The Bikini Adventures

After listening to the eight-foot-tall scrub brush paint pinstripes down our body panels for two hours, we were convinced we were headed in the wrong direction and decided to turn around. Miles later, as dusk approached, the clouds closed in and the rains began, just as we reached the drop into Hell Canyon. As night fell, and the rains continued, we came across an abandoned cabin. We discussed camping for the night there, or maybe just to push on; but after looking at the cabin and the creepy vibes emanating, it was an easy choice to keep going.

- Cody Sears

Leaving the eerie cabin behind us, we began our descent to the Dolores River. The darkness of the night proved to be our friend, as we were lucky to not see what was coming. The rain turned the trail into a downhill mud slick. The widest of switchbacks was like turning around inside a two-car garage while dropping fifteen foot in elevation. After the seamlessly never-ending descent, the trail opened up with the river in sight. With our spirits high, and our tanks on “E,” a hard left and a short jaunt brought us into Gateway, CO, and luckily the only gas station in town had “pay at the pump.”

Now headed to our preplanned camp location, but hours behind, we found ourselves immersed in an unscheduled blizzard. Pushing forward with a unanimous decision, we set our sights on Moab through John Brown Canyon with the confidence that we would make it past the storm. And that was just part of the first day of the first ever Bikini Adventure. Six years later, our vision would become a reality.

It all started back in 2011, late one night while working in the garage. This little idea would someday turn into possibly the best idea I ever had. A quick phone call to my like-minded friend, Darrell, would take up the next two hours resulting in some ground rules for ourselves and anyone else who might want to join us. Buy a vintage 4x4, don’t overbuild it, and slap on a bikini top. Then, once or twice a year, take offroad road trips in search of places we’ve never seen, hit bucket list trails, and learn more of the history of our great country. With our creed of “Keep it old, and keep it sketchy,” pumping through our veins, the idea of the Bikini Adventures was born.