Overlanding-Why we must go overlanding and why it is good for us.

Overlanding-Why we must go overlanding and why it is good for us.

Are you one of the ones that feels lost at times?  Always looking to the horizon?  When you reach a destination do you wonder what is around the next corner?  I am one of those people.  Like the nomadic instinct that is within me I am always searching.  Searching in very aspect of my life for more.  More love, more memories, more time, more adventure.  We have had to adapt to living in a cube, being in a box, and we are losing our place outdoors.  It is not what we are meant to do it is not who we are meant to be.  Some people have adapted better than others and even strive in doing so.  But for me it makes me feel lost and trapped.  I feel free when I am on the road, when I am on an adventure, and when I am outside away from concrete, towers, and noise. It is not that I don't like being around people, because I do.  I love talking, sharing, and community. I just am one of those that keeps needing to push forward and I am curious about what is out there.  I need to see it, I need to touch it,  and I need to experience it.  I don't just want to read about it in books or see it in pictures and think isn't that awesome.  I want to stand there and feel the air on my skin, smell the freshness of nature, and have the experience of life and of adventure at the same time.  I feel that is why I am drawn to this overlanding lifestyle and probably why I feel even more trapped at times.  I try, just like some of you, to cram as much of this overlanding lifestyle in the short about of time I have when I go.  Not to do things fast, but to absorb every single sight, sound, and the smell of the outdoors that I can.  To embrace the adventure along the way and to also find out what is around the corner, over that mountain, and just beyond my reach.  I want to be close to it, I want to touch it, I want to stand on it, I want to be apart of it.  Getting connected in this way fills me up and keeps me going.  This is why I do it, why I travel, why I explore, why I overland, and why I GO ALL OVER.

Prep Work Part 1-Where are you going?

Overlanding-Prep Work Part 1-Where are you going?

So you are dreaming of an overlanding trip, great!  Where are you going to go?  Well it first is going to depend on how much money and time you have.  After that any trip should start with a general where, like I want to go to Colorado, or Big Ben National Park.  Now we need to do a little research about the location we have chosen for our adventure.

When I decided to do the Oklahoma Adventure Trail, a trail that circles the edges of Oklahoma, I did a lot of searching on the internet.  I would check out videos on YouTube.  To do this I just typed the words Oklahoma Adventure Trail in the search bar and BANG several videos appeared!  I also did a search on FaceBook and found a page built just for the OAT, jackpot!  I was able to find  a ton of important information about the trail.  I discovered updated routes becasue of bridges being washed out.  I also found a few "must sees'  I would not have known about with out doing a little digging.
Although the Facebook page had a map I could pull up in Google Earth and Gaia I still spent a bunch of time zooming in and looking at the trail, I just wanted to get a better idea of what I was getting into.  Now I know some people and even me most of the time like to just pick a spot and go, no plans and no idea of what to expect.  That works great when you go alone or with just one other person that understands what could happen.  I had a time table and  four other vehicles to worry about, and this was the first ever All Over Overland official trip.  The guys on Expedition Overland plan to the T for the trips they take, so why wouldn't I?  We knew where we had to be each night to camp.  All but one night we made it on time, I made a wrong turn and got just a little lost.  We still made it to camp before dark so all was good.

I also reached out to other overlanders that I knew did the same trip.  I got so much great information from people, like when was the best time to go.  A lot of trails can turn into nightmares in the raining seasons so ask around to find out when is the best time to go.  If you don't know anyone that has done the route you plan on taking find some local off-road or overland page on FaceBook and just ask.  Most people want to help you and you will find great resources from local groups.

Another great idea is to find out what is happening in the news for the areas you will be traveling.  There had been several big wildfires in the area where we had planned to go.   Even up to the day we left I was looking to see what direction they were moving and what areas we need to avoid.  Still with our planing we did pass a small fire.  I have seen many trips on YouTube that had to take a several hour reroute because of wildfires.  So keep up with what is going on in world events and weather.  This is super important when traveling to other countries.

This will be a multi part blog on prep work.  Others that I am working on include but are not limited to-Lists, How to Pack, How to Get Everyone on the Same Page, and I'm sure others will come up also.  Thanks again for reading my words and remember GO ALL OVER!

Who is the guy behind all of this All Over Overland stuff?

All Over Overland-Who is the guy behind all of this All Over Overland stuff?

People have asked who is the guy behind All Over Overland, I'm not sure I even know this yet.  Since some of you have asked for more information about myself here you go.  I really hope I don't completely disappoint everyone.  My name is Michael Hyden and I am from Yukon, OK.  I have always loved being outside.  My dad and I didn't go hunting and only camped out a few times, but they are some of my best memories growing up.  He did give me a love for cars.  All cars from old, new, fast, ugly, and big.  Our bucket list still includes one day purchasing a car from the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction.  My uncle was a big park in starting my love for 4x4s and offroading back when I was 8.  He had a white 82 GMC on 35in BFG MTs named Bushvet.  He would scare me every chance he could in that truck, and I loved it.

I am now on my second Jeep.  The first was a 1998 Jeep TJ.  It had a 2in spacer lift with 31 in Goodyear MTRs.  The first off-road group I belonged to was the Trailchasers 4x4 group.  While in that group I found a love for the trail ride.  I would load up some food, water and my dog and just go out finding old trails to spend the entire day exploring.  I did this for a few years and sold the TJ.  I still spent tons of time outdoors camping, mountain biking, and hiking.  Many years later I decided to find a new 4x4 and go explore again.   My current 4x4 is a 2010 Jeep Liberty, I have no idea why I bought this thing.  There are very little aftermarket products available, it has an IFS front end, it is a uni-body, and most of the time it is the but of many jokes.  Which is why I love it so much, but we will get into more about Rumble in a different blog post.

I joined a few more local off-road groups and started going out on some trail rides.  I had a blast except for the fact we would go for a day and head home at night.  I wanted to camp to be gone for days and not see "normal" people.  So I started looking online to see what I could find.  I found Andrew St. Pierre White and watched everything I could he had out.  I loved how he would go on "overlanding" trips.  This was the first time I had ever heard of overlanding and new immediately this is what I wanted to do, what I longed to do.  Soon after I also found out about Mark Doiron, Ronny Dahl, Expedition Overland, Overland Bound, 410 Expeditions Mountain State Overland, and many other awesome people.  The videos they turn out are all inspiring full of great information and stunning views.  As any man thirsting for adventure I became obsessed and had to start leaning everything I could.

So why did I start All Over Overland on Facebook?  Simply to learn more.  I wanted a page anyone could add information to and ask questions.  Companies are welcome as long as they don't over use the page.  I mean we all need to know what is available for overlanding.  My goal was to have a few people I could ask questions about overlanding join the gourp, I never expected it to grow the way it has over the last year.  We have members from ALL OVER the world and I love it!  I have become friends with some of these people and message them often, it has been alot of fun.  Since starting All Over Overland I have join several other groups again to learn and share information that may be helpful to others.  I also started a YouTube page by the same name.  To be honest it was started to show my kids that I did kickass things.  I want to be able to leave them videos of the cool things dad did and the messes he got into.  One of the completely awesome things that has happened is that they started to want to be outside more.  Mostly my daughter Molly she gets upset if I go camping or offroading without her.  She has become my sidekick on many trips.

The blog came about only because there was so much I wanted to say and not enough room on Facebook to say it.  Also I'm was sure most people didn't want to see my mug on their TV or device.  One fo the biggest benefits of a blog is that you can look it over without having to watch a video ALL OVER again.  My hope is that you get something out of the all of this and it helps you. Please let me know what you want me to talk about.  Now I will still be adding to the Facebook page, the Instagram page, and the YouTube page.  In fact the check out the YouTube page a few days after a blog and we will have a blog recap with answers to your questions and comments.

A few other details about me.  I am a second generation professional photographer and I also have worked in sales for many years.  I do not get paid for my All Over Overland pages and I have no sponsors.  Of course if the right opportunity came up it would be something I would have to think about, I mean who wouldn't want to get paid for this stuff!   I have a wonderful wife that I adore.  Three little girls run my house, two stepdaughters and my daughter Molly.  I am blessed that they all get along and love spending time with each other.  Again thank you Kim and your two beautiful girls for allowing Molly and me to join your family.  We also have two Boston terriers one is nuts and the other is a rescue that is not totally sure about anything.  I live in Yukon, OK just outside OKC.  If you are ever passing through please contact me.  Overlanding is more than a hobby it is the way I want to live.  I hope you all the best and remember GO ALL OVER.

Overlanding-How many vehicles are too many on an overlanding trip?

This is has been a popular topic lately.  There a few different views about how many vehicles is the right number for an overland trip.  Well lets talk about the difference in an overlanding trip and a drive to a state park for the day.

Overlanding is all about getting to remote places away from people and the places that people tend to be.  So it would make sense to not have a ton of vehicles and people on your trip, I mean getting away from it all is the purpose right?  Close your eyes and think about the perfect overlanding spot.  What do you see?  For me it is a quiet spot, with a nice camp fire, and a few friends with me.  It is a place where I can see all of the stars.  A place where we are spread out for camping and we are not right on top of each other.  Sometimes it is even fun to go alone, all alone.  The right number of vehicles in "my" experiance is three.  This feels like the perfect number where everyone feels included in each decision and no one feels left out.  When poeple feel left out of a group issues can quickly become huge problems.  I know some people say five to six vehicles and that number is not wrong, heck I will roll with groups this big and most of the time there are no issues.

When your group is over ten there are some things you need to think about.  Camping space to start, it is hard to find camping for five vehicles add at least more that five more and it is almost impossible.  Even when you do find enough camping spots you will most likely be right on top of each other.  We also like to spend one night eating out at a local diner.  So the more people the longer it takes to be seated and for everyone to eat.  Plus the look on the faces of the waitress and cooks a small diner when 20 plus people all walk it at the same time is priceless.

Now a day drive to a state park, or even just an overnight trip.  I have no problem with large groups heading to a state park for a day to hang out together.  It is a great way to meet new people.  But lets talk about large groups on back road or trails.   Anyone heard of Tread Lightly, large groups make it impossible to Tread Lightly anywhere.  The goal is not to tear up the back roads or trails.  Also these back roads are super fun for us to explore but remember they are the common roads for the people and farmers that live near them.  So a long slow moving group can cause back ups for the locals.  Be careful that you do not give Overlanding, Jeeping, and Offroaders a back name.  Even if you are doing nothing wrong sometimes it is the negative ideas that people get from seeing a large moving group of offroad vehicles on dirt back roads.  As far as large groups on trails, great, if you are at an offroad park where your pay money to go offroad do it and have fun.  At these places it is the point to test the limits of your vehicles, it is not the place to test the limits of your vehicle on a back road.

I don't feel there is the same right answer for everyone, but at least I hope this made you think.  We want overlandiing to be enjoyed for years and generations.  So let's do it right now.  I see trails being closed almost everyone month because of incorrect use.  Please do not leave trash and make it look like you never were even there.  Please let me know what you think.  I will post a video on my YouTube page in a few days disusing some of your comments.  Have fun be safe and GO ALL OVER!

Can we Overland in the USA?

Overlanding-Can we overland in the USA?

I agree that a more epic overlanding trip would be had in Africa or a trip that travels from country to country. Most of us will never travel the back roads of Africa or ship our vehicle over to another country and take months off work to travel the back roads

from country to country. But what we can do is travel back roads the USA and explore. Explore near home or far way. We can explore from national park to national park trying to only use back roads. Here in the United States we tend to forget that we can be in the mountains and in a few hours be in the desert, oh and in a few hours be on a coast line, and I'm no even done yet. We have prairie lands, swamps, forests, canyons, and lakes. We have the ability to explore so much more in our own back yard than we would see a trip to several different countries.  We have so many different ecosystems here in the United States all within a daily drive for most places.

I understand how some say overlanding in American is not overlanding because you are never really that far from a city.  Yes we can be in a city quickly almost anywhere we go, but we can also travel backroads and on trails that keep us away from big cities. So it depends on what "overlanding" is to you, and what you want it to be.  Overlanding for so many of us is getting away from the hustle and the bustle of our everyday life.  That may be for a extended weekend, a week long adventure, or for some a multi week trip.  Very rare is a person able to be gone for months at a time.  We all long for extending trips and dream of a life where that may be possible.  So we do what we can to capture even a small part of that "overlanding" life.

I feel that some people are wanting to keep overlanding small.  Just like that local band you liked that one day got lucky and hit it big.  They where still the same band but now you call them sell outs.  "Overlanding is self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal.  While expedition is defined as a journey with a purpose, overlanding sees the journey as the purpose"  Where does it say only in Africa?  Or only in other countries?  Is it that some put to much of an emphasis on the word overlanding or that others don't?  I feel that overlanding is a state of mind, a way of life, an adventure, and freedom.

Even Andrew St. Pierre White said we have been overlanding all along, we just called it something different.  So those of you that overland in the USA don't let anyone tell you that is not overlanding.  It is and I beleive it is some of the best overlanding anyone will ever experiance, anywhere.  So go out and explore see the enitre world or even just your backyard.  The point is to challenge yourself, to be outside, to live free, and TO GO ALL OVER.

Check my video Blog Recap on Youtube

So a couple of days after I post a blog I will do a video recap on my YouTube channel about the blog.  This is where I will answer questions about the blog and bring up some great points you my readers and pointed out.  I want to also thank you for the awesome comments on my Facebook page, and other overlanding Facebook pages where blog appeared on.

Here is the YouTube link just copy and past it,

https://youtu.be/FSeV1dYJWXM

My Facebook page is All Over Overland.

Thanks,

Michael

Overlanding-The dirty little secrets no one tells you about.

Overlanding-The dirty little things you need to know.

Overlanding... what is it?  I have heard this question over and over.  The answers all seem to vary to some degree, but most at least agree that in its basic form, it is self-reliant travel by vehicle.  So lets break that down a little bit.  What is "self reliant travel by vehicle"?  Well the self-reliant part sounds easy enough, you rely on yourself.  But for what exactly?  Basically you will be relying on yourself for everything you will need to survive for an extended period of time.  You will need to bring your own water, food, shelter, and any other means to survive without depending on others or on services like stores, resturants, mechanics, restrooms, and the hardest one of all... phone service!  I most likely just lost most of the population right there.  But there is more.  The dirty little things no one tells you about, and if they did you didn't believe them.

You will need to learn to make fire.  Most of us think we can do it easily.  What if all the wood is wet?  What if there are no dead trees or sticks around, or dead dry grass?  What if your lighter doesn't work?  Or the wind is to hard to keep a flame?  I've watched the TV show 'Naked and Affraid' and I've seen "experienced" outdoors people struggle to make fire.  So learn to make fire caveman style.  You may never need to use the skill but it will be nice to have it in your back pocket someday.

Another thing not many people are prepared for is taking care of business, or pooping, in the woods.  There are no restrooms at the places we Overlanders like to camp.  Why is that?  Overlanders tend to love remote locations where nobody goes.  If there are people near where we camp we get all bent out of shape.  We long to be alone without any noise or without any light, well unless we make the noise and the light. That IS why we have 50 LED lights on our rigs.  So, since we like remote locations we are going to need to figure out the poop issues.  There are several different set ups you can buy and bring with you, stools, porta pottys.  Sometimes just a shovel is all you need.  But please know the rules, national parks will not let you leave anything behind. Anything.  So if you are in a area that requires you to bring back what you put out, be ready.  Sounds gross but if you handle your business correctly it will not be a messy issue.

Water.  Most people will not bring enough their first time out.  They bring just enough to drink.  They don't think about washing their hands because you will get dirty, very dirty.  You will need water if you get hurt, to clean the wound.  You many need water to put out a fire.  Water goes fast and even if it is not hot outside you still need to drink at least 2 liters or 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water per day.  Of course that is just sitting around at home, not hiking, gathering wood, putting up a tent, or all those other super cool outdoor things you will be doing.  Each person is different and the water needs of each person can vary.  Bring alot of water!

Food. Don't bring food that will spoil easily.  Don't worry about cooking crazy awesome meals.  You just need to eat.  Hotdogs, sandwiches, oatmeal, or even MREs is all you need for your meals.  I recommend bringing snacks.  You will burn so much energy working the campsite, spotting for the vehicle, running ahead to film awesome vehicle drive-bys. You will most likely be eating all day. Granola bars are awesome and there are several different flavors to choose from so most anybody can find one they like.  Crackers are a great choice too.  Think like a kid bringing lunch to school...fruit snacks, apple sauce, and string cheese just to name a few.  These type of snacks are easy to grab, very portable and last a long time.

Shelter. This could be a tent, your vehicle, roof top tent on the vehicle or trailer, or a tarp for your hammock.  A good tent is worth the investment.  I recommend you get a four seasons tent because you never know how much the crazy weather can change on you.  If you hammock camp, bring a trap to secure over the hammock in case of rain.  If you plan on using your vehicle to sleep in, plan for it.  Will everything still fit into your vehicle?  If your food will not fit and you plan on leaving it outside the vehicle, do you have a bear-proof container?  And do you need one?  I will place money bets that some type of animal will smell your food and want it.

Have a plan and then another plan.  Even the best plans get all messed up.  Plan a route but be ready to change the course.  Roads get closed either by parks or land owners.  Some roads that are not maintained can become washed out or even overgrown.  Sometimes we plan routes and find out we are in over our heads due to the degree of difficulty of the trail.   You might not have the right vehicle set up for the trail.  Water crossings may be too deep because of rain somewhere far away up stream.  There are several reasons why a plan might not go as you initially thought. The travel route is just one of many.  Other reasons may be because you run out of supplies, someone gets hurt, the vehicle breaks down, or you just simply get too freaked out sleeping outside in the middle of nowhere. It happens.  To that point, tell people where you plan to go, and check in often, if you can.  There are many devices out there you can buy that will allow people to keep track of you.

Money. Bring cash.  Cash is good to have for camping fees and park entry.  Although most places now take a card, be sure to bring some cash just in case.  I always bring some cash for those rare cases that a resturant or a small general store will not take a credit card.  I've also been places where the credit card machine was down and cash was the only option.

Other things I just thought of you must bring.  TP, bug spray, sun block, a cup, a towel, a knife, a flash light, warm clothes, and gum trust me on the gum, lol.  Each of theses items has been forgotten my me or by someone in my group at one time

These are just a few dirty little things that most people are not prepared for the first time they go overlanding.  I recommend reaching out to other overlanders and pick their brains about how their first time went.  We want everyone to have a fun and safe time out exploring.  Be safe, be ready, have fun and GO ALL OVER!