I’ve always been a sucker for a good adventure, which is why off-roading is an activity that I never knew that I needed.
A true country girl to my core, I’ve always been privy to riding ATVs and dirt bikes back home with my cousins, but learning what it means to go off-road in a vehicle was a totally different experience, and not only did it transport me back to my childhood, which was filled with everything from mud-bogging to truck pulls, and even riding tractors with my dad, but it helped me to reawaken my inner child, helping me to reacquaint myself with my love for the outdoors.
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So, I’ll set the scene, as I’ve had the opportunity to off-road twice courtesy of the all-new 2026 CR-V Honda TrailSport and the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport. In March 2025, I voyaged to Puerto Rico, where the only passport I needed was Honda’s, and that was my first taste of off-roading, taking the vehicle through various conditions that included, but weren’t limited to, sand, hills, mud, and beyond.
More recently, the Honda CR-V TrailSport helped me find my way in Southern California, where the company created an off-road experience for us in San Diego. With each trail, I have found that my confidence in off-roading continues to grow and expand, and it won’t be long before I’m setting out for my own experience.
During my off-roading adventures, I learned a great deal about power, confidence, control, and the healing effects of nature.
Being behind the wheel on rugged terrain reaffirmed that I’m capable of navigating uncertainty, both on the road and in life. Conquering my first hill climb boosted my confidence like no other, and as much as I am a sucker for control, off-roading made me look at it from a different lens, one where I knew where to be flexible and where to apply pressure. Last, but certainly not least, I learned a valuable lesson about the ways nature heals, challenges, and reveals. Although some of God’s natural creations pushed me to the limit during these experiences, they helped show me exactly who I was in the process.
What Exactly Is Off-Roading?
The name is pretty self-explanatory, meaning that you’ll be driving on anything except a road, but according to the dictionary, off-roading is “the activity or sport of driving a motor vehicle over rough terrain.”
Can I Off-Road In My Car?
No. To be clear, there are vehicles that are specifically equipped to support off-road conditions. My first experience with the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport, I had the team explain to me what features best support someone who was practicing the activity for the first time. Here’s what I gathered in my research.
Equipment like the trail watch camera is already featured on another vehicle in their fleet that is equipped for off-roading, but one of the newer installments on this truck includes the tire path guidelines, which an electrical project lead explained helps the driver to easily place the tire where you need it to go whether it be over a rock or a around an obstacle, but also if you’re crusting over a hill, which was a great help for me when I took on their Scary Banana portion of the obstacle course, and was unable to see below. Instead, I was able to use the tools within the Passport to make my way (safely) over the hill.
The camera system really helped me pinpoint what was below the vehicle, which was not visible to my eyesight, and navigate the terrain to tackle what was indeed a monster of a hill.
If you’re intrigued and would like to experience the practice of off-roading yourself, check out the five things every Black woman must know before setting out for your next adventure after the flip.
