Find your next Expedition!
What kid does not dream of going on an epic adventure even if it’s across their backyard? I know that I did. My mom was friends with the local librarian and would get all the old magazines at the end of the month. I would wait for her to come home with a stack of National Geographics just so I could find a map of their latest expedition! Armed with a handheld microscope and a pair of plastic binoculars, I would head out across the backyard looking for my next adventure! It was challenging growing up without the internet!
Our whole family would spend weekends out on the local recreational lands camping, hiking, and exploring. My Dad would show us the different rock formations, various plants along with stories of how the natives used them, and we would watch the stars come up at night away from the city lights. My mom would spend what seemed like hours preparing meals for everyone three times a day and cleaning up afterward. I did not appreciate that aspect of it as much until recently. What I did realize was that adventure was in our blood and exploring was our life’s blood.
Up until recently, I did not understand the difference between off roading and overlanding. What my parents did was weekend off roading where we would spend 2-3 days on the weekend out exploring. What my grandparents did was overlanding! Grandpa would outfit his 4x4 with a basic kitchenette complete with a sink he made from a water can, a Coleman propane stove with two burners, and an ice chest. He never went anywhere without a decent toolbox and extra gas. Since they were retired, they would often spend weeks out on the trail.
Planning an expedition is a lot different than a weekend adventure. I went over several templates on how to get started before my overland adventure. I realize now that there is a lot more to a full-scale expedition, but it has many similarities to the overland adventure I wanted to take. In the past, I have taken weekend adventures where I set off for a weekend of exploring but never for longer than a week. The best place to start planning is whether you go it alone or with somebody. How you pack depends on this, and it also helps with your goals and objectives.
Is it going to be a single person and how does that change where you will end up at night?
Will it be with an explorers’ group and who will be charge of organizing everyone? Is it a team or club with objectives already in mind like a nature hiking group or conservation effort? My latest adventure will be to track down dinosaur sites across the Rocky Mountains and my objectives are to trace the paths of the dinosaurs. This affects the twists and turns along my route, but it also gives me a goal and objectives for each day. For someone else, it could be a particular geologic formation or tracking down rare sightings of birds for a birding club. There are historical, scientific, or natural wonders to look for when setting out. This helps determine the starting point, the waypoints, and where the trail ends. I read of a group that was exploring the geologic formations in the Grand Canyon which entailed mule riding, rafting, and four wheeling. You can plan accordingly what portions will be driven, hiked, biked, or kayaked in.
The vehicle is the most important and you should check it out before any trails. You will want to check tires, fluids, battery, brakes for serious off roading, hoses, belts, and sparkplugs/wires. These are little things that can become big things if you are in the middle of a hot desert or miles into a forest with little phone reception. You can also check out your radiator, reservoirs for brake fluid, coolant, and power steering. A tiny leak in one of these could lead to big problems on the side of a hill. Make sure you have distilled water along for your vehicle as well as any extra fluids you might need. I try to always keep a basic set of oil, coolant, brake fluid with my extra gas can.
Take at least three times the water as you think you will need for your group. Water is the most precious quantity you have with you. It should not be used on daily ablutions if wipes or a good washcloth will do. Food can divided up by meals per person per day. You will want to include things for specific dietary and medical needs for your group. You will want to include med prescriptions for the days out for your group. First aid is also important. You will want extra bandages and wraps along for scrapes and strained muscles. You will want disinfectants and bug spray as well. A basic first aid kit will cover the necessities, but you will want extras of these items depending on the size of the group.
Lastly, you will want two to three outfits of clothes. I keep mine basic-pants, t-shirt, underwear, socks, and shoes per day. Along with that, I include tank tops for hot days or sweaters and a coat for colder weather. The same goes for my bedding…keeping it basic. I just take a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a ground matte for my longer trips. If I take my pets, they have their cage for time outs and a big squishy dog bed for around the camp. It just depends on the space you have and what you really need to take with you. Pet cages are not always necessary but mine fold so it is no trouble for me.
Equipment depends on the goals and objectives of your trip. As for me, I still take along my telescope, microscope, and binoculars. These days I am looking for birds for my life list and plant species. I also take along a sketch pad so that I can get a better idea of the land around me. With it, I have pencils and a logbook. I found a great checklist over at Overland Pathfinders which I have incorporated into my system. Whenever I set out, I leave a planned itinerary with my safe person along with check in list and personal information they can use to find me. The plan is if I don’t check in for three times, they send someone out looking for me long the route where I am supposed to be that day.
Finally, there is the day plan. I usually start the mornings off by going over the plan for the day, checking the forecast, and any changes made along the way. I try to keep up with everything in my logbook throughout the day listing the activities and key facts along the way. Most importantly, I try to keep up with my check ins throughout the day and into the evening.
Things do not always go as planned, but that is why you plan for emergencies along the way. Sometimes the detours have been more fun than the original journey. Because I planned, I could enjoy the moment instead of worrying about enough water or food for a couple of days. It also showed me new places to come back and check on my next adventure. Make your plan, stick with it as much as possible, but keep up with the situation at your check ins. If you must make a deviation, let your safe person know so that they will know where you are at during the day. After that, just enjoy the ride!
Do not be afraid of detours! Just be prepared.
Our whole family would spend weekends out on the local recreational lands camping, hiking, and exploring. My Dad would show us the different rock formations, various plants along with stories of how the natives used them, and we would watch the stars come up at night away from the city lights. My mom would spend what seemed like hours preparing meals for everyone three times a day and cleaning up afterward. I did not appreciate that aspect of it as much until recently. What I did realize was that adventure was in our blood and exploring was our life’s blood.
Up until recently, I did not understand the difference between off roading and overlanding. What my parents did was weekend off roading where we would spend 2-3 days on the weekend out exploring. What my grandparents did was overlanding! Grandpa would outfit his 4x4 with a basic kitchenette complete with a sink he made from a water can, a Coleman propane stove with two burners, and an ice chest. He never went anywhere without a decent toolbox and extra gas. Since they were retired, they would often spend weeks out on the trail.
Planning an expedition is a lot different than a weekend adventure. I went over several templates on how to get started before my overland adventure. I realize now that there is a lot more to a full-scale expedition, but it has many similarities to the overland adventure I wanted to take. In the past, I have taken weekend adventures where I set off for a weekend of exploring but never for longer than a week. The best place to start planning is whether you go it alone or with somebody. How you pack depends on this, and it also helps with your goals and objectives.
Is it going to be a single person and how does that change where you will end up at night?
Will it be with an explorers’ group and who will be charge of organizing everyone? Is it a team or club with objectives already in mind like a nature hiking group or conservation effort? My latest adventure will be to track down dinosaur sites across the Rocky Mountains and my objectives are to trace the paths of the dinosaurs. This affects the twists and turns along my route, but it also gives me a goal and objectives for each day. For someone else, it could be a particular geologic formation or tracking down rare sightings of birds for a birding club. There are historical, scientific, or natural wonders to look for when setting out. This helps determine the starting point, the waypoints, and where the trail ends. I read of a group that was exploring the geologic formations in the Grand Canyon which entailed mule riding, rafting, and four wheeling. You can plan accordingly what portions will be driven, hiked, biked, or kayaked in.
The vehicle is the most important and you should check it out before any trails. You will want to check tires, fluids, battery, brakes for serious off roading, hoses, belts, and sparkplugs/wires. These are little things that can become big things if you are in the middle of a hot desert or miles into a forest with little phone reception. You can also check out your radiator, reservoirs for brake fluid, coolant, and power steering. A tiny leak in one of these could lead to big problems on the side of a hill. Make sure you have distilled water along for your vehicle as well as any extra fluids you might need. I try to always keep a basic set of oil, coolant, brake fluid with my extra gas can.
Take at least three times the water as you think you will need for your group. Water is the most precious quantity you have with you. It should not be used on daily ablutions if wipes or a good washcloth will do. Food can divided up by meals per person per day. You will want to include things for specific dietary and medical needs for your group. You will want to include med prescriptions for the days out for your group. First aid is also important. You will want extra bandages and wraps along for scrapes and strained muscles. You will want disinfectants and bug spray as well. A basic first aid kit will cover the necessities, but you will want extras of these items depending on the size of the group.
Lastly, you will want two to three outfits of clothes. I keep mine basic-pants, t-shirt, underwear, socks, and shoes per day. Along with that, I include tank tops for hot days or sweaters and a coat for colder weather. The same goes for my bedding…keeping it basic. I just take a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a ground matte for my longer trips. If I take my pets, they have their cage for time outs and a big squishy dog bed for around the camp. It just depends on the space you have and what you really need to take with you. Pet cages are not always necessary but mine fold so it is no trouble for me.
Equipment depends on the goals and objectives of your trip. As for me, I still take along my telescope, microscope, and binoculars. These days I am looking for birds for my life list and plant species. I also take along a sketch pad so that I can get a better idea of the land around me. With it, I have pencils and a logbook. I found a great checklist over at Overland Pathfinders which I have incorporated into my system. Whenever I set out, I leave a planned itinerary with my safe person along with check in list and personal information they can use to find me. The plan is if I don’t check in for three times, they send someone out looking for me long the route where I am supposed to be that day.
Finally, there is the day plan. I usually start the mornings off by going over the plan for the day, checking the forecast, and any changes made along the way. I try to keep up with everything in my logbook throughout the day listing the activities and key facts along the way. Most importantly, I try to keep up with my check ins throughout the day and into the evening.
Things do not always go as planned, but that is why you plan for emergencies along the way. Sometimes the detours have been more fun than the original journey. Because I planned, I could enjoy the moment instead of worrying about enough water or food for a couple of days. It also showed me new places to come back and check on my next adventure. Make your plan, stick with it as much as possible, but keep up with the situation at your check ins. If you must make a deviation, let your safe person know so that they will know where you are at during the day. After that, just enjoy the ride!
Do not be afraid of detours! Just be prepared.