A MIDWEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PUBLICATION
NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES DECEMBER 2020
OVERLANDING OBSERVATIONS WANDERING DRIFTLESS GIFT GUIDE TOP PICKS THRU SMOKE & ASH THE GEAR BUNKER MEANDERING RUN WINTER CAMPING
Click here for th e Hol iday Gift G uide
contents 4
The Gear Bunker
6
Wandering Driftless
14 Meandering Run 18 Gift Guide Top Pics 22 Thru Smoke & Ash 30 Overlanding Observations 40 Winter Camping PHOTO BY CINDY POPE Northology Adventures Magazine has made all efforts to make sure that content is accurate on the date of publication. The views expressed reflect the author(s) opinions and are not necessarily the views of the publisher or editor. All content is published in a good faith. Northology Adventures does not guarantee or accept liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by this magazine or errors in the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers.All rights reserved and nothing can be partially or in whole be reprinted or reproduced without a written consent. By using links in this magazine, you acknowledge that and agree that Northology cannot be held responsible and shall not be liable for content of other websites and advertisements.
CINDY POPE Publisher Hello again...
I don't want to see any more littering, bad behavior or monoliths. I trust our readers to set good examples and use the opportunity to educate our fellow travelers when we can. As always, let me know if you have a story to tell, pictures to share, or have a related business and want to connect with this community. You can always reach me at info.northologyadventures@gmail.com.
Well, what a year this has been. 2020 is coming to a close but I get the feeling that 2021 will be more of the same. More people getting out and exploring, more innovation in the industry to meet the needs and demands of travelers, and increased See you on the trail! interest in remote, distant locations. -Cindy
THE ALL-IN-ONE MICROLITE JAVAPRESS FROM GSI OUTDOORS A recent trip to Appalachia to compete in the Red Clay Rally offered a perfect setting to test a new piece of kit from the folks at GSI Outdoors. After waking up in a frost covered tent, especially when it’s below freezing, the first thing on my mind is a hot cup of coffee. Well, maybe it’s the second thing on my mind after a quick pitstop in the woods. Coffee not only warms my body, it jump-starts my brain so I can focus on the tasks ahead. During this grueling 3 day 700 mile Overland Rally, my duties as co-driver in the lead vehicle were navigation and communications. So being focused was crucial. To expedite the process of ingesting life-giving caffeine, I utilized the new MicroLite JavaPress from GSI Outdoors. READ THE FULL STORY ON THE GEAR BUKER WEBSITE
Thanks again for a great event
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WANDERING DRIFTLESS The right tools help us keep our ducks all in a row on a gravel road ride in the Northwest Illinois Driftless Area By Cindy Pope photo: Derick Angara
photo: Derick Angara
photo: Derick Angara
I had no idea how this was going to play out. I had seen the number of rsvps grow over the ten days since I posted a last-minute event in the Illinois Overlanders facebook group. Northern Illinois does not have much in the way of offroad fun but I thought that a ride to Galena and back on the back roads would at least be something to do besides clean the gutters or organize the garage. What the heck, I scheduled for the group to meet at The Norwegian brunch pub (recently turned skandi market, thanks, covid) and trusted google translate to give me the Norwegian translation for "gravel road trip." Grus Biltur 2020 was born. I had expected that the late notice and potentially boring route would attract maybe a dozen bored souls like me but the "going" list grew to 40+ and at that point I felt like I had better order stickers for the flairaddicted overlanders planning to show up.
photo: Cindy Pope
The day was crisp and grey as I pulled into a parking lot full of overland and off-road vehicles of all kinds. After some socializing and a quick radio check we were off. Mark and Merri Morrall of Wanderlost Overland and my brother, Eric Piper had been pressed into service and would serve as the tail of this 40 vehicle convoy. I also asked Dovydas Sungaila to be my go-between with the CB equipped folks since we were using GMRS only and he had both. Wrangling a convoy in the city is way different than on an off-road trail. I have lead trail rides for Wisconsin Jeep Owners Group, Wisconsin Overland and for my own adventure travel business, but never this many, and never this far. The traffic lights did nothing to ease my stress. In the end, we managed to stay together thanks to the radio communication and the GPS tracks that I had shared ahead of time. We weaved back and forth across the Stagecoach Trail on gravel and a bit of two-track, stopped for a few photo ops, less-than-spotless porta-potties, the very quaint and quirky Council Hill Station (sorry about that one, guys) and ended up in Galena just about an hour before dark. I had severely underestimated the extra time that 39 extra vehicles would take on the trail and we had only completed half of the route.
photo: Mark Morrall
"THIS PROVES YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ON AN EPIC "OVERLAND" TRIP OR CRAWLING OVER HUGE BOULDERS TO HAVE A PLEASANT DAY WITH FRIENDS.". -MARK MORRALL
THE STAGECOACH TRAIL The Galena–Chicago trail was a stagecoach route located in northern Illinois that ran from the mid-to-late 1830s until 1854.[1] As indicated by its name, the route linked Chicago, located in the northeast of the state, with Galena which was located in the lead mining district of the northwest. The Chicago-Galena trail includes the "Stagecoach Trail" that runs between Galena and Lena, Illinois. East of Lena the stage route follows U.S. Route 20 and Business U.S. Route 20 through Eleroy, Freeport and Rockford to Belvidere. This road began as the old State Road number 2 established on 15 January 1836 and laid out by June 1837
MODERN TECHNOLOGY ON THE
STAGECOACH TRAIL "What could have been an uncontrollable mess with that many people, was avoided by shared GPS tracks and great communication, thanks to GMRS radios from Midland USA," says Mark Morrall of Wanderlost Overland.
Cindy and Chad were in the lead vehicle and use a MidlandUSA MXT400 mobile unit and loaned out a pair of XTalker T51VP3 handhelds. Mark and Merri use a MidlandUSA MXT275 mobile unit and a pair of XTalker-t290vp4 handhelds. Many others in the convoy had GMRS radios, and Dovydas Sungaila was our man in the middle with a GMRS and CB to pass along any info to those who would not be able to hear the lead or rear vehicles. Dovydas also rounded up folks at the end of the day to do the return, off-pavement segment of the route that we did not have time to complete. Eric Piper assisted Mark and Merri at the end of the convoy and provided local historical commentary throughout the day.
photo: Mark Morrall
photo: Merri Morrall
Cindy provided the group with a Gaia GPS route ahead of time so that participants could research beforehand, or use to find their way if they got separated from the convoy. The MidlandUSA radios performed flawlessly and the Gaia GPS route took the stress out of leading what was at times, a convoy that stretched out for two miles. Thanks Gaia & Midland! Find out more about MidlandUSA radios Save up to 50% off Gaia Premium
“WE
GOT
OUR
DUCKS
IN
A
ALL
ROW.�
-MARK
MORRALL
Looking back, the tools we used to enhance our experience made all the difference. We are going to finish the second half of the route in December and I am not nearly as nervous about the size of the group as I was last time! And I cannot say enough about how friendly, patient and enthusiastic everyone was the first time around, the folks in the Illinois Overlanders group are quality people and I can't wait to see everyone again. Special thanks to Eric, Dovydas, Mark, Merri, my husband Chad, The Norwegian, Derick Angara and Maurice De Lanee of Illinois Overlanders.
photo: Mark Morrall
photo: Cindy Pope
photo: Juan Cruz
THE DRIFTLESS AREA The Driftless Area is a region in southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and the extreme northwestern corner of Illinois. The region escaped the flattening effects of glaciation during the last ice age and is consequently characterized by steep, forested ridges, deeply carved river valleys, and karst geology characterized by springfed waterfalls and cold-water trout streams. Ecologically, the Driftless Area's flora and fauna are more closely related to those of the Great Lakes region and New England than those of the broader Midwest and central Plains regions. The rugged terrain is due both to the lack of glacial deposits, or drift, and to the incision of the upper Mississippi River and its tributaries into bedrock. -Wikipedia
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MEANDERING RUN ELWOOD TOAST
@CoffeeToastRunner
This month I thought I would share random thoughts with you. A true meanderingrun column. I'm a Salomon gear fanboy. My trail shoes of choice are the Speedcross 5 and my road shoes the Confidence. Problem is the size doesn't transfer from the Speedcross over to the Confidence pair so I bought the wrong size from their website (no local dealer). Solution? I wear thicker socks when running roads. They are super comfy. I'm in the process of copying my entire CD collection to a Western Digital 2 network drive. This is a tedious process but once I'm finished I'll be able to listen to my entire music library using our Sonos system and my local music library. This forces me to open each and every CD in my collection but I've discovered cool artwork and artist information in them that I'd forgotten about.
I don't have to tell you that between COVID, restrictions and lockdowns that small businesses are hurting and struggling to survive. We all need to support them every chance we get. The owners and their employees are neighbors of ours who need us to invest in them which in turn invests in our community.
Most magazines include advertising and I have to say that the ads and information in this magazine are outstanding. I've learned quite a bit just by perusing these ads each month and I've discovered some independent dealers through those ads. Please, this Christmas and holiday season make an attempt to financially support your local independent, hometown businesses and the businesses listed in this mag.
My favorite Christmas music artists are Andy Williams and Amy Grant. Stop your snickering. I tried to bring white running socks back into style on Instagram at @coffeetoastrunner but nobody agreed with me. I won't give up. One of my favorite area trail races is the Galena Sky Race, held in Galena Illinois, organized by Ornery Mule Racing. They do a great job of running both the four hour and eight hour course. I've finished the four hour version in 2018 and 2019. Google Galena Sky Race for more info. It's a great time and a beautiful course at Chestnut Mountain Resort.
My iphone battery is slowly dying. It is a model seven. Not that old and I'm unhappy that it is dying already so I'm going to buy another...iPhone. I'm tied into the Apple ecosystem. This Christmas season, buy something you need or don't need. Visit your favorite locally owned coffee shop and order something for yourself and add on a gift card. Send the gift card to a friend or family member via the US Postal Service. Give the shop a cash tip above and beyond the purchase price. Tip your mail delivery person with a gift card from a local business.
Anyone else wear their running gear until it is worn out? Shoes notwithstanding. I replace them every 500 to 600 miles but gloves, hats and tights not so much. My favorite place to run is at Rock Cut State Park in northern Illinois. I can run the road around the lake one day and run the trails the next. Peace and quiet rules the day. I imagine most of our readers follow Northology Adventures magazine as a reference, a way to learn about new products, new places and shiny things. Smart move! Merry Christmas!
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Gift Guide Top Picks Our favorite items from the Northology Adventures Gift Guide
Midland Micromobile MXT 400 GMRS Radio Max out your GMRS performance with the Midland MicroMobileÂŽ MXT400 two-way radio. With 40 Watts of broadcasting power, this radio is the most powerful GMRS radio made by Midland and utilizes 15 GMRS channels and 8 high powered repeater channels.
Baja Designs Squadron Sport The SquadronÂŽ Sport utilizes 4 Cree LEDs producing an impressive 3,150 lumens at 26 watts making it ideal for near field, side/backup and scene lighting application.
Handmade Copper Art 12x14 Great Lakes Abstract Art Oxidized onto Heavy Gauge Copper and Sealed in Crystal Clear Epoxy Resin. This one of a kind piece is framed in barn wood salvaged in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
ADMIT ONE MIDWEST OVERLANDING & OFF ROAD EXPO
MOORE EXPO Tickets Plan your Valentine's Day date early with a ticket to MOOREthe Midwest's only overland & offroad expo in Springfield Mo, February 13 & 14 $20
Artemis Quiver Box Made famous by Front Runner these South African ammo boxes are the perfect way to carry your gear. Comes with either short or tall lids. The Artemis Quiver boxes are compatible with other SA ammo boxes on the market.
TC Teardrops Yakima Road Shower 4 The RoadShower is your trusty sidekick for the convenience of pressurized water in the middle of nowhere. Its dependable attachment to your vehicle or trailer allows you to roam freely. And, while you’re out having fun, the sun heats up the water in the tank. Check the thermometer and you can enjoy a hot sun powered shower.
Drawer Systems from Rugged Bound These overland drawer systems are suited for SUVs and covered pickup beds. Their drawers typically offer the largest storage in the smallest space. Each drawer customized to a specific model vehicle. This results in no turnbuckles, no drilling, optimal use of space and bolted connections to your vehicle.
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thru smoke &ash written by Delia Mo / photography by Enoch Leisure
Overlanding full-time is not always sunshine
We were enjoying our time in the PNW. We
and rainbows. Sometimes we have to
had visited all of the National Parks in
navigate through obstacles that Mother
Washington and made our way into
Nature decides to throw at us. The wildfires
Oregon. On our way south towards Crater
on the West Coast was something we were
Lake NP, we decided to stop by Mt. Hood. It
not expecting to experience first hand. But
was a beautiful day, mostly blue skies, to
we did and we survived! Here’s our story:
ride the Magic Mile Sky Ride from
Timberline Lodge to 7000’ on top of Mt.
Enoch woke me up around 6am to watch
Hood. On our way up we could see the
the sunrise shine on Mt. Hood giving it an
smoke from the forest fires in the distance
orange glow. We took a couple of pictures
but nothing close enough to have us
and fell back asleep. We woke up again
worrying. We took some pictures of the rig
around 8am to start our day. We could still
in front of the mountain and made our way
see Mt. Hood but the surrounding area was
into Mt. Hood Nation Forest to find our
starting to get hazy. I got out of the tent
campsite. As you’ve learned from our
and noticed there was smoke coming in
previous article, we like our free campsites
from below us pretty quickly. We had to get
with the best views, so of course we had to
moving! By 10am, Mt. Hood was completely
have a view of Mt. Hood. We looked at a
covered, but we were all packed up and
few sites that were occupied before
ready to get outta there! We knew about
settling down in our spot. The view was
the White River wildfire that was burning to
perfect and the sun was starting to set
the East of us but a Riverside fire had also
giving us a beautiful mountain silhouette to
started South of the forest just the night
fall asleep to.
before. We were basically driving
Timberline Lodge to 7000’ on top of Mt.
area was starting to get hazy. I got out of
Hood. On our way up we could see the
the tent and noticed there was smoke
smoke from the forest fires in the distance
coming in from below us pretty quickly. We
but nothing close enough to have us
had to get moving! By 10am, Mt. Hood was
worrying. We took some pictures of the rig
completely covered, but we were all
in front of the mountain and made our way
packed up and ready to get outta there!
into Mt. Hood Nation Forest to find our
We knew about the White River wildfire that
campsite. As you’ve learned from our
was burning to the East of us but a
previous article, we like our free campsites
Riverside fire had also started South of the
with the best views, so of course we had to
forest just the night before. We were
have a view of Mt. Hood. We looked at a
basically driving through smoke to get out
few sites that were occupied before
of the forest, and nothing changed when
settling down in our spot. The view was
we got to the main road. All we could see
perfect and the sun was starting to set
around us was smoke, breathing was even
giving us a beautiful mountain silhouette to
starting to get difficult. We drove past the
fall asleep to. Enoch woke me up around
area where we took pictures of the rig in
6am to watch the sunrise shine on Mt. Hood
front of Mt. Hood and blue skies just
giving it an orange glow. We took a couple
yesterday, today it was covered with a
of pictures and fell back asleep. We woke
blanket of smoke with no Mt. Hood in sight.
up again around 8am to start our day. We could still see Mt. Hood but the surrounding
We needed to find refuge, quick!
We met some friends from Oregon while we
The Thielsen fire was burning North of
were in Big Bend NP last year. We called
Crater Lake by Diamond Lake. With fingers
them up and they invited us to stay on their
crossed we decided to stop by Crater Lake
property in Salem. We took advantage of
NP in hopes that the smoke wouldn’t ruin
this opportunity to possibly get away from
the view. Again, our optimism was
the smoke. Things were definitely looking
squashed. We were rerouted off main roads
better on our way south. Our high hopes
due to the fires and again all we could see
were quickly crushed as we got to Salem
while driving was smoke. We got to Crater
and saw that it was just as smokey down
Lake and nothing changed. The whole lake
there. The Beachie Creek fire was bringing
was covered in a thick blanket of smoke.
in smoke from the East but we decided to
We decided we would come back when the
give it a couple of days and if things got
fires die down. Unsure of when that would
worse, we’d move on. Things got worse… A
be, our next step was to figure out where
fire popped up a couple of miles from
we could go in the meantime. We reached
where we were staying, creating an
out to another friend and they invited us to
apocalyptic sky with ash raining down. We
stay at their house in Medford.
monitored the situation, fortunately we didn’t have to evacuate and the firefighters
There was a fire burning South of Medford
were able to contain the fire and put it out
that engulfed the entire town of Ashland.
to smolders. We decided to stay one more
We were so thankful to be indoors, safe and
night and keep moving south after.
away from the smoke. We watched the sky
clear up after a week and we quickly got
warnings that we see in the area. If you see
back on the road. We drove up to Crater
a sign that says “No fires” please respect
Lake again. This time we were able to see
that sign. The main reason we don’t have
all of the sites and the lake’s blue water
fires when we camp is because firewood is
that it’s known for, checking it off of our list.
expensive lol. But also, not having a fire
That’s the only national park in Oregon so it
gives us one less thing to worry about. If you
was time to head down to California.
decide to have a fire in an area where it’s
We breathed in the fresh air as we drove
allowed, remember to always drown your
down the coast towards Redwood National
fire before going to bed or leaving the
Park. The Slater/Devil fire was burning to
campsite. As Smokey says, “Only YOU can
the East of the Redwoods but luckily the
prevent forest fires.”
smoke was kept at bay. We spent a couple of days in the park, driving around the scenic areas and doing some hikes. The next park pon our list was Lassen Volcanic NP which is on the east side. Fingers crossed that as we made our way over, the smoke wouldn’t be too bad. We could see the haze rolling in as we drove towards the park. Things didn’t look too bad when we woke up at the Manzanita Lake campground (dispersed camping was not allowed in Lassen National Forest due to the fires). The sky was a bit hazy but not covered in smoke. We watched the smoke blow in the next couple of days and then blow out on our last day. Luckily, Lassen Peak was visible and we were still able to do some hikes. Next stop, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. I think we might’ve just gotten used to the smoke at this point. Kings Canyon was covered in a thick haze with very poor visibility. We did a couple of hikes in Sequoia National Park in the smoke which we do not recommend. We couldn’t really see anything beyond the smoke and breathing was difficult.
When we’re camping in National Forests or on public lands, we always follow signs and
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December 12/4-6 Wisconsin Overland Xmas Tree
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Hunt, Mountain, WI 12/5 New Holland Overland Winter Wheeling Trip - Sand Lakes Quiet Area, MI
January 1/22-24 Northology Winter Weekend, Copper Harbor, MI
February 2/13-14 MOORE- Midwest Overlanding Off Road Expo, Springfield, MO 2/26-27 Northology Winter Weekend, Copper Harbor, MI
March 3/12-14 Canoecopia (virtual) 3/19-21 Northology Winter Weekend, Copper Harbor, MI
May 5/14-16 Overland Expo West, Flagstaff, AZ
Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition
That is not what ships are built for
AND OTHER OVERLANDING OBSERVATIONS BY DAVID ZEMLA
Late 2019 my sister and I had begun plotting to meet at the Overland Expo in Colorado. She would be coming out of California and had purchased a Gladiator to support the trip. Naturally it had already received a generous application of overland sauce and had been out in the wild within the first 30 days of ownership. I would be rolling out of Wisconsin and recently sold my JK
in favor of a regular cab F250 (hauling and towing had taken priority over wheeling). Text images of her Jeep build fired off some sort of dormant sibling rivalry and within days my desk was littered with bad sketches of bed racks and shovel mounts. By spring I had a cage welded up and my existing RTT teetering on top. The rig measured a nosebleed inducing 8‘ 4” at the top
of the closed up tent. Drive throughs and a garage spot were now things of the past. Mild lift and 37” tires that seemed so important were obviously working against me (OK, I still loved them). By summer a dual spare (doesn’t everyone need 250 pounds of spare tires?) and tool box rack were added to the mix and the whole thing was decorated in enough Amazon sourced LED
lights to make Mr Clause just a little bit proud. Couple of camping trips under its belt and the rig was more than ready for Overland Expo. Then the news came of its cancellation and the very purpose for the build evaporated in one Facebook post. Needless to say I was gutted and ready to move on to other hobbies (adult vehicle ADD is a thing). My wife reminded me of the classic line “ships are safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for” by John A. Shedd as I pouted in the garage. Couple of nights later I stumbled across the Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat and begged my way into the already sold out event. Eight hours from my house in SW Wisconsin, the destination looked amazing enough to justify the windshield time and the UP is certainly known for it’s natural beauty. The rig (now dubbed Trail Whale by the semi sadistic friend group) handled it all pretty well and along the way up I had grabbed a knock off CT70 which as it turned out would serve as the perfect dingy to my overlanding ship.
"the destination looked amazing enough to justify the windshield time"
Emboldened by our success, but rapidly running out of season we came across another Facebook event that promised to help fill the Overland Expo void. Rendezvous in the Ozarks billed itself as the Natural States answer to the overlanding lifestyle. Hosted by Byrd’s Adventure Center (where else, right?) in the Ozark National Forest surrounded by their own 800 acre trail system, kayaking, rafting and oddly enough a grass airstrip that appeared to be a favorite of the local bush pilots. The trip would take two days each way and total over 1500 miles. A pretty serious commitment for an unknown (to me) event, but I was again reminded what ships were built for.
One of the first things I stumbled across after moving to Wisco was the questionably named Trans Wisconsin Adventure Trail. Beginning in Galena, Illinois and meandering all the way to Lake Superior in Wisconsin. The route is quite infamous in this part of the country and replete with downloadable tracks. I had explored the Northern section of this series of connected dirt roads, but had not seen its Southern charms. Naturally a trip to Arkansas was the perfect opportunity to start day one on Trans Wisconsin dirt. It did not disappoint and got me well into Iowa before I had to jump on the highway to make my first campsite before dark (setting up in the dark is my nemesis). First night’s stay was a random selection midway between home and the event and situated in the Finger Lakes State Park in Columbia, Missouri. A seemingly nice looking campground that had showers (their website generously shared each campsites distance in feet from the nearest shower house). Fun twist was a pump track, an MX track and endless single track all connected to the campground which made me realize I may need to spend more time in Missouri. Sadly I was unable to partake in the Show Me State’s dirty goodness as it was sunset and my exit was slated for sunrise. Fun fact, Missouri is bordered by eight states and none other than Walt Disney, Brad Pitt, and Mark Twain hail from our twenty fourth state. Set up was easy, although a bit chilly as a day behind the wheel took its sleepy toll. I was only marginally prepared for the 34 degree night and woke up to a frost covered everything. Not entirely sure this is what ships were built for. The primary lesson here was RTTs are really three season tents (two in the Midwest). Below freezing no matter the quality of sleeping bag is a difficult proposition when surrounded by little more than plastic coated canvas. Packing up had to wait until the layer of ice was removed and the vinyl cover pliant enough to be wrapped around the folded assembly. Not a great start to day two.
The back roads of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas are seemingly the capital of run down mobile homes almost always accompanied by Chevy Squarebodies on blocks. Absolutely lost track of how many of this combination I saw. Otherwise, the scenery was varied and interesting along the way making the second leg of the trip pass pretty quickly. Podcasts and the reassuring drone of 37” knobbies helped as well, or didn’t, I’m not entirely sure. Another alarming observation was the Gas station bathrooms that became progressively worse the further south I traveled with the last few consistently broken. Not sure if that’s an unfortunate trend or just bad luck on my part. The Ladies at the Buffalo Missouri Walmart that helped me pick up another propane bottle were simply lovely, though. Speaking of ladies, my new friend Barbara was barreling down a 55mph two laner with ditches on either side when her front tire blew. By chance I was directly behind her and pulled over as she did. Called 911 to get a cop out to keep her safe (super quick response) and after helping her get in touch with AAA on her flip phone (not kidding) was off to see the wizard. Final section on the Route to the Rendezvous is like a miniature Tail of the Dragon (if you know, you know) with endless tight curves surrounded by beautiful forest. The guys ahead of me on bikes seemed to really enjoy them, my lifted F250 felt otherwise. Arriving at the rendezvous I was presented with a check-in line of 10 or so rigs and plenty of event staff to usher us through. The obligatory patch and sticker were shared and I was pointed towards the camping areas. The facility is massive and we were given a choice between the open “night owl” area and the quieter family section. I opted for the later and trundled along into the already packed campground. Parking was pretty tight for my liking, but got lucky and found an out of the way corner that kept some distance between the next rig and myself. In typical Southern fashion my immediate neighbors all swung by with a pleasant greeting and offers of frosty beverages.
HIKE MAGAZINE As cliche as it may sound the South seems to have a much stronger aptitude towards polite and cordial behavior than many other segments of the US (I’m pointing at you Northeast). Within an hour of deploying the RTT I had a handful of new friends and several recognized the rig from the Full-size Overland Facebook page. Not sure if that’s good or bad. The population consisted of a crazy combination of locals using the facility for UTV and wheeling (somewhat surprised to see us “fancy campers”) and a pretty healthy collection of overland style rigs. The rendezvous folks claimed over 600 vehicles out of 24 states and I tend to believe them. Typical of these sorts of events there was a substantial vendor area that stayed busy all weekend. Guided trail runs were also offered and broken down into difficulty levels that kept most rigs functional post trail ride and seemed to provide endless camp fire stories of conquest and future wheeling strategies. The seminars looked to be sparsely attended, but
that may also have been a by-product of a CV19 nervous world. The variety of rigs was amazing. From beater square body Cherokees pulling mini truck bed trailers to six figure sprinters and an RTT population rivaling the Off-road Expo in Pomona. Really loving the creativity of the adventure trailer segment as well. No longer constrained to the teardrop shape, these rigs look to be a viable solution that allows for easy day trips (an unfortunate downside of the rig mounted RTT) and minimal tow weight. I spent part of the evening sketching a potential future build. Another fun twist is the younger demographic of overlanding. Fair number of the attendees were under 40, many with kids in tow and lots sporting the obligatory adventure dog. I’m a marketing guy by trade, so stuff like this jumps out and is likely a positive sign for the future of companies focused on the space. With epic scenery, some fantastic people and overland rig eye candy for days, I’ll call this one a success.
Gear Up The low buck Walmart bought (and
apparently certified bear resistant) cooler made the entire 5 day trip on the original 10lbs of ice. It had a bit of an advantage in that it never saw temps over 70 and several nights bounced around the freezing mark, but overall I’d give it a 9/10 losing a point because the textured exterior is ridiculously hard to keep clean.
Camp Setting
Cooking gear included a basic little BBQ and the obligatory two burner Coleman stove. Both are stalwarts of my camping kit and both handled this trip in the no frills utility style they were designed for. 9/10
RTT
The gen 1 Smittybilt RTT is on its second vehicle and 5th season, with little indication it won’t go another five. This is the first summer I’ve left it on the rig for the duration and the vinyl cover seems to be getting flappy in the wind. Can’t decide if that’s an operator error or a sign of pending failure. An email to the Smittybilt folks was met with a quick response, part number and pricing. Suspect I may pull the trigger before next season. Only real mod has been a mattress pad placed under the factory unit for a bit of extra cushion (very effective). Lesson learned on this trip would certainly be temperature tolerance. Not entirely the tents fault (I get it, it’s a tent and not really designed for freezing temps), but the flap at the hinge allowed for a significant cold air duct that did not help during the first chilly night. Still, I’d give it a 8/10 Next up is my garage built rack. 1.75” mild steel tube mounted to the factory bed pockets, the rack is more than sturdy and even if I do say so myself, looks the part. Added bonus is the jungle gym bar layout that allows for excellent footing while setting up the RTT seven plus feet in the air (if I die prematurely, it may be during a setup/tear down and my middle aged level of flexibility causes an unfortunate fall). The LED lighting wiring runs inside the tubes and awning mount and roof rack are all very sturdy. Points off for not so pretty welds and a few runs laid down during the Tractor Supply paint job. 7/10
Storage
Plano boxes are a favorite of ours for their sturdiness and water proof nature. A regular cab rig means most stuff has to be in the bed and these things have been great. I have one set up as the kitchen with all utilities and dry goods and it gets used a ton. This trip I did notice the latches were less positively engaged unless they were overstuffed. A potentially serious problem at 75mph in the back of a truck. I can’t remember how old they are, so there’s a possibility they may just be at the end of their usable life. 8/10
Getting around
The knock off CT70 is an ideal sidekick, loads easy and manages to haul my 200lb ass around sprawling campsites with ease. This one was chosen largely for its ability to fit under the bed rack and low marketplace price tag. The only flaws being a small rear luggage rack that’s not great for fetching firewood and it lacks passenger pegs (for now), so let’s say it gets a 7/10
Keeping warm Mr. Heater Buddy was a last minute purchase that probably prevented certain hypothermia. Fire inside a tent is almost always a bad plan, which necessitated lighting it up, enjoying the results and then shutting it down and hoping some of the luxurious warmth stuck around. A 1:00am redux seemed to indicate it did not. The first and last nights of this trip were spent in a traditional campground and little Buddy embarrassingly came with me to the head and shower with excellent results. 10/10
The rig The F250 was purchased and built specifically for the cancelled Colorado Overland Expo, but has seen a fair amount of adventures this summer in spite of a rampant cancel culture. Super low buck regular cab gasser made the buy-in very palatable and to keep it from seeming too responsible I added a few inch lift and 37” tires wrapped around 17” Method wheels. Inexpensive 37s are always a gamble (assuming “round” is a priority for tires) and they did well for the first 10k miles, but seem to be giving up the ghost as we near 15k together. The lovely Method wheels are now littered with enough lead to poison your local trout stream and it’s still not quite enough. Lots of points for a solid, reliable platform, some deductions for questionable rubber and height decisions. 8/10
TRAILS END CAMPGROUND
14203 M26 Copper Harbor, Michigan
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Winter camping: Baby it’s cold outside BY ASA LEE MEADOWS
Ah, the leaves have fallen and soon it will be winter. I never camped in the winter before moving to Michigan, I’m so bummed I wasted all those years not doing it. But it’s never too late. My wife thinks I’m crazy, but I think winter camping has some really big advantages over “normal” camping; my two favorite being less people around and less bugs. Obviously, cold weather brings challenges in staying warm outside and dry inside your tent, vehicle or however you camp.
The saying there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes applies to staying warm and dry while adventuring or doing camp things. And I am not one to offer fashion or clothing advice, so I’ll leave that to someone else. In fact, I’m sure there’s some cool flannel or something on the Northology website. Whether you plan on heating your tent or not, it’s always best to have a proper rated sleeping bag for the conditions. If you run out of fuel or in an emergency situation, staying warm is critical. I always have my 0* F mummy bag, wool blanket, some type of head covering and a normal sleeping bag. Water, water, water, everywhere But what I have experienced is having it rain down on my head in a ground tent, inside my jeep and in my RTT. (I’m going to use “tent” for the rest of this, but it applies to any shelter.) This happens more frequently in the cooler times, as the warm humid air inside your shelter hits the wall or ceiling that has cold air on the outside. When that humid air reaches its dew point temperature, it condenses to liquid form and through cohesion and other cool nerdy hydrogen bonds, defies gravity and waits to drop down on your forehead to wake you up in an unpleasant manner. It gets really fun when it’s below freezing and your tent looks like you are inside an ice cave. The average human breathes out a pound of water overnight. In addition the air already has
some moisture in it, so just by the
produces a dry heat.
temperature differential of the inside vs outside air can rain on your parade.
Another tool I picked up last year was a Mr. Buddy heater. I only use this for
It’s getting hot in here
warming up the tent before I go to bed,
The next part of a comfortable camping
and when I wake up to take the chill
trip is keeping warm overnight and that
off. I’ll also use it in the Annex room if
can play an effect on the tent as it
I’m having breakfast or getting dressed
relates to the battle to keep that humid
in there. Besides the risk of death by
air from condensing. When it’s not too
CO2 poisoning or fire, burning propane
cold outside, I prefer to just have my
also creates water. The basic equation
sleeping bag and a wool blanket and
is c3h8 + 5o2⟶3co2 + 4h2o + Heat.
leave the windows open. I do have a
Sorry for geeking out, but if you were
battery powered fan to circulate the
to burn a full 1lb bottle of propane
air, but it's not foolproof. The heat from
overnight in that heater, you would
my body can still create an air
produce about .2 gallons of water (or
temperature differential that leads to
equivalent of a 750ml bottle of Scotch—
condensation. Last year I purchased a
Neat).
tent insulator for my Tepui tent. That creates a buffer from the cold outside
And, just this last week, I ordered from
tent layer and the warm air that’s
Amazon an all-in-one diesel heater. I
inside. With that, and leaving the
have yet to open the box and try it out,
windows open some, I stayed warm and
but I’m hoping to before the end of
dry when it was 9*F outside. When I’m
November. The basic premise of this is
going somewhere that has electricity, I
it’s a dry heat like my electric space
take a small space heater, which
heater. The combustion of diesel
generates heat (and this is run outside the tent) but there’s a heat exchange so cool air passes by and gets heated up. So no additional water vapor is introduced to the air warming your tent. And this isn’t the super expensive Webasto, it was only about $150, or twice what I paid for my Mr. Buddy. What you absolutely need to have Ok, so what do you have to have to have the perfect winter camping experience when it comes to sleeping and comfort? It’s the same answer I say to “what’s the best whisky and how to drink it?” Whatever you have, whatever you like and however you like it. And at the end of the day they are just tools. I might find that I don’t need that diesel heater. I’m hoping it will make it easier with controlling condensation in the tent, but honestly, I sleep best when it’s really cold outside, and I’m warm (not hot) in my sleeping bag. I like to have my options. And even if I do get condensation inside the tent, it’s not the worst thing in the world. I usually just dry it off the best I can, and keep the tent up and wait for the sun to come out and dry it off. I have the hardest time with it in the spring and fall, so bundle up, get outside this winter and try it if you haven’t done it before.