2025 Leaderboard: Week 9

The 2nd Visit to a National Park for Nomad Overland Virtual Adventure Rally was Redwoods National and State Parks. I wasn`t able to get a pic of the National Park sign because it was on busy US-101 and I didn`t see a pullout where I could stop. I took a picture at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center. I was able to hike the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail, the parking lot was full but there was street parking and there was a ton of shade so I knew the dogs would be okay with the windows partially open and plenty of water. #nomad25

My first National Park visited during my summer adventure for nomadoverlandrally was Lassen Volcano National Park. Due to ongoing snow removal, I was not able to drive through as planned but still got to see some of the park. #nomad25

Photo Quest - Mine Site - this one meant a lot to me. I know it was probably meaning an old mine shaft entrance where people back in the early days mined out west BUT I was born a Coal Miners Daughter! And my daddy has always been “Big Bad John” well, he isn’t bad AT ALL (unless someone messed with his girls) but you get the idea. Johnny Kilgore, my dad, worked in the mines all his life, along with my grandfathers and uncles, and well, all the men in my family and community, pretty much. Coal Mining was a way of life growing up. The community I grew up in, was built on coal mining. That’s part of the reason it’s shrunk as much as it has now, because so many of those mines have closed or moved. In fact, the one my dad worked at, has moved its entrance a good 30 miles or so away. My dad worked night shift and ran a continuous miner all my life. He has always been Superman to me and growing up, the song Big Bad John, is how I saw my Dad, he was, is, and will always be my superhero. I love you Daddy!
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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.

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Stage 7 aka “hell day” - 7/24/25 - the plan was to go riding trails, scout a nearby trail, go kayaking and fishing and come back to camp. It didn’t go as planned.. it was a nice morning but when it started getting hot, it got too hot! I’d slept better the previous night in the tent but had woke up a few times with terrible legs cramps. I did my map and compass activity at camp, rode out to a store to get drinks and ice, came back and decided to try and cool off in the water but the lake was hot as bath water and I’d dried completely within 30 mins. I was sweating like crazy, 98% humidity 110° heat index, I couldn’t drink enough water to stay hydrated. I started having some stomach issues, went and rode a nearby trail for scouting a trail, and came back to camp. I sat there a little while pouring sweat and getting a headache and finally admitted to myself I was getting dehydrated. Camping is always so much fun to me but it was way too hot to be fun and dehydration is torture. I decided to pack it up and go stay at my moms. I had gotten a dirt/gravel road in for the day so it would still be counted for a stage, I’d just lose the points for camping but at that point, I was ok with that. I drove to my moms, guzzling water of course, and started planning how to use the rest of my days there to get what points I could and check off some more stages. #nomad25 nomadoverlandrally #treadlightly #onxoffroad garyyeomansknoxvilleford

Quick trip to Hollister Hills. Even though we`re in the middle of the summer we had a bit of fun in mud.

#hollisterhillsohv #offroad #offroading #nomadlife #jeep #jeeping #fun #nomad25 nomadoverlandrally #onxoffroad #treadlightly

Stage 6 - 7/23/25 - The day started at camp and was a beautiful morning. I went and drove some nearby trails and then stopped and visited some family and their doggos as you can see in the pic… Ryder is a beautiful but crazy boy lol. Drove more trails, and then went back to camp. The night before had been extremely hot and humid sleeping in the car so I got a fan and slept in the tent. It was a lot better but the 108° heat index during the day was just too much! #nomad25 nomadoverlandrally garyyeomansknoxvilleford fordrangerlifts #treadlightly #onxoffroad

E3: Group Run - Medano Pass - sand, creek crossings, aspens and pine trees. #nomad25 nomadoverlandrally

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.

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