Overland Bound Founding Principles

  • HTML tutorial
Status
Not open for further replies.

‘los

Rank II
Launch Member

Off-Road Ranger I

319
Memphis National Golf Club, 10135 National Club Dr, Collierville, Tennessee 38017, United States
First Name
Carlos
Last Name
ONeill
Member #

18488

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KB4CO
We (wife & self) had the pleasure of experiencing Overland Expo 2019. Got to meet excellent people. Thank You Brent Conklin KJ7BHN & Robert Rodriguez for introducing me to the Overland Bound group.
 

FJDaveM2

Rank II
Member
Investor

Contributor III

421
Woodland, CA, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Sieferman
Member #

10001

Love the community and what it means to get into nature. I love the way a good camping trip makes you feel and I hope that my children inherit the love I have for it as well. Thank you for Overland Bound.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JoelIII and Chadlyb

Left_unsupervised

Rank I
Launch Member

Member I

233
Brownsville,ca
First Name
Jason
Last Name
Barney
Member #

17348

Welcome!

I'm Michael and I accidentally created Overland Bound. I'm a backwoods country bumpkin from a town of 360 people. Seriously, my grade school was 70 kids TOTAL. My mom was the school nurse. We walked to the country store a mile away, and bought groceries "on the tab". The store owner knew the School District paid on the first of the month and my mom got paid every 30 days. It was fine. There was trust.

Now, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. To this day I do not lock my car, and we leave the front door of our home unlocked. I assume noble intent.

Growing up, my Dad was a U.S. Forest Ranger. He worked in the Sierras in the lookouts watching for forest fires. His love for the outdoors created my childhood, and natural comfort with surviving in the great outdoors. We back-packed, we went for walks to review plant names and uses. We hunted. Nature was everything.

I lost touch with this connection as I grew older. My career became my primary focus. I worked for Paramount Pictures, Electronic Arts and ran my own businesses in digital entertainment, it created a deficit that was building.

My 30s brought on marriage, 2 (awesome) kids, and then divorce. I found myself at the age of 40, divorced, My father passed at the same time, and I was unemployed. I was grasping for my roots. I took my 3 year-old son and 5 year old daughter to visit my hometown. It was a good, necessary anchor. On the drive home, my fast-paced-life-bought BMW 325i convertible got stuck in the snow. I watched my gas gauge go down to empty with the heater on, and wondered how I would keep my kids warm when the engine died. Luckily, CHP rescued us before that happened. It all came together in that moment. I needed to be comfortable again in the great outdoors. I would ALWAYS have a capable vehicle to get me there. The low point created an involuntary need to get away. I reacted like a primitive animal. I needed to escape. To connect with the great outdoors. Overland Bound was born.

I bought the FJ80, threw shit in the back, and drove into the Sierras. I was ill-prepared, but relied on what I had learned growing up. The result was absolute freedom. To this day, I do one solo trip a year. I bark at the trees, howl at the moon, and eliminate all stimulus besides me, my rig, and nature. I realized not everyone is as comfortable or knowledgeable as me in the great outdoors, and I have taken it for granted. Everyone needs to feel that connection to truly live.

I met Ms. Overland Bound, and she became a natural partner in all things adventure. She got to know me as a man who demanded this life, and loved me all the more for it (Corrie can tell you her story about her love for Overlanding.)

I want as many people as possible to experience self-sufficiency in the great outdoors. I want to make it accessible and attainable for everyone, without feeling easy. You can do it, but the very nature of existing off the grid makes us human. It should feel challenging, because it is. You can do it. Overland Bound will become as big as we can make it as a community. I believe it's possible to make a positive change in the world, and I believe we have started. I want as many people as possible to feel the freedom and self-reliance only a connection with the great outdoors can bring. Here is what Overland Bound believes:
  1. Overlanding is: "Vehicle Dependent Travel". Nothing else. We will not further define "overlanding".
  2. It doesn't matter what you drive: The only requirement of an overland vehicle is that it serves the job required, safely.
  3. We believe a connection with the uncivilized, unpredictable, and awe-inspiring wilderness is essential to human existence. Adventure is not optional.
  4. We leave it better than we found it.
  5. The requirements of the trip define "Dependable", and we take that very seriously.
  6. You are an Overlander. Overlanding is for everyone who has exploration and adventure in their heart, or who need to be reinvigorated by connecting with nature.
  7. Nature is unforgiving. You must rise to a certain level of personal awareness to survive. Sound right? Overlanding is for you.
  8. Encourage uncomplicated ventures into the great outdoors. Don't over pack.
  9. Be prepared, and understand basic requirements.
  10. Question folks, to be sure they are aware of what is required. Don't assume. Help.
  11. Share without reservation, trip locations, and information.
  12. We DO NOT engage in "this is better than that" competitions.
  13. We DO give advice about how to make your vehicle ready for what you need. Share knowledge.
  14. Humility. "I don't know" is a great answer.
  15. We don’t brag about exploits at the expense of others.
  16. We support those seeking answers, understanding we all start somewhere.
  17. We engage in the smallest of interactions.
  18. We have fun.
These are the core values I want Overland Bound to stand for, and I’m excited to keep spreading the word about the overlanding lifestyle. I want you to spread the word too. You are saving lives.

Thanks for being a part of this journey!

Outfit & Explore


Podcast: "The Beginning"
What an inspiring story. I grew up heavy into Boy Scouts, hunting, and fishing. Going off-road with different groups as often as possible.
My life crashed a few years back and I too decided to go back to where I came from so to speak. I look forward to making new memories with anyone who’s up for it here.

Jason
 

Mtn lion

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast I

404
Santa Ynez, Ca
First Name
Brian
Last Name
T.
Member #

18761

I am to looking forward to meeting a lot of folks out on the trails and learning all I can from them
 

rvrgrip

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Simi Valley
First Name
Sean
Last Name
Griffith
Member #

3746

Looking forward to increasing my time out in the wild and surviving appropriately... see ya out on the trails
 
  • Like
Reactions: DanMetiv

Paladin2020

Rank V
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

1,798
Crawfordville, FL
First Name
David
Last Name
Allen
Member #

9252

Service Branch
U.S. Army
Looking forward to meeting all existing and future members in my travels and the expos. Happy trails.
 

Jon L

Rank IV
Launch Member

Benefactor

917
Ottawa, ON, Canada
First Name
Jonathan
Last Name
Lalonde
Member #

18347

I've spent the last 2 days trying to gain as much insight as i can from the threads and topics. This is by far the best Information library on tech tips, builds, tricks, ideas and general understanding of what comes with over landing. I can say im hooked. I look forward to longer and farther treks in time. The community seems 100% down to earth and very helpful. Ill be recommending to my buddies, coworkers.
 

STRUWELJÄMP

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

740
LUXEMBOURG
First Name
Josy
Last Name
WAX
Member #

19773

Service Branch
Army Veteran
Unfortunately i live on the other side of the sea but if I once have the chance i would like to enjoy your landscape with a 4by4.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jim SoG and danl

TroutRunner

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate III

1,653
Durango, Colorado
First Name
David
Last Name
@
Member #

19806

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KY0TEQ
This sounds like a great group I just joined. I should have joined this group years ago when I stumbled upon it back then. I have been overlanding for years but just called it truck camping. Now that I have a more capable smaller rig I look forward to deeper adventures in the backcountry and sharing those experiences here with others. Thank you for reminding me that it’s just the essentials that are needed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Poseidon

careyrob

Rank 0

Contributor I

60
Massachusetts
First Name
Carey
Last Name
Robinson
Here we go! Time to mix it up with you folks.

Love being in rugged wilderness and being prepared for whatever might happen. So far, the dog and I haven't gotten into anything we couldn't get out of without too much fuss.

I can't wait to see all of your trips and builds.

6167.jpeg

The picture is a little out-dated, but this is the starting point for my overlanding/hunting rig. It's my daily driver @ 172k miles. I've mainly used it for towing, home improvement projects and hunting trips in the past. I've added a basic leveling kit so I could fit 35x12.50r20 General Grabber ATx tires primarily for getting through snow and minimum maintenance roads. For towing I added slotted and drilled rotors, rear airbags, an extra transmission cooler and a rear swaybar, but I'll have to remove the swaybar before any serious adventure is undertaken. I've also got a lightbar in the front (not shown) and LED pod flood lights flush mounted in the rear bumper.
VZM.IMG_20160926_091621.jpg

I'm finishing up my plans for a full-length DIY storage system to go in the bed. After that's built I've got some sound proofing to cut down on the noise in the cab. It'll probably be a year or more before I can start looking at some suspension improvements (shocks, springs & upper control arms) and then it'll be time to re-gear to 4.88's (or 5.29's) and add either a true LSD or locker in the rear differential. Then on to bumpers or maybe a portable fridge and potable water system. That's the plan for now. Who knows what order it will actually all happen though.
 

chevyfan77

Rank 0

Contributor I

60
Russiaville, IN, USA
First Name
Paul
Last Name
DORISSE
Member #

0

GREAT ARTICLE. I AM NEW TO THIS AND JUST STARTING OUT. I'VE GOT A 1977 K5 BLAZER AND SLOWLY BUT SURELY I'M PREPPING IT FOR OVERLANDING AND OFF ROADING. CAN'T WAIT TO LEARN MORE AND EVENTUALLY MEET UP WITH EVERYONE.
 

Attachments

tuliv

Rank 0

Contributor I

60
Varina, Virginia
First Name
Rob
Last Name
Petres
I wish it was just around the corner! its only about a 21 hour drive for me to get out near joshua tree :(

28+ hours to get to san fran too
Thank you this explanation, I am still working out the profile stuff and will complete as I figure it out.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.