the road unpaved
The joys of pursuing the hard things.
About The author
I was raised along the Tennessee River in the Appalachian foothills of North Alabama and Southern Tennessee—where adventure was as natural as breathing. As a kid, I spent many weekends camping, spelunking, mountain biking, and exploring every patch of woods I could get lost in. That love for the outdoors planted seeds that would sprout again much later in life.
In my twenties and thirties, I chased a different kind of trail—one lined with stage lights and studio doors. As a session singer and published songwriter, I was blessed to come up around hit makers that gave me my first shots. I later hit the road performing across the country with my own group and as drummer for Christian artist Lenny LeBlanc – but most visibly as the lead singer for the Grammy and ACM winning country group Shenandoah. Music gave me a passport to 38 U.S. states and 10 countries, chasing music, memories and moments worth sharing.
Today, life finds me back home—on a 21-acre farm in Tennessee, where I’ve settled into family life, faith, and a quieter rhythm. But when the world slowed down during the COVID pandemic, the spirit of adventure came roaring back. My wife Tammy and I embraced it with a total home reno and the purchase of a 2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave. (the Jeep was mostly for me!)
That moment rekindled the same wanderlust that once had me crawling through caves and riding rocky trails on two wheels. It’s what gave rise to GladiatorUp—a space where I share my personal travel journal, gear reviews, trail stories, and reflections from the road unpaved. Whether you’re a fellow weekend warrior, a Jeep JT driver, or just someone looking for a reason to say “yes” to the outdoors again, I’m glad you’re here.
Here’s to the road unpaved.
the covid bump
The "COVID bump" was a remarkable phenomenon for the RV and Overland industry—tens of thousands of people entered or returned to the RV and adventure travel space almost overnight. As international travel halted and remote work exploded, folks looked closer to home for escape, connection, and sanity. Campgrounds filled, rooftop tents sold out, and once-obscure backcountry trails saw record traffic. What had long been a niche lifestyle suddenly became mainstream, as people rediscovered the freedom and fulfillment of life on the move they had once took for granted.
I also credit the Croft family and the XOverland team for stoking that desire for me and so many others to get outdoors and travel to far off places in specialty rigs built for adventure. I discovered their First Season: Alaska/Yukon on Amazon Prime. Every minute inspired and fueled my passion to acquire the rig and get out there. Alaska is NOT on my trip list and Montana is a long 2-day journey away from Tennessee. But the Southern US is quite the playground. It is the birthplace of westward expansion and the land of my Native American and Scotch-English settler ancestry. I make my playground in these hills and valleys of the Southern US.
Gladiator Stoked
A Word ABout FORD Bronco
Having previously owned a Land Rover Discovery and a Chevy Tracker 4×4 (pretty much a Suzuki Samurai), my re-entry to the adventure travel life actually lined up with the return of the Ford Bronco. When reservations opened in 2020, I jumped in line early. During those early pandemic months, I probably built a Bronco every possible way using Ford’s online builder. Ask my wife—I was Bronco, Bronco, Bronco.
That is, until the transmission in our well-maintained Ford Escape died at just 95,000 miles. After a $2,000 replacement and a little digging, I found out we weren’t alone—countless Escape owners had faced similar failures. That shook my confidence. Between Ford’s spotty track record on quality control and the looming supply chain delays tied to the Bronco launch, I made the call: I canceled my reservation.
That decision led me back to a brand I’d loved since I was a kid playing with a green Tonka Jeep Wrangler, and later riding shotgun with my college buddy Aaron in his CJ. In the end, the Gladiator Mojave was the perfect fit. I needed a truck for an upcoming home reno, and the Gladiator gave me that—plus true off-road chops and undeniable Jeep character.
I chose the Mojave over the Rubicon for its desert-tuned soul and durability; a heavier-duty build that was spec’d for and more suited for the type of expeditions I planned to undertake. I found a fully loaded Mojave sitting on the lot at our local dealership and, somehow, we scored it at sticker price.
110,000 miles later, I have no regrets. My Jeep helped me bugout of the pandemic, and placed me right back where I belong—on the road unpaved.
build philosophy
After consuming hours of XOverland, Trail Recon, Overland Journal Podcast and TSTN, when I started outfitting my Jeep Gladiator Mojave, I knew one thing for certain: it had to remain practical as a daily driver. This wasn’t going to be a full-time trail rig—it was going to haul supplies on Monday and hit a backcountry road by Saturday. So, my build philosophy centered around modularity—high quality gear and accessories that could be added or removed with ease, depending on the season or the mission.
I run the truck in two primary modes: Daily driver/Winter mode and Adventure mode. In daily driver mode, I keep things light, clean, and streamlined—tonneau bed cover on - no unnecessary weight, minimal wind drag, and easy access for errands or commutes.
But when it’s time to travel, I flip the switch into full Adventure mode. That’s when the bed rack and tent goes on, the gear boxes come out, and the recovery tools get strapped down. The goal is to be trail-ready and self-reliant without losing sight of balance and ease-of-use. Every piece of gear I’ve added—whether it’s my rooftop tent or cargo systems—has to justify its place on the rig. If I can’t install it or remove it solo in a reasonable amount of time, it doesn’t make the cut.
This modular mindset keeps things efficient, but it also keeps me excited. Every time I prep for a trip, I’m not just packing—I’m transforming the Jeep into its other identity.
Being a Jeep - of course topless and naked modes are always an option on those perfect weather days. Within minutes the freedom of open air travel makes for unforgettable cruze time into town and back. (long trips are hard to take as the wind is pretty brutal.)
My Build: Jeep Gladiator Mojave
Gladiator Stoked started as a 2021 JT Mojave, with all of the add-on groups and a soft tri-fold Mopar tonneau cover. This very trail capable build has been a stellar starting point.
As bumps and bruises started taking their toll on the exterior of this, my daily driver, I’ve replaced things as they break.
From 33's to 35's
When the factory 33 in. Falkan Wildpeak MT expired, I replaced with 35 in. Nitto Recon Grapplers AT. These are a direct fit, no adjustments needed, including spare. Maybe a slight rub on the fender liner in extreme flex situations.
Bumpers/Silders
Front: Rugged Ridge Arcus Stubby
Rear: Rough Country Tubular
Sides: Smanow Step Sliders
Sides: Mopar Rock Sliders (not shown)
DIY Wooden Side Rails + Rack
I've always liked the look of wooden bed rails from vintage trucks. Since the JT has the retro flared fenders, I thought it would be a cool look. So I designed a pair of rails made from matching, stained 2x8's that bolt into the trail-rail system in the bed and 2, steel U-channel cross bars. This design provides support for my RTT and plenty of space for accessories and cargo in the bed. They easily store when not in use. If you'd like plans for this design, DM me.
Badland ZXR 9500 Winch
Watch this install on a Rugged Ridge Arcus Front Bumper. (click photo)
Oracle Tail Lights
After a slow crunch backing down a trail I had no business going down, replacing the passenger side tail light with OEM LED proved to be cost prohibitive. This set of tinted LED low profile tail lights started a smoke-out process that is slowly removing all of the Mojave orange color trim and accents from the exterior of my rig. (photo by Oracle) Despite mixed reviews these lights have been great!
Roofnest Meadowlark Softshell RTT
I’ve been running the Roofnest Meadowlark rooftop tent for a while now, and it’s been a solid low-budget setup. What I love most is its ultralight design—I can mount or remove it solo without a hoist or extra hands. It’s compact, quick to deploy, and perfect for weekend warrior trips where simplicity matters. For anyone looking to ease into the RTT game without breaking the bank (or your back), the Meadowlark’s a great place to start. I snagged this one on Facebook Marketplace, lightly used, at a great price well under the $1080 typical new price from the manufacturer.
