The farthest you’ve ever been from...

[Dave K]

Lots of debate on OB about “What is overlanding?” “Who is an overlander?” Etc., etc. It is abundantly obvious that there are Armchair Overlanders to Weekend Warriors to Indiana Friggen Jones and everything in between on OB. Personally, I hate the title and would have a hard time caring any less than I currently do about any of it. But all of the unending debate does bring up some questions for me. I do a lot of reading about other people’s adventures in foreign country’s as well as the US. In some parts of the world, distances are real. I have always felt like I am never really all that far from civilization in the US. We have a vast country but also an amazing infrastructure when compared to most of the world. Distance never feels so important that a lack of planning every mile will result in a substantial screw up with potentially high costs.

So the questions. What’s the farthest you have ever been from:

• A city, town or village?
• Fuel
• Useable cellular reception? ( not that floating signal you get on the mountain top that comes and goes but never really connects)
• Medical aid

When thinking about these questions I do not even have answers for myself readily available. I have certainly been away from stuff in the US. Certainly been alone. Have certainly had to plan around fuel (damn 80 series). But none of these things are the same as what I read about in other countries. Perhaps there are vast distances I am unaware of in the US?

I welcome your input? How far have you been?

 

[Billiebob]

I did some winter road camping in Canadas NorthwestTerritories.
These first 2 pictures are from a JUNE business trip.

Nearest community.... 350 people, often 100 miles away.

Nearest fuel, the same, but often dispensed from a tank, not a pump.

Cell Service... lol... it is called Satellite Service... if you can afford it.
Medical Aid.... Think a Bush Plane on skis.... and the hospital may be 500 miles away.

Nearest road.... the roads we travelled were ice roads. We were as far as 300 miles from the nearest all season highway.

How cold??? Think 70 Below.
How dark, it is easy to be above the Arctic Circle. But for me, Sunrise 10am, Sunset 3pm. Dark for 18 hours. Where we "overlanded" the sun might not get above the horizon from sunrise to sunset. But the Northern Lights can be spectacular.


I miss my old plate

 

[MMc]

I once drove to Cabo from Ensenada on mostly dirt roads in 1985. I purchased a lot of gas from 55 barrels or 5 gal buckets in fish camps or small towns. Lots of washboard roads. it was pretty romote most of the time. If there was a phone it was a rural phone for the city, no cell. Baja has these little clinics, They didn't much to help or get help. You needed to self rescue. We had a great time and surfed a bunch of new to me spots. Some of these places you wouldn't see people for days. We drove Hwy 1 home.

 

[trikebubble]

Drove to Tuk last July, that was a little ways from home. Probably the most remote we felt on that trip was traveling the South Canol Road. We saw only a couple vehicles (saw more porcupine than cars) on the entire 250-odd km route.
Last month I spent two weeks roaming around Northern Vancouver Island, mainly on logging and forestry roads looking for remote of forestry rec sites to camp in. I had 0 cell service for 90% of the trip, and camped alone in different spots on multiple nights. The great thing about Northern Vancouver Island, is that while the overall distances aren't that large you still really feel like you are out there in the wilderness. It's an amazing place to travel and explore.


For distance from home, we camped here on the shores of the Beaufort Sea last July (though I do not believe you are allowed ot camp on the point anymore) - 69.455999, -133.036268

One of the favorite camp spots we found on our 3 week trip North to Tuk last year, Quiet Lake Territorial Park - 60.991620, -133.029547

Spent a night here, in Winter Harbour, felt pretty remote - 50.524748, -128.028250

 

[Breaktrack]

I don’t know, been pretty far out before. But the farthest out I ever felt was driving the haul road to Deadhorse, Alaska a couple of weeks ago. What a ride! Had all my gear in the truck (Jeep Gladiator), so there was that, but is few and far between on all the stuff: phone coverage, gas, people!

Mac

 

[oldmopars]

For me it was on my Motorcycle doing the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route. Don't know how far from anything, but we were out there. Did some riding in very remote SE Oregon.
I've done Alaska, but not the haul road.

I spent some time in the middle of the Saudia Arabia Desert, sent by my rich uncle (Sam).

A few years ago I had to go to Manchester England. I had a rental car and I turned it into an impromptu camper with the bedding from my hotel. Drove it as far North as I could go in the UK, John O Grotes. Spend one night parked next to Hadrian's Wall, the next night in John O Grotes. I took every B road and cow path I could find. When I returned the car to the rental place, the guy was shocked that I had put 1700 miles on the car in just 2 weeks.