In the modern day we spend most of our time working. For a lot of people that work is done in cities and towns away from the beauty of nature. Especially during recent times, when a lot of people are working from home it is easy to feel trapped in the daily grind. Unless you work on a ranch or have a job that is done out in remote places, it is hard to get in touch with the outdoors.
Overlanding has helped me get away from work even if it is just for a weekend. Even a day out in nature can help me feel refreshed and ready to take on the week. Humans are meant to be outdoors, that is where we feel right. That is where we came from.
Here are some reasons I love to go overlanding.
Getting Away
The number one reason I hit the trails and go outdoors for a weekend is to get away from the stress of everyday life. I live in a city and being in the city everyday is constantly triggering signals in my brain. Even something as simple as navigating the city in my car takes a lot of mental effort and can be mentally exhausting. Looking out for cars, looking out for pedestrians, dealing with traffic can take a toll on your mind.
I am a self-proclaimed weekend warrior because my weekends are my time to get away from it all. The minute my tires hit the dirt road my mind begins to drift away. A change of scenery can do wonders for your mental health. Not to mention it is a lot easier to relax in the forest than it is in the city or at work.
For me trips to the outdoors hit a reset button in my brain and allow me to focus better when I get back to my daily life.
Spending Time with Friends and Family
Trips on the trail, camping with good friends and family are some of the best memories you can make. There is nothing that creates a sense of community more than being at camp with people you care about. At camp you are all responsible for upkeeping camp and taking care of each other. You work together to set up your communal space, build a fire, and cook food together, and you bond building camp as a group.
When hanging out with friends in modern the society there are so many distractions. Usually you are watching sports on TV or going to a bar and those are great ways to spend time with friends and family, but they are filled with distractions. When you are out in nature with no internet connection, minimal distraction it can be a great time to get to know your friends and focus on the people around you.
Take a trip outdoors and camp with your friends and family. You will make some of the best memories.
Challenging Yourself
Whether you overland or rock crawl there are elements to both that require you to challenge yourself. To challenge yourself on a difficult trail is to push yourself and your vehicle to the limit. To travel far off into the remote wilderness on rugged roads requires you to go out of your comfort zone (just make sure that you are prepared).
The first time I seriously off-roaded I was in Moab, Utah with high school friends. It was not rock-crawling, but it was fairly close to it and I did not have a rock crawler. I was driving my stock 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee (although it was a Trailhawk *wink*). I was initially very afraid of damaging my car, hurting myself, or getting stuck out on the trail, but with some great spotting from my friends I managed to traverse the rugged, rocky terrain. I felt accomplished since I had done something that I was not sure that I could do and made it out the other side with only a few scratches.
The next time I really pushed myself to go out of my comfort zone was the time I went overlanding in a remote East Oregon desert with my fiancé. Out in this remote desert hundreds of miles from any major town was the most remote place I had ever been. Besides the occasional passerby, no one was there and once as we hit the backtrails we were completely alone.
There was a strange feeling of adrenaline that hit my body while out there, because if something were to happen to us no one would find us for who knows how long. I had to make sure that we stayed safe and didn’t get lost. Camping at night we heard pronghorn and coyotes and knew that it was just us and mother nature.
These experiences have been some of the best experiences I have ever had, and I have gained a better understanding of myself and the world through them. Therefore, I keep finding myself wandering back to the wilderness for another adventure.
To get started overlaing check out our article, How to Plan an Overland Adventure.
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