Coast-to-Coast: The Transamerica Trail Adventure

Mercedes and Andy Lilienthal take us on a deep dive into their ambitious plans to traverse the Transamerica Trail - a 7,100-mile network of back roads, dirt paths, and trails stretching from North Carolina to Oregon. This adventure represents the ultimate American road trip for off-road enthusiasts who want to experience the country's hidden landscapes.

With years of experience between them, the Lilienthals break down the preparation required for their month-long journey. Their 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness will serve as both transportation and home base.  Outfitted with a rooftop tent, recovery gear, specialized lighting, reinforced components, and carefully considered power management solutions to make a long stay feasible. Mercedes explains her methodical approach to navigation, using a combination of digital GPX files and traditional paper maps to guide their path across 15 states.

What makes this journey particularly challenging is the ever-changing nature of the trail itself. Recent hurricanes and flooding have altered sections of the route, requiring extensive research and flexibility in planning. The couple shares insights into their emergency preparedness strategy, including redundant communication devices and how they approach the inevitable challenges of remote travel.

Beyond the technical aspects, they offer a glimpse into the human side of such an ambitious undertaking - how they manage the dynamics of spending a month together in close quarters, their methods for documenting the journey, and what they hope to gain from this coast-to-coast adventure on America's less-traveled paths.

Curious about their progress or planning a similar journey yourself? Follow their adventure through social media and their website at @CrankshaftCulture, where they'll be sharing updates, photographs, and insights throughout their Transamerica Trail expedition.

The Lupe' Tortilla Restaurants
Lupe Tortilla in Katy, Texas

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to In Wheel Time
• 0:46 Mercedes and Andy Lillienthal Interview
• 8:44 Planning the Transamerica Trail Journey
• 17:35 Vehicle Preparation and Equipment Setup
• 22:57 Jeff's Car Culture: VW Amarok
• 28:22 Ford Ranger Review