[Bill Burke, Frutia, CO, is one of America’s foremost off-road instructors through his Four-Wheeling America program. For more information, contact Bill at 970-858-3468 or at www.bb4wa.com – ed ] Text: Bill Burke
As I spend over a half of the year on the trail in my Land Rover, I have great practice at deciding which stuffto take along. I strive to take only the most useful and essential of trial gear; you can assume that if I’m carrying it, it must be useful. To help you decide what stuff to take on your trail missions, I’ll break down what I carry front to back.
People say I can put 5 pounds of stuff in a 2-pound bag! All too often my D90 is very close to the 6000 GVW. It does boggle the mind as to how much I really can fit in the Defender! Client safety and comfort dictate that I must carry an oversized first-aid kit, a PETT portable toilet, common spares for field fixes, as well as all the paperwork associated with being a Guide/Outfitter. (…)

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[Bill Burke, is one of North America’s foremost off-road instructors through his Four-Wheeling America program. Here he shares his experience and knowledge on equipping yourself for trail breakdowns. –ed] Contact Bill Burke at 970-858-3468 or visit www.bb4wa.com

In my travels I have to beg and borrow shop floor space. Recently, as I lay on the floor of Columbia Rovers in Portland, OR, packing my front wheel bearings, the shop manager Brent offered me the use of a lift. Huh?? I’ve been a shade tree and big-truck mechanic for so long I wouldn’t know how to use a lift. Brent suggested I throw some dirt on the floor to make it feel like home. As I lay on the floor, listening to the dealership’s elevator music and humming Led Zeppelin, Brent and I began discussing how Rovers have progressed to the point that a lot of people are now carrying a laptop loaded with AutoLogic to help diagnose trailside fault codes. (…)

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