Expo East 2018: The Field Report

North Carolina has a reputation for an almost unreal autumn beauty. Its rolling hills backed by rugged mountains come alive with the changing of the seasons, lighting up with the vibrant yellows, reds, and oranges that only a deciduous forest could provide. Yet the weather can be a bit mischievous this time of year, a lesson that we all learned firsthand at the 2018 Overland Expo East.

By the time we arrived at the Oskar Blues REEB Ranch on Thursday, it was obvious things were going to be interesting. A slow drizzle was falling, the ground was slick, and a recovery of an overland truck from the United Kingdom was already underway. We stopped to watch the attempted winching via JK, but it was clear they would need a lot more muscle to move this beast. Luckily for them, that muscle showed up in the form of an enormous 6WD shortly after, which made quick work of the situation.

Vendors and enthusiasts continued to roll in throughout the afternoon while the water levels rose and the temperatures dropped. By nightfall, the crowds had retreated into their vehicles or huddled around the few fire pits scattered throughout the grounds. The conversation mostly revolved around the forecast, which called for rain, night-time temps of 23 to 30 degrees, and high winds on Sunday. We prayed it would be wrong, but somehow knew it wouldn’t be.

The next morning we received our confirmation: rain now fell heavily on the event with a cold breeze that bit at every inch of exposed skin. The grass entry lot was already turning to mud, and things were getting sticky quickly. That didn’t stop everyone from checking out all of the amazing vehicles or products though. There were still smiling faces out there determined to enjoy the weekend.

Thankfully, the weather eventually broke, revealing the beautiful fall conditions we had all been hoping for. The ground was still slick goop, but the sun warmed the spirits and thankfully the feet of everyone attending.

For all of the experience package attendees, the weather provided an excellent chance to put their new skills to work and learn firsthand about recovery scenarios. Instructors were able to do live demonstrations instead of simple mockups, which gave a clear picture of the various factors that come into play. Non-recovery based classes were booming as well, with topics ranging from vehicle preparation to border crossing advice. We sadly didn’t have the chance to attend a single one, but we’re hoping to change that at Expo West this coming season.

Of course, not all news from the event was rosy. The weather caused chaos in the campgrounds and led to some of the planned parking lots shutting down. Day pass visitors were turned away at the event entrance, and forced to take buses from over 9 miles away, often waiting extended periods in the rain just to catch a ride. Booths flooded, walkways vanished beneath the mud, and some areas became downright sketchy to walk through. While no one can control the weather, there was still an air of frustration floating through the event, and many people weren’t afraid to voice it.

Yet the true spirit of the overland community eventually rang through. Those who weren’t scared off by the rotten weather could be seen smiling, passing around food, hot coffee, or something a little more stout, and chatting about adventures past and those still to come. They learned the most important lesson a traveler can know, that things rarely go as planned, so you just need to smile, enjoy the moment, and keep rolling because there’s a whole beautiful world out there still waiting to be explored. In that regard, this Overland Expo was a smashing success.

To learn about the cool new trucks and products from the event, follow this link here.