About the site

ABOUT US…

There’s only so much time to see this astronomical speck of dust we call Planet Earth.

Be it by foot, kayak, backpacking, or being lost, this site is about our adventures with our Expedition RV.   It is an expression of us by means of humor, horror, adventures or sliding home and just saying, “wow. ” This site is about those expressions by our written journals, random picture taking (by no means are we photographers) and feedback from others.  It is about the people we meet, the places we saw and the things we did with our expedition RV.   Some of our trips are local and others, overland journeys.  The articles can be funny, powerful and personal.  We don’t choose our destinations; we just travel, and the adventure finds us.  And this is the core of this site.

So follow us as we explore America’s Desert Southwest and beyond….

ABOUT BAT2…

BAT2 was built as an Expedition RV as to take me,  my family and friends to those remote or not so remote places in those distant lands or not so distant land by overlanding.  WTF is overlanding? Keep reading…

Sketch of the motorcycle lifter for the two Enduro Yamaha 225.

Not all four-wheeling is about touring remote canyons and conquering steep mountains. Overlanding is about the adventure of the journey—long-distance four-wheeling to remote parts of the country (or world). 

It started back in 1978 with wanting the Alder Backpacking Club (ABC) truck design and built my Mr. Doug DeJong. In 2008, I decided the time was right and I would build my own, but with more comforts and the ability to go to the extreme.

The original ABC truck was a F700 but based off my needs and wants, I went with the M923A2 (design for off-roading). The M923A2 was purchased in 2013 for $17,000 (with an additional $14,800 in truck, engine and transmission modifications) and work started immediately on the building of the camper and truck modifications. Eight months later, she took her first trip to Coyote Lake.

The original ABC Truck on Coyote Lake, (Barstow, CA., USA)

Here we ran it over the dunes, across the mud flats and deep into the Calico Canyons. When the journey was over, we knew BAT2 was ready to conquer the world. Her next trip was to Saline Valley and it encountered washouts, rock slides, 3’ deep snow, rocky terrain and mud. She conquered it all with grace and we had no issues with any of the systems and this includes plumping, gas or electrical.  We all smiled, drank a beer – bowing down to her!

Jack and Jacob enjoying the vast desert openness.

Her first overland trip was to explore the Southwest. Here we explored the backcountry of Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. It was with boundless openness to hit long forgotten dusty roads to visit far away mining camps, Native American villages and camps,  petroglyphs tucked deep away in remote canyons and to crest high mountain saddles to see far and beyond. To just stop and watch the red and orange sunsets, only to wake up to a sunrise with no worries in the world…

BAT2 soon became a trusted companion and with it, an understanding the world was ours for the exploring. And with it, a desire to share our travels to our family, friends and the adventurous reader.

Safe Travels – the Desert Drifter!

BAT2 at Wasteland 2015, California City, CA., USA

How I believe we should live our lives; “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of dust, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”