Matt and Reece are just a couple of young blokes from the UK who circumnavigated the globe on a scooter and sidecar, setting a Guinness world record for their feat along the way. Neither had ridden a motorcycle or knew anything about overlanding. Yet, they decided to drive one of the world’s most uncomfortable and…
Destinations :: Cumberland, British Columbia
On the east coast of central Vancouver Island, British Columbia, you’ll find Cumberland, a gateway to Comox Lake 60 miles northwest of Nanaimo. What makes Cumberland and its 3,000-plus residents unique is the welcoming community and world-class recreation possibilities. Unlike other touristy stops on Vancouver Island, like Tofino and Coombs, Cumberland has kept its quaint…
Killer Bees and Killer Cracks: Overcoming Fear at Cochise Stronghold with 57 Hours
Photography by Richard Giordano “Have you heard about the killer bees?” my climbing guide Jayci asked. We were scrambling over boulders that dotted a dry riverbed in Arizona’s Cochise Valley. “I have not,” I responded nervously, eyeing trunks of decayed oak trees and overhead branches, urgently scanning for a hive. We were hiking the approach…
36 Hours of Adventure :: Grand Canyon Overland Trail Ride
This 36 Hours of Adventure is Presented by: Red sand clings to the deep treads of our Defender as it slowly claws its way up a steep, rocky stretch of trail above the ghost town of Grafton. We’re just outside St. George, Utah. Originally homesteaded in 1859, Grafton’s population topped 168 individuals at its…
Escapar a la Baja Tres: A Vanlife and Overlanding Meetup, Feb 2022
Escapar a la Baja, an Overlanding and Vanlife Meetup Baja season is approaching quickly, and for those heading south of the US border this winter, you’ll definitely want to check out Escapar A La Baja Tres. This weekend-long vanlife and overlanding rendezvous at Playa El Tecolote (just 30 minutes outside La Paz) is scheduled for…
Driving the 2021 Copperstate Overland Rally
Photography by Tom Leigh/Tommy Gun Images On a late October afternoon in Northeast Tucson, at one of America’s old-time ranches, “old-time” vehicles made their way through dark wooden gates, past the horse barns, and toward the main house of the Tanque Verde Ranch. The participants of the 2021 Copperstate Overland have gathered for a yearly…
Destination: Mujib Biosphere Reserve Chalets, Jordan
Photography by Richard Giordano As one drives south on Highway 65 (also known as the Dead Sea Highway) in Jordan, a teal-blue body of water appears. Located at 423 meters below sea level, the Dead Sea is not only one of the saltiest lakes in the world; it is officially the lowest place on land….
No Time to Burn
I’d never heard such thunder, and it was getting closer—I could feel each crash reverberate in my chest. It was like enemy mortar shells finding their range. Then there were the punches of lightning, so close they seemed only feet away from my rooftop tent. Maybe the tires on my ’99 4Runner would insulate me….
8 Things We Learned from 4WD Master Trainer Nena Barlow
Photography by Richard Giordano If you flip to the masthead section of Overland Journal magazine, there lies a list of folks whose names you may never see grace the bylines, but their roles are incredibly important. A small but mighty team sees to the day-to-day operation of Expedition Portal and Overland Journal; individuals come from…
Destinations :: Custer—a Small Adventure Town in the Black Hills of South Dakota
I knew Custer, South Dakota, would be beautiful in its own way, and that the “Black Hills” meant there had to be hills somewhere, but I had no idea of the mountainous wonderland I’d be immersed in for almost three weeks. My friend, and fellow rider, Michelle Lamphere, invited me to Custer when I mentioned…
Finish and Publish Your Moto Travel Stories
Do you have an incredible tale of adventure? Have you been told you should publish your stories? Does the thought of pitching to magazines or publishers sound daunting? If so, you need to check out Carla King’s Your Moto Diaries writing workshop. I took the YMD workshop at the beginning of 2021 to help with…
Field Tested: Improved iKamper SkyCamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent, Annex S Awning, and HC Steps
Photography by Jason Spafford Three years ago, when we installed the first generation (2017) SkyCamp 4X (the original four-berth) upon White Rhino, our 2015 Toyota Hilux, little did we know where the rig would see us make camp—certainly when compared to where we had set our sights. The Cape to Cape plan kick-started well on…
Telkwa Pass—British Columbia’s “Shortcut” between Smithers and Terrace
Photos provided by ridingfullcircle.com, Uncle “M” (advrider.com), and Jillian Kofoed (Totem Auto Group) He’s about to suggest riding something I won’t like and will do everything he can to convince me. Dave’s been scouring Google Earth and paper maps for a few hours now and has found a little side tour over Telkwa Pass—a rugged 71-mile…
Asdzáá Skoden: An Interview with the Rebelle Rally’s First All-Navajo Team
On October 8, a record number of rookie teams will take to the start line at the 2021 Rebelle Rally. One such team, made up of Shandiina Peters and Racquel Black, marks the first all-Navajo duo to enter the event. A recent addition to the team roster, Peters and Black will compete in a Jeep…
The Fering Pioneer :: An Ultra-Long Range Utility Electric Vehicle from the F1 World
In 2019, former Ferrari and McLaren F1 engineer Ben Scott-Geddes put pen to paper, hoping to design an expedition vehicle capable of a 56,000-kilometer Pole to Pole overland circumnavigation through some of the harshest and remote terrains on the planet. One leg of the journey, from Canada to Russia, was particularly challenging and required a…
36 Hours of Adventure: It’s The Airstream Life For Us
This 36-Hours of Adventure is Presented by: Just Say Yes I’ve approached life a little bit differently than most. I say yes to a lot of opportunities, for instance, waking up at two in the morning to climb a 1,000-foot-tall rock spire, eating grilled sausages with complete strangers as the sun rose in the Black…
Destinations :: Texas Borderlands – Black Gap Wildlife Management Area
I would venture to assert Black Gap Wildlife Management Area in the Big Bend region near the Mexican border is not only the most remote place in Texas but one of the most remote areas of the country. The WMA is the lesser-known state park here in Far West Texas and sits adjacent to Big…
Featured Vehicle :: Makoventure’s 1982 Toyota Chinook 4×4 Conversion
Photography by Richard Giordano In a sea of Tacomas and rooftop tents, it’s always refreshing to spot a one-of-a-kind vehicle build. This 1982 Toyota Chinook 4×4 conversion is indeed unique, and like the Creature from Frankenstein, it is a composite of body parts grafted together and reanimated by the use of electricity, a ton of…
Jeep Partners with Nena Barlow and Teralin Peterit for 2021 Rebelle Rally
With just under a month to go until the 2021 Rebelle Rally, competitors are eagerly preparing for what looks to be a groundbreaking year. The sold-out event will see teams kick off technical inspection on the Arizona side of the iconic Hoover Dam. This is a first for the event, which called Tahoe home for…
Olabisi Ajala’s Round-the-world Trip on a Lambretta Scooter
Photography courtesy of An African Abroad by Olabisi Ajala Arriving at the Mandelbaum Gate border post between Israel and Jordan’s Jerusalem, Nigerian journalist Olabisi Ajala spotted a sign on his right that read: “This is Jordan. Beyond is no-man’s-land. Only U.N. officials allowed.” Guards and soldiers from both nations watched from high towers, bombed-out buildings,…