I live in SW Idaho - same clay and washouts. There was one instance where my trailer was trying to slide past me. Drifted my entire rig 180 degrees. Popped my SUV into 4x4. Grabbed onto some vegetation with my tires going back up the hill I just slid down and thankfully didn't need to pull any gear out. I was glad I was wearing the brown pants that day! I see you were wearing yours too. Deserts are so beautiful but also so technical. Good job getting out. Safety 1st!
[25:16] I have seen somewhere you can use a Hi Lift jack to jack up the tire and put the traction board beneath for traction. You also might want to add Pullpal anchor to your recovery set. Nice video!
I’ve certainly seen that as well. I’d love to carry a hi-lift with me; however, we can’t add the weight. We’re already over our gvw and we don’t drive roads like this often enough to justify hauling one around. A land anchor is something we may consider though.
@@SlowRoamers hi lift makes an attachment where you can hook the jack onto your wheel and lift the car from the wheel. Really useful if you don’t have any armor on your car
I love your comment and agree 100% why cant the rest of the world think kindly as we do and appreciate mother Earths beautiful nature? People don't get out enough to appreciate our beautiful blessings we live amongst. im im West Virginia and you'd be amazed at the beauty here too. There is so much more here that you just don't hear much about and for the most part everyone here would hand you the shirt off their backs. Hope you guys can visit our beautiful state sometime too. I recommend October foliage time during our "Bridge Day" celebration where they shut half the bridge down and allow people to base jump from the bridge to the white water river below... you can take a tram down and get on a 30 passenger jet boat that will take u up river towards under the bridge to watch everyone base jump or bungee. We have gorgeous waterfalls here too and an interesting place called Greenbank Observatory.....you should google it. Its pretty cool. ❤😊
In spring, it rains. Even in NV. I’m sorry you were unaware how stranded you could get and what a mess you leave the road in if you are fortunate enough to get out. Leave it better than you found it applies to the access (road) also. 💕
Yeah, we do. We try to stay mainly on the road way and for the most part wear boots and pants. Thus far we haven’t run into many reptiles or arachnids, mostly due to the fact that we travel south during the winter.
Oh my! I am exhausted from pulling for you guys all the way along! So industrious, such landscape, such tension!!! I imagined the hot spring soaks (I've been there in the flatlands of Idaho!) soothing tired muscles and rejuvenating intrepid spirits. Well done!
Yay, Boelle!! Thanks for pulling, cheering and commenting. This makes me glad I share to my FB page .. then again maybe you're already a subscribed regular viewer. In either case, thank you!
Definitely what we all want to see in a van life adventure - the ultimate struggle of getting stuck while off-road overlanding, a nail-biting recovery, and the simple reward of a hot soak with snowy mountain views. As always, superb cinematography, great music selection and welcome laughter. Proud of you two and thankful for your safety.
Outstanding cinematography and a tense situation indeed. Unknown backcountry roads are always sketchy, being that far away from help I can only imagine what you felt when the wheels started spinning. Your couragous and adventurous spirits are highly admirable. Congratulations on a job well done with that winch! And for knowing when to abort and turn back.
Hi, I just found your channel. I loved your videography and your voice adds to the great narration. I'm looking forward to watching more of your stories. I admire your courage! I wouldn't be able to embark on such a journey without 4wd. You two rock it!
Hey Lance, glad you found us and glad our stuff is worth watching. We’ve got a pretty epic journey laid out ahead of us, I hope we don’t disappoint! 🙌🏻
I was rooting for you Some men rise to the occasion. Others crumble. I've been in a similar situation (of my own making) and yes with lots of labor I resolved it myself. I've never seen your channel before this video. I'm glad TH-cam decided to show it to me.
Best content yet, IMO. Beauty and suspense, in a majestic landscape. Adventure, balanced with contemplation. The campsite at 10:00 was heaven. May the Lord bless your continuing journey.
And why are most lakes in Nevada right at 4200 ft elevation.. you can see the old lake edge all the way through Nevada! At least on hwy 80 at 4300 ft or so!!. Pretty cool!!
I can't believe it, we are completely caught up!! This was the first episode we ever watched!! Having gone all the way back, a lot more makes sense when we re-watched it tonight. I remember loving the roads and backcountry because that's us too. Thank you for continuing to share and being so raw and honest!
@@SlowRoamers Is it 167? Well, in fairness, this became our show of choice to the almost exclusion of everything else, so yes, we watched a lot of videos in a relatively short period of time. One thing that made more sense was some of your comments as you tried to get unstuck, as you realized Betty's limits. I mean, that didn't make as much sense as it does now after having watched the changes you actually made to Thomas AND Betty. Oh and the 2WD vs 4WD comment. We LOVE 4x4, so originally, that comment was confusing. It makes a whole lot more sense after hearing your logic in other videos. I will say, I love Alex's philisophical approach as he narrates, and I love it when Meg shares too. And your comaraderie with each other is awesome.
Ahhh, ok, I see now. It’s hard to make everything make sense to everyone that hasn’t been watching for a long time. It’s happened a lot, but I need to draw the line somewhere on how much I explain things. Glad it all makes better sense now and thanks again for the Slow Roamers binge session.😁
@@SlowRoamers It has been our pleasure! Thanks for sharing them! I think if people need things to mkae more sense, they need to do what we did - go to the beginning and come forward, and then it all makes sense. You can't put EVERYTHING into every video. I think you are doing just fine. It's not that it DIDN'T make sense, because it did make sense - it just makes more sense now!. Thanks for sharing, looking forward to the next release!
Hey guys great vid... Been watching you for a while, my new favorite vanlife couple. Wanted to comment on the whole 2WD issue. I have a 4WD Sprinter and I wouldn't take it there. And in the van sphere, at least Sprinters (mines a 2018) the 4WD system, it's not an F150, or Tacoma system. It's a 65/35 power split, AND a fully open transfer case, which really makes it an AWD, that you can turn on/off and has a low range. In the place you were stuck, the 4WD Sprinter would have NOT done any better. You have done great with Betty and the places you have taken her.. Jim from Durango PS, love Nevada for all the same reasons.. Been there many times.
Hey Jim, first off, thank you for the kind words and I’m super stoked you’ve been enjoying the videos and we get the title of “favourite”! I knew when we were building Betty that we’d be able to conquer most things with high clearance, good traction and steep approach/departure angles. What I didn’t account for was how heavy the van got. After this video was made we weighed the van again and with her recent upgrades, she’s sitting fully loaded at 8900lbs. Even with the 4.10 gears, 1st gear isn’t low enough to haul the van up and over steep inclines. I’d say, if your sprinter had similar approach/departure angles and wasn’t too heavy you’d have faired better than we did, actually. Unfortunately that big one ton diff was our downfall. Something that I’ve been learning since the axle swap is that the diff hangs LOW and catches a lot, even with the 33” tires. Anyway, just out here doing my level best to show that 4WD isn’t the end all be all of off-road adventure, but also trying to eat my pride and show its pitfalls as well. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
@@SlowRoamers Wow, surprised to hear your weight of 8,900 lbs. My 170 Sprinter, which I have weighed a few times, comes in around 9,100 lbs. So, you are right, that is a heavy van! My larger point with the 4WD drive comparison, is, while Sprinter's to some are the 'benchmark' in the vanlife category. And I own one and love it. I also think that sometimes, they are over-hyped. For what it is, it is very capable, and you are not going to go to Moab rock crawling in the thing. It is to get you down FS roads, out of the occasional pickle, and in low range drives much nicer off-road (not as low compared to say a pickup truck of any type) . The clearance on it, even my 170, is quite good, in fact, better than expected. The 4WD system is, again, an 'all-wheel' drive system you can turn off and on. A true 4WD has a closed transfer case and a 50/50 power split, the Sprinter does not. Keep Roaming in Betty, and I suspect she will keep you happy for a long time. The biggest advantage of the Sprinter is not the 4X4, rather the sq feet and the headroom! :)
You can make a land anchor pretty much anywhere by burying your spare wheel in the ground. As long as the ground is some kind of soil & not solud rock that is. You did well getting it out! I think I'd have been tempted to jack up the rear & try to build up the road under the rear tyres, if there was enough rocks etc for that. But in hindsight, using the winch & drive together was an easier thing to try & it worked too. Good thinking there.
That’s certainly something I would have considered had winching from the boulder failed completely. The ground was mostly rock and quite difficult to dig in so a land anchor was definitely low on the list of things to try. Unfortunately I can’t use a hi-lift on the van as I don’t have sliders and the jack I have was trapped in the back, which is kind of a design flaw on my part…either way, got out. Thanks for the kind words, lots of people seem to think I’m an idiot for exploring as far as we did. 🤷🏼♂️
Very nice, luv your videograpy and narration. I agree with your thoughts on going 4x. I have a Tacoma and rarely use the 4 wheel drive, more weight, more maintenance. Looking forward to your next adventure. Take care, travel safe.
Thanks Mike. I had that revelation quite some ago. I realized how often I actually put my truck in 4WD, and it wasn’t a lot. All admit, after this, I started reminiscing about 4x4 tracks in my truck. But, alas, we’ve got a lot of traveling to do that’s ahead of us, all of which will be a lot more comfortable in the van. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
Probably your best video, as an avid offroader this was intense. Knowing when to say enough is a sign of maturity and intelligence. Definitely a thumbs up 👍
Radical, so glad you enjoyed it! There were some other determining factors that I didn’t really mention. When I said “for the health of the vehicle” I really meant it, the van could hardly get enough power to climb those steep inclines and we may have burned the clutches a little in the transmission trying to get out. But yeah, the whole thing was fairly intense. Haven’t been in a situation like that since my real off-road days.
Great video! Earned a sub here. One thing I'll mention about 4wd. It isn't about getting you any further, 4wd is about having the safety net to get you out of a mess, and back home safely. Go as far as you can in 2 wheel drive, and use 4wd to get yourself back out. It's just another tool, like the winch and the traction boards. 4wd also comes with the added benefit of having low range, you would have likely made it through that wash in 2wd low range, no problem.
I'm 100% with you brother.... I hate turning around... but safety is everything! Many people pressure themselves to push too far, or get over-confident... nothing we do is worth someone getting hurt or tearing up our rigs miles away from help. To me... thats the difference between 'wheeling and overlanding. Wheelers look to test the limits of their abilities and their rig. Overlanders look for the best route doing the least harm to our rig.... because if we don't get there in one piece, we don't get there at all. Glad you made to your destination safely.... thanks for sharing your adventure with us 😊
You bet! We’re all for the longevity of our travel vehicle and the primary goal is to see, experience and collect memories for the incredible places we see. Challenging a difficult route can be left for differently equipped vehicles. But you’d better bet I’m going back to complete that road, just in a different rig. 🤣
Great video mate. Not sure if you're ballsy or dumb trying to take that two wheel drive automatic through there. Either way you got some great footage. Thanks for sharing.
I Made a trip to Midwest Saskatchewan to look at the Crooked Trees and found how slickery clay roads are. Good call on turning back; at higher elevations, the roads were only going to get worse. Thanks for the adventure
Great videos, we also had a Chevy express van, one of my faves for sure. Just food for thought, go ahead and install a transfer case on back of your trans, not super expensive, then you would have a low range for going slow over technical terrain.
Thanks for watching! I’ve considered a transfer case often and certainly wished I had one in this case; however, it’s not something within the scope of this build. We’ll sooner build a more capable vehicle altogether. This van was built with slightly-more-aggressive-than-gravel road driving in mind, in this particular instance I could have turned around at the washout and would have been done with it. 🤷🏼♂️
First time viewer here. Roaming the land for Hotsprings would be so much fun. I've got a jeep that's built for offroading, rocks and hardcore trails.. but I don't go alone. You NEED some kind of anchor you can bury for self extraction. You could have dug a big hole for that rock to sit in after it was pulled loose. Also an extra 100' of rated tow rope and a 2nd shovel. Must have backups in place. When your shoveling\digging.. always dig a little more. Not sure if you've heard of Onyx app for trails.. it will probably come in handy. A flare gun and a CB with a long steel whip as well.
Amazing story. Really like how you showed the ups and downs of what can happen while taking an unknown dirt road. Glad you guys got out of there relatively unscathed. Hot springs heal a lot of wounds. Even the emotional ones from having to turn around.
Thanks for watching! It was certainly an extra spicy hotspring hunt this time around. It’s sucked to turn around, but not I know and Betty’s health will be better for it. 😁
I love Nevada too, especially away from Las Vegas. I’ve discovered some gorgeous areas driving the length of Hwy 50, hwy 93 and others last year. Love that it’s not “over” populated.
I've always wondered how a 2wd express and winch combo would work, awesome to see someone living the dream! Those bumpers also coming in handy in that crossing.
Great scenic and travel shots! Recovery is 90% creativity, I've never been stuck in an identical situation twice. Took time but you nailed it. I definitely had to learn that traction boards are like chains, they can work after the fact, but are much more effective as a preventative device.
Wow dude when you said your van was 2wd my anxiety went through the roof!! You’re a brave man I have serious 4x4 rigs and I never go to places like this without a group. Safe travels cool video!
lol, I’ve spent the better part of my driving career driving to places alone, been in enough situations that I have an over-inflated sense of confidence that I’ll be alright. Thus far I have been, but il sure there’ll be a day when I need to call someone. Thanks for watching!
WOW! Amazing scenery, and the incredible ability to figure out your challenges and know which ones were something you could do and when to turn around. What a great video, thanks for sharing!
@@jackiegammon2065 Oh no, not me! That'd be SlowRoamer.Meg. You've got Alex's "old man" here, as he likes to call me. 😂 This old man only wishes he could serve up food like that! 😋
A little momentum in those iffy muddy ruts is your friend, esp the kind like that where there’s a steep bump to get over, yeah you’ll knock some things around the house but just a little more momentum in that moment was all you needed.. although you have a wench so everything worked out! glad you guys made it through! 😅
Oh for sure, I was just a little wary to throttle out. If I had a pickup and not so much dragging behind (the bumper box) I’d have likely given it a lot more throttle. Thanks for watching!
I'm surprised you don't have a 4 wheel drive van. Just did a self recovery myself this past weekend getting hung up in a steep wash crossing on my trailer hitch on a Jeep Commander near Capital Reef Utah. No winch, just some digging, but had good 4 wheel drive to get out.
Can’t afford a Quigley, don’t want to bother doing a 4WD (too much for too little return), just gonna leave the harder stuff for when I bring out my truck again.
Not sure if you knew it but your front tires weren't pulling at all when you got stuck in that little creek, maybe that was some of the problem climbing the muddy grade.
Nevada is also a state that pulls me back every time. 15 years ago, we traveled to Vegas twice, and it was not my cup of tea, and I didn't get to explore much. About 10 years ago, we went again to explore renting a car traveled around Nevada and stayed at Motels, explored the sierras and kings canyon. 3 years later we went back, rented a car, rented camping gear and headed out and slept in the back of a very fuel efficient suv lol, visited death valley, more hotsprings and more mountains. This trip we discovered our favorite place, so far :) It was absolutely amazing. This year we drove our 04 chevy express, like yours but not as outfitted, from michigan with our 3 kids, our daughter being 4 and our boys 18 and 13. We took 3 weeks to just drive slow, see stuff, and take it easy. All of us slept in the van, and we stayed at 2 hotels and 1 airbnb for a night the whole time. I have a favorite hotspring out there that I hope to live closer to in the future. I am now planning our next trip out for the spring and I can't wait to get back. Nevada holds a peice of my heart, I think it's the absolute vastness and really feeling tiny in a huge world. It is so absolutely beautiful with so much to explore and various topography. The colors, the smells of the desert shrubs, small towns like home, and of course the hotsprings. We are waiting for our 13 yo to graduate and then we are hitting the road for good with our daughter. I am a teacher and hope to teach skills that are being lost like survival skills, homesteading, sewing, animal processing, etc. I hope to have my own outdoor classroom by 50 doing these things for the pure joy of teaching. That's ten years from now and I think a good goal. The plan is to be in Nevada for the winter and back in Michigan for the summer.
EXCELLENT video content, GREAT chemistry, and trust between you two. We have several vans, a few 4x, a few 2wd. We're older and will be doing similar "crap" once our kids "age out" (happening soon!) Lol. Lifetime of experience travelling, farming, outdoor adventure. If i were younger i would be doing ForestyForest climbing.... now just hiking (less climbing). Good stuff here!! . I drove Loniest Road a few years back solo returning from a 2 mon stint in Cali. I am a HUGE fan of "welded half link" tire chains (4), tire cables(4), Hi-Lift jacks, and carrying a small old school enduro (scouting/rescue/pleasure). Our main travel vehicle is a 2003 cutaway ambo. Just upfitting it now. Subbed.
Hey Reid, thanks for jumping on the band wagon! 🤣 Sounds like we have similar life experience aside from the kids. Foresty is the guy that inspired me to get into all this YT stuff, we hope to hike like him one day, just starting to warm up the legs and lungs though. Thanks for the kind words, glad to have you along for the ride!
What fun!! Beautiful filming and great story telling! Absolutely LOVE your videos. You DO want a 4x4 van you just haven't admitted it to yourself yet because it's really stinking expensive. The 4wd is very helpful but the often overlooked piece is 3x gear reduction which I'm eleventy-billion-percentages positive you would love.
Snowverlanding is my favorite the only problem is when you have snow and melting temperatures, nothing makes mud quite like it. Rain runs off, snow doesn't. Just a friendly suggestion, we use a spotter when possible in these situations because the driver can't see when he's making terrible mistakes like missing the lumber on the right and then putting the diff on top of it... 😂 We all learn from mistakes though.
Yep, I was explaining that one to Meg while we’re driving. The particular consistency of spring run off mud is like no other. I’ve certainly used a spotter in my rock crawling days, I’m not entirely sure if this one could been avoided with the unique way the diff was hung up. Either way, you’re not wrong. Meg is an off-roader in training, reluctantly so, but in training nonetheless. She’ll know exactly what to look for after a few more trips. 😁 Thanks for watching!
We love Nevada. It is very diverse from north to south. We spend a far amount of time each year during our annual trip south each winter. It seems as if each year we hit a some snow and cooler weather but it helps us get ready for us to return to Central Oregon our home base. Wet clay roads can suck.. Foods without spices are bland, life without spice is boring. I am attempting to talk my wife into heading further south to Baja. I carry a 36 inch section of guard rail to use as a dead man to tie to when no trees are available. An alternative is bury a spar tire. both works for me. To abort a route is hard but there will always be the 5% even if you have 4wd and lockers. The most import part is to be safe.
Having a converted 4x4 van I agree that nearly all my travels you really don’t need it to get to where you want. It might make a little easier in some situations. I personally try to limit extreme off roading as this is my house too and bouncing around off rocks just makes a mess out of my living space. I think where my 4x4 really comes into play is on wet muddy, snowy roads or maybe the occasional steep loose dirt road. I’m sure you’re saving a few mpgs by staying 2wd and with all the traveling you guys do I think you have chosen the best combination…. and you look badass 💪 Look me up if you make it down to Arizona this winter…
Hey man, glad to have at least one person who gets it, especially coming from someone who has done the conversion. A lot of people love to tell us how we ‘need’ 4WD or that or that we wouldn’t have been in the same situation if we had it. They’re not altogether wrong. Like you say, 4WD aids in a lot of situations and there are a lot of times we kind of wish we had it, but we’re not gonna spend the money to swap and having a 2wd isn’t gonna stop us from going out and finding an adventure. Arguably, you find adventure quicker with a 2wd, this video is a case in point. My momma always said, “it ain’t an adventure until something goes wrong,”🤣 I think that’s mostly true and this was a really memorable time. Thanks for watching and sharing making a thought out response!🙌🏻😊
I van life in Nevada in a RAM Promaster City. Nevada is an alien planet so totally cool. Thanks for being with us. My little RAM should no leave paved roads. Last year it was recommended I wilderness at the Grand Canyon. Never should have done it though fantastic discovery in the Canyon.
I used to camp in a 16PMC with a Wayfarer type camping kit but knew it was not happy offroad. Moved up to a Max Tow Gladiator with a SUV tent for solo trips and pull a 17'travel trailer. Solo it gets 25mpg 12mpgtowing, the PMC got 30mpg. Well worth the move for the added off road and severe weather drivability.
Whoa I thought for sure that thing was 4x4. Good thing you have the winch. Isnt that high desert mud crazy and slick? I drive through that stuff often. That van might have locking rear diff if its a 3/4 ton rig. Check the RPO code in the glove box for G80. Those lockers are awesome to have.
Yeah, we get that a lot. We usually try to avoid clay, seeing as clay mud is our arch enemy when it comes to traction, but this time around it found us. I actually swapped the rear axle to a Dana 70S with a PowerLok LSD a few months ago and it’s been working great, closer to a locker than an LSD tbh. I can feel it hooking up under the van all the time. I won’t have another vehicle without, at the very least, an LSD or some form of Autolocker.
@@westernsoutherner1 thanks! Were pretty heavy and needed a regear AND locker, so I hunted down an axle out of a Duramax express. Now we’ve got a full floater, 4.10’s and an LSD. Easy peasy.😁
We finally got around to watching your channel, and this is the first one we saw!! Super awesome, guys, definitely inspiring us as we are cutting our first future episode. And you're right, it never looks as bad through the camera - giant ditches look like tiny potholes haha. Can't wait to watch the next one!
As a fellow 4 X 2 driver, lifted vehicle, appropriate tires, inflation adjustment, recovery gear... I find your wandering ethics in agreement with my own. Good job on this one. Nicely done. Superb scenery, mostly superior music. Thank you.
I had the tires at my usual gravel pressure, but lowering the pressure actually lowered the van which put more downward pressure on the railway tie, so I didn’t drop it that much further.
@@SlowRoamers I grew up in that area..I'm pretty sure I know exactly where you got stuck..... Lots of history in that area..l the local ranchers take care of those hot springs...there used to be a bath house north of carvers on 376.... It was indoors about the size of a swimming pool. With lockers and changing rooms..I can remember campers staying there back in the 90,s....not sure if it's still there...lots of hot water all through that area...if those hot springs could only talk ?? The stories they could tell would make us all blush...hahaha good video..
I am so surprised by all the "good advice" that you are getting. Sure a light 4x4 Jeep style vehicle would be better suited for some of those trails but where is the comfort of a real Class B motorhome in a compact van??? No comparison!!! I have often taken our 24 foot Class C motorhome on rugged trails in the Rockies to 10,000 feet. Everyone would tell me that there are better vehicles but that is what i was driving BTW towing a derelict VW Vanagon and a DualSport motorcycle. That was the adventure for that trip. I have learned a lot from this video, please keep posting your adventures.
Hahaha! A lot of it is good advice, undoubtedly, although sometimes a little unsolicited. Oh well. Thanks for watching, glad you found us! Safe travels and keep on roamin!🙌🏻
So glad you have a drone so you can see what is up ahead. I loved Megan's laughter. I think it was nervous laughter. Just curious if there were parts filmed that we did not see? Like screaming moments? You handled this very well. Overjoyed for the outcome. LOve those white mountains and flat pastel plains. Beautiful.
We’ve actually been asked this a few times by our friends who are close enough to know we were stuck. I think we both handled it admirably. Meg did a great job helping to shoot while I took care of getting us unstuck. No harsh words or raised voices were had.😁
The camera doesn’t do justice on the size of the rut. Good on you for turning around and not risking it up the muddy hill. I would have done the same. The winch paid for itself on this trail. Safe and happy travel home.
The camera NEVER does just, to scale, beauty, awe etc. The winch certainly paid for itself and I was super happy we had it. I don’t think I’ll ever not have a winch now.
Yes hope to never use my winch and once my trusted mechanic is freed up and his new shop ready will do a 3inch lift and a locker and call it good after that. The capabilities this combination offers will be enough for us. Going full on 4x4 is too complicated and expensive for a big heavy van. (E350 extended high top with 7.3 diesel)
It seems crazy to travel in areas like that without at least a 50cc bike if you need to ride for help or a Garmin so you can text for help if theres no cell coverage
What a cool place to be in…too far for help. I was thinking if needing to text for friends, parts etc via Garmin but hey, Starlink is fine. Ever consider a little bike or a couple e bikes you could ride out on in an emergency? Cool video and I’m looking forward to a month exploring east Nevada in fall, camping off my motorcycle. Enjoy!
@@onerider808 although it would be nice to have an e-bike our biggest enemy right now is weight. At 8900lbs, we’re well over the factory GVWR (although I have an upgraded axle in the back). So, needless to say, we won’t be adding anything extra in the next while.
Awesome video, but this video shows us all why not to wonder in the back country in a 4x2 vehicle while driving it like a 4x4 vehicle. I'm a Nevada resident and rescue several 4x2 vehicles monthly. Some of those people stranded in the Nevada desert never made it home, but their vehicle did.
I was stuck with my 2 WD transit in the desert where I hung up my rear dif. After 1/2 hour of shovelling & Max Trac placement - to no avail. What I did was find the biggest rock I could carry - dug under the tire - jammed the rock under ish the free wheelin' tire - put the max trac's on both sides. Van pretty much walked out👍 That is when I decided to install an ARB Locker!!! I have pretty much the same size / style of shovel. After getting stuck, there were times where I wished I had proper long handled shovel. Did you ever figure a long handled shovel may be better? Did you notice there was a LADDER proper up on a tree in the spot you were stuck? (34.33 time)
I quite like the size of our shovel and haven’t really needed anything bigger. We’ve got an LSD in the rear which has been a real game changer for us. Unfortunately our rear differential was suspending our wheels so having both wheels spin wasn’t helping. We did see the ladder, it’s from a previous camp that existed 50ft down the road or so. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
@@TerryManitoba when I was installing the new year axle, I believed I was installing a G80 Govlock. At a later date I was informed that only the Chevy 14 bolts come with that particular locker and that the Dana 70s axles more commonly come with a PowerLok LSD. Its worked really well and I feel hooking up under the van all the time, so as far as I’m concerned it’s doing its job.
@@SlowRoamers My bad - must have been another 2WD van video that had a locker installed that I was thinking of ... I had a stock LSD on the Transit and I didn't figure it was doing that much - hence the ARB install. Happy Trails
@@orvaroth1613 I don’t, I’ve found everything via internet research and word of mouth. I love traveling the lower 48 and Nevada is in my top 3, but it all barely holds a candle to Canada’s northern territories.
What a beautiful state to be in! And I’m not referring to that ditch! But I winced as you winched, even knowing you had to (must have) survived, because of the video evidence! Congratulations on your resourcefulness and positive attitude. 😂❤.
Driving on back roads without 4x4, a low range transfer case and airing your tires way down is simply foolish, especially in spring with snow melt softening the trails. Glad you got out ok, but no way would I have been out there in that rig, especially this time of year. Best of luck on your future adventures.
To each their own. We made it as far as we did with little trouble, it was just the last little that caught us and we wound up turning around at the point that we deemed it too hazardous. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
@@SlowRoamers Ah, I didn't know that. This is the first video of yours I've ever seen. Having traction boards is fantastic. If you don't have a 12V air compressor, consider getting one. Not only to help if you get a leaky tire, but so you can air your tires back up after airing them down so you can get dramatically more traction when needed, not to mention a much more comfortable ride on rough roads. Being able to air down for rough roads and back up again for paved roads is a wonderful thing. 👍. The best value I've seen lately for an off-road compressor is called Thor's Lightning.
I have watched several of your videos. I love the van. I have contemplated a 4x4 van for a while but i can't justify the cost. One piece of advice I can offer is invest in high quality "studded " tire chains. These are off road tire chains that will be a night and day difference in traction. These tire chains will actually give you less traction on road from my experience. Driving offroad with them you will wishing you had gotten them sooner.
A lot of people have suggested this and it makes me wonder what I’m missing. I’m not entirely sure if it’ll be something I add to my repertoire of off-road gear. TBH, we don’t go hunting down off-road trails. The van’s capabilities give us just enough confidence to press a little further than most 2wd vehicles owners might go, but as you can see, sometimes that’s a little too far which is why we have good recovery gear. Were finding the van is quite heavy which really eats into the vans ability to climb hills and that’s something we can’t add to, so chains might go by the wayside. Aside from that, I’d say, get yourself a locking diff of some sort whether it’s an auto locker or LSD, it’s really changes things.
Agreed re cost. Many drivers aren't considering the fuel cost of long-term overlanding when they state that a particular challenge wouldn't have been an issue if the vehicle had been 4x4. True enough perhaps but years on backroads across countries is a different animal than a weekender to play in mud, snow or sand. Alex's military truck (Welland DAF) was a 4x4 but couldn't go many of the places he's taken Betty (the current 2WD van) on account of its size and what happens inside a large vehicle as it heaves side to side on backroads, etc. So yes, the ideal vehicle for overlanding is a choice that takes into account many factors, 2WD versus 4x4 being only one of them. I love Alex's ethos of "95% where you want to go and 100% where you need to go". That's road-tested wisdom right there!
@@Jasonmaceachern no doubt! I’d love to put a transfer case in the van and had considered it for a good while. But the deeper you look, the more complex the modification becomes and I’m just not sure how much more money I want to put into the van at this point. I think a more economical way would be to just avoid 20%+ grades with slippery surfaces.🤣
Does your van have a locking differential? Awesome video!! Good call turning around looks like the road was very slippery, could go right over a ledge 😬
It has a very effective LSD; however we found ourselves spinning because the whole axle was lifted off the ground by the railway tie. Thanks for watching!😁
One thing I discovered recently, are 12v hydraulic jacks. For situations like this it could be a huge help. just use a sturdy board under, like anything else. (So it doesn't tip in the dirt and you don't end up on a live leak video.)
I live in SW Idaho - same clay and washouts. There was one instance where my trailer was trying to slide past me. Drifted my entire rig 180 degrees. Popped my SUV into 4x4. Grabbed onto some vegetation with my tires going back up the hill I just slid down and thankfully didn't need to pull any gear out. I was glad I was wearing the brown pants that day! I see you were wearing yours too. Deserts are so beautiful but also so technical. Good job getting out. Safety 1st!
Sounds like you know what you’re doing out there! Brown pants are essential during off-road days, just in case.🤣
First time viewing your channel and I was just blown away by the story telling, editing, video AND audio quality. Instant subscription
YAAAAS! Thank you so much for the kind words. Glad to have you along for the journey!
[25:16] I have seen somewhere you can use a Hi Lift jack to jack up the tire and put the traction board beneath for traction. You also might want to add Pullpal anchor to your recovery set. Nice video!
I’ve certainly seen that as well. I’d love to carry a hi-lift with me; however, we can’t add the weight. We’re already over our gvw and we don’t drive roads like this often enough to justify hauling one around. A land anchor is something we may consider though.
@@SlowRoamers hi lift makes an attachment where you can hook the jack onto your wheel and lift the car from the wheel. Really useful if you don’t have any armor on your car
As a Nevadan, I cherish when others enjoy my state. Thanks for the kind words.
It’s a beautiful state, it deserves all the words of praise. 😁
@@SlowRoamers why a 2wd, if your going on dirt..
I love your comment and agree 100% why cant the rest of the world think kindly as we do and appreciate mother Earths beautiful nature? People don't get out enough to appreciate our beautiful blessings we live amongst.
im im West Virginia and you'd be amazed at the beauty here too. There is so much more here that you just don't hear much about and for the most part everyone here would hand you the shirt off their backs.
Hope you guys can visit our beautiful state sometime too.
I recommend October foliage time during our "Bridge Day" celebration where they shut half the bridge down and allow people to base jump from the bridge to the white water river below... you can take a tram down and get on a 30 passenger jet boat that will take u up river towards under the bridge to watch everyone base jump or bungee.
We have gorgeous waterfalls here too and an interesting place called Greenbank Observatory.....you should google it. Its pretty cool. ❤😊
In spring, it rains. Even in NV. I’m sorry you were unaware how stranded you could get and what a mess you leave the road in if you are fortunate enough to get out. Leave it better than you found it applies to the access (road) also. 💕
As you both walking around do you pay attention to snakes or scorpions & spiders. I guess when I think Nevada these pop into my head.
Yeah, we do. We try to stay mainly on the road way and for the most part wear boots and pants. Thus far we haven’t run into many reptiles or arachnids, mostly due to the fact that we travel south during the winter.
Some people get stuck in the back country of Nevada and never to return alive. You made the right call.
Glad we weren’t one of them.🙌🏻
Oh my! I am exhausted from pulling for you guys all the way along! So industrious, such landscape, such tension!!! I imagined the hot spring soaks (I've been there in the flatlands of Idaho!) soothing tired muscles and rejuvenating intrepid spirits. Well done!
😁😁😁 maybe we’ll start putting a warning label on some of our videos.🤣
Yay, Boelle!! Thanks for pulling, cheering and commenting. This makes me glad I share to my FB page .. then again maybe you're already a subscribed regular viewer. In either case, thank you!
@@SlowRoamers only for those of us of a more (ahem) advanced age!!
@@BoelleKirby 🤣🤣🤣 duly noted
Definitely what we all want to see in a van life adventure - the ultimate struggle of getting stuck while off-road overlanding, a nail-biting recovery, and the simple reward of a hot soak with snowy mountain views. As always, superb cinematography, great music selection and welcome laughter. Proud of you two and thankful for your safety.
Thanks ol’man!😁
You are so blessed to have such a beautiful country!!! Thank you for this film!! Thanks to people like you, the world is shrinking!!
I love seeing you in Nevada! Not enough love for the state with the most mountain ranges and public land. I'm glad you guys like it here too.
We sure do! I’ll always make a stop in NV when going through the states. 😁
Outstanding cinematography and a tense situation indeed. Unknown backcountry roads are always sketchy, being that far away from help I can only imagine what you felt when the wheels started spinning. Your couragous and adventurous spirits are highly admirable. Congratulations on a job well done with that winch! And for knowing when to abort and turn back.
Thank you and thanks for watching! 😊🙌🏻
Welcome to the channel and thanks for commenting. We love the long ones! 😊
Hi, I just found your channel. I loved your videography and your voice adds to the great narration. I'm looking forward to watching more of your stories. I admire your courage! I wouldn't be able to embark on such a journey without 4wd. You two rock it!
Hey Lance, glad you found us and glad our stuff is worth watching. We’ve got a pretty epic journey laid out ahead of us, I hope we don’t disappoint! 🙌🏻
I was rooting for you
Some men rise to the occasion. Others crumble. I've been in a similar situation (of my own making) and yes with lots of labor I resolved it myself.
I've never seen your channel before this video. I'm glad TH-cam decided to show it to me.
Thanks for the kind words, Allen! Glad YT delivered us to you as well. We’ve got big plans, so stay tuned. 😁🙌🏻🙌🏻
Best content yet, IMO. Beauty and suspense, in a majestic landscape. Adventure, balanced with contemplation. The campsite at 10:00 was heaven. May the Lord bless your continuing journey.
Thanks! I’m afraid I now have to somehow top this. We didn’t really go looking for trouble, but we found it. Usually we try to avoid it…🫤
Great video, that is the reality of van life. Brought out alot of good points about vehicles capabilities and when to turn around.
Thanks so much and thank you for watching!🙌🏻
And why are most lakes in Nevada right at 4200 ft elevation.. you can see the old lake edge all the way through Nevada! At least on hwy 80 at 4300 ft or so!!. Pretty cool!!
I can't believe it, we are completely caught up!! This was the first episode we ever watched!! Having gone all the way back, a lot more makes sense when we re-watched it tonight. I remember loving the roads and backcountry because that's us too. Thank you for continuing to share and being so raw and honest!
Holy moly you two! Thats 167 videos! Wowee. Curious to know what made more sense after watching ALL the videos?
@@SlowRoamers Is it 167? Well, in fairness, this became our show of choice to the almost exclusion of everything else, so yes, we watched a lot of videos in a relatively short period of time. One thing that made more sense was some of your comments as you tried to get unstuck, as you realized Betty's limits. I mean, that didn't make as much sense as it does now after having watched the changes you actually made to Thomas AND Betty. Oh and the 2WD vs 4WD comment. We LOVE 4x4, so originally, that comment was confusing. It makes a whole lot more sense after hearing your logic in other videos. I will say, I love Alex's philisophical approach as he narrates, and I love it when Meg shares too. And your comaraderie with each other is awesome.
Ahhh, ok, I see now. It’s hard to make everything make sense to everyone that hasn’t been watching for a long time. It’s happened a lot, but I need to draw the line somewhere on how much I explain things. Glad it all makes better sense now and thanks again for the Slow Roamers binge session.😁
@@SlowRoamers It has been our pleasure! Thanks for sharing them! I think if people need things to mkae more sense, they need to do what we did - go to the beginning and come forward, and then it all makes sense. You can't put EVERYTHING into every video. I think you are doing just fine. It's not that it DIDN'T make sense, because it did make sense - it just makes more sense now!. Thanks for sharing, looking forward to the next release!
Thanks you two.😊
Hey guys great vid... Been watching you for a while, my new favorite vanlife couple.
Wanted to comment on the whole 2WD issue. I have a 4WD Sprinter and I wouldn't take it there. And in the van sphere, at least Sprinters (mines a 2018) the 4WD system, it's not an F150, or Tacoma system. It's a 65/35 power split, AND a fully open transfer case, which really makes it an AWD, that you can turn on/off and has a low range. In the place you were stuck, the 4WD Sprinter would have NOT done any better.
You have done great with Betty and the places you have taken her..
Jim from Durango
PS, love Nevada for all the same reasons.. Been there many times.
Hey Jim, first off, thank you for the kind words and I’m super stoked you’ve been enjoying the videos and we get the title of “favourite”!
I knew when we were building Betty that we’d be able to conquer most things with high clearance, good traction and steep approach/departure angles. What I didn’t account for was how heavy the van got. After this video was made we weighed the van again and with her recent upgrades, she’s sitting fully loaded at 8900lbs. Even with the 4.10 gears, 1st gear isn’t low enough to haul the van up and over steep inclines. I’d say, if your sprinter had similar approach/departure angles and wasn’t too heavy you’d have faired better than we did, actually. Unfortunately that big one ton diff was our downfall. Something that I’ve been learning since the axle swap is that the diff hangs LOW and catches a lot, even with the 33” tires. Anyway, just out here doing my level best to show that 4WD isn’t the end all be all of off-road adventure, but also trying to eat my pride and show its pitfalls as well. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
Love this great exchange among worthy peers!
@@SlowRoamers Wow, surprised to hear your weight of 8,900 lbs. My 170 Sprinter, which I have weighed a few times, comes in around 9,100 lbs. So, you are right, that is a heavy van!
My larger point with the 4WD drive comparison, is, while Sprinter's to some are the 'benchmark' in the vanlife category. And I own one and love it. I also think that sometimes, they are over-hyped. For what it is, it is very capable, and you are not going to go to Moab rock crawling in the thing. It is to get you down FS roads, out of the occasional pickle, and in low range drives much nicer off-road (not as low compared to say a pickup truck of any type) . The clearance on it, even my 170, is quite good, in fact, better than expected. The 4WD system is, again, an 'all-wheel' drive system you can turn off and on. A true 4WD has a closed transfer case and a 50/50 power split, the Sprinter does not.
Keep Roaming in Betty, and I suspect she will keep you happy for a long time. The biggest advantage of the Sprinter is not the 4X4, rather the sq feet and the headroom! :)
You can make a land anchor pretty much anywhere by burying your spare wheel in the ground. As long as the ground is some kind of soil & not solud rock that is.
You did well getting it out! I think I'd have been tempted to jack up the rear & try to build up the road under the rear tyres, if there was enough rocks etc for that. But in hindsight, using the winch & drive together was an easier thing to try & it worked too. Good thinking there.
That’s certainly something I would have considered had winching from the boulder failed completely. The ground was mostly rock and quite difficult to dig in so a land anchor was definitely low on the list of things to try. Unfortunately I can’t use a hi-lift on the van as I don’t have sliders and the jack I have was trapped in the back, which is kind of a design flaw on my part…either way, got out. Thanks for the kind words, lots of people seem to think I’m an idiot for exploring as far as we did. 🤷🏼♂️
Very nice, luv your videograpy and narration. I agree with your thoughts on going 4x. I have a Tacoma and rarely use the 4 wheel drive, more weight, more maintenance. Looking forward to your next adventure. Take care, travel safe.
Thanks Mike. I had that revelation quite some ago. I realized how often I actually put my truck in 4WD, and it wasn’t a lot. All admit, after this, I started reminiscing about 4x4 tracks in my truck. But, alas, we’ve got a lot of traveling to do that’s ahead of us, all of which will be a lot more comfortable in the van. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
I donno man. Sometimes you need 4wd for survival. I wouldn't be there without it
Probably your best video, as an avid offroader this was intense. Knowing when to say enough is a sign of maturity and intelligence.
Definitely a thumbs up 👍
YESSS, 💯!
Radical, so glad you enjoyed it! There were some other determining factors that I didn’t really mention. When I said “for the health of the vehicle” I really meant it, the van could hardly get enough power to climb those steep inclines and we may have burned the clutches a little in the transmission trying to get out. But yeah, the whole thing was fairly intense. Haven’t been in a situation like that since my real off-road days.
That looked like a bit of fun!
It was! Just a bit of spice for the journey.
Thanks for the great video guys ,God bless all that you do 🙂
Thanks Edwin!🙌🏻
Great video! Earned a sub here. One thing I'll mention about 4wd. It isn't about getting you any further, 4wd is about having the safety net to get you out of a mess, and back home safely. Go as far as you can in 2 wheel drive, and use 4wd to get yourself back out. It's just another tool, like the winch and the traction boards. 4wd also comes with the added benefit of having low range, you would have likely made it through that wash in 2wd low range, no problem.
Totally agree. Just can’t afford a 4WD swap. It’s cheaper to adjust my expectations.😊 Thanks for watching and following along!🙌🏻
My heart is always in the Sierra Mountains but the Nevada low-lands can be so authenticity beautiful. Wild donkeys and all🐴
I'm 100% with you brother.... I hate turning around... but safety is everything! Many people pressure themselves to push too far, or get over-confident... nothing we do is worth someone getting hurt or tearing up our rigs miles away from help.
To me... thats the difference between 'wheeling and overlanding. Wheelers look to test the limits of their abilities and their rig. Overlanders look for the best route doing the least harm to our rig.... because if we don't get there in one piece, we don't get there at all.
Glad you made to your destination safely.... thanks for sharing your adventure with us 😊
You bet! We’re all for the longevity of our travel vehicle and the primary goal is to see, experience and collect memories for the incredible places we see. Challenging a difficult route can be left for differently equipped vehicles. But you’d better bet I’m going back to complete that road, just in a different rig. 🤣
My first time here. Great video! Except, I worried myself to death, that you'd run out of gas! I subscribed!
In true nailbiter style! 😂 Thanks for subscribing! Lots of great videos already and lots more ahead ..
Hi Gail, thanks for following along. You needn’t worry about our fuel range, I do that enough for the both of us.🤣
Great video mate.
Not sure if you're ballsy or dumb trying to take that two wheel drive automatic through there.
Either way you got some great footage. Thanks for sharing.
🙌🏻🙌🏻
I Made a trip to Midwest Saskatchewan to look at the Crooked Trees and found how slickery clay roads are. Good call on turning back; at higher elevations, the roads were only going to get worse. Thanks for the adventure
Clay’s a killer for sure! Thanks for watching, Lance!🙌🏻
Great videos, we also had a Chevy express van, one of my faves for sure. Just food for thought, go ahead and install a transfer case on back of your trans, not super expensive, then you would have a low range for going slow over technical terrain.
Thanks for watching! I’ve considered a transfer case often and certainly wished I had one in this case; however, it’s not something within the scope of this build. We’ll sooner build a more capable vehicle altogether. This van was built with slightly-more-aggressive-than-gravel road driving in mind, in this particular instance I could have turned around at the washout and would have been done with it. 🤷🏼♂️
First time viewer here. Roaming the land for Hotsprings would be so much fun. I've got a jeep that's built for offroading, rocks and hardcore trails.. but I don't go alone. You NEED some kind of anchor you can bury for self extraction. You could have dug a big hole for that rock to sit in after it was pulled loose. Also an extra 100' of rated tow rope and a 2nd shovel. Must have backups in place. When your shoveling\digging.. always dig a little more. Not sure if you've heard of Onyx app for trails.. it will probably come in handy. A flare gun and a CB with a long steel whip as well.
Thanks for the info and thanks for watching!🙌🏻
Amazing story. Really like how you showed the ups and downs of what can happen while taking an unknown dirt road. Glad you guys got out of there relatively unscathed. Hot springs heal a lot of wounds. Even the emotional ones from having to turn around.
Thanks for watching! It was certainly an extra spicy hotspring hunt this time around. It’s sucked to turn around, but not I know and Betty’s health will be better for it. 😁
I love Nevada too, especially away from Las Vegas. I’ve discovered some gorgeous areas driving the length of Hwy 50, hwy 93 and others last year. Love that it’s not “over” populated.
The state keeps on getting better each time we go there. Thanks for watching!
I've always wondered how a 2wd express and winch combo would work, awesome to see someone living the dream! Those bumpers also coming in handy in that crossing.
The combo works pretty good! We’re always pleasantly surprised by the places we make it to. 😁 Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
Smokey valley.,tachema range is awesome...
I lived in McGill for about five years and really enjoyed the surrounding area. Much more things to see and do then one would think.
No doubt! Its big country out there
Great scenic and travel shots! Recovery is 90% creativity, I've never been stuck in an identical situation twice. Took time but you nailed it. I definitely had to learn that traction boards are like chains, they can work after the fact, but are much more effective as a preventative device.
Thanks Wes! You’re quite right, had I put the boards down earlier I could have kept more momentum. Gotta love hindsight, it’s a total jerk.🤣
Wow dude when you said your van was 2wd my anxiety went through the roof!! You’re a brave man I have serious 4x4 rigs and I never go to places like this without a group. Safe travels cool video!
lol, I’ve spent the better part of my driving career driving to places alone, been in enough situations that I have an over-inflated sense of confidence that I’ll be alright. Thus far I have been, but il sure there’ll be a day when I need to call someone. Thanks for watching!
WOW! Amazing scenery, and the incredible ability to figure out your challenges and know which ones were something you could do and when to turn around. What a great video, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jackie! Thanks so much for watching.😊
Yay, Jackie. The "old man" loves your comment .. and agrees wholeheartedly!
@@alistairjackson7658 Of course,, none of that is possible without all of that fabulous food that you serve. :)
@@jackiegammon2065 Oh no, not me! That'd be SlowRoamer.Meg. You've got Alex's "old man" here, as he likes to call me. 😂 This old man only wishes he could serve up food like that! 😋
Greetings out of Africa! Absolutely love the Nevada snowy mountains - great video - thanks for sharing - Go well! (Jip I envy you...))) Nic.
Oooooooohhh! We really want to go to Africa. So glad you found us, thanks for watching!
You two do great work!!
Thank you so much 😀
I'm just here for the drama!
Kidding. Great video. Lovely hot springs and exploration of Nevada.
May have to head east and check Nevada out!
You’d better go do that!!! Sheesh!
A little momentum in those iffy muddy ruts is your friend, esp the kind like that where there’s a steep bump to get over, yeah you’ll knock some things around the house but just a little more momentum in that moment was all you needed.. although you have a wench so everything worked out! glad you guys made it through! 😅
Oh for sure, I was just a little wary to throttle out. If I had a pickup and not so much dragging behind (the bumper box) I’d have likely given it a lot more throttle. Thanks for watching!
I'm surprised you don't have a 4 wheel drive van. Just did a self recovery myself this past weekend getting hung up in a steep wash crossing on my trailer hitch on a Jeep Commander near Capital Reef Utah. No winch, just some digging, but had good 4 wheel drive to get out.
Can’t afford a Quigley, don’t want to bother doing a 4WD (too much for too little return), just gonna leave the harder stuff for when I bring out my truck again.
Awesome van
Not sure if you knew it but your front tires weren't pulling at all when you got stuck in that little creek, maybe that was some of the problem climbing the muddy grade.
wow; its a long time since I was briefly in Nevada!! Thanks for the video. John in Victoria
It’s a wonderful state, thanks for watching John!
One of the best episodes of the channel.
I was afraid of that.😳 lol, it’ll be hard to top this one in terms of the level of trail we conquer.
Nevada is also a state that pulls me back every time. 15 years ago, we traveled to Vegas twice, and it was not my cup of tea, and I didn't get to explore much. About 10 years ago, we went again to explore renting a car traveled around Nevada and stayed at Motels, explored the sierras and kings canyon. 3 years later we went back, rented a car, rented camping gear and headed out and slept in the back of a very fuel efficient suv lol, visited death valley, more hotsprings and more mountains. This trip we discovered our favorite place, so far :) It was absolutely amazing. This year we drove our 04 chevy express, like yours but not as outfitted, from michigan with our 3 kids, our daughter being 4 and our boys 18 and 13. We took 3 weeks to just drive slow, see stuff, and take it easy. All of us slept in the van, and we stayed at 2 hotels and 1 airbnb for a night the whole time. I have a favorite hotspring out there that I hope to live closer to in the future. I am now planning our next trip out for the spring and I can't wait to get back. Nevada holds a peice of my heart, I think it's the absolute vastness and really feeling tiny in a huge world. It is so absolutely beautiful with so much to explore and various topography. The colors, the smells of the desert shrubs, small towns like home, and of course the hotsprings. We are waiting for our 13 yo to graduate and then we are hitting the road for good with our daughter. I am a teacher and hope to teach skills that are being lost like survival skills, homesteading, sewing, animal processing, etc. I hope to have my own outdoor classroom by 50 doing these things for the pure joy of teaching. That's ten years from now and I think a good goal. The plan is to be in Nevada for the winter and back in Michigan for the summer.
Sounds like a wonderful trip. The outdoor classroom sounds very cool as well.
EXCELLENT video content, GREAT chemistry, and trust between you two. We have several vans, a few 4x, a few 2wd. We're older and will be doing similar "crap" once our kids "age out" (happening soon!) Lol. Lifetime of experience travelling, farming, outdoor adventure. If i were younger i would be doing ForestyForest climbing.... now just hiking (less climbing). Good stuff here!! . I drove Loniest Road a few years back solo returning from a 2 mon stint in Cali. I am a HUGE fan of "welded half link" tire chains (4), tire cables(4), Hi-Lift jacks, and carrying a small old school enduro (scouting/rescue/pleasure). Our main travel vehicle is a 2003 cutaway ambo. Just upfitting it now. Subbed.
Hey Reid, thanks for jumping on the band wagon! 🤣 Sounds like we have similar life experience aside from the kids. Foresty is the guy that inspired me to get into all this YT stuff, we hope to hike like him one day, just starting to warm up the legs and lungs though. Thanks for the kind words, glad to have you along for the ride!
Thats why I always have a REAL shovel. Worth the space it takes up. Been stuck a few times and the shovel saves the day. Shovel and traction boards.
What fun!! Beautiful filming and great story telling! Absolutely LOVE your videos. You DO want a 4x4 van you just haven't admitted it to yourself yet because it's really stinking expensive. The 4wd is very helpful but the often overlooked piece is 3x gear reduction which I'm eleventy-billion-percentages positive you would love.
I think I’d like a transfer case most, we’ve got loads of traction with the LSD and big tires, but not the gearing. So yeah, reduction gears. 😁
Snowverlanding is my favorite the only problem is when you have snow and melting temperatures, nothing makes mud quite like it. Rain runs off, snow doesn't. Just a friendly suggestion, we use a spotter when possible in these situations because the driver can't see when he's making terrible mistakes like missing the lumber on the right and then putting the diff on top of it... 😂 We all learn from mistakes though.
Yep, I was explaining that one to Meg while we’re driving. The particular consistency of spring run off mud is like no other. I’ve certainly used a spotter in my rock crawling days, I’m not entirely sure if this one could been avoided with the unique way the diff was hung up. Either way, you’re not wrong. Meg is an off-roader in training, reluctantly so, but in training nonetheless. She’ll know exactly what to look for after a few more trips. 😁 Thanks for watching!
We love Nevada. It is very diverse from north to south. We spend a far amount of time each year during our annual trip south each winter. It seems as if each year we hit a some snow and cooler weather but it helps us get ready for us to return to Central Oregon our home base. Wet clay roads can suck.. Foods without spices are bland, life without spice is boring. I am attempting to talk my wife into heading further south to Baja. I carry a 36 inch section of guard rail to use as a dead man to tie to when no trees are available. An alternative is bury a spar tire. both works for me. To abort a route is hard but there will always be the 5% even if you have 4wd and lockers. The most import part is to be safe.
Couldn’t agree more. We were certainly looking at the burying of the spare tire option if we couldn’t pull out. Thanks for watching and safe travels!
Having a converted 4x4 van I agree that nearly all my travels you really don’t need it to get to where you want. It might make a little easier in some situations. I personally try to limit extreme off roading as this is my house too and bouncing around off rocks just makes a mess out of my living space. I think where my 4x4 really comes into play is on wet muddy, snowy roads or maybe the occasional steep loose dirt road.
I’m sure you’re saving a few mpgs by staying 2wd and with all the traveling you guys do I think you have chosen the best combination…. and you look badass 💪
Look me up if you make it down to Arizona this winter…
Hey man, glad to have at least one person who gets it, especially coming from someone who has done the conversion. A lot of people love to tell us how we ‘need’ 4WD or that or that we wouldn’t have been in the same situation if we had it. They’re not altogether wrong. Like you say, 4WD aids in a lot of situations and there are a lot of times we kind of wish we had it, but we’re not gonna spend the money to swap and having a 2wd isn’t gonna stop us from going out and finding an adventure. Arguably, you find adventure quicker with a 2wd, this video is a case in point. My momma always said, “it ain’t an adventure until something goes wrong,”🤣 I think that’s mostly true and this was a really memorable time.
Thanks for watching and sharing making a thought out response!🙌🏻😊
I van life in Nevada in a RAM Promaster City. Nevada is an alien planet so totally cool. Thanks for being with us. My little RAM should no leave paved roads. Last year it was recommended I wilderness at the Grand Canyon. Never should have done it though fantastic discovery in the Canyon.
Awesome! Nevada is certainly a special place. Thanks for watching!
I used to camp in a 16PMC with a Wayfarer type camping kit but knew it was not happy offroad. Moved up to a Max Tow Gladiator with a SUV tent for solo trips and pull a 17'travel trailer. Solo it gets 25mpg 12mpgtowing, the PMC got 30mpg. Well worth the move for the added off road and severe weather drivability.
@@kentonseydellaolcp4785 Sounds great a beautiful package and rig!
A round 24:55 in the background, was there a ladder that led up a tree? Wonder what the ladder was for?
It belonged to an old hunters camp that was just down the road from us.
Answer.. for fools who get stuck.
I had no idea that there is so much beauty in Nevada (& mud😂). You both are so entertaining, thank you for all the hard work! See ya on Quadra ❤❤
Nevada is a really a stunning place, so much to see there! Thanks for watching, Karen!😊
Hi Karen! Thanks for watching and being a fan. See you soon. 😀
Oh. And look for hills or mountains with mohawks!! You might just find a quartz vein!!
Whoa I thought for sure that thing was 4x4. Good thing you have the winch. Isnt that high desert mud crazy and slick? I drive through that stuff often. That van might have locking rear diff if its a 3/4 ton rig. Check the RPO code in the glove box for G80. Those lockers are awesome to have.
Yeah, we get that a lot. We usually try to avoid clay, seeing as clay mud is our arch enemy when it comes to traction, but this time around it found us. I actually swapped the rear axle to a Dana 70S with a PowerLok LSD a few months ago and it’s been working great, closer to a locker than an LSD tbh. I can feel it hooking up under the van all the time. I won’t have another vehicle without, at the very least, an LSD or some form of Autolocker.
@@SlowRoamers Nice swap
@@westernsoutherner1 thanks! Were pretty heavy and needed a regear AND locker, so I hunted down an axle out of a Duramax express. Now we’ve got a full floater, 4.10’s and an LSD. Easy peasy.😁
"When life gives you cracked eggs, you eat eggs" 😆 Love it, every hardship is an opportunity.
nice save
🙌🏻🙌🏻
Adventure starts when plans go south! Very good episode. 10k subs within reach. Keep it up!
Fingers crossed!
The only problem going that far out is if there is any rain you will be stuck there until the roads are dry again.
We finally got around to watching your channel, and this is the first one we saw!! Super awesome, guys, definitely inspiring us as we are cutting our first future episode. And you're right, it never looks as bad through the camera - giant ditches look like tiny potholes haha. Can't wait to watch the next one!
Not bad for a first, I guess.🤣 Glad you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for watching guys and good luck with the first edit!
@@SlowRoamers excited to watch more! And thanks 😎
As a fellow 4 X 2 driver, lifted vehicle, appropriate tires, inflation adjustment, recovery gear... I find your wandering ethics in agreement with my own. Good job on this one. Nicely done. Superb scenery, mostly superior music. Thank you.
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 Thanks for the kind words and also for watching! Adventure on my friend.😁
Did you lower your tyres pressure even more?
I had the tires at my usual gravel pressure, but lowering the pressure actually lowered the van which put more downward pressure on the railway tie, so I didn’t drop it that much further.
Is that the road to Reese river valley that you got stuck on ?
I have no clue actually…
@@SlowRoamers I grew up in that area..I'm pretty sure I know exactly where you got stuck..... Lots of history in that area..l the local ranchers take care of those hot springs...there used to be a bath house north of carvers on 376.... It was indoors about the size of a swimming pool. With lockers and changing rooms..I can remember campers staying there back in the 90,s....not sure if it's still there...lots of hot water all through that area...if those hot springs could only talk ?? The stories they could tell would make us all blush...hahaha good video..
@@JojoCano-ix9cu no doubt! It’s such a beautiful and history rich area. We’ll be back to explore more.😊
35:31 🤔🤷♂️Ladder in the tree😮
Yeah, that one has been remarked on a bunch. It’s from a past hunters camp I think.
Awesome job guys.
Thank you and thanks for watching!🙌🏻
I love to see this! Makes me want to put a winch on my Tesla Model X home!
That would make things interesting.😁
that mud is unpredictable! I its also a good idea to carry 2 spares.
I am so surprised by all the "good advice" that you are getting.
Sure a light 4x4 Jeep style vehicle would be better suited for some of those trails but where is the comfort of a real Class B motorhome in a compact van??? No comparison!!!
I have often taken our 24 foot Class C motorhome on rugged trails in the Rockies to 10,000 feet.
Everyone would tell me that there are better vehicles but that is what i was driving BTW towing a derelict VW Vanagon and a DualSport motorcycle.
That was the adventure for that trip.
I have learned a lot from this video, please keep posting your adventures.
Hahaha! A lot of it is good advice, undoubtedly, although sometimes a little unsolicited. Oh well. Thanks for watching, glad you found us! Safe travels and keep on roamin!🙌🏻
So glad you have a drone so you can see what is up ahead. I loved Megan's laughter. I think it was nervous laughter. Just curious if there were parts filmed that we did not see? Like screaming moments? You handled this very well. Overjoyed for the outcome. LOve those white mountains and flat pastel plains. Beautiful.
We’ve actually been asked this a few times by our friends who are close enough to know we were stuck. I think we both handled it admirably. Meg did a great job helping to shoot while I took care of getting us unstuck. No harsh words or raised voices were had.😁
@@SlowRoamers well that's a sign of a match made in heaven, and of two mature souls. We're so proud of you two!!
The camera doesn’t do justice on the size of the rut. Good on you for turning around and not risking it up the muddy hill. I would have done the same. The winch paid for itself on this trail. Safe and happy travel home.
The camera NEVER does just, to scale, beauty, awe etc. The winch certainly paid for itself and I was super happy we had it. I don’t think I’ll ever not have a winch now.
Yes hope to never use my winch and once my trusted mechanic is freed up and his new shop ready will do a 3inch lift and a locker and call it good after that. The capabilities this combination offers will be enough for us. Going full on 4x4 is too complicated and expensive for a big heavy van. (E350 extended high top with 7.3 diesel)
@@sylvainlaforest4393 couldn’t agree more! Best of luck with the upgrades!
Be so careful out there 😮🎉
We do our best, if we weren’t we’d have mothers that would kill us.🤣
Heads up there is a guy on Vancouver island selling a wecked 4x4 conversion van might be to do a frame swap
lol, thanks! But we definitely don’t have time for that!🤣
I enjoyed that!
Nice! Thanks for watching!
Just come across your video great watch from New Zealand
Yay, thank you! Love your beautiful country. Stay with us for the upcoming BIG journey!
Oh wow! Thanks for joining in! I dream of going back to NZ one day.
add a high lift jack to your unstuck gear!
I would if I had any edges or armour to use it on but I can’t add any more weight to the van. 🤷🏼♂️
maybe some chains?
Should boil some pasta in that hot springs 😂
That would be A LOT of pasta.🤣🤣
Amazing video, it was like a documentary.
😁😁thank youuuu! Perhaps that the direction we’ll go one day.🤔
My bad , sorry I thought your van was 4 - wheel drive.
It seems crazy to travel in areas like that without at least a 50cc bike if you need to ride for help or a Garmin so you can text for help if theres no cell coverage
We have Starlink on the roof. We’re both too far from help if need be.
What a cool place to be in…too far for help. I was thinking if needing to text for friends, parts etc via Garmin but hey, Starlink is fine. Ever consider a little bike or a couple e bikes you could ride out on in an emergency? Cool video and I’m looking forward to a month exploring east Nevada in fall, camping off my motorcycle. Enjoy!
@@onerider808 although it would be nice to have an e-bike our biggest enemy right now is weight. At 8900lbs, we’re well over the factory GVWR (although I have an upgraded axle in the back). So, needless to say, we won’t be adding anything extra in the next while.
Awesome video, but this video shows us all why not to wonder in the back country in a 4x2 vehicle while driving it like a 4x4 vehicle. I'm a Nevada resident and rescue several 4x2 vehicles monthly. Some of those people stranded in the Nevada desert never made it home, but their vehicle did.
Fair enough. Luckily for us there was a farm at couple hours walk away which we could have made easily enough. Thanks for watching!
I was stuck with my 2 WD transit in the desert where I hung up my rear dif. After 1/2 hour of shovelling & Max Trac placement - to no avail. What I did was find the biggest rock I could carry - dug under the tire - jammed the rock under ish the free wheelin' tire - put the max trac's on both sides. Van pretty much walked out👍
That is when I decided to install an ARB Locker!!!
I have pretty much the same size / style of shovel. After getting stuck, there were times where I wished I had proper long handled shovel.
Did you ever figure a long handled shovel may be better?
Did you notice there was a LADDER proper up on a tree in the spot you were stuck? (34.33 time)
I quite like the size of our shovel and haven’t really needed anything bigger. We’ve got an LSD in the rear which has been a real game changer for us. Unfortunately our rear differential was suspending our wheels so having both wheels spin wasn’t helping.
We did see the ladder, it’s from a previous camp that existed 50ft down the road or so.
Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
@@SlowRoamers 👍... I thought you had a Locker in the rear dif?
@@TerryManitoba when I was installing the new year axle, I believed I was installing a G80 Govlock. At a later date I was informed that only the Chevy 14 bolts come with that particular locker and that the Dana 70s axles more commonly come with a PowerLok LSD. Its worked really well and I feel hooking up under the van all the time, so as far as I’m concerned it’s doing its job.
@@SlowRoamers My bad - must have been another 2WD van video that had a locker installed that I was thinking of ... I had a stock LSD on the Transit and I didn't figure it was doing that much - hence the ARB install. Happy Trails
@@TerryManitoba I’ve acrually been pretty surprised by the LSD thus far, seems to work more as a locker than it does a limited slip…
great vid as usual--- what part of nevada is this? cheers
Thanks! We were pretty well dead center of Nevada.
@@SlowRoamers Do you have a guide like--" hotsprings of nevada" Whats your favorite area you've traveled? US or canada? cheers
@@orvaroth1613 I don’t, I’ve found everything via internet research and word of mouth. I love traveling the lower 48 and Nevada is in my top 3, but it all barely holds a candle to Canada’s northern territories.
If not 4 wheel drive what about rear lockers they can help with things like that too but that winch is a life saver
We’ve got a PowerLok LSD in the rear. It’s not an actual locker, but pretty close.
Smart people know when turn around.
This is some kind of mud down here
It ain’t worth rolling your home down a hill.
@@SlowRoamers I had to turn around 3 times yesterday! Deep mud , way off camber washout. And no private land permit.
What a beautiful state to be in! And I’m not referring to that ditch! But I winced as you winched, even knowing you had to (must have) survived, because of the video evidence! Congratulations on your resourcefulness and positive attitude. 😂❤.
Haha, true! The surroundings were impeccably beautiful. Thanks for watching Steve!😊🙌🏻
It almost hurt watching you get stuck, you had it. Alot of 4x4n is gassn and bumbin to the next spot, momentum is key.
It was sure close, but the trans was just slipping away. No point in burning out the clutches. 🤷🏼♂️
Love it as always
😁🙌🏻🙌🏻
Driving on back roads without 4x4, a low range transfer case and airing your tires way down is simply foolish, especially in spring with snow melt softening the trails. Glad you got out ok, but no way would I have been out there in that rig, especially this time of year. Best of luck on your future adventures.
To each their own. We made it as far as we did with little trouble, it was just the last little that caught us and we wound up turning around at the point that we deemed it too hazardous. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻
@@SlowRoamers True, but with the right kind of rig, you wouldn't have HAD to turn around and go through that pit again, and that's the point.
@@VideosOffRoad you’re not wrong, but again, it comes down to prerogative. Ours is not to actually “off-road”.
@@SlowRoamers Ah, I didn't know that. This is the first video of yours I've ever seen. Having traction boards is fantastic. If you don't have a 12V air compressor, consider getting one. Not only to help if you get a leaky tire, but so you can air your tires back up after airing them down so you can get dramatically more traction when needed, not to mention a much more comfortable ride on rough roads. Being able to air down for rough roads and back up again for paved roads is a wonderful thing. 👍. The best value I've seen lately for an off-road compressor is called Thor's Lightning.
@@VideosOffRoad you should watch this. How to Drive 2WD in the Sand Like a Pro | Van Life Tech Tips
th-cam.com/video/KmKry7nul_4/w-d-xo.html 😉
I have watched several of your videos. I love the van. I have contemplated a 4x4 van for a while but i can't justify the cost. One piece of advice I can offer is invest in high quality "studded " tire chains. These are off road tire chains that will be a night and day difference in traction. These tire chains will actually give you less traction on road from my experience. Driving offroad with them you will wishing you had gotten them sooner.
A lot of people have suggested this and it makes me wonder what I’m missing. I’m not entirely sure if it’ll be something I add to my repertoire of off-road gear. TBH, we don’t go hunting down off-road trails. The van’s capabilities give us just enough confidence to press a little further than most 2wd vehicles owners might go, but as you can see, sometimes that’s a little too far which is why we have good recovery gear. Were finding the van is quite heavy which really eats into the vans ability to climb hills and that’s something we can’t add to, so chains might go by the wayside. Aside from that, I’d say, get yourself a locking diff of some sort whether it’s an auto locker or LSD, it’s really changes things.
Agreed re cost. Many drivers aren't considering the fuel cost of long-term overlanding when they state that a particular challenge wouldn't have been an issue if the vehicle had been 4x4. True enough perhaps but years on backroads across countries is a different animal than a weekender to play in mud, snow or sand. Alex's military truck (Welland DAF) was a 4x4 but couldn't go many of the places he's taken Betty (the current 2WD van) on account of its size and what happens inside a large vehicle as it heaves side to side on backroads, etc. So yes, the ideal vehicle for overlanding is a choice that takes into account many factors, 2WD versus 4x4 being only one of them. I love Alex's ethos of "95% where you want to go and 100% where you need to go". That's road-tested wisdom right there!
Keeping your van 2wd but adding a transfer case would be an economical way to get much lower gearing for climbing hills and such off road
@@Jasonmaceachern no doubt! I’d love to put a transfer case in the van and had considered it for a good while. But the deeper you look, the more complex the modification becomes and I’m just not sure how much more money I want to put into the van at this point. I think a more economical way would be to just avoid 20%+ grades with slippery surfaces.🤣
Does your van have a locking differential? Awesome video!! Good call turning around looks like the road was very slippery, could go right over a ledge 😬
It has a very effective LSD; however we found ourselves spinning because the whole axle was lifted off the ground by the railway tie. Thanks for watching!😁
Cool Homestead at 21:49. Did you two run across any people there?
Not a soul the entire time we were wandering the back roads. It was pretty great 😊
@@SlowRoamers Ah, I would have liked to see who lived out there and maybe chat with them. Of course i'd have a lot of questions for them.
I think it was abandoned actually.
36:48 ouch. Definitely not what we want to see with “leave no trace”
Sometimes you can get out of a “stuck” or a questionable situation by reversing. The weight is different as is the gearing, in reverse.
One thing I discovered recently, are 12v hydraulic jacks. For situations like this it could be a huge help. just use a sturdy board under, like anything else. (So it doesn't tip in the dirt and you don't end up on a live leak video.)
Oh that’s quite interesting! I’ll have to check that out!