Join me on my journey off road. Equipment, travels, experiences and the people that are part of my exciting life filled with learning, traveling and getting tires dirty.
I’d like this website to reflect the variety of inspiration and respect for the outdoors.
Keep Driving
NadiaM
It’s been an intense 6 months. They went by quickly. When I joined this challenge in February I had no idea how full of tasks, adventures and learning I would have.
Some of the Adventures- The Diablo Drop off in Anza. Discovering a trail, Margarita Peak right by my home. Welding! Welding! And I’ll say it again welding. Never would have tried it with this challenge.
Learning how to draw an electrical wire diagram. Find all the batteries in my vehicle ( I have 4).
I encourage all ladies who go off roading to do this challenge next year.
@ladiesoffroadnetwork #ladirsoffroadnetwork
Highlight Photos
Welding MargaritaPeak On trail with my Jeep friends Canyon by the Drop Off
For one of the Ladies Off Road Network challenges we need to pick three modifications to make on our vehicle. Mine is stock so…. Only three?
I welcome input but keep in mind I drive a Subaru Outback Wilderness that I’ve owned for a year now. I go off roading with friends that drive Jeeps. I don’t have the same clearance but I do have more agility. Back to the Mods
First one is obvious, tires, but which one???
A friend turned me on to hybrid tires. Hybrid between All Terrain and Mud tires. I think that they would be a great fit for my vehicle. I’m looking at the Nitto Grapplers. I’m keeping the same wheel size.
Next, under armor. I’m considering the LP Adventure pack, that includes the bumper guard, engine skid plate, CVT skid plate and the rear differential skid plate.
Finally, the lift. I like Flatout Suspension GR lite. It will deliver 8” of travel in front and rear and 3” over what I have as stock, which is 9 inches.
Pricing and searching for mods set a lightbulb. It’s fun to do especially when there’s a no price limit. But I’m keeping in mind, the more modifications the more stress on the vehicle.
Actually, more like, Up for 10, no 100 challenges.
My mantra
As I mentioned in my last blog, I joined the Ladies Off Road Network Challenge. There’s 10 challenges, based on off-roading that need to be completed in 6 months. Sounds simple? Well, there’s more than meets the eye.
Four challenges have been dropped and they are; welding, tread lightly, My story, & Off Road Shopping. Each challenge has at least ten elements, such as giving a presentation on responsible off roading, finding what is wrong with this recovery attempt and photos of you welding, organizing a clean up and modifications that you want on your vehicle.
I’m excited, but also wondering how am I going to get all of this done? I work a full time job and have a side job. I have 2 and potentially 3 friends to work with but we will need to get organized fast.
I’ve started on two of the challenges, getting photos of me with welding equipment and writing my story. I’ll keep you posted on how I’m doing.
Off Road Challenge? Hold on because it’s a fun ride.
The Ladies a off Road Challenge is the brain storm baby of Charleen Bower, the creator of Ladies Off Road Network. It’s an organization dedicated to education exploring and having fun with all things Off Road.
This year is the 7th Ladies Off Road Challenge. The Challenge? Well it’s more like 10 challenges that need to be completed in 6 months, and weighted by a point system. Deadlines need to be met, and details submitted to obtain full points.
My fur buddy in the California Poppies
This is my first time entering the challenge and I’ll be working with two people, two of my off roading friends. As I progress through the challenge I’ll be posting my journey, it’s going to be fun.
A great off road tutoring visit to Anza Borrego with my local off road group, Temecula Jeep and Off Road.
After facing the Diablo Drop off (see previous post) you can visit Slot Canyon. There are many canyons in this park. The canyons are carved out of the rock by wind.
It’s a hike of about 2 miles to the canyon, through it and back. It starts out wide but then at points it’s a tight slide through. Totally worth exploring this geological feature.
The group It starts like thisEnds up like this.
Go and explore this wonder of the outdoors
Keep Driving
Nadia
Base of hills to exploreWide vistas View when driving in Anza
With an event my local off Roading group, Temecula Jeep and Off Road organized a group of us made a visit to Anza Borrego Park. Anza is a high dessert national park whose landscapes are breathtaking.
Southern California has had a series of snow storms and as the caravan drove to the meet point at the Ocotillo Wells pavilion the road and trees were loaded with snow.
At the pavilion we aired down and we’re on our way. This area is a natural beauty and driving along was a great. Then we came to the Diablo Drop Off.
The approach is a hairpin turn so your first look is intimidating. Very steep and deeply rutted all the way to the base. The Jeeps maneuvered in 4 low. Dave Cutler aka Blubicon spotted me. What a rush.
The footage is from the top of the Drop Off, that’s just his steep it is. And the wind was crazy at times. I thank Temecula Jeep and Off Road, Dave Cutler and Kathryn Robinson for this great day at Anza.
Diablo Drop Off in my Outback Wilderness Aerial View of our groupThe caravan Me and the Subaru on the Drop Off
I’m sharing pieces of equipment that I have purchased as I go along. This will not be a complete list of what you need but a journal of the items that I’ve purchased and why. There are very experienced and knowledgeable people out there and if you have suggestions please leave a comment. As always be respectful of others as you would want to be respected.
I live in a community that has strong ‘off-roading culture’. There are local businesses that create off road equipment and YouTubers that rate trails that are in my zip code. I believe in supporting local businesses whenever possible, this guides my choices of where I choose to buy equipment. This is not a sponsored blog.
Everything from Motocross, Rock Crawling and Over-landing are and have been, popular in my part of Southern California for many years. We are blessed with large areas of wild land that is easily accessible and many spend their weekend on two or four wheels off road.
Off road driving is crazy fun until you get stuck. As a responsible drivers we need to have recovery equipment and not exclusively rely on others, and we my be in the position to help someone else that finds themselves in a pinch.
Unless you have unlimited funds a recovery kit will be tailored to your vehicle and where you plan to drive. Knowing your vehicle ( weight, towing capacity etc) is fundamental. For example, my vehicle weights just under 4,000 pounds and it’s towing capacity is 3,500 pounds. Knowing how much you can load on the roof is important if you plan on using a roof rack for carrying equipment or a roof top tent. I live in a very dry area where sand is common.
My first piece of equipment I purchased was a shovel. I wanted a sturdy, compact one that I could store easily. I found just that at RhinoUSA.
RhinoUSA compact shovel with case
This tough little shovel arrived with a sturdy case. This picture shows the shovel fully extended but the best part is how compact it is when folded up.
Folded shovel with case
The great design and the thickness of the metal impressed me. I easily slipped this into my recovery box leaving plenty of room for other necessities.
When completely unfolded there is the option of making it into a pick too. Duel use for one piece of equipment is a big star for me.
Shovel and pick
RhinoUSA is located in Murrieta, California. Your order arrives with a coupon for your next purchase and stickers. They also sell on Amazon. I’m very happy with this purchase and will be ordering other equipment from them.
I’ve taken photos of the shovel in steps of unfolding.
Part of a weekend trip with a group of friend driving Jeep’s we drove Burns Canyon, CA.
My friend who has drove the trail before said that she had never seen the trail so washed out and rocky. The ruts were deeper and it made for a very interesting drive.
At one point a deep rut was backed against a high rise. I took the rut fast to make it up the other side. I did but pulled off the stick skid plate.
With tools from the recovery box my friends attached the skid plate back on.
One friend was on the trail 2 months ago and lost his front license plate. And as we drove the lead Jeep stopped and our friend got out. She found the license plate on the side of the trail! Epic.
We finished the trail at Big Bear. A great run and weekend.
I had a fantastic day on Burns Canyon trail, CA with friends. We went up and on trails that a Subaru doesn’t venture on. The car did great and I logged in experience on narly trails. Burns Canyon was especially rugged, deeper ruts and lots of exposed. The rain was welcome, and the trails more challenging.
A friend spotted me in especially rough areas. Trusting your spotter in these situations is paramount. If you don’t trust their eye and judgement crashes are going to happen.
I was impressed with what my Outback Wilderness accomplished and my friends who were all driving Jeeps were also. Looking forward to more off road miles.
About the trail- the name? Pontiac Sluice?
The name the trail goes by- well once you get through the rocky uphill trail that you pass by former mines, it opens to a beautiful clearing we’re the remains of an old Pontiac lays. The rusted cassis is beat down, no seats just a steering wheel. No one in our group knew how the car go there in the first place. If you do please post a comment. here is a photo of the group with the Pontiac
I joined vibrant Off Road-ing friends at an exciting, buzzing monthly meet of Temecula Jeep and Off Road Facebook Group.
A fantastic meet up in the Parking Lot of Burgers and Beer opened the opportunity for all to try out a Flex Ramp brought by JK Sagan. It was my first time on a Flex Ramp.
Watching modified and not 4×4’s get on the ramp and flex out was outrageous. The support, cheering and banter made a great time. With some encouragement from JK Sagan and Karolyn Roberts I pulled up my stock Outback Wilderness to the ramp. We were curious as to what the OBW could do. My heart was racing.
Friends are videotaping and ready to spot you to coach your wheel on the ramp at the right angle. Pulling up to the ramp felt like rolling up to a take off, zinging all over, just amazing. Once on the ramp inching up, pulling up a sharp peak, looking up to the sky, getting ready for blast off.
The Outback Wilderness is a AWD car, I love it, and as such it shows up respectable as an off road vehicle. It got applause and, ‘Show it to me!’ Cheers. Thanks to all who arranged this to happen.
