Best Places to Go Overlanding — Overland Expo®

A few awesome places to checkout. 

https://www.overlandexpo.com/whats-new/2021/4/22/places-to-go-overlanding?utm_source=Overland+Expo+General+Interest+List&utm_campaign=734bdd50cd-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_04_29&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_39010529c3-734bdd50cd-407910481&mc_cid=734bdd50cd&mc_eid=09e7331044

Places To Go Overlanding

I hear the question; "Where should I go overlanding?" a lot.

As you might expect, it is always a difficult one to answer. I don't often know what vehicle the person drives, how comfortable they are with being uncomfortable, whether they know how to drive responsibly in the backcountry, and how much experience (or lack of) they have.

My go to reply is the Baja Peninsula – I truly love exploring Baja and I think everyone should immerse themselves at some point – but that answer inevitably leads to more questions about angry drug cartels, kidnapping, crooked cops, and bribery. Every. Single. Time.

So here goes my attempt to let you know my top places to go overlanding …

UTAH

You could explore Utah for your entire life and only see a portion of it. From vast multicolored desert landscapes to alpine forests to indigenous ruins, Utah has something for everyone. Get your feet wet with a visit to Valley of the Gods, a 17-mile loop with lots of opportunity for exploration on foot or in-vehicle. Or check out Boulder City, which borders Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Capitol Reef National Park. The drive from Boulder City to Capitol Reef on the Burr Trail is hair-raising and fun. For those that are a bit more adventurous, you might consider Hole in the Rock Road near Escalante – a trail that will leave you speechless or frustrated … or both.

ARIZONA

Arizona is bound to leave you picking your jaw up off the floor. National Parks and Monuments like Grand Canyon, Saguaro, and Monument Valley will feed your sense of adventure and awe. These sites have so much to offer including dispersed or organized camping, active adventures like hiking or trail running, and raw beauty unmatched anywhere else. You can explore hundred of miles of roads in search of early history like the Santa Rita Mountains. For ADV riders the Arizona Backcountry Discover Route which stretches from the saguaro-dotted deserts in the south to the mountains of Coconino County to the red rock landscapes in the north is a huge draw. But seriously, just pull up onX Offroad and check out the map, there really is something for everyone.

CALIFORNIA

Mojave Road – Photo credit: Jarrod Simonetto @jrsimonetto

Most people don't realize how vast the state of California really is until they start to explore it. Name your favorite type of terrain (or multiple types) and there is a spot in California where you can see it - often in the same day. On every overlander's bucket list is The Mojave Road, a 140-mile former Pony Express trail that stretches from Barstow, CA in the west to the Colorado River at the east terminus. Along the way, you'll see salt flats, lava tubes, cinder cones, and more history than you would expect. Looking for a summer trip that's a bit cooler? Try your hand at The Lost Coast starting near the Northern California town of Westport and ending in the Victorian town of Ferndale. This is an incredible (and easy) drive that has lots of opportunity for adventure. For an exciting winter adventure, check out Death Valley National Park and Titus Canyon in particular, a perfect introduction to the allure of Death Valley.

COLORADO

When you think of Colorado you probably immediately think of the Rocky Mountains, but you'll find tons of opportunity for adventure from the high deserts near Fruita and Grand Junction, the massive sand dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park to the alpine lakes and 4x4 tracks of the mountain towns in the Rockies. Get started with the Alpine Loop, a 68-mile track that allows you to explore Colorado history and the three mountain towns of Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton. Conquer the Colorado portion of The Great Divide (or the whole thing - why not?) The Great Divide is punishing, remote, and inspiring too. Make it one of this bucket-list tracks once you're comfortable with long journeys.

ALASKA / CANADA

Remote backcountry travel. It is something we all dream about and Alaska and Canada provides it in droves. Get out and explore beautiful British Columbia and The Whipsaw Trail, a 68-mile track that provides the explorer with amazing scenery and varied terrain. Are you looking to accomplish a bucket list item? Tackle the Dalton Highway, a 414-mile-long muddy, rocky road that runs between Livengood and Deadhorse at Prudhoe Bay and through some of the most remote terrain in the world. Anyone could get swept away by the beauty of Alberta and British Columbia's National Parks including; Yoho, Jasper, and Banff, just make time to get out and enjoy the less-traveled backcountry around those sights too.

MEXICO / BAJA

Navigating entry into Mexico for the first time is overwhelming and there is a laundry list of things you need to have ready before you go. Zach Elseman on the Overland Expo team has a great primer here on The Compass; A First-Timer's Border Crossing Into Baja, Mexico that you should check out while planning your trip. Immerse yourself in Baja first, from the lush vineyards of Baja's wine region (yes, Baja has a wine region with some of the finest vinos in the world) to the vast deserts near Cataviña to the warm waters and beach camping on the Sea of Cortez, you seriously can't go wrong in any direction. Try it. You'll end up loving it. Once you're more comfortable, try out mainland Mexico – an absolute paradise of whatever type of terrain you can think of. I recommend Guanajuato, Oaxaca, and the Yucatan Peninsula near the Belize border.

Wherever you decide to journey, do so responsibly. Get some training in vehicle recovery and learn some solid driving skills at Overland Expo. A successful trip is all about knowing your limits and knowing how to safely get yourself out of situations.

Happy travels!

AUTHOR: ANTHONY SICOLA

Anthony is the Director of Sales for Overland Expo and travels extensively with his wife Astrid and his dog Sir Digby in his 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser, nicknamed Hank the Tank. Follow his adventures on Instagram @overlandnomads

Header Image: Baja California – @overlandnomads

Jason @BeardedOverland www.beardedadv.blogspot.com

Another week of working overnights. I’m kinda over it. 🤦‍♂️ just a few more weeks till it’s over. Had a rough hard night last night. So I’m going to enjoy a plate of eggs, a cold beer, and some toast. While watching this amazing sunrise. Hey don’t judge me 😂

via Instagram

MIT study challenges indoor social distancing, finds 'no difference between 6 feet and 60 feet' | Fox News

I'm sure social media will scrub this story fast enough. But this talks about an actual peer reviewed study in social distancing indoors. Surprise researchers say there is no difference between 6 feet and 60, EVEN WITH A MASK. It's about time spent indoors not distance. Something I've said in private for over a year now!

https://www.foxnews.com/health/mit-study-covid-social-distancing.amp

MIT study challenges indoor social distancing, finds 'no difference between 6 feet and 60 feet'

Study suggests that time spent indoors has more effect on transmission than distance

Peter AitkenApril 25, 2021

A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology challenges the widespread social distancing guidelines, asserting that the "six-foot rule" is "inadequate" in mitigating indoor transmission of COVID-19.

MIT professors Martin Bazant and John Bush found that people who maintain six feet of distance indoors are no more protected than if they were 60 feet apart – even when wearing a mask.

The peer-reviewed study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America, focused on factors such as time spent indoors, air filtration and circulation, immunization and variant strains.

FLORIDA FAMILY ACCUSED OF SELLING BLEACH AS 'MIRACLE' COVID-19 CURE, MAKING $1M IN SALES

"What our analysis continues to show is that many spaces that have been shut down in fact don't need to be," Bazant explained to CNBC. "Often times the space is large enough, the ventilation is good enough, the amount of time people spend together is such that those spaces can be safely operated even at full capacity and the scientific support for reduced capacity in those spaces is really not very good."

"I think if you run the numbers, even right now for many types of spaces you'd find that there is not a need for occupancy restrictions," he added.

Both Bazant and Bush teach applied mathematics, while Bazant also teaches applied chemistry. As such, the professors developed a calculation to determine the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

FOX NEWS POLL: 1 IN 5 VOTERS REJECT VACCINE, CONCERN ABOUT CORONAVIRUS DROPS

Guidelines suggest that hours inside at social distances would be safe, but the study suggests otherwise.

"The distancing isn't helping you that much and it's also giving you a false sense of security because you're as safe at six feet as you are at 60 feet if you're indoors," Bazant said. "Everyone in that space is at roughly the same risk, actually."

Pathogen-laced droplets travel through the air due to the various activities people casually engage in, even simply eating, speaking and breathing. Original guidance focused on droplets that were propelled by coughing or sneezing, but new research backs the idea that airflow will carry droplets throughout a room.

NFL MODIFIES COVID-19 PROTOCOLS FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE

Even the type of activity mattered significantly: exercising, singing or shouting increased pathogen output, acting to decrease the time that someone can spend indoors before risking greater infection "by an order of magnitude."

The study suggests that it would be just as effective to open windows or install new fans to keep air moving as it would to install a new filtration system – though, significantly less expensive.

Time spent inside is significantly more important to focus on than distance, according to Bazant and Bush.

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"If you look at the air flow outside, the infected air would be swept away and very unlikely to cause transmission," Bazant said. "There are very few recorded instances of outdoor transmission."

"Crowded spaces outdoor could be an issue, but if people are keeping a reasonable distance of like three feet outside, I feel pretty comfortable with that even without masks frankly."

Jason @BeardedOverland www.beardedadv.blogspot.com

Check out this insane business-sign WAR that's currently taking over an entire Virginia town | Not the Bee

Awesome feel good story. 
https://notthebee.com/article/check-out-this-insane-sign-war-thats-currently-ongoing-in-a-virginia-town

Check out this insane business-sign WAR that's currently taking over an entire Virginia town

The following insanity started when a music store in Christiansburg, Virginia decided to challenge a shoe store to a sign war:

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The shoe store responded in kind:

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From there, things got... interesting.

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Other businesses started jumping in from this point, dividing this town in a sign war to end all sign wars:

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A few of these establishments only joined the fight within the last day or two.

I have no idea who will win, but I have the strange feeling that America's dads are already making plans to visit.

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My wife would like it to be known that she, not I, was responsible for sourcing this delightful tale of uttermost punniness.

Jason @BeardedOverland www.beardedadv.blogspot.com

I’ll be glad when we can be done with the Covid theater. It’s getting warmer and my face diaper is obviously full. 😂😂😂

via Instagram

Lawsuits aim to overturn ban on off-roading at Oceano Dunes, the... | Hemmings

Try all they like, the courts will never side with the off-roading community. 

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2021/04/22/lawsuits-aim-to-overturn-ban-on-off-roading-at-oceano-dunes-the-birthplace-of-the-dune-buggy/amp

Lawsuits aim to overturn ban on off-roading at Oceano Dunes, the birthplace of the dune buggy

Sand rail at Oceanos Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandrafoyt/15325115579/"> Sandra Foyt.</a>

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After more than a year of threatening to do so, the California Coastal Commission voted last month to end off-highway vehicle use altogether at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, the only California park that still allows motor vehicles on the state's beaches and the place where the late Bruce Meyers got the inspiration for his first dune buggy. In response, the agency now faces multiple lawsuits claiming it overstepped its authority and demanding the decision be reversed.

"The Commission's decision was unjustified since State Parks has undertaken a three-year public process to develop a long-range management plan," said Chris Kersting, president and CEO of the Specialty Equipment Market Association, which filed the lawsuit in California State Superior Court for San Luis Obispo County. "It renders meaningless the State Parks' ongoing effort to adopt a plan consistent with the Coastal Act that will include OHV access to this unique resource."

While off-roading on the 15,000 acres of sand and dunes on California's Central Coast once known as Pismo Beach dates back to the Thirties, the state didn't establish Oceano Dunes SVRA until 1982, when it set aside much of the dunes for wildlife preserves and left about 1,500 acres for off-roading. Of those 1,500 acres, another 132 acres have since been set aside for vegetation rehabilitation while another 300 acres have been declared off-limits from March through September to protect populations of snowy plovers, a species of bird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

However, as development has encroached closer to the dunes, area residents started to complain of excessive dust and airborne particulate matter from the dunes, pointing to the operation of motor vehicles on the sand as a cause – not of the dust directly, but of the deterioration of a natural crust on the sand that permitted vegetation to grow on the dunes and prevent the dust via a process called saltation.

In response, the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District called for a plan that would reduce the total land available for OHVs to 1,000 acres. Then in 2019, the California Coastal Commission first proposed fencing off all but 700 acres before telling the California Department of Parks and Recreation that "It is time to start thinking about ways to transition the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area away from OHV use," and directing the parks department to "phase out OHV use altogether." In March, the CCC commissioners then voted to shorten their own timeline for eliminating OHV use at Oceano from five years to three years. According to the CCC, OHV use at Oceano is inconsistent with California's Coastal Act of 1976 in regards to protecting sensitive habitats.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation, which oversees the SVRAs, had been working on a Public Works Plan for Oceano Dunes that would mitigate the dust concerns and released a draft of that plan last year. However, in statements surrounding its vote to bar OHVs from Oceano, CCC commissioners expressed dissatisfaction that the parks department did not follow the CCC's guidance regarding the phase-out of OHVs at Oceano. "So it no longer makes sense to defer to State Parks without the Commission taking action under the CDP renewal process," Kevin Kahn, the CCC's Central Coast District Supervisor, said.

Supporters of OHV use at Oceano, largely led by the Friends of Oceano Dunes, had already filed multiple lawsuits against the CCC throughout the process and added another one last week, claiming that CCC does not have authority over the parks department and that the CCC made alterations to the Public Works Plan without proper public hearings. According to Jim Suty, the president of Friends of Oceano Dunes, the economic impact of off-roaders to the area around the park amounts to $15 million per year.

SEMA's lawsuit, which asks the court to vacate the CCC's March vote, also argues that the CCC "does not have substantive evidence to support the closure and has failed to conduct an environmental impact review required under the California Environmental Quality Act or consider alternatives." SEMA, which filed its suit with the Off-Road Business Association, the American Sand Association, and the American Motorcyclist Association's District 37, also noted in its press release that OHV recreation contributes to the local economy.

After closing down due to COVID concerns last year, Oceano Dunes SVRA began to re-open under a three-phase plan last October and entered phase two of that plan in February. For more information about the SVRA, visit OHV.Parks.CA.gov.

View More on Hemmings

Jason @BeardedOverland www.beardedadv.blogspot.com

Disney discussed removing Controversial Haunted Mansion Scene | Chip and Company

Let me save everyone a little time. The controversy is about the hanging scene in the stretching room. The reason it's controversial is our failure to teach history, and the weakness of the minds of both young and old. Those who have a problem with the scene, state it's associated with suicide and lynching. While that is true, hanging is more associated with justice than anything else. In fact it's been associated with capital punishment since the fifth century, the last official use of hanging in America was in 1996 in Delaware. So there's a little perspective. 

While it may hurt someone's feelings, let's just remember that it was intended for justice. 

If you want to read the article here it is;
https://chipandco.com/disney-discussed-removing-controversial-haunted-mansion-scene-426792/

Disney discussed removing Controversial Haunted Mansion Scene

Sara

Sara is a travel agent with Amazing Magical Adventures, a Disney Earmarked agency. She lives in Alaska with her husband and 3 kids. Due to her extreme dislike of winter, she travels often to warmer destinations during the colder months. She visits the Disney parks and resorts frequently with her family and loves helping other families plan magical vacations. Contact her here for help with your vacation!

April 13, 2021 Sara

Please note: some posts may contain affiliate links which means our team could earn money if you purchase products from our site

We recently shared a behind-the-scenes look at the new updates to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. The attraction now has new illusions and a fresh landscape. One scene that some consider controversial has not changed.

Related – Video: Haunted Mansion's Hitchhiking Ghosts catch a ride in the all new Bolt EUV

The hanging scene in the Haunted Mansion has recently become a controversial topic. There have been calls to remove the scene noting its association with suicide and lynchings. Disney has heard the complaints, but for now the scene is not changing.

"It's been discussed for sure," says Disney's Michele Hobbs, who managed the Haunted Mansion refurbishment. "It's definitely something that we're thinking about."

While that scene has not changed, take a look at the other changes and updates coming to Haunted Mansion:

Behind The Scenes Look at the New Haunted Mansion Updates coming to Disneyland

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Jason @BeardedOverland www.beardedadv.blogspot.com