Building a Community in the Desert

Desert Rendezvous began as a modest effort to build a community by creating opportunities around our shared interests and values. Building a community was a conscious choice back then, and today it requires continued dedication, vision, and consistency in order to remain successful and relevant. Most don’t realize it, but there’s a lot more to organizing these large-scale Rendezvous events than meets the eye. It takes many months of hard work behind the scenes with countless hours coordinating all the different moving parts that make the long weekend what it is. Thanks to our hard-working Crew, and our many good friends within the industry, our Community continues to exceed all expectations. Today, it has grown beyond anything we could have imagined at the campfire a dozen years ago when this was all a dream, a simple conspiracy to just get out and do more.

Initially, our stated goals were quite simple. We all suffer from wanderlust and a desire to Travel, Explore and Live, so enabling more of all three was the only goal initially. Today that focus has evolved and re-aligned with a desire not only to help others get out more, but to help them do it safer through curating knowledge, helping others make informed decisions on outfitting, and sharing destinations.

Our renewed focus as a Community now follows these three simple lines of effort:

Educate. Equip. Explore.

This Desert Rendezvous afforded us the opportunity to fully address these stated goals, with our signature Camp Cooking Competition and Potluck, outstanding educational opportunities provided by true experts, tons of exciting new gear and insane builds on display, trail runs and shenanigans, and a massive raffle supported by our amazing industry partners.

Our Rendezvous events are also unique in the 4WD and overland industry due to the fact that many big names and brands get to attend as regular people. No booths, no work, no pressure, and no exorbitant fees for companies. Just camping. Our events give these good people a much-needed vacation from the exhausting trade show and “fieldlanding” circuit, providing a rare chance to truly relax while re-connecting with why they got into the overland scene in the first place.

Pictures tell the story best, so let’s see what our 11th Annual Desert Rendezvous looked like on the ground this year in Arizona.

Big thanks to Justin Pitcairn, Greg Reynolds, Brian Ismay, Mike Block, Chad De Alva, and Greg Henle for the extra lenses out there capturing this event in photos for you!

The Friday Night BBQ sponsored by American Adventurist featured beef from a local butcher, and fresh baked buns from a nearby bakery. We also had a cord of good quality firewood brought in so folks could enjoy some big campfires. These efforts are part of our long-standing tradition of supporting the local community and we encourage travelers to always buy local when you can because it’s always better!

Our famous Camp Cooking Competition and Potluck on Saturday was a huge success.

People plan for months in advance with special recipes and presentation ideas to try to set themselves apart from the competition. Rules here are simple, cook it out here and try to feed as many people as you can in hopes of winning more votes for best dish. The competitive spirit and fun increases every event, and this was the best year to date for culinary creativity in the Desert!

BIG thanks to everyone who came out and cooked all this great food and shared it with us!

This year’s Camp Cooking Competition winners are:

1st Place: Korean Tacos – Mark aka exploroverland

2nd Place: Pickled Onions – Layne aka TACMEDIC

3rd Place: Discado Norteña – Tim aka Topcat9

Big thanks to Tembo Tusk for sponsoring the prizes for the Camp Cooking Competition!

The Korean Tacos were a big hit, and the presentation was on point. The more people you feed the more votes you’ll get!

The Pickled Onions were as pleasing to the eye as they were to the palate. And let there be no doubt, major style points were scored with attendees for the excellent portability and attention to detail!

Tim killed it with his Discado Norteña game, and the strategic positioning of his serving station in the chow line ensured that everybody could easily stop by on their way through and try his Camp Cooking Competition entry.

Doug and Inger’s Swedish Sushi could have been a contender, check out this immaculate presentation!

NOM NOM NOM

Offroad recovery education was provided by Chris Cole, I4WDTA President and the founder of SafeXtract along with I4WDTA Certified Trainer Mike Block of Backroad 4WD Training. These guys are the real deal and having them on deck to share their vast knowledge was a real blessing. We’re grateful that they were able to make the long journey out to join us in Arizona!

A Solar 101 course was provided by Tony Ellis of Adventure Power Solutions with a goal to educate everyone on the finer points of today’s solar power technology options. This was an excellent primer which answered many common misconceptions surrounding use and employment of 12V solar panel setups and mobile energy storage options during long range trips.

Education on Desert Medical Emergencies was provided by emergency medicine expert Tim Reynolds. He covered a wide range of useful first-aid topics for us in laymans terms. Everyone walked away smarter on heat stroke, dehydration, cactus, bites and stings, first aid kits, and how to stop bleeding.

Dogs are guaranteed to enjoy any Rendezvous, and we believe that the number of families with dogs (and kiddos) in attendance is directly related to a successful weekend. Dogs and kids love nothing more than to be outside in the sunshine!

Big thanks to our Crew who really stepped up at check in to make things smooth for those arriving from afar. OG conspiracy member Stuart McWilliams has been holding this down for us for many years, but he was detained elsewhere. We were in the hurt locker without him on duty at check in this year, but the ladies stepped up and made it happen. We could not have been successful at Desert Rendezvous without the administration and hospitality provided at check in by Erika, Paige and Inger.

A huge round of applause for these amazing lady Adventurists!

Every Rendezvous is a showcase of decked out campsites. You’ll also see virtually every type of overland rig and many different ways of modifying them. You can easily spend the whole weekend wandering from camp to camp just talking to people and looking at all the great builds and various gear that people choose to equip themselves and their vehicles with.

This is how you slam dunk the Best Campsite Competition!

The Raffle this year was incredible! Even with all the supply chain pain and other challenges of the past couple years, the industry support for our Rendezvous events never faltered. These companies understand who we are and what we do, and the importance of their support year after year cannot be overstated. Remember them the next time you’re in the market for something because they are Adventurists just like you!

BIG thanks to Badass Tents in San Diego! Not only did they come out with family and join us for the long weekend, but they also stepped up in a major way by providing the Grand Prize for the event – a new roof top tent! TOTALLY BADASS!

Every event we try to recognize one of our guys. John Rhoades is our MVP for Desert Rendezvous 2022 because this little guy outworked all of us. If you enjoyed the big campfires and fresh burgers we provided, John was the driving force behind all of those efforts. THANKS JOHN!

We also want to recognize Cris Mateski, we buried his garage in raffle prizes for several months and he made sure they got out to the desert for the event. Here’s a photo of Cris working, which is only possible because he didn’t see the camera coming around. THANKS CRIS!

This Community attracts the very best people. At the end of the day, it really is the people and the relationships here that make our group what it is. With so many great people bringing their passion and talents to the table, I’m always blown away by the creative content I see after our events. Check out 395jnky and Adrian Overlands on YouTube for their recap of this event and other great content! Maybe I’ll get our American Adenturist YouTube channel moving once I’m fully “retired”…

The gifted artists behind our beautifully painted rocks – thank you!

Many roads led to this spot in the desert, and people drive from all over America to attend our events each year. In 2022, we had attendees on the ground in Arizona from as far away as Maryland, Texas, the Midwest, and Washington. That in and of itself is pretty humbling.

This year I was moved by how many grateful people stopped by on Sunday to say thank you and shake my hand on the way out of our camp, applauding the professionalism and integrity of our organization. Their character was evident after everyone had left as we stayed behind to inspect the area before turning it back over to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Not a single piece of trash was found, and every campfire had been completely erased. It was as if they were never there.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the California Offroad Vehicle Association as American Adventurist becomes a Platinum Level Sponsor to help them fight the good fight to protect and preserve off-road recreation and access on public lands throughout California. Why? Because Closure isn’t the Answer, and they need our help. Because if California falls, there will be more Locked Gates Ahead nationwide. We’ll talk more about land use issues that affect all of us in a future article.

For now, the immediate task is to keep enriching lives through fellowship, education, Tread Lightly! ethics, and the resilience that comes with increased knowledge and confidence. We’re continuing to raise the bar to make this community of Adventurists stronger so thanks for joining us here and we hope to see you at Mountain Rendezvous in California!

Big thanks to all our partners!

February 3rd, 2021November 26th, 2023

Eat Well In The Wild!

Meal planning is one of the most important considerations for any trip. We all know that being hangry can derail a trip, so it’s worthwhile to take some time to explore alternatives for fast and easy food while out there on the go. And since we know that hunger sometimes strikes when we’re minimally prepared, it’s good to be knowledgeable on the high quality, shelf stable choices available to keep on hand for potential emergencies like being stranded or socked in by fast moving weather systems. Having at least three days of extra food at all times is a hard requirement for anyone traveling the back country by boots, paddles, peddles or 4WD.

That said, over the years we’ve expended a lot of time and resources on camp cooking during our longer trips. You can bring the entire Snow Peak or Camp Chef catalog to camp, and it’s easy to invest considerable time and money on elaborate meal planning and preparation. Everybody wants to be your friend in camp when you fire it up Overland Gourmet style and start delivering the goods.

But what if you don’t enjoy hauling 150 lbs of glamping paraphernalia around in your vehicle so you can feed those pesky camp remoras again? What if you’re the camp remora this time and find yourself out of luck?

Or, what if it’s just YOU on a solo adventure?

If you’re less focused on spending time in camp fiddling with kitchen gear and cleaning, and more focused on the actual experience gained while out and about, this article is for you.

Food can be a polarizing topic. With innumerable dietary needs, opinions and preferences to consider, we’ll stick to just the basic facts here as it pertains to “hiker food”. We’ll also provide some impressions on brands and flavors etc in follow on segments here.

One argument that cannot be broken is the fact that there is no easier option. The only thing required for most of these meals is water, a way to boil it, and a long spoon.

Something thing that really interests me is how far this technology has progressed. Today’s lightweight “hiker food” tastes SO much better than it did even 10 years ago. The variety of brands and menu options has really grown as well, with everything from Kosher to Vegan to Gluten Free meals being readily available online from vendors like REI or Basecamp Food in the UK. Basecamp is my go-to source for different menus from “over the pond”. Most of the international meals you see here were sourced online from them.

Of interest here, the market has exploded with many new offerings from the UK, Scandinavia, and here in the USA which in turn drives innovation and creates competition for legacy brands like Mountain House, the industry standard we’re all familiar with. Everyone wins when brands compete in a free market!

SHELF LIFE. In general, shelf life ranges from good (a few years) to amazing (decades!) on freeze dried meals from different makers. With the European varieties, shelf life tends to be decent but considerably less than the comparable American freeze dried meals. This might be due to the composition of the meals and choice of ingredients. For example, the standard Mountain House stuff is 100% freeze dried, while some of the European meals appear to use a variety of ingredients in addition to just freeze dried staples.

COST. Freeze dried meals can cost on average of anywhere from $7 to $12 per meal, so they’re not exactly inexpensive. You can buy a dehydrator and a vacuum sealer and DIY some stuff at home if you want, or just buy some pre-dried bulk ingredients from a grocery store. It’s easy to blend proteins, starches, and spices together to create your own tasty mash ups.

But, if your time is more valuable than your money, you’ll gladly pay for the diverse flavors and convenience seen here.

CONVENIENT CALORIES. Backpacker meals tend to be calorically dense, lightweight, and generally VERY tasty. Best of all, and an important feature when you’re physically exhausted after a long journey, they’re SO EASY to cook. Just add boiling water, wait a few minutes (patience is key), and then eat it straight out of the bag. And since no cleanup is required, you can go straight from eating out of a bag, to crawling into your sleeping bag. You can even cook and consume these meals from within a sleeping bag in inclement weather. Going to be bed with a hot meal in your belly will help you stay warmer, and that alone can be priceless.

Military Field Rations have improved, but are still HEAVY to carry, especially MRE’s!

NUTRITIOUS ENERGY. The weight to energy ratio is fairly good as freeze-drying a meal removes 80% of it’s water weight, with many meals ranging between 500-900 calories and weighing in at around 5-7 ounces. The process of freeze drying can also retain up to 90% of the nutrients which is good, but some companies have a fair amount of sodium and “other stuff” in them which may or may not concern you.

Some brands feature more natural ingredients than others, and competition is increasing in the “healthy” segment with brands like Tent Meals in the UK and Good To-Go in the US filling this important niche with clean ingredients that you can actually pronounce.

SPEAKING OF HEALTHY OPTIONS… Patagonia Provisions offers a different take on the genre by partnering with like-minded farmers, fishermen and researchers as partners in the creation of their foods. Patagonia specifies and supports “regenerative practices that restore, rather than deplete, the planet”. So if you’re looking for a tasty, sustainable, environmentally aware option Patagonia just might have what you need.

Firepot meals are handmade in Dorset, England. Their goal is meals that are nutritious, delicious and simple. And if you’re watching your salt intake, they only add salt as you would at home – very sparingly. You’ll recognize all their ingredients and you won’t find any artificial additives, flavorings or preservatives.

SPOILER ALERT: Their Orzo Pasta Bolognese is top shelf!

FIREPOT is made without palm oil or additives and features compostable pouches

DON’T FORGET SPICES! Eating too much of the same things over the course of a week-long trip can wear on you. Bringing along some small packets of salt, pepper, or condiment packets like hot sauce, wasabi, or BBQ sauce can be a game changer and a BIG boost to morale at the end of a hard day.

CONSIDER YOUR BEVERAGE OPTIONS! You should try to remember to include some beverage powders etc when you do your meal planning. These little Arizona Tea “Arnold Palmer” Half and Half drink mixes are a great pick me up and long time favorite of mine, weighing in at a hiker friendly 3.3 grams each with only 10 calories and the ability to instantly transform a half liter of meh tasting water into a liquid dessert. There’s even some seriously good COFFEE options on the market today aimed squarely at the fast and light crowd. We’ll cover more on these developments in a future article.

VARIETY IS KEY. You’ll want different meals when you’re out there, so make sure you include breakfast entrees in addition to the usually acceptable lunch and dinner menu items. Augmenting your meals with some fresh fruit is a nice treat that adds flavor and nutritional value to your diet as well.

One of the other really nice things about these dehydrated meals for motorcycle, 4WD or “Overland” style trips is that they require no refrigeration, and you can augment them with virtually unlimited other standard “road trip” snacks like beef jerky, drinks and trail mixes if you’re not lugging it all on your back. But if you are hiking it all in like some of us love to do, remember “ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain”…

… your comfort based decisions come with a cost so choose those meals and extra treats wisely!

Backpacker’s Pantry (USA) Risotto with Chicken is one of the best tasting meals we’ve ever had!

Future articles here in American Adventures magazine will talk about the flavor, texture, and overall drool factor (or the lack thereof) involved with some of these meals, and our top picks for which meals warrant an “always on hand” status in our load planning.

FULL DISCLOSURE: All endorsements and opinions in this article are unsolicited. Items featured in this article were privately purchased by the author for the sole purpose of providing honest, independent reviews to help our members eat well in the wild!

#IndependentMedia