Baystate Jeepers

I completed the "Big Switch" from offroading gear to overlanding equipment for the fall season. I am planning to spend a lot of weekends in the woods, including the Vermont Overland Rally at the end of this month. It would be great to meet up with other BSJ members if any are planning to attend.

It looks like we my be doing the TNHX if you signed up for that.

I have the TNHX maps info and GPS routes. I thought about getting a couple groups together and going for it so I bought the maps. Looks like a good trip to go on. October 12th -14th.. Coming up quick!

Not going, but say hi to the guys from Overland Outfitters for me. Also, remember that it is no longer the VOR, but is now the VOBS thanks to the NIMBY folks in VT. (Vermont Overland Bird-watching Safari) Bring your binoculars...LOL.

Modeler wrote:Also, remember that it is no longer the VOR, but is now the VOBS thanks to the NIMBY folks in VT. (Vermont Overland Bird-watching Safari) Bring your binoculars...LOL.

Yes - I noticed that in the orientation email that I got this week. Here is my favorite paragraph from that email:

FOOD: We'll have the delightful Springmore Farm and Abracadbra Coffee serving breakfast sandwiches and fresh brewed coffee from 7 to 9 am or so and for dinner we'll have our local farm-table pizza truck, La Pizza Lupo, selling their amazing woodfired pizza and local craft beer on Friday night and our local taco truck from Trail Break Taps + Tacos selling their mouthwatering tacos and more local craft beer on Saturday night. There's also our neighborhood farm-table bistro, Keepers Cafe, within walking distance right down the road. Lunch is on you guys while you're out exploring during the day.

Will definitely be nice not to pack any cooking gear for once!

I was hoping to do the TXNH trip this year, but couldn't make the dates work. But I am joining the ExploringNH Fall Crawl weekend at the end of October. Let me know if any of you are planning to attend that event.

And I'd love to hear about the TXNH trip. All of these weekends are "training" for me and my rig, figuring out the best combinations of gear and what its capabilities are when fully loaded on the trail. My ultimate goal is to begin pushing farther north into the Maine woods next year.

Richl35 wrote:I have the TNHX maps info and GPS routes. I thought about getting a couple groups together and going for it so I bought the maps. Looks like a good trip to go on. October 12th -14th.. Coming up quick!

hey rich I may be interested in tagging along if yall have the room.

Adam_w wrote:

Richl35 wrote:I have the TNHX maps info and GPS routes. I thought about getting a couple groups together and going for it so I bought the maps. Looks like a good trip to go on. October 12th -14th.. Coming up quick!

hey rich I may be interested in tagging along if yall have the room.

We will have to see if we can get a few people rounded up. You're definitely in if we can get it together. It would be an adventure I'm sure. I would like to do it with 4 - 5 vehicles.

The original trip as the THNX routes go is 3 days. I wouldn't even mind trimming the route up and making it a Sat - Sun trip. Maybe do from the White mountains down to the coast or something like that.

Please keep me posted on this trip. If I can make the dates work, I'd love to join. I like the idea of starting in the White Mountains, maybe with a ceremonial drive up Mount Washington for some photos before the rigs get muddy. We could then do some primitive camping in the National Forest over the next two nights and work our way toward the coast. There are some great hidden camping spots that are a) beautiful, b) impossible for RVs and minivans to reach, c) legal and d) free, but they are hard to find. Each chance I get, I spend a weekend hunting for more. I've also invested a lot of time in getting to know some of the Rangers from the US Forest Service, who sometimes will offer a hint or two. Here's a spot I found with my son earlier this year:

https://vimeo.com/274355224/c2f6f28814

Next time I need to pack a kayak!

I'm heading up to Reading, VT early tomorrow morning for four days of the Birdwatching Safari . It's my first time at this event, and I'm excited to be a part of it. The maps provided for the event include nearly the entire network of Class IV roads in Vermont, color coded by level of difficulty. Will come in handy on future treks!

MattJ wrote:Please keep me posted on this trip. If I can make the dates work, I'd love to join. I like the idea of starting in the White Mountains, maybe with a ceremonial drive up Mount Washington for some photos before the rigs get muddy. We could then do some primitive camping in the National Forest over the next two nights and work our way toward the coast. There are some great hidden camping spots that are a) beautiful, b) impossible for RVs and minivans to reach, c) legal and d) free, but they are hard to find. Each chance I get, I spend a weekend hunting for more. I've also invested a lot of time in getting to know some of the Rangers from the US Forest Service, who sometimes will offer a hint or two. Here's a spot I found with my son earlier this year:

https://vimeo.com/274355224/c2f6f28814

Next time I need to pack a kayak!

I'm heading up to Reading, VT early tomorrow morning for four days of the Birdwatching Safari . It's my first time at this event, and I'm excited to be a part of it. The maps provided for the event include nearly the entire network of Class IV roads in Vermont, color coded by level of difficulty. Will come in handy on future treks!

Ok then. So far without even trying it looks like we may have 3 vehicles already..

Matt,

Have a great time on your "Bird watching safari" (wink, wink , nudge, nudge)! Post up some pics or video. I'd love to hear about it!

I have been off the wall busy these last couple weeks but this weekend I will make a few phone calls and see what kind of interest I can dig up. Really one more Jeep would be fine.

Rich.

The Vermont Overlanding Birdwatching Safari was a great weekend. As the days went on, the sunshine got brighter, the fall colors got more vivid, the trail runs got more extreme, and the food, music, laughter and friendship around the campfire went later and later each night. And we even hit some trails on the way home!

Below are some highlight photos.

The full album link is here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AuACtRAQNfF_grMqFW5mXAP3YUUwZA

MattJ wrote:The Vermont Overlanding Birdwatching Safari was a great weekend. As the days went on, the sunshine got brighter, the fall colors got more vivid, the trail runs got more extreme, and the food, music, laughter and friendship around the campfire went later and later each night. And we even hit some trails on the way home!

Below are some highlight photos.

The full album link is here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AuACtRAQNfF_grMqFW5mXAP3YUUwZA

Awesome! Looks like a great time. What species of birds did you guys see?


So I reached out to a couple guys who are interested in going so I was going to look at the calendar for a date or two that i could do but then Friday I had all my tail lights ion my Jeep go wonky. Turns out my TIPM is crapping the bed and I can't get a new replacement until November! I have found a couple guys who rebuild them so I am going to send it out and see what happens. The turnaround is pretty fast but right now my Jeep is undrivable. As soon as it is repaired (hopefully in the next week or two) we can see if we can agree on a weekend.

Sorry to hear about the TIPM headache. Keep me posted as trip dates come together (or don't). I may do a 4 or 5-day Maine trip in November and will let you know.

Here's one of my favorite pictures from the weekend in Vermont. Still trying to figure this one out . . .

MattJ wrote:Sorry to hear about the TIPM headache. Keep me posted as trip dates come together (or don't). I may do a 4 or 5-day Maine trip in November and will let you know.

Here's one of my favorite pictures from the weekend in Vermont. Still trying to figure this one out . . .

I don't believe that is in the true spirit of overlanding!

I ordered a rebuilt TIPM yesterday. I'm supposed to have it Thursday / Friday so we will see what happens. Fingers crossed! If it does work I will be out at Rutland this weekend. If not.... back to the drawing board.

I just found a couple more good photos. And yes, the second one is a picture of the trail we climbed!

So I have in my hands the TIPM! Fingers crossed that it will go right in tonight and solve my taillight issues.