Southeast Overlanding?

[PaddyWhack]

Hello? Anyone in here?

I'm new to overlanding and looking for adventure! These Southeast region threads seem to be old and not used very often. Wondering if Im on the right app.

Does anyone in the southeast set up trail rides? Weekend trips? Coffee meet & greets? Anything at all really?
Am I in the wrong place to find these things?

Willing to travel great distances and sacrifice body parts.

Any help would be appreciated.

Patrick

 

[mwilsonsr58]

I also have noticed that many of the threads on here are old. I live in North Georgia and camp often in that area. I am retiring in mid August and plan to travel more. In September, my wife and I are heading to Utah/Colorado for a 5-week trip. Then, a few weeks after we return we are headed to Overland Expo East. I will be in Orlando the first couple of weeks in August, maybe we could meet up, I am looking for ideas for a Florida trip.

 

[highboy4x4]

I’m in SWFLA and I have wondered about this exact thing for a long while. It seems that the interest is not there, except for a few in NC. This forum is the only social media thing I do so I am sure there are fakebook and IG groups. I don’t care about them though.
There are some great tracks this side of the Mississippi but I think the draw is out west. Hence the amount of people chatting. With that mindset, I just decided to just go solo! Georgia traverse, smoky mountain 1000, Kentucky Adventure trail, and many others.

For me, just winging it is more fun, and unpredictable!!
Best of luck and maybe we will meet you on the trail!

 

[PaddyWhack]

I also have noticed that many of the threads on here are old. I live in North Georgia and camp often in that area. I am retiring in mid August and plan to travel more. In September, my wife and I are heading to Utah/Colorado for a 5-week trip. Then, a few weeks after we return we are headed to Overland Expo East. I will be in Orlando the first couple of weeks in August, maybe we could meet up, I am looking for ideas for a Florida trip.

This is awesome! My son lives in north Georgia (Gainsville) and I travel there often. I spent May 18-20 last month in Desoto Falls campground at the base of Blood Mountain. Love it there! When you come to Orlando please let me know. Some cool spots near here in Ocala National Forrest to overland/camp. I will likely also be heading to Overland Expo East. Thanks for reaching out.
Patrick

 

[PaddyWhack]

I’m in SWFLA and I have wondered about this exact thing for a long while. It seems that the interest is not there, except for a few in NC. This forum is the only social media thing I do so I am sure there are fakebook and IG groups. I don’t care about them though.
There are some great tracks this side of the Mississippi but I think the draw is out west. Hence the amount of people chatting. With that mindset, I just decided to just go solo! Georgia traverse, smoky mountain 1000, Kentucky Adventure trail, and many others.

For me, just winging it is more fun, and unpredictable!!
Best of luck and maybe we will meet you on the trail!

Awesome. Thanks for reaching out! I also don't mind just heading out there. I'm finishing the Florida Adventure Trail now and then maybe the Georgia Traverse. I love it up in N. Georgia. Be safe out there.

 

[PaddyWhack]

I’m in SWFLA and I have wondered about this exact thing for a long while. It seems that the interest is not there, except for a few in NC. This forum is the only social media thing I do so I am sure there are fakebook and IG groups. I don’t care about them though.
There are some great tracks this side of the Mississippi but I think the draw is out west. Hence the amount of people chatting. With that mindset, I just decided to just go solo! Georgia traverse, smoky mountain 1000, Kentucky Adventure trail, and many others.

For me, just winging it is more fun, and unpredictable!!
Best of luck and maybe we will meet you on the trail!

Hey also..we're the same..I do not have social media like facebook and instagram and whatever else crap everybody is on. So perhaps I miss out on meetups and stuff? Anyway..if you name the coffee meet & greet location and date, I'll be there. And then there were two...

 

[highboy4x4]

Alright gents: Who is up for planning a trip so we can represent the South East?? If you are, send me a DM and we can work something out!

 

[danwyandt]

I did the rigs & Coffee-WNC for 12 months on the 3rd sat. Had a few that showed from Tennessee, Asheville area, and a few locals. Never more than 4 at a meet. A few times we planned a weekend run that went well. We also planned same day short runs for the next meet which was fun.

I have done a few rallies that were well attended. Uwharrie NF, and cape lookout were good with 7 and 9 rigs respectively.
If you're thinking about a rally I'm in. Just have to have enough lead time (3 or 4 weeks) to get it on the calendar. Something in TN, or N Georgia would be cool.

 

[PaddyWhack]

Alright gents: Who is up for planning a trip so we can represent the South East?? If you are, send me a DM and we can work something out!

I'm in. Just send the date and location.

 

[danwyandt]

Alright gents: Who is up for planning a trip so we can represent the South East?? If you are, send me a DM and we can work something out!

I'm in. Just send the date and location.

Not sure how far you're willing to travel, but some of the locals here and I were thinking about Windrock, TN for a long weekend. I know it's offroad Park, but it is massive, with every level of trail you could want.
I could do a rally for that if there's interest.

I know we will be doing a uwharrie run later this year. Tried July and August. Never again! 105 degrees, and 90% humidity just hurts my feelings. So, late September is likely when we will set a date.

I'm open for suggestions...

 

[danwyandt]

Alright gents: Who is up for planning a trip so we can represent the South East?? If you are, send me a DM and we can work something out!

I'm ready. Just have to clean up the rig and do some light maintenance. Just emptied it today from a 7 day outer banks fishing trip.

 

[highboy4x4]

I did the rigs & Coffee-WNC for 12 months on the 3rd sat. Had a few that showed from Tennessee, Asheville area, and a few locals. Never more than 4 at a meet. A few times we planned a weekend run that went well. We also planned same day short runs for the next meet which was fun.

I have done a few rallies that were well attended. Uwharrie NF, and cape lookout were good with 7 and 9 rigs respectively.
If you're thinking about a rally I'm in. Just have to have enough lead time (3 or 4 weeks) to get it on the calendar. Something in TN, or N Georgia would be cool.

I knew your name sounded familiar. I was hawking your Rigs&Coffee info for a while. I “almost” drove the 10-11 hours just for the meet up.. but I chickened out!!

In my planning I have a few variables that I have to consider. Not deal breakers, just planning! Since I have a days drive just to get there, re: 10-11 hours to the Asheville area, my trip will be most likely 2 weeks. Last time I was in your area, I completed almost all of the SM1000. 17 days solo.

I guess I better get busy finding POI’s. I thought doing a water fall trip but it always seemed like too much pavement. Anyways, check out worldwaterfalldatabase.com
Or
gawaterfalls.com

Off to the VA to have the life sucked out of me….

 

[highboy4x4]

Here’s an idea to build a rally point at encompasses everybody’s interest reply with your favorite POI in the Georgia Tennessee North Carolina area. Then we can map it and see if it’s feasible to hit them all.

 

[grubworm]

Willing to travel great distances and sacrifice body parts.

welcome to the southeast! I sacrifice body parts (and sanity) just living down here...

I lived out west when I was younger and yeah, its a totally different thing. living in the swamps of south Louisiana now, pretty much anywhere good is at least a 10 hour drive and then double that to get out west to Utah, etc. I lived in CA, NM, AZ, CO and WA and really enjoyed all it has to offer, especially all the BLM land and countless areas to boondock without all the hassle of being east of the Rockies.

Georgia is very cool, and while I didn't see a lot of off-road or boondocking...there is a lot of "off road" in the form of hiking. LOTS of great hikes and places to explore on foot. The wife and I spent 10 days at Vogel state park (south of Blairsville) and spent every day doing new hikes. Probably goes without me saying, but east of the Rockies is hard for "overlanding" because pretty much everything is privately owned.

I joined on here 2019 and have met numerous members. A few of us met up on this site and ended up doing a week desert camping at Black Gap, just out side of Big Bend. It was a lot of fun and definitely something I wouldn't have done by myself, so it was nice to have the group form on here and actually make the trip. As mentioned, I don't see as much traction either for the southeast members meeting and organizing trips. I guess we are more spread out with less attractions and that adds to the difficulty. Timing is also tricky...Im retired, but with grown kids buying houses that they don't know how to fix and grandkids that need babysitting, etc...its not easy to get away.

BUT...there is always that time where several of us get together and make plans and they actually work out...

So yeah, I'd be interested in meeting with some OBers and check out Georgia more in depth. I've done a lot of pavement driving there and have done a good bit of the waterfall hikes and stuff, so time to get deeper in the woods. Russ has a good idea of people giving a POI to help make a plan. If I end up doing a trip like that, I'm going to be more like a tick and just go along for the ride!