How I Survived 29 Days and 7,163 Miles of (Mostly) Dirt Roads In a Subaru Crosstrek—With My Husband
Being alone in the wilderness of the TransAmerica Trail with your spouse takes patience, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust. Here's how we navigated it.
The TransAmerica Trail might be the slowest, longest way to cross this country thanks to a mostly off-road route that rarely hits paved roads, much less a hotel with resort amenities. It can take a month or more to make the full trip, and that’s keeping up a good pace, say, 25 miles an hour and staying on course with paper maps, turn-by-turn directions, and digital GPS. It also takes a well prepared car, such as a modified 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, Tetris-packed with all the necessities for the trip. And at the end of each day? Camping in a tent, of course.
The biggest test, though, was making this journey with my husband.
How would my husband, Andy, and I, keep our sanity without a break from one another? How would we—or could we—avoid the frustrations of inevitable snafus and disruptions? We did have a bit of confidence after trekking to the Arctic Circle and other trails together, and we had confidence in our Subaru, which, with a few modifications was even more off-road capable.
And then, with proper planning, both for the trip and in consideration of each other, we survived and even thrived on this insane adventure. Here’s how we did it.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
The TransAmerica Trail: The Country’s Longest Dirt Road
The TransAmerica Trail, or TAT to those on the journey, is a network of routes spanning the United States, featuring a mix of dirt, gravel, and rocks, as well as farm roads, small paved areas, and challenging sections in between. TAT is essentially slow, with isolated tracks dotted with random dwellings and tiny towns along the way. We completed the east-to-west route, including the Atlantic Ocean Spur (North Carolina and Virginia), the main route across the country, and the Pacific Ocean Spur (Idaho and Oregon).
We started our trek on June 19 in Nags Head, NC, and finished 29 days later in Port Orford, OR. In short, we traveled an average of 25 miles per hour and just over 212 TAT-specific miles each day. Most days, we drove about 11-12 hours; our longest day was 13 hours, 40 minutes. We had to manage 39 route deviations due to severe weather, storm damage (including road closures and flooding), downed trees, wildfires, and more.
It took Andy and me about a year to plan this trip. We’re seasoned off-roaders and campers who logged tens of thousands of endurance-driving-based miles together, but never quite in this fashion. We partnered with Subaru of America and built our Crosstrek Wilderness with them. We anticipated approximately 3–5 weeks of travel and researched the entire route thoroughly. From the East Coast humidity and mud to the West Coast’s wildfires and challenging terrain, we knew we’d be in for one heck of a time.
READ MORE: How My Husband and I Gear Up for the TransAmerica Trail in a Subaru Crosstrek
Then We Had to Prepare the Subaru Crosstrek (And Ourselves)
Preparing your adventure rig properly can prevent you from getting stuck or breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Basic things like fluid checks and tire/brake inspections are important. They should be done regularly, but especially before a demanding trip.
However, customizing it with proper underbody protection, powerful auxiliary lights, and a sturdy light bar mount, reputable tires, a full-size spare tire, extra fuel, and more will help get your vehicle ready for challenging treks like the TransAmerica Trail. This will help ensure your trip is a safe and successful one.
Packing the right clothing, tools, food, drink, and camp gear is critical. Andy and I create a packing list for each major trip. We segment the list by types of gear, whose it is, and what duffle, storage tote, or backpack it’ll get packed in. This takes a while to do, but after doing it multiple times, you’ll become more efficient. You’ll learn what can go where, and if you’re missing anything before you leave. We’ve even laminated lists of tote contents for some trips so we could easily and quickly find specific items in case the going gets rough.
Read: Your New Car is Built For Off-Roading. But Does It Have What It Takes for Overlanding?
As The Experts Say, Communication is Key
Being with your partner 24/7 for a month straight while locked in a car together isn’t always easy. But good communication can help solve trip issues or other problems quickly and easily. It can keep moods maintained and improve the overall driving experience.
Try to stay surgical and take emotions out of stressful situations. It’s important to remember that you’re tackling problems as a team, not as opponents. Also, knowing when you need to take a break and communicating that is an important skill, too.
Giving yourself plenty of time to prep can keep stress levels low, and therefore, things won’t turn tense. Being under the gun to get something done is no fun. Give yourself extra time for your trip, even if that means taking time before or after it to relax and reconnect. And while you’re on your excursion, give yourself some me time. That might be a solo walk at camp, a book by a river, or whatever helps you relax and recenter yourself.
READ MORE: The Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is Ready for Take-Off; But Are We? Taking on the TransAmerica Trail
Packing Your Favorites Keeps Spirits High
We brought along an ARB fridge/freezer, which was a lifeline for us. Not only did it keep our food and drinks cold, but it also kept everything secure and organized. No trip is fun if you don’t have your favorite go-to food or good drinks along with you. During our TAT trip, we brought Mountain House freeze-dried meals, protein drinks, plenty of low-carb snacks, and bought local beer to try along the way.
Having a favorite drink, snack, or meal to look forward to at the end of the day is crucial.
READ MORE: Camping Trip for a Non-Camper: Discovering Something New In Myself
Patience Is Important, Too
You can prepare yourself mentally, bring all the necessary tools, gear, food, and car care items, and still end up dealing with unexpected hiccups.
For instance, we got stuck behind a road grader going 10 miles per hour for 20 miles with no way to pass. You can drive 10 miles off-road on a tough single-lane trail and get stopped by a massive fallen tree, only to have to turn around and find another route. These things happened to us, and packing patience is part of the journey. As Andy and I say—that’s travel—and issues will happen. Not getting riled up over situations out of your control will only help.
READ MORE: We Fell in Love with this Campervan for Summer Road Trip Travel
Dividing Campsite and Travel Duties Makes Everything Easier
Before we set out, Andy and I like to split our responsibilities. Not only does this keep everything organized and moving smoothly, but getting the campsite ready or the car packed moves a lot faster when we know who’s doing what.
For example, Andy sets up and puts away the rooftop tent. I get the interior set up for mornings and overnights. By each of us having specific tasks each day during a camping trip makes things a lot easier.
READ MORE: Find Yourself Pining for Adorable, Instagrammable Travel in an Airstream?
Making New Friends Keeps Things Interesting
One of the things we love most about traveling is meeting people. Locals are a wealth of knowledge, and they’re typically helpful with your questions, including the best places to eat and localized updates on nearby issues or closed roads. Plus, some have become lifelong friends. Don’t be afraid to mingle.
Some of our most cherished memories are with people we met while traveling.
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Laugh, Especially When the Going Gets Tough
Life can’t be 100% serious all of the time. Laughing can break up stressful situations and is good for everyone. We all can benefit a bit more from finding joy and humor in the little things. So, lighten up and remember: you’re out there to have fun and have a successful trip, no matter where you go.
Lastly, be bold and try something new. Trust me, you’ll never know if you love something unless you step out of your comfort zone and try it. Do it at least once, you might thank me later!
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