It’s time to pack up and move on today, but to where? In ten days, we need to be in Crested Butte, but between now and then, we have the freedom to roam. Had you asked me a week ago where we would head today, I would have enthusiastically answered something like Lake City or the San Juans. I was excited to explore a corner of Colorado that we don’t know as well as the rest...
Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado // After four nights being parked in a city surrounded by light and noise, it feels eerily dark and quiet overnight. At one point, I wake up in the night feeling entirely discombobulated. Where am I? It takes a moment to orient myself and remember where we relocated to. This is a common experience I have, especially when I’m working on...
Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado // We’re both zombies this morning after four straight days of Overland Expo. Any remaining campers are supposed to be off the premises by 11am but I can tell none of us are moving fast. For our last night, we moved the truck to be closer to friends and ended up parked right next to the largest tent at the show. It was the hub of the...
Overland Expo, Loveland, Colorado // It’s the last day of Overland Expo, and last-day energy is in the air. Many camps around us are breaking down, packing up, and departing this morning. Every fellow instructor we cross paths with is just as tired as we are. However, the show is still on from 9 a.m. – 3pm and our most detailed presentation is yet to come. At 10am...
Overland Expo Mountain West – Loveland, Colorado // It’s Saturday at Overland Expo Mountain West, the day that brings the most attendees, the most action, and the most energy of the event. Last year’s recap reported 18,000 attendees, and this year is looking to be just as good. On our agenda today is to sit on one expert Q&A panel, give one presentation, and attend the...
Overland Expo Mountain West – Loveland, Colorado // Overland Expo officially kicks off this morning with education, demonstrations, and vendor exhibits starting at 9 a.m. Our class is slated for 2pm which means we have all morning to peruse the show at our leisure and attend any classes if we feel like it. The show essentially has two sides to it. One side is the...
Overland Expo Mountain West – Loveland, Colorado // At noon, we’re packed up and back on the road. We’re actually on a schedule today, and it entails needing to be at Overland Expo in Loveland no later than 4 p.m. to attend a mandatory instructor’s meeting for the weekend ahead. But our first order of business for the day is to find a place to take showers. Thanks to the iOverlander app...
Roosevelt National Forest // It’s time to pack up again and make our way towards Loveland today. Before doing so though, I’m grateful to have time in our day for my preferred morning routine: writing with a hot cup of tea in hand, a long walk, and then breakfast. My days are exponentially better when they are able to begin slowly and intentionally. Today’s drive takes us up and over Fremont...
Twin Lakes, Colorado // We have two days to make our way to the front range for Overland Expo, so today we pack up and work on inching our way east. The drive back to Buena Vista is exquisite. Cottonwood Pass, topping out at 8,000 feet, is a favorite of mine. Anywhere in the state that you can get above treeline, you can expect to be rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of...
Gunnison National Forest // In the morning, our company departs. I had thought we would be on our way out also, but it’s shaping up to be another gorgeous day, and we have no reason to leave. While out on a walk, admiring the rugged beauty of this valley, we decide to stay. Now that it’s Monday, enough people have left, making it feel as though we have the place to ourselves...
