What I love about overlanding

[Ocean_Ranger]

I read the OB founding principles. It was going to be an easy decision for me to pick my favorite. I’m a park ranger so “Leave it better than you found it” was the front runner. Reading them left me contemplating why I love overlanding and I surprised myself.

I love nature and I especially love solitude in nature. With public lands seeing an increase in visitation, I started overlanding to reach more remote destinations in the hope of finding more solitude. And yet, my favorite memories come from interactions with wonderful overlanders out on the trail.

With each passing month, societies seem more and more divided. Engaging each other with respect and curiosity rather than judgement has become more difficult.

What I love about overlanding is the community. Sharing a pot of coffee and a plate of cookies nurtures kindness and creates a connection. These moments bring us all together. It is pretty awesome. Thank you to all who contribute kindness on the trail and in the forums.

“Engage in the smallest of interactions” is far and away my favorite OB founding principle. What do you love about overlanding?

 

[Ubiety]

Wow, good question - don't have a single favorite that comes to mind right now... Connection with nature, taking the road less traveled, connecting with people in rural places, getting away from the city and its entrapments. Thank you for the food for thought!

 

[Shakes355]

I had a much longer response hashed out but it started to get all mushy, so this is what I'll say.

The natural environment provides me a level of comfort and peace that I cannot achieve elsewhere. Seeking out those places less traveled affords me the opportunity not only to access it, but also to share in that experience with others without pretence or performance.

 

[John and Mandi]

The people.

While we love nature, the far away places, and all of the freedom...after 7 years of fulltime overlanding we can unequivocally say it always comes down to the people.

 

[grubworm]

what i love about "overlanding" is that its the only opportunity i get to experience the joys of pop-top foods....not allowed to eat this shit at home!

 

[DintDobbs]

@Ocean_Ranger My favorite thing about overlanding (in its various forms!) would have to be the environments and systems of the world.

God made an awesome world for us to enjoy, and what do most of us do, but spend all of our time at work so we can afford to live in climate-controlled homes, drive climate-controlled cars, and eat climate-controlled foods... nah! That's not life! Get out, get dirty, get rained on, sweat, freeze. See the animals and plants. Watch the world refresh itself as the seasons cycle. This is the magnificent reality of the "mundane" world in which we live, and yet the hardest thing to do is make the time to slow down enough to even experience it.

 

[walkabout_ca]

Along the same lines, for me it's the breadth of experiences, from seeing new places and meeting like-minded but diverse people, to learning new skills and becoming more resilient. Planning and problem solving is just as much part of it as simply enjoying a great meal in the splendid outdoors.

 

[tjZ06]

I suppose Overlanding is the counter-point to the rest of my life, and my prior hobbies. I work in tech, I live in Las Vegas but often work in the Silicon Valley. I've raced cars in the past (hence the screen-name) and am/was very big into Glamis and crazy sand rails, big RVs, etc. etc. Overlanding is where I find peace these days, and honestly has almost completely replaced the sand rails, big RVs etc. to the extent that I sold the RV and am working on selling the sand rail and RZR.

-TJ

 

[billum v2.0]

Three of the best things in life (IMHO)........

Road Trip:
My home state is ranked 48th in public space. Excellent for filling the world's dinner table (corn/soybeans/hogs/cattle), lacking in topography/parks of any note. Road trips were instilled at an early age and the call has only gotten stronger over the decades. Anticipatory giddiness is still a thing into my 6th decade. Who'd a guessed? Thank you, Pops.

Unimproved/unspoiled places in all the senses:
If fortunate/timing right, prefer the remote places to camp//hike/ride with the biggest improvement being an old stone fire ring. No pit toilets, no showers, no hookups (electrical hookups, gentlemen. I'm of the age that the word only has that meaning). No concessions, no nothing. Night skies that remind me exactly how unimportant my comings and goings on this planet/existence in this universe is and never fail to take a breath away. Coyotes "screaming". A lone elk an impossible distance away, yet his bugle sounds right next door in the still night air at 10,000. ft.

Solitude:
My work life is filled to overflowing with people. Good, Bad, Right, Wrong, Easy, Hard. When away, I want all the way away. The concept escapes our grandkids (aren't you lonely/scared/etc.) and most adults (aren't you lonely/scared/etc.). I've backpacked going on............yikes.........a long time. Finding that type of solitude is harder in a vehicle, but it's possible.

 

[Dilldog]

I'm a bit different, I view "overlanding" as simply getting out of your normal life. I certainly love the woods, but I also love road tripping to see a concert in a big city.
So I guess I'm also a big fan of the little interactions, probably one of the reasons why I love ham radio so much as well...