US Northwest Idaho BDR (and then some!)

[armyRN]

We are going to run the Idaho BDR (from Jarbidge NV to the Canadian border at Porthill, ID). They figure 8 days. If that isn't enough... ADDITIONAL OPTION: add another 2 days (majority highway driving south) to Arco, ID, where we will pick-up part of the ID portion of the TAT, and will head west to Emmett, ID (about 3 days). Emmett ID is where the Pacific Ocean Spur (POS) of the TAT starts. From Emmett we will continue west on the POS to the OR coast (Port Orford, OR) - about 6-8 days.

View Rally Point

 

[M Rose]

This looks interesting…

 

[armyRN]

Please Please Please... before you sign up, please read through post #12 where I will put out requirements, procedures, expectations, etc.

Speaking of signing up... please sign up only if you're serious about attending. If you're thinking "I'll sign up as a placeholder to make sure I've got a spot - if I can't go or something else comes along, I just won't show up"... that is not cool. Please don't do that - you might be keeping someone else from signing up who actually could have gone.

If you do sign up and something happens (life - it happens to all of us sometimes) to where you know you can't attend, then please at that time remove your name from the attending list. If you can't figure out how to remove your name, send me a PM and I'll get it removed for you.

Once you sign up, please let us know who you are! Post a picture and tell us a little about yourself. Let us know if you're doing just the IDBDR or want to continue to the OR coast. We might be together for a while. And please continue to follow this thread for updates.

And for the rest of the trip after running the IDBDR (for those interested):

Reminder - if you're signing up for this trip, you're only having to commit to the IDBDR. That's it - eight days (+/-) from the southern part to the northern part of Idaho. Don't feel like you have to do this second part. The "And then some" is extra - a bonus - something for folks who want more. Like me - I've gotta get back to SW WA anyways, so I'm taking this long route home.

The IDBDR ends in Porthill, ID. From there we will drop down to I-90 and go east till we get to I-15 in MT where we will head south back into Idaho. We'll get off I-15 at exit #167 (Dubois) and will head west to Arco ID. This will be about 600 miles from Porthill to Arco driving mostly (but not all) four-lane highway. Figure about two days driving to Arco.

In Arco we will pick-up the TAT and head west on the TAT till we get to Emmett ID - about 250 - 300 miles. I'm figuring three days (?). One thing about the TAT is sometimes you skip sections if it starts to get repetitive.

In Emmett ID we will pick up the POS (Pacific Ocean Spur) of the TAT, and will spend the next 800 miles driving the POS to the OR coast. I'm figuring 6-8 days driving.

On the map below, I marked in black tracing beside the portion of the TAT we will be running if you're interested in the "And then some".

So if you're wanting to do the whole thing, we'll be going Up, Down, and Across Idaho, and continuing across Oregon to the coast. It should be interesting. Hopefully no wild fires this summer.

To register, go to the first post of this thread, and click on “View Rally Point”. That will bring you to a different looking page. Near the top of the post, click on the box “RSVP” (it is located above the start date and end date). Then click on the “Going” Option. Your name should now show up under “Attendees”.

 

[armyRN]

This looks interesting…

Yup. I almost called it the "Up, down, and across" trip.

 

[armyRN]

Rules, requirements, & recommendations… I like to put them out up front so there’s no questions about what’s expected of folks; what’s ok & what’s not ok, etc. People don’t like surprises at the last minute – and I don’t want anyone to have hurt feelings before we even get started on day one. I don't mean to sound harsh, but if you can’t go along with these (and I mean all of these), then please don’t sign-up. Don't sign-up thinking you're an exception to the rules ("guidelines"), or requirements don't apply to you, or you can "pick-and-choose" among them.

Please check back-in on this thread if you registered for any updates, especially as we get closer to the departure date on 28 July 2022. If you're signing-up later in the game (totally cool!) please make sure you read through the whole thread start-to-finish for any important information that might be posted in there somewhere.

Vehicle Requirements & Expectations:

Vehicles should be in good working order, with 4WD or AWD and decent ground clearance. We will be driving hundreds if not thousands of miles over 1-3 weeks, and much of it is off pavement (figure rocks, mud, and maybe some water crossings in places). That means cooling system is working well and not leaking, hoses are good, ignition is running strong, battery & wiring are well secured, fluids are relatively fresh, brakes are in good working condition, U-Joints are good, etc.; and any known issues have been fixed before the meet-up day. This should be for any Overlanding trip you're planning on participating with, not just this one.

Tires should have plenty of tread on them and be in a good safe condition - preferably not street tires but instead AT or MT tires. All vehicles must have a full matching size, mounted matching size spare tire with adequate tread on a matching sized rim (no temporary spares even if they are of a matching size). Plug kits are great (I've got one), but they only go so far, and are not a substitute for a full-size, matching spare tire and rim. So if you’re buying larger tires for your vehicle, you need five of them (four plus one for the matching-sized spare tire).



Ouch. It happens. Glad this time it wasn't me. A plug kit isn't going to fix this one above. They were glad they had a spare so they could swap it out and keep going.

Vehicles must have strong tow-points or recovery points (like tow hooks or D-rings) front & rear (a 2" receiver also counts as a tow-point - and they do sell front mounted hitches with 2" receivers for some vehicles - check out e-trailer as a starting point). Those bent wire-looking hoop things welded under some vehicles used to tie them down from the factory for transport are not tow-points or recovery points. Even the best set-up overland vehicle sometimes needs to give or receive a little tug to get over/through an obstacle - there's no shame in needing a tug sometimes. Using a trailer hitch tow ball as a tow-strap attachment point is dangerous - preferred (and simplest) is a D-ring attached to a 2" receiver bracket (not the one from Harbor Freight). Soft shackles are also becoming popular. I think most newer vehicles commonly used for overlanding nowadays have tow hooks up front (one up front is sufficient if that's all you can do up front) and a 2” receiver in the rear either as standard equipment or as a factory option. If not, you may have to go aftermarket or custom. Make sure the attachment point is secure and not just for looks.

Each vehicle must have a tow strap or recovery strap (not a chain) of some kind strong enough for the weight of their vehicle. Straps must have fabric loops at the ends, not metal hooks (metal hooks are dangerous).

Must have a jack capable of lifting your vehicle to change a tire (does not have to be a high-lift jack). It can be your factory jack. If you’ve lifted your vehicle and installed taller tires, check to see if the jack you have will still go tall enough to lift your tires.

Need to have a spare fan belt(s) for your engine. We can repair a busted radiator hose on the trail; There’s all sorts of crazy things we can do to get you off the trail, but we can't tape together a busted fan belt. Belts are cheap and don’t take up much space; pick one up at any parts store. Worst case scenario buy one at the dealership (or order from Rock Auto online). If you've got a belt that's been on there for a while, maybe put on a new belt and save the old one as your spare. I keep my old one zip-tied under the hood.

If there is something that frequently breaks on your vehicle, or is a hard-to-find item, bring a spare. If your vehicle requires a special kind of headlight bulb (like mine), bring a spare or two. If repairing your vehicle requires a specialty tool (I’m thinking like a large specific-sized socket for removing a front hub) consider purchasing one and having it with you with your tool kit.

Need to have a way to air-down and air-up tires (I just use the backside of my tire pressure gauge to deflate). If you're looking at an air compressor that just plugs into a cigarette lighter, it isn’t strong enough or adequate for trail use - it should either be hardwired into your vehicle, or use clips to the battery post. Ask us for recommendations if you're not sure. CO2 tanks are great (very fast & quiet) until you run out of CO2 (ask me how I know).

Need a GMRS radio (and a license to go with it). Ask me/us if you have questions about specific GMRS radio options. We are using GMRS and not CB.

Link: Why Do I Need a GMRS License & How Do I Get It? | Midland Radio (midlandusa.com)

Vehicle must be capable of traveling at least 150 miles (preferably more) using the gasoline you're carrying. Figure we'll be driving relatively slow and not on pavement; you will not be getting anywhere near your normal highway MPG. Plan accordingly - Jerry cans are your friend. When we stop for gas, everyone (that means "everyone") fills-up or tops-off (sometimes we might have to take an unexpected long detour, or a gas station in the middle of nowhere we thought would be open might be closed, etc.).

If you're planning on bringing a trailer, think small(er). WWII military-type trailer sized, or a fairly small teardrop-type or expedition trailers are your best bet (best if trailer's track width is no wider and roof no taller than the vehicle towing it). Either way, trailers need to have a good, rugged suspension and high clearance underneath, and off-road-ish tires ("LT" series tires preferred at least) with good tread, AND... all trailers must have a matching spare tire. If your trailer is running the same size wheel & tire and bolt-pattern as your tow vehicle's full-size matching spare tire, that's fine. But if not, the trailer must have its own dedicated matching mounted spare wheel and tire. FWIW, my lil' trailer shown below has its own matching spare (mounted on the back of the trailer's tub) as it doesn't match any of my other vehicle's tires. Yeah - those are glamor shots.

 

[armyRN]

What To Bring & Expectations:

Bring a sense of adventure, and an understanding that things won't always go as planned or as you would like. There is no way I can guarantee how far we will travel every day, or when we will arrive at a certain destination, exactly where we will stop every night (although the IDBDR does break it down nicely), or what’s ahead around the next bend. I guessed at finish dates (18 Augusts if doing the optional portion, otherwise 4 August for the IDBDR) when filling out the Rally Point thing. I have no idea exactly when we will get to the OR coast. I'm figuring 3 weeks after we start-out (around 18 August).

Traveling with a group means you'll be going slower than if you were going solo. Stops take longer. Other vehicles may not be able to go as fast as yours (especially if they're a four-cylinder Jeep towing a trailer). It isn't a bad thing - more time to enjoy your surroundings.

Every vehicle should (highly recommended) have their own copy of the IDBDR maps (both paper and GPS). The BDR maps are really quality maps, and worth the $15.00, and the GPS coordinates are a free download. That's part of the fun - following the map so you know where you're at, and to keep us on track. I use GAIA as a platform for my GPS maps. I have it on my phone, and have a phone holder on my dash. I also have an Apple iPad with GAIA loaded that I have mounted in my Jeep. There are other GPS platforms that work just as well of possibly even better - I don't know what's best. GAIA works for me. Seems like the majority of folks are using GAIA.

Link for IDBDR map: Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route (IDBDR) Map & Information (ridebdr.com)

Link for the TAT POS route (GPS coordinates): Pacific Ocean Spur: aka POS (Old Oregon) – TransAm Trail

Link for the TAT ID route (GPS coordinates): Idaho TAT – TransAm Trail

Cold weather gear – even though we’re starting kinda the end of the summer, we will be getting into some higher elevations.

Figure we'll be camping almost every evening, so pack accordingly (you're Overlanders - you should have this part down!). Now's the time to buy the new camping gear you've been wanting or needing to replace! Most days we should be going through or near a town that at least has a gas station or a place to buy some groceries, but have enough food for a couple days in your vehicle just-in-case.

A wrist watch might be a good idea (Timex even has an Expedition series of watches!). We will have a specific designated departure time every morning (figure between 0800 & 0900 +/- unless told otherwise the night before). The exact time will be put out the evening prior. That means vehicles are rolling out at that time in the morning. That means by (NLT) the designated time you've already got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, done your morning routine stuff, taken down and secured your camping gear, gone to the bathroom, loaded up your vehicle, lined-up, and are ready to roll. We will have a brief driver's meeting every morning right before wheels are rolling. We will not be standing around waiting to leave once "everyone is ready to go" or "after breakfast" - otherwise we'll be lucky to hit the road/trail after lunch that day – that is a plan for failure. Please be punctual.

We will be doing this trip on PACIFIC TIME ZONE time. Some parts of northern Nevada and southern Idaho might be on Mountain Time. Doesn't matter - we are going to be on Pacific Time from the start.

Same goes for when we do a gas stop or decide to explore a little town, have lunch, explore, or whatever - there will be a departure time/wheels rolling time put-out, so everyone knows when to meet back to head-on out (& wheels rolling).

When we get gas, you pay at the pump, pump your gas, and then move your vehicle to the designated area so the next person can get gas. And then if you need to go inside to get something, do it then. Don't leave your vehicle at the gas pump while you go inside shopping. At gas stops, we will designate a place for us to park together after getting gas. Lets stay together. Lets keep our vehicles parked together.

Gas stops are gas stops. Please don't scatter. We're there to get gas and keep going. Have your hand-held radio on you when outside your vehicle.

When we stop for lunch, that’s lunchtime for everyone. We can’t stop for an hour late in the morning for an early lunch for someone who didn’t eat breakfast, then stop again at noon for another hour for lunch for the main group, and then again for an hour in the afternoon for a late lunch because someone wasn’t hungry earlier and didn’t eat. We will stop for lunch once a day, probably around noon. Have your hand-held radio on you when stopped for lunch (or anytime we're stopped and outside our vehicles).

Fire extinguisher, shovel, first aid kit – all vehicles should have these in some form.

Bear spray (one can for each person in your party). We will be in bear country. Buy the good stuff.

Bring whatever camping gear you need to keep you comfortable, warm-and-dry, and well-fed. Custom tailor it to your needs and what your vehicle can handle.

I'm expecting Idaho to be dusty. Be prepared. Might want to start out with a fresh air filter.

 

[armyRN]

What Should I NOT Bring & Expectations:

No smoking marijuana. I don't care if it is legal in many states. Please don't bring it or buy it to smoke it (there are other options – tinctures, edibles, gummies, etc. – go for it).

No illicit drugs (I shouldn't have to say it... but I will... I guess I just did).

If you need to bring a separate cooler just for beer or other alcohol... maybe you should reevaluate your priorities. A little drinking around the campfire at night is totally cool; Passing around a mason jar of home-brew at the campfire - totally cool. Having to get drunk is not. Drinking and driving – (or passengers drinking while you’re driving) along with being illegal (even if off-road), is unsafe, and will not be tolerated. This is not a "party-hard and let it all hang-out" kind of trip.

No portable gas or diesel or propane generators. Period. No Exceptions! I don't care if your newest latest & greatest generator cost $4000 and is advertised as "whisper quiet" or is encased in insulation inside a trailer when running; we can still hear it. We don't want to hear it even a little bit, or even think we're hearing it. We are wanting to hear "nature" when camped for the evening, or the crackle of a campfire - not a small motor running. Leave them at home. Seriously. We don't care if you feel you need to run a generator so you can have AC running in your trailer or to power your microwave/toaster/coffee maker/blender/waffle iron/hair drier/popcorn popper/CPAP machine, or whatever - no gas/diesel/propane/or whatever fuel-it-burns generators on this trip. No exceptions. We're camping folks. Think wilderness... nature... outdoors... getting away from it all… don't fight it - embrace it!

I don't care if you tell me you'll camp away from everyone else. Sound travels in the woods. We can still hear it. Again - Leave them at home.

Connecting a large inverter to your car battery and running your vehicle’s engine while we're camped to power the inverter is the same as having a 250-HP gas-powered generator. No-Go.

So also do not bring "noise producing devices" and make others have to listen to them. That includes music players that others must listen to, i.e., radios, CD/DVD players, movie projectors (I've seen it - that's why I'm saying it), etc. That's why God invented headphones/earbuds if you really need or want to listen to it (I’ve got Pandora on my phone - I get it). We do not need to be entertained at camp. We don’t need a DJ spinning tunes at camp. I'm sure I'm not the only one who enjoys "getting away from it all" when overlanding - so why should we have to listen to that distracting stuff? Let’s be considerate of others. I'd rather be sitting around a campfire talking with folks vs. staring at a phone or laptop screen any day. Having said all that, I’m sure we'd be ok if you wanted to play the guitar while sitting around the fire.

Camp lights are nice at night so you don't walk into trees and such. But lets not turn night into day with excessively bright lights or lanterns. Be considerate of others.

Fireworks. Let's not catch anyplace or anyone on fire. Do not bring them.

Let's talk about guns. I like guns (Patriot Life Member of the NRA here). However, if you bring one (or more) and I'm not saying I'm not, please keep them out-of-sight and safely secured in your vehicle or on your person. We will be going through multiple states (NV, ID, MT, OR) that all seem to have different gun laws and such. Be discrete. Let’s not get arrested. And let’s not have any negligent discharges (you military folks know what I mean). There's safety in numbers - we'll be fine.

 

[armyRN]

Miscellaneous:

Dogs. I like dogs. I like dogs better than I like some people. I have dogs at home (too bad they’re not overlanding dogs). If you bring one (or more!), you need to keep them under control (it would be extremely sad if one got loose and we couldn’t find it). I know bears poop in the woods, but they don’t poop around our campsite. We don’t want to step in dog poop. Be prepared to pick up after your dog right away when at camp.

Camp chairs. Go for comfort, not the cheapest butt slings that Walmart sells. We’ll be on the trail for weeks – you’ll be using your chair for weeks – buy some nice comfortable ones. You can get nice folding ones for around $50/each.

If you're doing this trip with us solo and you have a medical condition (diabetes, seizures, asthma, cardiac history, carry an EPI pen, etc.) let me know about it before we hit the trail (I'm an RN). I don't need to know all the details. And if you have some medical issues, have some sort of PRINTED OUT abbreviated medical chart/record with you with a basic history (medical and surgical), list of medications, and a point-of-contact to notify along with your main physician's contact info. And keep it in the glove box or somewhere where we can find it. So if something happens to you out in the middle of nowhere and we need to get you help, we'll have something to go-by to tell the EMS or hospital. Doesn't do us any good if all the info is on your phone and you're passed-out and we know nothing. Or your EPI pen is buried in the bottom of one of your bags deep in your vehicle while you're having an anaphylactic reaction.

If you die in the middle of the trip, we're dividing your stuff among the rest of us. Just saying.

If you’re looking for an excuse to buy stuff (or upgrade what you’ve got), these are at best merely suggested items, might be nice to have, but in no way are they required or expected on this TAT trip:

Tire plug kit, MaxTrax (or equivalent – I have X-Bulls) traction mats, winch, HD bumpers, limited slips or lockers, LED lights, lift kit, taller tires, new rims, electric fridge, canopy/awning, Roof Top Tent (RTT), fancy trailer, etc.

I'd probably avoid or think twice about any overpriced items marketed at Overlanders ($300 folding camp chairs, $250 shovels, $135 flashlights, $400 axes, or anything with the term "Overlanding" or "Mil-Spec" or "Tactical" in its description). Before you drop a lot of dollars on an item, maybe ask us first.

A lot of folks read the Overlanding magazines, are on more than one Overlanding Forum, and see all the expensive vehicles and gear and might think "I've got to have all that to go overlanding". No you don't. I've listed what I consider the minimum vehicle requirements to do this trip (or about any overlanding trip really; especially if not going solo). If you've got that and some half-way decent camping gear, you're good. You could outfit all your camping gear from Walmart and be ok.

Come join us. The object is to get out there and have an adventure; not be trying to work overtime to afford expensive stuff that you won't have time to use. We're not trying to keep up with the overlanding-Joneses.

I'll admit it is fun to buy new stuff for Overlanding. But only buy it if you can afford it, and you'll actually use it. Keep it simple. See what other folks are using and ask them would they do it/get that again. You might be surprised what they tell you. I've got stuff I bought on impulse at Overlanding Expos and have yet to use it, or used it just once.

For example, I've yet to figure out how a Tembo Tusk Skottle Grill (some folks love them - and I've had some wonderful meals cooked on them) would make my overlanding trips or meals better than what I've got now (single burner propane/butane stove). I'd love to have an electric fridge (someday I will), but so far my Igloo ice-chest (not a Yeti) seems to keep stuff cold just fine. Figure I'm getting gas every day or so, so if I'm getting low on ice I'll just buy a bag at the gas station, drain out the water and top-off with new ice. MaxTrax are $300/pair; X-Bulls are $75/pair; both will get you unstruck, and I seriously doubt you'll need these on the trip. My Home Depot $30 shovel will move dirt just as well (or better) as some of those couple-hundred dollar shovels folks are trying to sell to Overlanders. Roof Top Tents run from $800 to a couple thousand dollars. They will keep you dry in the rain and off the ground. So will a ground tent and a cot for much cheaper. SpaghettiOs and meatballs out of a can taste the same cooked in a titanium pot or... in any other pot you can heat them up in. And SPAM has fewer calories and fat content when cooked outdoors.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to go overlanding. The scenery is the same no matter what rig you've got, or what kind of gear you have. The object is to get out there and enjoy the outdoors while on an adventure trip.

I won't judge.

 

[armyRN]

Convoy operations & instructions

Ok... listen up and pay attention. This is serious. I may get snarky here if I haven't already. I'm explaining this now so when we meet-up on 28 July I don't have to go into detail explaining it for the first time.

We are going on a one-to-three-week trip with multiple vehicles. This isn't one of those little weekend get-together thingies where we meet and just hang-out for a day or so. We will be traveling daily. There is a procedure we will be following to do so. This is not optional. If you can't do this 100%, then stay home.

We will be meeting up early in the morning (0800 Pacific Time) on 28 July. Not only will we be doing a meet-and-greet, but we will also be doing convoy preparations.

Oh, by-the-way; show up with bellies full, gas tank full, cooler full, and bladders empty. Once we leave our rally point, we're not stopping anytime soon.

First thing we will be doing convoy prep-wise is issuing vehicle sequence numbers. For this example, we will be assuming we have eight vehicles.

Vehicles will be numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. You will be given a small post-it note with your vehicle's number to put on your dash to remember your sequence number. You will use your number, not your name when we are doing a radio check. You will use your number. Your number may change during the course of the trip.

When we get ready to head out (every single time for the next however many days or weeks) we will do a radio check. The lead vehicle (#1) will initiate the radio check. It will go like this:

"Number one ready to roll - radio check". Vehicle #2 will go "Number two, ready to roll" (or words to that effect as long as you start with "vehicle #2 or "number two")". Vehicle #3 will go "Number three, ready". Etc. all the way to Vehicle #8. We will stay in sequence - WE WILL NOT JUMP AHEAD OR SKIP OVER NUMBERS. YOU WILL USE YOUR VEHICLE NUMBER. AGAIN, YOU WILL USE YOUR VEHICLE NUMBER UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. NOT YOUR VEHICLE TYPE, OR WHATEVER - YOU WILL USE YOUR VEHICLE NUMBER.

The purpose of this is to make sure everyone's radio is on, and everyone is ready to roll. And to do it quickly and efficiently. It is also a safety thing. Did I mention you will use your vehicle number and not your name when we're doing a radio check?

Some people have an issue with using a number and not their name. It is your vehicle that has a number. Not to sound mean, but get over it. You're not special no matter what your momma told you. If you seriously have heartburn with this process and with using a number (or you can't count single digits), please do not sign-up or show-up for this event. Save me the aggravation. I will ask you to leave the group if you cannot cooperate.

If say... Vehicle #4 does not respond, WE DO NOT SKIP #4 AND GO TO VEHICLE #5! We need to find out what is going on with vehicle #4. Preferable the last vehicle to respond (in this case it was Vehicle #3) would get out of their vehicle and find out.

If say... Vehicle #4 just isn't ready for some reason (passenger outside of vehicle securing gear or passenger is using the restroom?), then Vehicle #4 would say something to the effect "Vehicle #4 not ready" (they can say why if appropriate) and will say something to the effect "Will let you know when we're ready". Then we just sit there and wait till they say they're ready ("Vehicle #4 ready to roll"), AND THEN we go to Vehicle #5. Does that make sense? It will take a few times before it is second nature.

This can all actually be done in about 60 seconds or less if everyone is ready and paying attention.

Question to armyRN: "Dude, chill out. Numbers, sequence... got it. Easy enough a fifth grader could do it. But from your tone, it sounds like you've had issues with this in the past. Have you?"

Answer: "Sadly, yes. And it caught me off-guard, because yes the process seems simple enough. I had one person once who just didn't/wouldn't seem to get it or follow it. Even with pulling him aside and explaining the reasoning behind it didn't seem to help, and it caused a little bit of tension in the group. So yes, I've had a problem in the past (or they had a problem with me), and I'm trying (as Barny Fife would say) to "nip it, nip it, nip it" early. Some folks just aren't cut out to participate in an organized run.

Once radio checks are done and we're ready to roll, this is what happens next.

Vehicle #1 will say (something to the effect of) "Vehicle #1 moving out". Then Vehicle #2 will say (essentially) "Vehicle #2 moving"... all the way to Vehicle #8 who will say "Vehicle #8 moving - Everyone's moving".

Vehicle #1 will start out slowly on the road till everyone is moving, then we'll pick-up speed.

As mentioned, you will use your vehicle number. However, here are the exceptions:

If you are number one, you are out in front. You can also use the term "Group Leader", Front Vehicle", etc. However, I just usually used the term "Number One".

I will be pulling a trailer, so it is difficult for me to make a U-Turn. So we can have a person in the #2 position as the Scout Vehicle (or just "Scout"). If we come to a fork in the road and we're not sure left or right, I'll send the Scout vehicle ahead to see which is the correct route. So the number two position can either call themself "Number two" (sometimes folks don't like that term) or "Scout" (i.e. "Scout ready to roll").

The last person is designated as the "Tail gunner". So instead of using their number (in the example above they were #8), instead they can/usually identify themselves as "Tail gunner" ("Tail gunner ready to roll").

When we come to a turn, Vehicle #1 will say "Vehicle #1 turning left at the red barn" (or whatever is appropriate). And Vehicle #1 will slow down after making the turn. Vehicle #2 will repeat, as will the rest of the vehicles as they make the turn. Once everyone makes the turn, the tailgunner will say (essentially) "Everyone has made the turn...". And then Vehicle #1 (and everyone else) will resume speed.

If we are making a turn and you (#4) can't because of oncoming traffic, you will say on the radio something to the effect "Vehicle #4 waiting for traffic to clear before making turn". Vehicle #1 through #3 will continue to proceed slowly till everyone has made the turn.

Another unofficial (but very important position) is that of "Navigator". We will most likely make a wrong turn or miss a turn daily - seriously. Sometimes we have a couple in a vehicle who are very navigational savvy with lots of apps on their device(s) for camping and such. Or the passenger is just bored and wants something to do/concentrate on. I welcome someone being navigator to help keep me (or the person out in front) aware ahead of time of upcoming turns and such ("In half a mile be looking for route 76 on the left and take the left").

Are you with me so far? I will briefly go over this again on game day.

 

[armyRN]

Once we're moving...

If you need a potty break, get on the radio and let us know. Let us know if it is needed NOW or at the next available spot.

On potty breaks, men go off to the left (driver's side), and ladies go off to the right (because women are always right - or so a lady once told me).

If you see some place you want to take a picture of or to check-out, let us know. I'm a sucker for military surplus stores (just sayin'). This is where the Navigator comes in handy looking to see what's ahead.

When we pull off the road, pull as far over as you can.

If you suddenly need to pull over (flat tire? temp gauge just pegged high?) do what you've gotta do. Try and get on the radio and tell us you're pulling over as soon and as safely as possible. The vehicle behind you should also get on the radio and say something once they recognize you're pulling over. We don't want to get too separated.

Trail etiquette:

- Always maintain visual contact with the vehicles in front or behind you. If you can't see the vehicle behind you, slow down. You can even get on the radio and say you can't see the person behind you (or in front of you if that's the case) and we need to slow down. We don't want anyone getting separated or lost.
- Stop at any turn, or "Y" in the road, and wait until the vehicle behind you has visual (use your radio to verify) before you continue on. You'll also be saying "taking the right at the "Y" if that's the case.
- Don’t be the Dukes of Hazzard. We don't want any vehicle damage.
- Slow down for, give a wide berth for, and call out oncoming traffic on the radio. Let the traffic know how many rigs are following you.
- In dusty areas slow way down when passing homes, camps, parked rigs, etc., to keep the dust down (be an ambassador)
- Yammer on the radio a little bit if you want, but don't go overboard. A lot of fun and relationship building and keeps you alert. Also helps to discover if someone has a radio issue before it becomes a disaster.
- Know your radio and be able to move to an alternate frequency quickly to avoid interfering with others. Sometimes a channel is being used by another group and we need to change frequencies.
- Be ready to lend a hand to folks inside and outside of the group

I strongly recommend you also have a hand-held GMRS radio so when we're stopped, we're still connected. At gas stops, lunch breaks, potty breaks... anytime we're on the road and stopped and out of our vehicles for whatever reason have your hand-held on you. Hand held should be on the same frequency or channel as the one you're using in your vehicle.

 

[armyRN]

Ok... this one might piss some folks off. Not my intent, but I'm doing it/putting it out there anyways based on previous experiences.

Social Media

Yes! I'm 100% all for it. This trip should be fun and memorable. Take lots of pictures and video! Post them on all your social media sites! And post lots (some? a couple?) of pictures and text on this thread too! Figure if you're on this trip, you'll be in some pictures someone else is taking and posting. Hopefully you're not in the witness protection program and don't want your picture taken and posted.

HOWEVER (here's the part that might piss someone off) ...

This trip is being organized through the Overland Bound Site. I'm figuring everyone who signs up is a member of Overland Bound. Let's support the Overland Bound page (and this thread) by posting pictures, text and video on this thread on Overland Bound - even if you're not a regular "poster".

However... don't be "that guy" who posts on this thread with something like "Go to my website for more pictures and text about this trip". Would I go to your football game party at your house and announce, "Hey gang, lets go to my house instead and watch the game"? I hope not.

Dance with the one that brought you to the dance.

So of course I encourage you to post all you want on your own social media pages(!), but please don't try to link or send folks from here to your private page without posting here too. There's no law that says you can't post both here and on your many other platforms. Hopefully there will be folks following our adventure on this thread who couldn't participate - we shouldn't be sending them elsewhere to get trip info.

Dance with the one that brought you to the dance.

 

[armyRN]

Overlanders are often an independent sort of person. They like to do their own thing, start and stop on their own schedule, etc. Totally cool (solo trips - been there, done that). There are advantages to going solo, and advantages to being with a group. Obviously, this is being organized as a group trip, so hopefully the sacrifices you make being with a group are more than made up by the bennies of being with the group.

Some of the disadvantages of being with a group are:

1. Everything will take longer (gas stops, lunch, etc.) - it just does.

2. Someone else is dictating the flow of the trip, including starts and stops and how fast you can drive.

3. Everything on the trip isn't done by consensus or by vote.

Advantages of being with a group:

1. Camaraderie!

2. Safety in numbers

3. Make new friends

4. Learn stuff from others

5. Sometimes someone in the group at camp will give you food.

(Feel free to add to the above folks)

So question time.

Question: "So Paul... what if I decide I just want to sleep in one morning and not leave till after lunch. Am I still considered in the group?"

Answer: "Sorry, you are no longer considered "with the group". Say you don't leave camp till four hours after the group leaves. That means you're a good four hours and 100 - 200 miles behind us. You're out of radio range. We're not going slow or taking long gas breaks or lunch stops for you to catch-up. We're not your 911 if something bad happens. If you do eventually catch up with us - great! But till then I'm figuring you've gone your own way and we wish you the best of luck."

Question: "What if I decide I'm not cut out to be with the group - I've gotta go my own way and do my own thing. Is it ok if I break off? Will it hurt your feelings?"

Answer: "Of course it is totally ok. I want everyone to be having a good time (including me!) on this trip. If it isn't working for you at least you tried it; so drive safe and good luck and we wish you well. Maybe next time. Just don't try and take a bunch of others with you when you leave (that so wouldn't be cool)."

Question: "So Paul... were you really suggesting in the previous post that I double-post pictures and such (on my pages AND on this thread)?"

Answer: "Um... yeah. It kinda would be nice. Especially if you're wanting to put a link on this thread to one-or-more of your other social media sites. Is that really too much to ask?"

 

[armyRN]

Once you sign up, please let us know who you are! Post a picture and tell us a little about yourself.

I guess I'll go first with the introductions. My name is Paul, and I've been overlanding before I really knew the term "overlanding" existed. I'm a retired Army Nurse, and currently live in SW WA. I've taken my Jeep and trailer up into Alaska and Canada more than once, been all over the country, did a lot of the TAT last summer (till my clutch started to go bad), and was a participant in FourWheeler Magazine's 2019 Overland Adventure East. I've done a lot of hard-core four wheeling in the past, but maybe I've mellowed because I've been doing much less of that, and more Overlanding.

Link: 1998 Jeep Wrangler With I-4 Engine Pulls an Overland Trailer Across North America! (fourwheeler.com)

I'll be taking my 1998 Jeep TJ and homebuilt lil' HF - based 4' trailer on this trip. I'm running the 2.5 four-cylinder engine, 5-speed tranny, with 3.5" RE lift, 4.88 gears, 33" tires (got new tires for this trip), lockers front and rear (Dana 44 rear), Warn winch, body armor, swing away spare tire carrier, and a lot of other stuff (including a new clutch and heavier flywheel). It isn't the ideal overlanding vehicle (it was built for four-wheeling and not speed), but it's what I've got.

With gas prices being high, I figured this summer we should stay closer to home (if home for you is the PNW). I've spent time in Idaho and always thought it was pretty. And since they (BDR) already have the trip mapped out with a paper and GPS route, and the TAT with the Idaho portion and POS route tracked on GPS, it just makes it too easy. Of course, my plan is to do the whole thing to the OR coast.

I still need my yearly long-trip fix. I need an adventure this year! So I'm organizing and putting this trip together, laying it all out there so you know what to expect and is expected, and opening it up for others. Hopefully you'll join me.

What comments and/or questions do you have?

 

[dbtx]

Sounds like an awesome trip. I think every trip should have the requirements and expectations laid out as well as this one.

 

[Ubiety]

Sounds like an awesome trip. I think every trip should have the requirements and expectations laid out as well as this one.

I agree! Have had the pleasure of traveling with @armyRN in the past and these common sense boundaries set expectations and keep the trip rolling. Hope this turns out to be a great trip for you all!

 

[armyRN]

I agree! Have had the pleasure of traveling with @armyRN in the past and these common sense boundaries set expectations and keep the trip rolling. Hope this turns out to be a great trip for you all!

Thanks for the compliments! I try. I really do just want folks to know what they're getting into if they decide to sign-up. This way, on day #1 most everything's already been covered here and we can head-out on our adventure and have a good time with minimal issues or drama. Which is really all I'm wanting - for us to have a good time and make good memories.

 

[reaver]

Sadly, I'm not at a point where I have the ability to do an 8 day trip. Otherwise, I'd love to join up with this group.

 

[Hogman]

I'm jealous of those that will be able to attend this trip with Paul. I know it sounds like a lot of rules and such, but they are necessary for the survival of the group. I had an absolute blast completing the WABDR in 2020 with Paul.

 

[armyRN]

I'm jealous of those that will be able to attend this trip with Paul. I know it sounds like a lot of rules and such, but they are necessary for the survival of the group. I had an absolute blast completing the WABDR in 2020 with Paul.

Thanks! I appreciate all the nice comments.

I know it looks like a post a lot of "rules", but really I'm just putting in writing what pretty much any trip leader would hope participants would do (or not do depending on the topic). Maybe I should call them "Guidelines and Procedures" instead? I've been told I explain or go into detail too much sometimes - must come from my educator background.

I mean, there may be the rare trip leader/organizer who thinks it is ok to get drunk, shoot of fireworks, and blast AC/DC in the evening from a stereo powered from a cheap/noisy gas generator (all at the same time!) and in the morning can't get everyone up and wheels rolling till after lunch every day, but I've yet to meet one. And the last thing a group organizer/leader wants to do is be confrontational. That's why I put it all out there up front (and get all my snarky comments out of my system ahead of time). Hopefully it'll weed out folks who don't agree before we meet-up.

Check out any formal organized 4x4 run, and they'll have a list of vehicle requirements and such. And they'll address alcohol and drugs. show times, comms, etc.

Radio checks (or variations thereof) are a fairly common routine on a group run with more than just a couple of vehicles. I didn't invent it. We did it on our WABDR run as I recall. That was a fun trip even if I did get a flat tire (turned out to be a valve stem) and bust a leaf spring in half on my trailer on the last day. All part of the adventure.

I wish I could run the WABDR with you guys this summer, but I'm volunteering as a Bible Camp Nurse for there weeks in July.

For this IDBDR trip instead of dwelling on "rules" (guidelines!) I'd rather the focus be on us having properly prepped vehicles and focused mindset, being organized, having a plan, and being respectful of each other. And having an awesome adventure!

On a side note, I might... possibly... maybe... (if they want me)... be a presenter/instructor at the BCOR (23 - 26 June) and/or the NWOR (16 - 19 June) this summer. Ray Hyland's actual word was "possibly", so I'm clinging to that till I get the final word. If I do it I'll be talking about small overlanding trailers (Design, Deployment, and Lessons Learned). It'll be fun. If they don't need me (and that's ok Ray - its your show), I'm still planning to attend the BCOR event this summer - I've been to the NWOR twice already (and thoroughly enjoyed myself). They haven't opened up registration yet for either event.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Man this looks like fun. June and July are super busy for me with both my sons getting married and then a school bus convention I have to attend for work July 29. Looks like fun. Wish I could make it, even for part of it.