7/26/2023 0 Comments Overland expo west shuttleShasta tent sat perched on the roof, though unfortunately, we didn’t get to try it out. For less than $40,000, the Frontier Crew Cab Midnight Edition (base price: $32,295) can be fitted with a Nisstec three-inch lift kit, a Leitner bed rack, Baja Designs lights, rock sliders, a WARN winch, and even a Dometic freezer/refrigerator among other gnarly overland accessories. This included, most notably, the new Destination Frontier, a variant of the company’s compact pickup designed to keep overlanding costs down to Earth. We, on the other hand, were tackling the terrain in vehicles designed in the 21st Century for just this sort of adventure - a fleet of Nissans modified for overland expeditions. We didn’t do the entire stretch - most of the trail has yielded to civilization - but we bounced over enough miles of ancient, hard-packed ground to get a sense of what a grand, miserable adventure the whole experience must have been riding on top of a stagecoach, cutting-edge as its suspension may have been at the time. (Fun fact: Back then, the trip cost $20-the equivalent of $500 in today’s money.) Or you can do what I did with a group hosted by Nissan: Scramble through the woods along the same trail used by stagecoaches to get from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon more than a century ago. To score that thrill, you can cruise up the smooth asphalt of Arizona State Route 64, pull into the South Rim visitor’s center and mosey on over to the fence, selfie stick in hand. It’s a fantastic effect, a clever twist Mother Nature chose to inflict on the unsuspecting. You just wander out of a pine forest and get the wind knocked out of you by the sight of the the striated abyss. The terrain near the South Rim is high in elevation but flat in aspect, so unlike most of the world’s signature natural landmarks, such as mountains, glaciers, and buttes, there’s nothing looming in the background when you’re in the vicinity. You can find more details on the 2023 Overland Expo Series, including dates and locations, online.The great thing about the Grand Canyon - apart from the obvious - is that you never really know it’s there until you almost fall in. In an age of acquisition and downsizing, that’s good news for everybody. “All Lodestone employees will join the Emerald team, with Lodestone founders Lindsay Hubley and Jessica Kirchner joining Emerald’s management team and continuing to lead the Overland Expo series,” per an Emerald press release. The GMC HUMMER EV pickup at Overland Expo Mountain West, 2021 (photo/Shutterstock) As it happens, Lodestone Events was the company putting on Outdoor AdventureX for Emerald, so all involved are well-used to working together. With the acquisition, Overland Expo joins Emerald’s existing consumer-facing outdoor show - Outdoor AdventureX. Overlanders are outdoor enthusiasts and explorers who outfit their vehicles for backcountry adventures, which often include hiking, camping, paddlesports, cycling, and climbing,” said Lindsay Hubley, Managing Partner of Lodestone Events. “Overland is a growing market segment, recognized and valued by the outdoor industry at large. There’s no indication of that schedule changing now that Emerald has the reigns.īut Expo attendees might expect more synergy between their chosen human-powered sports and the vehicles they use to get to those sports. Lodestone previously held the Overland Expo four times yearly, once each in Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, and Virginia. Overlanding, Meet Human-Powered Adventure Sports Translation? Look for the Overland Expo Series to get bigger and better - and include more gear - moving forward. “With the growing demand for outdoor experiences, we are excited to increase the opportunities for consumers to engage directly with their preferred products and brands, as well as discover new gear and opportunities to support their outdoor pursuits.” “ creates an expansive offering of consumer experiences not seen before in the outdoor community,” said Jeff Davis, group Vice President of Emerald, in a press release. So, what does this mean for you, the outdoor-loving, adventure-traveling reader? We’re glad you asked. The move represents a diversification of mission for Emerald, as the Overland Expo Series is customer-facing instead of a pure business-to-business event. But Emerald today announced the acquisition of Lodestone Events, the company responsible for the popular Overland Expo Series. The company is best known for putting on Outdoor Retailer, a huge bi-yearly event attended by a who’s-who of outdoor industry brands and journalists (as well as a multitude of other tradeshows for other industries). Emerald Expositions, the company responsible for some of the outdoor industry’s biggest events, just expanded into the consumer-facing overlanding world.Įver heard of Emerald? No? That’s OK.
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