The Spirit of CAMO

That felt like the Oregon Trail to us

How we started, where we are, and where we’re going:

How we started:

I grew up in the town of Indiana Pennsylvania (or Pittsburgh but with trees if you’re from anywhere but Pennsylvania) and always had an interest in Motorsports and the outdoors. Throughout high school and college, my group of friends spend many hours under the hoods of various ricers, tuners, muscle cars, and shitboxes.

As we got a little older, the long arm of reality and responsibilities put a damper on our midnight automotive shenanigans and frequent meetups. For many of us, work days got longer and somehow the dollar got shorter. In late 2017, I hit a deer in my beloved Focus, totaling it.

As silly as it sounds, I took that accident pretty hard emotionally. Thinking about the amount of time, money, and effort devoted to that red Ford made my stomach churn. Cars started to feel like whatever alcohol you had “that night” with. Never again.

I replaced the Focus with a 2012 Nissan Frontier, swearing that this utilitarian young man’s truck would stay OEM and be meticulously cared for, used only as a tool to take me safely from point A to point B.

Plot Twist: I AM FULL OF SHIT

2 weeks into ownership I ordered 32s and a small lift. About a month after owning the truck, my wife (then girlfriend) and I were hammering it down dirt roads and exploring. I proclaimed this new found joy to my “Car friends” from back home. At the time, Camden owned an XJ, Nick P. Had just Leased a brand new ZR2 Colorado, and Brennan had an old gasser OBS.

I knew of the Allegheny Shenandoah Overland Trail from riding dual sport motorcycles, so we decided to give it a go in the trucks.

That trip is a story for another post, but to be frank, we were hooked.

Where We Are:

CAMO has grown to over 1000 members on the facebook page with ~30 “regulars” who not only contribute on the page, but embark on our adventures. We have been to Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Maryland, West Virginia, Vermont, Virginia, and Colorado.

A week or so ago, Nick P. Said something in one of our planning group chats that really resonated with the spirit of CAMO. We were discussing the original ASOT trip and he said, “that felt like the Oregon Trail to us.” I want everyone to experience what that feels like, and I wish for everyone to yearn for continuing to find that feeling.

Where we’re going:

CAMO will continue to foster friendships and adventure without EVER profiting off of your attendance. You are not my clients, you are my friends. CAMO will NEVER charge ANY fees for trips on public land. If any trips require a fee, they won’t be made payable to CAMO or anyone affiliated with CAMO unless they own the camping area or facilities that we use.

CAMO will continue to build out unique routes and experiences across the US with adventuring through the unknown being our primary focus.

We are thankful for where we have been, happy with where we are, and excited for where we’re going.