Exploring with New Mexico Backroads

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new mexico, New mexico backroads, overlanding, over land, overland, offroad, off-road, offroad, offroad adventure, overland adventure, off-road adventure, vehicle supported adventure, expeditions,

The Adventure Portal reached out to Jake Quinones of New Mexico Backroads (NMBR) to find out a bit about who he is, what he does and why he does it. Whether you are a novice overlander or a highly experienced adventurer, NMBR has an over land or off-road expedition for you. Here’s your chance to TAP into it. Check out his story and the services he provides:

What New Mexico Backroads does: “Each year I log over 15,000 miles in the New Mexico Backroads Rubicon traveling the off-road backroads of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Texas photographing, scouting, training and guiding for a host of assignments and unique individuals. Whether it’s a leading a multi-million dollar treasure hunt along the Rio Grande, photographing wildland fire crews battling flames in the Black Range or scouting along US/Mexico Border near Big Bend, all of it centers on driving where pavement does not exist. The NMBR Rubicon serves as my transport, base camp and office for everything I do in the field.

Jake organizes guided overland adventures and offers small (1 to 2 vehicles) or large custom overland expeditions tailoring the trips to his clients and creating an itinerary for each of the participants. He also offers pre-planned off-road guided events. After a trip is requested, Jake sends a registration packet to the attendees. Everyone must answer questions regarding their level of experience and the type of vehicle they drive. He basically offers a tutorial before the trip commences which consists of an extensive dialogue regarding how to prepare for the trip, what to expect and a list of essential and recommended supplies, equipment and gear. He provides advice, tips and tricks to help manage the terrain and any obstacles they may encounter. Creating an itinerary and assessing the needs of the adventurers on both custom trips and preplanned expeditions is essential to Jake. Jake’s philosophy as a offroad guide and vehicle supported adventure scout is that too much information and preparation is always better than not enough.

For the novice adventurer, Jake and New New Mexico Backroads, provides small session trainings and technical advice on how to best handle the various types of terrain to be encountered on the expedition. For the more experienced adventurer, his goal is to provide them with a self-sufficient guided expedition (or other 4WD adventure) that challenges and prepares participants for their future 4WD based endeavors. Jake’s tagline here is to: Go Boldly, Prepared and with Confidence.

Where he comes from: “I am a New Mexico native and have been familiar with backcountry travels since childhood. Some of my earliest memories include riding shotgun in my Dad’s Bronco while traversing the Gila National Forest, and sleeping under the stars in Denali National Park. As a youth, my passion for adventure grew as I wandered the mountainous desert of Southern New Mexico via mountain bike; capturing the landscape with my prized Nikon [film] camera.”

“These solo adventures provided the framework for my desire to explore the outdoors while documenting the journey. During college, I worked at Vermejo Park Ranch [Ted Turner’s 900-plus square mile ranch in northeastern New Mexico and southern Colorado] where my pursuit of an adventure based career was ignited. At the ranch, my duties ranged from bartending to patrolling and maintaining the various high-country lakes via backroads. This is where I cut my 4WD teeth and learned the fundamentals of off-road driving and vehicle recovery through trial and error. I’ll never forget the day I walked until dusk to find help after getting stuck. After receiving a degree in Hospitality and Tourism from Texas Tech in 2006, I returned to New Mexico and started working for my family’s construction company. In the coming years I spent the majority of my free time building a Toyota 4Runner and exploring the Southwest.”

Jake on Growing New Mexico Backroads: “After three years, a slew of mechanical failures, a dozen or so self-recoveries, and thousands of miles of scouting trails and backroads, I started New Mexico Backroads in 2009.”

“New Mexico Backroads was founded on my knowledge of backcountry, photography skills, technical driving skills, mechanical skills, and hospitality/service jobs background.”

“Six years later, NMBR services have expanded to include: adventure and landscape photography [for commissions, prints, digital media & publication], photojournalism [including wildland fire, US/MEX Border and other high-risk assignments], outdoor location scouting for film productions and commercial photography, overland expedition, and rock crawling guiding services [for New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Texas] as well as off-road driving and vehicle recovery skills training.”

“The best part of my job aside from driving a Jeep on dirt, it’s the friendships and stories made along backroads. I meet some truly incredible people through NMBR—be it those I guide, work with or cross paths with in the wild. The personalities are as unique as the scenery; adventurists, nomads, ranchers, lawmen, vaqueros, and locals—all pursuing their passions or livelihood off the grid.

Check out some of these feature stories by Jake:
Navajo Dog – https://www.newmexicobackroads.com/2011/11/never-wrong-turn-story-of-luka.html
Grizzled Mountain Man – https://www.newmexicobackroads.com/2011/12/portrait-of-grizzled-mountain-man-and.html

Read this account of one of NMBR’s expeditions:
Writer and photographer Phillip Jones recounts his experience of the five day [500-mile] traverse across New Mexico and Arizona’s loneliest backroads in TCT (Toyota Cruisers & Trucks) Magazine Article on NMBR’s Ghost Divide Expedition.

New Mexico Backroads (NMBR) site & media links:

Website – www.newmexicobackroads.com,
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NewMexicoBackroads
Twitter – https://twitter.com/nmbackroads
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/nmbackroads
Image Gallery – https://nmbr.smugmug.com/ DO NOT MISS THIS: Jake is an amazing photographer.
Upcoming NMBR overland adventures [Ghost Divide Expeditions, Gila Legends Expedition, Camino del Tesoro Overland] – https://www.newmexicobackroads.com/p/overland-to-expo-ox12.html

Check out Jake’s Photos from his Camino del Tesoro and Ghose Divide Expeditions and TAP into Adventure!

For more Overland and Off-Road vehicle supported adventures, CHECK HERE

American Adventurist SoCal Mountain Rendezvous

By

Lori Palmer

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From August 28-30th the TAP team headed up to Camp Tahquitz near Big Bear CA to take part in American Adventurist’s 5th Annual SoCal Mountain Rendezvous. This event brings together a friendly community of rugged off-road and overlanding enthusiasts, gear heads, vendors…adventure lovers. American Adventurist is a non-profit community based forum that is geared toward the adventure travel enthusiast. There was a $40 donation per vehicle with 120 spots available. The proceeds were donated to the Boy Scouts of America.

The adventure portal AA basecamp — One of the “Base Camps”

Upon arrival, we encountered a number of familiar faces, smiles and a mecca of rigs. The atmosphere was one of camaraderie and fun. Everyone had their gear out in full regalia and it was great wandering around checking out the different set-ups and rigs. We also had a chance to touch bases with vendors who cater to the overlanding market. This was not a commercial event; no booths or tables full of swag. It was a social networking event that gave everyone a chance to talk about what they do, where they have been, what products they produce, or the services they provide. No commercials, just good company, good people doing what they love to do. On their site, the American Adventurist notes that, “this is an informal community gathering designed so that members of American Adventurist and other groups can meet each other in person”. This is a family friendly event and there were loads of kids running around playing and dogs getting lots of attention. On Saturday, there was a big potluck and a Dutch Oven cooking competition. The apple cobbler won. It was amazing. They have a raffle after the potluck with items provided by many of the participants of the event, companies that produce gear for overlanders and adventurers.

the adventure portal aa mountain rendezvous — Founder of American Adventurist, Dave Bennett’s rig

the adventure portal raffle aa — Good Times: potluck and raffle

All in all, I have to say that this was a genuine, feel good, community event that is most definitely TAP recommended. Dave Bennett, founder of American Adventurist has provided the overlanding community a great platform for friendship, exploring, networking and fun. Many Thanks!

Check out other American Adventurist events and forum at americanadventurist.com

Turtleback.Dave — Dave Munsterman with his Turtleback Trailer and CVT tent

Author: Lori Palmer Co-Founder and TAP Editor

Pinzgauer with Camping Trailer

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Contributor

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pinzgauer, off-road, off-roading, 6 wheel rig, overlanding rig, overlanding, over land, vehicle supported adventure,

Off – Road Trailer in action

You have read about Leitner’s Pinzgauer in our Rig of the Month section, and the off – road trailer engineered and constructed by Bernhard Leitner of Leitner designs. Now check out this video of his trailer in action.

Video courtesy of Bernhard Leitner of Leitner Designs
Tunes: “Joy Ride” by The Killers (Google Play-AmazonMPS-iTunes)

Plan your overland adventure today!

For more overland and off-road capable rigs, CHECK HERE

10 Rules of off – road driving Etiquette

By

Tom Severin

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This is the last of a five part series on off – road safety tips contributed by Tom Severin of Badlands Off Road Adventures. Tom is an International 4-Wheel Drive Trainers Association© certified professional 4WD Trainer and a Wilderness First Responder (WFR). He is a instructor for the United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) and the California Association of 4WD Clubs.

“Despite what some people think, we four wheelers are very considerate when off road. We stay on marked trails, look out for others, obey the rules, and clean up after ourselves. I’m sure you are a responsible driver. Even so, it’s good to review trail etiquette from time to time.”

Here are Tom’s top 10 rules of etiquette for off roading and camping. Read this list carefully. Are any of these
unfamiliar to you? Do you need to brush up on any principles?

1. Always Be considerate. That’s the overriding principle here, and it deserves special mention. As you encounter others, friends or strangers, be considerate. Maybe you don’t feel like going out of your way for someone, that’s okay, but be respectful. Avoid the temptation to be an off – road bully. There are enough of those in this world.

2. Yield right of way to mountain bikes, horses and hikers. They can’t compete with a two-ton vehicle. Slow down as you approach them, and give them space. Avoid kicking up unnecessary dust, honking your horn, and such. Want to really make an impression? Offer a bottle of water, some gas, a wrench or a helping hand when needed. You’ll feel better, and you’ll help improve our image.

3. Yield to a vehicle driving uphill. That vehicle may need some momentum to climb. If we force him to stop, he may need to back up to gain that momentum.

4. Keep track of the vehicle behind you. If you come to an intersection or a curve, make sure the vehicle behind you sees which way you went. Don’t assume he did. He might be in a dust cloud or behind a bush or boulder.

The other vehicle should try to keep up, too. However, that could involve eating a lot of dust; that’s no fun. If you go through something difficult, look back and make sure the other vehicle made it.

5. Closely observe the vehicle ahead of you. This will help you pick the proper line(s) for negotiating a rough spot. It means keeping the proper distance back. Too close, and you could find yourself in a dust cloud.

-You also want to make sure the other vehicle’s rear end isn’t in your blind spot. Back off until you are at the proper distance. (The ability to see their rear differential is a good starting point.)

-Where there are multiple obstacles, drop back farther to get a better perspective. This will also give you more time to think through your strategy.

-Scan the trail behind that vehicle for signs of fluid leakage or even fallen parts. You may be able to alert a fellow driver before things get worse!

6. When stopped, pull completely off the trail. You may not be the only person on the trails. Someone could overtake you or come at you from the other direction. When you pull off, pick a spot that’s already been disturbed. Try not to park on tall, dry grass. Your catalytic converter could start a fire.

7. Don’t throw cigarette butts out the window. Not only is that littering, but it can be a fire hazard. Southern California suffers several fires every year caused by discarded cigarette butts. Don’t be a butthead. Dispose of them properly!

8. Boys left, girls right. Need to stop for a pee call? This little ditty is a reminder of which direction everyone goes.

-Have numerous vehicles and no cover? Use a “dispersed” arrangement. The last vehicle stops. Everyone keeps driving until the 2nd to last vehicle feels it’s far enough from the last vehicle. He stops and notifies the group. The process continues until everyone feels they are far enough away. How spread out you get depends on terrain features.

9. Be mindful of other campers. Don’t slam car doors or run the vehicle engine before 7 am.

10.Tom’s special Rule: No music in camp. Yep, no radios, no loud MP3 players, or other artificial noise makers. Look, you’re out in the country to experience nature. You don’t or shouldn’t want to spoil the setting for others, we don’t all agree on our music choice.

-Now, it’s OK if someone brings along a guitar or banjo. What better way to enjoy a campfire than with a sing-along, right? For the most part, though, enjoy the sounds of Mother Nature. They are better than anything man can create.

This list may seem like a lot to digest, but the rules are based on common sense. Recommit to the principles of off-road driving, and you will become an even better, more responsible off – road driver .

Thanks to author Tom Severin at Badlands Off – Road Adventures.

photos: Anza Borrego State Park, The Adventure Portal

Any off – road etiquette you would like to share? Let us know in the comments section below.

Check out our Californian overland trails and plan your next adventure!

TemboTusk

By

Lori Palmer

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tembotusk, over land, overlanding, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure,, skottle, adventure,

The Adventure Portal crew have been using the TemboTusk standard front fridge slide for years. I recently spoke with owner and creator Jerry L’Ecuyer, a seasoned overland adventurer, Here is what he told me about his company, products and what motivated him to design his own gear.

“The TemboTusk business is centered on building heavy duty, durable gear for overland travel and car camping. We design and manufacture almost all of our products locally in Southern California.”

“TemboTusk services the camping/overland accessory market. If you have a fridge or cooler in your vehicle, we supply the slide to help access the fridge. If you camp outside, we supply camp tables and lantern hangers that are compact. If you liketo cook on the trail, we supply a Dutch Oven Table and a South African inspired skottle grill and if you enjoy a beverage or two, TemboTusk offers a most useful canvas wine/beverage tote. Our clientele is very self-sufficient, independent and discriminating. Anybody can buy cheap throwaway mass-produced gear. TemboTusk clients buy gear that will last a lifetime. We have been in business since 2010 and have grown every year since. TemboTusk started with only one product and we now fabricate almost a dozen.”

“The motivation for starting the business came out of frustration! I had a drawer system to help me keep organized while camping, and I strapped my Engle fridge to the top of the drawers. Great use of space! However, I hated lifting the fridge in and out of the vehicle every time I needed to get into it. I needed a way to easily get the fridge from top of the drawer system down onto the tailgate of my vehicle and back up again without straining my back. A fully loaded fridge is very heavy. It took two years of thinking about it and a year of prototyping the design before I came out with my patented LoadSpotter slide. The slide allowed me to store my fridge up and out of the way and with a moment’s notice, I could pull it out and swing the fridge down and out of the vehicle. We debuted the prototype at the 2010 Overland Expo and had our first sale! TemboTusk was on the map! Another frustration was a lack of a good quality robust flat slides for the ever increasing popularity of the 12 volt camping fridge. TemboTusk set about to design a better flat slide. Equipt Expedition Outfitters and Adventure Trailer took notice and they are now major customers.”

“Most of our current products were designed because a good alternative was not available on the market. I could not find a good quality, compact camp table; we now produce a very robust table that will fit in a drawer system. I have been using a South African skottle style grill for 20 years and guarded that grill with my life! Everyone one wanted to buy it or take it! When I could not find a replacement anywhere, I designed the Tembo Tusk Skottle grill. The Skottle grill is quickly becoming a runaway hit, we are barely keeping up with production!”

“We believe what makes our company stand out is our philosophy that a good product should be bought once and be good enough to be used for a lifetime.”

Jerry@TemboTusk.com

www.TemboTusk.com

www.facebook.com/TemboTusk

Interview and photos courtesy of Jerry L’Ecuyer, owner of Tembo Tusk
written by: Lori Palmer TAP Editor

Leitner’s Off – Road Trailer Build

By

Andy Palmer

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Why build his own trailer? Bernhard Leitner of Leitner Designs has a passion for adventure, off-roading and camping. With all the wilderness and beauty Alaska has to offer it was the perfect place to plan a trip to. The decision on what vehicle for this journey would be an easy one. The 1973 Pinzgauer 712. The tough part was finding a trailer on the market that not only looked good with the “Pinzy”, but one that supported all the functions Bernhard wanted. A place to sleep, kitchen facility and plenty of storage. Being a mechanical engineer, owner and creator of Leitner Designs, maker of the Active Cargo System, he had the vision, skills and desire to take on the build himself. Working his normal hours of his day job, Bernhard would spend 6-10 hours every day in the evenings and weekends for 6 months straight to finish in time for the trip to Alaska.

Important custom trailer components:- Bernhard was looking for a trailer that matched the specifications of his tow vehicle, track width, wheel base, and ground clearance that was as high as or higher than the Pinzgauer. When he couldn’t find it on the market he set out to build his own. First he did some hand sketches that encompassed the basic overall design, and later the design was refined and modeled in 3D using Solidworks CAD software. One big consideration in building the trailer was that everything was ergonomically correct. Something he had not found on other trailers on the market. He made all working/cooking areas at 32 inches high, same as a standard kitchen. He created all the slides (refrigerator/stove/silverware) so that everything was within easy reach. He fit all components together like a jigsaw taking into account the fact that he would likely hit some trails that could roll his trailer. Bernhard designed everything down to the hinges and screws. This process took him three months to complete and he was meticulous.

We spoke with Bernhard about the process involved in planning and building his custom 4×4 trailer. Here are some segments of our conversation:

LP: How did the building process go?
BL: As smoothly as expected for a custom build of this complexity. I expected it to be really hard and a lot of work. It was, even more so than I thought. When I created the 3D plan, I put myself into it. I wanted to be sure that everything I planned to include in the trailer could be reached, lifted etc. I micro-planned then chunked the project in order to get through it. I literally broke this project down into the smallest detail and tackled one thing at a time. It was the only way I could do it without becoming overwhelmed. For example, after the planning stage, I needed to start building. I had no tools. Nothing but an empty garage. So, I went out and bought a welder, a grinder, some sheet metal and a press break. That was the first “to do” item on my list. I’m not kidding when I say that I broke this project down to the smallest detail and then took it in small chunks. It would have been too overwhelming had I done it any other way. The most time consuming part was all the sheet metal work. There are over 100 individual panels that needed to fit together. I did not have a lot of experience with sheet metal, so I purchased a Sheer and Press break and taught myself how to use them. I wanted the finished trailer to look like it was one smooth piece of steel, so every joint was seam welded and ground flush. I have to say, even though I micro-planned this build, the fact that it works as well as it does, I consider pure luck.

LP: Tell me about the frame build.
BL: I built the main frame from 3 x 2 X .125 mild steel. I reinforced all the corners with 3/8 steel gussets. The trailer tongue is especially over built. Where most trailers would use a C channel, I went with a 3” square tube that runs over ½ the length of the frame. This design allows for a telescoping tongue with an adjustment range of 36”. The length adjustment has come in handy numerous times, on many boat ferry’s they charge by the length of the vehicle. By shortening the trailer the full 36” I was able to save a few hundred dollars!

LP: The next steps?
BL: Once the main frame was complete I started work on the body of the trailer. Although when assembled the trailer looks like one piece, it is actually several components that are bolted together. The kitchen side is the most elaborate, containing the slide out for the refrigerator, trash can and silverware drawer. My plan from the start was to ensure everything would stay in place even in the event of a complete rollover. I did this by securing everything with rubber straps and having the doors of the trailers close so tight that items could not shift. Unfortunately, I have had to put this design to the test on several occasions!

Here is a list of Bernhard Leitner’s Off-Road custom camping trailer’s components and specs:

-Year built: 2011
-Weight empty 1800#
-Weight fully loaded 2500#
-Tongue weight 500#
-Dexter Torflex axle with electric breaks
-80 quart 12 volt fridge
-2X deep cycle batteries/charge from tow vehicle or from 110 power
-2 burner propane stove/ 2X 20# propane tanks
-Full kitchen with table settings for 4
-140 cubic feet of storage space
-Sink with hot and cold water/backup hand pump in case of power failure
-1.8gpm water pump with .5 micron water filter/ can be reversed to fill tank from streams and rivers
-Full Led lighting in all compartments with 4 Vision X Floods for outside lighting/Red night vision Led lighting
-Eezy awn awning with 3 walls on kitchen side
-Instant hot water heater/ with shower tent
-25 Gallon main water tank/ 4 gallon reserve tank
-King size roof top tent with led interior lighting

LP: What’s the best, most memorable time you’ve had in your trailer?
BL: Finally arriving at the Top of the World Highway in Alaska. We had driven 4,000 miles and it felt so good to get there! All the hard work I had done on the trailer paid off. I built it specifically to go to Alaska and it turned out really well!