So like, with each video makes me really sad I don't live in Oregon. Your editing and voice over(s) get better with each video man, following these videos make me so happy. Great job, and thank you so much for all the effort you put into these :)

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Kristen, that means a lot! 8^) Oregon will be here whenever you guys are ready to move up! Or at least, come take an overland vacation...it's not that far away! 8^)

@clf1330

2 жыл бұрын

Literally just moved here yesterday (bend). I took out my phone to gps how far this highway is from my house; 15mins!!!!!!

Nice and simple. 👍

Great words of wisdom while out on the trails, as always. I love your outlook on preservation and conservation.

Great video of some beautiful country!

You did a great job editing the video. I’m a Oregonian myself in the portland area and I need to get out that way more often

i like seeing the difficult parts and seeing the vehicle put in the work

That Subaru of yours is no joke. Watching it go over some serious "roads", i'm impressed with it.

Thank you for explaining where you went. Too many youtubers seem to want to be as vague as possible.

I took the road to Irish and Taylor lakes and its awesome up there !

Loved this video. Narration is getting better and better! The burned trees did look surreal.

slo mo on that part was a great addition 👍

As always great video ,some wicked landscape with the burnt up trees. I’ve been to Southern Oregon once when we road out to California on our Harley. Definitely need to get back out there with our 4 runner. Keep up the awesome work 👍

Awesome video as always man!!! Best wishes!!!

Another wonderful video Mr. D! Thanks for the shout out regarding the tarp system, coincidentally I was thinking of redoing it before SubieFest on Oct. 21st. I was thinking of using 3 pieces of I-beam connected with 2 hinges and yadda yadda, but I really like your setup and I will be copying it :P The quality of your video is exquisite! I especially liked the slow motion clip of your BFG KO2's being put to work. Keep up the great work! You're pumping these video's out quickly now!

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jon! I look forward to seeing your awning v2. It's funny, I had sketched out *so* many ideas for a mounted tarp support which each had some fundamental flaw, and it wasn't until I saw your video that something finally clicked and this design emerged, so it's truly a collaborative effort. I included it in my video so others looking for a low-cost solution could emulate it if desired (and also in part because people constantly ask me what that thing is on my basket, LOL). And, heh, yeah, now that I've got a little taste for how fun it is putting these together, I've got some backlogged trips to catch up on. If all goes well, should be a couple more coming out in the next few weeks.

@silver_rd1545

5 жыл бұрын

Being guilty of asking “what’s that thing on your basket?” Myself, this little clip really shows how it functions. Great design ideas to the both of you. I think I’ll have to try making up a version of this 👍🏼 The quality of your videos is really bumping up with each one. Keep up the great work!

Would love to see the awning build in more detail!

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

Oh good...yeah, I've still been thinking about making a little video about that, I'll have to see if I can get that together sooner than later. Thanks for watching!

@scottiemanners

5 жыл бұрын

Yeah it seems easy enough to follow what you did just by looking at it, still trying to make a diy version. I ended up finding an ARB replacement cover for $30, got a 10x10 neon waterproof tarp for $20 on amazon, and 4 telescoping broom/paint handles. Still haven't built it yet as I just got done installing 10 LED pods on all 4 sides of my roof rack for 360° lighting

When I first started going into that area, the culverts were redwood wooden slat. It was the original road built when they built the Dam on Waldo.

Well done video. Enjoyed watching.

Looks fun! I've been thinking of doing this route next month..

Finally got around to doing this route last weekend. It was awesome. My stock 1st gen Toyota Sequoia made it without too much trouble, but there were definitely 2-3 spots where I wondered if I should attempt the obstacle. Low range 4x4 definitely helps crawling up that steep section. Anyway, thanks for discovering/sharing! I had this on my to-do list for two years because of this video lol

@softroadingthewest

2 жыл бұрын

Nice, glad you got up there! I might hit it again at some point this fall with the Frontier.

I’m so sad about the cedar creek fire tearing through most of this road and surrounding areas, this is one of my favorite stretches of trail in Oregon. I’m super glad you captured it so beautifully on film, it’s not likely to look like that once they open the roads again… 😢

@softroadingthewest

Жыл бұрын

I've been watching the NWCC mapping with dismay. :-( That fire is has grown so large that it has now hit places I've explored & camped on multiple different excursions over the years. I'm glad I was able to make this drive and camp at Taylor one final time last year. I can't even begin to imagine what it's going to look like now...or what the old burn north of Waldo is going to look like now that it has burned yet again. :-/

@OregonTrailR

Жыл бұрын

@@softroadingthewestI tried to go camping at Taylor/Irish a few weeks ago when the fire was barely moving, but they had just shut the Taylor burn trail down. Missed it by a day. I have amazing memories made all along that stretch, I’ll just hold on tight to those and hope the fire didn’t level the whole area, so we can enjoy it again before too long.

Hey this is awesome. The roguh road part reminds me of the east side of diamond peak. Our content is kinda similar.

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Matt! Your name looked familiar...then I realized I watched your Fort Rock video when I was researching my own trip down that way. Your videos are great, you go into much more depth than me about the places you visit, whereas I'm more focused on the drive. 8^) And yes, exactly, this road reminded me a lot of NF 398 from Summit Lake to Crescent Lake east of Diamond Peak...I have that drive documented here too. Central Oregon never disappoints.

@MattCookOregon

5 жыл бұрын

Nice. Yeah man these are super clean videos. I will stay tuned.

Bad ass videos brother!!!

Great music towards the end of the video!

I am pretty sure I drove this exact same route in reverse in 1971 or 1972 in a 1965 Chevy II.

Boondocking in any AWD or 4WD is a case of The Hare and the Tortoise - Slow and steady wins the race.

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

Well put!

Hey it's Erik! Great video man! That spot that was the most difficult on the road is where I decided not to go any further yesterday when we were out there haha! Just didn't feel like risking it when we were out there by ourselves. Will definitely go back and conquer it some other time. The rain we got made it no dusty which was nice though. You got some great footage though! Thumbs up!

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Erik! Yeah, I imagine that spot could be extra challenging if it's wet & muddy too. So nice up there though...I really want to camp there at some point, if I can time it right before or after the mosquito season.

@dahlenadventures

5 жыл бұрын

Agreed! Camping there would be cool. If you pick a time and want some company feel free to hit me up. Maybe we can convince shawn to join us too.

Did you ever put up a tutorial on how to make that awning? That'd be great. Or at least a direction of where to find it. I just found your channel and I'm digging what you're doing.

@softroadingthewest

Жыл бұрын

Yes, here is the awning video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/fqOIl7xsotrKmpM.html

Absolutely love the videos! Question for you, any tips on routes for this? My girlfriend and I are planning a four-day trip where we select two key campsites on one of the lakes during this journey. Looking for solid dispersed camping sites. We're bringing a couple kayaks so the closer to the lake the better :)

Great video. Subbed.

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, much appreciated!

Still a good road trip video years later.

@softroadingthewest

2 жыл бұрын

Haha, oh man...ancient history here! :-)

I'd like to see the awning video, a detailed description is a must, please

@softroadingthewest

3 жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/fqOIl7xsotrKmpM.html :-)

I love this video Donald. I’ll be heading up to Waldo Lake this summer from Bend. Hoping to wait until after mosquito season… Just curious what month you did this trip in, if you recall. I’m a Patreon supporter. Thanks!

@softroadingthewest

12 күн бұрын

I believe this was early June. Mosquitoes were starting but it wasn't as bad as it gets in July and into August. We can chat about it more in the "Places" chatroom on Patreon if you'd like. :-)

@Mannix007

12 күн бұрын

@@softroadingthewest Thanks Donald, and good to know about the "Places" chatroom.

I wanted to see Waldo Lake..

@softroadingthewest

9 ай бұрын

Sorry about that, this was more about the "backcountry route" than the lake itself. Waldo Lake is easily accessible (seasonally) via a paved road off Hwy 58 and isn't the type of destination I typically cover on my channel, it was just a point of reference. If you haven't been to Waldo Lake, it IS very nice. I would try to get there soon after the snows melt and the road has opened, or in fall before the new snows arrive. The mosquitoes can be absolutely horrendous in July and August.

Great work on your video and awning. Do you think this route can be done in a Revel van? Looks like it but thought I would check.. Love the videos thanks.

@softroadingthewest

Жыл бұрын

Personally, I wouldn't try it in a Revel. Most of it would be fine but there are a couple of steep, deeply rutted hills that I've seen Jeeps struggle with. This whole area re-burned last summer and I haven't been up there since to see how badly this spot got hit.

@billmetcalf1158

Жыл бұрын

Thanks appreciate the guidance. Always looking for new areas to explore….Cheers

Great Stuff!! I was looking at Outbacks but the extra head room of the Fozzy is a selling point. What year is your rig??

@softroadingthewest

3 жыл бұрын

2012. Forester sits taller than the Outback and feels more vertically spacious, but it is on a smaller chassis...it's a smaller car overall. If you're Subaru shopping, I would definitely sit in both, drive both, and spend some time really looking inside the back of both. My previous Subaru was a 2007 Outback. I had wanted to get a Forester at that point, but it was immediately clear it was going to be uncomfortably small for our family of 4, so I started looking at Outbacks instead. (I'm now divorced and usually travel solo or with only one kid at a time, so I finally got my Forester, heh).

@stevejames9510

3 жыл бұрын

@@softroadingthewest Thank YOU!! Im single with a dag, so... I will test drive a 17 Fozzy this weekend at Kendall in Eugeneastan... Great channel!

I’m located in Eugene and am trying to get into off parading . Would you be down to do a ride along . Just bought a 4x4 and dying to start off roading

i have 2nd gen awd Honda Crv 5spd. i also would like to get the Ko2, 215 75 15 eith 2" lift. not having the symmetrical awd, do you think it would make the routes you have traveled?

@softroadingthewest

4 жыл бұрын

Sorry, just saw this! I think for the most part the CRV with good tires and a lift would get just about anywhere my Forester goes.

Sadly a bunch of this burned over yet again in 2022 due to lack of adequate response to a long-smouldering wilderness fire.

My wife and I are going to make this drive with possibly a friend or two in August. is my research correct the total distance for this trip is around 10-15 miles?

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

I didn't record the mileage but that sounds about right. A couple of challenging spots but that's all part of the fun. Bring mosquito repellent. 8^)

Did you fish any of those lakes?

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

No, I'm not really much of a fisherman to be honest. Plus driving and filming doesn't usually leave much free time to wet a line anyway. It's certainly a beautiful area for someone who wants to hang around though! These lakes are thoroughly charming.

I wonder If you can do this now after the fire ..?

@softroadingthewest

Жыл бұрын

This entire area was completely engulfed by the fire map. Remains to be seen how much within there burned or not. I'll certainly go take a look once they start letting people back in on these roads.

At the end of the video, you mention "airing up". But I didnt see a portion at the begninning indicating that you had aired down. How do you manage airing down for this sotroading work? In other words, is there a range that you use when airing down?

@softroadingthewest

Жыл бұрын

I use simple Teraflex deflators, and the amount I air down depends on the conditions. With the Forester, I'd go down from my pavement pressure of 40 psi to 25 psi for general gravel & dirt roads, further down in the 18 psi area if traction is more of a concern such as climbing rock steps or driving in snow, and all the way down to 12 psi in soft sand. What works can vary depending on the vehicle weight and the tire construction. The best way to to figure out what's right for you is to just start experimenting a bit. It probably never would have occurred to me to go all the way down to 12 psi, but when I found myself nearly getting stuck in sand at 18 psi, I tried going even lower and the improvement was noticeable.

Did you happen to drive to the waldo mountain lookout off NF-266 IS NF-266 a dirt road?

@softroadingthewest

3 жыл бұрын

No, that's further over on the west side from what's seen in this video. I haven't been up NF 266, but looking at satellite images, it definitely looks like a gravel road. I would be very surprised to find a paved road up in there.

@draketdraco

3 жыл бұрын

@@softroadingthewest Thank you for checking out the research I appreciate it I'm going out there someday I've decided to take the pickup truck instead of the Van.

What size tire are you running?

@softroadingthewest

4 жыл бұрын

215/75R15

Who made your bullbar?

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

That's from Rally Innovations. It's not really a heavy duty push bar or anything like that. They call it a "rally light bar" for mounting lights. That said, it's what takes all the abuse when I don't have quite enough approach angle, and has saved my bumper from getting damaged many many times. www.rallyinnovations.com/collections/rally-light-bar

@davidrickson8696

3 жыл бұрын

I hunt up top p.c.t every time i go up that road...i say never again...nasty road. Pretty countru

What’s the ground clearance of your vehicle

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

I have about 10½ inches (26.6 cm), probably a little less than that in the rear when it's completely loaded down.

Hello I was wondering when your next adventure though this area would be

@softroadingthewest

5 жыл бұрын

I don't know, I don't have any current plans to drive that route. I tend to look for someplace new to go each time I plan a trip, though this was really a fun little drive with some amazing camping options I'm really hoping to get back to someday. Thanks for watching!

Can you give me a location of this train head please

You're not supposed to tell people about these spots 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

@softroadingthewest

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, this was one on of my earliest videos several years ago when I had like 12 subscribers. I've long since stopped including location specifics.