Adventure Dogs of the Nomad Rally
The 2024 edition of the Nomad Overland Rally has a few furry friends out exploring with their humans…
News from the Rally: Week Three
Nomad Overland Rally Highlights: Week Three
The 2024 Nomad Teams really began hitting their stride this week and the top three teams have passed the 2,000-point mark…
Nomad Challenge: Reading Topo Maps
Some of our Nomad Overland Rally teams had a hard time with the second Weekly Challenge of the event — an exercise in reading topographical maps…
2024 Leaderboard: Week 3
1st: 2,916 points
2nd: 2,376 points
3rd: 2,350 points
(Checkout the full Leaderboard for all the Teams’ Week 3 scores)
There was some massive adventuring going on during Week 3 as our Nomad Teams really racked up the points. More teams set off on their Overland Stages and there were a bunch of training activities happening. There was some shuffling around the leaderboard, and by the end of the week, Team 117 Lucas had reclaimed first place with 2,916 points. Team 101 Mercer made a huge jump into second place after returning from a series of Overland Stages and earning 2,376 points. Team 130 McClellan moved into third place with 2,350 points. While the top three teams have passed the 2,000-point mark, there are several others closing in on them. Seven more teams have reached the 1,000-point level. As the teams currently at the top of the leaderboard max out their available points for Overland Stages and Activities, the gaps will begin to narrow. Some teams are just beginning their Overland Stages this week, and with six more weeks of competition, we can expect some surprises ahead. The Week 3 Challenge was all about tires — and overall the teams did fairly well on it. The teams still have one more week to attempt it. Meanwhile Challenge #4 was released this morning and it’s another potentially “hard” one (though we do give them some easy points to capture just for doing it) — plotting and measuring distances on paper maps, old school style!
Highlights from Week 3
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Here are some Week 3 highlights from around the 2024 Nomad Overland Rally. The teams were busy this week and we now have some who have reached the 2,000 point level. Team 117 Lucas joined up with Team 103 Chasse in Arizona to knock off a few more Stages and Driving Activities. And Team 101 Mercer shot up into second place on the Leaderboard after returning from ten days on the road traveling from Colorado to Wyoming and Utah completing nine Overland Stages and multiple activities. Team 130 McClellan ran into some challenging weather, when encountering summer snow and ice on a high narrow shelf road in Idaho–but they safely navigated it and also completed nine Overland Stages by the end of the week. Team 121 Rojas (Team DOGRNR) has been solidly building up points and is now in fourth place on the Leaderboard. This week she completed her second Stewardship Activity, organizing a Tread Lightly cleanup in Arizona sponsored by Summit 4×4 which drew volunteers from as far as California to help clean up the trails. Team 124 E. Stevens was exploring around the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and doing some impromptu trail cleanups as she went. We’re loving all the Stewardship activity going on around the rally this year so far. Great work Teams. Meanwhile more teams are getting out there and starting to narrow the points gaps! Check out the Leaderboard to see how everyone ranked at the end of Week 3.
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The Rally started on June 3rd, and a number of teams were already beginning their first Overland Stages, while others were still in the planning stages. Here is a curated collection of recent images from our social space to give you a peek into the teams and their progress.
Photo quest - Erosion - Ruts on trails are a good example of erosion. The water flow washes out the dirt and causes ruts. #nomad24 nomadoverlandrally
Stage 12 nomadoverlandrally was another long day from just east of Boise, ID to Great Basin NP. I`ve been trying to add Great Basin to one of my overland trips for a couple of years and made it happen this year. It was penciled in as a potential destination and when planning my trip home from WA, I was able to include it on my route.
We stopped at Hagerman Fossil Beds, the visitor center, plus a monument to the sheep industry in the area. Later, when gassing up in NV, a U-Haul had information about one of the animals I had seen fossilized earlier.
This route was very remote, US-93 does not have the small towns US-95 has but there were 2 Love`s Travel Centers that I was able to stop at for fuel.
onxoffroad treadlightlyteam
#nomad25 #nomadrally #onxoffroad #treadlightly
Stage 11 nomadoverlandrally was the first day of my 1300+ mile return home. As I had never been to Idaho before and in order to attach the sticker to my water bottle, I needed to sleep/ camp there. I found BLM land east of Boise in onxoffroad and I saved a couple potential campsites as waypoints.
I drove through parts Washington, Oregon, and Idaho and was on part of the historic Oregon Trail. While this day was a lot of interstate miles, I still managed to find some interesting places to stop and stretch our legs.
One of my waypoints had previously been used as a campsite, treadlightlyteam likely by other weary travelers that also sleep in their vehicles. When we first arrived, it was still rather toasty and the fan I`d ordered before my trip came in handy. Once the sun was down, the temps dropped quickly to a comfortable level for sleep.
#nomad25 #nomadrally #onxoffroad #treadlightly
Stage 10 nomadoverlandrally was a long day, more than 400 miles traveled, and it was 13 hours from campsite to campsite. There was a really good reason for such a long day, I needed to wash my hair! I learned on this trip that at day 4, I need a shower for my sanity! I joined friends for PNW4WDA Trail Jamboree and was at the same campsite for several days so the dog`s Woof Den was set-up, again.
onxoffroad treadlightlyteam
#nomad25 #nomadrally #onxoffroad #treadlightly
Stage 9 nomadoverlandrally was spent exploring the northern portion of Whidbey Island. The day started with a ferry ride, we visited state parks - Fort Ebey, Fort Casey, and Deception Pass, a sculpture forest, and ended at the drive-in.
#nomad25 #nomadrally #onxoffroad #treadlightly
Stage 8 Nomad Overland Virtual Adventure Rally was also spent exploring the Olympic Peninsula and several parts of the national park were visited. The morning started in line to enter Hoh Rainforest. I severely underestimated how long it would take to get in and did not pack up and leave the campsite early enough. Due to how long I waited in line, I skipped visiting the Hall of Mosses. We didn`t get to the parking area until after midday and I didn`t want to leave the dogs alone in the truck because the trail is not dog friendly.
After Hoh, I decided to head to Lake Ozette so I could cross the most NW point (continental US) in the NPS system off - I`d been to the most NE park units years ago, Acadia and Campobello (just over international border with Canada). The drive was a long one but reminded me of driving along the coast in Maine. At times, the only radio station available was from across the Salish Sea and in Canada! Next on the list was Sol Duc Falls and Salmon Cascades. As it was after 7p, I felt better leaving the dogs in the well ventilated truck, with plenty of water when I went on the hike to the falls. Once back to the truck, it was off to find camp for the night. I had saved several potential sites in onX Offroad east of Port Angeles. I had a ferry reservation in Port Townsend the next day and wanted to be as close as possible so I wasn`t late.
Tread Lightly!
#nomad25 #nomadrally #onxoffroad #treadlightly
Stage 7 nomadoverlandrally was my first day/ night on the Olympic Peninsula. I had purchased a Discover Washington Pass at Walmart in Yelm, WA prior to heading off to the peninsula in order to be able to disperse camp on Washington State Lands. I had saved several potential campsites as well as a few campgrounds that are free with the pass as waypoints in onxoffroad . It was a holiday weekend and all of the campgrounds were full but I found a great campsite not far off US 101.
The dogs and I went to Kalaloch Beach to see the Tree of Life, I went to see Big Cedar while they remained in the truck, and we also went down to Ruby Beach. I made sure that I knew which beaches were dog friendly as both are part of Olympic National Park. This was their first time ever seeing, smelling, and experiencing the ocean. Both really liked the beach and Binkley discovered he really likes it, when we were exploring some of the Washington State Parks, also free with the Discover Washington Pass, he made sure we got down to the water every chance he got.
treadlightlyteam
#nomad25 #nomadrally #onxoffroad
Stage 6 nomadoverlandrally is when I reached my destination! I had applied to be in the Showcase/DIY area at Overland Expo PNW and was selected! This was the first time I set up all the gear I had packed as we were in Redmond, OR for 4 nights. After one of the sessions in the education area, I improved the shade structure I had setup - it`s a spare tire shade I used with the jeep that was rained on and sagged.
#nomad25 #nomadrally #treadlightly #onxoffroad
onxoffroad treadlightlyteam
Stage 5 was from the Oregon coast to central Oregon with a stop at Crater Lake National Park. Once again, I was not able to complete the drive through the park due to snow. The east entrance was closed. I added significant mileage to my total by turning on OR State Route 230 to enter the park from the south entrance, this turned out to be the West Entrance, according to the park sign. Camp was made just outside of the North Entrance to the park in Umpqua National Forest.
#nomad25 #nomadrally #treadlightly #onxoffroad
nomadoverlandrally onxoffroad treadlightlyteam
Stage 4 Nomad Overland Virtual Adventure Rally was almost 300 miles with lots of stops - 3 Visitor Centers, I missed Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, a hike to Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Big Tree Wayside, plus driving a dog friendly dirt road, Cal Barrel Rd in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Another stop just before the Oregon State Line for a bottle of Eagle Rare and a stop in Gold Beach for a bottle of Blantons, both made it home, untouched!
#nomad25 #nomadrally #treadlightly #onxoffroad
onX Offroad Tread Lightly!
Stage 3 for nomadoverlandrally - I saw my first deer of the trip after entering the park, it crossed the road a few hundred feet in front of me, I`m glad I stopped at the park sign for a pic as that may have saved it (and me) a headache (or worse). My planned drive through the park and route for the day changed when I discovered the road was still closed due to snow! Snow was not on my late June/early July bingo card. Then again, living in the Phoenix metro area, snow is never on my bingo card!
#nomad25 #nomadrally #treadlightly #onxoffroad
onxoffroad treadlightlyteam
Stage 2 of Nomad Overland Virtual Adventure Rally was Walker Lake to Lassen National Forest. This was the first day of traveling through new areas. From the time I exited I-80 to US 395 N in Reno, everything until mid-July when I hit US 89 at the Arizona border was I place I`d never been to before. Daye Sloope and I were able to meet for brunch, and catch up in Reno.
#nomad25 #nomadrally #treadlightly #onxoffroad
onX Offroad , Tread Lightly!
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The 2024 edition of the Nomad Overland Virtual Adventure Rally runs from June 3rd and continues for ten weeks, ending on August 11th. You can follow the rally progress on this page, on Instagram at @nomadoverlandrally and on Facebook at @nomadoverlandvirtualadventurerally. (If you are interested in competing you can register here or get more information about the rally here).