My recent interest in overlanding has me making plans for a week long adventure this coming May. Right now it looks like my sister may going along for the adventure. My hope is that my wife will want to go too, but I’m not holding my breath. She doesn’t enjoy riding in vehicles anymore than she needs to these days.
This past week I sat down during some free time and began pouring over my maps. Overlanding is a new activity for me but I already have plans for traveling to places I want to go and see. Northern Minnesota is calling, and there are remote locations I can go with my Jeep Renegade and explore. And yes, I’ll be bringing my faithful Old Town Guide 119.
It’s not always about the destination, sometimes it’s all about the journey.
Spring Overlanding Wisconsin And Minnesota
For now I am keeping my overlanding kit simple. In fact much of my routine ultralight camping gear I use on my Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness trips is going to be seeing double duty. A few changes will be bringing along a larger tent, a cot, regular sized camp chair, portable camp table, and a Coleman propane stove, and a few other luxury items. Hey… I am packing a vehicle and have a lot of room for comfy items! I may even pack along a small Mr. Heater.
The plan for April and into May will be doing a few short weekend trips in a 150 mile radius of where I live. I think it will be a good idea to test my vehicle load out with the gear I plan to bring on such small trips. Plus there are some State Forests not far away that I can have fun exploring out of my Jeep. Hiking is going to be a part of my overall overlanding experience. As is locating some harder to reach trout streams.
For April and May: I am planning some short weekend trips at Black River State Forest and Governor Knowles State Forest.
Late May: Minnesota’s Arrowhead and maybe into Canada.
May Overlanding Adventure!
Come late May the plan is to hit northern Minnesota in the Arrowhead. There are many remote location around the eastern edge of the BWCAW. I expect the hiking to be good, the fishing, and the canoeing. It will be a week long trip and I plan to camp at 3-4 remote locations during that time.
Map locations and campsites have tentatively been selected. However, I do plan on being fluid with where I travel and stay. There are hundreds of out of the way places to drive my Jeep into, off little used trails and forest roads, to find seclusion and enjoy nature.
See you outside-
TD
