Time to Xplore is our journey toward freedom, resilience, and adventure — living simply, traveling deeper, and finding meaning off the beaten path.
Winter might make most people in Atlantic Canada hunker down, but for me, it’s route-planning season. Maps, notebooks, GPX files, and late-night Google Earth sessions take over my table. Every big adventure I’ve ever done started this way — with curiosity, research, and a growing list of “I wonder what’s down that road?” For 2026, …
Read more “2026 Route Planning: Discovering New Brunswick’s Hidden Adventures”
In a perfect world, I’d walk into a bike shop, point at a shiny $3,000 adventure bike, tap my card, and roll out ready for Iceland, Scotland, or wherever the next trail leads. But that’s not my world — and I know it’s not the world a lot of us live in. Right now, I’m …
Read more “Upgrading vs Buying New: How I Stretch My Budget As a Bikepacking Adventurer”
I’ve been back and forth on this for months: stick with two bikes, or simplify everything and run one rig year-round? With limited storage, a Volvo that can’t magically grow a hitch overnight, and a never-ending love affair with bikes and gear, the mental tug-of-war has been real. But the more I think about it, …
Read more “Can One Bike Really Handle All Four Seasons? Why I’m Leaning Toward a Year-Round Fatbike”
Tuesday morning started like any other — a quick drive to take my daughter to work. Nothing out of the ordinary. But within seconds, everything shifted. An oncoming driver pulled out of a long parking lot and shot directly into the left lane of a two-lane roadway — my lane — like they were the …
Diesel Heater Tune-Up, Cold-Weather Gear & Getting Ready for Atlantic Canada Adventures Winter rolls into Atlantic Canada with the same enthusiasm as a runaway logging truck, and if you’re not ready for it, well… it’ll remind you pretty quickly. For me, winter isn’t downtime — it’s planning season, gear-testing season, and the perfect excuse to …
Mini-Barn, Komatik Sled & Winter Prep This winter’s first priority isn’t some grand cabin build deep in the woods — it’s something far more humble, practical, and honestly more important right now: turning my little 8×8 mini-barn into a warm, dry basecamp where I can get out of the cold, make plans, and slowly carve …
I’ve said it before: I have a love/hate relationship with social media. These platforms start as a way to share stories and passions, but over time they turn into noisy, in-your-face marketing machines fighting for every second of your attention. Facebook was the first to go several months ago. Instagram followed. The old time_2_xplore account …
Read more “December Digital Detox — Stepping Back to Move Forward”
🔥 3 Years of Real-World Use — Since Sept 2022 I bought my Vevor diesel heater back in September 2022, and after three full winters of camping, off-roading, shed work, and keeping gear thawed in Atlantic Canada, I finally feel qualified to give a true long-term review. Not a weekend test — an actual multi-year …
When the CampMaid Dutch Oven Multi-Tool system landed in my hands as a Christmas gift back in 2024, I didn’t expect it to become a full replacement for my worn-out Coleman stove. But after a year of steady use — from weekend camps to woodlot workdays — it’s become a permanent part of my adventure …
Read more “CampMaid Dutch Oven System — My Honest Review After a Year of Real Use”
What I’d Do Differently After 30,000 km Building a Volvo XC70 into an overland rig isn’t the same as modifying a truck or traditional SUV. The XC70 has unique limitations, unique strengths, and a surprising amount of capability if you understand how to set it up properly. After two years and over 30,000 km of …
Read more “If I Had to Build My Volvo XC70 Overlander Again”