Solo Expedition USA

[SafariPacific]

Updated: Sept 8th 2007

Starting from Phoenix, Arizona I will depart on a 3+ month expedition crossing the continental United States and Canada traveling on as many back country roads as possible. My first leg will be through the Southern states then down into Florida. Then heading up the East Coast to Maine and back to the West. There are no set dates or plans. The entire trip will be improvised along the way. During preparation and the actual trip we will post journal entries when we have Internet access. Stay tuned!

If anyone would like to meet up for some offroading let me know. I'd love to get some local perspective and maybe find some great trails off the map.

Trip Journal: http://www.safaripacific.com/adventures.php?x=2007_northamerica

Cheers,
Travis

[Nullifier]

let me know when you are going to be in Florida. We got a room for ya and can arrange for some wheeling also.

[SafariPacific]

Made it through the South and now in Florida. I started to type up a post and closed the window my mistake. :yikes: I'll type up something up a little better tonight. Here's some pics for now.

Mississippi
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USS Alabama - Mobile, Alabama
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Pensacola Beach, Florida
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http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/001/Pensacola-Beach.jpg

[SafariPacific]

Hey Nullifier, I sent you a PM.

[SafariPacific]

August 3rd 2007

Green as far as the eye can see. For a desert dweller this is a completely new theme. Trees, grass, lakes and rivers are scattered about the landscape. Much to my surprise Oklahoma and Arkansas have hills. Everyone I known from the area has joked of how flat everything is. Although the view don't change much the area is still beautiful.

Traveling on back roads in the South has proven to be a near impossible task. Within the hundreds of miles driven only one dirt road could be found. Well, I should elaborate. There are tons of roads that are drivable, but only a few that are on public land. Most are located on private property. Obtaining permission from a number of people would take a lifetime. One gentleman at a fuel stop explained, “There's nothing really to see until you reach North Carolina.”

Late Friday night I arrived in Pensacola Beach, FL. Turning away from the party scene I headed towards a campsite located on the peninsula. The gate was closed. I pulled off to take a few night pictures while I could. Off in the distance I noticed a car that seemed to be below the asphalt. Jumping back in the truck I started to leave but not before swinging by the car. A couple attempted to cross a small sand patch in their car. Needless to say they didn't make it. I offered a hand and with my trusty yank strap I pulled them out. Good deed completed on the trip, check. After the rescue I asked about the campsite, which I'm told was washed away from a previous hurricane. Well, back on the road to a new site.

[SafariPacific]

August 5th 2007

With any long journey there will be times of great happiness and sadness. For myself, no trip is complete without a life altering change of perspective. Whether it's a simple act or deep thinking, one event will trigger an avalanche. Earlier in the day I heard some talk radio about a movie with good reviews. Deciding to take downtime from days of driving, I swang by a local store in Cocoa Beach, Florida and picked up a copy. Once I settled into camp I popped in the movie and kicked back.

Slowly the plot unraveled while my long ago buried emotions began to surface. The Fountain is a story about a husband and wife who are caught in a battle with cancer. While the husband fights to keep his wife alive, she loses her fear of death. Fully engulfing himself in his own fear of her death only drives him further away from the one he loves. Pow, this struck a nerve.

A few years ago, a girlfriend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. Nights of pain forced her into the emergency room until the early morning. Every night I felt sadness and helplessness in not being able to stop it. I comforted her the best I could yet feeling distant and afraid. Early in life I developed the ability to fix almost anything, but this wasn't a broken radio. Obscuring rationality, I enveloped my mind in thoughts of how to solve the problem and my greatest fears. I was deeply afraid of her dying and didn't know how to act or what to do. Toiling in fear, I lost sight of what was important. Our time together.

Thankfully she was successfully treated by advances in modern medicine and great doctors. Shortly thereafter we began to grow apart. My fear of her possible outcome led me to remain distant, never allowing myself to truly get close. Despite our distance from one another, there is still a place in my heart for her. Overall, I now see that one should take life in stride and live it to the fullest with the short time given. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is to simply be there.

[SafariPacific]

August 6th 2007

Days at the beach are hard to beat, especially at a place as beautiful as Cocoa Beach, Florida. Sugar white sands, clear waters and great surf. Its very relaxing and tons to do. With the famous Ron Jon shop in town you can gear up for any beach outing. Most of my Monday was spent playing in the ocean. Waves about 3 feet tall were the biggest to crash into me. Off in the distance a large wave began to rise. Grabbing my boogie board I jumped into the passing crest. For a second I rode the wave, then literally sending me head over heals in the water by board caught an edge. Onlookers had a good laugh. Aw, the times you wish you had a picture.

After kicking back at the beach, I took a friend's advice, that previously lived in the area, to take the tour at Kennedy Space Center. Upon arrival I headed to the “Rocket Garden” which features many of NASA's early rocket prototypes. All of them dwarf the model rockets I had as a kid. I spent a while seeing all the exhibits before heading for the tour line. Surprisingly the line for the tour buses move quite quickly despite the sight of it. First stop on the tour was the launch pad viewing platform. From the three story tower you can see most of Cape Canaveral including the Vehicle Assembly Building, Shuttle Launch Pad and the Crawler. Various other sights are visible.

Next stop was the Saturn V building. Placed within the actual Apollo command center you are transported to the last three minutes before launch. Buzzing voices mumble about checking systems before the go. Videos taken from the first Apollo mission are shown along with lights pointing out each piece of equipment portrayed. Slow rumbles develop into a deep roar as windows begin to rattle. Kind of cool I thought. Giving everyone an insight to the workings of a launch.

After the presentation we stepped into another room. “Wow,” “holey cow” and other amazed expressions came from the crowed. Towering, even on its side, the rocked filled a three story building. Incredible that this huge piece of equipment even left the ground, let alone reaching bullet speeds. Around the rocket are smaller models and exhibits. Not wanting to ruin the experience for any future travelers I'll stop here. This is definitely a place to visit for anyone interested in space and huge machines.

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[BajaTaco]

Great stories and photos Travis - thanks. That pic you took of the ship is really cool. Enjoy the rest of the trip!

[SafariPacific]

Thanks Chris!

I have a tone more stories and updates I need to post. Today's the first day I've had decent internet since the 11th. Connections is a bit up and down though. More updates to come within the next few days. Currently sitting in Maine and its 50 degrees :shakin: Hehe, for my friends back in AZ.

[SafariPacific]

My path has change completely within the past week. Traveling though Colorado I ran into a few vehicle problems. Up around 10,000 feet in the mountains I broke the left front shock forcing me to remain on paved roads. Later in the day the fan clutch gave out overheating the motor and cutting out my remaining trip through Colorado and into Moab. I headed into Tooele, where some family of mine resides, for repairs and a bit of rest and relaxation. I've met tons of people and have had fun the past month. Since I'll be waiting a week for parts I'll have time to update my journals.

Also, the trip has taken me outside the US into Canada. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick to name a few. I'm also considering a big run, but I'll let you ponder what it could be for now. ;)

[SafariPacific]

I'll be saving my longer stories for later so I can update faster. Well, at lease thats the idea :)

August 7th 2007

Waking from a good nights rest I depart for Key West. Driving most of the day landed me on Long Key. Sixty miles short of my goal, but luck was on my side at the campgrounds. Completely booked, accept for a family who left early. While registering I ask the ranger about The Conch Republic. James a park ranger told me a story of a friend to couldn't get back on the mainland when the Conch Republic was formed. He had to bring his friends passport from home. After registering I drove down to Key West. Rain pored down when I went to take a photo by the southernmost point of the continental US. Thankfully a guy who was caught out in the rain took the photo for me. Kudos to him!

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/002/1000.jpg
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[SafariPacific]

August 8th 2007

Shuttle Launch. To watch the shuttle launch I parked on a small island for the road between Cocoa Beach and Merritt island. Glen & Victoria from Trinidad talked to me for a while. They live in Orlando currently and use to live in New York City. Glen wants to buy a sail boat and travel the South Pacific. His wife didn't seem to like the idea.

“Look there it goes,” people shouted, “go baby go.” A low rumble grew into a loud roar. Within a few seconds the craft was starting to arc eastward. Carrying a payload for the International Space Station. One of the astronauts on board, I'm told, was originally a teacher for the Challenger mission.

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[SafariPacific]

August 9th 2007

Still no signs of dirt. Most of my day was spend on roads where I accidentally stumbled across the Patriots Point Naval and Marine Museum. Very cool find. There is an aircraft carrier, submarine, Coast Guard cutter and a few other ships. Unlike most museums you are allowed below deck without a tour guide. There was one place I didn't go, the engine room. For what ever reason I'm always freaked out by going that far into a ship.

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[SafariPacific]

August 10th 2007

Seemingly driving for three days strait I settled into a small campground in Chattahoochee National Forrest, Georgia. Staying all day at the campsite was refreshing. I was able to reorganize all of my gear from the days of making messes.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/002/1007.jpg

[xcmountain80]

Hey I saw you in the keys last month. You were headed south on the 7-Mile bridge (Maybe another bridge) and I was headed North. My interest was peaked by the roof lights first and then I told my wife that was the most bad-*** ranger I have ever seen. I couldn't remember what your windshield banner said but thought I might find you here on this board one day. Thats very cool well have a great day.

Aaron

[SafariPacific]

August 12th 2007

Great Smokey Mountain National Park is a great place to visit. Calm and pristine, it definitely lives up to its name. There are some good hiking trails too. On my way eastward I stopped for gas. Talking to the clerk about my trip he suggested the Blue Ridge Parkway which starts just a few miles outside the park. Only driving about 80 miles on the parkway, I was impressed. Mile after mile there are beautiful landscapes.

Great Smokey Mountain National Park
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Blue Ridge Parkway
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[SafariPacific]

August 13th 2007

Heading back to the beach, my next stop was Kitty Hawk. The Wright Brothers are amazing. I wish I could of been there!

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/002/1014.jpg

[Martinjmpr]

Very interesting. I'll bet a lot of us wish we could just take off for 3 months, so I congratulate you on being able to do it.

Can I make a suggestion, though? If you want to hit the gorgeous areas of the Rockies, you might want to think about heading this way now. Depending on the weather patterns, a lot of the beautiful and remote trails will start closing due to snow by about mid-October. At least here in CO, there aren't too many more weeks to go before the high passes start getting snowed in, and even when they're not snowed in, the weather can be vicious and unpredictible. Our fall color season is also both earlier and shorter than what you will find in the Eastern US. Last year I took a late-season ride on my motorcycle through some of the lower passes in central CO, and most of the leaves were already off the trees, and this was on October 15.

In contrast, IIRC the Smokey Mountains in NC and TN have their peak fall "color" season around late October or early to mid November.

As I said, just a suggestion.

[SafariPacific]

August 14th 2007

Unbeknown to myself, I apparently have an uncanny ability of finding the most popular campsites. Arriving at Assateague State Park, Maryland I stopped by the ranger office to reserve a campsite. The Park Ranger stationed said “This is the most popular beach around here. Most of the summer we are packed.” Sending me on my way, she pointed out a few other campgrounds in the area, one of which was just down the road. Assateague Island National Seashore was fulled to the brim as well. Although camping was not an option I did find a little piece of beach driving. For seventy dollars at this National Seashore you can drive on the sand down 30 miles to the border of Maryland/Virginia. Surf fishing and a few campgrounds are the main attraction. Wild horses also roam the island freely. One horse decided to stand right next to my driver door for a bit.

Setting off down the road I passed through Ocean City a mecca for tourists. Being on a budget I continued on just north into Delaware where beach driving is permitted. Turning down one of the small sandy paths lead me to deeper sand. Then suddenly, clunk! Popping the transmission back into first gear, I attempted to keep my momentum. Somehow the shifter slid out. Now blocking the trail, I jumped out and began airing down the tires. A faint voice to my left utters, “Are you stuck?” Slowly stopping, a lady in an SUV pulls up wanting to exit. Walking over to me she asks whats going on. Explaining as I get back into the truck, I rock for and aft to free myself. Heavy burning smells fill the air. White smoke billows from the transmission as I poke my head underneath while still sitting inside. Sitting back up, sand flies upwards from the SUV's tires as I kill my engine. We're beginning to have a sand party here.

Being the root of the problem, and felling a bit bad, I grabbed my shovel and started to help. While digging, one of the kids says “Were going to be stuck forever!” Laughing a bit, I finished up clearing a path aimed downhill. Her plan was to backup all the way to the waters edge and head for another exit. I add “What ever you do, don't stop!” With a blank expression, she hopped back in and backed down. From there she kept on going. I don't think she had seen the humor in the situation. Pondering for a moment I turned back to my own problem. Flattened down to nothing, my tires buckled creating a huge foot print. Another set of tires and another set of paths. Digging once again I cleared room for the axle as well. Restarting the truck my foot fell to the floor. Resistance slowly increased by pumping the clutch petal. Thoughts run though my head of the worst, no clutch. Sloppily going in reverse I slowly begin to move. Slipping and sliding the clutch didn't fully engage. Reaching the entrance I stopped to air up the tires and figure out what was going on. Turns out, my first attempt to escape overheated the clutch. With a little slop after an hour, I was able to drive again.

[kcowyo]

Nice photos from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the OBX. The parkway is my favorite road on the east coast.

[Grim Reaper]

August 10th 2007

Seemingly driving for three days strait I settled into a small campground in Chattahoochee National Forrest, Georgia. Staying all day at the campsite was refreshing. I was able to reorganize all of my gear from the days of making messes.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/002/1007.jpg
Hate that I mised this thread when you started it. Could have shown you the Dirt in North GA.

Where did you end up staying?

[SafariPacific]

August 15th 2007

Just over the border into New Jersey I stopped to update the maps on the Lowrance GPS. While stationary I heard yelling. Turing to the driver's window I see a man staring in. Where he came from I'm not too sure. He asked if I was broke down and needed a hand. I laughed, “No just stopped for a second.” The inquisition begins as to the meaning of the truck. After I explain he tells me that there are a few trails around the East Coast, but you just have to know where they are. Staring at my maps I eventually did find a few.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/002/1041.jpg

[SafariPacific]

Hate that I mised this thread when you started it. Could have shown you the Dirt in North GA.

Where did you end up staying?

Thats alright. Would of been cool thought :)

I think I camped at Lake Rabun.

[SafariPacific]

Hey I saw you in the keys last month. You were headed south on the 7-Mile bridge (Maybe another bridge) and I was headed North. My interest was peaked by the roof lights first and then I told my wife that was the most bad-*** ranger I have ever seen. I couldn't remember what your windshield banner said but thought I might find you here on this board one day. Thats very cool well have a great day.

Aaron

You should of stopped me...haha Thanks for diggin my ranger!

[SafariPacific]

August 16th 2007

North into downtown New York City for some traffic! Probably a bit stupid, but I had to do it. Traffic lights are a suggestion and lanes are subtle hints. Amazing none of the cabs are dented. Trying to find a parking spot was difficult. I found a parking garage and headed in. A lot attendant franticly runs from around a corner as a loud crash echoes. Apparently the height limit sigh is lower that it reads. The attendant forces me to back up into traffic even though my rig is shorter than seven feet.

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[SafariPacific]

Very interesting. I'll bet a lot of us wish we could just take off for 3 months, so I congratulate you on being able to do it.

Can I make a suggestion, though? If you want to hit the gorgeous areas of the Rockies, you might want to think about heading this way now. Depending on the weather patterns, a lot of the beautiful and remote trails will start closing due to snow by about mid-October. At least here in CO, there aren't too many more weeks to go before the high passes start getting snowed in, and even when they're not snowed in, the weather can be vicious and unpredictible. Our fall color season is also both earlier and shorter than what you will find in the Eastern US. Last year I took a late-season ride on my motorcycle through some of the lower passes in central CO, and most of the leaves were already off the trees, and this was on October 15.

In contrast, IIRC the Smokey Mountains in NC and TN have their peak fall "color" season around late October or early to mid November.

As I said, just a suggestion.

I am very lucky to be able to take this trip. Partly the reason for me posting here is for the majority whom may never get to experience an adventure like this. There are a few things I have going for me though, that help out a ton. I'm self employed, single, no children and before I left, I moved out of my rental which means few bills.

Thanks for the info! Definitely good to know, I'll be in the Rockys for a few more weeks. Right now I'm in Tooele, Utah (30 min outside Salt Lake) repairing the truck and preparing for colder weather north of here. And playing catchup on my posts :)

[SafariPacific]

August 17th 2007

Onward to Boston. I drove around downtown and parked to get lunch. This time I fit in a parking garage. After lunch I headed out again. Later I stopped for gas and met a couple filling up. They told be I'm right where Paul Revere rode down to John Handcocks house. The first shorts of the Revolutionary War was down the way. I visited the Minute Man National Historical Park. Video and exhibits.

August 18th 2007


Drove along the coast of Maine to Portland then headed up to Augusta. Stopped by Acadia National Park to hike a bit.

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[SafariPacific]

August 19th 2007

No reservations right? So why not. Today I jumped across the border into Canada to explore the Maritimes. I headed for St. John to board a ferry to Nova Scotia. From there I planned to loop up and over back to New Brunswick. The St. John to Dubbins ferry just left as I pulled up. A guy in a orange jump suite said I would pay less to drive around. $150 for the ferry and $80 for gas. He also mentioned I would probably beat the ferry to the other side because of the five hour boat ride. I headed out to find a camp site, it was getting late. Back on the road a moose bolted over the highway. There a bit funny looking at full speed.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/002/1022.jpg

[SafariPacific]

August 20th 2007

Visited Prince Edward Island, or P.E.I. for locals, driving on a few local dirt roads. The island is beautiful. Looks a bit like England to me. Drove from down to Charolettetown then over to Wood Islands where I boarded a ferry to Nova Scotia. The toll collector asked if everything up top was secure then mentioned the water was a bit ruff. This was the first time I have been on open water. A little nerve racking, but no big deal. Fallowing the procession of cars I drove onto the lower deck.

Engines rumbled thought the hull as I climb to the observation deck. Once we were on open water I had to use the bathroom, which was an interesting experience. Swaying back and fourth is alright on deck where you can see the horizon, but below I acted as if I had been drinking since noon. Bouncing off the walls and staggering all over I found the restroom. When I attempting to stand up from the toilet I lost my balance. This was one of those moments where you can't help but laugh at yourself.

Making landfall I left to find a camp. Once I setup camp I met a fellow who invited me over for Corn Beef and Cabbage with his wife and friends. Dave was on his way back home from New Foundland. All of them were originally from there and had a bit of a Scottish sounding accent. We sat up and talked for a few hours about all kinds of things. These folks were awesome and I was glad to meet them.

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[SafariPacific]

August 22nd 2007

Did I made a wrong turn into France? They may learn English in school, but don't expect them to use it. Montreal is a very cool city and I would like to spend more time here. Though, getting around has ben a little difficult with the language barrier.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/002/1023.jpg

[SafariPacific]

August 23rd 2007

Niagara Falls and Buffalo, NY

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[SafariPacific]

August 24th 2007

Headed towards Erie, PA and stopped to organize my gear. Restocked my drink supply and purchased a box to relocate some equipment onto the roof. Also purchased JB Weld and Liquid Aluminum for the radiator problem I started having. Continued on to Pittsburgh where I stopped to use the restroom. Walking out I met a guy. We talked for a bit. He is a pipe fitter looking to retire.

[SafariPacific]

August 25th 2007

Highways have been the theme the past few days. Listening in on CB channel 19 truckers talk about sitting in traffic for over 5 hours not moving an inch. I was closing into the Chicago area when the radio went nuts. All over the city was chaos. Lake Michigan had flooded parts of the area along with street lights reported out. Everyone was trying to find an alternate route. My self included, I asked others what roads were clear. Eventually I made my way downtown, six hours later.

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[SafariPacific]

August 26th 2007

Nothing but more highway today crossing the plains. Yep, its flat!
Small town in Michigan to Rapid City, South Dakota

[SafariPacific]

August 27th 2007

In the morning I visited Mt Rushmore in the Black Hills NF. Crossing into Wyoming I took off on dirt roads about 100 miles long. Yay! Back to my goal. Later in Casper I headed south for more dirt roads that dropped me near Colorado.

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Middle of no where Wyoming
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[SafariPacific]

August 28th 2007

Heading out of Boulder into the mountains I found a trail over the continental divide. While on Rollins Pass, one of the first over the divide, I busted a shock. Not sure how I did it since the trails is easy. Ending my offroading adventure I headed back to the pavement cutting my Colorado trip short. Driving on the pavement the rest of the way I headed south to Independence Pass. Climbing the hill brought more problems. Apparently my leaking cooling system was due to a dead fan clutch. No air was moving over the radiator, overheating the motor. Once the motor cooled a bit I used some JB Weld to hold the clutch fixed, so air would flow. Hospitality in Colorado is great. While repairing I had at least five offers to help. The JB Weld worked until I stopped 200 miles later for fuel. Restarting snapped the fix loose. I headed for Utah where I have family and where I can stop and fix everything properly. My problem cut my souther Utah trip off as well. I wanted to travel around Moab. Despite the breakdowns I still had a good time. Colorado has some awesome trials and backroads, not to mention the people are friendly.

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[SafariPacific]

September 8th 2007

Caught up on posts, check. Truck fixed, not quite. Just an update on the breakdown. More parts broke that I originally noticed. Once I pulled everything apart I found the radiator sides were ready to fall off and the thermostat was stuck shut. :eek: I should have the new radiator this Tuesday if all goes well. Also replaced the brake pads, probably due to the past month's distance driven.

My next leg will land me in Montana and depending how the truck handles I may continue far north. Yep I'm talking Alaska. :wings: I'm excited, but there is a lot to do before I get there especially with Winter rolling in.

[RedDog]

North from Montana? This calls for a cold one in Alberta. Keep us posted on when you might be blowing through here.

Nice shots by the way.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Great trip! Great pics!

Thanks for sharing!

Wow! I see more to come!

Keep the story coming!

Be safe!

[datrupr]

Man, how did I miss this post? What a great adventure! Sorry to hear about your mechanical problems, but a great trip none the less. Thanks for sharing with us.

[SafariPacific]

September 14th 2007

After receiving the radiator and other parts on Wednesday, I installed them without any big issues. Yesterday I took a drive up Middle Canyon to make sure everything was ok offroad and up hills. At the top of the mountain there is an overlook of Salt Lake and Kennecott copper mine. I was relieved that I arrived with no boiling going on in the motor. All seems well, which means I'm back on the road! :jumping: Today I'll be headed out to Wyoming again though the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone then up to Glacier over the next week. From Glacier I'll make another stop at a friends in Fortine, Montana for a week.

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[SafariPacific]

North from Montana? This calls for a cold one in Alberta. Keep us posted on when you might be blowing through here.

Nice shots by the way.

Thanks! Sounds good and I'll keep ya posted!

[SafariPacific]

Just a quick and dirty update. Made it to Prudhoe Bay! I changed my route, once again, with the weather in mind. I drove my planned route backwards. From Utah to Montana then over to Washington. Up BC via the Cassiar to Yukon. Jumped on the Alcan to Anchorage. Up to Fairbanks. Drove the Dalton. Now back in Tok, AK. I've got some good stories that I'll post once I'm back in Montana. Especially getting stuck on the Dalton, one of the hills was a frozen slide. :yikes: Had to check my pants after that!

Powerline trail near Stewart B.C.
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/BC-Coastal-Mountain-trail.jpg

Bear Glacier
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/BC-Bear-Glacier.jpg

Up the Cassiar
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/BC-Cassiar.jpg


Outside Coldfoot
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/coldfoot.jpg

Arctic Circle
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/Arctic-Circle.jpg

Atigun Pass
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/Atigun-Pass.jpg

The Inn at Prudhoe Bay
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/the-inn.jpg

Headed back across the great divide
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/great-divide.jpg

Frozen mud
http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/Barnicles2.jpg

[articulate]

Frickn' cool. I love your photography. Do you plan on coming back? :)


Edit:
What, if I may ask, was the catalyst for this trip? 3 months . . . curious about what the inspiration was. Seems like you planned as you went?

[CLynn85]

Wow, can't believe I missed this post up until now. Awesome trip and great photos, can't wait to read more. I like your selection of vehicle as well.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Burr............!

VERY Burrrrrr!

But sweet pics!


Thanks!



.

[Desertoutpost]

The Bear Glacier picture is just an awsome picture! Still following your journey, keep it up and keep writing.

[SafariPacific]

Went for a hike around Jenny lake in Grand Tetons NP. Along the trail I came acrossed two sleeping grizzly bears.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/tetons.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/grizzly.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/hike.jpg

[SafariPacific]

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/inspiration.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/lake.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/medow.jpg

[LaOutbackTrail]

Went for a hike around Jenny lake in Grand Tetons NP. Along the trail I came acrossed two sleeping grizzly bears.


http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/grizzly.jpg


AHHH! A cool "ahhh" but an ahhh all the same!

[SafariPacific]

Frickn' cool. I love your photography. Do you plan on coming back? :)

Edit:
What, if I may ask, was the catalyst for this trip? 3 months . . . curious about what the inspiration was. Seems like you planned as you went?

Thanks!

Yes I will come home. Eventually... haha

I can't really say there was one main inspiration for trip. I liked reading other guys trips such as Scott & Chris's arctic trip, XXXpedition, Turtle Expedition and a bunch of the smaller guys.

Originally I planned to do the Alaska trip around this time. With no adventure partner ready to go or maybe not crazy enough, I decided to take an easier trip by myself. With my design company (North Peak Graphics) usually slowing down after the Summer I knew I had a bit more time on my hands. I'm always wanting to things that are a bit off the wall and different. So I slapped this trip together in a few months. After I repaired the truck in Utah I had one of those why not moments and of to Alaska I went!

[SafariPacific]

A little video I put together. My video equipment isn't as nice as my photography gear, but its better than nothing.

http://www.youtube.com/maoriexpeditions

Updated Nov 10th

[LaOutbackTrail]

A little video I put together. My video equipment isn't as nice as my photography gear, but its better than nothing.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/NorthAmerica_Teaser.mov

Nice little video. What are you using? I've just used my digital camera's basic video recording. I'd like to get a small, but decent video camera.

[SafariPacific]

Nice little video. What are you using? I've just used my digital camera's basic video recording. I'd like to get a small, but decent video camera.

I have a JVC Model No. GR-D295U It works nicely. Would like to get a HD video camera eventually. Thats down the road though.... way way down :)

[SafariPacific]

This was my third time visiting Yellowstone National Park. On this trip I drove the easter portion of the loop. Tons of bison all over the place. I'm amazed people walk right up to them. No one realizes these creatures can move fast despite there looks.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/yellowstone.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/mudpit.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/buffaloherd.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/buffalo.jpg

[Ursidae69]

What a great trip. :lurk:

[SafariPacific]

Got into Glacier later in the after noon. At 10 o'clock in the morning the park services were going to close the road so I had to head out this evening. Got some good pics.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_valley1.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_valley2.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_suntrees.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_trees.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_truck.jpg

[SafariPacific]

In the morning I noticed the higher peaks were covered in snow. I headed off to the Eastern portion of the park where I could drive closer to the mountains due to the road closure. This was a little taste of what I might encounter further north.


http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_snow1.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_snow2.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_lake.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/glacier_lake2.jpg


I hope no one minds the tag at a bottom now. I've found a few people that have taken my pics without crediting.

[SafariPacific]

From Glacier I headed to a friends in Fortine. The past couple of days a band of storms were rolling in over the coastal mountains. Worried about the weather I only visited one day, planning to stay longer on my southern route. Thinking if I wait any longer the worse it will get I continued on. Having to stop in Vancouver to meet someone before I continued north, I headed over to Seattle where I would cross the border. The next morning I crossed the border into British Columbia where I met up with Murat to drop off his stuff. He made me breakfast and we BS'ed for a while. He snow boards, which I didn't expect. Once again I traded in US dollars for Canadian. At that moment I started joking about being spys. There was quite a bit of cash from different countries laying on the table. After a short while I headed back out, he had class soon and I needed to get back on the road. Drove through a lot of cool mountains.

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/bc1.jpg

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/bc2.jpg

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/bc3.jpg

[SafariPacific]

Today was filled with all kinds of sights. Leaving 100 Mile House I continued thru Prince George to Kitwanga. Topping off I headed up the Cassiar, or B.C. 37, to Stewart. Mostly paved, the Cassiar was a beautiful drive. Alternate route 37 to Stewart split the coastal mountains in two. The mountains jetted skyward beyond the clouds that blanked them in snow. Glaciers of all sizes dotted the steep slopes. Largest of all, Bear Glacier is an awesome sight. I went for a brief hike for some photos before continuing. Once I arrived in Stewart B.C. I passed through the border to Hyder, Alaska. There was no check point headed out of Canada, but there is one when you return. The woman on duty seemed suspicious of me. Probably due to my blood shot eyes from hours behind the wheel. After some convincing she let me pass. While looking for a campground I found a power line trail that leads to a hiking spot. Driving a few miles back yielded no camping. With light running out I proceeded to return to the road. Running out of steam, my night ended back at Bear Glacier.

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/bc4.jpg

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/bc5.jpg

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/bc6.jpg

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/004/bc7.jpg

http://maoriexpeditions.com/adventures/2007usa/003/BC-Bear-Glacier.jpg

[SafariPacific]

Groggy and half asleep I hear a repetition of low thuds. Slowly the pitch increases. Looking out the fogged up window I see more fog. Then a black blob faded into sight. A helicopter was coming in for a landing. Exactly where I was parked. Crap. With no time to try and get the pilots attention, I cover myself back up. I'm guessing I thought the sleeping bag would save me. Rotor wash shook the truck with a violent force, then stopped. Thirty feet to my side the chopped touched down. Looking out the window I see a couple of guys in a truck and some fuel barrels. I'm not sure if they planed to scare the crap out of me, they did it anyways.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/24/01.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/24/08.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/24/10.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/24/17.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/24/35.jpg

[SafariPacific]

Last night was extremely cold. I woke to myself shivering. Damp matches make it almost impossible to light the heater. After getting ready I hopped out to stretch. A light snow had fallen over night.

I've covered a lot of ground the past couple days. Everything up here is beautiful and beyond words. Pictures can only hint at the real beauty of it all.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/25/14.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/25/01.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/25/05.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/25/10.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/26/06.jpg

[Desertdude]

Awesome awesome awsome!

Thanks for posting the photos and report

[CLynn85]

Amazing photos and awesome report. This should be in a magazine.

[SafariPacific]

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/27/01.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/27/03.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/27/06.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/27/07.jpg

[Desertdude]

Unfreekincredible :bowdown:

[SafariPacific]

Unfreekincredible :bowdown:
Thank you! :wings: I'm glad you like the pics.

[SafariPacific]

The Dalton Highway... Four hundred and fourteen miles of mostly dirt roads. This was my main goal in Alaska, to drive as far north as possible on dirt. Sitting in Fairbanks I stuff every possible drop of fuel into the tanks for the long haul. Here I go. The drive north was awesome! Beautiful scenery, miles and miles of it. Sunlight shined down for quite a while. This threw me off a little. Not realizing the time I continued late into the evening. Around 10 pm the sun finally disappeared over the horizon. Anxious to reach Prudhoe Bay, and quite delirious at this point, I drove into the early morning. Signs of exhaustion started to show as I stared aimlessly into nothing while hugging the wheel. My eyes started playing tricks with me as well. Green blobs were all over. Wait a minute, thats not my eyes, thats the northern lights. Surprising it moves slowly to my belief. Quite an awesome sight. Blowing snow affixed my attention back on the road. Moments from pulling off the road to sleep for a while, I began to see lights on the horizon. It was Prudhoe Bay. I finally made it around 4 am. Time to pass out. :smilies27



http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/01.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/02.jpg

[SafariPacific]

Sorry for the delay finishing this up. I've been very busy since my return with work and sponsor meetings. I'll be posting my final updates within the week. Enjoy ;)

Winds blasted the truck, shaking it all over during my rest. Eight o'clock and wide awake. So much for sleep. I make a few calls to family and friends to let them know of my arrival. I'm surprised there was cell service up here. After my “I made it” calls I headed back down. Windy conditions broke just outside Deadhorse. Caribou grased along side the road under the crystal clear skys. Out of the blue a low lying fog quickly enveloped me. A snow storm had rolled in from the west brought by the wind once again.

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/05.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/04.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/07.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/09.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/13.jpg

[Desertdude]

Thanks for helping me re-live our trip up there :clapsmile

...did you take the bus out from the "inn" to the edge?

[Ursidae69]

Wow, awesome pictures. :exclaim:

[SafariPacific]

Thanks for helping me re-live our trip up there :clapsmile

...did you take the bus out from the "inn" to the edge?

Your welcome!

I'm keeping the posts simple for now. Even though there so many things that happened. It's hard to put it into words.

Unfortunately I was a bit sleep deprived :smilies27 and didn't think to take the tour while I was there.

[SafariPacific]

... Dalton continued ...
As I drove out of the snow storm I could see the Brooks Range covered in snow. Just yesterday only the peaks had snow. A storm overnight blanked the entire range. My speed reduced to 25 mph due to the icy patches that lead up the mountain. Truckers were few and far between. Those that did pass informed me of the severe weather South of the mountains. The pass itself was -17 degrees with snow a few inches deep. Coasting down the Southern slope I met the couple from Sierra Vista I had met yesterday. By now it was noon and they were on there way North. They stayed the night in Cold Foot. We talked for a bit about the weather and continued on.

I love extreme weather! And I'm in luck. As the mountains turned into hills, the wind picked up momentum dropping the temperature. Slushy roads froze solid with a inch or so of ice. I slowed to fifteen miles an hour and still slid all over the road. Somehow I overlooked a very important piece of equipment. Chains! Carefully tapping the brakes and gas I managed to drive quite far. Until I reached the Beaver Slide. Good name and thats what I did all the way down. Mostly sideways I slid down the very narrow, just wide enough for two trucks, road. Adrenaline pumped and my heart pounded. Stopping on the opposing slope I noticed the edge of the road dropped off 12 feet on each side. A bit rattled I chugged up the hill. I continued a few more hours in the same style, sliding down one side and up another.

Another prominent point on the highway, The Finger, stopped me dead in my tracks. Ice was even thicker on the upward slope. Halfway up my tires broke traction. With tires spinning freely, my truck slid backwards gradually turning sideways. I was headed for the edge this time. Letting off the gas I slowly applied the brakes. Creeping to a stop I try to figure out what to do. I called out on the CB to see if anyone was near by. A few truckers responded, but I didn't know where I was at the moment. Time dragged on. Eventually a truck popped up over the hill. "Are you stuck," rings out from the crackling radio. "Yep, I can't get up. Just slide backwards," I replied. Putting the truck in park, I climb out onto the roof rack. My yank strap was in the box up top. Grabbing the strap I climb down to the slippery surface. I slowly make my way up the hill and hookup the strap to the trucks. When I headed back to my truck I started to slide. I grabbed my truck's door while flying past to stop myself. Back inside I radio to the trucker, "ready." Slowly he pulls me up while continuing to slide all over the place. Once we were at the top we both got out for a bit. We joked around for a while. He gave me a bit of crap, which I deserved. I didn't catch his name, though he was a great guy.

The remainder of the Dalton was relaxing in comparison. Beyond sliding around there was stunning scenery all over. I wish I had taken more photos of the day although my attention was focused elsewhere. Tonight I'm getting a room!


http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/14.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/15.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/17.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/20.jpg

http://www.maoriexpeditions.com/gallery/2007northamerica/images/28/23.jpg

[Red Zebra]

:lurk: :exclaim:

Fine report!

[Red Zebra]

Travis, T

hanks for letting us vicariously enjoy your adventure!

I checked your website/truck. Looks like you did a nice set-up on a 2wd. I notice you have a open diff. Can you offer any stories/insights on trail riding with this set up? I saw where you got stuck once. Any other challenges while on the trails in low traction situations?

Do you have any other mods planned?

[SafariPacific]

Travis, T

hanks for letting us vicariously enjoy your adventure!

I checked your website/truck. Looks like you did a nice set-up on a 2wd. I notice you have a open diff. Can you offer any stories/insights on trail riding with this set up? I saw where you got stuck once. Any other challenges while on the trails in low traction situations?

Do you have any other mods planned?


Thanks for reading along and enduring all my typos and such :ylsmoke: I truly hope everyone that read did enjoy following the trip. I had a blast and would encourage all of you to get out and explore. Yes, I had to use the motto.

My setup isn't the best, but did work quite well. After this excursion I have learned some new tricks and better ways to do things. Mainly in the area of storage accessibility and placement. Every night I had to reorganize my gear to sleep. In the morning I'd readjust for load balancing. Tipping over didn't seem like a good idea. ;) I'm working on some new mods/projects currently for my next trip come Summer. The biggest change will be gears and a locker. I'll post more at a later date...

I've found myself in some unexpected places for a non 4x4. To the surprise of others as well once I tell them, "yeah, it's a near stock 2wd." Although 4wd is undeniably the absolute best, you can have an adventure in 2wd. There are few more challenges with that package too. The main difference, I've seen, between trail riding in 4wd and 2wd is speed. Momentum is your best friend in 2wd. The drawback of that is increasing the chance of breaking parts from the increased forces. Now, when I say the difference is speed, I'm talking a few miles an hour per obstacle, not flying down a trail at 40. Thats just irresponsible and inconsiderate. Tire placement is more crucial as well. For bigger challenges like long steep ascents, boldering and the likes, 2wd doesn't have a chance. Time to save pennies and buy a 4x4. Drivers with a 2wd setup should carry recovery equipment at all times. It will be used a lot more... :D

Most of the challenges encountered on this trip were in the last leg North. Due to icy conditions and the lack of proper equipment; ei tire chains. The Dalton was my biggest problem and was one I couldn't recover from myself at one point. A trucker had to pull me up. Ice and 2wd are bad news, don't attempt! In British Columbia/Alberta I slid into a few ditches. Along the power line trail in Stewart, B.C. (pic of the stream crossing) I drove through some thick mug. Didn't get stuck but close a few times there. The only other challenge was in Delaware on the beach. I run a smaller tire, 31x10.5, and adding a few hundred pounds of extra gear turned the tires into knives. I buried the axle and made the clutch spit out thick white smoke. This was the hardest one since the clutch became hot and sticky. After I dug myself out I could only put a little power to the wheels.

Back in 2006 I almost flipped the truck down a ravine. The only thing that kept me from falling in was a yank strap attached to the roof and a few friends pulling. The trail we were on had a steep washout which put the trucks articulation to the max. Needless to say one tire lost traction starting the chain reaction hopping further into the four foot wide crack. I have a pic somewhere of friends hanging on one side to keep the truck balanced.

Hope that answered your questions.

[SafariPacific]

QuikFive, one of our sponsors has created a couple t-shirts in support of this trip. I'm working with the guys there to donate part of the proceeds to charity. Could anyone recommend a great cause to donate do?

If your interested you can pick a shirt up at QuikFive.com Colors available: Black and Brown

http://www.quikfive.com/products/1/720047_sm.jpg
http://www.quikfive.com/products.php?cat_id=1&prod_id=720047

[LandCruiserPhil]

Now that you are back what is next for MaoriExpeditions?

[SafariPacific]

Whats next?... Mexico! Baja to be exact. I'll start a new thread for planning soon.

[Martinjmpr]

Wow, amazing trip. Even more amazing that you did it all with 2wd. :yikes: My last truck was a 2wd Ranger as well and I loved it - it was the perfect "road trip" vehicle. I did have a couple of hairy trips on ice covered roads in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, though, that make me glad I'm in a 4x4 now, but you've certainly proved that 4wd isn't neccessary for an expedition vehicle.

[SafariPacific]

Wow, amazing trip. Even more amazing that you did it all with 2wd. :yikes: My last truck was a 2wd Ranger as well and I loved it - it was the perfect "road trip" vehicle. I did have a couple of hairy trips on ice covered roads in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, though, that make me glad I'm in a 4x4 now, but you've certainly proved that 4wd isn't neccessary for an expedition vehicle.

Thanks! This is my 2nd Ranger and i've beat it up and it keeps going. Great trucks! I have a couple of other mods I'll be doing to my Ranger, then its pinching pennies for a 4x4 (something Toyota maybe)

[SafariPacific]

Could a moderator move this thread to completed expeditions? Thanks :)

[Maddmatt]

Great trip and photos, thanks for sharing. I love hearing stories about walking from Tierra del Fuego to Fairbanks, and blazing new trails through un-named jungles in Africa, but there's lot of adventure to be had right here at home - love reading about somebody going out and finding it. Very inspiring. :jumping:

[reconbyfire]

Thanks for sharing.

My wife leaves on a business trip tomorrow fro a week. I may have to do a 4 or 5 day trip to PA or the UP.

[Starscream]

:26_7_2: Awesome journey and great pics. I'm very envious of you! I have traveled to Alaska before and the scenery is just amazing. My favorite route during my explorations was the stretch between Anchorage->Seward->Homer.

[DH2002]

this is an awesome write up great photos i enjoyed reading it