Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2021 Issue. Few things are more frustrating than starting a build in the back of your classic vehicle (in my case, a Land Cruiser) and discovering a plethora of rust. It’s even more irksome when you realize the cheap butyl mat installed by the…
Dryad Cookery Titanium Spatula, Leather Skillet Handle Cover
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2021 Issue. When I think about ways to add enjoyment to my cooking experience, it’s nearly always about a new recipe or a fresh set of knives. Maybe even some new pans, but a spatula was never on the list. Earlier this year,…
Exploring Closer To Home
We drive tens of thousands of miles a year. There are countless hours spent behind the wheel cruising through the countryside in pursuit of new locations. Our primary goal is often to avoid the crowds. Typically, this pushes us to the eastern side of our home state of Oregon. Out there, the land is immense,…
The Chama Vaquero Chair
When we shut the vehicle doors and drive countless hours down rocky dirt roads, it is often in search of something we can’t find at home. Perhaps it’s adventure or the stillness of remote locations. Maybe it’s just a change in routine. Regardless, it nearly always involves the pursuit of simplicity. Leaving the fully furnished,…
Rust Repair and Lizard Skin Insulation on a 1985 Troop Carrier
In the process of building our Land Cruiser Troop Carrier into a proper 4×4 tourer, we realized the long-term sustainability of the vehicle would be based upon our comfort. Driving a vehicle from 1985 is inherently less luxurious than a modern ride, but it would be foolish of us not to do what we can…
Realities of A Classic 4×4: Noise
People don’t generally ask what noise levels are like while driving the Troopy; it gets overshadowed by just about everything else. Pop-tops and engines make for far better conversations than how many millimeters of acoustic insulation cover our floor pan. After 11 months of traveling in the Troopy, though, we can say with certainty that…
Goodbye, Transmission
In my mind, destroying a manual transmission is an act of violence. It is something that involves loud grinding, clunking, maybe even a stalled engine. I believed it was something that would leave you stranded on the side of the road waiting on a tow truck. It turns out, it wasn’t anything like that. Olivia…
Lessons From A 35-Year-Old Land Cruiser
The morning frost had begun to melt on the sage and bunchgrass steppe that stretched to the horizon. A thick cloud of dust billowed from our tires, diffusing into the otherwise tranquil air. Inside the cabin of the Troopy the atmosphere was thick with corrugation-induced vibrations and the voice of Jack Johnson trying to cut…