S. B. 9/5/2021
Overlanding with @Eastcoast_Adventures_
This time we get to take a peek into the word of @Eastcoast_Adventures_, also goes by Paul LaPointe. Tho he started over in the New England area, which has quite a few hidden gems for overlanding, Paul recently took a trip into Colorado, a popular destination for anyone looking to soak in the mountain views and get outdoors.
Paul currently drives a Tacoma, but started off with any sort of 4 x 4 vehicle - and ended up stretching his Silverado to the limits. He wised up and purchased his Tacoma and got back out on the trails.
@Eastcoast_Adventures_ not only overlands, but also could teach us a thing or two about fishing, be sure to take a ganger at that beautiful trout he caught. If you want to keep up with his adventures and learn more about how to fish for trout, give him a follow over at @Eastcoast_Adventures_.
How'd You Get Into Overlanding?
I started out off roading in the woods of New England. Anything with four wheel drive and decent tires was a go, though not always the best idea. Learned a lot of lessons the hard way and I’m sure I wasn’t in the good graces of my old Silverado by the end of it. I transitioned from mudding to Overlanding when I got my first truck cap and made a camping setup. It allowed me to fish many places I hadn’t gone into before. After dragging a full size truck up and over rocks for years I finally got a Tacoma, another cap, and made another camping setup.
Upgrade you are most grateful for?
Good tires are a must on the trail and the ability to air down and then back up is critical. Enter the $60 Home Depot air compressor. Aside from that I’d say my most important upgrade was my rock sliders.
Bucket List Trips?
I’m currently on my dream trip which consisted of a 31hr drive from MA to CO and it’s been incredible. If you’re thinking about a big trip and don’t quite know if it’s the right time, just go for it because you’ll regret not doing it later when life catches up.
Most recent trip
My most recent trip was in Colorado where myself and a buddy drove our Tacoma’s 10.2mi in to a series of Alpine lakes and Glaciers. I always love it when someone on an ATV/UTV asks “How did you guys get up here in those?!”. We made camp at 11,300ft above sea level and saw stars in a way I never have before as if they were painted on the sky.
The scariest moment of the trip was coming down the big rock step that we traversed on the way in. I just hung the passenger tire out over it until it tipped down to the ground and relied on my rock sliders to do the rest.
What advice would you give to beginners?
If I could give advice to someone starting out I would say that having 2 vehicles and all the necessary recovery gear (and the know-how to use it) is very important. You’re going to make mistakes and learn from them but that’s just how it goes, if you dent your rig it just means you’re doing it right. There’s also a plethora of groups out there to join where you can ask questions and find other people with similarly capable rigs to hit the trails with. Having a spotter and a known set of hand signals is also very important when starting out and can help you get through the more sketchy terrain with minimal damage, you are running skid plates….RIGHT?!
What keeps you in the overlanding world?
What keeps me going out there is the amount of fun I have and the places I see that many other people don’t have the chance to. The community is another big factor, you meet some really good people out there and they almost always will lend you a hand.
We have asked numerous off-roaders what keeps them in the game and it never fails to hear that the community is what keeps them apart. Sure, the equipment is fun, the lights are like jazz, and the views couldn't be beat. But ultimately, it's the people that keep you coming back.
So get out there and take care of your community of off-roaders and adventure on!
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