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We are #UnitedByHorsepower.
@andy_lilienthal & @mercedes_lilienthal
Our rigs: #TravelTractor, #TerraTractor, and 2022 Crosstrek
#crankshaftculture

WE DID IT!! We, @andy_lilienthal as the driver and

WE DID IT!! We, @andy_lilienthal as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal as the navigator, just conquered the entire east-to-west TransAmerica Trail! We successfully piloted a slightly modified 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness through gravel, dirt, rocks, and small country roads with bad pavement. We dove deep into the Appalachian Mountains and countless flood-ravaged areas, across thick Oklahoma mud, dodged tons of severe thunderstorms and hail, crested rocky Colorado mountain passes over 12,600 feet, and navigated our way through Oregon's wildfires, landslides, washouts, and even a sinkhole. It took us months to plan this effort and vehicle build, and every bit of that time, gear, and upgrades were quintessentially critical for our success.

It took us 29 days. We totaled appr. 7,163 TAT miles (excluding flying miles, and totals to get to Subaru Corporate and to Nags Head, NC for the start as well as post-TAT miles to get from Port Orford, OR, home). Of that, we traversed over 3,184 miles of gravel, dirt, and rocks! Hey, but who's counting?! Finally, this grand adventure netted out at 25 miles per hour AVERAGE across the entire country. That's up from the 18 mph we were averaging in Appalachia. 👊 More statistics later!

HUGE thanks to our family, friends, and partners who have supported us and helped make this effort a reality. We appreciate you all! We've garnered thousands of photos and videos, and will be writing many articles, will be on podcasts and radio, and more, after we get home. For now, we'll dust ourselves off, get some sleep, and announce our next endeavor soon!

PARTNERS:.
@subaru_usa
@bfgoodrichtires
@bajadesigns
@rallyinnovations
@primitiveracing
@arb4x4usa
@rigdsupply
@ecoflowtech
@reikawheels
@maxtraxhq
@factor55

Dramatic skies at an awesome location. This is Gre

Dramatic skies at an awesome location. This is Great Plains Bunkhouse, which is on the TransAmerica Trail. It's a welcome stop for weary travelers and has a kitchen, lounge, and other places to relax and recoup. Plus some of the buildings are awesome.

We're 12 days and nearly 2,700 miles into the Tran

We're 12 days and nearly 2,700 miles into the TransAmerica Trail, and currently at the iconic @oarkgen in Oark, AR. Here are just a few of the pics from our trip from Nags Head, NC thus far. We've done over 700 miles of off-pavement driving, camped 10 of 12 nights, and have been dodging severe weather left and right. We've had temperatures of over 90° (up to 99°) every day thus far, and there's been no escaping the extreme humidity. As expected, weather has played a major factor in this trip, but it's been incredible. We are en route to Port Orford, OR! Keep an eye on our stories for the latest!

We got our TransAmerica Trail Subaru today! We spe

We got our TransAmerica Trail Subaru today! We spent the day attending to last-minute vehicle adjustments, checking all the upgrades/gear, and running errands getting other important items. We're nearing the end of final prep and will head towards Nags Head tomorrow! One month (+/-), one journey, one vehicle. A lifetime of experience over several thousand miles. We're starting to roll out tons of content via @crankshaftculture social media (us, @andy_lilienthal and @mercedes_lilienthal), with tons of articles, photos, podcasts, and radio to follow. HUGE thanks to everyone who has helped make this a reality. From our family and friends to our partners and others who have helped us along the way. We appreciate you!

Driver: @andy_lilienthal | Navigator: @mercedes_lilienthal

PARTNERS:
@subaru_usa
@bfgoodrichtires
@bajadesigns
@rallyinnovations
@primitiveracing
@arb4x4usa
@rigdsupply
@ecoflowtech
@reikawheels
@maxtraxhq
@factor55

One journey, one month (or so), one vehicle: a 202

One journey, one month (or so), one vehicle: a 2025 @subaru_usa Crosstrek Wilderness. We're officially kicking off our transcontinental TransAmerica Trail trip today! This endeavor should span appr. 7,100 miles, primarily on dirt. 👊 Stay tuned as we take receipt of our TAT rig, complete final prep, and make our way to the East Coast start in Nags Head, North Carolina, and make our way to Port Orford, Oregon. Wish us luck! Huge thanks to our family, friends, and partners. We appreciate your support as we have planned this over the last several months! Tons more to come via @crankshaftculture and us, @andy_lilienthal as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal as navigator.

Upgrades/key equipment:

•@bfgoodrichtires: 225/65 R17 KO2 all-terrain tires
•@rallyinnovations: 2024+ Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Rally Light Bar
•@bajadesigns: XL-R Pro LED auxiliary lights•
@primitiveracing Triple Armor front, transmission, rear skid plates
•@arb4x4usa: Classic Series II vehicle fridge, 2.0M Soft Case Awning With Light, Single Motor Portable 12-Volt Air Compressor, Speedy Seal Tire Repair Kit
•@rigdsupply: UltraSwing Short Fit Hitch Spare Tire Mount and SideHack
•@reikawheels: 17X8 (+38) satin black Seeker wheels
•@ecoflowtech: DELTA 3 Plus Portable Power Station and 800W Alternator Charger
•@maxtraxhq: XTREME vehicle recovery boards (their new LITE boards also work for AWDs)
•@factor55: HitchLink 2.0 rear hitch-mounted recovery point

The 2025 @wickedbigmeet event and our TransAmerica

The 2025 @wickedbigmeet event and our TransAmerica Trail (TAT) Subaru debut was awesome! We also taught our first tech seminar at a Subiefest event on this effort, our TAT rig which is a slightly modified 2025 Crosstrek Wilderness, and an overview of time-speed-distance (TSD) rallying, including our 2022 @alcan5000 partnership with the manufacturer. The event was jam-packed with people (7,500 people attended). Many of them were curious about the build as well as its upgrades. Stay tuned as we pushed to do final prep and leave in less than ONE WEEK to start our grand dirt-filled month-long adventure! Learning Center presentation photo: @out2roam

PARTNERS:
@subaru_usa
@bfgoodrichtires
@bajadesigns
@rallyinnovations
@primitiveracing
@arb4x4usa
@rigdsupply
@ecoflowtech
@reikawheels
@maxtraxhq
@factor55

This will be our TransAmerica Trail car. It will b

This will be our TransAmerica Trail car. It will be our home and transportation for 7,100 miles and 3-5 weeks as we cross the continent on as much dirt as possible starting next week. The car was in the @subaru_usa booth at @wickedbigmeet where we got to talk with a bunch of Subaru enthusiasts and see old friends too. Can't wait for this epic journey, which starts in T-minus seven days!

It's a @wickedbigmeet kind of day! We, @andy_lilie

It's a @wickedbigmeet kind of day! We, @andy_lilienthal and @mercedes_lilienthal, teach our tech seminar (12:30-1:25pm at the Learning Center), and we get to meet our TransAmerica Trail Subaru! If you're in or near the Stafford Springs area, stop by and check out the show! We'll be in the main @subaru_usa booth with the TAT Subie.

After several months of planning, our 2025 TransAm

After several months of planning, our 2025 TransAmerica Trail (TAT) @subaru_usa Crosstrek Wilderness is REVEALED! Also, the vehicle will debut at the main Subaru booth at this Sunday's @wickedbigmeet in Connecticut!! If you're nearby, stop by, say hi, and enjoy the event! We can't wait to meet it.

Plus, we, @andy_lilienthal the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal as the navigator, will be hosting a tech seminar at Wicked, too! Here are class details:

•Subject: time-speed-distance (TSD) rallying and overlanding 101 (detailing our TransAmerica Trail trip and key vehicle upgrades)

•Where: The event is held at the Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs, CT (our class will be at the ground's Leaning Center during the event). The TAT rig will be among the other rally cars.

•When: June 8, our seminar is from 12:30pm-1:25pm (double time slot), event gates are open from 9:00am-5:00pm.

Our cross-country journey will be primarily off-road and will take about one month. We leave mid-June and are in the final stages of preparation! Stay tuned, MUCH more to come.

@subaru_usa
@bfgoodrichtires
@bajadesigns
@rallyinnovations
@primitiveracing
@arb4x4usa
@rigdsupply
@ecoflowtech
@reikawheels
@maxtraxhq
@factor55

Good news: Oregon State Senator Anthony Broadman (

Good news: Oregon State Senator Anthony Broadman (@broadmanfororegon ) has introduced legislation to legalize kei vehicles for road use. The bill, SB1213, has bipartisan support in the Beaver State and hopefully will garner more attention from other lawmakers. Be sure to write your representatives and tell them to support SB1213. More at link in bio.

The TransAmerica Trail (TAT) is not a rally or a r

The TransAmerica Trail (TAT) is not a rally or a race. It's a network of off-road trails, farm roads, gravel tracks, and other public back country roads that anyone with a capable vehicle or moto could traverse at their own time. We, @andy_lilienthal, as driver and @mercedes_lilienthal as navigator, will be tackling the entire east-to-west cross-continent section—together, without any outside support. We'll be starting at Nags Head, NC, and head towards Port Orford, OR piloting a mildly modified 2025 @subaru_usa Crosstrek Wilderness.

This AWD vehicle boasts 9.3" of ground clearance, an approach angle of 20.0°, a breakover angle of 21.1°, and a departure angle of 33°. We’ll likely use every bit of it. One of the most important things we'll use is reputable rubber. Our trusted tire company of choice is @bfgoodrichtires. All of our personal rigs wear them (KO2 all-terrains and KM3 mud-terrains), and over the years, we've put them through their paces with resounding success. Our Crosstrek Wilderness will be running 225/65 R17 BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires that'll be wrapped in @reikawheels satin black 17X8 (+38) Seeker wheels. This is the same setup we have on our personal 2022 Crosstrek, but it is a slightly different size.

We think it'll be a winning combo to tackle multiple thousands of off-pavement miles. Stay tuned! Much more to come as we finalize TAT prep and pack everything up.

Just over two weeks until our cross-country off-ro

Just over two weeks until our cross-country off-road effort! Here's a high-level walk-around of a 2025 @subaru_usa Crosstrek Wilderness and what our plans for TransAmerica Trail exterior upgrades will be.

Driver: @andy_lilienthal | Navigator: @mercedes_lilienthal

Exterior upgrades:

@bfgoodrichtires
@bajadesigns
@rallyinnovations
@primitiveracing
@arb4x4usa
@rigdsupply
@reikawheels
@maxtraxhq
@factor55

The TransAmerica Trail Subaru build continues! Her

The TransAmerica Trail Subaru build continues! Here's a video wrap-up of the latest developments with the 2025 Crosstrek Wilderness and its associated upgrades and equipment we plan to use for our month-long off-road TAT endeavor.

•@bfgoodrichtires: 225/65 R17 KO2 all-terrain tires

•@rallyinnovations: 2024+ Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Rally Light Bar

•@bajadesigns: XL-R Pro LED auxiliary lights

•@primitiveracing: Triple Armor front, transmission, rear skid plates

•@arb4x4usa: Classic Series II vehicle fridge, 2.0M Soft Case Awning With Light, Single Motor Portable 12-Volt Air Compressor, Speedy Seal Tire Repair Kit

•@rigdsupply: UltraSwing Short Fit Hitch Spare Tire Mount and SideHack

•@reikawheels: 17X8 (+38) satin black Seeker wheels

•@ecoflowtech: DELTA 3 Plus Portable Power Station and 800W Alternator Charger

•@maxtraxhq: XTREME vehicle recovery boards (their new LITE boards also work for AWDs)

•@factor55: HitchLink 2.0 rear hitch-mounted recovery point

We were sent a few more pics of our @subaru_usa Tr

We were sent a few more pics of our @subaru_usa TransAmerica Trail build! Freshly installed are @primitiveracing front, transmission, and rear skid plates to help protect us against trail hazards, as well as a @rigdsupply UltraSwing Short Fit Hitch Spare Tire Mount and SideHack fuel can holder and @factor55 HitchLink 2.0 recovery point. Much more to come as this vehicle comes together. We can't wait to meet her! 💙 Link in @crankshaftculture's bio to read about our month-long self-supported off-road drive across the United States.

Our first glimpse of our TransAmerica Trail 2025 @

Our first glimpse of our TransAmerica Trail 2025 @subaru_usa Crosstrek Wilderness! Upgrades and mods start NOW. We're also testing our Starlink Mini so we can stay connected during our month-long off-road effort, and decals just got cut, too!

Here is a list of aftermarket modifications/key gear:

•BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires
•Reika satin black Seeker wheels
•Primitive Racing front, transmission, and rear skid plates
•Rally Innovations 2024+ Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Rally Light Bar mount
•Baja Designs XL-R Pro LED Lights
•RiG’d Supply UltraSwing Short Fit Hitch Spare Tire Mount and SideHack fuel can holder
•MAXTRAX XTREME recovery boards
•ARB Classic Series II fridge, 2.0M Soft Case Awning with Light, Single Motor Portable 12-Volt Air Compressor, and Speedy Seal Tire Repair Kit
•Ecoflow 800W Alternator Charger and DELTA 3 Plus Portable Power Station
•Factor 55 HitchLink 2.0 recovery point

Stay tuned as the vehicle gets built and we swing into full-on prep mode for this epic endeavor!

LATEST BLOG DROP: Our 2025 @vw Tiguan first-drive

LATEST BLOG DROP: Our 2025 @vw Tiguan first-drive feature! We recently attended the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan event in Bozeman, Montana. Although the weather offered steady rain and wind, that didn’t dampen our spirits when testing VW’s third-generation five-seat SUV. @mercedes_lilienthal takes a deep dive into the popular platform and its features and shares nearly 30 original photos! Link in bio to check it out. 📸: @mercedes_lilienthal

The 2025 @wickedbigmeet is in TWO WEEKS! If you're

The 2025 @wickedbigmeet is in TWO WEEKS! If you're in or near the Stafford Springs, CT area June 8, stop by and check it out. Stay tuned, details on why we, @andy_lilienthal and @mercedes_lilienthal, will be there coming soon!

Our Delica has provided us five years of all-terra

Our Delica has provided us five years of all-terrain travel. It's taken us through 23 states and British Columbia. Here's to many more years of exploring. Happy Birthday, #TravelTractor!

We had a great trip over the last 10 days. We went

We had a great trip over the last 10 days. We went from Portland, OR to Bozeman, MT for the launch of the @vw Tiguan, then down to Flagstaff, AZ for @overlandexpo West. We took in the sights, saw friends, learned about new products, and worked along the way, with articles to come. Total mileage: 3,288. The #TravelTractor (1994 Delica) did great as a car, an off-roader, and house. A well-deserved oil change and bath are definitely on the horizon.

#crankshaftculture #unitedbyhorsepower #everyvehicleisanadventure #jdm #rhd #delica

We just attended @vw's first drive event of the al

We just attended @vw's first drive event of the all-new 2025 Tiguan SUV lineup! We drove the SE and top-of-the-line SEL R-Line trims and have a lot to say about them. Social stories rolling out about this vehicle now. Articles to come soon!

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Recent Posts

BREAKING: Oregon Kei Truck Bill Scrapped, But Ammendment to Existing Bill Added; Could Pass Sooner
Oregon State Senator Introduces Bill to (Hopefully) Legalize Kei Vehicles
Want Kei Cars Legal in Oregon? Read on.
2025 Volkswagen Tiguan First Drive: Refined and Ready for Road-Worthy Adventures
Our 1994 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear Walkaround Video

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