JD sits down with Brian Ritchie and Jeff Hesse of Team GenRight Offroad for a hilarious, honest Trail Hero Expeditions recap that feels more like campfire bench racing than a formal interview. The guys talk about how Brian jumped from overlanding into a full rock-crawling build, how Jeff got dragged into the adventure with almost no off-road background, and how Moab, Sand Hollow, Windrock, and Whitmore Canyon shaped what they now want out of the sport. From a sketchy tire-change challenge and a near-empty fuel tank to poolside chaos, pork nachos, and late-night campfire stories, this episode captures the friendship, humor, and mayhem that made Trail Hero Expeditions memorable. There’s also a bigger conversation here about overlanding versus technical wheeling, what makes a great off-road event, and why public land access matters when your rig becomes your way to keep exploring. If you like Jeep builds, overlanding, rock crawling, Moab trail talk, Sand Hollow stories, and off-road TV behind-the-scenes chaos, this one is worth the ride.

📍Trails and Destinations

Sand Hollow State Park, Utah

Sand Mountain, Utah

Moab Area Trails

Whitmore Overlook, Arizona

Windrock Park, Tennessee

🛠️ Gear and Tools

Rock Krawler Suspension

AEV DualSport Suspension

Ultimate Dana 60 Axles

ARB Air Locker

RPM Steering

GenRight JK Roll Cage

PRP Seats & Harnesses

WARN Winches

MORRFlate

Badger Welder

🚙 Community Shoutouts

Brian Ritchie: Livin2Relax

GenRight Off Road

JD: MeAndMyYellowJK

Jeff Hesse: Team GenRight Offroad

Rich Klein / Trail Hero

🌎 Advocacy & Conservation

BlueRibbon Coalition

Tread Lightly!

Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA)

📰 News Topics

Trail Hero Expeditions

Trail Hero TV Shows

Trail Hero Expeditions Season One Recap

📅 Events and Resources

Trail Hero

Trail Hero X / Trail Hero Expeditions

Whitmore Canyon Overlook and Whitmore Point

📞 Get involved!

Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.

Write a review! Apple Podcasts

Follow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcast

Visit the Site: The Trailhead Network

Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop

Discounts for Trailheads!

TYRI Offroad Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off

JD sits down with Aaron Wedeking and Jason DeArmond from Team Number Two for a fun, honest recap of their Trail Hero Expeditions run. The conversation covers Aaron’s long history in off-road and PRP Seats, Jason’s marketing background and Number 2 brand, and the chaos of running Trail Hero Expeditions in a mostly stock 4Runner on undersized tires. They get into overlanding, trail riding, off-road camping, 4Runner build choices, desert adventure, team dynamics, camp life, and the moments that made this route across Nevada, Arizona, and Utah stick with them. If you want the real story behind the show, the vehicle, the jokes, and why both of these guys would absolutely do it again, this one’s worth the ride.

📍Trails and Destinations

• Whitmore Overlook / Whitmore Canyon, Arizona

• Lime Kiln Canyon, Nevada

• Bar 10 Ranch, Arizona Strip

• Arizona Strip Road, Utah

• Zion National Park, Utah

• Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

🛠️ Gear and Tools

• PRP Seats

• Polaris RZR Pro R

• Dirt King MT Trail Runner Kit for Toyota 4Runner

• MORRFlate

• ICECO Portable Fridges

• Blackstone Griddles

• GoPro

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• Aaron Wedeking — PRP Seats

• Jason DeArmond — Number 2 Marketing

• JD: MeAndMyYellowJK

• Nathan aka MudhornGladiator

• Rich Klein — Trail Hero

🌎 Advocacy & Conservation

• Utah Public Lands Alliance

• BlueRibbon Coalition

📰 News Topics

• Trail Hero Expeditions Season Two

• Trail Hero X at CasaBlanca

📅 Events and Resources

• Trail Hero X

• Trail Hero

📞 Get involved!

• Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.

• Write a review! We’re only 9 reviews away from a giveaway at 30 reviews — Write one here

• Follow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcast

• Visit the Site: The Trailhead Network

• Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop here

• Discounts for Trailheads!

  • Tyri Offroad Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off

JD is joined by Bryan (Beatrice JKU the Lunchbox) and Calvin (SRG Offroad) for a loose, funny, and brutally honest conversation about whether Easter Jeep Safari still deserves its reputation as the kickoff to the off-road season. Alongside Bryan’s Moab trail plan—Coyote Canyon, Metal Masher, Kane Creek, Behind the Rocks, and Top of the World—the crew gets into Jeep Wrangler reality, rock crawling travel costs, overlanding trends, and why more wheelers are choosing other events over Moab. JD also shares a what may be his final update on his JK warranty battle, including oil consumption, repeated codes, and the possibility of an engine replacement. From public land access and vendor-show fatigue to the simple question of where your off-road dollars actually go, this episode has plenty for anyone following EJS, Moab trails, Jeep events, and the future of the community. If you’ve ever wondered whether the 60th anniversary of EJS still matters, this one’s worth a listen.

📍Trails and Destinations

Coyote Canyon, Moab, Utah

Metal Masher, Moab, Utah

Kane Creek Canyon, Moab, Utah

Behind the Rocks Trail, Moab, Utah

Top of the World, Utah

Sand Hollow State Park, Utah

Moab Area Trails

Wolf Caves Off Road Park, Texas

🛠️ Gear and Tools

DJI Osmo Action Cameras

Rock Krawler Suspension Systems

TYRI Off-Road Lighting

Z Automotive Tazer JL Mini

🚙 Community Shoutouts

Bryan: Beatrice JKU the Lunchbox

Calvin: SRG Offroad

JD: MeAndMyYellowJK

OFF ROAD N Chill

🌎 Advocacy & Conservation

BlueRibbon Coalition

Save Moab

Tread Lightly!

Utah Public Lands Alliance

📰 News Topics

🔥 2026 Easter Jeep Safari Concepts

BLM Proposal to Reopen Over 250 Miles of Moab Trails

The Fight to Save Moab

📅 Events and Resources

Easter Jeep Safari (EJS) 2026

Jeep Beach 2026

OFF ROAD N Chill

Overland Expo West

Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion

Trail Hero

📞 Get involved!

Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.

Write a review! We’re only 9 reviews away from a giveaway at 30 reviews — Write one here

Follow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcast

Visit the Site: The Trailhead Network

Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop Here

Discounts for Trailheads!

TYRI Off-Road Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off

JD sits down with Fran Adler for a conversation that starts with a little leftover Trail Hero sand and quickly turns into a story about growth, grit, and finding your place in the off-road world. Fran shares how a 2020 JLU Sport became a two-time SEMA build, but the real heart of the episode is what happened after the lights and show floor—heading into Trail Hero Expeditions largely on her own, managing the pressure of a multi-day event, making last-minute prep decisions like new gear right before launch and coming out the other side with new friendships, more confidence, and a stronger connection to the community. It’s part build story, part personal milestone, and a good reminder that sometimes the most important transformation isn’t what you bolt onto the Jeep, it’s what happens when you bet on yourself.

Fran’s JL Adventures on Instagram

Trail Hero Expeditions

📍 Trails and Destinations

• Sand Hollow Region - Trails Offroad

• SEMA Show

• Trail Hero X

🛠️ Gear and Tools

• TrailFX

• Mickey Thompson Tires

• WARN Industries

• Mopar Jeep Performance Parts

• Starlink

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• Fran’s JL Adventures

• JD / Me_And_My_Yellow_JK

• The Trailhead Podcast

📅 Events and Resources

• Trail Hero Expeditions

• SEMA Show

• Trail Hero X

📞 Get involved!

• Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.

• Write a review! Apple Podcasts

• Follow us on Instagram! The Trailhead Podcast

• Visit the Site: The Trailhead Network

• Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop

• Discounts for Trailheads! Tyri Offroad Lights (Use Code TRAILHEAD15)

JD sits down with Eric, Brittany, and Pam from Skid Row Offroad for a conversation that feels like hanging out with the kind of off-road family that’s been doing this long enough to know what actually matters. Together, they share the story of how Skid Row Offroad has stayed relevant over the years as a small American-made company focused on real protection, real experience, and gear built by people who actually use it. The conversation moves through the company’s roots, Brittany’s path into both wheeling and the business, Pam’s role in helping hold everything together, and the way each of them has helped shape Skid Row into more than just a parts brand.

Along the way, the crew trades stories about Colorado trails, trail damage, flopped rigs, learning lessons the hard way, and why armor should come before bigger tires and bigger ambitions. What comes through most is the personality behind the company—funny, seasoned, practical, and clearly built around people who love this lifestyle. More than a product conversation, this one ends up being about experience, trust, and the kind of teamwork that makes a small off-road brand feel personal in all the right ways.

Skid Row Offroad
Skid Row Offroad on Instagram

📍 Trails and Destinations

• Old Stage Road - Trails Offroad

• Gold Camp Road - Trails Offroad

• Yansing Gulch aka Chinaman Gulch - Trails Offroad

• Eagle Rock - Trails Offroad

• Saran Wrap - Trails Offroad

• Rainbow Falls - Trails Offroad

• Independence Trail - Trails Offroad

• Carnage Canyon - Trails Offroad

🛠️ Gear and Tools

• Skid Row Offroad Skid Plates

• Jeep TJ Wrangler Engine/Transmission Skid Plate for 4.0L 6-Cylinder (2003-2006)

• Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ Engine/Transmission Skid Plate for 4.0L 6-Cylinder (2004-2006)

• Jeep Liberty KJ Products - Skid Row Offroad

• Catalytic Converter Guards - Skid Row Offroad

🚙 Community and Advocacy Groups

• Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• Skid Row Offroad on Instagram

• Skid Row Offroad on Facebook

• The Trailhead Podcast

📅 Events and Resources

• Skid Row Offroad Installation Instructions

• Skid Row Offroad YouTube

📞 Get involved!

• Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.

• Write a review! Apple Podcasts

• Follow us on Instagram! The Trailhead Podcast

• Visit the Site: The Trailhead Network

• Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop

• Discounts for Trailheads! Tyri Offroad Lights (Use Code TRAILHEAD15)

JD sits down with Joe Belk of Larger Than Life Adventures for a conversation that covers a lot more than just one trip. Joe talks about starting out in lowriders and mini trucks before making the jump into off-road life, building his now well-known 1991 Chevy Suburban “The Beast,” and spending years in the recovery world, including running the Utah Offroad Recovery Team and earning deep respect for Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery. The episode also gets into Joe’s trucking career, a wild Border Patrol story that sounds too ridiculous to be real, and how Larger Than Life Adventures started as a way to keep creating and keep moving. From there, the conversation shifts into Trail Hero Expeditions, where Joe shares what it was like to bring a giant Suburban into a field full of Jeeps, get buried in the sand on day one, push through mechanical problems, and still come away talking less about the setbacks and more about the people, the shared experience, and the friendships built along the way.

⁠Larger Than Life Adventures on Instagram⁠⁠Larger Than Life Adventures on YouTube⁠

📍 Trails and Destinations

• ⁠⁠Mesquite, Nevada / CasaBlanca Resort⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Sand Hollow Region – Trails Offroad⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Water Tank Road (Sand Mountain) – Trails Offroad⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Lakeside (Sand Mountain) – Trails Offroad⁠⁠

🚙 Community and Advocacy Groups

• ⁠Colorado 4x4 Rescue & Recovery⁠

• ⁠Offroad Portal⁠

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• ⁠Joe Belk / Larger Than Life Adventures⁠

• ⁠The Trailhead Podcast⁠

📰 Legal and Policy Topics

• No dedicated legal or policy discussion in this episode

📅 Events and Resources

• ⁠Trail Hero Expeditions⁠

• ⁠Four Wheeler⁠

• ⁠Matt’s Off-Road Recovery⁠

📞 Get involved!

• Leave us a voicemail! Call ⁠719-408-0132⁠ to be featured on the show.

• Write a review! ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

• Follow us on Instagram! ⁠The Trailhead Podcast⁠

• Visit the Site: ⁠The Trailhead Network⁠

• Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): ⁠Shop⁠

• Discounts for Trailheads! ⁠Tyri Offroad Lights⁠ (Use Code TRAILHEAD15)

After an unplanned break and a lost episode courtesy of Riverside gremlins, JD gets the roundtable back together with Bryan, Calvin, and Nathan for a live show that feels like getting the gang back in the garage. The first part of the conversation catches up on show business, including progress on the Trail Hero Expeditions edits, upcoming interviews, and plans to get the release schedule moving again. From there, the crew wanders through the usual Trailhead mix of rig talk, maintenance chatter, EJS and Jeep Beach plans, tire balancing headaches, and the kind of side roads this group always finds without even trying.

The back half leans into news, and that’s where things get rowdier. The group reacts to Jeep-branded Truck Claws, Stellantis chasing an affordable EV strategy while the 4xe reputation keeps taking hits, and the broader question of whether electric Jeeps really fit the way most owners use and abuse them. They also hit the West Mojave route closures and the BlueRibbon Coalition’s response, digging into what that ruling could mean for access far beyond California. It’s part shop talk, part news breakdown, part hangout session, and pretty much exactly the kind of chaos you’d expect when these four get rolling again.

📍 Trails and Destinations

• ⁠Moab Region - Trails Offroad⁠

• ⁠Easter Jeep Safari Trails of Moab - Trails Offroad⁠

• ⁠Jeep Beach⁠

🛠️ Gear and Tools

• ⁠TruckClaws⁠

• ⁠Discount Tire⁠

• Beadlock wheel balancing

• Tire pressure / airing up and down

• Jeep 4xe battery and armor discussion

• Preventive maintenance and cleanup before trail season

🚙 Community and Advocacy Groups

• ⁠BlueRibbon Coalition⁠

• ⁠Red Rock 4-Wheelers⁠

• ⁠Trail Hero Expeditions⁠

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• ⁠Bryan - @init2buildit⁠

• ⁠Calvin - @srgoffroad⁠

• ⁠Nathan - @mudhorn_gladiator⁠

• ⁠JD - @me_and_my_yellow_jk⁠

📰 Legal and Policy Topics

• ⁠Rogue Judge Closes 2,200 Miles of OHV Routes in the Mojave Desert - BlueRibbon Coalition⁠

📅 Events and Resources

• ⁠2026 Easter Jeep Safari - Red Rock 4-Wheelers⁠

• ⁠Trail Hero X / Trail Hero Expeditions⁠

• ⁠Jeep Beach 2026⁠

📞 Get involved!

• Leave us a voicemail! Call ⁠719-408-0132⁠ to be featured on the show.

• Write a review! ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

• Follow us on Instagram! ⁠The Trailhead Podcast⁠

• Visit the Site: ⁠The Trailhead Network⁠

• Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): ⁠Shop⁠

• Discounts for Trailheads! ⁠Tyri Offroad Lights⁠ (Use Code TRAILHEAD15)

In this Trail Hero Expedition Spotlight, Episode 2 in the Trail Hero Expeditions Spotlight series, JD talks with the team about their Buckeye, Arizona roots, desert-driven wheeling style, and the mindset that comes from piling on serious trail miles. They share Trail Hero stories, what it’s like being tracked and moving at event pace, and how a tight crew handles the little problems that can snowball fast on the trail—plus the backstory behind their team name.

📍 Trails and Destinations

• Sand Hollow Region (Utah) — Trails Offroad

• Sand Hollow State Park — Utah State Parks

• Sand Mountain Recreation Area (Utah) — BLM

• Grand Canyon National Park

• Zion National Park

• Moab, Utah

• Gold Butte National Monument (Nevada) — BLM

• Harquahala Road (Arizona) — Trails Offroad

• Saxon Mountain Road (Colorado) — Trails Offroad

🛠️ Gear and Tools

• DJI Osmo Action (camera line)

• DJI Osmo (camera line)

• Apple AirTag

• Harbor Freight (tools + storage)

• Floor Jacks — Harbor Freight

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• SRG Offroad

• JD — Me_And_My_Yellow_JK

• The Trailhead Network

🌎 Advocacy & Conservation

• Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA)

• Stay The Trail Colorado

🗓️ Events and Resources

• Trail Hero Expeditions

• Overland Expo West (Flagstaff)

📞 Get involved!

• Leave us a voicemail! Call (719) 408-0132 to be featured on the show.

• Write a review! Review us on Apple Podcasts

• Follow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcast

• Visit our website: TheTrailheadNetwork.com

• Trailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop Here

• Discounts for Trailheads! Tyri Offroad Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off

We continue our close out of the year with your voicemails and the crew swaps favorite 2025 moments and what changed us most: first meet-ups that turned into friendships, holiday plans that went sideways, and the reminder that the people around the rig matter more than the parts on it. Between a few good-natured roasts and some honest reflection, we talk about what we’re thankful for, what we learned, and what we want to build together next.

📍 Trails and Destinations

• Trail Hero X

• Sand Hollow OHV Region (Utah)

• Winter 4x4 Jamboree

• Rubicon Trail

• Overland Expo West

🛠️ Gear and Tools

• Starlink

• Riverside

• SDHQ Offroad

• Rebel Off Road

🚙 Community and Advocacy Groups

• BlueRibbon Coalition

• Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA)

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• Calvin & Jennifer — SRG Offroad

• Fran Adler

• JD: MeAndMyYellowJK

• Keenan Campbell

📅 Events and Resources

• Trail Hero X 2025

• Winter 4x4 Jamboree

• Overland Expo West

📞 Get Involved

• Leave a voicemail

• Apple Podcasts

• Instagram

• Website

• Shop

• Tyri Offroad Lights — use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off

• Record your show with Riverside

JD is joined by Keenan (Overlanding with Intention), Calvin (SRG Offroad), and Fran Adler (Fran's JK Adventures) for a laid-back final check-in with the crew for the year. The crew trades travel plans (SEMA, Overland Expo, and next year’s Trail Hero), talks about making The Trailhead more mobile, and then slides into the real holiday tradition: diagnosing Jeeps that hate cold weather—aux-battery delete tips, mystery codes, and the never-ending rear main seal saga. They wrap this show with night-run talk, mapping tools like Trails Offroad and onX, and the big question: why not record episodes from actual trailheads?

📍 Trails and Destinations

• Sand Hollow OHV Region (Hurricane, Utah)

• East Rim (Sand Hollow, Utah)

• Slaughterhouse Road (Colorado)

• Trail Hero Expeditions (Hurricane, Utah)

• SEMA Show (Las Vegas, Nevada)

• Overland Expo West (Flagstaff, Arizona)

• Overland Expo Mountain West (Loveland, Colorado)

🛠️ Gear and Tools

• Starlink

• onX Offroad

🚙 Community and Advocacy Groups

• Trails Offroad

🚙 Community Shoutouts

• Calvin & Jennifer (SRG Offroad)

• Keenan Campbell

• Fran Adler

• JD Marshall

📞 Get Involved

• Call the voicemail line: 719-408-0132

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

• Follow on Instagram

• Visit the website

• Shop Trailhead merch

• Check out TYRI Lights