New member # 1465:
Hi all I'm Michael. It was 2016 and I was about to graduate college when I went to visit a mate of mine who was doing their internship with the city of Bishop, CA. He invited me up to go camping and off-roading. At the time I had a standard red FWD Ford Ranger (Long Red--shout out to any Mountain & Leslie West fans). He took me around the eastern Sierras: Mammoth, Lake June, Convict Lake, etc in his lifted Ford Ranger 4x4. I was in awe of the sites and beauty. I left inspired and enamored, I wanted nothing more than to experience that more. I was racking my brain on how I could outfit Long Red but I was hesitant to invest in my Ranger because it was definitely not reliable enough. I told myself I would wait and when the time was right I would buy something capable.
Fast forward to 2018 and Long Red's motor failed on me. It was time to let her go. Times had been good to me financially so I took the plunge and decide to buy new. I had bought used up until then and I was tired of getting cars that had a shelf life of, who knows? My experiences from my summer in Bishop was still fresh in my mind, and I new I wanted something to get me back to the places off in the distance, past the roads and highways. So I started looking for a new vehicle. I went right for the big guns, Jeeps, Tacomas, & 4Runners. Holy smokes are they expensive!! And the gas mileage, for get about it!! I had to keep in mind the practical economics of things. No way I could afford the payment on a brand new Tacoma or 4Runner, I have also heard that Jeeps can be unreliable (no offense to the Jeep owners here!). Moreover, I felt like I was going too big too fast. I started calibrating my scope and asking myself what I wanted and what I needed from my vehicle. Some how a small voice whispered...subaru...and i started diving not research. After seeing the budding offroad/overlanding Subaru community, the gas mileage, and testimonials I felt I had found my rig. Economical, capable, and reliable---so far. I opted for the 2018 Forester XT. I knew this was not going to be the offroad/overlanding machine I daydreamed about, but it fit me. I don't know if I will ever have a desire to overland to Alaska--although I hear talks of people doing so in these--I knew this could at least get me to the lakes I saw in mountains just outside of Bishop.
Stella has come along way in a short period of time and I have been fortunate enough to take her on some brief trail rides in Utah and Western Texas. Both of those times I was alone and chose not to go to deep since I lacked experience. I know she is ready for bigger adventures but I am the only person in my circe of friends who has the desire to overland/off-road bug. I am looking to expand my base and gain more experience, hence this new subscription to Overland Bound! With that said I am looking for some compatriots to show me some local trails and share some knowledge so I can reach my goal to go on an epic trip! If anyone actually reads this full length introductory and knows some threads that are dedicated to Los Angeles County, CA or are Subaru specific please PM a link or reply to this entry!
Excitedly,
DharmaBum
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