AWD Transit Overland

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Follow along on the Preston’s journeys on their YouTube Channel @AWDTransitOverland

Jim and Katya do overlanding trips, lots of them. They are pushing the edge of what people think AWD Transits can do, and going beyond. It gets scary at times. Come along as they explore the U.S. West.

They tackle easy dirt roads to sometimes gnarly 4×4 trails that are seriously challenging to get past obstacles and see what is on the other side.

Katya is a gourmet cook and they present her amazing Francis Mallmann inspired wood fire Solo Stove cooking in remote camps.

Jim Preston has over 50 years of overlanding and road trips in CA, AK, UT, CO, WY, NV, AZ, Mexico, Canada, and the Russian Far East. Katya has an extensive 30 years of such trips.

Keeping the vehicle weight down and the center of gravity low are critical for our off-roading adventures so we didn’t build it out as a motor home.

Equipment links – non affiliated:

Our interior build-out materials, including electrical, was about $7,000. Total DIY build-out was about $16,000. The new 2022 AWD van with options was $51,840 not including extended services and taxes. Many items we already had from decades of overlanding travel are not included in the price.

Maxx Air fan: https://www.amazon.com/Maxx-Air-00007500K-00-07500K-Remote-Smoke/dp/B002OW5JG2

Motion Windows: https://www.motionwindows.com/ford-transit-van-aftermarket-conversion-windows/

Method Racing wheels: https://www.methodracewheels.com/collections/all/products/703-matte-black?variant=31922239832125

Aluminess rear spare tire rack: https://www.aluminess.com/products/driver-side-rear-door-box-tire-rack-ford-transit-2015/

Fiamma F45S awning: https://www.fiammausa.com/en/fiammastore-en/winch-awnings-for-wall-installation

RoadPro 12v portable oven: https://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-RPLBSTOVET2-Portable-Electric-Construction/dp/B0B3BBRFS3

Van Compass 2″ lift, rear shocks lift kit: https://vancompass.com/collections/transit-awd

The rest of the build:

2022 Ford Transit 130″ wheel base, medium roof, AWD, EcoBoost gas engine, 7,500 pounds trip weight.
BFG KO3 245/75R16 tires.
Aluminess passenger side rack.
BougeRV 50 Rocky refrigerator freezer.
Open Road winch with Aluminess Hidden Winch Mount.
Propex propane space heater.
Single and double burner Colman stoves.

Lots of recovery gear and other stuff.

Our Featured Epic Overlanding Trips

Gaia Maps routes are included in YouTube video descriptions.

Overlanding trips often have multiple YouTube videos. For example, our 2025 Southwest Traverse has 7 legs of videos. The purpose of this page to present complete trips. While we haven’t been including much of the pavement portion of trips we have recently started to include some of that and connect the trip legs.

Kokopelli Trail For Vans

This was our first epic overlanding route for our new YouTube channel. Koko is well known as a mountain biking epic 140 mile ride and somewhat known among off-roaders. We were curious if an AWD van could do at least most of the official route, and we succeeded! There are sections that are single track for mountain bikers and nothing motorized can use those trails. However, there are moto alternatives. We would follow those as much as possible. The first two legs of this trip require a well outfitted and lifted AWD van with an experienced off-roader driver. Yeah, there are some very challenging sections. The third leg can be done with any AWD van with all terrain tires but lifted would make the route less stressful. As always, road conditions can change during and after storms.

The biggest detour we had to take was Rose Garden Hill. Check out the videos on YouTube about that trail. Vans and most other off-roading built-out vehicles don’t belong there. It is badly eroded, unmaintained, and ripped up by those trying to climb it. By contrast, the drive up Onion Creek is really fun and scenic and won’t damage vehicles or nerves. If you think you are ready for serious adventure and amazing terrain, we have these videos for you. The first two legs can be done any time of the year although summers are hot. The third leg goes to around 9,000 feet elevation in the La Sal Mountains and is open late May through September. So the best time for this trip would be late September.

Bears Ears National Monument Utah

This is a huge, wild, remote region south of Moab that has hidden Native American ruins and deep scenic canyons to explore! Within this NM is Natural Bridges National Monument. Natural bridges are arches over creeks or rivers. While the roads are usually graded there are a few places where a lifted AWD van is needed. After storms, usually in late July and August, wash crossings can be badly eroded and could require some shovel work. If you are up for serious adventure this will do it.

Southwest Traverse 2025

This trip started in San Diego in March and we spent 12 days and well over 1,000 miles exploring remote areas of California, Arizona, and Nevada up to the Utah border. We covered a lot of terrain during seven trip legs and it was exhausting. We ran out of time by the time we got to South Utah so we headed up I-15 to I-70 and across Utah to home.

From San Diego we took I-10 to Anza Borrego State Park, camped with friends in Joshua Tree National Park for a night, then east to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge across the Colorado River in Arizona. After Kofa and exploring the retiree winter haven of Quartzsite we headed north through the Mojave National Preserve, Christmas Tree Pass, Bitter Springs Scenic Byway, explored west of Valley of Fire State Park, then into Gold Butte National Monument. Due to unseasonable hot weather, almost 100F, we had to spend a night in McLaughlin, NV on the Colorado River and two nights in Las Vegas. There is no shade out there in the boonies and trying to sleep in a hot van doesn’t work for us. Overlanders must be flexible for weather situations.

Coming next fall, winter, and spring: Grand Staircase Escalante and the San Rafael Swell!

AWD Transit Overland

Grand Junction, Colorado, USA

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