Today we’d like to introduce you to Ash & Ron Soares
Hi Ash & Ron, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We have always loved to travel and explore new places, especially in our 2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ. While simultaneously planning our wedding and move to Colorado from Massachusetts, both occurring in 2021, we decided to take advantage of the move and spend five weeks traveling the country, via our Jeep, before ultimately making it to our new home. We wanted to try our hand at “overlanding”, which is basically “van life”, except with a jeep and not a van.
In order to prepare for this endeavor, we decided our old jeep needed quite a few upgrades/repairs to create an extremely capable and reliable vehicle that would have no problem traveling the country for weeks on end. So in April of 2020 we completely tore down the Cherokee to a bare shell and began the process of rebuilding it from the ground up. After spending its entire life in New England, it definitely needed this. We were now not only planning a wedding, a five week road-trip, and a 2,200 mile move but also planning and executing the complete overhaul of our jeep.
We rebuilt the engine, installed upgraded/stronger axles, built custom suspension, repaired years of rust, installed 35” tires, and a rooftop tent. We outfitted the interior with a fridge, and an electrical and storage system in preparation for our big trip. Looking back now – we are happy to say, it was all worth it.
In April of 2021, two weeks after completing the jeep, we set off on a “test trip” to ensure the jeep was going to be able to last five weeks on the road. We drove 3,600 miles round trip from Massachusetts to the Florida Keys. Camping, sightseeing and testing out our newly rebuilt Jeep along the way. We spent our first night ever in a roof top tent on this trip, we were absolutely hooked. This trip not only assured us of the jeeps capabilities but also gave us a taste of life on the road, just traveling without a true set of plans. We were officially addicted.
June 25, 2021, a month after getting married, we set off on our biggest trip yet, this time with our two beagle pups, Bella and Natalie. We were to travel in the Jeep for five weeks straight, coast to coast. Every state west of Florida, minus Arizona, would be a state we had never visited before. To say we were excited was an understatement.
We traveled from Massachusetts to the beautiful coastline of Texas. We gazed upon the famous red rocks of Sedona and into the depths of the awe inspiring Grand Canyon in Arizona. We spent time on the strip of Las Vegas before making our way north in an attempt to beat the heat. In California we took a sneak peak at the Legendary Rubicon Trail in California (which we ended up traveling back to and completing in 2023). We made our way up the California Coast, touched the Pacific Ocean for the first time and traveled the amazing backcountry trails of the Sierra Nevadas. We saw the mighty giants in the Redwoods National Forest, spent a brief time in Oregon and Washington before making our way down to Utah and our new home in Colorado. The experience was truly amazing.
This cross country road trip was a new beginning for us. Since then we have been on numerous trips out west and across the country. We have extensively explored much of our backyard, now being the Colorado Rockies, and the high desert of Utah! After some time living in Colorado I, Ron, decided I wanted to start a YouTube to showcase our travels to our friends and family back on the East Coast, as well as share fabrication projects to the Jeep and other vehicles (but more on that later).
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Cross country travel can be challenging, especially when you are doing it in a 21 year old vehicle. We’ve learned that the issues that arise during a trip are just part of the journey and we have definitely had our fair share of old vehicle related issues while traveling.
On our Massachusetts to Florida Keys Trip, 3 days in, while passing through Orlando, we noticed an oily residue on our cargo hatch window. After a quick inspection we found we had lost the drain plug for our transfer case. We have no idea how long we had been driving like this, anywhere upwards of two hours possibly. Without panicking we assessed our options, and ended up hopping in an Uber, getting a new drain plug and some transfer case fluid and fixing the Jeep in a parking lot. Once we determined the Jeep was safe to drive and it was operating properly, we continued another 400 miles from home to Key West. The Jeep did just fine the rest of the trip, once we got home we ended up replacing the transfer case, due to it not shifting into four wheel drive. This was a relatively cheap fix for this old Jeep.
Another noteworthy story of challenges faced was during our five week road trip. At this point we had been on the road for three weeks and in California for maybe six or seven days. We had just passed through Eureka, a small coastal town in NorCal. Our plan that day was to head into the Redwood National Forest to see these famous giants up close. As we traveled deeper and deeper into the forest and further from civilization we were in absolute awe at what we saw around us. These trees towered above us like nothing we had ever seen. We took a side road that was going to take us to a hiking trail where we could walk the dogs and as we pulled up to a stop sign our Jeep came to a stop, shut off and would not turn back on. There was no one around, we had no service, no idea where we were and it was going to be getting dark in a few hours. Just like on our Key West trip the two of us worked together to stay calm, we did what we could and attempted to diagnose the issue but with limited tools/ diagnostics equipment there was not much we could do. We hiked about a mile (the dogs loved it) and came across a ranger station where we were able to call for a tow truck. The Jeep was towed to the nearest town and early the next week we were back in it heading up the coast!
Both these situations could have been extremely stressful but together we made the most of them and got through the challenges…and they make for good stories now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Traveling and building Jeeps is not cheap! Both of us have full time jobs to pay for these expensive hobbies.
Ron: I am a diesel mechanic and have been for seven years now. It pays great although it is tough on the body and not something I want to be doing forever. Outside of work I focus my time on our YouTube videos. We started our channel, Backcountry Beagles, in March of 2022 – it focuses on Overland, Offroad and Fabrication. Right now (March 2025) I am finishing up a series of rebuilding our 2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ, yes for the second time. During the past 17 months of rebuilding the Jeep I have been filming it all for our subscribers and have gotten a great response from them. Once the Jeep is back up and running we are going to be back to traveling and exploring regularly with the pups! I’ll also be on the hunt for the next build…any recommendations?
In the future I’d love to build Jeeps, and other vehicles, for customers full time. Of course I would be filming it all for YouTube, along with our travels!
Ash: I am a contractor for the Department of Energy, managing sites in Wyoming that are now reclaimed uranium ore milling areas. Although my degree is in chemistry, I have always had a love for the outdoors and traveling. This job not only allows me to feel I am making a difference in ensuring human and environmental health and safety but also allows me to travel to new places and spend time outdoors. As for work on Youtube – I try to stay behind the scenes unless we are filming a travel video. Ron is truly the brains behind the entire operation. He is the one fixing and building the jeep, planning, filming, and editing the videos, and the one planning trips…I do however create the thumbnails!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Ron: Finding someone in your space or niche, is the best thing you can do. Since starting our YouTube I befriended many people on a similar journey, either through Youtube or Instagram. Talking with them, picking their brain, and using their advice is invaluable.
I also try to respond to every comment and private message I receive, which I feel can lead to great mentor or networking opportunities. I try not to let anyone feel neglected or ignored, people really appreciate that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://backcountrybeagles.shop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backcountrybeagles
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@backcountrybeagles/videos
