Northwest Overland Rally Recap 2024

Each year, we eagerly anticipate our journey northwest to Plain, WA, where the Northwest Overland Rally (NWOR) takes place. Transitioning from the desert landscapes of Arizona to the lush greenery of Washington is nothing short of remarkable. This year, our Sales Manager, Mike R., undertook the 1,343.5-mile trek alone over three days, enjoying camping stops along the way.

NWOR is a particularly unique & intimate experience. It brings together some of the overland world's top travelers, instructors, vendors, and a diverse group of individuals, couples, families, and friends. This event is a well-balanced blend of learning, socializing, and hollering around a giant bonfire with hundreds of others. The event is set in the picturesque town of Plain, WA, nestled in the Cascade Mountains near Seattle. This is the perfect setting for attendees to participate in a variety of activities, from 4WD training to tequila-tasting, making it a rich and entertaining experience.

NWOR offers an intimate and relaxed environment, making it easy to interact with most of the vendors and participants - often seeing the familiar faces throughout the weekend. The event is family-friendly and provides a refreshing break from the day to day with its perfectly-sized gathering, allowing for genuine connections and memorable experiences.

Each night, the community gathers around a massive bonfire for talks, raffles, and the excitement of winning tickets. This isn’t your average campfire raffle; prizes range from roof-top tents to winches, camping gear to skid plates, and luggage to recovery gear. Everyone gets raffle tickets, providing an equal chance to win fantastic prizes every night! This year's prizes included $1500 Dive Watches, $2000+ Rooftop Tents, and more. In addition to the NWOR raffles, vendors hosted their own giveaways and happy hours. 

A vast variety of classes are offered, including those specifically for women, 4WD instruction, family spotting (necessary to preserve healthy family dynamics while on the road), trail repairs, photography and videography, and preparing for medical emergencies. These sessions are designed to educate and inspire, equipping attendees with valuable skills and knowledge. You could even appreciate various alcoholic spirits with Mario of AT Overland each evening at 4pm. 

With a small store and café across the street, along with food vendors within the rally grounds, there were plenty of options for food and drinks. Mule Expedition even offered breakfast in waffle cones each morning! 

Well-maintained Porta-Potties were available throughout the event, ensuring a stress-free experience on that front. As with most overland rallies, NWOR is a pack-in-pack-out event regarding trash, which highlights one of the best aspects of the overlanding community—we come prepared and are self-sufficient.

Attendees and exhibitors camped in fields surrounded by lush greenery and tall trees, creating a scenic and tranquil environment. The weather was perfect, with daytime temperatures in the mid to high 70s with a nice breeze and nighttime temperatures dropping to the low 50s.

Overall, NWOR provided a fantastic opportunity to connect with the overlanding community, learn new skills, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Washington. We look forward to many more years of this incredible event, embracing the spirit of adventure and community that it embodies.