Offroading

Tim and Kelsey Huber stand in front of their Toyota 4Runner near a blue alpine lake.

Overlanding the Pan-American Trail with Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise

by Mary Cochenour August 5, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise Adventures quit their jobs and sold almost everything they own to pursue overland travel. Their first major adventure took them to South America on the Pan-American Trail. After two years plus on the road, Dirt Sunrise is back in the states and ready to talk about their adventures abroad.

Tune in to Episode 2 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast sponsored by Trails Offroad for a fun chat with Tim and Kelsey about driving across borders and vehicle-based travel. The Hubers divulge their secrets on how to confidently explore unfamiliar and remote terrain in foreign countries. Learn what’s in their vehicle recovery kit and what methods they rely on to keep people on track when you have too many cooks in the kitchen on a rescue mission. Plus, these offroad driving and recovery instructors share the story of their trusty rig “Goose” and the dream vehicle that they are building and traveling in now.

Learn more about Dirt Sunrise on their website, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to the Dirt Sunrise Youtube channel to virtually join them on all their offroad adventures.

Last Episode: Jeep on Fire with Casey Kaiser of Coyote Works

If you missed it, you’ll want to go back and listen to our debut episode with Casey Kaiser of Coyote works. Casey recounts the terrifying night when all of the sudden his Jeep Wrangler burned to the ground.

“I just noticed out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a little steam coming out from underneath my hood,” Casey said on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. “As soon as I lifted the hood, flames erupted.”

Tune in to Episode 1 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to hear firsthand how Casey’s quick thinking and rational behavior helped him survive this disaster. Casey also reveals the lessons he learned from the catastrophe, including the expensive reality of auto insurance coverage. Find out how Casey was able to use Gaia GPS to safely get him home that night and what prompted him to turn right around and buy — you guessed it — another fully upgraded JKU Jeep Wrangler.

Connect with Casey on his Coyote Works YouTube channel. Follow his mostly solo overland adventures on Instagram. And don’t forget to pick up your sweet discount on a Trails Offroad membership and then pair that with this amazing offer for a discounted Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

Next Episode: Rimrocker Trail with John Lumia from Trails Offroad

Screen Shot 2021-08-05 at 8.10.36 AM.png

Don’t miss our next episode with John Lumia of Trails Offroad. John recently mapped the classic Rimrocker Trail — a 160-mile patchwork of 4×4 roads that connects Montrose, Colorado and Moab, Utah. John explains why this trail is an overlander’s dream.

“It has really some of the best scenery that the southwestern Colorado high desert has to offer,” John says on the podcast. “And it’s also pretty accessible. I think we rated it a three, which means any stock vehicle with a transfer case can complete the entirety of this trip. So if you’re trying to get into overlanding, which I classify as basically multi-day car camping, this one is a really good option for that.”

Tune in next time to hear John describe this five-star route, including the best time of the year to visit and what kind of flora and fauna you might see along the way. John also explains how he got his fiancee — a loyal Toyota 4Runner owner — to drive his Jeep Wrangler on the Rimrocker trail. And find out his favorite place to stop and eat in Moab.

Download the gps track and trail report for the Rimrocker trail at Trails Offroad. Trails Offroad is a friendly vehicle-based, adventure travel community. The website offers trail reports and ratings on more than 2,600 offroad trails, which are easily synched to your Gaia GPS account with a press of a button. Right now, Gaia GPS

Meet the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Host: Wade May

After a 43-year career of flying A-10 and F-16 fighter jets for the United States Air Force and Boeing 737s as a commercial airline captain, Gaia GPS Offroad podcast host Wade May has put his feet firmly on the ground. With over 20 years of offroading and overlanding experience, Wade constantly seeks out the serenity of remote backcountry adventures with his trusty 4-Runner, “Bullit.“ Between extended solo overland adventures, Wade shares the lessons learned from his broad experience in the sky and on the trail in overland workshops, classrooms, writings, and, of course, while hosting the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

August 5, 2021

Android Gaia GPS New Features Offroading

Gaia GPS on Android Auto: Put the Best Backcountry Maps on Your Dashboard

by Mary Cochenour July 28, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Android Auto is here! Gaia GPS now connects with Android Auto, bringing all of your favorite trail maps directly to your vehicle’s navigation screen. Pull up the MVUMs, satellite imagery, National Geographic Trails Illustrated, and more, all
on the dash. View waypoints and follow turn-by-turn directions with any saved route on backcountry dirt roads and front-country pavement — worldwide. No cell service needed.

Whether you are overlanding across an entire state or navigating to a remote trailhead to escape the crowds, Gaia GPS delivers seamless, hands-free navigation on unmarked dirt roads, scenic byways, and unmaintained trails. Access hundreds of specialized maps in Gaia GPS’s map catalog and find hidden routes in places where other in-car navigation maps, like Apple or Google, are blank. And with a Premium Membership, you can download your maps so you can pull them up anywhere you go on Android Auto.

With connectivity to both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Gaia GPS is the only backcountry navigation app in the world that lets you navigate with hundreds of outdoor adventure maps on the dash. Tuck your phone away in your center console, pull up your maps in Android Auto, and navigate dirt roads and 4WD trails without distraction.

Display Your Favorite Gaia GPS Map in Android Auto

There’s a map for every activity in Gaia GPS and now you can display them all on your auto’s dashboard touchscreen with Android Auto. Get access to our entire map catalog with a Premium Membership and choose from hundreds of map sources to navigate backcountry offroad routes.

When in a National Forest, try out the USFS 2016 map. Bring up National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps for sightseeing trips in America’s National Parks. Catch a bird’s-eye view of the terrain ahead with high-resolution satellite imagery. Customize your base maps with weather overlays like our precipitation, wildfire, and smoke maps to get detailed information about the places you plan to visit.

Switching map sources on the fly is a snap. Android Auto mirrors the map source on your’s phone’s screen. Any map source you select from your phone will appear on your vehicle’s dashboard navigation screen.

Once you start driving, Gaia GPS’s location arrow will follow your progress. Whether on unmaintained forest roads or cruising along a scenic highway, you’ll always be able to see your exact location on the map. Find land features, trailheads, campsite, restrooms, and places you’ve marked with waypoints conveniently from the dashboard screen in your car.

Navigate with Turn-by-Turn Directions on Dirt Roads

Get turn-by-turn directions on all your saved routes. Android Auto will access all your saved drivable routes in the area, no matter how far off the grid you plan to go. Select any route and get notifications for upcoming trail junctions and turns in the road. See your speed, distance and time traveled as you move across the map. Notifications will also let you know any time you’ve veered off the planned route

Turn-by-turn navigation on saved routes works even when you’re out of range of cell service. Never get lost on a maze of unmarked, unmaintained backroads again.

Zoom, Navigate, and Record Your Tracks From the Dash

From the touch screen controls in your vehicle, you can zoom in and out on the map, preview and select saved routes in the area around you, and change your navigation mode between “north up” and “course up” on the map. Use the settings button to choose to view or hide routes, tracks, or waypoints on the map and switch the map in dark mode for navigating at night.

Press the +/- buttons to choose from three different zoom levels on the map. Zoom in to to see the finer details of the terrain around you and back out on the map to get a bigger picture of how you fit in the landscape.

Select between two navigation modes: “course up” or “north up.” “Course up” mode keeps the location arrow static and pointed to the top of the screen while the map rotates and moves underneath the location arrow as you drive across the landscape. “North up” mode keeps the map steady on the screen while the location arrow rotates to reflect your change in direction.

Android Auto Limitations

Navigation apps are limited to a set of development guidelines provided by Google due to the danger of distracted driving. In line with Google’s rules for third-party app integration, you will not be able to create routes or switch map sources on your vehicle touchscreen.

You can still get to all of Gaia GPS’s comprehensive backcountry navigation features while connected to Android Auto. Simply use your phone to change map layers and create and save routes while you are in the field. Android Auto will display any map source, drivable routes, and waypoints that you have saved on your phone.

How to Get Android Auto

Getting your Gaia GPS account connected to Android Auto is easy. First, make sure you download or have the most up-to-date version of Gaia GPS for Android by visiting the Google Play Store. Plug in your Android device to an Android Auto compatible vehicle and the Gaia GPS app will appear as an option on your dashboard navigation screen when you turn the car on. Select the app and start driving. Note that if you have Android 9 or below, you must get the Android Auto app on your phone. Android Auto is built into Android 10 and later. For more information on setting up Android Auto on your device or vehicle visit android.com/auto.

Everyone can connect Gaia GPS to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay with the free version of Gaia GPS. The free version of the app allows you to navigate with a limited amount of maps in areas with cell service. Unlock the entire Gaia GPS map catalog and be able to download maps for offline use with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

July 28, 2021

A Yellow Jeep is Engulfed in Flames in Oregon's Desert

Adventures Gaia GPS Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Offroading

Gaia GPS Launches New Offroad Podcast with Tale of a Burning Jeep

by Mary Cochenour July 22, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

The Gaia GPS Offroad podcast kicks off today, bringing you conversations with experienced offroaders and overlanders from around the world. Listen in as host, fighter jet pilot, and experienced overlander Wade May dives deep under the hood with experts in the field. International travelers and backyard explorers alike transport you to their most harrowing encounters, biggest lessons, and most epic adventures on the trail.

The debut episode launches with a story from Casey Kaiser, an experienced overlander with a penchant for finding abandoned homesteads in the desert. Casey takes us on a complete misadventure. Thirty miles off the grid, Casey’s fully upgraded Jeep Wrangler Rubicon JKU suddenly caught fire. The flames quickly engulfed Casey’s entire Jeep, leaving him stranded in the middle of the night in Oregon’s high desert. Casey made it home safely to tell us what he learned from this unforeseen catastrophe.

Following Casey’s story, we’ve got an impressive lineup of guests on deck. Up next, international overlanders Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise reveal their go-to recovery kit. Get a complete trails report of Moab’s Rimrocker route from John Lumia of Trails Offroad. The folks at Mountain State Overland walk us through how to upgrade your rig with purpose. Plus, get an inside look at the Bad Ass Ladies Overland, a crew of women who banded together to find friendship and face challenges on the trail.

The Gaia GPS Offroad podcast, sponsored by Trails Offroad, drops every other week. Catch it in between episodes of Gaia GPS’s wildly successful Out and Back podcast, which features stories and interviews from all kinds of adventures around the world, including ultralight backpacking experts, thru-hikers, backcountry skiers, ultrarunners, and rock climbers. Subscribe to Gaia GPS’s Out and Back podcast and Gaia GPS Offroad podcast wherever you listen, so you don’t miss a beat. Give us a follow on our offroad and overland Instagram channel @gaiagpsoffroad.

Episode 1: Jeep on Fire with Casey Kaiser of Coyote Works

On a long weekend in 2018, Casey Kaiser set off to explore new territory in Eastern Oregon’s sagebrush desert. Guided with a plan to visit an old homestead site, Casey rambled some six hours off-pavement into the buttes and canyons outside his hometown of Prineville, Oregon. The trip was off to a perfect start — a challenging trail, bluebird skies, and his yellow JKU Jeep Wrangler eating up anything the road threw his way. But then, with a flip of a switch, everything suddenly went wrong.

“I noticed out of the corner of my eye, it looked like a little steam was coming out from underneath my hood,” Casey said on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. “As soon as I lifted the hood, flames erupted.”

Casey knew he had a serious problem. He was alone, 30 miles off-pavement, and his rig was literally going up in flames. Tune in to Episode 1 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to hear firsthand how Casey narrowly escaped disaster in the high desert that night. Casey reveals the number one lesson he learned from losing his rig — the expensive reality of auto insurance coverage. Plus, Casey explains how he used Gaia GPS to safely get home before sunrise the next day and why he couldn’t wait to buy another fully upgraded JKU Jeep Wrangler as his next dream rig.

Connect with Casey on his Coyote Works YouTube channel. Follow his mostly solo overland adventures on Instagram.

Next Episode: Ride Along with Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise

Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise Adventures quit their jobs a few years ago and sold almost everything they own to pursue overland travel on a full-time basis. Their first trip took them to South America on the Pan-American Trail. After more than two years on the road, Dirt Sunrise is back in the states and ready to talk about their adventures abroad.

Come back and join us on Episode 2 for a fun chat with Tim and Kelsey about international overland travel and their dreams for the next big trip overseas. The possibilities seem endless. These offroad driving and recovery instructors share the story of their rig “Goose” that carried them through their journey in South America. The Hubers also talk about their new-to-them dream vehicle and enlighten us about their top picks for recovery methods and gear. Hint: it does not always include a winch!

Learn more about Dirt Sunrise at their website, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to the Dirt Sunrise Youtube channel to virtually join them on all their offroad adventures.

Meet the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Host: Wade May

July 22, 2021

Two off-road vehicles driving along a mountain gravel road with blue skies and puffy white clouds in background.

Featured Gaia GPS New Features Offroading

Get 2,400+ Overlanding Routes with the New Trails Offroad and Gaia GPS Partnership

by Julien Friedland February 11, 2021

written by Julien Friedland

Trails Offroad, a premier source for overlanding routes in the U.S., brings thousands of hand-curated, offroad routes directly to your Gaia GPS account. With Trails Offroad, you can discover 2,400+ off-road routes sourced from hundreds of experienced off-road experts and outdoor enthusiasts. Thanks to this new partnership, you can now take any route with you offline in the Gaia GPS app with just one click.

Explore More than 2,400 Overlanding Routes from Trails Offroad

Old blue offroad vehicle followed by a read vehicle drive through the sand.

Trails Offroad compiles detailed reports from experienced off-road experts and outdoor lovers who have driven each route. Each report provides a detailed trip guide with notes to help you navigate along the way. Easily select the best route depending on your interests with difficulty ratings, duration, trail descriptions, and road type details. You can also learn about obstacles, unique points of interest, and dispersed camping opportunities along any route.

From iconic overland routes, desert and mountain trails, remote mud bogs, hidden lakes, swimming and fishing holes, ghost towns, and old mines to the farthest backroad path, Trails Offroad has you covered.

How to Download Trails Offroad Routes to Gaia GPS

Uploading routes from Trails Offroad to Gaia GPS is available to everyone with a Trails Offroad and Gaia GPS account, including free accounts on both platforms. In addition, All-Access Trails Offroad Members can import waypoints, color-coded difficulty ratings, and include the option to download the GPX file directly from Trails Offroad.

To start downloading a route, connect your Gaia GPS account to Trails Offroad by doing the following:

Sign in to your Trails Offroad account
Visit any trail page
Scroll down to the toolbox areas and click the ‘upload to Gaia GPS’ button
A new page will pull up prompting you to log in to your Gaia GPS account
Log in to your Gaia GPS account and click ‘authorize’ to allow your Trails Offroad routes to be imported
Trail data will automatically sync to your Gaia GPS account
You won’t have to login on future syncs when you click the ‘upload to Gaia GPS ’ button; the app will remember your info and sync the routes right to your account

For more details on uploading Trails Offroad routes to Gaia GPS, view this help center article.

The Best Backcountry Navigation App Meets the Best Off-Road Trail Guides

Sign Up for a Free Gaia GPS Account

Sign up for a free Gaia GPS account to access the worldwide, tiny-to-download, Gaia Topo map, plus discover trails, plan trips, navigate, and record data. Access hundreds of Gaia GPS maps and download them for offline use with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

February 11, 2021

Kevin, Sarah, and their daughter Caroline smile at the camera

Adventures Gaia GPS Offroading Out and Back Podcast User Profiles

Shift Gears Today with Lifestyle Overland on the Out and Back Podcast, Episode 5

by Mary Cochenour July 8, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

Take a ride with Lifestyle Overland’s Kevin and Sarah McCuiston today in Out and Back podcast’s episode 5. Known for their full-time overlanding adventures, the McCuistons casually stepped into the sport when they were “looking for something to do” in rural New Mexico. Surrounded by public lands and sprawling open space, the couple quickly became obsessed with the freedom they felt on the backroads. They loved overlanding so much that they ditched the traditional 9-to-5 grind and took up residence on America’s lesser known trails, almost instantly becoming famous for their travels to wild places in their Toyota 4Runner “Silver.”

Lifestyle Overland's silver Toyota 4Runner and trailer parked in front of the Arctic Ocean sign.

You won’t want to miss this episode as Kevin and Sarah discuss their transition from conventional life to full-time overlanding, taking up a nomadic life with their young daughter Caroline in tow. They talk about the nearly 800-mile Enchanted Rockies Trail they created in the beginning of their overlanding career and their northern trip through Canada, Alaska, and beyond the Arctic Circle. Of course, like any good overlander, the McCuistons dive into the details of their rig, explaining why they chose a Toyota 4Runner instead of the vehicle they thought they wanted. Sarah gives her tips for traveling long distance with a toddler and Kevin talks about their favorite meal out on the road. Together, they explain how to break into the sport of overlanding by seeking out trips on local trails and using the 4WD vehicle you already own.

Learn more about Lifestyle Overland in episode 5 of the Out and Back podcast. Follow the McCuistons on their Lifestyle Overland Instagram page, YouTube channel, and listen to their brand new podcast Campfire Confessions. You can also join Lifestyle Overland on Patreon to get exclusive content.

A silver 4Runner and a roof-top tent camped in a valley overlooking the toe of a glacier, mountains in background

Episode 5 Highlights: Lifestyle Overland Tours the West

02:50 – Introduction to Kevin and Sarah
4:32: Regular life before becoming Lifestyle Overland
8: 25: Kevin and Sarah describe the difference between overlanding, wheeling, and crawling.
11:10 – Getting their first rig, and why they’re not traveling in it right now
14:00 – Why they decided to purchase a Toyota 4Runner instead of the vehicle they thought they wanted
16:40 — How their rig “Silver” came to be.
17:40 – Making the transition to FULL-TIME overlanding
19:00 – How their YouTube channel “Lifestyle Overland” unintentionally became a hit
23:10 – Taking it next level to full-time overlanding
29:15 – Advice for basic vehicle maintenance/modification understanding prior to getting into overlanding
31:10 – Who drives the 4Runner most of the time? It’s not Kevin!
33:05 – Vehicle care and maintenance
36:12 – How they use Gaia GPS to plan their adventures
36:52 – How the McCuistons keep their young daughter Caroline entertained on the road without screens
40:50 – What Lifestyle Overland is doing during COVID-19 restrictions
44:50 – The Enchanted Rockies Trail, Lifestyle Overland’s perfect long-distance route for beginners
49:08 – The North Country Loop — from the Grand Canyon to as far north as you can drive in Alaska
51:00 – Favorite places to travel
54:00 – Advice for people wanting to get into overlanding
55:40 – The basic gear you need to start overlanding.
58:10 – Favorite camp food
58:55 – Craziest scenario they’ve ever been in
1:00:10 – If they could anywhere right now, where would it be?
1:00:45 – Where to find the best cinnamon rolls in the world!

Next Episode: Adventure Alan Dixon Ditches the Gear Spreadsheet and Explores the Deeper Meaning of Hiking

Adventure Alan Dixon wearing a backpack and holding trekking poles and smiling at the camera

Episode 6 of the Out and Back podcast brings a deep conversation with Adventure Alan Dixon, who inspires all of us to put “two feet on the trail” and get out there.

A trailblazer of ultralight backpacking and author of one of the most popular and comprehensive backpacking websites, Dixon is widely known for his spec-heavy, detail-oriented backpacking gear reviews and expert advice on all things backcountry. But in this interview, Dixon leaves behind his engineer background and the spreadsheets of grams and ounces to show us a more vulnerable side.

Dixon recounts one of the most harrowing mishaps of his outdoor career, bringing him to hallucinations and the brink of death. He talks about the “controlled chaos” of his upbringing that made him love high adventure in the outdoors. Although an early adopter of the most extreme versions of ultralight backpacking, Dixon tells us that you don’t need to wait until you have the perfect gear or are in better shape or get moving on the trail. He says there is no better time than now to get on the trail and start hiking.

Tune in to episode 6 to learn more about Adventure Alan’s backpacking philosophy, including the one thing you need to leave behind in order to lighten the load in your pack. Check out his website at www.adventurealan.com and follow him on his Facebook or Instagram accounts to tap into his gear reviews, backpacking trip reports, and expert backpacking tips.

Last Episode: the Blackalachian, Daniel White Talks about How Adversity Fuels His Fire to Keep Moving

the Blackalachian Daniel White giving the peace sign and smiling at the camera, wearing a backpack with green hills in background

It’s not too late to go back and check out the last episode of the Out and Back podcast with Blue Ridge Outdoors 2020 Hiker of the Year Daniel White. Known as the Blackalachian in the outdoor community, White tackled his first thru-hike in 2017 when he turned to the Appalachian Trail to get away from a bad break up and burn out at his job.

The AT left White craving a more culturally significant experience and he turned his focus to the Underground Railroad Trail. After teaching himself how to bikepack, the Blackalachian set off on a powerful experience that took him from Alabama to Canada, retracing the secret routes that slaves took in 19th century to seek freedom in the north. After that epic adventure, White jumped the Atlantic to hike across Scotland and complete the Camino del Norte, a pilgrimage journey along the northern coast of Spain.

White takes us through his unique trips and tells us what its like being only one of two Black thru-hikers he saw on the trail during his AT hike. He also describes instances of racism on the trail and gives insight into why the outdoors can feel like an unwelcoming place to Black people. Tap into the Blackalachian’s YouTube channel to learn more about his trips. Get exclusive content from the Blackalachian on Patreon. Follow the Blackalachian on Instagram and Facebook.

Meet the Host: Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

the host of the podcast Andrew Baldwin wearing an orange hat and blue jacket with a frosty beard, smiling

In 2019, host Andrew Baldwin completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. After five months on the trail, Baldwin returned home to pursue a career in voice acting. A friend of the Gaia GPS company, Baldwin was a natural choice for hosting the Out and Back podcast.

In each Out and Back episode, Shanty strives to bring you conversations with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time outdoors. Listen in as Shanty taps into each backcountry expert’s superpower so that you can take their knowledge and experience with you on your next adventure.

July 8, 2020

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