After what seemed like weeks of cloud and rain and being stuck inside, the weather finally turned for the better and we had blue skies. What better way to celebrate than to go on a road trip!
During my research into potential truck campers, I came across a company called Supertramp and learned that they would be onsite at the California Overland Adventure Show in Pomona. We decided to make a weekend of it by spending a day at the expo and then another exploring Vasquez Rocks. While there was definitely a lot of driving involved, it turned out to be a fun getaway. When timed correctly, SoCal isn’t really that far away.
We left San Francisco around mid-morning on Friday and didn’t encounter too much traffic getting out of the Bay Area. The whole drive actually wasn’t that bad, except we unfortunately rolled into the outskirts of the San Fernando Valley around 4 P.M., managing to hit rush hour. It was pretty much solid red as we transitioned from Highway 5 to 10 and headed east to our hotel in Ontario.
The next morning, we arrived at the Pomona Fairplex just after 11 A.M. I had never heard of the Fairplex before but it’s this massive 400+ acre venue used to host the LA County Fair and other events. In addition to indoor and outdoor exhibition space, it houses onsite restaurants, a hotel and a museum.
For the next four hours we explored all three halls and adjoining streets, each one packed with exhibitors selling everything conceivable to outfit your rig and make your outdoor adventure the best that it can be.
It was a very different sort of event compared to the Northwest Overland Rally we attended last year, which mixed in a small section of vendor exhibits with a lot of programming for attendees. Also, rather than seeing how other people have built out their rigs, we got to see the latest offerings for truck campers, rooftop tents, and trailers. It was actually amazing to see what was possible. Who knew that you could have an inflatable pop-up trailer camper!
Of course, we spent most of our time with Supertramp, asking questions and learning more about their capabilities versus similar truck campers. Being able to see one live really made a difference and I think it’s the one we’re most likely to go with unless something better comes on the market in the next couple of years.
What we really liked about the Supertramp Flagship LT is the amount of light that comes in and the openness of the layout for a slide-in. To get something comparable we’d have to go with Four Wheel Camper’s flatbed model, but then we’d lose the ability to have a usable truck bed when we’re not on an adventure.
Nestled in among the overland exhibits was the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Museum. Entry was free with our show ticket so we spent about 30 minutes admiring their large collection of dragsters, race cars and hot rods and learning more about the history behind racing.
Hungry and slightly overwhelmed, we left the show and stopped at Spaghetti Eddie’s Cucina Italiana for a late lunch/early dinner. It’s an old-school Italian restaurant located in a dated strip mall, but don’t let the location or exterior fool you! We had a delicious meal. Portions were generous and the price was right.
From there we headed up into the hills behind Santa Clarita where we had our own mini-overland adventure. It was our first time using Hipcamp and we stayed on a vast property that had extensive views of the hills and canyons.
We went for a short walk, and watched the sun set behind the mountains. At night we slept in the back of Axle again, but this time oriented our heads at the foot of the trunk so that my legs could stretch out. Comfortably ensconced in our sleeping bags, tired from the day’s activities, it didn’t take long before we were both sound asleep and dreaming of tomorrow’s adventure at Vasquez Rocks.