E. Oregon Part 4: Slow Solo Slog to Surprising Scenery

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I've parted ways with SW Idaho Overlanding and Coyote Works, and now continuing solo in my Subaru Forester out across some vast empty eastern Oregon desert. I'm seeking interesting geological features but stumble across some history along the way.
This is part 4 of a 5-part series. Here are links to previous episodes:
Part 1: Alvord Desert Fail - • Eastern Oregon Part 1:...
Part 2: The Never Ending Desert: • E. Oregon Part 2: Solo...
Part 3: To The River We Go: • E. Oregon Part 3: Deep...
Below you will find links to some of the gear seen in this series. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made after clicking one of my links, even if you ultimately purchase a different product. This costs you nothing, but the small commissions earned on referrals help make it possible for me to continue creating content for this channel.
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Jackery Explorer 500 Power Station:
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Claymore 3 Face camp light:
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Camp Chef Mountaineer Stove:
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Gazelle T3 pop-up tent:
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Coleman cot: (standard "cot" option, not "deluxe")
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Midland 105 GMRS radio (works with handheld FRS radios)
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Expedition Research Ultra-light Kettle:
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Snowball 25-liter Rotomolded Cooler:
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X-Bull Traction Boards:
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The Safety Siphon:
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FuelPax 3.5 gallon gas can by Rotopax:
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Viair 88p air compressor:
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Teraflex Deflators:
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(I attempted to record the sound of the coyotes as it was the closest and most intense I'd ever heard, but I had drained my camera battery the night before and didn't think to put a new battery in before going to sleep. This was such a key element to that morning's experience, because they not only woke me up, they woke the cows and everything else up and the noise just never stopped, LOL. So I tracked down an audio clip of yipping coyotes that very closely replicates what I heard that morning. The audio is licensed under Creative Commonscourtesy of "Encorps" via freesound.org.)

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21 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 228

@theflyfishingnomad9641 4 года назад

The snake is a gopher snake. And the early morning noise you didn’t know I think is a group of chukars, a ground bird common to our high range deserts.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Okay, cool, was pretty sure on the snake but that was the first one I'd ever seen. Chukars...somehow that name goes well with the noise they make, haha.

@ospr3y 4 года назад

Came here to comment about the Chukars! They're native to Asia, but were introduced into the western USA as a game bird. Now they're abundant on rocky and grassy slopes of the west.

@stout_tossme7541 4 года назад

Chuckers for sure.

@swidahooverlanding2867 4 года назад

Chuckars are making the noise. That steep road leads down to a old jasper mine. I see you camped right above the old corral! I recognized the surrounding bluffs and then could see the corral in your panning. If you want to see more of the road along the lava you can check out my "A Bogus Trip? Part 2" video. The first few minutes covers that section. Great video! Looking forward for the next installment. See you on the trails, George.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

So I went back and watched that A Bogus Trip? Part 2. I'm sure I could've made it all the way down the road along the lava just fine. It was just a little too late in the day and too slow-going easing the Forester over those rocks for me to get all the way down to the spot I had in mind, and still be able to meet my cousin clear up at Leslie Gulch the next morning. (although had I known I was gonna start my day at 4am it actually would've been fine, haha).

@swidahooverlanding2867 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest Maybe next time. It is a pretty cool road to drive. It is a slow going road even for my Jeep so don't feel bad.

@scottfrost7178 4 года назад

I appreciate the caution with the rocky trails. Especially when you are on your own and with no cell signal.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

It's a tough call sometimes, and usually when I push it, I'm okay. But...this was probably the most remote I've ever been. Not the moment to take chances for sure. Thanks for watching!

@TyMoore95503 4 года назад

softroadingthewest Sometimes it is best to be cautious. Besides even if you did have clearance and a winch, there is very little to winch off of (besides a Deadman recovery bag filled with 2000lb of rocks!)

@GPosner8 4 года назад

You did NOT cook up ground beef in front of those cows?!😀🤣😂 Those rough roads prove that discretion is the better part of valor. Thank you Donald. Amazing photography, epic adventure. Can’t wait for the next episode. 👍👏🏻🚙🏕🍻

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

LOL...I admit that consideration did not enter my head. Though my ice was running low and that beef had to get eaten. :-) Thanks Geoff!

@randallharmsen5802 4 года назад

Nice job Donald. I never known the vastness of eastern Oregon. The drone footage over the lava fields and cone were excellent. Colors jumped out on the screen.

@jonmarley_5324 4 года назад

I got “no country for old men” vibes when you were checking out that first spot.

@guyinreallife6035 4 года назад

I dont quite know how this video got recommended to me, but I'm glad it was. I grew up in Prineville and now live in Portland (not by choice, I just needed a job). Oregon is easily the most geologically diverse state in the country, from the literal sand and salt flats of teh Alvord Desert, through the canyonlands and high desert of eastern Oregon, the Painted Hills, through to the literal rain forest of the coast, and what a spectacular coast it is. Glad to be here. Glad you're showing it to the internet.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

We are fortunate here...that diversity of climate and terrain coupled with ample public lands and countless miles of dirt roads make it an exploring paradise for sure!

@SmoochieMcgoo 4 года назад

You make a quality product. You always do. However, I feel you outdid yourself with this video. Your experience with editing is really beginning to show itself. You are consistently managing to find ways to tug at the viewers' emotions now. I eagerly await your next release.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thank you for the kind words. It is truly encouraging to hear. :-)

@Blue.Crawler 4 года назад

Always amazed by the adventures out west, my little corner of up in New England, while wonderful doesn't come close to the wonder you show in your videos. Thank you for the time and effort you put into them.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thanks for watching!

@bkind2182 4 года назад

Awesome footage! Thank you so much for all of the extra time you put into filming and editing your videos!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thank you! I genuinely enjoy it. :-) Thanks for watching!

@jodielindakeahey5214 4 года назад

What a remarkable life!

@cambodianrefugee6305 4 года назад

Thanks for another inspiring vid! hard to accept limitations...if only I had a bigger rig...but, no rig will get you everywhere you wanna go, and when you go solo, the subie will keep the ambition in check. A bigger rig can mean you allow yourself to get into bigger trouble. Risk management is the name of the game.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Excellent point!

@danhohman 4 года назад

Another wonderful episode! Wow, talk about isolation! It’s amazing how little there is out there and yet you found signs of civilization! Those that came before us were a hearty breed for sure! So glad you flew over yourself at the lava crater. I had no idea of the scale of that thing until I saw you on the rim. Ambient sounds were fantastic. I felt like I was camping right next to you! Great job on another wonderful video. Thank you for sharing your trip!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

I know! It's one thing to be out in that isolation by choice for a vacation day, but to actually live and subsist out there back in those days...wow. Heh, on the guidance of another RU-vid filmmaker whose work I greatly respect, I generally try not to appear in my own drone shots, but here, yes, I needed to put myself in it to show scale. Really neat area which I didn't even come close to exploring thoroughly. Need to get there on fresher legs on a less hot day. :-) Thanks Dan!

@richardburguillos3118 4 года назад

Beautiful and spectacular. I think the word you’re looking for was serenity. Thanks once again for sharing your adventure.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Serenity. That's a good word indeed.

@TheTinManTJ 4 года назад

That road into the canyon was calling to me so hard. I definitely understand the risk calculation when you're out there alone, though. I have a Jeep and a winch, but without another vehicle around, I'd have thought twice too.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Right? I definitely gotta get back out there, with some backup. :-)

@uritaub5441 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest correct call not to go down there in a Subaru, without a propper 4x4 as a 2nd vehicle!

@VKSgtSLaughter 4 года назад

14:48 When in doubt... send out the Drone to scout ahead. But I totally understand your reasoning. Great video!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Oh good point, that did not cross my mind. Though with my drone luck, I'd end up crashing it up the road someplace and end up forced to drive to it regardless of what I saw, LOL. :-)

@subaruforester5062 4 года назад

Donald you should do a q and a video. - If you had to get a new vehicle what would you get or look at? Another Subaru? Toyota or jeep? - Have you been doing and mechanical maintenance to the forester we don't see? I have a 2017 forester and curious.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Last week's video was a Q&A. :-)

@thisoldman5386 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest Subaru out to be paying you for representing them so well.

@CoasttoCascadia 4 года назад

Good stuff! We were cracking up when you were cooking in front of the cows. Before I knew what you had planned for dinner I said “wouldn’t that be funny if he pulled out some ground beef!” Hahaha. Beautiful area, as always thanks for sharing. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Haha, this detail went right past me in the moment. :-)

@jeepersdelight 4 года назад

Jason from Maryland here Just cracked open a beer, gonna munch a little bit and watch the new installment! Cheers!

@adventureor7621 4 года назад

Thanks for sharing this much less traveled part of our wonderfully diverse state ...99% of us wont ever see ..till now... I sat imagining covered wagons with wooden wheels trying to make it across...then the shots of the crater and lava fields... and drone footage really tells the story...thought i was watchin national geographic... :) hey the Subaru IS a modern covered wagon complete wi tailgate chuckwagon and thank goodness ac !

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thanks! We are definitely fortunate here.

@hmr171 4 года назад

What an epic campsite. Living in New England, it's hard to imagine being in such an open space and being so remote from anyone else. Amazing.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

We are definitely fortunate in the west. There is more of this than I can possibly even explore in what remains of my life. :-)

@corwynhoward269 4 года назад

Another great video. The Forester is capable enough to get you to most places. Keep up the good work.

@JonDZ_Adventuring 4 года назад

Just catching up on this episode Donald! I always recommend to people to never adventure alone, but I think I feel pretty comfortable with that rocky section. HOWEVER! yesterday I finally met up with Marc @the.rooted.progress to do a trail and youtube collaboration and I had my 1st issue with the Passport (at 47k miles)!!! I never once had to change out a bushing, strut, axle. Nothing has went wrong, the dealership has never told me anything was going wrong! Out of no where, on one of the more difficult trails I've been on, I had a bolt come loose on my rear passenger upper control arm! Luckily Marc was able to witness the bolt coming off and after powering through this gnarl trail, we got to flat ground and performed the trail repair. There's no way I would have been able to fix the Passport without a helping hand. This stuff happens to everyone at some point, and I hope you'll be among good company when it does. This incident made me think of all the solo adventurers. Stay safe my friend! Oh, I have a IG video clip I made. I'm so backed up on my RU-vid content I won't be able to make this video for atleast a month. instagram.com/tv/CFAgnJPA3GT/?

@softroadingthewest 3 года назад

It's always in the back of my mind when I'm out by myself. I imagine the day will come when something will finally go wrong when I'm alone. I'm planning to start looking into some kind of satellite communicator for What If scenarios. I just enjoy being out solo too much to always go with a buddy. Glad you got to meet up with Marc!

@JBlinky67 4 года назад

Thank you Son. This was profound and emotional on so many levels. Just spectacular.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thank you. :-)

@monkeywrenchedphotography1876 4 года назад

I explore in a rear wheel drive Pathfinder so I feel ya when you decide against going down certain roads. Finding those special places in eastern Oregon with amazing views and no one around for miles is really a beautiful experience. Another great video, thanks for sharing with us!

@mickeykreg 4 года назад

Damn dude! You are a great videographer! Subscribed!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thanks!

@kirklandwhitetee 4 года назад

The Oregon outback is fascinating.

@kevingoodrich3050 4 года назад

I live in Central Oregon and have used my jeep for years exploring. The roads you showed looked very easy. The rig you need is a 4 door jeep. The last three years we have been using side by sides. In a day you can travel 150 plus miles a day. The ride is great.

@VKSgtSLaughter 4 года назад

6:03 Hasta La VISTA baby... Sorry I couldn't help myself. 😁 Beautiful and epic scenery! Great video!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

LOLOL

@lindabarker7142 4 года назад

the colors of the sunset were awesome yellow almost green, pink and blue. beautiful video

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thank you!

@bigboyfrank6292 4 года назад

Hey there brother! Great video and drone footage as well! I love watching your channel bcuz I have a truck that’s not a 4x4 and I you have a awd rig and you go to places that I think my truck will be able to go and I like that! I’m a beginner/weekend overlander and thank you for the inspiration that I can do that too! Hopefully I day we will cross paths on the trails and I can thank you personally and be apart of the overlanding Community 🙂 this is Big Boy Frank from Texas Peace out ✌️

@lloydbledsoe3986 4 года назад

So sad you didn’t get to the River. That drive down into the canyon is epic.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

I will be back. Looks absolutely amazing in that area, and there was more here I hoped to explore, but my time was constricted. As I'd already had a canyon/river experience on this trip, I wanted maintain some variety in what I was seeing and exploring. That said...I was mighty tempted to change my plan and drop down to the river instead, a swim would've felt SO good that afternoon and the canyon looked stunning! :-) Thanks for watching!

@overlandme 4 года назад

Beautiful video. I can't wait for the next one. Great job Donald.

@rogerprism8661 4 года назад

23:26 - I bet Lucie's soooo proud of her Dad! :)

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

LOL, oh yes she's thrilled with that scene, haha!

@virginiarocks 4 года назад

Stunning scenery. Just lovely. Thanks!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thanks Anita!

@gs98999 4 года назад

Hello from Calgary, Alberta. Recent subscriber. Used to have that gen forester a while ago. Very capable suv. I enjoy watching your adventures and they inspire me to plan more trips myself.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Nice! Some beautiful lands to explore near you, I've been in that area very briefly about 10 years ago and loved what I saw. Enjoy!

@trevorroberts9539 4 года назад

Beautiful spots you found!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Really amazing out there at every turn. :-) Thanks for watching!

@OneBaldingWookiee 4 года назад

Damn as much as I really wanted to see the views, the abandoned structures and vehicle, better safe than sorry. Good on you for not risking it.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

I know...it was killing me. I considered at least flying the drone down in there but it was SO hot, I just couldn't bear standing in the sun for the 15 minutes that would've taken. I'll be back, definitely some unfinished business here. :-)

@toddingram1198 4 года назад

Donald with a low key flex - frying up some hamburger in a herd of cattle like a boss 😎

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

LOLOL...this went totally past me in the moment. :-)

@d4v3tm 4 года назад

cows needed therapy after that

@fwdadventuresza254 4 года назад

Again, a great dose of inspiration! 👍🏻 Thanks for taking us along!

@Westralia 4 года назад

America is truly blessed with some fantastic Mountains,Canyons and Valley vistas just like we do with some fantastic isolated white sand beaches in Western Australia.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

We are fortunate here in the western part of the country...a lot of wilderness just waiting to be explored. Thanks for watching!

@mungabrown6543 4 года назад

Love this series! Thanks for showing me parts of our state I have yet to get to. Can't wait!!

@theflyfishingnomad9641 4 года назад

People that have never driven those rough rocky remote roads just don’t understand how hard that can be on you, both physically and mentally. The need for constant concentration and the unending bouncing and rocking really wear on you.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Yes! Exactly! It's fun for about a quarter of a mile, and then it starts getting old and fatiguing really fast. :-)

@dvonehrlich 4 года назад

It was great to see the coffee pot craters I remember thinking when I was there that it looked like it could have been formed last year it looked so fresh. Those were some great spots that you scouted out there, sometimes it is hard to really know how difficult the road is till you are sliding down it or suddenly stuck.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

For sure! This one was awfully tempting but will just have to wait. :-)

@alexkostenyuk 4 года назад

Can’t believe we have this in Oregon, amazing place , thanks for sharing, you really pushing your Subaru out there 👍

@ktmpasser 4 года назад

Love your videos. The the production values are outstanding.

@armaniusmaximus 4 года назад

Great use of the drone at around 17:30! Loved this episode. Can't wait for the next one. Was hoping for an account on how you warded off a pack of coyotes though!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Haha...my experiences with coyotes is that they're extremely shy. That said, I've only ever encountered one at a time - I've never faced off with a pack of them. If they had ended up in my camp, I certainly would have just stayed put inside the tent. :-) I hear coyotes regularly on my trips, but this was the only time I've ever heard them close enough and loud enough to actually wake me up.

@GRA466 4 года назад

What a beautiful episode! Got me scouting Google Earth immediately to find my own little get away haha! And as always great photography!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

That is awesome to hear! So much out there waiting to be explored! Enjoy!

@tdg0101 4 года назад

Just awesome. Great content. Thanks for sharing your adventure!!

@vince4316 4 года назад

Really cool, best vid yet of the series...stunning sunset/rise and drone footage

@greggygreg8549 4 года назад

Donald at 21:00 into the video, you hit in on the nose...there is something very special about being in a place where social distancing is not measured in feet, but probably tens of miles...a beautiful, peaceful locale, wonderful weather, and it is yours alone...yeah, that is a special feeling...it is hard to put into words...well perhaps the word "contentment" comes close. If you could have that feeling every day what would it be worth? You know if you cook that good in the middle of no place, you must really kick butt, cooking in your kitchen back at home...were you a chef in a former life? I think you were pretty close to that historic ranch down by the river, where you decided to turn around (which was the smart thing to do). But wow, if you could have camped there for a night, that would have been cool! Maybe next time, when you get a higher clearance vehicle? Thanks for posting...I have been only once to the southeastern corner of Oregon, but its vastness, peacefulness makes it a special place, indeed!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Haha, I'm no chef, but I mostly learned to cook at the hands of a restaurant owner in France. :-) This was a different road (but very close). Pretty sure I can make it down the other road down to the ranch...I ended up on it by mistake a little later and was tempted to continue on down so I could cool off in the river, but decided to stick with my original plan for the lava bed. I actually had a few more spots out this way I also wanted to check out, but got out here much later than I expected due to the late start from the river campsite. But I am definitely going back one way or another, I have some unfinished business. :-)

@edwardmorgan9411 4 года назад

Excellent

@qmmt9786 4 года назад

So this video made me google lava flows in my area. I didn't know there was one in Southern Colorado. I'll have to make that trip.

@bimteck 4 года назад

Epic drone footage at the crater.

@kenhoward3512 4 года назад

My first time viewing this channel. It's nice to find such isolation in this modern world, like stepping back in time a couple of hundred (or more) years. It has been a long time since I've seen a night sky with the number of stars visible in the thousands. The Forester does fairly well on these trails - which is good to know if you already own one - but considering how close the oil pan is coming to rocks in the center of these trails, along with the steepness and loose rocks in places, I would likely prefer a more off-road-oriented 4x4 vehicle for this kind of exploring, with lower gearing and greater clearance.

@Environmenthrall 4 года назад

To continue the alliteration: Stunningly Spectacular! The colors and the topography in those spots were just gorgeous. And that's a Great Basin Gophersnake, Pituophis catenifer deserticola (there are several subspecies of the P. catenifer).

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Awesome, appreciate the confirmation and clarification on the gopher snake! I had no idea at the time, it was only researching after I got home that I even had the faintest idea of what it might be. I walked very very carefully around it at a distance first to make sure there weren't any rattles on that tail! :-)

@Environmenthrall 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest you're welcome. Thanks for always providing good content. Sent you some links through your website's contact form. Hope they help!

@davidcolinstillman5585 4 года назад

LIKE THE SPECKLED EGG LOOK !

@TommyKinsey1972 4 года назад

these are put together very well. Nice work.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thank you!

@goinghigh 4 года назад

Thank you for another great video. Really makes it worthwhile being a patron. A few bucks and get some ideas where I will be traveling this fall or more like next year. Thank you.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thanks Gene, glad you enjoyed the episode, and thank YOU for the support!

@thomas194907 4 года назад

just another excellent video...you made my day donald !!!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thank you!

@ThalassTKynn 3 года назад

Great call with the caution on the rocks. Though I think your main constraint was time. If course I wasn't there haha! It'd be nice to explore with a couple other properly built Subarus for safety, and no deadlines.

@softroadingthewest 3 года назад

Yes, on the second road where I turned back, I was more concerned about time than anything else. There were a number of spots I wanted to get to out in this area that I had to give up on, so at some point I hope to get right back out here and complete the mission. :-)

@uritaub5441 4 года назад

Amazing video Donald! 1. Your rear was banging. Time to upgrade your suspension and lift! 2. You really need a cell antenna/amp if you go that deep into the wilderness Best from Jerusalem!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

I am indeed hoping to make some upgrades soon, to both suspension and backcountry comms!

@davidviner5783 4 года назад

Superb trip.

@ecksehl 4 года назад

I would love to hear you do a video on potential new vehicles in your future, or if you had a "realistic" dream rig, using a budget that would lend itself to your hobby. I've heard you mention "bigger rig, bigger tires" a few times now and you already push the limit of your Forester. I've been looking into a "family" vehicle for exploring like a Honda Pilot (09+) or a Sequioa, Pathfinder, etc. Cheap used good reliable off road capable vehicles

@ezragutierrez9276 4 года назад

The best option is a Mitsubishi Montero or pajero

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

That is an interesting idea. A fair number of viewers are here because I'm driving a Subaru, and get nervous when I talk about jumping ship to a 4x4, but looking at it from a purely hypothetical view and just discussing the pros and cons of various platforms has interesting potential. In the process, it may even help me zero in on what my next rig will be. [ Dear Subie fans, don't worry, I have a long history of keeping cars for around 10 years, and I'm only three years into the Forester...we've still got many more adventures in front of us. :-) ]

@ecksehl 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest While I do agree, from my own experience, I am sure people are here partially for the Suburu Content. Perhaps in the future, if you went with an unconventional platform (a 09+ Honda Pilot as an example) and you kept the same theme of budget Overlanding mods then people would still be happy. I was also wondering how people would react if you started getting "sponsored" by companies. Suddenly you started using all these fancy expensive products that were given to you. It would make your own adventures better and more quality, but at the same time that relatable content might not be there anymore because you're now using products that most people can't afford in their hobby builds. I am here for you and what you do, no other reason. You could switch to a unicycle Overlanding build and I would still watch!

@seanfrank4158 4 года назад

I have a Jeep....but no winch. I'll meet you back at that first place after the borders open again and we'll go explore the first spot you couldn't get down into....

@daveybernard1056 4 года назад

18:30 it looks like you parked in a Golden Grahams commercial. marvelous

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Haha...oh man, I haven't had Golden Grahams in years. Might have to go buy a box now! :-)

@ShailShah98 4 года назад

Cows are mad because you are eating beef in front of them. JK. awesome video! waiting for part 5

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Haha...this detail went right past me in the moment. :-)

@ericsb474 4 года назад

cant wait til i run my stock tires down on the forester so i have an excuse to get some AT's, hopefully puttin in the 1" lift soon to give me further reasons to put the bigger tires on

@itsbobbyagain 4 года назад

@softroadingthewest Seems like your next vehicle might be a 4Runner or Land Cruiser. Amazing video, keep on adventuring!

@zackdemundo 4 года назад

Well I see you waited until the cows came home before you made dinner. Hope there might be some Idaho footage next week. I’m there in about three weeks. Craters, Boise, a Starbucks...

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Close, but not getting quite that far east in this trip. One day I'd love to spend a few weeks just exploring Idaho, I have seen some incredible photos and videos from around the state.

@jamesmauex 4 года назад

Great video

@northamericannomad7822 4 года назад

Really nice videography.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thank you! :-)

@joecro1453 4 года назад

Love your vids. Time for new rig!!!

@alexanderphilipgreen 4 года назад

Love your videos mate! My wife and I visited the US last year, we road tripped in a campervan around the West coast and out to the Grand Canyon, Zion, Vegas etc. We absolutely loved it, wish I could have brought my Forester over from Australia haha. Have you considered getting a larger lift kit? It will allow you to air down lower without sacrificing precious ground clearance as much, might get you a bit further, made a big difference on mine. Looking forward to further videos 👍

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Yes, I wish I had just gone for the 2" lift in the first place, and am definitely thinking about bumping up one day.

@davidluster6877 4 года назад

Good times!

@ScottNB914 2 года назад

Gorgeous country, stunning view at 5:46. You are correct saying crazy! This part is crazy gorgeous vista indeed. I love these views. May I ask what is the name of this great scene / region? What is the river below? (I tried to listen to if you said any name, but I must have missed it.) I do recognize Jordan Crater for sure. I've been there. It is unique and worth the trip. 'Thanks for sharing this great solo adventure. 👍

@stuckymudd5822 4 года назад

I grew up in Burns know alot of that area.i live in Eugene sence 1984

@darrylk808 4 года назад

I have to complement you on your ad placement. Your ads come at a natural break point and doesn't cut you off mid sentence or mid thought. I can't tell you how many channels just irritate the #@!! out of me when an ad pops up every 2 to 3 minutes right in the middle of a sentence!! Thanks for that.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

RU-vid places ads automatically, but creators can remove breaks and/or reposition them. RU-vid had inserted EIGHT ad breaks to this video. That's an ad approximately every 3 minutes. Totally ludicrous. I need *some* ads to run in order in order to keep this channel operating, but it's truly annoying how many RU-vid has programmed their system to automatically insert...far worse than broadcast TV and it just ruins the experience. So that's one more time-consuming task I have to deal with on every upload, LOL. :-) Anyway, thank you for watching!

@darrylk808 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest Your vids are beautiful and inspiring, they are telling me to get off my sofa and head out of the city.😁

@uweschroeder 3 года назад

There are limits to what you can do with any given vehicle. For this you'd need a bit more clearance or heavy underbody armor to slide over those rocks (better both). Maybe you could have tried, but it makes absolutely no sense to take a risk you potentially can't pull yourself out of. Being alone on the road brings extra limitations. Better safe than sorry. Awesome area though.

@Furniture121 4 года назад

Awesome, as always. One point though, no matter what vehicle you have there will always be somewhere you can't go. Might be wiser in the long run to not get too far down the bigger/more capable vehicle rabbit hole.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

That's a great point. And ultimately, I have been able to go, I dunno, *at least* 90% of where I want to go, just in my little Forester. If it wasn't so hot that day, I would've been perfectly happy with how far the Forester got me and just hiking the rest of the way down that road. :-)

@Furniture121 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest your channel has inspired me to do more wandering in my Kona. It's not as capable as my Frontier or Ram were, but it gets me down some back roads, and uses half the gas!

@solosaga5091 3 года назад

Considering you "neighbors," there's just something wrong about eating hamburger, lol. Random cow: "What? I think I smell Bill. HEY everyone, Bill is BACK!" Imagine their disappointment.

@softroadingthewest 3 года назад

LOLOLOL

@RVingwithG 3 года назад

You SO could have done it, but WISE man lives another day to ask K.C. to join him... LOL DANG. MARK IT ON THE MAP!

@foresterboy2011 4 года назад

Another amazing vlog as usual Donald. Wise move on your part. Even with an extremely offload capable rig and especially being alone. Only a fool would brave that one alone, thats probably why that vehicle in the shot was left there. Forgive me for asking but which Gopro do you use as I'm going to invest in one for our Scotland trip in about a months time.

@softroadingthewest 3 года назад

It's the Hero7 Black. I'm pretty happy with it as a second camera. Audio from the built-in mic isn't spectacular and the video image quality isn't as pristine as my larger cameras, but those are very fair tradeoffs for what it does well, being able to capture footage that would be impossible with a regular camera, even underwater, and the stabilization is fabulous.

@punktexas 4 года назад

I'm setting here wondering if softroadingthewest has become my favorite overland channel? It's hard to beat venture4wd as far as natural sounds from start to finish in his videos but you killed it with the animal sounds segment.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Chris is a huge source of inspiration for me, so to be mentioned in the same sentence with him is truly a compliment. He is an absolute master of the craft. I've been putting more effort to capturing more and better ambient audio, but I still would be hard pressed to assemble an edit with zero music the way he does. I absolutely love his work and have watched pretty much all of his videos. :-)

@genxiong2695 4 года назад

I really think you should get a more capable vehicle. Not saying the Subaru is not capable but definitely it will have it's limit as a Subaru is mainly for soft over-landing. Being alone out there you should be 100% confident in your ride; especially, it's capabilities. You'll never know what terrain you will run across where you'll need that extra clearance or 4x4 to pull you through.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Part of what has made this fun and interesting is doing it in a vehicle that isn't commonly used for this purpose, and succeeding even though I'm not 100% confident. That said...there is a strong argument to be made for moving to a solid 4x4 some day...I could definitely see that happening in the future. I can't afford that at this point however, so the Forester will have to keep getting me out there for now. :-)

@philbuilds116 4 года назад

You just never get that sense of scale until you see that dot operating the drone 🤣. I'm wondering if a narrow view would give a more realistic look. It seems that all action cams have issues with scale and elevation.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

I normally try to stay out of the drone shots, but here it seemed critical to get that sense of scale. Thanks for watching!

@OregonOutdoorsChris 4 года назад

That's sure some beautiful country out there! And if I may give some cinematography tips, if you can film at 60fps (or more) for those handheld panning shots, it will come out a lot nicer.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Ugh, I was seriously cringing at those pans. I try to slow myself down to not pan so quickly, but sometimes I get caught up in the moment. :-) I'll try to remember upping the framerate, I didn't know that trick - thanks!

@OregonOutdoorsChris 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest Yeah, it's a technological problem more than a technique; where 1080p or 4K are spatial resolutions, think of frame rate as temporal resolution, and that's the part our brains are objecting to in that footage. There's a disconnect with such a large gap in movement between each visual snapshot. Moving slower or using a gimbal are ways to reduce the amount of movement, but ultimately just upping the frame rate to fill in that temporal information is probably the best overall solution.

@erichughes9098 3 года назад

😎👍

@PaydayGabeBCNV 4 года назад

Really enjoying your Expeditions 👍, and your video production. ??, has the Forrester run its course in respect to offroad capabilities?? I saw a bit of frustration in that regard.. What's your thoughts, and what would you possibly upgrade to? Safe travels Don 🍻.

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

I'm not looking to jump ship anytime soon. It still gets me up 95% of the roads I want to take. :-) I think I'd likely look at a few more upgrades to the Forester before giving up on it.

@PaydayGabeBCNV 4 года назад

@@softroadingthewest Definitely makes sense considering your current investment. Less expense than a new rig.👍 Thanks for your reply .

@rafaelrafa5832 4 года назад

Stay in the road🌲🏞🏕⛰

@stevenrailey9204 4 года назад

so are you mainly eastern oregon or do you cross/ hang out in the cascades too?

@jefflott111 3 года назад

Reminds of les stroud, but in a subaru.

@MattCookOregon 4 года назад

Screw off cows its public land. Very epic views nice job man. Of course I liked the volcanic flow part. Or maybe I didn't since I have been looking at volcanic flows for months?

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thanks Matt! I felt kinda bad that I got all the way out to this pretty cool lava site and was too hot & tired to check it out more thoroughly. Apparently there are some pretty cool features to see if you hike around a bit. I'm gonna recommend early morning or just avoiding summer altogether. Though yeah, you may be completely over lava by now, LOL.

@aulii11 4 года назад

Sure looks like a gopher snake to me!

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

Thanks for confirming!

@lornehoover8424 4 года назад

You often talk about airing down to give a better ride/grip from your tires but there hasn't been a discussion of what pump you use to add air. The video has "airing down again" near the beginning so I assume you added air since the last time you aired down?

@softroadingthewest 4 года назад

I think I've got a link in the description, but I've been running the Viair 88p for three years now, still going strong airing me up over and over and over. :-)

@memmener 3 года назад

19:07 "I got some ground beef...." right in front of the cows??

@moretoexplore6736 4 года назад

can you share where you were near the end of the video with the cows and you watched the sunset? That is my kind of camping spot. Thanks for the view!