Conversations with Big Rich

Big Rich Klein
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Hear conversations with the legacy stars of rockcrawling and off-road. Big Rich interviews the leaders in rock sports.

  1. hace 2 días

    (Still) Growing Up Rockcrawling with Lil Charlie Melchner on Episode 333

    Send us Fan Mail 19-year-old rock crawler and son of off-road legend Big Charlie. Lil Charlie grew up in Carmel, New York, competing in rock crawling events since childhood. Currently pilots a Jesse Haines Moonbuggy in national competitions. Early wheeling at Todd's property in Pennsylvania began around age 3. Started driving buggies at age 8, learning from his father. First rock crawling competition at Field and Forest in New Hampshire.  The family owns a marina in New York passed down through generations. Charlie helps with boat maintenance, deliveries, and buggy preparation. Took welding classes in high school. Aspires to pursue fabrication and building rock crawlers. In 2025, there was a boulder incident at WE Rock Mason, Texas—pinned under 40,000+ pound rock requiring four winches to extract. Electrical failures at recent competitions. Definitely prefer cone dodging in WE Rock events, but hopes to compete in Trailbreaker, Texas Top Gun, and Crawl Fest. Currently learning from mentors in the off-road industry, including Jesse Haines. Open to Ultra 4 racing and desert racing. Lil Charlie is considering relocating west where weather and terrain suit year-round wheeling. Support the show

  2. 6 ago

    Robert Keller — From Mud Trucks to Rock Crawling on Episode 332

    Send us Fan Mail Robert started in mud trucks around 1998 with coworkers in South Florida. Progressed through multiple vehicles: K10 Stepside on 38-inch Groundhogs, a Jimmy, and eventually a YJ and square-body GMC truck. Attended his first Ultimate Adventure in 2015 (the last pay-to-play year) and was accepted to subsequent trips. Discovered passion for genuine rock crawling rather than mud bogging. Adventure Wheelers East After feeling disconnected from the Florida Adventure Rigs group, Keller partnered with Jack Sloan to merge their communities into AWE – Adventure Wheelers East, combining adventure seekers from multiple off-road networks. The group runs annual week-long wheeling trips throughout the Southeast, attracting both media legends and newcomers. Keller emphasizes accessibility: "It might not be the hardest wheeling you've ever done, but it's going to be fun." Support the show

  3. 30 jul

    Building Community Trust with Chad Roy on Episode 331

    Send us Fan Mail Chad had a nomadic childhood with nine moves across the US by age 10. Played competitive soccer through college; choosing sports over academics. Family of machinists and farmers influenced hands-on career path.   He started as a mechanic, working through transmission and fabrication shops. Became premier Hemi Jeep installer during the modification craze, but was laid off unexpectedly, then built first personal off-road buggy after failing a rock crawl in his JK. Chad still drives that original buggy.   Zeus Off-Road was founded in 2016 after his wife insisted on staying in Minnesota for family support. Chad built his reputation purely through word-of-mouth and community trust, he now operates on the philosophy of customer education and consultation before major builds, emphasizing proper driver training and understanding vehicle capabilities. He advocates for gradual locker engagement and self-recovery knowledge in off-roading.   Support the show

  4. 23 jul

    Marketing entrepreneur and off-road media veteran, Cole Quinnell, on Episode 330

    Send us Fan Mail Cole shares his 35-year journey from car enthusiast to magazine editor to automotive marketing business owner. Starting with dirt bikes in the New Mexico desert, he became editorial assistant at Hot Rod Magazine in 1990 before launching 4x4 Power—where he built an entry-level off-road publication alongside Trent McGee and Tori Tellem. After twelve years at Peterson Publishing, he transitioned to Chrysler, where he worked in PR for engineering and traveled globally with executives. Following the 2008 financial crisis, Cole started CQ Marketing and now serves clients including Flexlite and Dynatrac, while launching passion projects like Pavement Pounder Events. Cole emphasizes the importance of staying curious and adaptable. Career paths have dissolved—no single company will define your future. Take opportunities, fail forward, and find work that excites you daily. He credits his success to surrounding himself with passionate people and collaborating with industry leaders who cared deeply about quality and customer experience. Don't obsess over finding the perfect path. Get your degree, stay open-minded, and pursue what energizes you. Beware of working in your hobby—passion can turn to drudgery as a 9-to-5. Find the balance between funding your lifestyle and doing work that matters to you. Cole is exploring adventure tours through Pavement Pounder Events, blending his hot-rod expertise with touring experiences. Maybe he should collaborate with Big Rich on an off-road tour concept combining both their industry backgrounds and storytelling skills? Support the show

  5. 16 jul

    Family Guy John Mathews from Auburn Auto on Episode 329

    Send us Fan Mail John grew up in Auburn, Washington with a passion for automotive work. He excelled in shop classes and purchased his first car—a 1968 Camaro—at age 14. After high school, he worked at a quick lube shop before joining an automotive repair facility. When the owner retired, John's parents bought the business, and after navigating early challenges, John eventually took over. The shop celebrates 30 years in business this year. Auburn Auto Repair and Off-Road operates as a 50/50 split between general repairs and off-road specialization. With three technicians and 7,500 square feet, they focus on drivetrain upgrades, lifts, and wheels for Jeeps, Toyotas, and trucks. John's youngest son recently joined the team; John hopes he'll eventually lead the business. John wheels extensively across the Pacific Northwest and beyond—Moab's iconic trails (Pritchett's, Cane Creek), Sand Hollow, and Trail Hero in Utah. He's raced Ultra4 for eight years, competing at King of the Hammers (KOH) from 2018–2025. His standout achievement: winning the EMC (4500 class) in 2022 with a flawless race. His children are all wheeling enthusiasts with their own rigs. John wants to semi-retire, delegate business management to his youngest son, and spend more time wheeling with family, exploring Colorado and the Sierra Nevadas, and enjoying life beyond work. Support the show

  6. 9 jul

    Creating Content for the everyday build, Colt Clewley on Episode 328

    Send us Fan Mail Colt Clewley is a YouTuber and off-road enthusiast from Farmington, New Mexico. He runs the channel "Colt Builds It," creating fabrication tutorials, trail guides, and adventure content focused on making off-roading knowledge accessible to everyone. Colt grew up in tiny Divide, Colorado, worked in the oil field for 18 years, and later transitioned to full-time content creation. He's known for his DIY approach, building vehicles with hand tools in driveways and sharing practical fabrication techniques through detailed YouTube videos on axle builds, roll cages, and suspension work. He's competed in WE Rock events, contributed to trail maintenance across multiple states, and recently built a recovery wrecker. Colt emphasizes the importance of competition in developing driver skills and testing vehicle capabilities on challenging terrain. A strong advocate for trail preservation, Colt collaborates with local clubs, government agencies, and other outdoor groups to keep trails open. He encourages newer off-roaders to understand that these recreation areas exist because of organized community effort and maintenance—not by accident. Colt is launching an inaugural off-road experience trip for YouTubers and companies, building a custom buggy, and planning an East Coast off-road tour to highlight underrated trails in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. Support the show

  7. 2 jul

    Matt Adair on Episode 327: A Life of Off-Road Adventures and Unlikely Friendships

    Send us Fan Mail Matt Adair sits down with Big Rich Klein to discuss a life shaped by cars, languages, and the off-road community. Beginning as an exchange student in Germany at 16, Matt's fluency in automotive passion led him to abandon an Air Force Academy appointment for car sales. What started as a snowy day test drive of a Jeep Cherokee evolved into decades of off-roading, racing, and journalism—including pivotal roles at King of the Hammers and Crawl Magazine. Matt shares stories of serendipitous friendships forged at lakebed campfires, a memorable medical emergency at KOH, and the profound impact of community members like Camo and Jesse Combs. Today, he runs a boutique Porsche dealership while still racing a home-built Cherokee at 24-hour endurance events. Throughout the conversation, Matt emphasizes that the true reward isn't trophies or milestones—it's the remarkable people encountered along the way. As he prepares to write a book about his improbable adventures, Matt reflects on how following passions and embracing the unexpected leads to a life rich with meaningful human connection. Support the show

  8. 25 jun

    In Episode 326, Adam Arsenault gets comfortable being uncomfortable.

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Adam Arsenault shares his remarkable journey from humble beginnings in North Carolina to becoming a key figure in off-road motorsports. His path spans 20 years in Marine Special Operations, four combat deployments, and a thriving racing career. Adam grew up in Asheville, NC; joined the Marine Corps at 18 and served 20 years, including intelligence work and combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He transitioned to Racing, discovering off-road culture in California; competing at King of the Hammers seven times and racing in the Baja 1000. He now manages the operations director role for Polaris's factory race program, overseeing four Pro-R vehicles competing in SCORE series races and select US events. Adam’s personal philosophy emphasizes persistence through failure, finding purpose over paycheck, and valuing relationships over individual achievement. Support the show

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Hear conversations with the legacy stars of rockcrawling and off-road. Big Rich interviews the leaders in rock sports.

Información

  • Creador
    Big Rich Klein
  • Años de actividad
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodios
    333
  • Clasificación
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Clean Air Media and Publishing
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Conversations with Big Rich

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