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Interview :: Heike Pirngruber, Solo Overlander

Heike, a German national who considers herself a global citizen, has been traveling solo around the world for the past nine years, first on her bicycle and then, more recently, walking with a pushcart and her adopted Mexican dog, Butch.  Heike first found herself cycling from Germany to Australia in 2013 after leaving her job…

Over-The-Counter :: Medicine for Travelers

As travelers prepare to return to international travel, many will likely forget to pack their over-the-counter and prescription medicines. Many more will forget to check the international rules and regulations for common medicines easily obtained in their home countries—but possibly not allowed overseas.  Trip-takers consistently list “forgetting to pack prescription and over-the-counter medicine” as one…

The Great Gravel Boom :: 4,000 riders expected at Garmin UNBOUND Gravel 2023

unbound   adjective un·​bound | \ən-ˈbau̇nd\ 1: having no limit   The gravel race that began with 34 participants in 2006 will boom through the scenic rolling hills of Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie in 2023, with thousands of cyclists clamoring for a lottery ticket to ride. Although participants will hit blacktop roads in smaller sections, the vast…

Weekends with the Family :: How to successfully plan small vacations

I really have no quarrel with the way I live. I am a day-job dreamer and a weekender, meaning I define my relationship to travel and the outdoors by breaks in a five-day workweek and amid limited vacation time. I live for the weekend, you might say. It’s time spent with my wife in middle…

The 43rd Annual Mojave Road Rendezvous takes place this weekend

The Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association (MDHCA) is holding its annual Mojave Road Rendezvous. It is set to be a cracker of an event this year, bigger than ever before and with more to offer all desert lovers. The event features a lineup of world-class speakers, corporate-sponsored workshops, a huge offering of historical presentations,…

Volcon Brat debut

Brat Class 2 E-bike Coming from Volcon

Volcon ePowersports, the first company to make all-electric off-road powersports machines, announces a new Class 2 electric bicycle they call the Brat. The single-syllable moniker follows the lead of their Stag UTV, and the fat-tired, two-wheeled, go-most-anywhere Volcon Grunt, reviewed by Scott Brady. Volcon states the Brat is built “for any adventure, on or off…

KTM 890 Adventure R Updates for 2023

The KTM 890 Adventure R, an already capable and popular motorcycle, is getting an overhaul for 2023. Why mess with success? According to KTM, it was to “further offroad excellence, dependability and suitability for whatever lies on the road ahead.” In other words, to make a good thing better. Improved Adventure Ride When the road…

Exploring America’s Swampiest State :: The Florida Adventure Trail

It took a lot of dirt to raise Jon Birkmire. A lot of water, too. As a child growing up in Florida, there’s hardly a river, beach, or dirt road he hasn’t explored in the peninsula state known for its abundance of coastline, swamps, alligators, and snakes. So ten years ago when he discovered Florida…

Colfax Design Works Project TOAD 65 Liter Drybag: A Fully Waterproof Duffel That Doubles as a Backpack

Colfax Design Works is a soft goods designer that creates durable products for diverse environments. All their products are made in the USA to lessen the carbon footprint. They make products for adventure travel, and their primary offering is the Project TOAD (tactical operations amphibious drybags) 65-liter drybag.  I’ve been testing the TOAD drybag for…

Expedition Conservation – A Finnish couple touring Africa

I have great respect for women traveling the further reaches of Africa independently, more so when they are European (Finnish) women with the passion to tackle challenges of the African continent with determination. In my personal opinion, Europeans and more specifically Scandinavians do not frequently travel to the far reaches of Africa (we have not…

Destinations :: Paradise on the Gulf of Mexico

The sand along the sea coast stretching from San Destin to Rosemary Beach, Florida, glistens like crystallized powdered sugar. Beyond these beaches lie the crystal clear and intoxicating Aegean-colored waves of the Gulf of Mexico. There is no other sand like this wind-weathered quartz which originated in the Appalachian Mountains hundreds of miles away. Over…

Nomadix Puffer Blanket: An Ultra-versatile Blanket For Minimalist Overlanders and Travelers

“Own Less. Do More” is more a manifesto than just a tagline for Nomadix. They call their first and most popular product The Only Towel You Need. In short, it’s designed to work for everything you could possibly use a towel for.  Nomadix’s original towel is lightweight, super-absorbent, odor and sand-resistant, and dries quickly. And…

Expo Gear You Will Want to Explore: Savvy Creations for Outdoor Comfort

Amid massive builds with habitat boxes, larger-than-life bumpers, rooftop tents, and overlanding gear at this year’s Overland Expo Mountain West in Loveland, Colorado, the displays of homegrown and sustainable-minded companies punctuated the landscape. These are the companies and products that always garner my attention for their creative ability to meet industry demands and emerging markets….