Cooperative Living July 2021 - 21

waypoints and gear reviews.
" Overlanding's been a hot trend
for several years, but the pandemic
has definitely turned the needle up, "
says Travis Titus, founder of rental
company Titus Adventure Co.
Companies like Titus and
A
Drake make it easier for those testing
the waters by renting complete rigs,
usually 4x4s, fitted with rooftop tents,
outdoor camping equipment and more.
"
L
nd easy escape into the wilderness, "
ssays Drake. " I love seeing first-timers'
eaction when they come back
you can tell they
you can tell they loved it. " loved it. "
READY TO ROLL
The husband-and-wife team of Eric
and Camila Collier became overland
aficionados in 2017 after a trip to Utah.
" We love its flexibility, " says Eric. " It
allows you to be spontaneous. Today's
VIRGINIA
Virginia is for lovers of overland adventure. The TransAmerica
Trail enters the state fromMarlington,W.Va., and
traverses the state line on a 20-mile section of road. This
opens up into rural countryside before winding through the
Monongahela, GeorgeWashington and Jefferson national forests,
as well as the Back Creek, Rich Patch and Blue Ridge mountains.
At Bland, cross Interstate 77 and set your sights on Burkes Gardens
via a 20-mile gradual, one-lane ascent with switchbacks leading to
a beautiful valley at the top. Then it's onto Virginia 16 South for the
Back of the Dragon and the 8-mile Hurricane Creek Road to Damascus.
co-opliving.com
reaction when they come back -
pace of life is so fast; overlanding lets
you
y break out of your day-to-day
without much
to rally
he adds.
y
outine and explore without much
ith traditional camping,
you break out of your day-to-day
routine and explor
planning. "
This also makes it easy
This also makes it easy to rally,
he adds. With traditional camping,
you have to pack, plan and make
outdoor camping equipment and more.
Otherwise, it' easy to spend as much
ou have to pack, plan and make
a checklist of everything you need.
ith overlanding, your vehicle is
Otherwise, it's easy to spend as much
as $100,000 on a fully outfitted rig.
" A lot of people just do it as a quick
A lot of people just do it as a quick
aand easy escape into the wilderness, "
ays Drake. " I love seeing first-timers'
behind them, the two have documented
their exploits on YouTube, with their
adventures taking them from the Gulf
Coast to the Arctic Coast and a bevy
of bumpy roads in between.
checklist of everything you need.
With overlanding, your vehicle is
aalready equipped with everything from
" We've always loved spending
from road trips and car camping to
lready equipped with everything from
tent to stove. " All you have to do is
decide where to go and what to do -
the fun stuff, " he says.
You'll also be instantly tied
into a great community of likeminded
people, such as Tennessee
natives and LifestyleOverland bloggers
Kevin and Sarah McCuiston.
ith their daughter Caroline in tow
the couple fell in love with life on the
road in 2018, piling into a tricked-out,
oad in 2018, piling into a tricked-out,
full-sized SUV dubbed The Beast,
complete with a Gobi Sport Utility
roof rack with built-in tent.
Hauling a trailer filled with gear
N
With their daughter Caroline in tow,
" We were already living the pastim
ell, ther
time outdoors, so it was natural to go
from oad trips and car camping to
ooverlanding, " says Kevin, who help
pioneer a 800-mile overland route
f from New Mexico through Colorad
we just didn' know ther was wo
Well, there is, and it's proving to
We wer already living the pastime;
verlanding, " says Kevin, who helped
rom New Mexico through Colorado.
we just didn't know there was a word
for it. "
tthe perfect tonic for escaping crowds
he perfect tonic for escaping crowds
is, and it' proving to be
D
and heading out for a little Me Time
during the pandemic, sans pavement.
" It's the perfect remedy for cabin fever, "
Eric Collier says. 
Eugene Buchanan, former publisher
and editor-in-chief of Paddler magazine,
has written about the outdoors for
more than 25 years.
MARYLAND
Within the 19,000 acres of Potomac-Garrett State Park
you'll find sweepingmountain forests, streams, valleys,
and a number of trails to romp and roam on. Once in
the park, climb high to the windy peaks of the Backbone
Mountains and drop low past black cherry and sugar maple trees
to the banks of the Potomac River. The park also offers hunting,
fishing, hiking and camping during summer and fall. Come
winter, all the off-highway vehicle trails turn into snowmobile
trails, so only plan to overland fromMarch to December or you'll
get run out by the slednecks.
July 2021 | Cooperative Living | 19
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Cooperative Living July 2021

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