After Action Report – Vol 1 of the 2017 No Highways Tour

I quote the Weezer song not because I’m a huge Weezer fan (anyone that knows me can attest to that).  It’s just the most appropriate lyrics I could think of as to how cracking my tooth unraveled all the plans to Volume 1 of 2017 No Highways Tour.  That one single moment started a cascade of pain, discomfort, delay, panic, and whatnot that did a pretty good job of derailing the trip as planned.  As a result I was left scrambling trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

I was also facing deadlines such as Saturday tickets for the Durango and Silverton railroad as well as getting Alex (@ecoa_alex) to Saint George Utah in time to connect with his family.  Had it not been for those two things I most likely would have left right after expo and headed straight home to see my home dentist.  However, there are worse things in life than being “stuck” in places like Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah in a fully equipped overland Jeep.

With compromise the name of the game I did the best I could and snaked along the Old Spanish Trail as best I could.  Rather than take the northerly route up to Moab and Green River I opted for the southerly route skirting the border between Arizona and New Mexico.  This was mostly out of necessity because we were four days behind schedule and it was the most direct route from Durango to Saint George.  Not ideal by any mean, but it was what needed to be done.

Along the way I struck out twice at Mesa Verde National Park and Aztec Ruins National Monument.  The cliff dwellings I knew were an easy-in/easy-out at Mesa Verde were closed due to a rock hazard (strike 1).  I misread the schedule for the Aztec Ruins and arrived an hour after closing (strike 2).  Without the flexibility to stick around and wait till they opened (which I could have done under normal circumstances) I stuck myself out and just marathoned to Saint George to get Alex to his family.

It’s probably impossible to predict something as random and as unexpected as a broken tooth.  Of all things I don’t think it was something I ever considered as a potential trip-ending thing — especially before the trip really even began.  Luckily, at least I hope, it’s something that will only ever happen once.  Since returning home I’ve had my right two wisdom teeth pulled.  In a few weeks once my jaw heals I’ll get the left ones out.  The only good things from my detour to Phoenix was finding out I had cavities in all four wisdom teeth which is why the one cracked.  Given the likelihood of the other three cracking I was advised to just have them all pulled.  That’s why as soon as the pain got to be too much I headed home once I had a firm appointment with my dentist — who unlike the one in Phoenix was able and willing to yank the little bastards out.  Good thing too since there was a slight complication getting the lower one (the one that was cracked) out.  Rather have someone I know and trust wrenching on my jaw with a set of pliers when I’m a few miles from home than some stranger I don’t know going at it when I’m 2,000 miles across the country.  So far no complications during the healing process <knocks on wood>.

The Trip Home:

On my way back I stopped in Denver, Colorado to couch surf with Josh from Bomber Products Proof that Jeep people and Toyota people can be friends

On my trip home I detoured through central Indiana to visit a friend. Was nice to be off the interstate for a while.

Finally back in PA. Roughly 5,000 miles round-trip and just over three weeks total. Not the trip I planned, but still a pretty good trip none-the-less.

Looking Ahead:

Plans for Volume 2 of the No Highways Tour are still in place.  I am looking forward to a month in WV, KY, TN, and North Carolina before the Appalachian Rendezvous and Overland Expo East.  As with every trip I take, I’ve learned a lot.

I firmly embrace a “never give up” attitude but I temper that with being smart.  That’s why I pressed on as much as I could and when I hit my limit I came home.  As much as it pains me to leave something like Vol. 1 of the 2017 NHT unfinished, I won’t give up on it.  The plan is, as of right now, to head out to Overland Expo West a little early next year and fill in some of the blanks to round out the book.  In the meantime I’ll start work on the book anyway because even as detailed as this after-action-report might seem, it’s still only a superficial summary of the trip and I’ve purposely left out a lot of stuff which will go in the book. The NHT books are also intended to be more of a guide book than a trip summary so many of the details in this summery won’t make it in the book.  If that makes sense.

In the meantime I have some upcoming shows here on the east coast where I’ll be talking about overlanding.  Also going to do a few local trips here in PA and maybe down in VA again.  See how things go.  And of course things will wrap up this year with Overland Expo East in the fall.

Oh, there are a few other things in the works… but I can’t talk about them just yet.  The only thing I’ll ask is this: How would you like to go on an official ECOA guided overland adventure? (I can’t promise no one will break a tooth though.  At least we won’t break any on purpose.).

Bonus – Teasers from the Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route:

Phoenix (@tokentacoma) snaking his way around a boulder that blocked most of the road

I was able to get the trailer passed. It was tight, but not as tight as I was expecting.

One of the lush groves of trees that were totally unexpected given the bleakness of the canyon’s desert terrain.

So much more great things from the AZBDR… guess you’ll just need to buy the book.

—–

If you enjoyed this article, and would like to be a part of helping further the ECOA mission to educate, encourage, and inspire please considering joining the ECOA Patron Support Team.  Not only will you help take ECOA to the next level but you’ll get access to patron exclusive items like hardcover copies of the 2017 No Highways Tour books as well as a 10% discount at the ECOA/NHT online store on cool swag like patches and stickers.