An overwhelmed newbie from New Jersey

[MMc]

I'm also originally from Quebec (the West Island; Pointe Claire to be precise). Moved to Toronto in 1979, and here to the U.S. in 2000. I've only been out west once, and only to Calgary for 2 days, and Yellowknife for 3, for a friend's wedding back in the early 80s. I've desperately wanted to explore Canada by road for a long time. We went through the maritimes about 15 years ago, but that was in our Honda, and staying at B&Bs, which was actually amazing. I suspect our first big road trip to Canada after this is over will be NS and NFLD, and maybe a few more days back on PEI. We're in the NYC suburbs, my wife's job is tied to the city, and she loves both NYC and city/urban living. I'm the one more interested in extended time away from New Jersey. Tuck would be interesting, but the cost/reward just to say you drove to road's end isn't there for me. If money and time-away weren't issues I might feel differently. But even Dawson City is about 6500 miles one way from here.



I've got a fair amount of gear already (REI Base Camp 6 tent, external foam mattress pads, old-style Coleman naptha stove/lantern, plenty of dedicated camp kitchen gear. I used to go out for weekends 30+ years ago, and that stuff is all good. But we got the new tent/bags/etc last summer. I'm looking for places to go that involve off-road driving, stream crossings, mountain lakeshore dispersed camping spots and things of that nature. I don't want to go crawling over boulders, but I will always feel the need for dirt under my wheels, and the occasional chance to use my winch and MaxTrax boards.

We will not be living on the road full time. I enjoy roughing it a bit, but physical limitations mean I have to make a few compromises. A combination of state/provincial campgrounds and some dispersed sites would suit me fine. I'm not a big cold weather fan, so I intend to restrict my trips to about the May-October. A few weekends here and there, and one longer trip somewhere interesting. We have family and friends that we also need to visit, including one or occasionally two trans-Atlantic trips a year as things reopen. We thus only have limited time to do this in, and we have a home and pets in NJ.



Like I said above, I used to go out a lot more when I was in my 20s and 30s, and then later on, my vacations were increasingly to trade shows for my main hobby (ham radio) in Ohio and Germany, and visiting as many of the major cities in Europe as I could afford to do. We still plan to do this every year if we can. But I've spent so much time and money on EU, that I've neglected my own back yard. And while I still have some physical mobility and own a trail-rated vehicle, I want to find those mountain roads and forest trails.

NOW I HAVE A LITTLE BETTER UNDERSTANDING, sorry for being so slow. It sound like you are wanting some more off road skills to get a bit more out there, not wheeling just traveling. Go to the trails around your house bring a shovel, a tow strap and do you gear. If you start to get into something you don’t like, turn around. Look at Ioverlander.com there might be like minded folks camping. Sitting around a camp fire is a great place to gain knowledge. We all learn how to drive and get unstuck in the areas we go though, my snow skills are weak as I live in So. Cal. You might think about getting together with a wheeling group for beginners or beginning trails. Experience is a great teacher, we all get stuck, we all break down, we get in over our heads, we all look like fools at one time or another. YMMV.

 

[Paula - Canadian Explorer]

I'm also originally from Quebec (the West Island; Pointe Claire to be precise). Moved to Toronto in 1979, and here to the U.S. in 2000. I've only been out west once, and only to Calgary for 2 days, and Yellowknife for 3, for a friend's wedding back in the early 80s. I've desperately wanted to explore Canada by road for a long time. We went through the maritimes about 15 years ago, but that was in our Honda, and staying at B&Bs, which was actually amazing. I suspect our first big road trip to Canada after this is over will be NS and NFLD, and maybe a few more days back on PEI. We're in the NYC suburbs, my wife's job is tied to the city, and she loves both NYC and city/urban living. I'm the one more interested in extended time away from New Jersey. Tuck would be interesting, but the cost/reward just to say you drove to road's end isn't there for me. If money and time-away weren't issues I might feel differently. But even Dawson City is about 6500 miles one way from here.



I've got a fair amount of gear already (REI Base Camp 6 tent, external foam mattress pads, old-style Coleman naptha stove/lantern, plenty of dedicated camp kitchen gear. I used to go out for weekends 30+ years ago, and that stuff is all good. But we got the new tent/bags/etc last summer. I'm looking for places to go that involve off-road driving, stream crossings, mountain lakeshore dispersed camping spots and things of that nature. I don't want to go crawling over boulders, but I will always feel the need for dirt under my wheels, and the occasional chance to use my winch and MaxTrax boards.

We will not be living on the road full time. I enjoy roughing it a bit, but physical limitations mean I have to make a few compromises. A combination of state/provincial campgrounds and some dispersed sites would suit me fine. I'm not a big cold weather fan, so I intend to restrict my trips to about the May-October. A few weekends here and there, and one longer trip somewhere interesting. We have family and friends that we also need to visit, including one or occasionally two trans-Atlantic trips a year as things reopen. We thus only have limited time to do this in, and we have a home and pets in NJ.



Like I said above, I used to go out a lot more when I was in my 20s and 30s, and then later on, my vacations were increasingly to trade shows for my main hobby (ham radio) in Ohio and Germany, and visiting as many of the major cities in Europe as I could afford to do. We still plan to do this every year if we can. But I've spent so much time and money on EU, that I've neglected my own back yard. And while I still have some physical mobility and own a trail-rated vehicle, I want to find those mountain roads and forest trails.

I think you have a great starting point, that is, to visit areas closer to your current home-base.

Nice to see another fellow Canadian!
If you're doing NS, I suggest you do the 'Lighthouse Route' (Nova Scotia's best road trip: lobsters and lighthouses (nationalgeographic.com) ). I took this route, and enjoyed it very much. It is safe, and keeps you on paved roads, and the occasional side road to the lighthouse. It is certainly worth it. You'll be able to then hop unto PEI, before you head out to NL. I rented a vehicle at the time, so not much equipment is required to do this trip. And, you certainly do not need any 4x4 to enjoy. See pic below

 

[Autism Family Travels]

I think you have a great starting point, that is, to visit areas closer to your current home-base.

Nice to see another fellow Canadian!
If you're doing NS, I suggest you do the 'Lighthouse Route' (Nova Scotia's best road trip: lobsters and lighthouses (nationalgeographic.com) ). I took this route, and enjoyed it very much. It is safe, and keeps you on paved roads, and the occasional side road to the lighthouse. It is certainly worth it. You'll be able to then hop unto PEI, before you head out to NL. I rented a vehicle at the time, so not much equipment is required to do this trip. And, you certainly do not need any 4x4 to enjoy. See pic below

We do this route every time we are in Nova Scotia. Newfoundland is a whole other ball game here. We have so many places nobody sees since they stick to the "touristy routes". The back country has the best accomidations......Wilderness!

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Well of course ol' Justin will have to open the border first, so we can't do anything until that happens. That trip (NS & NL) will be a 2-3 week adventure. We'll probably do some B&Bs and some overlanding. Our first road trip will just be to Toronto to check in on friends we haven't seen in 13 months.

BC/AB/YT will not be for at least 2 or 3 years. Again, getting a month to 6 weeks off, and the money for the trip, will be non-trivial. I want to do it, but want and afford are sadly two different animals. Moab/Ouray will come first.

What will be most likely is that when it warms up to wife-comfortable temperatures and Covid restrictions aren't in effect, we'll find somewhere somewhat nearby that we can go for 2 or 3 nights as another trial run, then start planning something longer. VT or upstate NY or into PA perhaps as good starting points?? Unfortunately NJ is not welcoming to off-roading, and from what many folks have told us, the few primitive camping opportunities that exist are often taken up by the kinds of folks we'd both prefer to not be around; think "cast of Jersey Shore."

So for the sake of discussion here, let's say VT lets us in (eventually) and we pick that as a place to go for a few nights. How do we find good off-pavement trails and places to go have a nice quiet, scenic peaceful adventure? GaiaGPS only shows me national park/forest roads, of which there are a few, but let's say we don't want that. Just nice dispersed camping by a lake somewhere quiet. What tools should I use to start planning for this?

 

[Jay Arisso]

Hi all, and I hope the Holiday Season was kind to all. One year ago I bought my first Jeep-branded product, a 2018 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk edition. As this awful year progressed I put a set of rock sliders on it, a 3/8" steel sump plate, transmission armor (to go with the factory armor already installed), and thanks to Santa, a 10k winch, a steel lower front bumper, nudge bar and recovery gear has been added to the grand.

So basically....All dressed up and no place to go.

I've spent hours (days?) watching Venture 4WD, EFRT, Trail Recon, The Road Chose Me, and others but the fact is we live in northern NJ, where the only legal wheeling is at a pair of paid off-road parks 3 hours away and that are focused on rock crawling. So with winter here and the camping gear stowed safely in the basement I'm considering a major road trip for whenever the Covid monster allows us to move about the country without facing mandatory quarantines, or putting my old/fragile body at risk of catching this thing. My thought is late-summer or early fall. Driving out to Moab, then the Rim Rocker trail to CO, and take on as many trails in both locations as our vacation time allows; I'm figuring 3 weeks including the drive both ways. I'll be 60 when this happens, and my wife in her 50s; neither of us in prime physical shape, alas (round is a shape, innit?).

Being 2000 miles away from the fun stuff, and brand-squeaky-new to the whole endeavor, the fact is we don't know anybody to get involved with.The local Jeep clubs here in NJ are focused on rock crawling, beach trips "down the shore", and excuses to add 40s, 4" lifts, and so on. Not my cuppa. At all. And with a WK2, it's mostly not even possible. My ideas of vacation paradise are mountains, camping by stunning scenery, and maybe earning a few Jeep Badges of Honor in the process. Treading lightly, wheeling responsibly, and, fates willing, meeting some wonderful people and making a few new friends along the way.

I have no intention to become a You Tube personality (I have a face made for radio, and a voice made for Morse Code), but I would sell my soul to experience the beautiful scenery that those famous folks have brought into my living room this past year. I can't do this for a living as they do since we have responsibilities back here, and honestly, I can't throw $75,000 or $100,000 or more into a custom build.

So with all that said (and sorry for boring you with the details), how can I break this down into bite-sized chunks of planning that won't overwhelm me at every step? Other than Covid safety, and New Jersey's strict quarantine laws, the immediate roadblocks that I see are as follows:

1. We're too inexperienced to overland alone
2. 2000 miles away from clubs full of experienced folks, thus no way to "network" with experienced overlanders
3. A vehicle that's a bit less capable than a tricked out JK/JL/XJ/TJ, etc.
4. No clue how to plan an itinerary, find the right trails to plan for (and know which ones not to try with my WK2)
5. How to learn correct and safe spotting and recovery techniques from skilled people
6. We don't yet know what we don't know. I am willing to learn and put in hard work but I don't know how/where to even begin. Our Grand Cherokee is our daily driver, so keeping it safe and sound, and unbroken, is high on both of our priorities lists.

So that's where I am at the moment. I've learned a lot of theory from the YouTube crowd, but now I need to put it into practice. Thanks for following along, and sorry for the boring, rambling dissertation <grin>. Just layin' it all out there and hoping for some honest advice. Buying a new Jeep and slapping on an Ursa Minor and 37s ain't happening. We're ground tenting for now. We can't afford a RTT, and the thought of climbing down a ladder in the middle of the night 2 or 3 times (grumble) is something I'm not too sure I'd like anyways. So that's where we are, and I'm hoping we can get this into a less-frightening master plan. Please and thanks in advance.

Bud, I totally understand you.... As a matter of fact, you spoke what I have been thinking for a very long time... I'm in Union County. Seems like I live out dreams through watching YouTube.... But there are some places to take some nice trips around.... These forums help a whole lot.... Vermont, Maine, Pine Barrens, etc, are some nice places to "get your fix"... Also, once a while, doing a meet up or taking a community trip really is a amazing experience...

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Bud, I totally understand you.... As a matter of fact, you spoke what I have been thinking for a very long time... I'm in Union County. Seems like I live out dreams through watching YouTube.... But there are some places to take some nice trips around.... These forums help a whole lot.... Vermont, Maine, Pine Barrens, etc, are some nice places to "get your fix"... Also, once a while, doing a meet up or taking a community trip really is a amazing experience...

That's what I'm hoping to achieve here. As for getting my fix, I will hit Rausch Creek and AOAA a few times a year, and I'm a member of the New Jersey Jeep Association that goes on private rides as well, but that's not the same as heading out to some secluded place that involves a few somewhat challenging forest roads or fire access roads. Never been to the pine barrens, but that's probably going to happen in the spring. The mud holes there worry me since my Trailhawk is only good for 20 inches of water clearance...a far cry from a lifted Wrangler, and that's a potential Jeep Killer.

 

[Terry Pickens]

Might be a little ambitious for a noob, eh? It's on my list of places that would be amazing to see, but honestly Dawson City is about as far up as I think I'd want to go. I also want to head off the other way and visit Newfoundland. My wife and I have been talking about visiting the rock for 20 years but Europe and friends over there have beckoned far more strongly. Once this is over, BC should just rebrand itself as a giant Jeep trail. EFRT, Shaun, Casey and the rest should be paid by the BC gov't tourism department. They're the greatest advertisement for the province I've ever seen.

The Demster is a great adventure. Did a 7,500 mile trip from Vancouver, WA up to Tuktoyaktuk in 2019 with 2 Subaru Outbacks. Just make sure you have a full size spare to carry. Beautiful scenery and plenty of camping, campgrounds and primitive, along the way. I was 64 when I made the trip and want to go back soon. If you only get to Dawson City stay for a few days to enjoy the sites, great little town.
My trip is shown here: Day 1 – The first push from Vancouver, WA
Here is a 4 minute video of the trip:

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Just amazing!!! Yes, I'd like to drive north at some point, but bear in mind that we also need to get to and from B.C. itself. Since we're just outside of New York City, going across the continent east-to-west, then the same distance or more south-to-north, then back, north-to-south again, and then back home would take much longer to do properly than the 4 weeks of vacation time we have available. I calculated a route I'd like to take and it's 9500 miles there and back again. We like to take our time traveling, so ideally that would be a 3 month trip, and that's something completely out of the question for us at the moment. Not to mention about 2100 litres of gas at northern prices. Would it be worth it? Hell yes. But the logistics at the moment are too much to overcome.

 

[Terry Pickens]

Just amazing!!! Yes, I'd like to drive north at some point, but bear in mind that we also need to get to and from B.C. itself. Since we're just outside of New York City, going across the continent east-to-west, then the same distance or more south-to-north, then back, north-to-south again, and then back home would take much longer to do properly than the 4 weeks of vacation time we have available. I calculated a route I'd like to take and it's 9500 miles there and back again. We like to take our time traveling, so ideally that would be a 3 month trip, and that's something completely out of the question for us at the moment. Not to mention about 2100 litres of gas at northern prices. Would it be worth it? Hell yes. But the logistics at the moment are too much to overcome.

Yes the 7,500 mile trip I took was accomplished in 21 days. It was planned for 60 days but circumstances of my traveling companion forced it to be condensed and remove several places I wished to visit. I did not feel rushed on any days of the trip except for one long drive day returning from Inuvik, which could have been broken into 2 easily. I know there are plenty of sites to see across the States and Canada that would take double that time easily. Spent 30 days just crossing the USA from So Cal to Maine then south to South Carolina and back home. Just wanted to show ou your vehicle is quite capable of making the adventure to Tuktoyaktuk. Hope you get to all your adventures.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Yeah, maybe someday we'll hit Tuk or Dawson City.

But back to my east coast working stiff reality. Let's talk about my intended 3-5 day trip to VT or NH. Assume we have all the camping gear we need in terms of shelter, sleeping bags, foam mattresses, chairs, cooking supplies and food, along with recovery gear. So pretend I'm all loaded up and ready to head up 87.

What do I do to actually plan a trip into, I won't say wilderness, but a somewhat secluded dispersed camp site? Some place to set up our base camp and go exploring the dirt trails for a couple of days? I don't know of any spots, and looking at Gaia, other than the Green Mountain Nat'l Forest, every road I see is paved blacktop. I don't know how to find forest roads or fire roads, etc., and when I do, how can I find out if they're something that my Grand can handle or that require a serious expedition-ready team of adventurers to cut through? Last thing I want is to hit a 3' deep water crossing that destroys my Jeep ten miles into the bush. That would likely be a death sentence for me -- I cannot walk all that far. So given this, for those who've done it here or elsewhere, how should I start making serious plans?

At the moment, my goal is to find wilderness campsites that are not suitable for RVs, or at worst, primitive state campgrounds, but at the same time, safe enough for a stock rig like mine. So the steps I'm trying to discover are how to find the dirt roads that aren't on public maps? And more importantly, how to determine if they're safe enough for my vehicle? Where to set up camp, and to find things like potable water or maybe a vault toilet if we're lucky. And finally, where to explore in the Jeep once we've got the tent set up and the morning's breakfast out of the way.

 

[Virginiawilderness]

I found this member’s post on a route in PA which should be close to you. It looks like a cool trip, not too crazy. The OP included .gpx files you can use to plot a trip. There are bound to be some VT routs in the overland routes page.

 

[Surffishingbum]

Hi all, and I hope the Holiday Season was kind to all. One year ago I bought my first Jeep-branded product, a 2018 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk edition. As this awful year progressed I put a set of rock sliders on it, a 3/8" steel sump plate, transmission armor (to go with the factory armor already installed), and thanks to Santa, a 10k winch, a steel lower front bumper, nudge bar and recovery gear has been added to the grand.

So basically....All dressed up and no place to go.

I've spent hours (days?) watching Venture 4WD, EFRT, Trail Recon, The Road Chose Me, and others but the fact is we live in northern NJ, where the only legal wheeling is at a pair of paid off-road parks 3 hours away and that are focused on rock crawling. So with winter here and the camping gear stowed safely in the basement I'm considering a major road trip for whenever the Covid monster allows us to move about the country without facing mandatory quarantines, or putting my old/fragile body at risk of catching this thing. My thought is late-summer or early fall. Driving out to Moab, then the Rim Rocker trail to CO, and take on as many trails in both locations as our vacation time allows; I'm figuring 3 weeks including the drive both ways. I'll be 60 when this happens, and my wife in her 50s; neither of us in prime physical shape, alas (round is a shape, innit?).

Being 2000 miles away from the fun stuff, and brand-squeaky-new to the whole endeavor, the fact is we don't know anybody to get involved with.The local Jeep clubs here in NJ are focused on rock crawling, beach trips "down the shore", and excuses to add 40s, 4" lifts, and so on. Not my cuppa. At all. And with a WK2, it's mostly not even possible. My ideas of vacation paradise are mountains, camping by stunning scenery, and maybe earning a few Jeep Badges of Honor in the process. Treading lightly, wheeling responsibly, and, fates willing, meeting some wonderful people and making a few new friends along the way.

I have no intention to become a You Tube personality (I have a face made for radio, and a voice made for Morse Code), but I would sell my soul to experience the beautiful scenery that those famous folks have brought into my living room this past year. I can't do this for a living as they do since we have responsibilities back here, and honestly, I can't throw $75,000 or $100,000 or more into a custom build.

So with all that said (and sorry for boring you with the details), how can I break this down into bite-sized chunks of planning that won't overwhelm me at every step? Other than Covid safety, and New Jersey's strict quarantine laws, the immediate roadblocks that I see are as follows:

1. We're too inexperienced to overland alone
2. 2000 miles away from clubs full of experienced folks, thus no way to "network" with experienced overlanders
3. A vehicle that's a bit less capable than a tricked out JK/JL/XJ/TJ, etc.
4. No clue how to plan an itinerary, find the right trails to plan for (and know which ones not to try with my WK2)
5. How to learn correct and safe spotting and recovery techniques from skilled people
6. We don't yet know what we don't know. I am willing to learn and put in hard work but I don't know how/where to even begin. Our Grand Cherokee is our daily driver, so keeping it safe and sound, and unbroken, is high on both of our priorities lists.

So that's where I am at the moment. I've learned a lot of theory from the YouTube crowd, but now I need to put it into practice. Thanks for following along, and sorry for the boring, rambling dissertation <grin>. Just layin' it all out there and hoping for some honest advice. Buying a new Jeep and slapping on an Ursa Minor and 37s ain't happening. We're ground tenting for now. We can't afford a RTT, and the thought of climbing down a ladder in the middle of the night 2 or 3 times (grumble) is something I'm not too sure I'd like anyways. So that's where we are, and I'm hoping we can get this into a less-frightening master plan. Please and thanks in advance.

The Trans New Jersey Trail is a trip right in your own backyard, this will get your feet wet. Be sure to stop and check out the Poormans Safari behind Great Adventure. Below is a thread by a member on this site, he also has it mapped out, let me know if you are doing it, I will meet up with you at poor man's safari if you want.

The OFFICIAL Trans NJ Trail Thread

Hey guys, and gals, I decided to create an “official” Trans New Jersey Trail thread. This is where you can find the “official” route and any route info you need to know. Also, this thread will be good for those to post info about the route; like road closures, detours, dangers, trees down, and...

www.overlandbound.com

 

[velo47]

So with all that said (and sorry for boring you with the details), how can I break this down into bite-sized chunks of planning that won't overwhelm me at every step? Other than Covid safety, and New Jersey's strict quarantine laws, the immediate roadblocks that I see are as follows:

1. We're too inexperienced to overland alone
2. 2000 miles away from clubs full of experienced folks, thus no way to "network" with experienced overlanders
3. A vehicle that's a bit less capable than a tricked out JK/JL/XJ/TJ, etc.
4. No clue how to plan an itinerary, find the right trails to plan for (and know which ones not to try with my WK2)
5. How to learn correct and safe spotting and recovery techniques from skilled people
6. We don't yet know what we don't know. I am willing to learn and put in hard work but I don't know how/where to even begin. Our Grand Cherokee is our daily driver, so keeping it safe and sound, and unbroken, is high on both of our priorities lists.

So that's where I am at the moment. I've learned a lot of theory from the YouTube crowd, but now I need to put it into practice.

You Tube etc. is a great platform for learning about stuff that it would otherwise be very difficult to find local guidance. You can find videos about anything on You Tube. But, that also creates the problem that you seem to be in. You start watching all those videos of guys with lifted JKs on 40s where the mods alone cost more than your rig, your camping gear, and maybe your house. Soon, you think you need all this stuff to do whatever it is you're researching. YOU DON'T!.

1. You're not too inexperienced. Go out for a weekend. Don't go wheeling, don't got to Moab, just go driving and camping. Have fun. make some mistakes. Learn from them. Get better. Everyone started somewhere, and almost no one has all the gear and (sometimes supposed) expertise as the You Tube stars.
2. This is a good place to find experienced people in your area willing to help. Or people not in your area willing to help, with very little attitude.
3. Your vehicle is more than capable. When I was little, we "overlanded" in Colorado and Utah in a '61 VW bus. We went a lot of places and saw a lot of cool stuff, very slowly.
4. Some platforms like All Trails have ratings on the trails. Otherwise, ask around here, call the ranger stations or visitors centers in some of the areas you're looking at, or just go and try some trails. If they're getting bad, just turn around before they get too bad. Get out and walk and look at the trail ahead if you're not sure.
6. It's your daily, just don't do anything stupid. Despite some of the You Tubers opinions, you don't need to do damage to have fun.

I skipped 5 because it is hard to find people with good recovery and spotting knowledge. Especially spotting. You can use You Tube and find enough advice to do simple recoveries safely, spotting is a different matter. But, you don't need to go somewhere so difficult to have fun.

Sorry for the long response, but I've been in your situation and understand your angst.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

I think your point number 2 is a big one and that's one of the big things I want to do--meet up with experienced overlanders in both cyberspace and meatspace who are willing to point an overwhelmed n00b in the right direction, or away from bad advice.

Finding legal trails that a WK2 can handle in the northeast is one of the most difficult things I've encountered thus far. Especially with legal dispersed camping, or at least good public campgrounds. I definitely plan to do at least part of the TNJT; I'd never heard of it before this thread and I'm excited to do it once we're into late spring. But I'd also like to venture into New England, and maybe find a group of like-minded travelers who we could go out with sometime when Covid isn't a concern. My local club isn't into overlanding, nor do I personally know anybody else who is. These are pretty big hurdles for me.

 

[Jim SoG]

Forgive me for popping in here late and not really reading all the posts, but here is a couple thoughts.....
One regularly post and read the threads here; U.S. East (VA WV MD DE NJ PA NY CT RI MA NH VT ME) I would flat our ask to go on a trip, see if anyone is around you and so on....

Next I would read and do as I suggested to any of these that interest you: Overland Bound Meetups

And I would pick a route/trails/destination and ask for people to join you, posting here: Overland Trip Planning It is ok for you to set up a run and get others to join in, maybe get 1 or more to do a run "pre Run" t scout out things before the actual run.....

Last I would join this FB group (OB East) and post on there, joins runs on there: Facebook Groups

Remember all you need is you, but only 1 other would be a great time with some safety built in........

Jim

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Remember all you need is you, but only 1 other would be a great time with some safety built in........

My biggest fear would be taking a trail that looks safe but I end up breaking a CV joint or hydrolocking an engine 10 or 20 miles into the bush, and unable to get help or get out. The WK2 is a great vehicle, but it's absolutely not as simple to fix or as versatile for rocks and water as a JK/JL/etc. That's where relying on people who've done this a time or 20 would be huge, and would definitely prevent my wife from freaking out. We got pinned against a tree and took about $3k of body damage back in September, and to this day she's in a blind panic whenever we get too close to trees. With both of us completely inexperienced, she refuses to do anything more adventurous than a gravel road in a state campground unless we're with skilled and equipped people.

Once we thaw out and Covid risks are down (and we New Jerseyites are allowed to travel without having to quarantine) I'll absolutely be making some fun plans, starting off with at least the northern part of the TNJT.

 

[Autism Family Travels]

NJadioguy, Your GC will drag you around LOTS of places reliably. In reality, you will break before it will. Don't be afraid of venturing off road, just take your time, and use common sense when crossing waterways etc. You will have a BLAST. When in Newfoundland, don't just stick to the west/northern Peninsula. Get around all over this place. By the time you get over here, we will probably have our airbnb setup running. Contact us before hand and I will confirm. It's going to be a comfy 1 bedroom flat with kitchenette and all the coziness of a quaint farmhouse. Contact us here when you are in the planning stages of your NL trip, I can provide backcountry routes that your GC will love!

 

[Boucher]

You will be fine , bring some food water , basic recovery items, take it slow and build up experience, prob 80 percent of the trails traveled by members here are dirt roads. Once you build up that experience start taking on more challenging trails , always try to bring a buddy with you.

 

[Jim SoG]

My biggest fear would be taking a trail that looks safe but I end up breaking a CV joint or hydrolocking an engine 10 or 20 miles into the bush, and unable to get help or get out. The WK2 is a great vehicle, but it's absolutely not as simple to fix or as versatile for rocks and water as a JK/JL/etc. That's where relying on people who've done this a time or 20 would be huge, and would definitely prevent my wife from freaking out. We got pinned against a tree and took about $3k of body damage back in September, and to this day she's in a blind panic whenever we get too close to trees. With both of us completely inexperienced, she refuses to do anything more adventurous than a gravel road in a state campground unless we're with skilled and equipped people.

Once we thaw out and Covid risks are down (and we New Jerseyites are allowed to travel without having to quarantine) I'll absolutely be making some fun plans, starting off with at least the northern part of the TNJT.

Well there is a difference between rock crawling (no matter the size rocks) and overlanding and riding some dirt trails......I have done all alone and that was stupid on my part (Rock Crawling, minor but...)and will not do it again. But there are plenty of "trails" to take that while alone you should be ok, but again ask someone to go with you.......

 

[Jim SoG]

Here are some suggested east=y trails (IDK I googled it):
Many of us have SUV's and rarely if ever take them off road. I've been doing it for years since my kids were little and they loved it. Give it a try. The ones farther north offer some challenging hills to climb as the forests down south are flat and easier to drive.

• Wharton State Forest - South Jersey
• Penn State Forest - South Central Jersey
• Jenny Jump State Forest - Northwestern Jersey
• Stokes State Forest - Northwestern Jersey
• Worthington State Forest - Delaware Water Gap Area
• Lebanon State Forest - South Central Jersey
• Brendan T. Byrne State Forest - South Central Jersey
• Bass River State Forest - South Jersey
• Belleplain State Forest - Far South Jersey
• Abram S. Hewitt State Forest - Far North Jersey
• Ramapo State Forest - Far North Jersey
• Norvin Green State Forest - Far North Jersey

Read More: 12 places to take your SUV 'off-roading' in New Jersey | 12 places to take your SUV 'off-roading' in New Jersey