"I'm going back to Denver, see if I can't find that Colorado girl of mine." The great Townes Van Zandt wrote many songs about the wonderful state of Colorado, most of which focus on its beauty and scenery. And maybe you don't have to go to Colorado to find a girl or a boy, but here is a great reason to get there - the first Off-Grid Expo is taking place October 4 - 6th at Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden, Colorado, right off Interstate 70. Parking is free, tickets are cheap ($15 for three days) and there will be food trucks and a beer garden, not to mention 70 vendors displaying all sorts of off-grid products and exhibits.
"The guys who started the expo work in the RV industry and think that the Denver metro area needs a show like this," says Show Manager Maggie Reichel. "There are many people around here that use the Rocky Mountain as their playground and they can come check out campers, off-road gear, solar exhibits, off-grid lifestyle exhibits and get equipped for any adventure."
What are some of the exhibits?
Into The Wild Overland is based out of Colorado and makes some pretty neat teardrop trailers. There are two models: Boreas XT and Boreas MXT. They are both designed to handle extreme off-road conditions and the MXT is specifically meant to carry a motorcycle or dirt bike with it. Into The Wild Overland trailers are available at dealers all throughout the country, however their headquarters are in Denver.
The first 100 attendees each day receive a free dry bag from Adventure Frog. [Photo by TouRig Van Conversions]
Another trailer manufacturer will be there called OPUS Camper. The Buzz did a feature on these trailers recently and that is available here.
TouRig does van conversions and are local to the expo based out of Golden. They work on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans as well as Ford Transit vans. One review says, "Fantastic work and team! We are lucky to have an affordable up-fitter in Denver. They built our van to our exact specifications. They use the latest technology, highest quality products and their team are truly experts. We couldn't be happier."
There will also be exhibitors there doing workshops and training, as well as kid-friendly activities. "7P Overland will show folks what to check every morning when taking a road trip, how to change a tire off-grid and other off-grid necessities," says Reichel. 7P Overland is a virtual company, but they are a Colorado-based company.
Bass Pro Shop will be providing an archery range for the kids that looks to be a lot of fun. The Colorado Mountain Club is bringing its really exciting YEP Bouldering Bus, which is a a bus that is outfitted as a bouldering cave. Basically, kids can climb around inside the bus. The club has been around since 1912 and exists to "unite the energy, interest, and knowledge of the students, explorers and lovers of the mountains of Colorado," according to the website.
There are also companies selling products that are useful for both off-grid and on-grid camping. Eagles Nest Outfitters, Inc., based out of North Carolina, sells just about any sort of hammock available, along with related products like bug nets, rain tarps, insulation and more. They will be having a raffle at 4 p.m. everyday for a lounge chair or a hammock. Spyderco is a company that makes all sorts of knives in their Golden, CO factory.
Engel Coolers will also be in attendance. They have been around since 1962 in Japan and moved to the USA in 1999. They have a high-performance rotationally molded hard cooler that can hold ice for up to 10 days.
Other exhibitors will be talking about different aspects of outdoor and/or sustainable living. Emu is a company that trains businesses and people on how to build passive houses and is headquartered in Denver. Passive homes are homes that require little to no outside cooling or heating to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. Global Travel Network is a company that functions similar to a travel agency and helps families and individuals find affordable, fun vacations.
Those are just a few of the 70 vendors that will be at the show. “They are all taking a chance on working with us for the first show,” Reichel says. “However their enthusiasm speaks to the market we have here in Colorado. It’s a growing market and it’s great that many are here to support us.” Reichel says that is all educated guesses on how many people will attend the show, but they are thinking somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 people will come to see the exhibits and enjoy the activities. The organizers are excited for the companies to get to talk to each other, especially the many that are local to Colorado, and for people to come get a chance to see some awesome off-road gear. So don’t worry about finding the girl or boy like Townes, just get out there and check out some cool stuff!