Crankshaft Culture Gear Garage: His-and-Hers Big Agnes Torchlite Camp 20° Expandable Mummy Bags

November 9, 2021 / Mercedes Lilienthal / 1 Comment

Andy and I spend as much time outdoors as possible. It’s our respite from the digital world we’re so attached to. Our latest build, the Travel Tractor Mitsubishi Delica van has allowed us to camp in comfort, no matter if we’re headed to overland shows via our makeshift sleeping platform or by moving the mid-row…

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Mitsubishi In Moab: We take our Pajero to Easter Jeep Safari

April 7, 2021 / Andy Lilienthal / 2 Comments

We typically go to Easter Jeep Safari for the annual gathering of off-road enthusiasts, primarily Jeeps—duh. I’ve been to the event for work many times. We even drove our Jeep Cherokee out there one year. We barely made it, but that’s another blog post. This year, we took our 1992 JDM Mitsubishi Pajero, aka the…

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2020 Alcan 5000 Rally Memories: The Sourtoe Cocktail

February 18, 2021 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

It’s been nearly a year since we participated in the mother-of-all-winter rallies, the 2020 Alcan 5000. We’ve been reflecting on some of our favorite moments and are putting together some fun memories. One of these was our night in Dawson City, YT Canada and the infamous Sourtoe Cocktail.

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You Know You’re on the Alcan When …

January 17, 2021 / Mercedes Lilienthal / Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost one year since Andy and I competed in the 2020 winter Alcan 5000 Rally. Who would have thought an old 1991 Japanese Domestic Market right-hand-drive diesel Pajero would be competing in temps that reached -40, much less finish strong in a rally that lasted 10 days and over…

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Conquering the 2020 Alcan 5000 Winter Rally

June 24, 2020 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

It’s been just over three months since we returned from the 2020 Alcan 5000 Winter Rally in March. We came back to a totally different world than we left thanks to COVID-19. But during our time on the Alcan 5000, we had left the real world behind and focused on the incredible journey.

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Nitto Tires Releases 2020 Alcan 5000 Winter Rally Video

May 20, 2020 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment

In March we competed in the 2020 Alcan 5000 Winter Rally. We drove our 1991 Mitsubishi Pajero, aka, the Terra Tractor, from Kirkland, Washington up to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, and finished in Anchorage, Alaska. It was an amazing experience to put it lightly. The event’s tire sponsor, Nitto, put together this awesome video showcasing the…

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Our After Alcan 5000 via Dirt Sports World

April 17, 2020 / Mercedes Lilienthal / Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe it’s been just over a month since we finished the 2020 Alcan 5000 Winter Rally. It was an incredibly challenging and rewarding adventure! We’ve returned from driving the Pajero over 5,400 winter Arctic miles. There’s so much to talk about, so much to share. So, here’s our first feature story via…

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Our After Alcan 5000 Interview with Yak Radio

March 20, 2020 / Andy Lilienthal / 3 Comments

Hey, we finished the 2020 Alcan 5000 Winter Rally, and it was an incredible adventure! As you can see, this is our first post since returning from over 5,400 driving miles. There’s so much to talk about, so much to share. The entire thing was amazing and challenging from perfect Arctic sunrises to sending into…

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All of Our Alcan 5000 Prep Videos on Pickup Truck + SUV Talk

February 23, 2020 / Andy Lilienthal / 3 Comments

Over the past months we’ve partnered with Pickup Truck + SUV Talk to create four Alcan 5000 Winter Rally preparation videos. Now you can see them all in one spot. Here’s a playlist of all four videos, from start to finish. Hopefully they allow other people interested in both fixing up an old JDM diesel…

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How We Are Preparing Our Vehicle for Extreme Cold

February 14, 2020 / Andy Lilienthal / 4 Comments

In less than two weeks, we’ll be departing for the 2020 Alcan 5000 Winter Rally. Frankly, I don’t know if we’ve ever prepared for anything this much. The vast majority of the prepping has revolved around getting the rig ready for temperatures that could dip below -30° F. As I type this—ironically from Palm Springs…

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