All depends on what you consider overlanding , dragging a stock rig through rocks and deep two tracks , constantly getting stuck and having to pull , jack up , rig out . Sounds like a rather miserable day compared to being able to slowly crawl over stuff with maximum traction causing less damage to the trails and roads and having the ability to help those stuck in situations they have no business being in sounds like a much more enjoyable trip to me . I guess maybe I’m spoiled living in the pnw and don’t have to travel to far away lands for weeks at a time to explore a ton , I could spend a month on the road in Oregon and still only scratch the surface of what this state has to offer . If you head up to Canada some of their “roads” are worse than our trails . It’s all a matter of perspective I guess
Yes I would much prefer a leisurely wander than getting stuck. Thinking back, the last time I was stuck was about 20 years ago in the Sahara, in a Series 100 LC, and it was a desert driving training day, so that was the plan. Other than that... never for more than a few minutes on very few occasions in the last couple of decades. A couple of times in Northeastern Brazil in the Lençois Maranhenses in an X Trail i - deep sand, out in 5 minutes. Never yet in Africa south of the Sahara, although I once pulled 3 vehicles including a Land Rover out of a dry river bed in the Kalahari in a Peugeot 304, pulled a Jeep out of deep sand in the Congo in a Patrol, and we pulled a pickup out of a ditch when the rains hit in Northern Kenya in our LC. We had to take a second shot at a dune a couple of times in the Simpson Desert last year, but this was simply a case of backing up and trying again - 1100 dunes in 5 days.
Having said all that, I suspect that if we were to try to go some of the places you go, in our "not far off standard" vehicle, we'd need your help to get out of trouble pretty quickly.
I think of "overlanding" based on the Overland Journal description: "
Overlanding describes self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal. Typically, but not exclusively, accommodated by mechanized off-highway capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging is camping; often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years) and often spanning international boundaries. While expedition is defined as a journey with a purpose, overlanding sees the journey as the purpose. Overlanding is about exploration, rather than conquering obstacles. While the roads and trails we travel might be rough or technically challenging, they are the means to an end, not the goal itself. The goal is to see and learn about our world, whether on a weekend trip 100 miles from home or a 10,000-mile expedition across another continent. The vehicle and equipment can be simple or extravagant - they, too, are simply means to an end. History, wildlife, culture, scenery, self-sufficiency - these are the rewards of overlanding." However I recognise that this only one of many views.
We've travelled a lot in Canada (I'm Canadian although haven't lived there for almost 30 years) and also through Oregon, which is beautiful, and I can see your point. We too can get out onto unsurfaced tracks not far from home (where we live now), and have a huge opportunity to see more. As you say - all a matter or perspective (and what interests us).
