H.G. Wells once said, “Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia.” Utopia has since been an elusive destination, but as of this month, bicycle tracks will slowly scribble their way to the south pole for the first time ever. Not even H.G. Wells saw that one coming. He probably didn’t imagine that such a trip would also include skis, kites and six-wheeled Toyota Hilux trucks bounding across a seemingly endless expanse of ice and snow.

Continuing our Abenteuer und Allrad series - Today is 70 Series day. Here's some of the sexiest ones in the world!

Much like the Land Rover Defender, the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series is the workhorse of the Land Cruiser lineup, it's simple, and easily modified for overland travel. 

Which one is your favorite?

It seems every few years, auto manufacturers throw us a bone, and release some limited production diesel model in North America. Mercedes has been doing it with their high end models recently, and Audi is claiming, as this is being written, that the 2013 A8 will be available as a diesel model. I've fallen victim to the hype before, I remember in 2008 MotorTrend was given a Land Rover LR3 TDV6, and claimed in the end of their article, "we're hearing it could arrive as soon as 2010".

Leading Dual Sport Parts Manufacturer Black Dog Cycle Works announces New Adventure Foot Pegs for KTM Adventure and Dirt Motorcycles

Introducing Black Dog Cycle Works Adventure Foot Pegs for KTM bikes

Sandpoint, ID. (January 2, 2012) – Today Black Dog Cycle Works (BDCW) Partner, Kurt Forgét, announced their new line of an all aircraft alloy foot pegs for KTM Adventure and dirt motorcycles. Forgét stated, “From our experience, we recognized that having an enlarged foot peg provides the rider with greater control of the bike. It’s like adding power steering to the motorcycle. The Adventure Foot Pegs are designed to provide the rider with greater foot comfort, bike control and made from an aircraft alloy to be ruggedly durable. And we didn’t stop there, we even designed in a built in bottle opener to the bottom of each foot peg, so the rider can carry one less item and always have easy access to refreshments at the end of the day”.

At least in North America, the Land Rover Defender is pretty rare. They're fairly hard to come across and demand a high price. When we were at the Abenteuer und Allrad show - you couldn't walk without running into one. It's fantastic to see the versatility and capability of these vehicles. My personal favorites are the camper conversions, they're just so different than what we usually see in North America.

Here's the best Defenders from the show.

Stay tuned tomorrow it will be 70 Series Land Cruiser day!

Which one is your favorite?

Without question, tire issues are the most common vehicle problem encountered in overland travel.  Punctures, slow leaks, damaged valve cores and tire beads losing their seat on the wheel.  Developing your skills on tire repair is an essential component of preparation and should include:

1. Breaking the tire bead with a jack
2. Using plugs and insertion tools
3. Stitching a tire carcass.
4. Installing a patch (large carcass repair)
5. Reinstalling a tire
6. Reseating a bead on the wheel
7. Repairing valves and cores

There are of course other skills related to wheels and tires, but those are the big ones.  For this article, we are focusing on the process of reseating a carcass bead to the wheel.  Most wheels used on 4wds include a welded, formed or cast safety bead that helps the tire remain on the wheel, especially at low pressures.  However, low pressures required in some conditions, like driving in deep sand necessitates low tire pressures and potentially high travel speeds. This generally exceeds the ability of the tire construction and wheel safety bead (which is relying on internal pressure) to keep everything together.  In the video shown here, we were having some fun on the dunes in Australia at higher speeds with a heavy Toyota Land Cruiser.  The cameras were rolling and we were hoping for some big fans of that bright red sand for an article in Overland Journal.  One particularly fast turn resulted in a flat.  Typically the outer bead is the only one to pop free, but higher speeds or driving any  distance with the flat will also loose the inner bead as well.  That was our situation, but since we had the experience and proper tools, we were able to reseat the bead and still make it back to the Prairie Hotel for a feral feast. 

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FROM GOAL ZERO AIM TO ELIMINATE CONSUMER CHALLENGES WITHIN PORTABLE POWER AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

New Sherpa 50 and YETI 1250 Revealed at CES 2012 to Revolutionize On-the-Go and Back-Up Power

LAS VEGAS, January 10, 2012 – GOAL ZERO, an innovator of portable solar power systems, today introduced two landmark products to the portable power industry. The launch of the new Sherpa 50 Portable Recharger and the YETI 1250 Solar Generator at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas mark a major milestone for consumers looking to improve their experience while working or playing off the grid, as well as those seeking to secure the latest technology in emergency preparedness solutions.