Saudi Arabia: Hegra, Maraya, and Harrat Viewpoint
My first morning in Saudi Arabia was stunning. I woke up before the sun rose above AlUla’s huge rock formations, which are reminiscent of Moab or Sedona in the United…
Getting to Saudi Arabia for Defender and the Dakar Rally
We’re kicking off our on-the-ground 2026 Dakar Rally and Defender recap reels! So much to share, we (Mercedes Lilienthal) didn’t posted them all as social stories (although a few hundred videos/photos are…
Peak Design’s Everyday Slim Wallet is a Minimalist Card Carrier
For years, I carried a bulky wallet in my back pocket. About 10 years ago, someone gave me a minimalist wallet: a metal tray with a nylon strap to hold…
Kubota Continues Partnership with American Rally Association
We love all things rally at Crankshaft Culture. Last year, Kubota—yes, the orange tractor company—became a major sponsor of the American Rally Association (ARA). The ARA is the largest rally…
Crankshaft Chronicles: 14-Year-Old Andy Didn’t Know Everything About Cars. Just Ask His Mom
It was the summer of 1992. My mother had just bought her first car, a ’92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport, on her own after her divorce from my father. If…
The 15 Most Interesting Vehicles at the 2026 Oregon International Auto Show
We visit the Oregon International Auto Show each year. Here, you can often see the latest models along with a host of custom vehicles. This year’s event runs Feb. 19–22…
Moon Disc / Speed Disc Hubcaps: Machined Metal Masterpieces
I don’t know what it is, but I’ve always been a fan of a certain hubcap: Moon discs, sometimes called racing discs or land-speed hubcaps. If I’m going to use…
Living With a Third-Gen JDM Suzuki Jimny: What We’ve Learned So Far
We bought our JDM 1998 Suzuki Jimny Wide in June of 2025; however, we hadn’t had much time to work on it until November. Since then, we’ve done a host…
BFGoodrich Celebrates 50 Years of All-Terrain Tires
We’re big fans of BFGoodrich tires. In fact, we have them on all four of our vehicles. For 2026, the iconic brand is celebrating 50 years of radial all-terrain tires…
Oregon Introduces House Bill 4063 to Legalize Kei Car Registration
In June of 2025, Oregon looked to be the next state to legalize the registration of kei vehicles for road use. Unfortunately, the bill was scrapped in favor of an…
Guest Posts
Can an Insurance Lawyer Help With a Non-Injury Car Accident?
According to a preliminary analysis from the National Safety Council, an estimate of 37,810 deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred in the US in 2025. This is a 12% decrease from the reports from the previous year. In the United States, even accidents without physical injuries can lead to complex…
Why Vehicle Size Matters More in City Traffic Than Drivers Realize
City driving has a way of making every vehicle feel larger than it looks on paper. A compact car can vanish beside a delivery van. An older sedan can lose its view of the road behind a tall SUV. A bus pulling away from the curb can shift the pace…
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage and How Does It Work?
According to a 2025 Insurance Research Council study, 15.4 percent of drivers in 2023 were uninsured, which works out to be more than one in seven drivers. Most states were displaying trends of high uninsured motorist rates from 2017 to 2023. When a driver who is to blame for an…