Off-road tours in a Unimog
Another couple has moved to St. John with a business plan, and this one’s pretty unique. After falling in love with the islands on a bareboat sailing adventure last year, Erik Gray and Trisha Lisa, tired of Vermont winters in their hometown Burlington, have restored a Mercedes Unimog and are starting off-road adventure tours on St. John. Their business is called “Off the Beaten Path” and they promise “Remote Beaches, Stunning Vistas and Refreshments.” (Erik says they’re perfecting their rum punch recipe right now.)
“I’ve been driving off-road vehicles since I was 12, and did extensive forestry work in off-road equipment in Vermont, so passengers should feel completely at ease,” says Erik (who will leave the rum punch to the passengers.)
Off the Beaten Path will test the waters with marketing plans, but they’ll start out with 2 or 3 hour tours at $50 a head. Going over Bordeaux Mountain and down to Coral Bay is one route they’ll explore, and they have others in mind too, all following old roads you’d probably never try, let alone be able to find. Custom trips, trips that include snorkel stops, rugged hikes. They’re pretty much open to the customer’s ideas right now.
As for the Unimog, it is a monster. “This thing will go places so extreme that most people would be terrified,” says Erik. “We won’t be testing its limits at all.”
No Website yet, but you can email them here, or call 340-690-4990
February 14th, 2008 00:35
Hey- That’s not fair! I wish I had that idea first! just kidding- best wishes to you…maybe you can have it run on biodiesel and save the planet while you’re at it! how easy was it getting the Unimog through inspection?
February 14th, 2008 07:09
Gee, why not just build a Cruz Bay to Salt Pond roller coaster?
February 14th, 2008 07:50
Sounds like a bumpy but fun adventure! I will need to bring some Dramamine on the next trip! The perfect rum punch should help too!
Thanks for the scoop guys~
February 14th, 2008 09:39
This sounds so cool and I think $50 is a steal, but considering I’m scared of the switchback between Trunk and Cinnamon, I’m guessing there’s not enough rum punch for me to not scare the other passengers!
Good luck, and maybe I’ll get my nerve by November!
February 14th, 2008 09:48
Very cool.I’m in lets go! Whats not to like about that? Hey how about some video footage?
February 14th, 2008 10:30
Wow, looks like fun. I know a lot of people would rather leave the driving to someone else!
February 14th, 2008 10:31
Jezus …. what’s next ? A Space Needle ?
No thanks. I’ll just hike to “Remote Beaches, Stunning Vistas and Refreshments”
February 14th, 2008 11:30
Huh?
It’s just an off-road tour truck. Sounds fun.
Kind of a stretch to compare it to the Space Needle!
(which is a fixed position construction project way too big to ever meet zoning laws, and agreed, there are already enough of them!)
February 14th, 2008 13:04
Yeah… it’s great.
Your hiking on Reef Bay Trail and enjoying the flora and fauna and all of sudden your nearly mowed down by a Unimog full of German tourists. That sounds likes great fun.
I think there may be some “access” issues if they plan of taking the Unimog around the Park. I can’t imagine the NPS thinks para-military vehicles cruising the trails is eco-friendly.
February 14th, 2008 13:26
actually, some of our zoning laws allow for unlimited height buildings. a space needle could, theoretically, be installed where compass rose/pastory gardens currently exists - as the government stupidly rezoned it years ago rather than demanding a variance for the uses of restaurant and golf.
February 14th, 2008 13:52
Sounds great, I wonder when they’ll be up and running.
February 14th, 2008 14:39
Frank:
You’re REALLY not going to be happy about the Zip Line Tours between Bongo Bongo and the Pond Bay clubhouse then…
February 14th, 2008 15:17
Frank,
I enjoyed your web site. I can see how rigorous hiking would keep you in shape for the Cowboy Rodeo.
February 14th, 2008 17:09
I think I would burst a hernia on that that thing going down the Bordeaux Mountain Road. Not everything that can be done should be done. But, then again, unless Gifft Hill Road gets some love this may be the way to get to Virgin Grand Estates!
Cheers, RickG
February 15th, 2008 06:25
I hope they’re going to take into condideration the weight distribution of the passengers and re-orient the seating so all the weight is not to the outside. Nothing like bad weight distribution to roll a vehicle.
jo
February 15th, 2008 07:10
I don’t know about this Unimog tour idea. I hope they can find a qualified mechanic on island for maintenance. Now for those who really get STj they would be into tours on donkeys.
February 15th, 2008 08:07
We would like to thank you for your comments and interest. We are always open to ideas, suggestions and constructive criticism. St. John is truly a special place and we would like to convey that our vehicle tours will be conducted only on mapped public roads. The beautiful hiking trails of St. John are much too fragile for the use of motor vehicles, and we would never advocate driving on them. Feel free to give us a call, or better yet, if you see us on the street give us a wave and say hello! We’d love to talk with you!
Erik & Tricia
Off the Beaten Path
February 15th, 2008 08:52
Thank you responding to the criticism…a lot of us on St. John have been upset ever since “St. John off the Beaten Track” was published– and more recently have had to deal with large bands of semi-tourists with machetes calling themselves “trail -bandits.” I would think if you stick not only to public roads, but to public roads that are currently driven with 4-wheel drive fairly regularly, you won’t get too many of us too pissed off.
There are some public rights-of-way on the island that have not been driven on since there were only a handful of cars on the island– and yes, it would be legal, but so are, apparently, all manner of other indignities St. John is subjected to.
February 15th, 2008 18:49
When are they puttin up the Space Needle at Compass Rose? Soundz like a lot of fun after playin a round of mini golf. Mayb there’ll be a rotating bar at the top! Bye Ya’all.
February 15th, 2008 18:49
When are they puttin up the Space Needle at Compass Rose? Soundz like a lot of fun after playin a round of mini golf. Mayb there’ll be a rotating bar at the top! Bye Ya’all.
February 16th, 2008 08:41
Just curious as to why a variance would have been required for the restaurant and golf course at Pastory Gardens being as it’s zoned B-1 and was purchased with that in mind.
February 17th, 2008 14:14
but rezoned just before sale, right? (when the new developer knew what he wanted to do but when the property was still in earlier owner’s name as to pass through the legislature a little easier)
the government may have been smarter to realize that a butterfly museum wasn’t going to necessarily be a huge seller, and that the property would have eventually been sold to developers who don’t care at all about the island, and would simply maximize the site with space needles (or ten-story high rise condos, as were proposed)