Enthusiast III
On their website it say s that ROVA stands for ROad VAcations and recreational vehicles. Related to an Australian caravanning magazine - seems to be a mix of vanlife and road tripping.
Alternative to "Overlanding"
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Ive been a wild rova for many a year i ve spent all my money
On whisky and beer
And it no na never no never no more will i be a wild rova no never no more
On whisky and beer
And it no na never no never no more will i be a wild rova no never no more
Pathfinder I
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WILD ROVA OLD SEA SHANTYIve been a wild rova for many a year i ve spent all my money
On whisky and beer
And it no na never no never no more will i be a wild rova no never no more
Enthusiast III
What shall we do with drunken over lander
What shall we do with a drunken over lander
Member III
I was blessed to grow up in a family that loved the outdoors. We would take trips all over in the USA. and Canada. Then as a teenager after I got my drivere license, I did the same and just never stopped. At 58 years old with poor health, I still get out as much as possible, even though my off-grid living condition, is a lot like some people’s camping. Exploring, Backpacking, Mountain climbing, skiing, fly fishing, hunting, camping was always just part of the trip to do the other hobbies. Never did call it “Car Camping”, it was just camping. I’m still to this day camping in out of the way places. I can count the times in my life that I camped at a campground, with my fingers! Not saying that camping in a campground is a bad thing! Whatever gets you out there is great. So, for me, I now can call what I do as Overlanding! Sounds better than camping! I read many of the trips that others would take on Expodition Portal. Did not find the people there very friendly. Then one day I came across some of Michael’s videos on his Overlanding, and became a Member of this great site! Overlanding, now I have a title for what I have been doing for years, that better defines what I enjoy to do! So, now I wear this label as an Overlander with pride! Hope you will too! Vance.
Member III
Here you go. My history on this and opinion.
1) in the early 70's we would throw our gear into our vehicles, spend the weekend driving/exploring the desert or the mountains and say "we were off roading last weekend".
2) If we did anything difficult it was 4-wheeling. In the early 90's we started "Rock Crawling" and developed specialty rig's to do it. Rock Crawling became a very technical sport. In the beginning it could take us hours to drive 1/4 mile. Working each vehicle over the obstacle one at a time. Then there was "Sand Duning", Mud Bogging", Hill Climbing".
3) Over the years, I would see an article in an off road magazine talking about doing an "Overland Trip" or "Expedition" across Africa, Siberia, Australia. One of my first 4wd's was a "Willy's Overland"
In my business, one of the first things you learn is, terminology is the bane of your existence. Different manufactures call the same thing different names. For example swaybar, anti rollbar, stabilizer bar are the same thing. But, a "sway bar doesn't control sway, a Panhard rod (Track Locating Bar) does. Why do people call it a sway bar then? Whats an "Air Bag"? The thing you fill with air found on your suspension or the thing that hit's you in the face during a crash?
As long as I understand what their talking about I don't care what they name it. It does make it difficult holding a conversation with someone where they use a wrong name or term. Ive gotten to the point where I start asking specific questions, just so I know were talking about the same thing.
People who don't know what something is called and or where the name/term came from, want the knowledge to avoid confusion. Unfortunately when several names mean the same thing, we have more confusion (Chaos).
Scott
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I simply do not use the term "overlanding" to describe what it is that my wife and I do. When someone asks, or I have the desire to fill them in, I make it real easy for them. We back country camp. If they don't understand I give them a brief explanation. If they want ot know more, I'll talk about some of our favorite campsites and how they are 3 or 4 hours away from any kind of services or supplies. Very, very few folks get it and those that do lament that they wish they too could do it. However I find that a vast majority of people, even though they show interest, still don't get it, no matter how well I may tell our story, Those sort of folks measure a vacation based on the quality of service they receive. That's fine by me, as it would be a horrible thing for us to go back country camping only to find people there glamping away.
Instead of "back country camp" we call it "primitive camping".
Have you ever heard of a magazine called "The Backwoodsman"? Based on what I know of you, and the messages about relocating, I think you would really enjoy it.
Member III
I'm not sure the exact website I saw this, but it tried to explain Overlanding as "Motorized Backpacking." Using that as a example, 4-Wheeling/Offroading would be Hiking, Rock crawling would be rock climbing.
It would be like explaining the cliché "Backpacking through Europe" in the same way as many Overlanders see as World Overlanding trips. Yes, a backpacker does hike, but they might also walk alongside roads or take a train, etc. The hiking aspect, while a key aspect of what a backpacker does, is not solely defined by it. In that same way, an Overlander does drive offroad and 4-wheels (as needed), but as much as it is a key aspect it does not define it.
And while many backpackers are looking to "backpack across Europe", or Overlanders dream of an Expedition through multiple countries, much of what backpackers do is smaller trips to destinations or explorations.
You can come up with many ways to explain the aspects of overlanding by using backpacking as the example.
Member III
We got out of town, soaked at Miracle Hot Spring for an hour & 1/2. Dined on gourmet Pizza, drank red wine and enjoyed the evening. The owners of Miracle also own Banbury Hot Springs which is right on the Snake River. Both Campgrounds are not off-highway, but without Cell-service.
I took the NOLS book “Wilderness Wisdom” 2nd Edition | Edited by John Gookin Last night while reading the chapter “Self-Sufficiency on page 110, I read the following quote and immediately came back to Overland Bound and the current conversation, and thought I’d share it.
“Then came the gadgeteer, otherwise known as the sporting-goods dealer. He has draped the American outdoorsman with an infinity of contraptions, all offered as aids to self-reliance, hardihood, wood-craft, or marksmanship, but too often functioning as substitutes for them. Gadgets fill the pockets, they dangle from the neck and belt. The overflow fills auto-truck and also the trailer. Each item of outdoor equipment grows lighter and often better, but the aggregate poundage becomes tonnage.” Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
Which was first published in 1949!
That's 7 years before I was born... What would he think now!
David
I took the NOLS book “Wilderness Wisdom” 2nd Edition | Edited by John Gookin Last night while reading the chapter “Self-Sufficiency on page 110, I read the following quote and immediately came back to Overland Bound and the current conversation, and thought I’d share it.
“Then came the gadgeteer, otherwise known as the sporting-goods dealer. He has draped the American outdoorsman with an infinity of contraptions, all offered as aids to self-reliance, hardihood, wood-craft, or marksmanship, but too often functioning as substitutes for them. Gadgets fill the pockets, they dangle from the neck and belt. The overflow fills auto-truck and also the trailer. Each item of outdoor equipment grows lighter and often better, but the aggregate poundage becomes tonnage.” Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
Which was first published in 1949!
That's 7 years before I was born... What would he think now!
David
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Member III
Ive found that other than asking about the modifications done to my truck, most people have absolutely zero interest in talking about overlanding, adventuring, offroading, 4x4ing hence the reason i joined OB. To me overlanding is a little more than just camping or offroading, to overland i feel there has to be a group camping and offroading together. When it is just my wife and i we call it camping.
To me, this is an excellent example of what true overlanding is:
http://thegreat1953trek.blogspot.com/?m=0
http://thegreat1953trek.blogspot.com/?m=0
Pathfinder I
Works for me. As much crap as I load into my truck I often think she's The Irish Rover. Then when she starts making weird noises, squeaks and rattles I call her "The Antelope".
Enthusiast III
Influencer I
Good news, we have a theme song now! But I suggest only official OB members get to sing/listen to it.
