Many people reconnected with their local areas during the pandemic, exploring closer to home. With that came a boom in vehicle travel, more specifically, overlanding. Here in the UK, 4WD trails and routes are few and far between, but it’s a different story in many parts of the US. I’ve become obsessed with YouTube channels showcasing these backcountry adventures and recently shared examples from Chad at Living the Vanlife and Tim Johnson’s Truck House Life. This week, we’re visiting Justin B. McBride’s channel as he drives a new Ford Bronco on a trip in his home state of Utah.
Why have I chosen this for Video of the Week? Firstly, like Chad and Tim, Justin is great on camera, easygoing, relatable, informative, and a wonderful storyteller. In this episode, Justin visits all five of Utah’s national parks in one trip (Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands) on as few paved roads as possible. The video does a wonderful job of documenting Utah’s diverse landscapes while demonstrating that grand adventures don’t always require getting on an airplane or even leaving your state.
The video provides an interesting overview of how the new Ford Bronco performs as an overland platform. In fact, if you’re in the market for a Bronco and seek some real-world feedback, this channel offers a lot of useful information, with videos including “10 Reasons I was Wrong about the New Ford Bronco,” “This Bronco just Replaced My Jeep,” and “7 Things I Would Change About The Ford Bronco.” If you’d like to know what Expedition Portal and the Overland Journal think of this reimagined classic, consider viewing Scott Brady’s 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch Overland Test.
The videography in this episode is superb, showcasing outstanding drone footage of the vehicles and their surroundings (the aerial shots were filmed in collaboration with Revere Overland, another awesome channel). The journey begins with the Bronco and Tundra navigating rugged landscapes before parking at a breathtaking camp spot just outside of Zion National Park and culminates at an epic viewpoint over Capitol Reef National Park. One particular highlight is Bryce Canyon, home to the greatest number of hoodoos (tall, thin spires of rock formed through erosion) on earth, and is quite simply otherworldly.
Justin delivers on multiple levels, offering an entertaining yet informative and visually stunning insight into Utah’s network of 4WD routes and national parks. It was great to see an expedition-ready equipped Bronco perform in real-world scenarios. If you’d like to learn more about Justin and his work, visit justinmcbride.com.
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