Chevy & GMC Vans

For years I've thought about an Off Road Astro Overland Adventure of some sort. But let's face it: We seem to be quite few and very far between. (I've actually only ever seen one other lifted Astro, not including Abe at a meet n greet in Vancouver)

Aaron (ihatemybike) did something like this a few seasons ago, but it didn't seem to gain traction. Maybe there are more of us now.

So, here I am to toss the idea out into "The Cloud" and see if it's even feasible at all. (Are we just too spread out geographically to make anything happen)

Or at least we can have a thread to show in one place who we all are.

1. Please contribute any and all ideas, from how this thread should evolve, to what, when, where, and whom should/could attend. - as in rig qualifications for a certain trip, etc.

2. This Front Page will be edited as Roll Call Members add themselves to the Thread. I'll list members who are "in" to the idea (without any actual commitment to any trips). Even if you never plan to attend a trip, your still valuable to this thread, so I'd encourage you to post.

I guess the "In" post should include -name, -lift, -tire height, -Tcase ,- location, -just to give everyone a picture of who and where we are. Ofcourse, a pic of your van in that post is always encouraged.


3. Just because I've started the thread does not necessarily mean I want to be the leader. I would like to be a major part of something like this, however, I encourage someone with better logistical thinking than I to take over.

4. I'm thinking anything from a trail run, to high ground clearence overland exploration, to a simple meet n greet

One issue we will have is a lack of winches.


Off Road Roll Call:

- T. Low: 4-5" lift, 30" ATs, 4x4 2spd Hi-Lo Tcase , Detroit Locker , Bellingham, Wa

- Herbie: 4-5" lift, 29.7" ATs, 4x4 2spd Hi-Lo Tcase, open diffs, San Diego

-Silver Bullet: 4- 6" lift, 31" ATs, -stock AWD-Diff'sOpen, Seattle WA

- DoYouLikeItHere (AKA - Mike)
4-5" lift, 30" ATs, 5 speed, 4x4, NP231C Tcase , G80:3.73:1 , Vancouver Island (Cowichan) BC




Hope to see this gain a little traction. Seems a little ambitious.

Often while out on trips I find myself thinking this would be a great trip for an All Astro All Road Adventure. When I was in Moab, in Owyhee, in Washington doing Fortune Creek trail, doing some of the WBDR, even just hanging out on the beach next to my van in Pacific City Or, at Pelican Brewery, it would been fun to have a few Astros along.

Moab , Baja, and Owyhee are all amazing places. Problem is, it's a bit of a commitment to get there, do a few day trip, and get back. Can it happen?

This year, sometime in July, August, Sept, I'd like to the first two southern legs of the WABDR and then hit Fortune Creek trail.

Day 1 http://youtu.be/nN6c3gCQu3M

Day 2 http://youtu.be/_ZNeEhZpNW0

Day 3 http://youtu.be/7lY6esFFMyM. (I've done this trail half dozen times. It's my favorite area. Lo range recommended.

T.Low

4-5" lift, 30" ATs (Cooper Discoverer STMaxx 245-75 16), 4x4 2spd Hi-Lo Tcase
Bellingham, Wa.

In.

So. In.

As one of those with School-age kids, the bigger criteria for me isn't the "where" as much as "when". Summer break is the biggest single block where I have flexibility to do cool stuff. During Fall/Winter/Spring we're limited to school breaks, which aren't as universal. If there are any other kids that might attend, that'd be awesome for us!

Given the "Summer" thing, then most desert type trips wouldn't be my preference, but some high-deserts may be tolerable about that time? In either case, my preference would be for someplace green. A foresty destination would be the biggest draw for my wife who misses actual Greenery, vs. the olive drab we call green here in SoCal. The PNW area (generally) is already on our list of must-do's in the next few years. Sierra-Nevadas just anywhere along their length are probably worth considering also.

If we can get enough critical mass over "desert season", then we'd be down for that too. Maybe most possible attendees aren't as calendar-tied as we are now, or maybe we'll get lucky and everybody's spring breaks will line up...

The particulars:

- Herbie: 4-5" lift, 29.7" ATs, 4x4 2spd Hi-Lo Tcase, open diffs
My sig pic is my current fave of my rig:

Thanks for your enthusiastic leap into this thread, Mike.

Checkout the videos in post #2.

**note**: I am totally ok with shrub scratches down the side of my van (aka Pacific NorthWest Pinstriping) but NOT body damage.


I'm in talks with friends (stock FJ Cruiser and an old Land Rover thing) to do more difficult trails, but they all have sneak routes past the nasty stuff.

The Naches, (Central Washington), and the Whipsaw ( just over the Canadian border).

We could make this one awesome trip: WABDR , Fortune Creek, Naches, back onto WABDR to border, then Whipsaw. =D>

Naches: we would skip the section of first two minutes of the video

http://youtu.be/agArz_kJS8I

Whipsaw: http://youtu.be/AubCyZbTvEY

It would be more centrally located to do the OBDR (Oregon Back Country Discovery Route).
I'm not as familiar with Oregon, but would love to do it.

http://youtu.be/BUteV3MBy4M




Comments?.

Yes, I realize this is a helluva long ways from Texas. #-o

"In" post should include

-name
Silver Bullet

-year
1997

-Lift
4" Front 6" Rear

-tire height
31x10.50r15

-Tcase
Standard AWD(For now, have someone working on getting me a 2spd)

-Diff's
Open
Soon to have the standard G80 locker installed in rear.

- location
Seattle WA

Couple videos of the van offroading at Tahuya WA OHV park

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkFaZXo2KL4[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1zn5ppLI6g[/youtube]







That what you wanted Tom?

I like how you cautiously dip your front passenger tire in to check the water first.

Thanks for the good start, guys.

T.Low wrote:I like how you cautiously dip your front passenger tire in to check the water first.

Thanks for the good start, guys.

Always, never just go full-bore in.... ... That splash is like 3 feet above the van....

Tom, the vids look like good fun. A few places where I'd fear for the state of my sidewalls, and a few spots I know my wife would be uncomfortable with the drop-offs, etc., but looks mostly manageable.

Generally speaking, I never do any off-road if there's a way to do it on-road, and never a hard-trail if there's an easy one. Put me down for all the sneak routes, bypasses, and bail-outs.

Not yet discussed: How long of a trip are we thinking, overall? I'm of the opinion that anything less than 3 days is hard to justify unless close to home. I'm not sure my wife/kid have the stamina for a REALLY long trip yet, but they've surprised me before...

T.Low wrote:It would be more centrally located to do the OBDR (Oregon Back Country Discovery Route).
I'm not as familiar with Oregon, but would love to do it.

http://youtu.be/BUteV3MBy4M

Comments?.

Yes, I realize this is a helluva long ways from Texas. #-o

I'm guessing with both OBDR and WABDR there are points to pick up from highway areas? (i.e. you don't HAVE to run it end-to-end?) For the sake of flexibility, it's worth considering that we could collectively structure a trip from end to end of one of these routes, and people can pick up or drop off from the group as fits their schedule...

Thinking about my personal logistics, I'm guessing there's a 50% chance that I would do at least one leg of the transit between home and the selected route "solo" (e.g. take 2-3 days to drive up on my own, pick up my family at airport somewhere "up there", do all or part of the group route, then either drive back as a family or put them back on a plane home...)

EDITED TO ADD: I didn't finish this thought. Oregon or anyplace else similarly more central potentially cuts down that "pre fun" drive time, so it might be possible to have family in-van the whole time. Or at least, more of the time.

Is there any advantage to running North to South or vice-versa?

Ok, I'll bite....
- DoYouLikeItHere (AKA - Mike)
4-5" lift, 30" ATs, 5 speed, 4x4, NP231C Tcase , G80:3.73:1 , Vancouver Island (Cowichan) BC

No Pics, I'm at work, sorry....
Besides, if its off road, I'll probly ride the KLR650 anyways.

T.Low wrote: Naches: we would skip the section of first two minutes of the video

http://youtu.be/agArz_kJS8I

Skip the best parts of the trail? Are you crazy?

I haven't done the Naches. Don't want to drag everybody into body danger. #-o

We should get with Craig ASAP and pre-run it.

Herbie, the WABDR basically goes from town to town, so yes.

I think the OBDR is the same