Brent Conklin - Whiskey 7 Backroads

The Starlink Mini Era: How a 1.10 kg Dish Rewrote Off-Grid Connectivity for Overlanders, Campers, and Remote Workers

The Starlink Mini wasn't a smaller version of a satellite dish. It was the moment the internet became portable enough to be useful off-grid. How the 1.10 kg, USB-C PD-powered dish changed what overlanders, campers, hikers, remote workers, and families can do off-grid.

17 min read • Aug 14, 2026

pacific-northwest public

When an Oregon Fire Closure Hits Mid-Trip: A Couple’s Last-Minute Reroute

Brent Conklin

A Stage 1 fire restriction, a washed-out forest road, and unhealthy wildfire smoke can blow up a three-week Oregon trip in a single afternoon. Here is what the couple did instead.

15 min read • Jul 31, 2026

events public

Backcountry Offroad Expo Comes to La Pine Oregon — August 1-2, 2026

Brent Conklin

Venue updated — the Backcountry Offroad Expo moves from Sisters High School to La Pine Rodeo Grounds August 1-2, 2026 due to fire activity. Same dates, same ticket codes (SISTERSFREE, CAMPING20), 50+ brands, on-site camping, and a Monday trail ride with Backland Adventures.

13 min read • Jul 17, 2026

gear-review public

Warn R60-S Review: The 6,000 lb Winch Most Overlanders Actually Need

Brent Conklin

Warn's new R60-S is a 6,000 lb winch that costs less, weighs less, and is sized right for most mid-size and lighter-SUV overland rigs.

13 min read • Jul 10, 2026

opinion public

Why We Should Fly the American Flag Every Day, Not Just the Fourth of July

Brent Conklin

I am writing today on a topic that I have been saying for over 30 years. We should fly our flags every day, not just the 4th of July. I have 3 flags on flag poles and one flag wrap on the back of my truck. Hopefully, the info below will inspire you to fly a flag.

11 min read • Jul 2, 2026

opinion public

Overlanding's $68 Billion Problem: Growth Eating Itself

Brent Conklin

28,500 people packed into one expo. $40B in 2026, headed to $68B by 2036. 14,000 acres outside Zion just closed. The industry is eating its own playground and most overlanders do not see it happening.

13 min read • Jun 19, 2026

camping public

7,163 Miles in a Subaru Crosstrek on the TransAmerica Trail

Brent Conklin

Andy and Mercedes Lilienthal drove a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness 7,163 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the TransAmerica Trail — 3,184 unpaved miles, 29 days, 39 reroutes, zero mechanical failures. A proof-of-concept for soft-roaders on the country's most demanding amateur overland rou

16 min read • Jun 12, 2026

Montana Ranch public

2026 Rendezvous

Brent Conklin

Hello everyone, this email is going out to all members (paid or not). It's time to start thinking about the 2026 Rendezvous at the ranch.

3 min read • Apr 17, 2026

Montana Ranch public

Meet the New Workhorse of Whiskey 7 Ranch

Brent Conklin

The Search Begins In April of 2025, I started to research and design a new truck. I have been driving a 2021 Ram Powerwagon 75th Anniversary edition that I really like.

4 min read • Nov 27, 2025

Montana Ranch public

2025 Rendezvous

Brent Conklin

Hello everyone, if you're getting this email, you are on the outside looking in!! In other words, you are not signed up for a paid membership.

3 min read • May 28, 2025

Montana Ranch public

2024 Rendezvous Recap

Brent Conklin

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with their family and friends. I am writing this article the Saturday after Thanksgiving and realized I did not post the recap of the Rendezvous.

4 min read • Nov 30, 2024

camping public

Top Reasons to Use a Composting Toilet for Your Camper or RV

Brent Conklin

Composting toilet for a camper or RV: pros, cons, real-world costs, and the 3 mistakes that ruin them. How often you empty it, what to do with the waste, and whether it beats a cassette toilet on a 2-week trip.

9 min read • Sep 28, 2024