Whiskey 7 Backroads - Blog

Join Brent blog on overlanding, camping, and backroad adventures across America, Montana Ranch, EarthCruiser EXP, gear reviews and community rendezvous.

Get Connected: A Setup Assistant for D-STAR and the XLX159 Reflector

Brent Conklin

I get asked a lot how to set up a radio with a hotspot. Get Connected is a free assistant that walks you through it and prints a setup report for your gear.

7 min read • Oct 6, 2026

BLM Dispersed Camping public

BLM Dispersed Camping: Rules, Finding Sites, and Doing It Right

Brent Conklin

Free camping on BLM land comes with a short list of rules. Here is how the 14-day limit works, where you can and can't camp, what California's fire permit covers, and how to find a legal site.

19 min read • Oct 4, 2026

gear-review public

2026 Truck Camper Buyer’s Guide: Why Flatbeds Are the Move

Brent Conklin

A practical 2026 flatbed truck camper buyer’s guide covering Four Wheel Grandby Flatbed, Hawk+, Bowen flatbeds, payload, cost, and who should buy one.

13 min read • Sep 19, 2026

camping public

"ChatGPT Told Me I Could Camp Here": The Mount Shasta AI Warning — and How to Actually Plan a Trip With AI

Brent Conklin

A guide to make sure you check all AI info with verified Human info

16 min read • Sep 13, 2026

overlanding public

The 10,000th SOS: What a Garmin inReach Rescue Actually Looks Like, and What I Carry

Steven Marty

When you press the SOS button on a Garmin inReach in the PNW, this is what happens in the next ten hours. Here is what Steven carries and why every overland rig needs a layered comms stack.

13 min read • Sep 5, 2026

baja-overland public

Aqua Verde, Baja California Sur: the road in and the spit around the corner

Brent Conklin

Our EarthCruiser route to Aqua Verde: the road in, beach camping, and the quiet spit around the corner.

14 min read • Aug 29, 2026

overlanding public

28,254 Miles in a Stock Grenadier: What Becky Kim's Cape-to-Cape Run Teaches a Weekend Overlander

Brent Conklin

Becky Kim and Bonnie Koko drove a stock INEOS Grenadier Trialmaster 28,254 miles from Cape Agulhas to Nordkapp to London in 122 days. What the run means for weekend overlanders.

12 min read • Aug 21, 2026

starlink public

The Starlink Mini Era: How a 1.10 kg Dish Rewrote Off-Grid Connectivity for Overlanders, Campers, and Remote Workers

Brent Conklin

The Starlink Mini wasn't a smaller version of a satellite dish. It was the moment the internet became portable enough to be useful off-grid. How the 1.10 kg, USB-C PD-powered dish changed what overlanders, campers, hikers, remote workers, and families can do off-grid.

17 min read • Aug 14, 2026

overlanding public

onX SOS: What It Actually Does Off-Grid (And What It Doesn't Replace)

Steven Marty

onX added a $49.99/year SOS button to the same app you already use to plan routes. I walked the chain from button to coordinator — and checked it against the Garmin inReach I carry on every trip.

11 min read • Aug 7, 2026

pacific-northwest public

When an Oregon Fire Closure Hits Mid-Trip: A Couple’s Last-Minute Reroute

Brent Conklin

A Stage 1 fire restriction, a washed-out forest road, and unhealthy wildfire smoke can blow up a three-week Oregon trip in a single afternoon. Here is what the couple did instead.

15 min read • Jul 31, 2026

monsoon-safety public

What I Wish Every July Overlander Knew About Monsoon Flash Floods

Steven Marty

Southwest monsoon flash flood overland safety: the NWS TADD rule, watch vs warning, when to turn around, and a pre-drive checklist every overlander needs.

12 min read • Jul 24, 2026

events public

Backcountry Offroad Expo La Pine Oregon — Aug 1-2, 2026

Brent Conklin

Venue updated — the Backcountry Offroad Expo moves from Sisters High School to La Pine Rodeo Grounds August 1-2, 2026 due to fire activity. Same dates, same ticket codes (SISTERSFREE, CAMPING20), 50+ brands, on-site camping, and a Monday trail ride with Backland Adventures.

13 min read • Jul 17, 2026

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