This one’s a straight-up overlanding reality check. I kicked off a 3-day Colorado run just outside Marble, heading up Lead King Basin toward Schofield Pass—dusty shelf roads, loose shale, and those “this is why we’re out here” views. We even got stopped by an oncoming mule train, which was honestly one of the coolest reminders of how old-school these routes really are. Then my 2023 Colorado ZR2 decided to throw a full-blown tantrum. Out of nowhere I lost throttle, got a reduced acceleration warning, and the dash turned into a Christmas tree—service 4WD, power steering, traction control, safety restraint, lockers…everything. We were stuck on a narrow section with no way around, so it turned into a trail-side troubleshooting session: battery disconnects, code clears, and hoping the truck would cooperate long enough to limp back to pavement. We did get it moving again, but it kept coming back, and the trip was basically over after a half day. The big takeaway: you can do everything “right” and still get burned, so having the right people, tools, and a calm plan matters. After the video, the dealer confirmed the cause was a failed ECM—and later on, I ran into the same issue again during a pre-run for the Red Rock Rally.