A blog about off-road vehicles, overlanding, 4×4 trips & travel. We write posts about interesting trucks for sale, help you improve your driving and camping skills, learn about gear, show you amazing places to go, and share stories of adventure. We like to go out and explore, and we love adventure.

A new post every so often.

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Hello WCXC Subscribers, my apologies for the the lack of posts since the spring. In the balance between work life and personal life, WCXC has been taking a back seat. I have a new membership offering though that you may be interested in. It’s called The Intermodal SpiritIt’s a hub for stories, tools, and ideas at the intersection of exploring, relating, and being.

The first big piece I’m featuring is The St. Agnes Journal, collection of dispatches from the time I overwintered on a mile-wide English island. It’s also about how we relate to each other in community and one-on-one. It’s tools that help us do that better.

I hope you enjoy it and invite you to subscribe.

The Intermodal Spirit

Ukrainian YouTuber Anton Somewhere in pre-war times posted what I thought were thoughtful, well-documented travel videos from his trips around the world. Now he’s back in Ukraine posting updates about the war.

This video I thought was particularly nice because it shows ordinary Ukrainians banding together to help support the country. It’s a perspective that feels more personal and hopeful than what I feel I’ve seen in normal news coverage.

A FortNine review (always good) of the Yamaha Ténéré 700.

This 2020 Sprinter-based, off-road van concept from German manufacturer Hymer looks capable outside and like a stylish apartment inside. It features an indoor kitchen and fridge, a folding desk/workspace, stairs to leading to an insulated, pop-up sleeping loft, a very cool convertible bathroom/shower area, and a rear tailgate deck with a slide-out grill/outdoor kitchen. It’s amazing how far RVs have come. I could go for something like this.
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Are roof-top tents good for overlanding? This video outlines the case against them. They may make sense in certain situations but in most situations the benefits don’t seem to outweigh the downsides.

I think this REI video is a great, basic review of how to use a baseplate compass. Use this kind of a compass for orienting yourself on a map, taking a bearing, or navigation to a known location.

I have a nice Brunton TruArc 5 compass but couldn’t remember exactly how it worked. This was the best video I found. Hope it helps you too!

This beautiful video highlights, in my view, a thoughtful man and a capable vehicle working together in service of others. I love it.

If you’re looking for a winter project in order to get ready for camping season, these two excellent drawer projects might be the ticket. The Blake Weber video details “the ultimate overland truck bed kitchen drawers for camping” and to me that seems like a pretty good description. The project incorporates a grill, propane stove, sink, and pressurized water tank, among many other clever features.

The GVM Corner video, below, offers a clever take on a fold-out bed and basic kitchen set up. Hat tip to Nathan Donnelly from Northwest Resilience for passing this video along.

My only suggestion, if you build one these is to make sure the silverware and kitchen tools are stored in a way that will keep them from banging into each other. Otherwise the rattling on rough trails may drive you nuts.

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Check out the video of this amazing remote controlled 1/10 scale, 80-series Toyota Land Cruiser off-roading and crossing streams!

You might like the Matt’s Off-Road Recovery channel on YouTube. They do vehicle recovery in Southern Utah near Zion National Park and they just seem like a great bunch of guys. It’s also a great place to watch real-life off-road / overland recoveries in action and learn a thing or two.