Updated 1/12/2020 – Part II of our series is now online.
We recently picked up our Off Grid Expedition 2.0 trailer in Lake Havasu City, AZ. It was delivered to Lead Dog Motorsports from Edmonton, Canada. Lead Dog is a location ambassador. Randy is very knowledgeable and it was fun to speak to him and view his trailer.
We had high hopes of hitting the trail immediately after doing the trailer walkthrough but the day got late and we decided to camp along the Colorado River in a developed campground. I don’t normally do this type of camping but with a brand new trailer it was convenient. The plan was to take dirt from Parker, AZ to just north of Wickenburg, AZ. There are a number of great trails in this area. The route is called the Desert Paradise 4X4 trail. Thanks go out to Arizona Backcountry Explorers for publishing information about the trail.
I am of the opinion that if I buy something and invest time, money, and passion into it you should use it. So the trailer stayed clean and pristine for less than 24 hours. Halfway through the trip home, the “AZ Pinstriping” began. Oh well.
Getting ready to roll out from Lead Dog Motorsports
The first night at camp and the last time the trailer will look this pristine.
After a short night of camping, we headed south to Parker to fuel up and hit the trail. On short trips like this, we stop when we want to stop and camp where we want to camp. Especially with a new trailer and wanting to test its capabilities.
Where the pavement ends your adventure begins!
The first half of the Desert Paradise 4X4 trail was easy. A mostly nice wide dirt road. After visiting the Swansea mine area we opted to continue north vs backtracking to continue the official trail. However, the 2 trails joined up after about an hour. Using our favorite navigation app, Gaia GPS, makes it easy to change plans. The second half was much more technical. It had one really good off-camber spot which required guidance, lots of steep ascents and descents and even a river crossing. Always walk these first!
When it doubt get out and walk the water crossing!
I had taken this trail a couple of years earlier with the Copper State Cruisers. I had also forgotten all about the technical sections. The Off Grid took it all in stride with a smile. It also scowled a bit when all of the pinstriping occurred.”Hey, I’m brand new man!” “I know but I will take you on amazing adventures!” I said back.
Headed out to Planet Ranch
We finally completed the much more challenging than planned trail just before sunset. At dusk we found a nice spot for the night.
Searching for the perfect spot.
The next morning we cooked a nice breakfast and took our time packing up. Our goal was to cross the northern edge of Alamo Lake but Mother Nature told us otherwise. The normal crossing was completely covered in water. In fact, a boat came cruising by just to prove the point. At this point, the adventure ends. We exited via known roads to the highway. Once we hit pavement I got low on fuel. So we fueled up on the side of the road with the added bonus of grilling some brats! Thanks Eric!
This is the first trailer I have owned with the Timbren suspension. I think it did great. No complaints. I look forward to testing it further on future trips. Did you know I have owned 6 trailers in 7 years? Yeah I am nuts but also have learned a lot with all of my trailers. That will be all documented in a future post. We love the Off Grid Expedition 2.0. You will also hear me repeatedly say there is no perfect trailer. Everyone has different budgets, wants and needs.
The beast from the Great White North deserved a bath after our first adventure. Once put away in the garage it was time to ponder the future modifications. Stay tuned for part II! Lots of changes have already happened.
For more information on these great trailers please visit the Off Grid Trailers website. If you work with 4XOA we can help you save up to $500 on your trailer.
