Off-Road Safety Academy - Blue Sky Adventures, Inc.

04/10/2024

Photos tell the story. For an upcoming video shoot on the basics of winching, I need to swap out my excellent WARN Zeon Platinum winch for a WARN winch that has a manual “Freespool/Engage” clutch. (The WARN Platinum winches have electronic clutches switched by the wireless controller. Hard to demonstrate the more typical manual winch clutch use with the fine Platinum WARN products.)

I post these photos to show WHY the winch-ready bumper you choose should have excellent exposure to the winch itself. First reason: So you can clearly see the winch line on the drum while winching and re-spooling line. Second reason: So if your winch has a mechanical problem that needs repairing (any mechanical device can breakdown), you can EASILY remove the winch from the vehicle without removing the entire bumper. On my Jeep JK, this winch removal took me only 30 minutes! Don’t purchase a bumper that buries the winch within. If you HAVE to attach a winch on a bumper BEFORE you place that bumper on your vehicle, you’ve chosen unwisely in my opinion.

Some time ago, I wrote a newsletter about the plethora of poorly engineered aftermarket and OEM bumpers on the market today. Choose WISELY. I guarantee that at some point during the life of your vehicle you will need to work on or replace your winch. Why not make it easy? Want to download my newsletter titled: "Winch-Capable Front Bumpers… The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” go to Newsletter #38 on my Newsletter Archives page here: https://discoveroffroading.com/newsletter-archives

While you are on my website, join over 2000 of your fellow off-roaders and subscribe to my newsletter. I’d be honored if you subscribed.

03/10/2024

Have you noticed? Facebook and Instagram have lots of ads for off-road tire deflator products. Which ones work as advertised and which fall short?

I recently sent out to my over 2000 newsletter subscribers two issues providing you with my thoughts on the InDeflate Tire Inflation and Deflation Tool and the J.T. Brooks Pro II Automatic Tire Deflators. If you aren’t a current subscriber to my newsletter you can still read these reviews by going to the Newsletter Archives page on my Off-Road Safety Academy website: https://discoveroffroading.com/newsletter-archives

Download Issues #54 and #55. While you’re on my website, sign up to receive future newsletters. I’ll be reviewing a few more tire deflation tools. Off-Road Safety Academy - Blue Sky Adventures, Inc. FACTOR 55 Overlanding North America - USA & Canada Jeep Wrangler American Expedition Vehicles - AEV Yokohama Tire Ram Trucks

25/08/2024

Death Valley Miner's Cabin Tour
A Basecamp Adventure

Virtually none of the remote backcountry cabins visited on this unique tour can be found on a map. Someone has to lead you to them, like Off-Road Safety Academy. The cabins are special “secret spots” in and around the Death Valley area. Some are past Adopt-A-Cabins, carefully nurtured by volunteer groups.

This Death Valley basecamp adventure is especially for those who: 1) Tow their 4WD behind a motorhome or truck, 2) Like to basecamp (meaning camp in the same location each night), and/or 3) Like the challenge of a more difficult off-road trail.

Unlike Off-Road Safety Academy's overlanding-style adventure tours, the trails traveled on this tour are a bit more challenging. There will be some rock crawling to get to a couple of cabins.

The tour route includes visiting several remote backcountry miner's cabins, including a visit to Barker Ranch, where Charles Manson was apprehended by law enforcement. History at its best!

Cost: $650.00 per vehicle. Bring as many passengers as you have legal seat belts.

To Learn More And Sign Up: www.DiscoverOffRoading.com/4wd-adventure-tours

BONUS ADD ON
If you attend this tour, you are invited to participate at no charge in a Recovery Skill Clinic on October 29, 2024. This is the Tuesday before the Miner's Cabin Tour. If you attend the Overlanding Tour, just stay two days after the tour to camp and have fun learning essential recovery skills. If you are attending the Miner’s Cabin Tour, just come two days early. This Recovery Skill Clinic will be conducted at the location where we begin the Tour.

21/07/2024

Death Valley Miner’s Cabin Adventure Tour
October 31 - November 3, 2024

This Death Valley adventure is for those who either: 1) Tow their 4WD behind a motorhome or truck, 2) Like to basecamp (meaning camp in the same location each night), and/or 3) Like the challenge of a more difficult off-road trail.

Unlike Off-Road Safety Academy's overlanding-style adventure tours, the trails traveled on this tour are a bit more challenging. There will be some rock crawling on this tour so 4WD short wheelbase vehicles will generally do better than long wheelbase trucks.

The tour route includes visiting several remote backcountry miner's cabins, including a visit to Barker Ranch where Charles Manson was apprehended by law enforcement. History at its best! Few of these cabins can be found on maps.

Cost: $650.00 per vehicle. Bring as many passengers as you have legal seat belts. For details and to sign up, go to: https://discoveroffroading.com/4wd-adventure-tours

21/07/2024

Death Valley Overlanding Adventure Tour
October 24-27, 2024

Death Valley is iconic, fabulously scenic, and quite remote. Three days and three nights of overlanding exploring the largest National Park in the lower 48 States. Over 80-percent of this beautiful park can’t be seen from the pavement – you have to venture off-road. Off-Road Safety Academy takes you to the best sights. Sand dunes, canyons, hot springs, playas, craters, mines, and high-altitude trails are all part of this adventure tour. This tour plans to visit Saline Valley, Hunter Mountain, Hidden Valley, Tea Kettle Junction, Racetrack, and Ubehebe Crater.

This is an overlanding-style tour for 4WD vehicles only. You must be self-contained and self-reliant as we camp at a different remote locations each night.

Cost: $650.00 per vehicle. Bring as many passengers as you have legal seat belts.

Only a couple of spots left. Details and Sign Up Here: https://discoveroffroading.com/4wd-adventure-tours

21/07/2024

Off-Road Safety Academy invites you to explore the remote backcountry with like-minded vehicle-supported adventurers.

Details and Upcoming Adventures... See Here: https://discoveroffroading.com/4wd-adventure-tours

Worry Less – Explore More

Off-Road Safety Academy Adventure Tours help you explore the remote backcountry comfortably and enjoyably by:
1) Building community with other like-minded vehicle-supported adventurers. Our campfire gatherings are epic!
2) Being fully invested in making YOUR adventure fun and exciting.
3) Taking you to the most scenic locations and camping sites.
4) Providing you with 4WD instruction or guidance on the tour. Knowing your tour leader is the only 4WD Instructor in the USA that has written three complete “how-to” books for vehicle supported adventurers.
5) Completely knowing the area - the history, geology, biology, and most scenic trails perfect for your vehicle.
6) Knowing your tour leader is a Wilderness First Aid Instructor that carries both a robust first aid kit and an Automated External Defibrillator on every tour.
7) Carrying emergency satellite communicators and having emergency contacts should a vehicle breakdown or an injury/illness occurs.
8) Being a permitted outfitter and 4WD tour guide within BLM and National Park public lands.
9) Knowing your tour leader is a TreadLightly Master Tread Trainer and will help you off-road adhering to important environmental principles.

14/07/2024

Some land photographers think they have it hard. Hummmm - I think not. Try quality underwater photography - especially when cameras used 36 exposure rolls of film. One dive - one roll of film, unless you carried two bulky 35mm cameras in water tight housings. I have always admired professional underwater photographers. I have spent countless hours underwater photographing earth’s treasured aquatic creatures. Each image is special to me. In the early 1980’s I made my first dive in the California Current under So Cals offshore oil rigs. All are platforms with support legs that extend downward and are anchored to the seabed. Each platform is a majestic reef, humming with beautiful and abundant sea life. The platform legs themselves are alive with encrusting invertebrates - mussels, scallops, sea stars of many species, anemones, nudibranchs (sea slugs), and the like. Each platform is surrounded by mega-sized schools of pelagic fish balls with a variety of species darting in and out of the area. It’s pure magic to dive under these majestic artificial reefs, some of the most beautiful in all the world. All just a few miles from major urban areas. Go figure. Want to see more of my photos under platforms Edith, Elly, Ellen, and Eureka? Go here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/boemgov/11228235636/in/photostream/

(And you thought I just taught off-road safety courses and wrote books on the topic.)

03/07/2024

My old “stomping grounds,” the Windward island of Carriacou got “stomped” hard by Hurricane Beryl. Over 95% of the wonderful locals homes are damaged or totally gone. I’m in shock and prayers for the islanders. Get ready Cayman. Ugh.

This drone video, captured by storm chaser Brandon Clement, shows scenes of devastation on the island of Carriacou after Hurricane Beryl slammed into the coa...

27/06/2024

These wonderful folks took my Total Approach to Getting Unstuck Off Road Course this last weekend. It was hot where we trained, but we had a blast. Everyone did great. These fine individuals honored me with their trust and hard eared treasure to take my course. Thank you to each and every one of you. We had a wonderful time learning self-recovery and vehicle-assisted recovery. I had 5 people on my waitlist for this course. Guess I better schedule another course for the Fall! If you aren’t a subscriber to my newsletter, go to my website and opt in. My newsletter provides reviews of new equipment, training tips, and announces newly scheduled tours and courses. www.DiscoverOffRoading.com

18/06/2024

These wonderful new friends took my Introduction to 4WD course this last weekend. We had a blast. They honored me with their trust and hard eared treasure to take my course. Thank you to each and every one of you. We had a wonderful time learning together how to be safer and more comfortable when driving over challenging terrain and exploring through the remote backcountry. All of you became “one with your vehicle.”

Not bragging, but fact… I had 15 people on my waitlist for this course. Guess I better schedule another course for the Fall! If you aren’t a subscriber to my newsletter, go to my website and opt in. My newsletter provides reviews of new equipment, training tips, and announces newly scheduled tours and courses. www.DiscoverOffRoading.com

12/06/2024

You may have my book "The Total Approach to Getting Unstuck Off Road." Now is your opportunity to learn the skills in person, from me, the author. Two spots available for my June 22-23 weekend Total Approach to Getting Unstuck Recovery Course. Once the spots are gone, they are gone. I keep my courses small. Location: Prairie City SVRA; Near Sacramento, CA. Cost: $720. For course details and to purchase your spot go here: https://discoveroffroading.com/course-descriptions

14/05/2024

One spot left for my upcoming June 22 & 23 Total Approach to Getting Unstuck Off Road Course.

This is course teaches you the primary skills from my book "The Total Approach to Getting Unstuck Off Road - 4WD Self Recovery & Vehicle-Assisted Recovery."

Course Location: Prairie City SVRA, Rancho Cordova, CA.

For More Information: https://discoveroffroading.com/course-descriptions

24/04/2024

Honored to be interviewed by Rick Saez on his award winning Outdoor Biz Podcast. Episode 439 is live now here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pg4bIgj2VJwSyei2Z9vpv

13/04/2024

Education... Adventure's First Acquisition. Take a recovery course from the “man that wrote the books - June 22-23, 2024. This is the ONLY course this year. For details and to purchase a spot in this course, go to: https://discoveroffroading.com/course-descriptions

06/04/2024

Shhhh… Secret Spots. Death Valley Miner’s Cabin Tour. A basecamp (camp each night in the same location) adventure tour for Short Wheelbase vehicles – Land Rovers, 4Runners, Jeeps, etc. October 31-November 3, 2024. A few spots still available. For tour details go to www.DiscoverOffRoading.com/4wd-adventure-tours

Cost: $650 per vehicle. Bring as many passengers as you have legal seat belts.

31/03/2024

06/03/2024

Ahhh… Baja California Sur! An entirely different world. Friendly people, delicious food, adventure, and a gazillion miles of off-road trails. I still have a few spots open on my upcoming Baja Adventure Tour starting April 25. Go to www.discoveroffroading.com for complete information. It’s an adventure like few others.

19/02/2024

A bit of Power Wagon work and multi check auditing prior to the upcoming Baja reconnoiter.