Introduction

Most of my Range Rover expeditions have been in the desert outback of the western United States. It is hard to describe the excitement of exploring the remote, historic desert trails of the old West. The vast deserts of California, Nevada and other western states invoke images of dull uniformity for some; in fact they hold infinite variety, and are boring only to the uninquisitive. They offer unlimited opportunity for adventure, "far from the madding crowd".

The exhilaration of experiencing nature in the solitude of the outback, and the thrill of exploring long-neglected roads and ghost towns are antidotes to modern urban development, and remind us it is not irreversible! On most of my expeditoins I can go all day, or even for several days, without seeing another human being or vehicle.

Retracing Historic Roads

The Range Rover and similar 4WD vehicles give us a unique ability to explore these remote, seldom visited areas through their so-called "off road" ability. The phrase "off road" is a misnomer, as all such responsible exploration is done ON roads -- travelling off roads is irresponsible and damages the environment. It is just that the old roads we use (like the old wagon roads used by the emigrants and pioneers) are not up to the standards most people are now used to in modern automobile travel.

Our Range Rovers, and other 4WD vehicles, are about the closest things most people can realistically have to those old wagons in terms of capability. On the types of old trails I am talking about, their speed is about the same or even slower due to the deteriorated road quality. (Of course, modern "wagons" tread much more lightly with their pneumatic rubber tires and soft suspensions compared to the sharp hooves and narrow steel tires of the horse-drawn wagons). There is nothing quite like driving along some old primitive road in total solitude, imagining what it was like for the old-timers 100 or 150 years ago -- seeing the same views they saw and going at about the same speed. Talk about re-living history!!

Diminishing Opportunities

Unfortunately, visiting the more remote and beautiful places where one can experience solitude is getting much more difficult, as more and more of these primitive backcountry roads are being closed by legislation and regulation. This is often an overreaction to the past irresponsible excesses of a small proportion of four wheelers who have created an image, carefully nurtured by the media and environmental groups, as environmental vandals.

Such measures as the large-scale creation of "Wilderness" areas, sold to the public as methods of preserving the backcountry to be enjoyed by all, have the effect of closing off access to all but extremely fit young hikers. Many of my expeditions have been in the company of my Uncle, who, whlie he has enjoyed generally good health into his 80's, obviously could not visit these places on foot. Neither can families with young children.  For more information on these accessibility problems of our public lands, and what you can do to help reverse these trends, please visit our road access page.

Notwithstanding these difficulties, it is still possible, with diligence and by traveling longer distances to the trailhead, to explore ancient roads and trails and experience the feeling of the early pioneers and freighters in their wagons.

More Information

Range Rover Expeditions
Precautions: Being Prepared
Environmentally Responsible Off-Pavement Travel