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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:18:27 PM EDT
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EarthCruiser, a Bend-based company that created high-end custom adventure vehicles, announced Wednesday it would be closing its doors for good after 16 years in business. But since fears surrounding the pandemic have died down, and more people returning to work in-person, demand for these specialty vans are on the decline. EarthCruiser representatives said in a written statement that decreased demand, combined with supply shortages and high interest rates, made it difficult for the company to survive. “Demand soared for EarthCruiser products throughout the pandemic, but scaling a business of such complexity is neither easy nor particularly fast, especially in Central Oregon, where operating costs are high and skilled labor is hard to come by,” the company told OPB. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:22:05 PM EDT
[#1]
lol Bend
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:24:19 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Lorax]
[#2]
As offices started calling people back to work, the whole "Overland" thing has been thankfully calming down. At least coming back to reasonable levels.
I go out with two off road equipment company owners at times and they are seeing a slowdown, where they couldn't keep up the past few years. Now, instead of YT videos of "Van Lifers" mocking people "living the rat race and stupidly living attached to things", they talk more about basecamping it on a piece of property, going to it part time and a lot just plain giving it up. It got expensive real quick. I used to attend an overland 3 day event. Tickets sold out within the hour. now I get emails the week of the event at a discount to please come. Not enough people and they gouged people for years because it was "Overlanding". Why Overlanding? Because "Car Camping" doesn't market as well.  Do anything enough and talk others into doing more of it, and it all gets ruined eventually. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:24:21 PM EDT
[#3]
Then don't scale.
Nobody says you *have* to scale a business. I suspect it has more to do with the very high-end prices of their conversions. They get 3X the truck from some of the Euro companies for the same money. Their business model is what shot themselves in the foot. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:29:06 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tifosi: Then don't scale. Nobody says you *have* to scale a business. I suspect it has more to do with the very high-end prices of their conversions. They get 3X the truck from some of the Euro companies for the same money. Their business model is what shot themselves in the foot. Is 600k for an F-550 with a cusom.camper box on it too much? |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:30:59 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By MMcCall: lol Bend Per the article there are also 3 Van converters in Hood River... |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:31:52 PM EDT
[#6]
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:43:32 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Is 600k for an F-550 with a cusom.camper box on it too much? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Originally Posted By tifosi: Then don't scale. Nobody says you *have* to scale a business. I suspect it has more to do with the very high-end prices of their conversions. They get 3X the truck from some of the Euro companies for the same money. Their business model is what shot themselves in the foot. Is 600k for an F-550 with a cusom.camper box on it too much? |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:45:27 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Waldo: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/422/Screenshot_2024-02-26_at_16-20-04_We_Bro-3142289.png I watched just enough of that video to wonder who approved that abomination to be built. Such a POS. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:47:58 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Lorax: As offices started calling people back to work, the whole "Overland" thing has been thankfully calming down. At least coming back to reasonable levels. I go out with two off road equipment company owners at times and they are seeing a slowdown, where they couldn't keep up the past few years. Now, instead of YT videos of "Van Lifers" mocking people "living the rat race and stupidly living attached to things", they talk more about basecamping it on a piece of property, going to it part time and a lot just plain giving it up. It got expensive real quick. I used to attend an overland 3 day event. Tickets sold out within the hour. now I get emails the week of the event at a discount to please come. Not enough people and they gouged people for years because it was "Overlanding". Why Overlanding? Because "Car Camping" doesn't market as well. Do anything enough and talk others into doing more of it, and it all gets ruined eventually. Watching full-time overlanders and van lifers buy cheap plots of land in the Desert has been hilarious. I am surprised that a hundred thousand subscribers can't sustain the lifestyle. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 6:48:54 PM EDT
[#10]
So people got tired of living out of a van after a few years? Shocking
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TN, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:03:57 PM EDT
[#11]
They’re FOS.
They’re going out of business for only one reason and that is that nobody liked their product. Demand is still high for other products. Call earthroamer etc and ask how many years their waitlist is down to. Overland expo had high attendance last year |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:11:25 PM EDT
[#12]
Three crap types of channels on youtube. Vanlife, Sailing, and Homesteading. They all follow the same formula with thumbnail to match. It starts with "we have an announcement", "drama", "bikini or semi nude vid", "cry face", "we can't do this anymore" back to "we have an announcement!". Wash, rinse, repeat (emotional).
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:11:59 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Lorax]
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By taliv: They’re FOS. They’re going out of business for only one reason and that is that nobody liked their product. Demand is still high for other products. Call earthroamer etc and ask how many years their waitlist is down to. Overland expo had high attendance last year Two big teardrop companies went out of business last year. All the others that had up to 2 year waiting lists are all under 6 months now. Socal was a very popular and successful company just a few short years ago. The pendulum is swinging. I guess people got tired of spending $400 for a harrow disc with a burner welded to the bottom you spin a 1lb propane cylinder on just to call it a "scottle grill" to burn food unevenly on. ETA: I have toured an EC model at a show. Twice. Pretty impressive. But wow....that price tag! |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:13:42 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Waldo: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/422/Screenshot_2024-02-26_at_16-20-04_We_Bro-3142289.png Must be a Tom Woods shaft. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:15:02 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Lorax: Two big teardrop companies went out of business last year. All the others that had up to 2 year waiting lists are all under 6 months now. The pendulum is swinging. 
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ND, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:15:16 PM EDT
[#16]
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:15:41 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Is 600k for an F-550 with a cusom.camper box on it too much? I know this. Yes , yes it is |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:19:56 PM EDT
[#18]
I always thought this guy was in the sweet spot of this industry. He's not making rigs from scratch so he doesn't have that outlay but he is reliant on what used SUVs he can find. I don't actually like his main design but can appreciate his work and drive.
https://m.youtube.com/@suboverland |
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USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:27:28 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Is 600k for an F-550 with a cusom.camper box on it too much? https://earthroamer.com/pre-roamed/pre-roamed-hd-009/ |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:55:13 PM EDT
[#20]
I am sure any conversion from there smells like patchouli and BO.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 7:57:32 PM EDT
[#21]
Overlanding is dead
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USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:15:01 PM EDT
[#22]
The prices for even a stripped down van is still nuts. How many people can really afford a 200k van and then not work. Sure some, but there is a limit.
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KY, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:20:14 PM EDT
[#23]
gonna be great, NOT having to deal with that particular subset of campers, in large numbers, anymore.
GET THE fuck OUT OF MY WOODS! |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:29:49 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kiju: gonna be great, NOT having to deal with that particular subset of campers, in large numbers, anymore. GET THE fuck OUT OF MY WOODS! |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:39:39 PM EDT
[#25]
yeah, that will be nice also. give the toyota and jeep guys somewhere to park...
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:50:00 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mousehunter]
[#26]
It's not that people did not want their products - it's just that they were priced where very few could afford them. They had an extreamly small nitche market at their entry price level. I am sure a decent number of people saw they could purchase the same Ford truck and put a fairly decent camper on it for less than 20% of the price of an EarthCruiser. It would not be a seamless piece of custom molded fiberglass - but probably good enough.
I kind of suspect at their price point, they were making less than 100 campers a year. With the current economy, they were probably selling a lot less than that. Thor they were not. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:52:20 PM EDT
[#27]
I saw about 70 VanLife $170k Sprinters last week driving through Moab. Maybe they aren't selling as many new, but there are a shit ton of $$$$ vans running around the mountain west.
My $60k Sprinter ain't that fancy, but gets me, mountain bike, and skis where we want to go! |
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USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:55:11 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Lorax: Two big teardrop companies went out of business last year. All the others that had up to 2 year waiting lists are all under 6 months now. Socal was a very popular and successful company just a few short years ago. The pendulum is swinging. I guess people got tired of spending $400 for a harrow disc with a burner welded to the bottom you spin a 1lb propane cylinder on just to call it a "scottle grill" to burn food unevenly on. ETA: I have toured an EC model at a show. Twice. Pretty impressive. But wow....that price tag! WTF is a "scottle grill"? I have a Dragonfly and the old Coleman two burner if the fire pit doesn't work out but then again, I'm not about that #vanlife. Does this mean I can find decent priced Jeeps and Tacomas now? |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 9:11:00 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NPH_1985: WTF is a "scottle grill"? I have a Dragonfly and the old Coleman two burner if the fire pit doesn't work out but then again, I'm not about that #vanlife. Does this mean I can find decent priced Jeeps and Tacomas now? Bro... https://tembotusk.com/products/tembotusk-adjustable-leg-skottle-grill-kit |
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USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 9:17:24 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Bro... https://tembotusk.com/products/tembotusk-adjustable-leg-skottle-grill-kit So a plow disk (with the center filled in) and a propane burner for people with more money than sense? Barnum was right. When do the Blackstone griddles become uncool so I can add on to the outdoor kitchen on the cheap? |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 9:30:09 PM EDT
[#31]
Earthroamer was always ridiculously priced. Let me know when Sportsmobile goes under and I’ll start to worry.
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CA, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 9:43:11 PM EDT
[#32]
Like Brad of Trail Recon told me in a private convo 2 years ago at Overland Expo...everything related to 4X4 or overlanding is expensive. It's pretty easy to blow 20-30k on a Toyota, Jeep, etc let alone some of these vans, or earthroamers. I was looking at an Ursa Minor for my Bronco just for the heck of it...over $9k.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 9:47:38 PM EDT
[#33]
Those overlanding rigs clog up the best riding roads around here so smelly hippies can “overland” in dirt parking lots on the weekend while they rock climb.
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TN, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 10:17:15 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Lorax: Two big teardrop companies went out of business last year. All the others that had up to 2 year waiting lists are all under 6 months now. Socal was a very popular and successful company just a few short years ago. The pendulum is swinging. I guess people got tired of spending $400 for a harrow disc with a burner welded to the bottom you spin a 1lb propane cylinder on just to call it a "scottle grill" to burn food unevenly on. ETA: I have toured an EC model at a show. Twice. Pretty impressive. But wow....that price tag! That’s because tear drops suck. They’re horrible for any sort of long term trip. Barely manageable for a weekend. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 10:17:34 PM EDT
[#35]
A good friends son bought a new 4WD MB turbo diesel van that he did a real nice job making it into a house on wheels. Kind of nice in many ways but although he put a whole lot of work and expense into it the ability to be comfortable is very difficult at times.
Kid has a good job that he can do anywhere he can scam a wi-fy connection. Hear his tales of what it costs him to run it and keep it running and I have to think he could travel in a car and spend every night in a hotel for less money and be more comfortable. I don't see the whole van life thing |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 10:28:52 PM EDT
[#36]
Looking forward for the vanlife thing to collapse so I can buy a van cheap and take a few weeks off work once the kids are in college. Sleep in hotels but have the van to eat/chill out/nap/crap in during breaks while driving. No need for a shower or bed.
Unfortunately, a lot of the previous good camping spots are locked off now due to overuse. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:22:13 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Per the article there are also 3 Van converters in Hood River... Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Originally Posted By MMcCall: lol Bend Per the article there are also 3 Van converters in Hood River... Yeah, but 1) my family used to own a shit-ton of wheat land in Hood River, The Dalles and Biggs, so I'm partial to that country, and 2) Bend, the west side in particular, is just rife with the kind of mentality that led to "van life" and it's fun to make fun of. I love C. O. but it's not the same place I knew growing up. |
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WY, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 11:22:54 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Amped: Overlanding is dead Hopefully “ADV” motorcycles, too. |
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OR, USA
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Posted: 4/30/2024 12:08:41 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By MMcCall: lol Bend Basically. It's turned into mini Portland. No longer feels like home and I have no desire to go back. |
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Posted: 4/30/2024 12:26:04 AM EDT
[Last Edit: KILLERB6]
[#40]
My millenial neighbors bought a “starter home van”…it’s actually pretty nice. It’s a Winnebego Trevato IIRC just like this:
 His zoomie son moved out of the van…and into his own. It’s the same except white.Crazy. |
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CA, USA
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Posted: 4/30/2024 12:58:24 AM EDT
[#41]
Overlanding dead? I doubt it.
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Posted: 4/30/2024 1:42:00 AM EDT
[#42]
I have seen some sprinter chassis Class B motor homes selling for $300K, you really need a medical evaluation if you spend that kind of money on a Class B
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Posted: 4/30/2024 1:45:48 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Is 600k for an F-550 with a cusom.camper box on it too much? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: Originally Posted By tifosi: Then don't scale. Nobody says you *have* to scale a business. I suspect it has more to do with the very high-end prices of their conversions. They get 3X the truck from some of the Euro companies for the same money. Their business model is what shot themselves in the foot. Is 600k for an F-550 with a cusom.camper box on it too much? Saw one of those when I was riding yesterday. 
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Posted: 4/30/2024 1:50:44 AM EDT
[#44]
Lol
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Posted: 4/30/2024 2:13:26 AM EDT
[#45]
Many people confuse overlanding with glamping.
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Posted: 4/30/2024 3:35:41 AM EDT
[#46]
Earthcruiser had a pretty good product, at least house-wise. Had great lay ups. Very good electricals. Problem was their choice of chassis, but they were kinda stuck due to the North American market. Early ones had big issues, FUSO left the U.S. market, and the later Iveco ones that are gas engined FC also have big issues.
Their prices got way too high though, for the product. Early on it was somewhat reasonable, but then they also started to go into other models and products that didn't pan out. I'd estimate their total production of the FC versions was below 200, with other models around 50-70 total. Some of their employees have bought a fab shop in Bend, so at the least there'll be some kind of experienced support still out there for the owners. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/30/2024 5:41:11 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tifosi: Then don't scale. Nobody says you *have* to scale a business. I suspect it has more to do with the very high-end prices of their conversions. They get 3X the truck from some of the Euro companies for the same money. Their business model is what shot themselves in the foot. 4 point plan: Start up. Cash in. Sell out. Bro down. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/30/2024 5:45:37 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NPH_1985: So a plow disk (with the center filled in) and a propane burner for people with more money than sense? Barnum was right. When do the Blackstone griddles become uncool so I can add on to the outdoor kitchen on the cheap? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NPH_1985: Originally Posted By OregonShooter: Bro... https://tembotusk.com/products/tembotusk-adjustable-leg-skottle-grill-kit So a plow disk (with the center filled in) and a propane burner for people with more money than sense? Barnum was right. When do the Blackstone griddles become uncool so I can add on to the outdoor kitchen on the cheap? Blackstones can be found for $200 new. |
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Posted: 4/30/2024 6:27:50 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ricko1: quit clogging up the campgrounds too! Hard to find a site for the weekend that isn't booked months in advance. That's why we bought our waterfront campsite and sold our ultralight TT. Had a nice troublewide (super duper slide?) and a private boatramp on it. We put in a fire ring. lol. Winter camping in Fl is glorious. But not when you have to make reservations a year out. |
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Posted: 4/30/2024 6:53:30 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Lorax: As offices started calling people back to work, the whole "Overland" thing has been thankfully calming down. At least coming back to reasonable levels. I go out with two off road equipment company owners at times and they are seeing a slowdown, where they couldn't keep up the past few years. Now, instead of YT videos of "Van Lifers" mocking people "living the rat race and stupidly living attached to things", they talk more about basecamping it on a piece of property, going to it part time and a lot just plain giving it up. It got expensive real quick. I used to attend an overland 3 day event. Tickets sold out within the hour. now I get emails the week of the event at a discount to please come. Not enough people and they gouged people for years because it was "Overlanding". Why Overlanding? Because "Car Camping" doesn't market as well. Do anything enough and talk others into doing more of it, and it all gets ruined eventually. Toyota TNGA-F enters the chat. |
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