Driving on roads can give you the satisfaction of knowing exactly where you are going – and knowing that the roads will be good enough to keep your car safe without too much trouble. However, there are times when you may go off the beaten track, where you can enjoy your trip in all its glory.
There are several reasons why you might want to go off-road. You might want to go camping, you might want to go hunting – or you may want to spend your day looking at some landscapes that you normally couldn’t see if you remained on the beaten track. However, to ensure that your trip is pleasant, successful, and eventful, there are a few things that you might want to do.
1. Go Star Charting
When you are going on a public, paved road, you’ll be driving by houses and lights – which makes it fairly visible for you to see what is actually happening in the sky. However, when you are going off-road, there won’t be anything to stop you from seeing the stars properly. No streetlights, no pollution, nothing.
That’s why this might be a good opportunity for you to see the stars – and actually know what you are looking for. There are countless star charting apps that you may use to identify the planets and stars – and this is the perfect activity for your nighttime breaks.
2. Practice Your Bow Hunting
If you are into hunting, you might want to try practicing your bow hunting. Look for areas that allow this kind of activity, and make sure that you respect the hunting seasons. It will be an intriguing way to have some fun in the wild and also come home with some game.
You may take your average hunting gun for that, but it’s much easier to shoot with a crossbow. Plus, these tools are very silent, making them the perfect choice if you do not want to scare off the entire fauna around you.
3. Take Pictures of Landscapes
With a good overlanding 4×4 car that has received the right tire suspension and some good prior research of the route, you may take some good memories home from this trip. Pick a scenic route, and whenever you see a good landscape, take a picture of it – or ask your trip companion to take a picture with you of the place.
This will certainly be something that you want to show to your grandchildren. Plus, it beats most pictures that you would normally see on social media. You may even turn those pictures into portraits and hang them in your house. What better way to personalize your home than to decorate it with beautiful places that you have seen yourself?
4. Have a Picnic or Barbeque
Nowadays, there is a great lack of places where you can have a proper picnic or barbeque. There are buildings and roads everywhere – and while there may be some parks that allow you to have a picnic there, you’ll still be bothered by countless other people passing by.
However, when you are off-road, this will not be a problem. You can usually park anywhere you want and have a meal where you believe is best for your comfort. You just have to remember to bring the food and the right barbeque tools – and you need to clean up afterward. You do not want to leave garbage lying around everywhere.
5. Play a Card Game
This is something that you might want to do while you are still in the car, you have a long way ahead of you – and you are driving with several other people. Granted, as a driver, you may not be able to play – but if your companions choose something like Cards Against Humanity, you will certainly get a good laugh from it by just listening to what’s going on.
6. Go Fishing
Here’s another activity you can’t do while you are driving on paved roads: fishing. Sure, you can find a bridge close to the street under which you can fish, but not only does it tend to get very noisy, but it’s also frowned upon. Some areas do not permit fishing in very populated places.
However, if you take your off-road car away from the beaten track, you may come across a perfectly fishable river. If you want to increase your chances, you may also check with a map – see where the rivers are. Plus, since you’ll have the trunk of your car, it will be much easier for you to carry your fishing gear.
7. Enjoy the Wildlife
There is a difference between enjoying the wildlife from a tent and doing so from a car. When you are camping, it will be much more dangerous for you to get close to the wildlife – particularly if you are dealing with the predator kind.
However, if you are in your car, you will not have to worry about this. Deer are not dangerous to get close to, even if you are out of the car – the only problem here being that they scare easily.
However, if you happen to see a wild boar or a bear, the safety of your car will bring you a few good chances to take a nice picture. Bear in mind that if you see them getting too close to you… you might want to hit the acceleration of your car. Wildlife is meant to be seen, not messed with. And stay at a safe distance from the animals that might do you harm.
Final Thoughts
Going off-road will bring you a few opportunities that you might not normally be able to enjoy. It brings you much closer to Mother Nature – and you will be able to sit comfortably in your car while doing so. If you’re going to be driving your car through off-road areas, why not do something interesting as well?