Does Overlanding Require You to Go Off Pavement?

[Dilldog]

No.


I'm wanting to start a conversation about on road overlanding. In my opinion overlanding is simply any vehicle dependent exploration of areas unknown or exciting to yourself, this in no way requires you to go off pavement or to have a modified rig.

When we look at it this way you quickly realize that there is a place for the "mild rigged" in our community. For many (myself included) this idea will help to realize that you don't need a modified rig at all, just a reliable one (or an unreliable one if you're into roadside repairs, lol) and a desire to go exploring. For many the idea of modifying has been made to seem like a pre requisite to being in the community. I would say this is flat wrong. There is no reason why you cannot be a part of the overlanding community if you simply take the roads you have never driven and maybe camp out in a spot that looks nice when life allows you to take the time.

So lets hear a little love for the pavement pounders.

And to that new member that is getting overwhelmed by all the "necessities" of overlanding, there is a sub culture for you. Even if it's just me right now, there are members here who for whatever reason are more interested in adventures on pavement in the family car with a minimum of gear...

 

[DintDobbs]

@Dilldog No! I live in a region with limited off-roading access. I drive my toy once a week to keep it running for the once or twice a year I actually use it for what I built it for.

On those yearly occasions, I tow it behind a much more moderately upgraded vehicle that rarely sees even gravel roads.

The majority of the trips I have taken could have been done in any roadgoing car, and this is how I plan to keep it - although I most absolutely prefer a truck-platform SUV as my travel vehicle, just for convenience and utility.

I'm really not into travel much at all, but it is a necessary step in getting to the places where I can go four-wheeling and off-road. Roads exist and are constantly maintained for the express purpose of overlanding! Off-pavement overlanding is only really possible in the remote reaches of the globe where there actually aren't roads.

 

[grubworm]

the thing to remember is that "overlanding" is constantly evolving, just like the people participating in it are evolving...

 

[Longshot270]

You can call it whatever you want, but there would be some communication errors if we threw together a group trip. We call trips on the road “road trips”.

If someone invites us on an “overland” trip, I’m expecting a trip through areas with minimal development. I’m looking at the map expecting an average pace to be 35 mph or slower and involving likely hazardous terrain. I’m also expecting little support at camp locations. I’ll be packing the truck to be more self sufficient such as the portable shower, solar kit, big shovel, a bow saw, winch, the E rated BFG KO2s that ride and drive like garbage on the road. I’m even packing the cooler differently so that vibration doesn’t blow up drinks, bruise produce, and crack eggs. Meal planning will be from the cooler for the first few days then shelf stable as the frozen blocks thaw into meals. I’m also packing 3 gallons of water per day for our truck load.

For a road trip, things change. I’m looking at the map expecting an average daily pace of 55-65 mph, I’m more careful about making sure stuff isn’t going to blow out or get caught on sticky fingers at night. If we are staying in hotels and RV parks I gotta check that the dogs won’t be a problem. I’m leaving my cooper highway terrains on because they handle significantly better. I don’t pack my heavy recovery or solar/battery equipment. I can be more flexible on meal planning knowing there will be places to stop. This allows reducing the number of canned/bottled drinks and dropping down to my 10 gallon igloo water cooler topped off with a bag of ice each fuel stop.

 

[P8trit]

Yes!
On road is a traveler.
Overlanding is jumping off the pavement and finding the backcountry route to same location.

 

[John and Mandi]

Any travel over land is overlanding, doesn't even need to be by vehicle. Originally, the term overlanding was said to have been used to describe large cattle drives across Australia...I'm having difficulty remembering the etymology source. Many years ago the term was adopted by vehicle dependent travelers to offer a distinction from offroad camping etc and then was expanded to include international borders. That created quite a bit of heartburn, still does, but it is quite common to hear that overlanding is multi-country vehicle based travel (no requirement to be off pavement). Lately, to regain the distinction, expedition is being used in lieu of overland to imply multi-country or multi-continent trips. We're sure true expeditionists aren't enthused. For us, it is more of a mind frame over an activity. We've hung out down dried up riverbeds on a secluded beach with others that somehow managed to get there in a Corolla. Other times we were in a small city parked next to a Unimog/MAN/Scania all hanging out just the same. In the end it transcends the mode or the roads which brought everyone together.

 

[AggieOE]

I think the Overlanding definition usually involves some bit of dirt or gravel to a destination but it really doesn’t matter.

Whether it involves dirt or not, I always tell friends and family we’re going on a camping road trip. It’s easier to convey. Lol

 

[Dilldog]

I think my point was missed. I'm trying to say that overlanding can be an inclusive community open to those who don't go off road but explore as they are able. It saddens me that others are not open to this idea.

 

[OTH Overland]

No.


I'm wanting to start a conversation about on road overlanding. In my opinion overlanding is simply any vehicle dependent exploration of areas unknown or exciting to yourself, this in no way requires you to go off pavement or to have a modified rig.

When we look at it this way you quickly realize that there is a place for the "mild rigged" in our community. For many (myself included) this idea will help to realize that you don't need a modified rig at all, just a reliable one (or an unreliable one if you're into roadside repairs, lol) and a desire to go exploring. For many the idea of modifying has been made to seem like a pre requisite to being in the community. I would say this is flat wrong. There is no reason why you cannot be a part of the overlanding community if you simply take the roads you have never driven and maybe camp out in a spot that looks nice when life allows you to take the time.

So lets hear a little love for the pavement pounders.

And to that new member that is getting overwhelmed by all the "necessities" of overlanding, there is a sub culture for you. Even if it's just me right now, there are members here who for whatever reason are more interested in adventures on pavement in the family car with a minimum of gear...

I agree that highway travel counts, I like the definition of "Vehicle dependent travel" I have had many trips where we lived out of our rig the entire time and never went off road, sometimes because its mid winter and snow leaves all the backcountry unavailable, sometimes because we just want to go drive around for a while. Never had a 100% off road adventure as highways are a necessity to get to the 'good stuff' and from where we live, typically there will be more on road than off simply due to travel distance to get somewhere new.

I can relate to the travel in an unreliable rig, I discovered the need for long distance trips very soon after getting my license. I took my old beater vehicles (that most likely were not worthy of simply going for groceries) clear across the country fully expecting to spend as much time working on them as I did driving, did not have any better option and it was just part of the adventure

 

[MazeVX]

No, of course...
Here in Europe where it's most of the time forbidden to drive on unpaved roads and sometimes even paved roads are forbidden its absolutely normal to Overland on pavement and and we have tears in our eyes if we get to spend a day on dirt.

Anyway we are happy if it's raining and the RV next to us is stuck on the lawn and isn't going anywhere while we swiftly engage 4wd and leave the camping spot with a smile...

 

[Alanymarce]

I prefer to travel than worry about what to call my travelling.

If it's across the sea then it's seafaring, if it's in the air then it's flying, if it's on land it's whatever people want to call it.

 

[ZombieCat]

I agree with loosely defining overlanding as “vehicle dependent travel,” but with the caveat of “self contained and/or self reliant.” I don’t see a requirement to cross borders, only drive on unpaved surfaces, or have specialized modifications to your vehicle. But then I don’t define myself as anything more than a hiker…

 

[DintDobbs]

@ZombieCat True and false, if they're not killing their own deer to keep in their on-board refrigerators and refining their own propane for the stove, then they're not self-reliant. And if they are, they had better have built that car from steel they mined themselves, or they still aren't self-reliant.

If we want to play the game of definitions, I think @John and Mandi said it well. On this forum, however, overlanding is defined as "vehicle-reliant travel" and no stipulation is made as to which vehicles are allowed or which terrains are required.

@Dilldog It is clear that the community is divided. However, since a definition is given by the forum rulemakers, the final answer (on this forum) is still no.

 

[Dilldog]

I guess what I'm really hoping and trying to do is get the idea out there that the vehicle and terrain doesn't matter.

This is an idea supported by the founders of the community. And not to be belligerent but if you are not open to the idea of this being a community for all types of vehicle ( I use this term to include 2 and 4 wheels, engine and electrically powered as well as non powered) based travel enthusiasts, then you are not helping and I would encourage you to think about why you want to exclude others from sharing their travels.

At the end of the day, if you have a problem with road based adventuring, just don't reply. I'm hoping to open a conversation up to help get others who don't own a capable 4x4 excited about traveling and meeting new people. Not everyone is on the same level, but everyone is worthy of support and encouragement and of community.

And honestly, I kinda want to hear about back road adventures in moms old Volvo 240. Or if you are into multi day thousand mile bicycle trips, I want to hear about and support that too. And there's a place for that here.

 

[Renegade]

Just Do It and dont worry what it is called.

 

[Snapspinner]

I guess what I'm really hoping and trying to do is get the idea out there that the vehicle and terrain doesn't matter.

This is an idea supported by the founders of the community. And not to be belligerent but if you are not open to the idea of this being a community for all types of vehicle ( I use this term to include 2 and 4 wheels, engine and electrically powered as well as non powered) based travel enthusiasts, then you are not helping and I would encourage you to think about why you want to exclude others from sharing their travels.

At the end of the day, if you have a problem with road based adventuring, just don't reply. I'm hoping to open a conversation up to help get others who don't own a capable 4x4 excited about traveling and meeting new people. Not everyone is on the same level, but everyone is worthy of support and encouragement and of community.

And honestly, I kinda want to hear about back road adventures in moms old Volvo 240. Or if you are into multi day thousand mile bicycle trips, I want to hear about and support that too. And there's a place for that here.

I own a pretty capable off-road vehicle and I don't mind a challenging road from time to time. But Honestly, I'm mostly an "Overroader" myself. I like to have a vehicle that can get me down any road I chose so if I want to tackle a rutted track or a bad section of dirt I can but, I'm not going to bounce my truck off rocks for the fun of it. I'm more into vehicle preservation, I'll usually take the bypass and I am not ashamed to bail out on a trail if I think I'm going to hurt the truck.

What really matters is going places you want to go, in a manner that you chose. I tell my wife all the time "Any day we drive down a new road or hike a new trail is a good day".

 

[slowlane]

I guess what I'm really hoping and trying to do is get the idea out there that the vehicle and terrain doesn't matter.

This is an idea supported by the founders of the community. And not to be belligerent but if you are not open to the idea of this being a community for all types of vehicle ( I use this term to include 2 and 4 wheels, engine and electrically powered as well as non powered) based travel enthusiasts, then you are not helping and I would encourage you to think about why you want to exclude others from sharing their travels.

At the end of the day, if you have a problem with road based adventuring, just don't reply. I'm hoping to open a conversation up to help get others who don't own a capable 4x4 excited about traveling and meeting new people. Not everyone is on the same level, but everyone is worthy of support and encouragement and of community.

And honestly, I kinda want to hear about back road adventures in moms old Volvo 240. Or if you are into multi day thousand mile bicycle trips, I want to hear about and support that too. And there's a place for that here.

I don't do a whole lot of unpaved roads in my travels these days. With my old VW being incapable of maintaining Interstate speeds, I spend most of my time on US highways, state, and county roads, with maybe a little dirt thrown in here and there for fun. Not having a GPS, I travel with a paper road atlas, and they aren't really detailed as far as anything less than main county roads. Where I live now, it's almost 100 miles to any dirt road, and I have barely been on any in several years. I've still had a good time though. When reading through trip reports, I'm more interested in the nature pictures and story than whether someone traveled on pavement or not, so I hope people will post up some nice stuff from interesting places even if they got there in a Camry.

 

[grubworm]

I kinda want to hear about back road adventures in moms old Volvo 240.

that's probably how i got here...

 

[SoCoRuss]

I understand the idea and really like the new term of "Mild Rigged"

 

[rtexpeditions]

As far as being classified as overlanding, would probably draw the line at driving primarily on the interstate and staying at hotels every night.
There are plenty of epic trips on mostly pavement, like the Pan American, that nobody could deny is overlanding.

Just get out there and explore.