When I reached the summit of Spitzkoppe mountain in Namibia, I had only been rock climbing for eight months. I couldn’t believe what it took to reach my goal, including the days leading up to it and the months of prep to make sure I was well-equipped. Since my time in the infantry, I’ve been…
The Origins of the Humble Jerry Can
Patagonia is famous for, among other things, its intense gales which can reach up to 70 mph in the summer months. This bluster is fantastic when the wind is at your back, but as soon as you turn the vehicle to drive in the other direction, the favor changes, and suddenly your rocket ship is…
Armchair Adventure Bootcamp – February 25 to 27
Once again, offering a full schedule of workshops, presentations, and masterclasses, this year’s Armchair Adventure Bootcamp is set to take place during the weekend of February 25 to 27. Participants can expect over 20 hours of virtual content and may catch up on any sessions missed for six months after the event. Presentations and classes…
Mojave by Defender
“Daddy! Those motorcycle guys are giving us the thumbs-up!” my 5-year-old said. We were only an hour into the first off-road adventure of our new Land Rover Defender, and I knew it was going to be a good trip. The Mojave Desert has always been a favorite area of mine in Southern California. I spend…
Get Out There and Travel
“Get out there and travel”. It’s a seemingly simple statement, but it takes a lot of courage for many women to take the leap, whether they are single, a wife, and/or mother. I know because I hit the road hard more than a decade ago and have never looked back. Well, to be honest, after…
DefenderX – The Last Great Overland Adventure?
In an age where it has all been done before, there remains one great overland challenge. A team of explorers has set out to drive two prepared Land Rover Defender 110’s from London to New York, without the aid of airlifts or boats. Currently the team has made it all the way to Tjita, Russia…
Nimbl Camper Factory Visit
Nimbl Campers was born out of the remnants of XP Campers which was sold at auction in August 2019. Jon Turner, Judd Newman, and investors saw an opportunity and invested in a business that they rightly believed had incredible potential. Currently, the company’s order book is full, and plans are afoot to expand production by…
Thoughts On Humanity and The Coquina
On my annual pilgrimage to Cape Lookout, Outer Banks, in my Land Cruiser, Hannibal the Hundy, I found myself contemplating the waves, the dunes, the sunset. I was also struck by the coquina clam, a mollusk that lives in the sand. Being in nature always brings revelations and is one of the main reasons I…
Moonbikes: 100 Percent Electric, 100 Percent Silent
I’m not a fan of snowmobiles. The concept is great: floating on snow, getting high up into the mountains with the help of an engine. But one significant reason why I go into the backcountry is for the peace and quiet. Sleds have their selling points, but they smell and are loud. For these two…
Overlanding Tibet to the Gyantse Horse Festival
I put my hand in the air and flagged down a taxi at the Chengdu International Airport in Sichuan, China. I lugged my large pack into the trunk and slid into the pleather seats. Thus began the same Chinese conversation I’d had hundreds of times before: Where are you from? How did you learn to…
Avoidable Missteps Teach a Serious Lesson About Carelessness
As we look back at nearly eight years of full-time, vehicle-based travel, we consider ourselves fairly experienced travelers. So it’s embarrassing to admit we make rookie mistakes from time to time. We should know better. Over the past weekend, we completed a whirlwind but magical tour of La Huasteca Potosina, a tropical region in interior…
Video of the Week :: Meet the Woman Who Drove this 1930 Hudson Great Eight Around the World
At age 77, rally car driver, automotive mechanic, and businesswoman Heidi Hetzer decided to drive around the world in a 1930 Hudson Great Eight. Over 31 months, she traveled through Eastern Europe, across China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, Mexico, Central, and South America. She then sailed to Africa and drove north to Germany….
Destinations :: San Martín de los Andes, Argentina
In Patagonia’s northwest region, you’ll find forests, lakes, volcanoes, and best of all, the endearing town of San Martín de los Andes, Argentina. Sitting along the glacial shores of Lake Lácar and surrounded by rugged beauty, San Martín was the one place my husband and I seriously considered moving to while on our round-the-world trip….
Humanity :: A Christmas Miracle in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Photography by Richard Giordano Perhaps one of the most luxurious gifts an overlander can receive is a (fully paid for!) apartment rental for the holidays. In December 2013, we parked our little 1990 Toyota Pickup on the curb, excitedly hauling our belongings up several sets of stairs to a cute apartment in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico….
Auto Hotels: What Does Luxury “Love” Accommodation Have to Do with Overland Travel?
After a long day on our motorcycles, my riding partner, Dave, and I, were in Guanajuato, Mexico, looking for a place to stay. We found a hotel on the side of the road, just out of town. The place looked nice—possibly too expensive for our budget, but we decided to see how much a night…
Video of the Week: Lea Rieck Rides Valley of the Gods, Moki Dugway
Some of us are sitting here in the dark days of winter dreaming of sunnier riding climates. Arizona and Utah rarely see a day without sun, and this video shot at Valley of the Gods and Moki Dugway from Got2Go is just what I needed on this rainy Pacific Northwest afternoon. Not only does the…
The Rugged Road :: A Sidecar Journey from London to Cape Town
Photographs courtesy of The Rugged Road by Theresa Wallach It was New Year’s Day, 1 January 1935, when Theresa Wallach and Florence Blenkiron sat in the postmaster’s house in El Goléa, Algeria, listening to Big Ben chime over the wireless radio. Rather than evoking a reassurance or wistfulness for home, the sounds and news from…
Lofty Elevations and a Higher Understanding
The excitement of what lay before me had purloined any chance of slumber on the six-hour flight from Qatar to Nepal. Despite a 1:00 a.m. departure, I kept my eyes glued to the horizon, willing the sun to climb as we raced toward it at 420 knots. My breathing quickened as the first blueish-gray hints…
Interview :: The Sidecar Guys
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…