Off the Road

Off the Road

More and more people are hitting the road to<br>the middle of nowhere. Along less-traveled<br>paths they are heading up mountains and<br>down dunes in converted mobile homes,<br>campers, trucks, or vans. They are enjoying<br>the drive and the view through mud-splattered<br>windshields as much as the stops and<br>evening campfires amid stunning terrain.<br>Although many of us love living in cities,<br>we have a growing longing to escape<br>into nature. The outdoor scene is booming<br>and many people are heading off to discover<br>it with their own converted vehicles. This<br>way, they can determine their own routes,<br>itineraries, and pace, as well as how many<br>challenges they’d like to meet along the<br>way. After a day on the go, these multifunctional<br>vehicles also serve as kitchens, campgrounds,<br>and sleeping quarters that offer a<br>great deal more improvised fun than a standard,<br>perfectly equipped RV. Conventional<br>luxuries are eschewed for the sake of greater<br>freedom, tranquility, and adventure.<br>Off the Road captures the special mood<br>of such trips by solo travelers, couples, or<br>families who are seeking an alternative to a<br>more standard vacation or want to live their<br>lives differently ―at least for a while. On<br>the one hand, the book shows how familiar<br>models, such as VW buses, Land Rovers,<br>jeeps, and Toyotas are being rediscovered<br>and repurposed for these exploits. On<br>the other, it presents automotive dreams<br>turned into customized, homey vehicles<br>that offer tailgate breakfasts or roof beds to<br>better admire the stars and that can, in an<br>emergency, cross a river or drag a fallen tree<br>from the road.<br>Whether exploring the desert, showing<br>children the world, or navigating polar<br>landscapes, the journeys collected in Off<br>the Road are as unique as the people who<br>take them. From radical escapists to fans<br>of nature looking for their next trip, the<br>book celebrates the joy of being on the go<br>on four wheels.