What happened to all the true adventurers?

[Herkjerk]

Sad to say but this article speaks so much truth about this community. I hate even using the term "overland" it's been ruined an over used by the posers out here with trick trucks that post pics from that one time in Alabama hills two years ago every week to keep the ratings up. You know who you are!

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/do-it-for-the-gram-how-social-media-ruined-overlanding/

Sent with tin cans and paper footballs!

 

[chuckoverland]

The guy who wrote that is obviously better than everyone else..... he said hes 28 and bags on millenials too.
A thread like this pops up every couple of months here, always descends into poop flinging.
Everyones got a right to their own opinion. But the holier than thou attitude bugs me. New people gotta start somewhere.

 

[Road]

This has been talked about and bantered back & forth in other threads and in private.

It's his opinion, and he has a right to it. He lost his credibility with me, though, as I wrote there in a comment, when he says the members of ExPo--of which I've been a member longer than I have here--"were the pioneers of overlanding."

I don't use the term overland much either, never really have, and typically say travel back country, cross-country, gone on an extended camping/road trip, etc.

As for "what happened to all the true adventurers" well, I'm one and am right here, enjoying this community from within, trying to make positive change from within as mod and overseer of the Land Use - Leave It Better Than We Found It Forum, and getting to know those within here, too. I've been a long-distance traveler, wanderer, and solo adventurer since I was fifteen.

There have been several of those kind of articles, about social media and new groups ruining this or that, and there always will be. There always has been, any time there's a new crowd, new class coming in at school, new crop of workers on the job, whatever it might be. Those who complain instead of getting involved and doing something positive about it, well, are just complaining and not doing anything positive about it!

Might make themselves feel better for the moment, but it doesn't really bring anything new to light, doesn't solve anything, and most importantly doesn't propose any solutions, either, which he did absolutely none of.

If folks here have strong feelings about it, go leave a comment on the nitto article page (why on earth would they publish something so potentially divisive? Pushes me away, not towards, their products) and let him know.

You have a right to your opinions, too. If you choose to post there, be calm, be measured, state facts, not supposition, and don't write checks with your mouth that your ass can't cash.


.

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

That's a real hot take there... What do I know, though, I'm definitely a poser, it's right there in my name. hashtagpatchesallovermyheadliner, hashtagwhere'sAlabamaHills?

 

[trailspinTV]

"Overlanding" is becoming commercialized, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. You can keep your eyes on the (off)road and enjoy yourself, or you can get worked up because a 23 year old has more expensive equipment than you. If the author of that article is upset that these "noobs" are using the term "overland", he should get over it and fast. He's probably already lost, as you can sense the negativity seeping into his thoughts more and more as the article went on.

Lately I've been comparing it to the rave scene. I started going to underground parties in 99 when all of the "old school" ravers where already saying it was "over". Events were picking up in numbers, pushing 15 to 20 thousand people at events that used to be small, intimate, and unknown. There was massive resistance, and as a result, the old schoolers didn't instill any of their knowledge into the newcomers because they viewed them as some sort of virus. They grew bitter, and divisive. As a result, the rave scene collapsed and it became nearly impossible to attract more than a few hundred people to an event having to do with "techno" or "rave" music. 10 years later, major corporations coined the term "EDM" (electronic dance music) and began funding massive festivals. Millennials rejoiced - old schoolers continued scoffing. The new "EDM" scene was massively successful, made tons of money, and is still the oversaturated pile of dog shit it became because the newbies didn't have any of the cores values that should have been taught to them by the veterans.

The world's population is booming, and overlanding is something new and fresh that hasn't been ruined yet. The masses are coming. We're nowhere near the level of commercialization and bastardizing it will reach in the future yet. You have two choices - either embrace the new and pass your knowledge down while still having a good time, or be the divisive "keeper of the gate" that doesn't want to share his sandbox. I will say that this community has taught me things I would not have learned if I just built my rig and blasted into the wilderness with my smartphone and social media accounts in tow. I plan to set a good example, and that's all you really can do. Writing finger-pointing and noob-bashing articles like this only set the tone of division for the inevitable influx of new people coming in.

 

[Herkjerk]

This has been talked about and bantered back & forth in other threads and in private.

It's his opinion, and he has a right to it. He lost his credibility with me, though, as I wrote there in a comment, when he says the members of ExPo--of which I've been a member longer than I have here--"were the pioneers of overlanding."

I don't use the term overland much either, never really have, and typically say travel back country, cross-country, gone on an extended camping/road trip, etc.

As for "what happened to all the true adventurers" well, I'm one and am right here, enjoying this community from within, trying to make positive change from within as mod and overseer of the Land Use - Leave It Better Than We Found It Forum, and getting to know those within here, too.
Been a long-distance traveler, wanderer, solo adventurer since 15.

There have been several of those kind of articles, about social media and new groups ruining this or that, and there always will be. There always has been, any time there's a new crowd, new class coming in at school, new crop of workers on the job, whatever it might be. Those who complain instead of getting involved and doing something positive about it, well, are just complaining and not doing anything positive about it!

Might make themselves feel better for the moment, but it doesn't really bring anything new to light, doesn't solve anything, and most importantly doesn't propose any solutions, either, which he did absolutely none of.

If folks here have strong feelings about it, go leave a comment on the nitto article page (why on earth would they publish something so potentially divisive? Pushes me away, not towards, their products) and let him know.

You have a right to your opinions, too. Be calm, be measured, state facts, not supposition, don't write checks with your mouth that your ass can't cash.


.

You bring up a lot of valid points. But in the end you can't really fix this issue. It's more of a cultural thing now and is what it is. I've debadged my truck as the overland bound community is not what I hoped for. There's always a few that are solid old school drivers but with the outbreak of social media it's flooding with pretentious posers. It's gone the way of the adventure motorcycle scene. I guess in the end I'll just stick to my solo travels and not let the things I can't change bug me.

Sent with tin cans and paper footballs!

 

[Herkjerk]

"Overlanding" is becoming commercialized, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. You can keep your eyes on the (off)road and enjoy yourself, or you can get worked up because a 23 year old has more expensive equipment than you. If the author of that article is upset that these "noobs" are using the term "overland", he should get over it and fast. He's probably already lost, as you can sense the negativity seeping into his thoughts more and more as the article went on.

Lately I've been comparing it to the rave scene. I started going to underground parties in 99 when all of the "old school" ravers where already saying it was "over". Events were picking up in numbers, pushing 15 to 20 thousand people at events that used to be small, intimate, and unknown. There was massive resistance, and as a result, the old schoolers didn't instill any of their knowledge into the newcomers because they viewed them as some sort of virus. They grew bitter, and divisive. As a result, the rave scene collapsed and it became nearly impossible to attract more than a few hundred people to an event having to do with "techno" or "rave" music. 10 years later, major corporations coined the term "EDM" (electronic dance music) and began funding massive festivals. Millennials rejoiced - old schoolers continued scoffing. The new "EDM" scene was massively successful, made tons of money, and is still the oversaturated pile of dog shit it became because the newbies didn't have any of the cores values that should have been taught to them by the veterans.

The world's population is booming, and overlanding is something new and fresh that hasn't been ruined yet. The masses are coming. We're nowhere near the level of commercialization and bastardizing it will reach in the future yet. You have two choices - either embrace the new and pass your knowledge down while still having a good time, or be the divisive "keeper of the gate" that doesn't want to share his sandbox. I will say that this community has taught me things I would not have learned if I just built my rig and blasted into the wilderness with my smartphone and social media accounts in tow. I plan to set a good example, and that's all you really can do. Writing finger-pointing and noob-bashing articles like this only set the tone of division for the inevitable influx of new people coming in.

I'll be the one not sharing my sandbox. The world isn't getting any bigger. A perfect example of over exploitaion that I've seen is some hidden gems in Death Valley. In the past few years there's been a massive boom in users do to social media. Im not upset because someone has more money than me. I just have that self made, do it yourself pride which a lot of my generation lacks. You are right though, you can change with the tide or cling to the rocks. I'll cling to the rocks as long as I can.

Sent with tin cans and paper footballs!

 

[Road]

You bring up a lot of valid points. But in the end you can't really fix this issue. It's more of a cultural thing now and is what it is. I've debadged my truck as the overland bound community is not what I hoped for. There's always a few that are solid old school drivers but with the outbreak of social media it's flooding with pretentious posers. It's gone the way of the adventure motorcycle scene. I guess in the end I'll just stick to my solo travels and not let the things I can't change bug me.

Sent with tin cans and paper footballs!

Thank you. I hope you keep your account here and stop in from time to time to see what active members are doing. Might surprise you, or you may feel the same, but know you're welcome here.

Personally, I'd like you to stick around and do some posts about solo adventuring on a bike - that's something we don't have much of, if at all, here, but that is a big part of overland adventures around the world, and of the Overland Expos, for example. Huge bike crowd, all good people.

You might be interested, by the way, in the insta account of @TacBike - "Australian Kid riding 50 United States and Canada alone on a DR650." We talked back and forth a bit as he's wandered around North America.

Good luck, @Herkjerk, and don't be a stranger. Think about writing something for us about solo adventuring.

Dry roads and open skies to you,

Road


.

 

[36degreesNorth]

My big take away is while more people may be doing it for the gram fame there are a a fair number embracing the wanderlust that many of our parents didn't have. I was a lucky one getting to see most of the United Stated before I was 16. As recently as of a few weeks ago I have meet people in their 60s who have never even left the state they live in. If those social media posts helps get one more person to explore beyond their own back yard all the better. Right now the outdoors and wild places are cool. They are always under threat from closures to development a few more voices trying to help preserve that isnt a bad thing in my eyes.

Sure the thing is all commercialized now but in the same breath that means more options, more access to gear that may have not been with in reach a few years ago.

Put me in the camp that was inspired to get back into traveling, off roading, and the like after seeing some of these places on platforms like Instagram youtube ect.

signed a 30 something

 

[Road]

My big take away is while more people may be doing it for the gram fame there are a a fair number embracing the wanderlust that many of our parents didn't have. I was a lucky one getting to see most of the United Stated before I was 16. As recently as of a few weeks ago I have meet people in their 60s who have never even left the state they live in. If those social media posts helps get one more person to explore beyond their own back yard all the better. Right now the outdoors and wild places are cool. They are always under threat from closures to development a few more voices trying to help preserve that isnt a bad thing in my eyes.

Sure the thing is all commercialized now but in the same breath that means more options, more access to gear that may have not been with in reach a few years ago.

Put me in the camp that was inspired to get back into traveling, off roading, and the like after seeing some of these places on platforms like Instagram youtube ect.

signed a 30 something

Hey @Irongrave - cool post and great points. A big hearty Welcome to Overland Bound, by the way!

Lots to see and read here, Drew, poke around and make yourself at home. Let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do for you.

Road



.

 

[ScorpioVI]

The "true adventurers":

We can even go back to the people who crossed the Bering strait, but we don't have pictures from back then.

People need to get over themselves. You aren't the first to go explorin' and you won't be the last. Yes, the power of social media is such that it opens up the possibilities of the outdoors to anybody with a smart phone (which is damn near everybody these days) where in the past people needed to crack open specific related magazines or books. And yes with that is the influx of people that haven't quite figured out how anything works, bristling with enthusiasm more than experience.

Maybe the path forward is to help instead of hinder, educate instead of ridicule. Tread kindly. Tread lightly.

One of Overland Bound's core principles is "Overlanding is for everyone". Seems pretty simple to me. If you don't like it I'm sure there are other, more "elite", communities out there.

 

[Traveling Together]

If they were still posting pics from that one time in the Alabama hills 2 years ago then they wouldn't be out there crowding up your favorite trail or campsite and it probably wouldn't bother you, but they are out there having their own adventures and hopefully learning along the way. They have just as much of a right to it as us.
You can't stop it. The global population is growing. People will continue to spread and our wild lands will continue to shrink, but we are fortunate enough to still have wild places out there during our life time, so if your old favorite spot is overrun with dudes taking selfies next to their tires then don't stop there. Go further. Explore more. If you are a "true adventurer" as the title suggests then blaze your own trail, don't tell anyone else know about it, and maybe you'll have it to yourself for a couple years before the graders come through.

 

[Terex]

If you're not at this level of adventure, you're dead to me as a true overlander. ;)

The Worst Journey in the World, by Apsley Cherry-Garrard.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14363/14363-h/14363-h.htm

 

[chuckoverland]

"Overlanding" is becoming commercialized, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. You can keep your eyes on the (off)road and enjoy yourself, or you can get worked up because a 23 year old has more expensive equipment than you. If the author of that article is upset that these "noobs" are using the term "overland", he should get over it and fast. He's probably already lost, as you can sense the negativity seeping into his thoughts more and more as the article went on.

Lately I've been comparing it to the rave scene. I started going to underground parties in 99 when all of the "old school" ravers where already saying it was "over". Events were picking up in numbers, pushing 15 to 20 thousand people at events that used to be small, intimate, and unknown. There was massive resistance, and as a result, the old schoolers didn't instill any of their knowledge into the newcomers because they viewed them as some sort of virus. They grew bitter, and divisive. As a result, the rave scene collapsed and it became nearly impossible to attract more than a few hundred people to an event having to do with "techno" or "rave" music. 10 years later, major corporations coined the term "EDM" (electronic dance music) and began funding massive festivals. Millennials rejoiced - old schoolers continued scoffing. The new "EDM" scene was massively successful, made tons of money, and is still the oversaturated pile of dog shit it became because the newbies didn't have any of the cores values that should have been taught to them by the veterans.

The world's population is booming, and overlanding is something new and fresh that hasn't been ruined yet. The masses are coming. We're nowhere near the level of commercialization and bastardizing it will reach in the future yet. You have two choices - either embrace the new and pass your knowledge down while still having a good time, or be the divisive "keeper of the gate" that doesn't want to share his sandbox. I will say that this community has taught me things I would not have learned if I just built my rig and blasted into the wilderness with my smartphone and social media accounts in tow. I plan to set a good example, and that's all you really can do. Writing finger-pointing and noob-bashing articles like this only set the tone of division for the inevitable influx of new people coming in.

Excellent comparison

 

[Lindenwood]

I've debadged my truck as the overland bound community is not what I hoped for. There's always a few that are solid old school drivers but with the outbreak of social media it's flooding with pretentious posers.

While life keeps me much more bound than I'd like, I still support OB almost exclusively for the positive messages they promote about being curious outdoorspeople, rather than for any feeling of being part of an elite or advanced adventuring club. As I recall, even the OB creaters themselves were BMW-driving city folk before re-discovering the outdoors through vehicle-dependent travel!

 

[MA_Trooper]

Sad to say but this article speaks so much truth about this community. I hate even using the term "overland" it's been ruined an over used by the posers out here with trick trucks that post pics from that one time in Alabama hills two years ago every week to keep the ratings up. You know who you are!

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/do-it-for-the-gram-how-social-media-ruined-overlanding/

Sent with tin cans and paper footballs!

To be fair, the term "overlanding" was ruined when we adventurers took it from the cattle drivers of the Australian outback... but I guess that's splitting hairs... If there is one thing I've learned about being an elitist (I used to be a major one and still have the tendencies) it's that elitists tend to create the demise of their own sport. If you discourage folks from doing it, nobody replaces the current generation of people doing it. Fly fishing had this happen years ago, but due to communities of fly fishermen (and Lefty Kreh, RIP) welcoming new comers, its making a comeback. A side effect of more fly fishermen (fishermen in general) is more people give a shit and fight to protect the resources they use. Hunting is going through this right now. I agree that social media causes an explosion of people trying to cash in on the quick pics that boost their viewership. But that doesn't last.

 

[Kent R]

I usually don't reply to threads like this but I just cant help myself.

Personally I don't care what we call it, Overlanding, off roading, wheeling, car camping and so on. If you don't like what its becoming or whats on any of the multiple forums you need to adjust your filter.

When I was a teenager we didn't have any of the new labels to describe what we did it was just "going camping" and our old 4x4 trucks is how we got there. I was lucky to have a solid group of friends who brought me into the sport and showed me all the tricks of the trade. So thank you Marshal Comstock for that.

So the only advice I can give to those that are upset with what is happening in this sport is to ignore the stuff that irritates you and find the real good stuff and learn from it. I honestly learn something new every day on this forum, I use it as a resource. I try to filter out the stuff that is meaningless to me such as the article mentioned in the first post. Maybe its just an old guy attitude but it works for me.

 

[David C Gibbs]

I read this article twice...
I'm not 100% sure, what the point he was trying to make. He seems to think that "some people" are ruining a sport or tradition, by using snapchat or Instagram. What's funny is he used the term "Old School"... My 1988 62 Series LandCruiser, which I bought new, has over 300K and is 2 Years older than he is.

The Mrs. & I have driven and off-roaded in every state, except Hawaii. We have been out for 3+ weeks at a time, spent 2 weeks camping in the rain, in Oregon. So my perspective is different than his. I grew-up into the Off-highway travel & camping world, well before the Roof-top Tents, Tow behinds, and custom stuff. As an Old Boy Scout - I know how read a compass and Topo map, build a fire in the rain, Self rescue because I made a bone-headed mistake.

Time for another cup of coffee, and get back to work...

Addendum added 16:43 MST, 6-2-18; Since I wrote the above, The Mrs & I have put 1800+ mile round-trip on our butts, a quick 3 days in Flagstaff. Holy cow - the Expo has more than doubled in size in 2 years. It was good to see old friends, make new ones. We went down with the expectation to make a couple buying decisions. Now we are back to the drawing board, calculator and staging. We are planning a Near-term, Middle-term, and Retirement stage.
Time for a ice-cold Beer, after working in the yard for 5 hours.

 

[chuckoverland]

Social media is meant to be addictive. Younger people are easy prey to it. This forum and a couple obscure live radio apps are as close as i get to any of it. Deleted faceballz years ago. Their algorithms tailor make your feed and they openly admitted years ago that they were testing its ability to manipulate users moods. Im sure instagram and snapchat can and do the same.
Food for thought.....

 

[smritte]

I agree with with everyone who posted on this to a point including the OP. What I will add is everyone needs to open their eye's a bit and step back. What was written in the article is something that I have watched my whole life. People like to do new things and when they do, they like to either be the first or be the best. Mostly though, it starts with a "Wow, look at that".

Since I was a teenager, I have managed to get involved with different hobbies. I started rock climbing and back packing in the 70's then got scuba certified. Stopped diving because the areas I went were too crowded. Didn't realize I got in during a "fad". Went back to climbing and saw the same. The place I went mostly was getting crowded. "Fad" again. During this time I owned a Datsun mini truck. Got into a "mini truck club" There were trucks everywhere. We would go to the events and see hundreds of trucks. I remember one of my club members commenting how the new people don't have the respect he use to see. Just about the same time we learned about a new thing called "paint ball" I played it off and on and one day realized how many people were playing it and that "Camo" was a new fad.
I have watched this happen at the river, the sand dunes, rock crawling, back packing....... The people who started in these hobbies years earlier are offended by watching their private hobby get popular.

The point here is every thing I have been involved in has become popular sooner or later. Then these new people mostly shift to the next "fad". The people who were in the sport/hobby early are offended by the new "posers" who just don't get it. The new people are offended by how rude the veterans of the sport are.
Has anyone seen all the comments a few years back about the "RUDE JK OWNERS" not doing the Jeep Wave??? They are not real off roaders. They have...have...LIGHT BARS! LOTS OF THEM!! OMG the sport is ruined. Quick blog about it.

I recently went on my annual Mojave Road trip. There was a group of Side by Sides all decked out with camping gear. One of the people I met later, saw them and commented how they shouldn't be allowed and their ruining it for everyone. What I saw was a group of people driving the trail and camping just like me. This guy I met was pissed because he has been driving this trail for years and these were something new. I bet he went home and did a 3 page blog about it. Its probably linked in a side by side forum and talked about.

Social media has not ruined anything, people have. They are offended and now they try to make a name by bashing. Remember most people like to read bad things and if the article was written in a positive way, his site would not have gotten the number of visits and he wouldn't make as much money on the advertisers.

Ask your self, what is overlanding? Its a word that means what? Camping, traveling dirt roads, picnicking, going somewhere and getting away? How many of you have been doing this for decades? Who cares who is the first to use a new word that means something we have been doing forever. Who cares that others try it and find it's not for them.

Get out, have fun and don't hate the new people. I have been having fun doing this sport (and others) my whole life. Most of us will still be doing this when others figure out it's not for them and move on including the blog guy.


Scott