Explorer I
For anyone who registered, you likely received an e-mail last night. I'm not an organizer or affiliated with this event in any way. I'm just a participant. The event states we can now pick our own dates and arrive in groups up to 6. I'd like to go in the fall and am looking for a crew to attend with. I think this would be a good thread for groups to gather, plan dates, and attend the event.
Hello fellow Overlanders starved for adventure!
I sincerely hope that this message finds all of you healthy and happy. As you all may know, VOBS is the only overlanding event in the country (at least that I know of) that’s not been postponed to 2021 and I’ve been utterly determined to keep it that way in some way, shape or form. The July 15 Vermont Governor’s Exec Order has been posted and it does not change the Governor’s previous orders canceling large festivals and fairs. We realize that we can probably distinguish VOBS from the latter but, much more importantly than that, we need to be as safe as possible and sensitive to Vermont residents at this time of unprecedented public angst and concern. As such, there’s just no way to host VOBS in its usual format over one weekend with hundreds of participants.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t be creative and come up with a way of doing VOBS that retains the spirit and value of the event while still complying with state and local covid guidelines. This is the 10th anniversary of VOBS and by golly we’re going to celebrate it if there’s any way possible to do so safely and within the guidelines.
So here’s the plan (as usual, grab a cup of coffee and read this, I mean really read this, all of it, yes I'm talking to you):
Pretty simple. Do-it-yourself VOBS. No: tent, food trucks large group activities of any sort. Yes: vendors/sponsors in the vendor area (if they're there while you're there; socially distanced and wearing masks), awesome camping, amazing, epic Class 4 road exploring, local breweries, stores, provisioning, chilling and bonding with the tribe (just a much smaller portion thereof).
Plan your 4-day trip (arrive on day 1, leave on day 4) to Vermont any time between August 1 and November 1, 2020, yes, 2020! And I mean anytime. Weekends, weekdays, what have you, any 4-day stretch of time is fine. But here’s the main catch: SELF-QUARANTINE! If you’re from a county that has more than 400 active covid infections per million people (see map here: https://accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/restart/cross-state-travel), then you’ll need to self-quarantine at home for 14 days or for seven days followed by a negative test before traveling to Vermont. As per the guidelines, you’ll need to certify as to same, so we’ll just include the certification in our standard release form.
No need to schedule your trip with us. Just plan your dates with your group and come on up! Come to VOBS HQ at 419 Bailey’s Mills Rd, Reading, VT 05062 and do the usual. Set up your camp anywhere on the property (venue plan attached), crack a beverage and, at some point, make your way up to the house to check in, receive your awesome VO #OneAdventure US-made bandana and vehicle decal (included with your reg) sign your waiver/covid cert, purchase additional bandanas and, possibly, if things go to plan, your new VO VELCRO-BACKED PATCH!!! and plan your adventure using the maps (see info below).
Rules: as you all may know, despite the fact that I’m a practicing attorney, I’m not big on rules for VOBS. We’ve done very well for ten years by relying heavily on individual responsibility and your good judgment and we’re not going to stop now. The rules for this year are simple:
1) NO GROUPS OF MORE THAN SIX (6) VEHICLES. I REPEAT. NO GROUPS OF MORE THAN SIX VEHICLES. This means you can camp with your bro’s and sistas and head out exploring with same, but the group must have no more than six rigs, both camping and wheeling. Pretty easy. BTW, this does not mean that you NEED six vehicles min to attend. You can attend all by your lonesome or with 2, 3, 4 or 5 other vehicles in your group, just no more than 6. The idea here is to make sure your group will have no more than 25 people which appears to be the socializing group limit in VT currently. There will doubtless be other groups camping on the property while you’re there. Please do not mix with those groups so we can be certain to keep all groups to less than 25 people.
2) Wear masks and social distance (stay min six feet apart) outside of your group (or inside them too). This is mandatory in certain towns, but, regardless, it’s a relatively painless way to limit exposure. Plus, the VO bandanas make super stylish masks. You look like a cowboy and they’re pretty comfortable too.
3) Pack in, pack out. No dumpster this year. We will have a couple of portajohns with hand sanitizer in the usual location but that’s about it (we need to keep the visual impact of this event as absolutely minimal as possible).
4) Only registered participants may attend. No having your buddy drive up in his pickup and join you. Absolutely all vehicles (except dedicated tow rigs) on property must be checked in, the waiver/covid cert signed by all parties present and the registered vehicle must have the VO One-Adventure decal on it. Any questions about vehicles and attendance and other important info like campfires, check out the event FAQ: https://www.vermontoverland.com/vor-detailed-info
5) Be respectful of your new hosts. If all goes well, VO staff member, Derek Chace and his lovely wife, Catherine, will be the owners of the venue by the time you arrive and they’ll be checking you in. Wish them a warm congrats and be respectful of any requests they make (we know you will anyway). Derek will be cruising the property in this rig routinely so you won’t want to get on his bad side!
6) Have some freaking fun! Seriously folks, the main reason we’re keeping this event alive is to give you at least something, anything, to look forward to in these grim times. The Vermont backcountry is a magical, healing place. Let it work its magic on you. Get back in it, shut the truck off, and just sit and absorb its healing qualities. There’s nothing better for your immune system and general well-being.
Here’s the map info:
Overland outings: All overland outings at the VOBS are self-navigated. We provide town highway maps (see below) that you download to your phone or tablet and your device's nav system ("blue dot") overlays over the map with no cell coverage needed to navigate. On the maps, we've highlighted the unmaintained Class 4 road and Legal Trail road sections as follows:
green: easier, light terrain
blue: moderate/medium terrain
red: challenging/difficult terrain
pinkish purple: very challenging
Simply open the maps and pick and choose where you want to go. Be creative and devise your own route stringing together Class 4 road sections according to your own preferences.
PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO PUBLIC WIFI AT THE EVENT AND PRETTY MUCH NO PHONE COVERAGE, SO PLEASE DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO DOWNLOAD THE MAP FILES TO YOUR DEVICE BEFORE YOU COME TO THE VENUE!
For devices, any iphone, cellular ipad (wifi ipads need a special receiver), Android or Nexus 7 tablet should work.
Here’s the map file containing 45 town highway maps with color-coded Class 4 roads:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xhkelbuhx858scj/AACN-32aXohQlo8vKBhLrHxya?dl=0
To load the maps onto your device:
a) Download the Avenza PDF Maps App to your Iphone, Android, Ipad or other compatible device. PLEASE NOTE: Avenza now charges a subscription fee for downloading more than three maps. Please gladly pay this fee as the system is an absolute game-changer for VT overlanding and well worth the fee.
b) Open this email ON YOUR DEVICE.
c) Click on the link in the email.
d) Open an account in Dropbox (if you don't already have one).
e) Load the 2019 VOBS FINAL map file into your Dropbox.
f) GO OUT OF DROPBOX AND INTO YOUR AVENZA APP. I REPEAT. GO OUT OF DROPBOX AND INTO YOUR AVENZA APP. DO NOT OPEN THE MAPS INTO AVENZA BY CLICKING ON THEM IN DROPBOX.
g) Once in the Avenza app, click on the MAPS section at the bottom of the screen.
h) Click on the edit button at the top right.
i) Click on the new folder icon and then swipe down to the New Folder file and click on the little i with the circle around it to the right thereof and label your file VOBS 2019, click CLOSE and then click Done in the upper right corner.
j) Click on the VOBS 2019 file you've just created and click on the plus (+) sign at the top right of the screen.
k) Click on "From Dropbox."
l) Find the 2019 VOBS FINAL file that you uploaded into Dropbox and open the file.
m) Click Select All at the bottom (Android may not have a select all feature yet).
n) Click Import.
o) Wait up to 20 minutes for all maps to fully download.
p) Open any map and click the little compass arrow in the bottom left corner and the blue dot from you nav system should overlay over the little map of Vermont above the map legend at the bottom right. This will work whether you have cell coverage or not.
Still need help? Just watch this video: http://youtu.be/6OYlxXcJsio
We hope you all can make it and have a blast doing so. It’s just so needed right now. There may be some of you who feel that this is not what you bargained for and you’ll demand a refund. For those folks, I’m sorry if VOBS 2020 doesn’t meet with your satisfaction, but it’s the very best we can do under the circumstances. We did not cause covid so we shouldn’t be penalized for its consequences. Both the website and reg page were always clear that we do not give refunds for any reason. You are welcome to sell your entry and it’s likely we’ll shut off registration on July 31, so there should be lots of demand.
All that said, knowing the vast majority of you personally, I know that you’ll all rise to the occasion and embrace the spirit of VOBS 2020 and help us all get through this year the best we can with the positive attitudes so necessary for any successful overlanding mission.
And massive thanks to all our sponsors and vendors and title sponsor Roko Vehicles (https://rokovehicles.com/) for staying in the game this year. You truly know who your friends are in a year like this.
Thx and stay safe!
Peter Vollers, Vermont Overland
Hello fellow Overlanders starved for adventure!
I sincerely hope that this message finds all of you healthy and happy. As you all may know, VOBS is the only overlanding event in the country (at least that I know of) that’s not been postponed to 2021 and I’ve been utterly determined to keep it that way in some way, shape or form. The July 15 Vermont Governor’s Exec Order has been posted and it does not change the Governor’s previous orders canceling large festivals and fairs. We realize that we can probably distinguish VOBS from the latter but, much more importantly than that, we need to be as safe as possible and sensitive to Vermont residents at this time of unprecedented public angst and concern. As such, there’s just no way to host VOBS in its usual format over one weekend with hundreds of participants.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t be creative and come up with a way of doing VOBS that retains the spirit and value of the event while still complying with state and local covid guidelines. This is the 10th anniversary of VOBS and by golly we’re going to celebrate it if there’s any way possible to do so safely and within the guidelines.
So here’s the plan (as usual, grab a cup of coffee and read this, I mean really read this, all of it, yes I'm talking to you):
Pretty simple. Do-it-yourself VOBS. No: tent, food trucks large group activities of any sort. Yes: vendors/sponsors in the vendor area (if they're there while you're there; socially distanced and wearing masks), awesome camping, amazing, epic Class 4 road exploring, local breweries, stores, provisioning, chilling and bonding with the tribe (just a much smaller portion thereof).
Plan your 4-day trip (arrive on day 1, leave on day 4) to Vermont any time between August 1 and November 1, 2020, yes, 2020! And I mean anytime. Weekends, weekdays, what have you, any 4-day stretch of time is fine. But here’s the main catch: SELF-QUARANTINE! If you’re from a county that has more than 400 active covid infections per million people (see map here: https://accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/restart/cross-state-travel), then you’ll need to self-quarantine at home for 14 days or for seven days followed by a negative test before traveling to Vermont. As per the guidelines, you’ll need to certify as to same, so we’ll just include the certification in our standard release form.
No need to schedule your trip with us. Just plan your dates with your group and come on up! Come to VOBS HQ at 419 Bailey’s Mills Rd, Reading, VT 05062 and do the usual. Set up your camp anywhere on the property (venue plan attached), crack a beverage and, at some point, make your way up to the house to check in, receive your awesome VO #OneAdventure US-made bandana and vehicle decal (included with your reg) sign your waiver/covid cert, purchase additional bandanas and, possibly, if things go to plan, your new VO VELCRO-BACKED PATCH!!! and plan your adventure using the maps (see info below).
Rules: as you all may know, despite the fact that I’m a practicing attorney, I’m not big on rules for VOBS. We’ve done very well for ten years by relying heavily on individual responsibility and your good judgment and we’re not going to stop now. The rules for this year are simple:
1) NO GROUPS OF MORE THAN SIX (6) VEHICLES. I REPEAT. NO GROUPS OF MORE THAN SIX VEHICLES. This means you can camp with your bro’s and sistas and head out exploring with same, but the group must have no more than six rigs, both camping and wheeling. Pretty easy. BTW, this does not mean that you NEED six vehicles min to attend. You can attend all by your lonesome or with 2, 3, 4 or 5 other vehicles in your group, just no more than 6. The idea here is to make sure your group will have no more than 25 people which appears to be the socializing group limit in VT currently. There will doubtless be other groups camping on the property while you’re there. Please do not mix with those groups so we can be certain to keep all groups to less than 25 people.
2) Wear masks and social distance (stay min six feet apart) outside of your group (or inside them too). This is mandatory in certain towns, but, regardless, it’s a relatively painless way to limit exposure. Plus, the VO bandanas make super stylish masks. You look like a cowboy and they’re pretty comfortable too.
3) Pack in, pack out. No dumpster this year. We will have a couple of portajohns with hand sanitizer in the usual location but that’s about it (we need to keep the visual impact of this event as absolutely minimal as possible).
4) Only registered participants may attend. No having your buddy drive up in his pickup and join you. Absolutely all vehicles (except dedicated tow rigs) on property must be checked in, the waiver/covid cert signed by all parties present and the registered vehicle must have the VO One-Adventure decal on it. Any questions about vehicles and attendance and other important info like campfires, check out the event FAQ: https://www.vermontoverland.com/vor-detailed-info
5) Be respectful of your new hosts. If all goes well, VO staff member, Derek Chace and his lovely wife, Catherine, will be the owners of the venue by the time you arrive and they’ll be checking you in. Wish them a warm congrats and be respectful of any requests they make (we know you will anyway). Derek will be cruising the property in this rig routinely so you won’t want to get on his bad side!
6) Have some freaking fun! Seriously folks, the main reason we’re keeping this event alive is to give you at least something, anything, to look forward to in these grim times. The Vermont backcountry is a magical, healing place. Let it work its magic on you. Get back in it, shut the truck off, and just sit and absorb its healing qualities. There’s nothing better for your immune system and general well-being.
Here’s the map info:
Overland outings: All overland outings at the VOBS are self-navigated. We provide town highway maps (see below) that you download to your phone or tablet and your device's nav system ("blue dot") overlays over the map with no cell coverage needed to navigate. On the maps, we've highlighted the unmaintained Class 4 road and Legal Trail road sections as follows:
green: easier, light terrain
blue: moderate/medium terrain
red: challenging/difficult terrain
pinkish purple: very challenging
Simply open the maps and pick and choose where you want to go. Be creative and devise your own route stringing together Class 4 road sections according to your own preferences.
PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO PUBLIC WIFI AT THE EVENT AND PRETTY MUCH NO PHONE COVERAGE, SO PLEASE DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO DOWNLOAD THE MAP FILES TO YOUR DEVICE BEFORE YOU COME TO THE VENUE!
For devices, any iphone, cellular ipad (wifi ipads need a special receiver), Android or Nexus 7 tablet should work.
Here’s the map file containing 45 town highway maps with color-coded Class 4 roads:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xhkelbuhx858scj/AACN-32aXohQlo8vKBhLrHxya?dl=0
To load the maps onto your device:
a) Download the Avenza PDF Maps App to your Iphone, Android, Ipad or other compatible device. PLEASE NOTE: Avenza now charges a subscription fee for downloading more than three maps. Please gladly pay this fee as the system is an absolute game-changer for VT overlanding and well worth the fee.
b) Open this email ON YOUR DEVICE.
c) Click on the link in the email.
d) Open an account in Dropbox (if you don't already have one).
e) Load the 2019 VOBS FINAL map file into your Dropbox.
f) GO OUT OF DROPBOX AND INTO YOUR AVENZA APP. I REPEAT. GO OUT OF DROPBOX AND INTO YOUR AVENZA APP. DO NOT OPEN THE MAPS INTO AVENZA BY CLICKING ON THEM IN DROPBOX.
g) Once in the Avenza app, click on the MAPS section at the bottom of the screen.
h) Click on the edit button at the top right.
i) Click on the new folder icon and then swipe down to the New Folder file and click on the little i with the circle around it to the right thereof and label your file VOBS 2019, click CLOSE and then click Done in the upper right corner.
j) Click on the VOBS 2019 file you've just created and click on the plus (+) sign at the top right of the screen.
k) Click on "From Dropbox."
l) Find the 2019 VOBS FINAL file that you uploaded into Dropbox and open the file.
m) Click Select All at the bottom (Android may not have a select all feature yet).
n) Click Import.
o) Wait up to 20 minutes for all maps to fully download.
p) Open any map and click the little compass arrow in the bottom left corner and the blue dot from you nav system should overlay over the little map of Vermont above the map legend at the bottom right. This will work whether you have cell coverage or not.
Still need help? Just watch this video: http://youtu.be/6OYlxXcJsio
We hope you all can make it and have a blast doing so. It’s just so needed right now. There may be some of you who feel that this is not what you bargained for and you’ll demand a refund. For those folks, I’m sorry if VOBS 2020 doesn’t meet with your satisfaction, but it’s the very best we can do under the circumstances. We did not cause covid so we shouldn’t be penalized for its consequences. Both the website and reg page were always clear that we do not give refunds for any reason. You are welcome to sell your entry and it’s likely we’ll shut off registration on July 31, so there should be lots of demand.
All that said, knowing the vast majority of you personally, I know that you’ll all rise to the occasion and embrace the spirit of VOBS 2020 and help us all get through this year the best we can with the positive attitudes so necessary for any successful overlanding mission.
And massive thanks to all our sponsors and vendors and title sponsor Roko Vehicles (https://rokovehicles.com/) for staying in the game this year. You truly know who your friends are in a year like this.
Thx and stay safe!
Peter Vollers, Vermont Overland
