INTRODUCTION

Meeting and travelling outdoors - I doubt there is another activity that is more Canadian - we call it overl anding. The dictionary definition is too literal and limiting. Over landing encompasses exploring, overcoming hardships, improvising (dare I say MacGyver’ing), camaraderie, learning, self-sufficiency, appreciating history, fishing, camping, immersing yourself in nature, the list goes on. The list goes on because although we share a number of common passions, we also have our own unique personal reasons to go overlanding, activities that we enjoy over all others.

Over landing is something you need to experience to appreciate. Spending the time and money to book a Caribbean vacation is easy. You know what to expect and you’ll probably get it - a safe repetitive relaxing (or not) time off work.

I find that I’m not always relaxed when I get home from these ‘vacations’. What I did last week is easily explained to colleagues and friends. ‘I was in Mexico’. That’s all you need to say as everyone has experienced the same vacation. In fact, I find these vacations have a tendency to run together in my own mind as I can’t tell the difference from one year to the next, or even from one destination to the next.

Which is one reason I have come to abhor them. There are others (including man's newest forms of torture - airports and airplanes).

An over landing trip on the other hand is always unique. It’s often a new trail or destination, a slightly different group dynamic, new gear to test, or unpredictable weather that can change your trail from week to week, and with the seasons.

‘What did you do last weekend?’ now becomes a tale worth telling and re-telling. Which brings us to this 4WDrive

Overland Special Edition - a collection of tales from the pages of Canada’s 4x4 and off-road publication. It is a retelling of Canadian adventures and achievements, including some epic fails. But even the failures have great merit, since the adventure, the journey, was (and is) the reward. As the fortune cookie said, ‘only the person who reaches too far knows how far they can reach.'

I hope you enjoy the tales and tips, and that they inspire and encourage you to plan another trip for yourself, whether it’s a weekend, a week long, or longer, preferably much longer if possible.

We would love to hear your tales. You can submit your stories and photos for publication to editor@suncruisermedia.com, or share photos, videos, links and comments on our social media; Facebook: 4WDrive Twitter: @4wdrivecanada Instagram: 4WheelDriveCanada YouTube: youtube.com/ c/4WDMagazine

I especially enjoy living vicariously through your adventures on the days I’m stuck in the office, a small apple and a large screen acting as my windshield to the world.

Until next time, remember the sage advice of that lowly fortune cookie, and keep an ear to your radio - I’ll look for you on the trails - and we’ll meet if you ‘stay where you’re to 'til I comes where you’re at’.