We Thought our Van Might Completely Fall Apart | Overland Mexico

Ready for a nail biter? Wondering how to survive a 2WD drive on the Baja 1000? Our Overlanding Mexico adventures have never been this extreme, even on the Baja Divide 4x4 Trail. So yeah, what exactly does it take to survive the Baja 1000 with a 2WD Chevy Express given this race course's deep tracks, fine sand, dust and mud? Well, how about mad driving skills, great patience, mucho perseverance, a locking differential ... and don't forget a BIG SHOVEL! Let's just say that's only a sampling of the Baja 1000's risk-taking necessities.
In this sand overlanding Mexico episode, you'll also get to enjoy with us ...
... some Pacific surf
... Alex's not-so-successful attempts at boogie boarding
... Meg's mega-triumph with vegetarian empanadas
... some van clan campfire ASMR
... more awesome drone footage (check out the dust at 11:52-12:02)
... and even some world traveler reflections by the Roamlndr himself!
#baja1000 #2wd #offroadadventure #overlanding #baja #vanlife #lifeonthemove #chevyexpress #diyvanbuild #travelvlog #travelcouple #slowroamers #digitalnomad #globetrotterlife
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[@You_Me_and_Glady]

Your story is what traveling Baja is all about. And, you will always remember that trip. Enjoy your story and your van. Keep On Truck’n

[@SlowRoamers]

Yes indeed! Thanks for watching!🙌🏻

[@alistairjackson7658]

Are you a new subscriber? Glad you watched and chimed in. Thanks!

[@BijanY]

My family is from Jalisco Mexico, I am happy to see you guys enjoying our country. I have been to Baja in the past and enjoyed it in my 4runner. I hope you guys see how Mexico really is another country now it has changed drastically in the last year overall economically its doing better and channels like you paint a good picture and story of it in its real light. we appreciate it, in mexico you have real freedom! to go anywhere!

[@alistairjackson7658]

What a huge compliment to hear from you! Clearly, you are nationals. It's an honour that Slow Roamers can show off your beautiful country. (I'm not a Slow Roamer but I'm family. I'm very proud that Alex and Megan can draw your praise. They are the best of travelers - respectful, gentle with their footprint, and always in search of beauty. Finding beauty in Baja is an easy task. This time next year, they'll be in mainland Mexico. I'm sure they'd appreciate your recommendations, bearing in mind they'll be en route to Central and South America. I can see they'll be passing through your province.

[@SlowRoamers]

Thank you for your kind words! We really enjoy Mexico and intend to spend a considerable mount of time in mainland Mexico next winter. We’re eager to experience your rich and vibrant culture, especially the kind we can eat 🤣. Mexico is such a beautiful and under appreciated country and we’re honoured to put it in the spotlight. Thank you for watching our videos.🙌🏻

Another wonderful video! Gnarly roads (I was nervous watching!), delicious empanadas, attacking cactus, and beautiful mangroves. Can't wait to see more!!

[@SlowRoamers]

It was an adventure for sure! Glad we got to spend one last weekend with you both! See you in AK!

[@leechavarie4675]

Locker FTW!

[@SlowRoamers]

Heck yea, never going back!

[@bidog4505]

Fun to watch but glad we weren't with you, the Baja 1000 brings lots of money into the Mexican economy but at the same time destroys the roads the locals and us travelers rely on, keep the smooth dialog and great videos coming!!

[@SlowRoamers]

Yeah, I don’t think this road would have been ideal for Farther. I wonder if some of these roads are strictly used for Baja 1000 traffic, not sure. Either way, pretty rough, indeed.

[@lorenworthington8739]

Always good stuff. Basically right behind you. Leaving Todos Santos. On our way to La Paz today. Then working our way up.

[@SlowRoamers]

Ok, good, I was afraid we would miss you. Let’s coordinate and meet up for an evening.

[@bigtsperspective5831]

Van people are the best people!! My man ! You drive like I do 😎. Awesome stuff!!

[@alistairjackson7658]

YESSSS!

[@SlowRoamers]

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 thanks for watching, Amigo!

[@tikienvy4814]

That beach camp looked epic! Meg’s empanada recipe in the comments, please? Those time-lapse shots out the windshield are great. They must take up quite a bit of memory. Good job too with the foreboding music before that tight “S” turn out in the bush. Sorry about your paint! Ha! It’s good to see your appreciation for Megan. Yup, a keeper! Hit me up if you need a private room and shower in L.A. I really enjoy your videos.

[@SlowRoamers]

Oh boy, lots to answer here! I think we’ll make a recipe blog and post it to the website. The Timelapse shots are actual Timelapse shots, so they’re photos knitted together by the camera, the file sizes aren’t horrible. Luckily our paint is super tough, roads like that are why we used Raptorliner.😁 I gain in appreciate for Meg every day, I couldn’t be out here without her. If we ever decide to brave the traffic of LA we’ll certainly reach out.🤣 Thanks for watching!🙌🏻

[@joshthomas6410]

Love watching you guys. 🤙🏼

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks for your comment, Josh! It’s really appreciated and we’re both stoked you’ve been enjoying the videos! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@irakmarin4911]

Ok, this is the confirmation, i need a rear locker for my Frontier 😂

[@SlowRoamers]

Honestly, the best traction upgrade aside from knobby tires. 100% suggest spending the cash moneys if you want to go places.

[@malimish]

Definitely earning those pinstripes on that road.

[@SlowRoamers]

Every.Single.One 😁😁🤘🏼

[@malimish]

@@SlowRoamers you guys are definitely ready for further international travel as far as road conditions are concerned. But in my humble opinion, the more challenging aspects are the logistics and navigating the bureaucracy. But no one can really ever be fully ready for that.

[@SlowRoamers]

Well, we’ll find that out soon enough. We’re starting the pan am this summer, we’ll be in mainland Mexico next winter. 😁

[@malimish]

@@SlowRoamers Nice. Enjoy your trip down. Get ready for the heat of Central America. We just left Costa Rica and crossed into Panama yesterday. Shipping to Colombia in a month. Probably be just about near the bottom of Argentina at the end of this year.

[@alistairjackson7658]

​@@malimishsafe travels as you go!

[@jackiegammon2065]

WOW! That was quite the challenge, glad that you made it through!! Challenging ourselves is always a good thing, and you certainly did that. Thanks for sharing!!

[@SlowRoamers]

Hey Jackie! Thanks for watching! We think it’s important to challenge ourselves as well. It also helps to know what we don’t need again.🤣

[@AceRph]

Another good installment. My experience is that the real adventure starts when the plan unravels. 88 hundred + subs!

[@SlowRoamers]

My mom always said, “the adventure doesn’t starts when something goes wrong.”🤣 Wisdom right there. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻

[@jeffrwheelock]

Thanks guys!

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks for watching and commenting!😁🙌🏻

[@lifeguard92646]

You guys are badass adventurers! Another great video. Safe travels.

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks Damien! We appreciate it! Just out here to teach ourselves some lessons.🤣🤣

[@ambienteterrazas]

I always save your videos for my "relax coffee time" in the morning so in my book that's saying alot 😁, anyways i'll be leaving for baja next week thanks for keeping me pumped and for another great video!!

[@SlowRoamers]

Yes. This is awesome. So glad you’re enjoying them! Thanks for watching and enjoy that coffee!🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@davidkier259]

The time-lapsed video (and drone shots) of the road is GREAT!

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks Dave! Seems quite a few people enjoyed the interior timelapse shots as we drove. Something I’ll have to add in future videos.

[@samuelreynoso6866]

I recently started watching you guys videos and it’s been nice to watch, thank you guys for sharing a little bit of your lifes

[@SlowRoamers]

Hey Samuel, we’re happy to share. Glad you’ve been enjoying the video. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@alistairjackson7658]

Welcome, Samuel!

[@themcpeters]

Incredible trail driving, cooking, and filmmaking! Love to see another 2wd van with raptor and a rear diff locker. Our rear diff started failing at 150k and we just got a new diff and locker combo. BRB gonna go find your raptor vid and watch you struggle :D

[@SlowRoamers]

LOL, glad to be inspiring ppl to get out and rip with their 2WD!🤘🏼

[@alistairjackson7658]

Ya, me too!!

[@JOHN_COSMO]

Very sweet keep it up keep on truckin!!! I concur totally awesome!!! U Get a lot of great shots keep it up great channel that will grow!!!

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks John! Seems as though we’ve got you on the hook.😉 Glad you’re along for the ride, I promise you won’t be disappointed.😁🙌🏻

[@Buck_Jones1909]

Enjoyed the video! Thank you!

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks for watching and commenting, we both appreciate it!🙌🏻

[@mikemcmullen739]

Good for you to taking those roads, exploring the backroads of Baja is always fun. Having driven many Baja race roads I just hate them. Traveling solo in remote Baja i do try to stay off them it posable. The off camber whoops are are mind numbing. Very enjoyable travel log.

[@SlowRoamers]

Yeah, we learned a good lesson, to stay off the race course. Lots of off-camber corners, deep ruts, whoops, exposed rock. It all made for a less enjoyable experience. Thanks for watching and commenting!🙌🏻

[@mikemcmullen739]

Some of the race route are required to get some places. I do dislike they them however. Sometimes,I am a amazed after driving down some POS road all day and a rolling rust bucket with no ground clearance rolls up to collect a fee. I also know a guy that drove a Capri to a surf spot in the 80's he started with a 20 Gal tank. when he got home it was a little less than 15 Gal because of the rocks. @@SlowRoamers

[@SlowRoamers]

@@mikemcmullen739 Hahaha, if that doesn't scream BAJA, I don't know what does!😆

[@davidkier259]

A minor point Alex, you mention the 2023 Baja 1000 course "last section" or words to that affect. For the first time (in 2023), the Baja 1000 began in La Paz and finished in Ensenada. I am a detail nut! Thanks you making these videos... TV special quality.

[@alistairjackson7658]

Let's just say he got turned around. After all, they just started their northbound journey. 😂 AND that go-around was dizzying.

[@davidkier259]

@@alistairjackson7658 oh, an honest mistake... the 1000 always ended in La Paz and never began there before. Alex is great at finding his way.

[@SlowRoamers]

A very interesting detail! To be quite honest, I don’t follow the 1000 closely. I’d love to watch it one day, but we have a knack for always being elsewhere or out of country whenever it happens. Was there any particular reason they started in La Paz this year?

[@davidkier259]

@@SlowRoamers It was never done before and to the joy of those in Baja Sur, they could see ALL the racers and a start. When half or more never finish an off road race, those in the south only saw some of the racers. It was a cool thing for SCORE to do.

[@alistairjackson7658]

@@davidkier259 he is, indeed! And no worries, I was being 100% tongue in cheek. 😀

[@aristeohiguera9448]

Que Chingon Saludos. Les recomiendo ir a punta Eugenia bcs. Es un lugar no visitado por campistas y a lo lejos está Isla de Cedros.

[@SlowRoamers]

gracias por la sugerencia, lo miraremos en el mapa para ver si está en nuestra ruta. ¡Gracias de nuevo por mirar!

[@mermaidvanvb]

You guys are nuts - I only did the East Cape in 2wd & cringed

[@SlowRoamers]

#fullsend 😁😁😁

[@4byfarm]

Another rad video! 😎

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks my guy!🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@HD.Adventuring]

So sweet! When you had the front wheel off the ground I was so scared you we're gonna bust something. Kudos for taking your house on LEGIT hard trails.

[@SlowRoamers]

lol, thanks guys! That section overall was about medium level technical of all the trails we’ve taken in Baja thus far, but by far was the most challenging. Thanks for watching!🙌🏻

[@HD.Adventuring]

@@SlowRoamers Interesting how the overall trail was not the most technical, but that section was super hard. Seems like off-roading is similar to climbing in terms of grading- if there's a super hard crux, but the rest of the route is easy, it gets a hard rating. There is no option to simply walk around the hardest parts like exist in mountain biking or other similar sports. Keep crushing!

[@SlowRoamers]

@@HD.Adventuring It's definitely a mental toughness thing as much as it is a skill thing.

[@luisramirez2263]

Betty la bestia

[@SlowRoamers]

Heck yes. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

[@jimmyaugustine4181]

Loving your content and adventures. What phone mount do you have and do you recommend it?

[@SlowRoamers]

Thanks for the watching! I use a quad lock case and mount that I modified to fit on the dash. It’s been great.

[@sylvainlaforest4393]

Mexican car wash! Ha ha. Safe travel home guys.

[@SlowRoamers]

Bahaha, yep! I coined the term “BC car wash” a long time ago when doing forgotten FSR’s in the rain. A slight alteration and you get a pretty descriptive term for that road. Thanks for watching, Sylvain!🙌🏻

[@jaredcolahan759]

new to your channel. I have the same van ,but with the quigley system. were did you get your bumpers?

[@SlowRoamers]

Hey Jared, thanks for subscribing! I built the bumpers. Here’s the video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGPShqd4npmNpaMsi=mpx1u8lA-mpYyEeB

[@touristiqueducanada346]

❤ 🐾👣🌮🍺🏴‍☠️✌️

[@SlowRoamers]

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻😁

[@TerryManitoba]

On my Transit van (now with ARB locker-:) I have always run K02's (1st 225/75/16 now 245/75/16 that JUST fit). I noticed you have what appears to be a Firestone MT tire. Is it an MT & which tire & what size do you run. If it is an MT - why do you run an MT in lieu to an AT? Thanks - happy travels.

[@SlowRoamers]

We’re running a 285/75/16 Firestone Destination MT2. The reason we have MT’s is a two part decision. The tires came off my truck, they were already purchased and would suit our heavier off-roading needs well. Secondly, the o oh were likely to come across in our future travels that will really stop us is mud, so it seemed appropriate to have tires that would clear mud. They look cool too…so there’s that.🤣

[@TerryManitoba]

@@SlowRoamers If you hit the do-over button would you still go with the MT? I get that it would help a sh*t ton in mud over an AT - But if you go back home in winter or are at elevation with snow on the road - you will certainly have a long butt puckering drive ahead of you on the MTs. I realize either is a compromise - but after 75K miles in my transit I have spent many more miles on snow than in mud & am happy to have the snow peak K02s.

[@SlowRoamers]

We make efforts to avoid snow, however, if I was back at home in Canada during the winter I definitely wouldn’t have the MT’s on year round.

[@TerryManitoba]

@@SlowRoamers I ask because I'm about 10k kms away from replacing my K02s and was weighing my options. At this point I am leaning towards Wildpeak A/T 4W - So thanks for the FEED Back...

[@SlowRoamers]

@@TerryManitoba lots of people are going with those and they seem to be a great tire from what I can tell. I think tires nowadays are like mountain bikes, cell phones, computers. They're all excellent products, it mostly comes down to personal preference. I really like the look of our Destination MT2's, whether or not they perform better than a KM3 is a none-issue to me, I just like the way they look...price was right too.😅

[@ruthjackson5378]

Oh boy oh boy. You should have trigger warnings for moms.

[@alistairjackson7658]

Try watching with subtitles; they can be just the distraction you need! 🤣

[@SlowRoamers]

Seems as though my dramatic music and voiceover did the trick. 😁

[@luisramirez2263]

Mettle is metal.

[@SlowRoamers]

So Metal 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@alistairjackson7658]

Nope, mettle is mettle and metal is metal.

[@alistairjackson7658]

Mettle: a person's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way.

[@alistairjackson7658]

But, that being said, I'm REALLY glad you're watching the subtitles! They're a ton of work, Luis, and it's so good to hear they're useful.

[@SlowRoamers]

My dad is my PR manager, SEO consultant and creator of all our subtitles. He's an enthusiastic cheerleader as well.