Leaving: There were two of them, because first Chris had to ride his Defender to Belgium. He would be able to pick it up on the US East Coast 20 days later at the earliest.

Chris Kohler: Citizen of choice from Sarganserland, mountain biker, climber, ski tourer and computer scientist in between. A year before the US trip, he bought the Defender, his adventure vehicle, as he calls it.

Defender: The British off-roader is not approved for permanent registration in the USA. With additional insurance (CHF 1500), Chris was still allowed to drive his Land Rover through the USA. "People almost freaked out when they saw my car, they thought it was so cool!"

Ferry price: CHF 1500 was the cost of transportation from Belgium to the US East Coast. The Defender rode back from the west coast and through the Panama Canal, which cost CHF 2000.

Flights: Four flights were needed: from Belgium back to Switzerland, from Switzerland to the USA, back to Switzerland and back to Belgium to ride the Defender home.

Luggage: Most of it had to go on the plane, as the transport company does not guarantee the contents of the car. Chris had to leave it unlocked in the parking lot and hand over the key. He would have been better off taking the advice to heart on the way back as well.

Long haul: A good 2000 kilometers of highway from Baltimore to Denver were the first test the Defender was put through. Denver, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, was to be the base for the next four months. "We stopped off in Kansas City on the way. A cool city that I can recommend."

Nights: Chris and his friend often spent them in the car, Chris in the roof tent, his buddy in the luggage compartment. Wild camping is allowed in most places in the Rocky Mountains. The camps were also comfortable and offered showers, electricity and other amenities.

Breakdown, the first: The "Turbo Pipe" was not up to the road marathon. The damage was repaired within a reasonable time. The second breakdown was different

Rocky Mountains: The section in the state of Colorado is a paradise for Chris, both because of the trails and the climbing rocks. "We used to spend a few days in the mountains, then return to Denver."

Terrain: The Defender was in its element in the Rocky Mountains. Some of the gravel roads were so steep that it could only get up in gear. "That wouldn't have been possible with a normal four-wheel drive."

Trails: Chris and his companion mostly found them thanks to the app from REI, an American outdoor store chain.

Specialists: There are no specialists for Land Rovers in the USA - officially, there are no Land Rovers. When the front differential stopped working properly after the Rocky crossing, Chris waited three weeks for the Mexican-born car tuners to install the replacement part from England.

Waiting time: Chris used this time to complete the pilot training he had started on the US trip. "The Defender was parked outside the hangar without a gearbox and was my bedroom."

Rotorhome: Most people in the USA rent or buy one for their road trip. "That wasn't an option for me. I wanted to have my adventure vehicle with me."

Back again: Chris was happy despite everything. "I wouldn't do it again, but I'm glad that I experienced the road trip the way I did."

Surprise: Chris had a nasty experience when he wanted to cycle in Switzerland again for the first time. "For the way back, I had strapped the bike in the bike bag behind a large board on a side wall." The load looked untouched. But the bike bag was empty.