When most people think of visiting Santa Barbara, the image of a resort on the beach or something downtown within walking distance to the "Urban Wine Trail" comes to mind. We did things a bit different though and spent some time getting back to nature and relaxing in style at the El Capitan Canyon located about 20 minutes west of Santa Barbara and directly across the highway from el Capitan State Beach Park.

Last week, the folks from INEOS Automotive brought me to a mountain top on the Appalachian Trail near Fairfax, Virginia to check out the INEOS Grenadier. Now when I first got the invite, like most of you, I had never heard of INEOS or the Grenadier before. But a quick Google search turned up some photos of a pretty rugged looking truck, so I was excited to learn more about the Grenadier and see what it was all about. Since the vehicle we were previewing was an early pre-production prototype, we didn't get a chance to drive it. Hopefully I'll get the chance to take one off-roading in the future.

When Ford, in 2017, formally announced that they were bringing Bronco back, the off road enthusiast world lost their shit. This was one of the biggest brands in off road history and now it was coming back in exactly the right time where we have the most advanced suspension technology in history and a wide variety of engines that are designed to be robust enough to handle virtually anything we can throw at it on the trail. Then... a year later a new "Bronco" emerged and that quickly got derided as simply the "Baby Bronco", a vehicle simply riding on the big brother's coat tails. In many ways, that is accurate since I'm not sure the Bronco Sport would survive on it's own if it were called something else - for instance if it were simply called the Escape Sport.

A camper is a major investment, but it can save you the money you would otherwise spend on lodging and meals as well. Yet, even so, many people cannot afford the price of indoor storage and others think the job is done once they complete some weatherizing before storing it for winter. That's why it is essential to make sure you invest in a cover as well. 

Camping essentials like a sleeping bag, tent, and a cooler with drinks and food, are usually on top of a camping checklist and aren't easy to forget. However, there are other camping essentials that are easy to forget but could make your camping more enjoyable.

Camping is a wonderful way to spend your vacation and connect with nature. On the surface, simply the act of heading outdoors seems like it would be good for the environment. However, all too often I see people simply treat camping as an outdoor party and it is anything but an ecologically sound alternative to heading to a fancy resort. When done properly though, this family-friendly style of vacation can easily be a great way to spend time exploring a new area and connecting with nature as well as your companions in meaningful ways.

One of the things I absolutely love about Joshua Tree National Park is that it is a near perfect spot for people to learn how to drive off road vehicles. You can dip your toes in the sand rolling along Geology Trail or get the adrenaline going in the Old Dale Mining District and still have a great time. This park is your place to advance skills at a pace that you are comfortable with and that matches personal experience and technical abilities of your vehicle. Over the years I've done exactly that, first having explored trails with a Jeep Cherokee and now, earlier this month I returned with the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. 

For some, a car or truck is a static item that only receives updates when something breaks. For others though, the initial purchase is just a starting point. Over time you'll want to improve your axels, suspension, maybe add a turbo. Sometimes things unfortunately just stop working and it's time to replace a part or two. While there are some fantastic OEM part options on the market as well as custom aftermarket parts manufacturers, in some instances, buying used parts can be a great option too that will save money while delivering maximum value.

For many men, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a bucket list accomplishment. Unlike other destinations that you can simply buy your way to, climbing a mountain like this is an accomplishment that requires months, if not years of planning and physical conditioning. While your personal abilities and mental focus are clearly critical to success and so is the equipment, the right selection of a Kilimanjaro guide may be the difference between success and failure.

For enthusiasts who crave soul-stirring, legendary off-road performance and a new level of on-road performance, Jeep® introduces the V-8-powered 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392.

Going camping can be a daunting prospect for first-timers, especially if you are worried about the lack of creature comforts that this type of outdoor activity usually involves.

Thankfully with the right preparation and a few well-chosen purchases, you can enjoy camping trips in comfort. Here are a few tips to help you thoroughly embrace camping, even if you are a newbie.

When most people think of Catalina Island, the bustling village of Avalon first comes to mind. That’s the Mediterranean-style “city” (by Catalina standards) with shops, restaurants, boutique hotels and funky bars such as Luau Larry’s with its Wiki Wacker cocktail, all of which make it a very popular tourist spot for people throughout Southern California. Well, gentlemen, there is another part of this island 26 miles across the Pacific Ocean from Los Angeles that is ideal for a men’s getaway for a weekend or mid-week escape. It’s Two Harbors.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to go rafting in Vermont and I had a blast. Whitewater rafting is a perfect opportunity for male bonding as it requires strength, balance, wits, intelligence, and courage. Most of all, it requires teamwork and leadership or else your whole group is going to tip over or worse. The idea of becoming a rafting guide is certainly appealing when you consider they get to do something awesome every day and meet some cool people, but what does it take to become one? Are you ready to become a whitewater rafting guide?

We are all clearly waiting eagerly for the as of yet unannounced "Ranger Raptor" to arrive but those of us in the United States will just have to keep waiting. In the meantime though, Ford continues to offer factory-built off-road options that bring us closer to that ultimate eventuality. With their latest update for the 2021 Ranger they are introducing the Tremor Off-Road Package complete with off-road tuned FOX shocks, Grabber all-terrain tires, a wider stance, and connections designed to make adding off-road accessories even easier. Only yeah and plenty of decals and cosmetic updates to make sure everyone knows that you are driving a Ranger Tremor!

Expanding on the Bronco family’s Built Wild^™ innovative design and capability pillars, these five adventure-inspired concepts further highlight the brand’s readiness for customization at launch. Beyond the standard options, there are more than 200 available factory-backed accessories for Bronco two- and four-door models, and more than 100 accessories for Bronco Sport models.

Conventionally you might think about hiking or using Jeep trails to go explore the history of the wild west mining boomtowns. However, Virginia City, Nevada has a bunch of bike trails that you can take to explore the history of what was once a vibrant mining town and today is one of the top places anywhere in the world to go explore an authentic wild west town that somehow manages to be family-friendly despite it's rough and tumble appearance.

Colorado is known world-wide for its excellent ski resorts, but you don't have to wait for cold weather to visit this amazing state. Outdoor activities abound all year long. Let's take a look at some of the favorites among adventure seekers.

As the off-roading season began on the Rubicon Trail over Memorial Day weekend, local law enforcement was able to patrol the trail with more capability thanks to a donation from BFGoodrich Tires.

Some vehicles are iconic for the sizzle and sex appeal, others are legendary for simply being dependable and the last of their breed. Sadly, the 2020 Toyota 4Runner is in that last category. I say sadly because I wish there were more "compact", reliable, refined SUVs out there with as high performance on and off-road as the 4Runner. I don't get as much time to profess my love for this vehicle as I'd like to, so when Toyota offered this to me for our road trip to Vegas for the Mint 400, I jumped at the opportunity.

For those of you who have dreamed of one day attending the Baja 1000, I've got an alternative closer to home. The Mint 400, also known as The Great American Off-Road Race might not be as well known as the Baja 500 and Baja 1,000 but it is an awesome experience and opportunity to meet your favorite drivers, manufacturers, and be a part of one of the greatest off-road races in the world.