Overland Trail Guides Podcast

Join us as we chat with Christian Fick about his time exploring southwestern Oregon.  The Wild Rivers Discovery Trail is a 225 mile overland route in southern Oregon  was developed by Overland Trail Guides.  While most Oregonians head inland in search of views, this section of western Oregon features those vistas seldom seen in this part of the state.  The region of southwestern Oregon got its name due to the numerous Wild and Scenic Rivers along this stretch of coastline. This section of coast is part of the Klamath-Siskyou ecoregion, that's home to the largest concentration of Wild and Scenic rivers in the lower 48.  Prior to the establishment of commercial fishing, the salmon and steelhead runs along this section of coast were said to rival those in Alaska.  The Flat Tops Adventure TrailThe 225 mile long Wild Rivers Discovery Trail travels from the Oregon-California border, hugging the coastal mountain ranges as it heads northward to its terminus in Port Orford.  The track crosses through the watersheds of more than half a dozen rivers, with fantastic riverside and creekside camping opportunities.  For those looking to extend the adventure, one can easily connect the Wild Rivers track with the Steelhead Adventure Route (Smith River NRA / Northern CA) and the Siskiyou Crest Adventure Trail, that sits on the eastern side of the Rogue River-Siskiyou NF.  To get the GPX File, complete route guide and more, please visit our website. www.overlandtrailguides.com

Originally, a favorite among the van life and outdoor recreationalist community (surfers, rock climbers, etc), more and more folks are using their Sprinter 4x4s to explore the dirt roads of the backcountry.  And while many Sprinter owner stick to mellow gravel and graded dirt roads, there is a small group of folks pushing deep into the backcountry on trails geared towards 4x4s.  For this episode, we chat with Dan Blanchard, Sprinter Sportsmobile owner, and longtime OTG member.  Dan has persistently been in touch with us, touting the capabilities of a Sprinter Van when driven by an experienced off road driver.  And we completely agree, an expert driver is capable of pushing the limits of a vehicle far beyond the driving skill and capabilities of your average Joe or Jane.  We chat with Dan about his experiences buying his Sportsmobile Sprinter at the start of Covid, and then using it to explore the West and gradually taking on harder and harder trails.  If you're wondering about the limits of a Sprinter van, then be sure to tune in!  About Overland Trail GuidesOverland Trail Guides, or simply OTG, features North America's most extensive directory of curated overland routes (90+ routes and growing).  You'll get recommendations on appropriate vehicle, technical ratings, best time to visit, places to see and camp, and more. www.overlandtrailguides.com

With so many folks burnt out from the daily grind of the corporate world, more and more folks are trying to figure out a way to turn their passion into profit.  We chat with Brent Baker of Oregon Adventure Trucks about his path from the corporate world, to landing a job at EarthRoamer, and eventually starting Oregon Adventure Trucks.  Brent shares some invaluable advice in regards to breaking into the industry and starting your own overlanding business.  If you're thinking about hanging up the towel at your daily grind, you'll definitely want to tune into this episode.  Oregon Adventure TrucksFounded in 2020 by Brent Baker and his partner Aaron, Oregon AT is Overland AT's regional distributor and installer in northern California and the Pacific Northwest.  Beyond truck capper and camper installations, Oregon AT also offers a variety of off roading classes, sells a variety gear out of the Bend storefront, and have been doing more and more custom modifications and installations for overland vehicles.  www.oregonat.comAbout Overland Trail GuidesOverland Trail Guides, or simply OTG, features North America's most extensive directory of curated overland routes (90+ routes and growing).  You'll get recommendations on appropriate vehicle, technical ratings, best time to visit, places to see and camp, and more.  www.overlandtrailguides.com

As the world of overlanding and off roading continues to grow, more and more folks, especially those with families are considering upsizing to full size trucks by the makes of Ram, Ford, Chevy and GM.  And while full size rigs offer a variety of benefits like increased space and comfort, massive payloads, and the ability to fit oversized tires (37-40+ inches), it isn't all peaches and creams.  Long time friend and supporter of OTG, Nick Walton joins us to discuss his experiences traveling with his family in a Land Cruiser, along with the decision making process to upsize to a Ram 2500 with Four Wheel Camper.  We'll touch on some of the pros, and the cons of going to a full size rig.  If you're considering upsizing to a full sized truck, you'll definitely want to give this show a listen!About Overland Trail GuidesOverland Trail Guides, or simply OTG, features North America's most extensive directory of curated overland routes (90+ routes and growing).  You'll get recommendations on appropriate vehicle, technical ratings, best time to visit, places to see and camp, and more.  www.overlandtrailguides.com

The MERUS Adventure Park is a first of its kind off roading and outdoor recreation private park in the Texas Panhandle.  Covering 5500 acres and more than 50 miles of off roading trails and 30 miles of hiking and mountain bike trails, MERUS is situated in the rugged and beautiful Palo Duro Canyon, which happens to be second largest canyon complex in the country.  In this episode we talk with Dirk van Reenan, founder of CEO at MERUS about his background as an entpreneur, his vision, and what led him to create the MERUS Adventure Park.   We dig into the current state of MERUS, along with the phase 2 plans for MERUS, and even bringing the same model to different locations across the country.  Visit MERUS Adventure ParkMERUS was created specifically with off roaders and overlanders in mind.  Daily visitorship is capped and only 4x4s (no ATVs, UTVs or motos currently allowed) so the park can retain its rugged backcountry charm, while preserving the trails for posterity.  And since the trails were purposefully built with off roaders in mind, we've been told they're some of the best trails you'll find anywhere.  If you'd like to experience MERUS adventure park, please visit their website at https://merusadventure.com

The Flat Tops Adventure Trail is a 298 mile overland route in northern Colorado that was developed by Overland Trail Guides.  While lesser known than the San Juan Mountains to the south, the Flat Tops certainly aren't lacking in impressiveness or grandeur. The area gets its name from a series of table-top mountains that dominate the region. These unique geological formations were created by ancient volcanic activity and erosion over millions of years.For this episode, we chat with Eric Raymond of XplorAdventure who explored the Flat Tops Adventure Trail over the course of two separate trips in the summer of 2023.  The Flat Tops Adventure TrailThe 298 mile long Flat Tops Adventure Trail forms a loop just north of Glenwood Springs in northern CO.  Lesser known than the San Juan mountains to the south, the Flat Tops sees a fraction of the trail traffic.  For overlanders seeking alpine views, lakeside camping, and more challenging terrain, the Flat Tops Adventure Trail is the perfect track.  To get the GPX File, complete route guide and more, please visit our website. www.overlandtrailguides.comXplorAdventure Flat Tops Series on YoutubeEpisode 1 - https://youtu.be/Y7RVREC3I_Q?si=gVcirZdY4NItzLDaEpisode 2 - https://youtu.be/mvRrkPaQFzg?si=qMzbM0Hgk9xV9_4pEpisode 3 - https://youtu.be/ubZZh4-Mm14?si=RdaMRuVkPxsyNYJ3Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/1l61pg3HqG4?si=x3WH6pVxEU69tC4_

The Gold Butte Adventure Route is a 350 mile overland route in southern Nevada that was developed by Overland Trail Guides.  We like to call the route the gateway to red rock canyon country of southern Utah and northern Arizona.  The Gold Butte ADV Route sits on the northern edge of the Mojave desert and with dozens of hikes, slot canyons, and Native American Heritage sites along the way, there's a lot to see and discovery.   The Gold Butte Adventure Route travels through Lake Mead NRA, Valley of Fire SP, Logandale OHV Trails, and of course, Gold Butte National Monument.  For this episode, we chat with Nick Walton who experienced the Black Rock Desert Adventure Route this past fall with the OTG Crew along one of our annual pre-Thanksgiving trail runs.  The Black Rock Desert Adventure RouteThe 350 long Gold Butte Adventure Track begins just outside of greater Las Vegas in Henderson, NV before going deeper into Lake Mead NRA.  The highlights of the track are the numerous slot canyons, incredible rock formations, absolutely spectacularly camping opportunities, and dozens of Native American heritage sites.   To get the GPX File, complete route guide and more, please visit our website.  www.overlandtrailguides.com

For this week's episode, we welcome John Liotti of Big Thumpers back to the show.  This past summer, John had the opportunity spend 3 weeks in Pakistan, most of which was spent exploring the highways and backroads with a local guide.  The group traveled 1,600 miles through Pakistant visiting locations such as  the Silk Road, Islamabad, Lahore, the Hindu Kush, KarakoramTune in to hear about his time traveling through Pakistan, along with a couple of near death experiences.Different Agenda Motorcyle ToursMoin Khan grew up in Pakistan and received his bachelors from San Francisco State University.  Today Moin leads motorcycle tours through his homecountry, visiting both well known locations, as well as out of the way villages and tracks that only locals know about.  If you're interested in a tour, you can find A Different Agenda on Facebook, but they also work closely with the Recylcery Garage in Santa Cruz, CA.  

The infamy of the Burning Man festival has brought infamy to the Black Rock Desert.  But beyond Burning Man, Black Rock is filled with geological wonders and a wealth of Native American and Pioneer History.  The Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conversation Area (if that ain't a mouthful!) covers 800,000+ acres of protected dry lake beds, mountains, and volcanic canyonlands in Northern Nevada.  The Black Rock Desert features the largest salt flat in the lower 48, a number of hot springs, rugged trails, 3 historical emigrant trails, and some of the darkest skies in the contiguous United States.  For this episode, we chat with Joey Grimmer who experienced the Black Rock Desert Adventure Route earlier this summer with the OTG Crew.  The Black Rock Desert Adventure RouteThe Route is 200+ miles that hits some of the higlights within the NCA like the Black Rock Playa, Soldier Meadows Hot Springs, High Rock Canyon, the microplayas and more.  To learn more about this route and dozens of other routes, be sure to check out www.overlandtrailguides.com

For Episode 017 we chat with two bad ass women about their rookie experience competing in the 2021 Rebelle Rally.  Angie Lux (team She-Wave Velocity) and Carey Lando (team Mountain Subi) are both based in Northern California, and spent countless hours training and studying for the 2021 Rebelle Rally.  We talk with them about the rally raid format (it's not a timed race), the time spent preparing for the rally, and their experience competing in the 2021 Rebelle.You can follow both Carey and Angie on Instagram:@xterra_athena (Angie Lux)@mtnsubi (Carey Lando)The Rebelle RallyThe Rebelle Rally is a 2000+ km rally raid competition that typically takes place in the California and Nevada deserts (and sometimes Arizona too!).  Unless rally races which are timed competition, the rally raid format is a points compeition, where teams collect points by locating various checkpoints using only a map, a compass, and their intellect.  To learn more about the Rebelle Rally, visit https://www.rebellerally.com . About Overland Trail GuidesOverland Trail Guides features over 20,000 miles of curated overland routes throughout North America.  The best way to support us is by buying one of our subscriptions or buying merchandise at www.overlandtrailguides.com