Leading a convoy is stress. It is managing egos, risks, and logistics. But when you see the line of amber lights winding through a canyon at dusk, you realize you aren't just driving. You are facilitating adventure. Reading about it is safe. Planning it is intoxicating. But doing it is the only thing that counts. Don’t let the rig rot in the driveway waiting for a "perfect" weekend that never comes.

This is the part of the adventure that doesn't make the Instagram feed.

This isn't your average home-prep guide. This is about what happens when the adventure bites back. We’ll cover the why, the how, and the seasonal etiquette for staying alive.

The Garmin Instinct series has always been about rugged reliability, and with the Instinct 2X Solar, Garmin took things up a notch. Bigger screen, better battery, added features like a built-in flashlight, and a solar panel that actually makes a difference—on paper, it looks like an adventurer’s dream. But does it hold up in real-world use?

Adventure isn’t just about where you go—it’s about how you get there. I’ve spent years piecing together overland rigs, finding beauty in the imperfect, the beat-up, the budget-built.