The Journey, The Crew, The Rides

A celebration of friendship, grit, and the kind of roads that turn ordinary drives into epic journeys — because the best trips aren’t planned, they’re written mile by mile with good company and plenty of detours.

The Journey

From Salt to Stone

Our road trip kicks off at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats before pushing east across Utah’s rugged west desert. Following traces of the old Pony Express Trail, we trade smooth highways for dusty backroads and ghost-town byways. From there, we dive into Capitol Reef country and the remote Cathedral Valley — a land of sandstone cathedrals, river fords, and Martian badlands.

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High Desert Adventures

In the days that follow, the convoy winds through the San Rafael Swell, Hanksville, and Green River before descending into Moab — the off-road capital of the West. Here, the CVT-equipped Nissans take on cliffside switchbacks, water crossings, and ledges on trails like Shafer and Kane Creek, places usually reserved for Jeeps. From Moab, the route climbs onto Colorado’s Uncompahgre Plateau and drops into Telluride along the cinematic Last Dollar Road, where alpine meadows and San Juan peaks steal the show.

The finale pushes over 11,789-foot Ophir Pass, then down the Million Dollar Highway through Silverton and Durango. From there, instead of turning south into New Mexico, the caravan arcs northeast through Colorado’s high country, cutting across mountain passes and forest roads before rolling triumphantly into Denver. Six days, hundreds of miles, and every kind of terrain imaginable — this journey is as much about grit and camaraderie as it is about getting unlikely cars to places they have no business being.

What started as a gamble with three high-mileage Nissans becomes an unforgettable Western epic — part road trip, part endurance test, and all adventure.

Pony Express Trail (Utah desert backroads)

Shafer Trail switchbacks (Canyonlands, Moab)

Ophir Pass & Million Dollar Highway (Colorado Rockies)

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The Crew

Tim Pohanka

"The Ringmaster"

Tim Pohanka, Executive Vice President, Pohanka Automotive Group

Tim was born in Washington, D.C. in 1970. Which technically makes him a Washington insider, except instead of running for office he runs dealerships. Probably the healthier choice.

By trade, he sells cars. By hobby, he fixes things that didn’t really need fixing—until he “fixed” them. DIY projects are basically Tim’s version of gambling: high risk, zero reward, and an inevitable story about how it broke even worse than before. But hey—how bad can he make it now?

On paper, Tim’s got a respectable résumé: he helps lead one of Virginia’s oldest dealership groups and somehow got himself invited onto enough councils, boards, and advisory panels that his calendar looks like an overbooked airport runway. They’re not all about cars, but they all share one theme: no one was brave enough to tell him no.

Now he’s headed into the desert with three used Nissans, two friends who should know better, and a film crew documenting the moment the transmissions give up. He calls it “adventure.” Insurance calls it “non-disclosure.”

At home in Fredericksburg, he’s raised two sons who most of the time are willing to admit he is their father.

Chris Lenckosz

"The Strategist"

Chris Lenckosz, President, Empire Lakewood Nissan

Chris grew up on Chicago’s Polish South Side as a first-generation American, where his love of cars started young, as his childhood was spent watching his dad work in a body shop and “helping” him fix cars in their back yard garage. He moved to Colorado with his family at the end of 8th grade where he and his younger sister helped run his family’s motel. And then moved down to Fort Worth where he went to study finance at TCU. But no amount of textbooks could distract him from his love for cars and people. After graduation, he dove straight into the dealership world, plotting the day he’d run his own.

When the opportunity came, Chris and his wife, Kristi, packed up, moved to Texarkana Texas, beginning not only a new chapter in business ownership, but also in parenting- with the arrival of two daughters. Chris learned firsthand that running a dealership and raising a family were the most difficult and the most incredibly rewarding challenges of his life.

In 2012, the family made the jump back to Colorado, where Chris took the wheel at Empire Lakewood Nissan. Sure, he sells cars, but he’s also known for throwing dealership barbecues, car meets, and charity events. When he’s not at the lot, you’ll find him on the golf course in summer or on the ski slopes in winter.

Jason Cole

"The Gambler"

Jason Cole, Executive Vice President, Cole Automotive Group

Executive Vice President of Cole Automotive Group, a fourth-generation family-owned business with dealerships in Bluefield, West Virginia, and Ashland, Kentucky. With over 25 years in the automotive industry, Jason has earned his stripes by doing nearly every job in the dealership — from detailing cars and writing service to leading multi-franchise operations across two states.

He got his start in parts at Truck City back in the mid-90s and later cut his teeth in sales and finance at Modern Nissan in North Carolina. Since returning home in 2005, Jason has helped lead Cole Automotive’s growth and reputation for customer service and community involvement. Under his leadership, the group has earned top honors from Honda, Subaru, Kia, and Nissan — a reflection of both strong culture and high standards.

Jason is a graduate of the NADA Dealer Academy (Class of 2011) and studied Automotive Marketing at Northwood University. But beyond the resume, he's a car guy with a deep appreciation for bourbon, a borderline obsession with golf, and a love for creative marketing ideas that don’t feel like they came from a corporate manual.

He lives in Bluefield with his wife Jessica, their 6-year-old son Liam, and their 3-year-old daughter Lilly. Whether he’s chasing a better golf swing, wrangling toddlers, or heading out on a backroad adventure with fellow dealers, Jason brings energy, ideas, and just enough sarcasm to keep things interesting.

The Rides

“Duke”

2016 Nissan Juke

Tim’s Nissan Juke — “The Duke”

Rolling up first is Duke — a 2016 Nissan Juke dragged straight off the street and turned into an off-road outlaw. Three inches higher on a lift, armored with a bullbar and skid plate, strapped with outrigger fuel tanks, traction boards, and a roof rack carrying a full-size spare. Add in NISMO livery and a light bar that could signal the space station — and you’ve got a compact crossover that thinks it’s leading the Dakar Rally. Duke is scrappy, twitchy, and always ready to take the fight to the desert.

“Luciano the Murano”

2014 Nissan Murano

Jason’s Nissan Murano — “Luciano the Murano”

Then comes Luigino, the gambler’s ride — a 2014 Nissan Murano bought wholesale with 100,000 miles already on the clock. But don’t let the bargain price fool you: Jason’s turned this family hauler into a desert brute. Two-inch lift, front spacers, roof rack with a spare, bullbar, skid plate, off-road wheels and tires, and a full blackout Pro-4X livery — Luigino is built for punishment. Think of it as a crossover in witness protection, hiding in black paint while it throws sand, climbs rocks, and laughs at anything in its way.

'Emma'

2017 Nissan Murano

Chris’s Nissan Murano — “Emma”

And finally… there’s Emma. A 2017 dealership trade-in with 150,000 miles, a new set of tires, and enough stickers to qualify as “custom.” While the other guys rolled in like gladiators armed to the teeth, Chris showed up with what is basically a mom’s luggage hauler. No lift. No armor. No blackout livery. Just optimism, snacks, and faith. If The Duke and Luigino are entering a demolition derby, Emma’s here for the school run. Which means one thing: when the trail gets rough, all eyes are on Chris — because nothing says comedy like showing up unprepared.