{"id":62045,"date":"2019-05-10T09:10:09","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T16:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=62045"},"modified":"2019-05-10T09:10:09","modified_gmt":"2019-05-10T16:10:09","slug":"what-is-overlanding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/what-is-overlanding\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Overlanding?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"What
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Overlanding: an interesting word made by turning the adjective\/adverb overland into a verb in the present progressive tense by adding the letters \u2013ing at the end. What does it mean? Overlanding is many things to many people, but most agree it is a form of travel that is more about enjoying the journey than arriving at any specific destination. RacingJunk is going to take a look at the origins of the word Overlanding and what it has come to mean to its practitioners today. After that, we\u2019re going to take a look at what consensus agrees are the bare minimums of both knowledge and equipment that you\u2019ll need to get started.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Before we go any further into this discussion, we need to clear the air about a common misconception: Overlanding and off-roading are not synonymous. They don\u2019t refer to the same activity. Off-roading is a recreational activity using specialized vehicles to traverse un-paved trails and roads simply for the enjoyment and challenge of doing so. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"What
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most people who enjoy Overlanding use an off-road\/4X4 vehicle. However, most Overlanding adventures have some time spent on paved highways and roads. Some even end up going straight through the heart of big cities. Your journey <\/span><\/span>may<\/i><\/span><\/span> take you on a route that has a rock face wall you\u2019ll have to crawl up, but that rock face crawl isn\u2019t the <\/span><\/span>object<\/i><\/span><\/span> of the journey, it\u2019s just something that is part of the journey. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The origins of the word Overlanding appears to be the late 19<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span><\/sup>\/early 20th centuries in Australia. Farmers in the Australian Outback used to have to drive their cattle long distances both to follow the feed and to get them to market when the time came. The term they gave these long-distance cattle drives is overlanding. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Later, the Australian government sent construction crews out into the Outback to build highways to open the Outback up and make far-reaching points more accessible by vehicle. These work crews called also began calling their journey(s) across the Outback building these highways Overlanding, and the word stuck. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There are still people Down Under who refer to driving across the highways those workers built as Overlanding; however, over the past few decades the popular meaning has changed to one that refers to a type of traveling \u201cfrom here to there\u201d using your vehicle as a traveling basecamp and enjoying the journey more than having a desire to get to any specific place. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"What
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When I was growing up, the thing for families to do was to pile into the car and drive to Disneyland\/Disneyworld\/grandma\u2019s house\/etc., staying the night along the way in motels close to the highway. There were also the times that we\u2019d pile into the car and head somewhere like Yosemite or Big Ben and \u201crough it\u201d (no telephone, sometimes no TV, usually no friends from home – just your sister! – maybe actually sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag on the ground.), calling it \u201ccamping.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now, combine those, with one proviso. You\u2019re not going to sleep in motels along the way, most likely; you\u2019ll stop where you can use what you packed\/drove as your nightly shelter. You head out and when you get tired, you find a place that you can set up for the night – cooking and sleeping areas. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Oh. One more proviso: The planning for this outing doesn\u2019t include the words, \u201cWe\u2019re going here and this is the route we\u2019ll take and these are the towns we\u2019ll stop in along the way.\u201d Instead you say, \u201cWe\u2019ll start driving that way. When we get tired we\u2019ll stop, maybe for the night and maybe for a day or two.\u201d You may have a specific park, vista, or region that you want to explore, but most leave everything else flexible. You may or may not even have a specific day that you will want to be back home by. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Overlanding\u2019s meaning to some is changing again. Now there are many who are making Overlanding their lifestyle. Instead of their journey being a week or a couple months long, they can be away for years. They may or may not have a physical home with an address. Journeys like these require you to either have an independent source of income or be able to retain your income while traveling, though. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Another misconception about Overlanding is that families with children can’t undertake these longer journeys. This couldn\u2019t be farther from the truth, as long as the children\u2019s needs are taken into account as you make your plans and make ready for your journey. The sights and sounds of the trip aren\u2019t always going to entrance young ones; they\u2019ll need books and games to keep them entertained, as well as snacks and drinks between meals. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"What
Image courtesy Pacific Overlander<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Caption: Pacific Overlander offers rental vehicles if you want to see if Overlanding is something you want to invest in.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Exactly what you\u2019ll need to begin Overlanding depends on how deeply you want to immerse yourself in the lifestyle from the beginning. If you just want to \u201cstick your toe in to test the waters,\u201d you can get away with a two-wheel-drive (front or rear) car or truck big enough to hold everyone going on the journey and your equipment. You can stay where tent camping is allowed. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s one end of the spectrum. The other is the family with the big six-wheel-drive leviathan with solar panels, water purification\/desalination, full bathroom and room for a family of four to eat and sleep comfortably. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"What
Image credit Enilda Aguilar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most people get by with a van or SUV with roof and backdoor storage. Although four-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles are favored they aren\u2019t absolutely necessary unless you plan on going places that will require both front and rear axles driving at the same time.<\/p>\n

If you plan on cooking your own meals along the way, you need to decide if you want to use a camping stove or use campfires (<\/span><\/span>IF<\/b><\/span><\/span> they\u2019re allowed. Check with authorities before leaving.). Will you be buying or hunting\/fishing? Do you want to really \u201crough it\u201d and mostly sleep under the stars or do you want a tent and\/or lean-to, including your vehicle?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What about hygiene? Are facilities always going to be available where you\u2019re planning (at least for now) on going or will you have to bring your own shower and toilet and thus water? Most sites and groups catering to the Overlanding lifestyle agree that there\u2019s no hard and set list of must-haves. You just need a free spirit. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"What
Image credit Mike Aguilar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Let\u2019s put together a hypothetical list of stuff a family of four (8 year old boy and 12 year old girl) need on a three month journey through the Western half of the US that includes the occasional foray into \u201ccivilization\u201d to stock back up on needed supplies. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n