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In his second year with Toyota’s NASCAR Cup Series juggernaut Joe Gibbs Racing, Christopher Bell rose to the fore of its four-car team perhaps sooner than was intended. Three wins, along with making it to the Championship Four after an opportunistic victory at Martinsville, were a great return for the 2017 Truck Series champ in the #20 car he took over from Erik Jones only last ...Keep readingView the full article

Off-road vehicles are among the most fun to modify. You can make numerous changes to ride in style on any terrain. One of the most practical mods you can install is a gun rack. Hunters, survivalists and anybody who loves the outdoors could use one, and they can come in handy when you need them most. Here’s what you need to know about gun racks and how to attach one to your off-roader. 1. Check Your State Laws Check your state or country’s laws about mounting gun racks onto your off-road vehicle before drilling any holes. Most states allow gun racks, but there are some things to consider. For example, you can have a gun rack in California, but you must keep the firearms unloaded. A long gun can stay on the floor or sit in one of your seats. However, handguns must remain unloaded and concealed in a container or trunk. In Florida, the law requires you to have the gun in plain sight and secure it to the vehicle. Following the rules is critical, so you stay out of trouble. 2. Find the Best Rack Once you’ve researched the laws, finding the best gun rack for your off-roader is next. The type you need will depend on your vehicle. The mechanism you choose for a Jeep will be different than the one you need for an ATV. Some popular gun racks include: Clamp racks: Clamps are convenient if you have an ATV or a small off-roader. You can attach them wherever you need to fit your gun. They’re lightweight, so they won’t be a burden to carry. The only drawback is they’ll have a more challenging time with heavy firearms. Ceiling racks: Ceiling racks are excellent if you have an off-roader with a roof. You may have an ATV with a ceiling, a Jeep or a big rig. Either way, the ceiling rack is practical because they’re easy to reach while driving, and you’ll protect your weapons from the elements. Sunlight can harm your gun, so limiting exposure will improve longevity. Roll-cage rack: A roll-cage rack is the most durable option. It’s ideal if you want the guns out of the way. They’re sturdy but won’t be as easy to access as the clamp or ceiling racks. 3. Measure Diligently and Install You have your gun rack of choice ready to go. Now, you need to find a place on your vehicle to install it. One of your primary concerns with gun racks is convenience. For example, say you’re using your off-roader in the woods at night. Coming across a predator like a mountain lion is scary. You won’t have much time to think, so you’ll want the gun rack to be in a spot where you can quickly grab a firearm from the driver’s seat. You can keep it in the trunk for less stressful situations. Once you’ve found a spot, it’s time for installation. You’ll want to double-check your measurements to ensure the rack will fit the way you want on your vehicle. You can’t reverse the holes once you start drilling, so get everything in order. 4. Secure the Firearms You must take steps for your safety and to protect others on the ride. Test your gun rack to ensure all the firearms are in there securely. The last thing you’ll want is a gun falling out of place and hitting you or somebody else on the head. Look for a rack that can lock down your firearms if security is an issue. A locking system may be what you need to protect your off-roader and guns from theft. Another action you should take is separating the ammunition from your guns. This rule of thumb is beneficial if you have children with you or people who are inexperienced with firearms. Keeping them separated will reduce the risk of someone accidentally discharging a weapon. 5. Protect From Weather Die-hard adventurists don’t look at the weather forecast before they head out. They’ll fire up the engines even if it’s raining, snowing or hailing. Off-roading in rough weather can be an adventure, but you still need to take care of your guns and rack. You should keep the guns away from the elements. Take preventive measures for your firearms if your off-roader’s gun rack is open-air. For example, you could weatherproof your guns by frequently oiling and using electrical tape on the muzzle. Staying Safe in an Off-Roader Off-roading is a hobby many enjoy, whether you drive an ATV, truck, Jeep or dirtbike. Off-road enthusiasts love modifying their prized vehicles, and one of these adjustments is adding a gun rack. Ensure you’re taking proper precautions before adding one to your off-roader. And if you want to upgrade your rig’s exterior look, check out GRID Off-Road wheels! We offer cast and forged off-road wheels in various fitments, styles and finishes. Our off-road rims adorn the highest trucks, most rugged Jeeps, and everything in between. Email us at sales@grid-offroad.com to locate a local dealer near you! Author Bio: Oscar Collins is the founder and editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about cars, luxury topics and more. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for frequent updates! View the full article

Recently we’ve been feeling in a bit of a funk. With a long and busy high season behind us life had slowed down at work but we were finding ourselves spending every weekend with errands, doctor’s appointments, and the like and began to fully realize how errant we were in not planning a fall vacation. With Costa Rica still two months away…an eternity when in a funk, and fall weather turning to winter my mood was grim. While speaking with a staff member asking how she was doing she mentioned still being in emotional recovery from losing her beloved pup and experiencing the dreaded feeling of being stagnant. As I empathized with her and expressed feeling the same she said “Well, don’t get off the bus”. Don’t get off the bus? She explained that she’d just been speaking to an artist mentor of hers from her days in Puerto Rico. As she explained to him her grief over losing B.C. and her inability to get back to her painting and writing he told her that “whatever you do, don’t get off the bus. We’re all on a bus towards our destination and while sometimes our bus takes an unknown turn or even stops once in a while, don’t get off the bus.” Don’t get off the bus. In the end, I’ve come to believe in something I call “The Physics of the Quest.” A force in nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity. The rule of Quest Physics goes something like this: If you’re brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter, old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey, either externally or internally, and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared, most of all, to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you. ~ Eat, Pray, Love. I firmly believe stagnant can take on two different paths. There is, of course, being physically stagnant and attached to a particular location. For those of us with itchy feet, this is a continual struggle but we are finding peace in this being the right spot in this time and place. We are a 5-minute walk from a stunning beach, we spend a lot of time with friends, and this location has allowed us to spend invaluable time with Jim’s parents during this period of their life. Mental stagnation is a WHOLE other thing. The more I drifted into the emotions of the funk the less I wrote, the less I worked on my photography, and the less I got done. The ideals of daily yoga and Spanish practice fell by the wayside. Don’t get off the bus. That one sentence, combined with finding the extraordinary interview with the Expedition Portal Overlanders of the year; Lisa Morris & Jason Spafford. changed everything. I hadn’t followed them previously but spent several hours enthusiastically catching up on their life of adventure. Sometimes we realize we spend too much time attempting to determine a final destination, a final goal and it can be easy to lean away from the idea of enjoying the journey. Lisa’s final thoughts were the perfect anecdote to an uninspired mood. When asked for words of wisdom to those looking to follow a similar path she said: Know that it’s no real consequence where you start or end up. Everything and everyone present on your journey matter most—rarely the final destination. If you don’t arrive where you’re headed, that’s not necessarily a negative, maddening as it may feel—you’ll have spent time absorbing the enthralling places and personalities along the way. No doubt, the first trip won’t be your last. You’ll evolve after everyone and refine your wants and needs for the next. What counts is that you’re out there channeling all that energy into a new landscape of experience—come freezing one’s maracas off in a winter wilderness or having the mind and cobwebs blown in a sun-scorched valley. Ultimately, Overlanding will make your one wild and precious life layered with substance, sometimes hard-going, but often euphoric. And above all else, you’ll be enriched. Our beach dog walk that afternoon focused on remembrances of our past journeys around the globe and thoughts on where our path will end up meandering next. I added the Duolingo app to my phone and signed up for Adriene’s new 30-day yoga challenge for January. As another trip around the sun begins my focus will be on embracing everyone and everything every day, for we never know when this remarkable journey will end or what twists and turns we’ll discover along the way. Don’t get off the Bus. The post Don’t Get off the Bus appeared first on The Next Big Adventure. View the full article

Who says New Year’s Resolutions always have to be about eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and getting in shape? You should add a few “fun” resolutions to your 2023 list! Adding some enjoyable goals can help make your more difficult ones easier to accomplish. So here are five 4×4 and offroading New Year’ resolutions you might want to achieve in 2023! Cross Off Some Bucket List Items 2023 is a fantastic time to start crossing off some of your offroading bucket list items! Has there always been a trail you wanted to see or a place you wanted to visit in your 4×4? This is the year to make it happen. If you don’t have a list of places to visit, it’s not too late to start one. The locations can be local to you, from all over the country, or even the world! It’s entirely up to you – you may not get to see them all, but you won’t make any progress unless you start. Some commonly suggested offroad destinations include: If you’re having trouble getting to those big-name places, start small. Maybe there’s a trail you have never visited in your area you always wanted to but never got the chance to. Now is the time to do so! Get the Gear You Need (or Want) What offroad gear is missing from your 4×4 or your garage? Saving up is an excellent New Year’s Resolution, and while you’re saving up your emergency and retirement funds, you can also be saving up for a treat. From rooftop tents to lift kits for your Jeep, there are always accessories you might be craving to add to your 4×4. Some may even be looking to buy a completely new rig! Whether it’s a small or large piece of gear, it’s something to look forward to in 2023. Regarding this resolution, you can decide to treat yourself, but you may also want to ask for some missing gear during the holiday season! It doesn’t hurt to ask! Get Out More Often As much as we love it, we probably don’t get out mudding as much as we’d like. With life, family, work, responsibilities, and everything else, it can sometimes take a backseat. But by making a resolution (and sticking with it), you might find a bit of extra time to fit your love for offroading in a little more. You might want to plan for weekly trips, monthly, or bimonthly, but even if you get out in your 4×4 one more time in 2023 than you did in 2022, that can be a success! Take Care of Needed Maintenance Have you been putting off that much-needed maintenance since it’s not a “problem” yet? Unchecked issues with offroad vehicles can lead to more significant issues later, even if they may seem minor. Tackling repairs, preventative maintenance, and more ASAP can lead to a longer life for your 4×4 and increased safety. This may not be the most “fun” New Year’s resolution, but your vehicle will thank you for it! Introduce Someone Else to Offroading You likely already have buddies who love offroading, but what about introducing another to the fun? You probably know someone who would enjoy it; they just have to be asked. Consider talking to friends, co-workers, and family members who you think may be interested in offroading and see if they’d like to join you for an outing or two. You will gain a buddy for your 4×4 and help them find their new passion. Resolutions for the new year tend to be about health, well-being, and personal improvements. We often forget that resolutions can be fun, too! How will you incorporate offroading into your 2023 New Year’s Resolutions? Whether you want to treat yourself or introduce someone to offroading, we have you covered, especially for the holidays and the start of the new year. Find lift kits, rooftop tents, tow bars, and more all at Axelboy! Contact us today to learn more! The post 4×4 and Offroading New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on Axleboy Offroad - St Louis . View the full article