Middle of January and it's pretty cold. It's even colder (and snowier) in the mountains. But we have cabin fever. What to do, what to do? Naturally, this would be the time to hit up a cozy mountain chalet or ski resort for some Winter fun as it is surely too cold/slick/whatever to offroad and camp. Nonsense. … [Read more...]
Weekend Trip: Big Levels and Shoe Creek
While the long trips far from home I get to do a couple times a year are always awesome, a huge portion of this lifestyle (obsession?) for me is getting out for quick one-nighter weekend trips close to home. This past July I headed out on National Forest Land in Virginia with a couple local DC-Area friends for a quick overnight wheeling/camping trip. We considered this a … [Read more...]
Toyota FJ Summit and Colorado Wheeling
After a sweltering couple of days this past summer camping and offroading in Moab, heading to the cooler, thinner air of Colorado was just what I needed. I was meeting up with a bunch of friends at the FJ Summit, an annual gathering of FJ Cruiser and other Toyota 4x4 enthusiasts held in Ouray, nestled in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. This event is big … [Read more...]
Driving the Beach in Ocracoke, North Carolina
How do you feel about a huge stretch of beach nearly all to yourself that is open to 4x4's? If that sounds good, you should check out Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. This small barrier island (less than 10 square miles) is situated South of Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks and only accessible by ferry/boat. … [Read more...]
4Runner in Moab: the roadtrip, trails and breakdown
When you tell people your idea of vacation is driving 2,000 miles across the country to spend time camping in the desert in July, you get some weird looks and reactions. That's fine by me -- not everyone understands, and that leaves the places I love to explore a little less crowded! Much like the Summer of 2012, I chose this summer to head out West for ~2 weeks to … [Read more...]
