A few months ago, I picked up a set of TRUKD T-Series bed racks that I found on Facebook Marketplace. I bought them with the intention of eventually putting a rooftop tent on the truck, but in the meantime, I figured I’d find some other uses for them. Recently, I had the perfect opportunity to …
I recently made a trip up to Dolly Sods to drive Forest Road 75, better known as the Road Across the Sky. I’ve driven plenty of back roads in West Virginia, but FR 75 is one of those roads where the scenery is really the main attraction. The road crosses the high elevations of Dolly …
Read more “Driving the Road Across the Sky and Camping at Dolly Sods”
Last weekend, I made a stop at Assateague Island on the way to a family vacation. It wasn’t really supposed to be a big camping trip. I was already heading toward the coast, so I figured I might as well turn the drive into a little adventure and spend a night camping at Assateague instead …
My 1991 Chevy Blazer is still a work in progress. There are a few things I want to change as I continue building it into something that’s more capable off-road, while still keeping it usable on the street. The first big upgrade I’m planning is changing the axle gearing from the current 3.42 gears to …
I don’t like carrying a ton of stuff in my truck, but there are a few things that pretty much stay there all the time. Most of it is stuff I don’t think about until I actually need it. Recovery gear is at the top of the list. I keep a recovery strap, shackles, and …
Read more “Things I Always Take With Me When I Head Out on a Trail”
The Chevrolet Blazer (1969–1991) Before SUVs became crossovers, family haulers, and grocery-getters, the Chevrolet Blazer was basically a short-wheelbase truck with a roof on it. And honestly, that’s a pretty good way to describe it. From 1969 through 1991, the full-size Blazer stayed pretty true to its truck roots. It was body-on-frame, had solid axles, …
Lockers are one of those things that you don’t fully appreciate until you need them. At a basic level, a differential lets the wheels on the same axle spin at different speeds — which is great for normal driving, cornering, and pavement. But off-road, that can be a problem. If one wheel starts spinning in …
I’ve been using OnX Offroad for just over a year now, and it’s become something I use pretty regularly when I’m planning an off-road trip. What I like most is being able to look at an area before I go and see all the roads and trails around it. It’s helped me find Forest Service …
There’s a forest road near Elkins, West Virginia that doesn’t look like much on a map — just another backroad — but once you’re on it, you really begin to appreciate it. Often referred to as the River Road. It’s about 26 miles of county dirt and gravel running along the Shavers Fork through Randolph …
Read more “The River Road Off-Road Trail: A Hidden Gem in West Virginia”
I think food is a bigger part of overlanding than people admit. Everyone talks about suspension setups, tire choices, recovery gear — but nobody really talks about what they’re eating once camp is set and the engine’s off. For me, part of the enjoyment of a trip is making good food and actually taking the …