By the time I sat down with Pat Rich for a plate of tacos near his home in a Salt Lake City suburb in 2021, we had known each other for eight years and yet had never seen one another in the flesh. Thus is it often with internet friends. We first crossed paths in the depths of the Jalopnik comments section (RIP, Kinja), and together with a small gang of like-minded overlanders from around the world (like Tim and Kelsey from dirtsunrise, landrover_nut, rufant_adventures, skychismo, and txpedition.overland, among others) anchored the old Overland & Expedition user community on that site. We shared our builds and travel stories, sought advice, reveled in each other’s adventures, and consoled one another when rigs broke down or expeditions failed.
Our supportive little band was scattered to the winds by the implosion of the Gawker Media empire, but I can safely say without their inspiration and encouragement (enabling?), my own overland path likely would not have led to where it is today. I believe many of the others would say the same. As for Pat, I’ve always thought of him as the epitome of the “everyman’s overlander.” Like many of us, he juggles the demands of family, work, school, homeownership, and even health challenges with his off-road travels. Also, like many of us, he’s drawn to wild places—whether alone or with those family and friends—for escape, authentic experience, and solace. His trusty 40th Anniversary Edition 80 Series Land Cruiser has two huge fistfuls of miles on it and is thoughtfully built, not overbuilt.
Pat is also a talented videographer, and his small library of films on YouTube showcases not only his deep expertise on the Beehive State backcountry but also his impressive technical and four-wheel-drive knowledge. Every time I queue up one of Pat’s videos, I know it will hit my own near-constant longing for a Utah desert adventure right in the feels, as well as my nostalgia for the exciting early days of my overland life and community. In his travel videos, you can always put yourself in Pat’s shoes—waking bleary-eyed after a sleepless night, exploring an otherworldly redrock canyon on foot, cooking an evening meal, tackling a particularly tricky piece of 4×4 trail—the images and sympathetic soundtracks feel familiar and heartening. The everyman’s overlander. One of these days, we’ll share a campfire together, I’m sure of it.
Check out Pat’s most recent trip to the southern reaches of Utah’s Kaiparowits Plateau in our Video of the Week.
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