Dan Grec has been featured a number of times on Expedition Portal and is perhaps best known for his epic overland adventures in a Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator. If you’re not familiar with his work, I highly recommend checking out his website, The Road Chose Me, and his books Two Years and 40,000 Miles from Alaska to Argentina and Three Years and 54,000 Miles Around Africa. Dan also runs a YouTube channel, and today’s video documents his mission to traverse the infamous Canning Stock Route.
The Canning Stock is considered the world’s most remote 4×4 track and stretches a monumental 1,150 miles (1,850 kilometers) from Halls Creek in the Kimberly region of Western Australia to Wiluna in the Midwest region (although Dan begins the route from the latter). It can take anywhere between 2-3 weeks to complete, and the video begins with a quote from Hema Maps stating: “Without a doubt, the Canning Stock Route is the most demanding 4WD track Australia has to offer. It isn’t just the demand on the vehicle; a great deal of physical endurance is also required.”
The route was completed in 1910 as a way to move cattle from the north of Western Australia down to the capital of Perth, and today it exists as a series of old wells starting with number one in the south all the way to fifty-one (although many no longer function). Despite spending the previous 12 months and 60,000 kilometers navigating some of Australia’s toughest routes, this was Dan’s biggest challenge to date. Despite some understandable concerns, he states, “I know I’ll regret it if I don’t tackle it while I have the chance.” The trip is made extra special as Dan’s father flies out to join him.
The duo begins their adventure on the 10th of November, which is late in the season for this mission. Temperatures soar to over 100 Fahrenheit, and more worryingly, the rainy season is fast approaching in the north. He states: “Once the torrential rains start, the track will become completely impassable.” As they begin their adventure, Dan pulls over every 100 kilometers to empty another jerry into the tank to reduce weight on the roof rack (the Gladiator averaged an impressive 13 mpg). The route changes constantly with terrain that includes corrugations, sand, gravel, mud, salt flats, dry river beds, and more. In addition, there are many obstacles to navigate, such as sand dunes, overgrown tree sections, rocky scrambles, and, later in the episode, some boggy sections. Dan provides brilliant narration throughout and explains the terrain, surroundings, and wildlife.
Furthermore, the orchestral music reminded me of the soundtrack to the film Interstellar, which felt fitting considering the oftentimes otherworldly scenery. One of the challenges on this route is crossing thousands of sand dunes, and Dan provides a wealth of guidance while highlighting the importance of a sand flag to avoid collisions. During the trip, they come across a range of wildlife, from kangaroos to dingoes and camels. Dan explains that camels were first introduced to help develop rural Australia, but once released, they exploded in numbers and are now detrimental to native species and ecosystems, with over 1,000,000 of them in the wild. On day 8, the rain arrives with a vengeance, and while Dan remains calm and collected at the wheel, it’s clear there’s some trepidation about what lies ahead. These concerns about heavy rain were absolutely justified and left experienced overlanders Trucking Oz stranded in the Simpson Desert in 2021. The story made international headlines and served as a reminder that even with vast experience and a fully-equipped rig, you remain at the mercy of mother nature. The film also offers valuable safety advice such as removing grass buildup around the exhaust to prevent an underbelly fire (a hazard they witness firsthand when they discover a burnt-out Wrangler on the trail).
The duo completes the route after 10 days and a total of 1,064 miles (it was a further 560 miles from that point to reach civilization). I have to say that I fell completely in love with the Gladiator during this film, which made light work of one of the most notorious 4×4 trails in the world. Dan ends the episode stating that the Canning Stock was “the most epic 10-day overlanding adventure of my life,” high praise indeed from an individual that has already completed some of the most notable overland routes in the world. The film is very inspiring and left me wanting to tackle a similar route. If you’d like to keep abreast of his latest adventures, then be sure to follow along on Instagram at The Road Chose Me.
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