about our hosts - Chris is the owner of Greenbrier Off-Road Adventures LLC, and Tracy is one of the instructors; both a great resource when we found ourselves in a pickle. Their trails are located on the property of the world famous Greenbrier Resort. Their vehicles of choice are specially equipped Jeep Wrangler Rubicons and let me tell you one thing - they are beefy rigs! These highly trained guides accompany and instruct guests on advanced driving techniques necessary to traverse The Greenbrier's private 10,000 acre mountain preserve. The terrain varies from modest unpaved roads to some seriously extreme terrain. The thirty-mile course has rocks, ruts, creek crossings, steep hills, gulleys and mud pits. We felt this was the perfect place for us to test out our skills.

In a nutshell, we had a great time with Greenbrier Off-Road Adventures LLC! They are a solid group of guys and they love getting out on the trails and showing people how it’s done. They were able to help us cut our teeth and introduce to the recovery options available when using ARB bumpers, Warn Zeon winches and Maxtrax to help navigate the obstacle that presented themselves. I'll have to tell you that they certainly didn't take it easy on us either. Within the first hour we were up to our waists in mud pits and rocky rutted terrain. There were several occasion that we got in a little over our head and thanks to the efforts and training we were able to get out of the the tight spots and keep pushing forward. The entire trip lasted around 4-6 hours. It was some of the most extreme 4X4 action that I personally have ever seen. We gained a lot of knowledge and experience that will aid us in our adventures to come for Season 2.

Here's some of my take aways from the trip - put a tow strap on the bumper first!! Ha, seriously though planning ahead can save you a lot of worry and damage later. As we traveled through the tight terrain and crossed streams, sometimes driving in the creek bed the entirety of that particular leg of the trail we gained confidence in our skills as a team and in our abilities to manage whatever the landscape threw at us. We used the winches a few times and tested out the suspensions and the BFG KM2’s on the Tacoma, all performed great! We learned that there will always be things that are out of our control when in the backcountry but with a little knowledge, teamwork and sound judgment we can conquer whatever we come across.

Again, this was one awesome experience and I highly recommend it to anybody that wants to spend half a day on some seriously challenging terrain. The guys at Greenbrier Off-Road Adventures were nice enough to take us out on the trail at no cost to us; however, there are fees for their trips. If you want to do something really cool and you’re anywhere the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs WV check these guys. I promise you won’t regret it!

 

[mikeJKUR]

Episode 4 - overland appalachia.

In this episode, Mountain State Overland teamed up with The New Artemis and Dirt Road Trip for a 3 day overland expedition in Appalachia.

music by One Ton Pig

[video=vimeo;91890999]http://vimeo.com/91890999[/video]

How do I go about finding the information and the locations of the trails in this video?

 

[msoverland]

How do I go about finding the information and the locations of the trails in this video?

Morning Mike! That is Route 3 in our web store. There are a few details in the description but the bulk of the details are in the GPX file. Best wishes and happy travels!

 

[FromRaleigh]

Have you been to the resort there? It looks really dated in a fun way, and we've thought about going there and then doing a day on the trails and I think they have sleet shooting and some other stuff. I'm curious if the rest of the stuff is any good.

 

[msoverland]

Have you been to the resort there? It looks really dated in a fun way, and we've thought about going there and then doing a day on the trails and I think they have sleet shooting and some other stuff. I'm curious if the rest of the stuff is any good.

Certainly have! The Greenbrier is nice but The Homestead in Hot Springs VA still has a spot close to the heart. Grew up their skiing as a kid and spending a lot of time exploring the terrain in Highland and Bath County.

 

[msoverland]

PS2: The Build - Video and Report


VIDEO

In this pre-season episode of Mountain State Overland, Jason and Jeremy highlight some of the equipment that's been installed on the Tacoma and 4Runner in preparation for Season 2.

REPORT by Jason - Team MSO Producer

If I could walk away with a few words to sum up the time we spent building up both these trucks I'd say, "at least we're done!" Honestly? Probably not, ha! We all know you're never done once you get started but I will say I haven't spent much time under the truck with a wrench since only to torque a couple bolts or run some extra wires.

After running a whole season through VA and WV, we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to add to the rigs. We started it all with a list that we'd built. Each trip we'd note items we "wanted" and items we "needed." After filming Episode 7 last fall we hit the marketplace and started hunting.

SUSPENSION

When we started the build in January 2015, we both opted for OME. The Tacoma made the transition from Bilsteins and AALs while the T4R upgraded from rusted, worn out factory springs and struts. Dakar leafs and 886 OME springs would carry the load on the pickup and the Prado coils would stiffen up the spongy ride on the SUV. There were some words flying and beer bottles clanging but torches and PB Blaster made the upgrade manageable.

ELECTRONICS

Fridge? Yes please! That's right, where there is beer and food there must be cold. After loading sack upon sack of ice into our coolers throughout the previous year we both opted for fridge/freezers. There's something to say for stepping out of your truck after a long day on the trail or just a long day at the office and opening the lid of fridge, especially when its in your truck.

The power supply came into play first however. Both Jeremy and I mapped out our own power management systems. Both trucks got a custom setup because the price point on some of the dual battery systems is sky high - hell, and you still have to by a battery too! Outlets in the back help us manage our electrical demands on each trip and the negative bus Blue Sea panels make adding accessories a breeze when we "want" more.

STORAGE

I thought I had it all figured out in 2014 - one big drawer; large enough for everything and short enough for three pups to stand on but I never planned for a fridge. The new storage system started with a sketch. I went a couple inches taller but kept the same general footprint leaving the sides in the bed of the Tacoma exposed for dirty gear. I sent my plans to Goose Gear and spent some quality time on the phone with Brian. He took my vision and made it a reality - one long lock in/out sliding drawer and another smaller box in the back with hinged lid. I added some L track on top with some rubber stall matting from Tractor Supply to give the pups traction on the road.

The 4Runner went all out custom. Similar to the Tacoma's first box, the T4R went with one big drawer. Jeremy installed a divider and planed a beautiful walnut cutting board to nest inside it. His fridge and slide sit on top leaving enough room for an old aluminum military med chest beside it.

PROTECTION AND RECOVERY

Winch and winch bumper definitely made the cut and we aim to use 'em. Bumper install on the Taco went fairly smooth, only one bolt took some work. On the T4R, it was a different story. We spent 2-3 days working on the front end of that chassis. The ARB Bull Bar on the T4R was built for a Taco. Things lined up good but we ditched the supplied spacers early on and wished we would have had them when it came time to mount the winch. Needless to say, it wasn't something we couldn't weld! The T4R got some sliders and the welder paid them a visit too.

OTHER GOODIES

Sure, there's some fun things in the cab and up top (oh my, RTT) but keeping things organized was top priority. With all the electronics, parts, pieces and other randomness floating around in the truck we reached out to Blue Ridge Overland Gear. They helped us lay out storage in the drawers, on the backs of the seats and even on the visors. Finding what we need when we need it doesn't take much now and the system are completely customizable.

Overall, it was an experience. Have spent a thousand miles or so filming trips thus far I can honestly say all the hard work paid off. Cheers again to each of you from the mountains of Appalachia and happy trails from the boys at MSO.

 

[smlobx]

Great write up and video guys!
Keep up the good work.

Where did you get your ARB lockers? I think that's my next improvement.

 

[msoverland]

Great write up and video guys!
Keep up the good work.

Where did you get your ARB lockers? I think that's my next improvement.

Really appreciate the feedback SMLOBX - so is that SML as in Smith Mountain Lake? If so, we're practically neighbors by the way. Lockers are factory on both vehicles. The Tacoma has traction control on the front end too that performs very well actually. We can put you in contact with ARB if you'd like, just email us a team@mountainstateoverland.com

 

[vasily]

Love what you guys are doing. I'm in Atlanta and Knoxville, so I like seeing some east coast action!

 

[msoverland]

Love what you guys are doing. I'm in Atlanta and Knoxville, so I like seeing some east coast action!

Thanks Vasily and we love explore our backyards! Thanks for the positive vibes man. I (Jason) spent 3 years in ATL myself and my wife's a Volunteer! Lot's of good terrain and rivers around north Georgia, eastern TN and western NC. The team will be spending some quality time in your neck of the woods over the next couple months. Cheers!

 

[vasily]

Thanks Vasily and we love explore our backyards! Thanks for the positive vibes man. I (Jason) spent 3 years in ATL myself and my wife's a Volunteer! Lot's of good terrain and rivers around north Georgia, eastern TN and western NC. The team will be spending some quality time in your neck of the woods over the next couple months. Cheers!

Awesome! If you ever want a stock D90 to join you guys, just let me know. Always love making new friends! But you probably get that a lot!

 

[msoverland]

4 States 4 days - Trip Report

VIDEO

4 States 4 Days - Part 1: In this episode of Mountain State Overland, the team kicks off Season 2 with an overland trip from southern WV to Laurel Bed Lake in southwestern VA. This is the first leg of a two part adventure across four states.


4 States 4 Days - Part 2: In this episode of Mountain State Overland, the team leaves VA to explore eastern TN and western NC. Their trip will end in Boone, NC and they're stopping in to learn a little bit about what sustainability means Lost Province Brewing Company.


THE GIST by Jamie, Team MSO Cook

When we started planning this trip we wanted to make our season opener something to remember, and I think that we did just that. As we travel deeper into Appalachia we found new challenges, and our team's talent began to shine almost immediately. We began our journey in Justice WV, where we met up with Jason and Matt A. (owner of Blue Ridge Overland Gear). We also invite Joe along again and the gang from 4xFish (Matt and Caitie) and Venture4wd.com (Chris and Brandie) accompanied us as well. Also along for the ride was our old friend from Season 1, Rick Stowe and of course Jason, Jeremy and I from Team MSO. The goal was to hit the trail starting out in Justice and end up in Boone, NC where we would spend one last night before heading our separate ways. We are calling the expedition “4states4days” and we covered 400 miles of back country roadways and some pavement along the way.

HIGHLIGHTS

We traveled through parts of West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee before reaching our destination in Boone, NC. We had a great time with these guys/gals and they all brought their own energy to this trip which made it that much better. Matt A., more than demonstrated his expertise on the trail, directing us through some of the most challenging sections we have faced yet. There were definitely numerous times we felt that we might lose a vehicle early on in our journey on the first day. We also hit a point on the trail that we all felt turning around wasn't an option, even if we wanted to, as we couldn't get back through the obstacles that we had already overcome. We ate some good food and filmed more "Backcountry Cooking" as well on this trip. We had some killer campsites and some unusual visitors, a group horses came in to check us out...you don't see that often.

The next to last day of the trip we hit a great swimming hole and then went into Boone and met up with the owners of Lost Province Brewing Company for an interview and then had some great pizza and even better beer!

LESSONS LEARNED

We know our equipment is solid and all the modifications were worth it. We learned that Maxtrax and our Warn Zeon winches are our best friends, and the ARB USA Bull Bar Bumper rounded off the trifecta to get the job done. We found out that some good team work with a great group of people is key to the success of the trip. Matt A. is a wealth of off-road wisdom and was responsible for helping get us through a really tough section of trail toward the beginning of the trip. The Land Cruiser is still a beast…..it made it through terrain that I still can hardly believe, course Matt A. was driving so really there shouldn't have been any surprise there. We learned that there are times that you have to winch from the front of the vehicle and the back…at the same time! The gang from 4xFish taught us that you should always bring a shovel or digging tool with you on a trip. Chris showed us his driving skills in the Cherokee, getting past the toughest obstacles....and making it look easy! We learned that a hammock at camp is another key item, I will personally bring one from here on out. Jason brought them in the past, but seeing Rick camping in one and Chris and Brandie lounging in one around camp really confirmed it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I highly recommend bringing new friends, and old ones, on trips as they make the experience that much more memorable. We will definitely incorporate a shovel into our tool bag from now on as they can be instrumental to success. This was a challenging and awesome experience, one that I wouldn't trade for anything. I think that if you are inclined to get out and explore there are a lot of offerings throughout Appalachia. Just spend some time doing the research and picking the brains of those who have been there before you head out, and then go have your own adventure. I'll leave you with this thought - when you look back at at your experiences what would you like to see…..I think it might be that you did something memorable, not that you put in time at the office or on the job. Get out and make some memories, whatever they may be!!