In this installment of the Expedition Portal series on brands that inspire us, Senior Editor Ashley Giordano profiles water filtration and purification manufacturer Guzzle H2O. After witnessing the amount of garbage created from single-use plastic bottles during international sailing regattas, professional sailor Sean “Doogie” Couvreux took to Facebook. “The garbage situation was ridiculous,” he says….
Ashley Giordano Archive, Page 5
Exploring the World on Two Wheels: Chase Eckert’s Journey
Overland Journal Podcast Episode 217 In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, we dive into the adventurous life of Chase Eckert. From growing up in a traveling carnival in Alaska to embarking on a solo journey to Ushuaia on his KTM, Chase shares his extraordinary experiences. We discuss the tools and apps he uses,…
Ride of the Valkyries: Renée Brinkerhoff’s 1956 Porsche 356A
Lead photo by Christina Brinkerhoff After raising and educating four children, Renée Brinkerhoff was ready for some fun. Finally, after 20 years, she had a moment to go for a bike ride, run to the beach, or read a book—things she never had time for between the tutors, piano lessons, carpooling, and soccer coaching. “One…
Principles of Overlanding: Kurt Williams on the 200-Series Land Cruiser
Overland Journal Podcast Episode 216 Join Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady as he welcomes Land Cruiser legend and off-road driving expert Kurt Williams from Cruiser Outfitters for a wide-ranging discussion on how best to modify the Toyota 200-Series Land Cruiser for long-distance overland travel. They discuss which models to consider, what to look for if…
15 Black Friday Gifts for the Overlander in Your Life
Presented by Slinky Stove, the Collapsible Smokeless Fire Pit While Black Friday traditionally takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, many retailers are offering discounts now and will continue to do so throughout the holiday season. The coming weeks may be an opportune time for shopping before the onslaught of tinsel,…
What These Rebelles Want You to Know About Rallying Older Vehicles
Lead photo by Richard Giordano There are so many parallels between competing in the Rebelle Rally with an older vehicle and overlanding in one. Usually, the vehicle is already parked in our driveway, budget prohibits the purchase of something newer and comfortable, and the vehicle isn’t just a mechanical object transporting us from one place…
The Rover Boys: Bristol Foster and Robert Bateman Reflect on Their Round-the-World Expedition
Photography by Bristol Foster, Robert Bateman, and Erik Thorn It all began with birds. Birds near Toronto’s Forest Hill, to be exact. Back then, the nearby ravine and creek were thick with vegetation and towering willow trees, offering endless opportunities to identify warblers and flycatchers, blue jays, and thrushes. At least, that’s how it was…
Cool Vehicles of the 2024 Rebelle Rally
Photography by Richard Giordano, Regine Trias, Tim Sutton, Paolo Baraldi, and Ernesto Araiza After traversing over 2,600 kilometers of desert terrain, 128 women left California’s Johnson Valley in mid-October, bound for home. Hailing from 114 cities, 27 states and provinces, and six countries, they drove Jeeps and Fords, Toyotas, and Land Rovers. Some chose Subarus,…
Thinking Outside the Box: The Story Behind STEP 22
In this installment of the Expedition Portal series on brands that inspire us, Senior Editor Ashley Giordano profiles adventure travel gear manufacturer STEP 22. I recently found out, thanks to STEP 22 owner and founder Adam Wood, that the company’s name is an acronym for Storage Transportation Exploration Protection. There couldn’t be a more on-point…
Overland News of the Week, October 25th, 2024
Meet the New KC Hilites Solar Charge Hub This compact, plug-and-play charging solution directs solar panel energy to 12- and 24-volt vehicle batteries for easy charging and maintenance. Requiring no permanent installation, the hub features magnetic feet for easy placement and Bluetooth connectivity for monitoring and updates. At the heart of the hub’s weather-sealed aluminum…
Leaders of the Pack: Backpacks for the Overland Traveler
In How to Camp Out, Civil War veteran and avid outdoorsman John Mead Gould cautioned against overpacking, being in a hurry to spend money on new inventions, and generally taking on too much stuff, too many miles, and too much weight. However, one item he deemed indispensable was the haversack—a small bag “furnished with shoulder…
Overland News of the Week, September 13th, 2024
BDR Releases New North Georgia Route In this week’s overland news, Backcountry Discovery Routes has released the trailer for its latest route in North Georgia, the Chattahoochee BDR-X. This is the BDR’s 18th route and the fifth installment of shorter loop routes in the BDR-X. GPS tracks, a waterproof route map, and an accompanying film…
Overland Events and Rallies You Don’t Want to Miss This Fall (2024)
AMERICAN NORTHWEST Descend on Bend When August 30-September 2, 2024 | Where Yamhill River, Oregon Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Descend on Bend returns with live music, a daily maker’s market, a community potluck, a raffle, and workshops. The inaugural event occurred in 2014 when 15 VW Vanagon Westfalia enthusiasts gathered at Bend’s Hole-in-the-Ground crater and vowed to…
It’s All in the Name: The Story Behind Goose Gear
In this installment of the Expedition Portal series on brands that inspire us, Senior Editor Ashley Giordano profiles overland industry leader and vehicle-based storage solutions manufacturer Goose Gear. It’s easy to notice the quality of a Goose Gear product at a glance. Burly slides hold expertly crafted wood drawers. Marine-grade plywood coated with a proprietary blend of bedliner…
The Overlanding Code to Happiness
Lead photograph by Joanie Pépin Despite becoming more materially affluent over the past four decades, those living in developed countries have not experienced the happiness boost expected from modern materialism. Since the 1940s, we’ve upgraded significantly, installing showers and bathtubs, microwaves, dishwashers, and big-screen color televisions—purchasing twice as many vehicles per person, and adding boats and…
Overland News of the Week, August 2nd, 2024
Exped’s Mega Pump Makes Setup and Takedown a Breeze Exped has responded to one of its most frequent customer requests with the new Mega Pump. The 12.3-ounce pump includes a rechargeable battery with a USB-C port and a universal valve adapter that works with Exped and other inflatable products. The Mega features inflate and deflate…
Royal Geographical Society | Classic Kit
Even if we aren’t aware of it, overland travel provides countless immersive lessons in geography. Mobility allows us to observe how cities and towns are connected, whether by fields of cheerful canola flowers, hills punctuated by wind turbines, or riverways choked with litter. We notice how environments change from one place to the next and…
This 1941 Plymouth Sedan Took on the Pan-American Highway (And Won) :: Video of the Week
One week after Willys revealed its General Purpose vehicle, and in the midst of The Blitz, journalist Sullivan Richardson, mechanic Arnold Whitaker, and Kenneth C. Van Hee drove quietly out of Detroit in a 1941 Plymouth sedan bound for Cape Horn, Tierra del Fuego. It was just before midnight on November 18, 1940, and as…
Feralosophy: A Ladies-Only Overlanding Experience is Coming This October
(feral-os-o-phy) (noun): In a wild state, especially after escape from captivity or domestication. Belief or doctrine. The Ozarks regularly appear on Expedition Portal and in Overland Journal for good reason. Overlanders frequent the forested mountains that stretch across five states, taking in springs, rushing waterfalls, lakes, caverns, and other karstic landforms. Add some off-pavement trails,…
Reza Pakravan :: Modern Explorer
Photography by Kevin Merrey and Mark Game It was 70 days into Reza Pakravan’s bicycle expedition from Norway to South Africa before he cracked. His body weak with a recent bout of malaria and severe food poisoning, Reza and his expedition partner, Steven Pawley, slogged through the Kenyan desert in 40°C temperatures, out of water…