Before overlanding was a hashtag, it was a mindset—and Graham Jackson was one of the people who helped define it in the US. In this Overland Journal Podcast episode, Scott Brady and Matt Scott sit down with Graham to trace the origins of overlanding in North America, from the founding days of Overland Journal to the first Overland Expo. With decades of international experience, including a full traverse of Africa in the early 2000s, Graham brings a unique blend of practical insight and historical context. This conversation is a window into where we’ve come from and what we might need to remember as the industry moves forward.
Overland Journal Podcast Episode 246
Special thanks to our sponsor this week, Hankook Tires.
Tune in using the link below, watch on our YouTube channel, or download the episode on your favorite podcast player.
Guest Bio
Graham Jackson
Graham Jackson was born in Lesotho in Southern Africa. At age 10, he completed his first safari across the Kalahari in a Range Rover with his family. That trip planted the seed for Graham’s lifelong obsession with deserts and off-road vehicles. In 2004, he and his wife led a 30,000-mile overland adventure from London to Cape Town, which arguably served as a key inspiration for the launch of the overland industry in the United States and was the lead story in the first edition of Overland Journal. He spent several years as the gear editor for Overland Journal and has written for Outdoor X4, Land Rover Owner International magazine, and Exploring Overland’s online blog.
Graham has led and guided expeditions in Africa, Australia, South America, the American West, Mexico, and Central America and has trained in the US, Central America, and Africa. He is recognized as one of the premier overland trainers in the world, having co-owned 7P Overland. Graham was the director of training for Overland Expo for its first decade, helping develop it into the premier overland show in the world. Now, Graham is an expedition filmmaker, and his first film premiered in 2023. He started Overland Passage in 2024 as a repository and umbrella company for all his content creation.
Host Bios
Scott Brady
Scott is the executive publisher and co-founder of Expedition Portal and Overland Journal and is often credited with popularizing overlanding in North America. His travels by 4WD and adventure motorcycle span all seven continents and include three circumnavigations of the globe. His polar expeditions include two vehicle crossings of Antarctica and the first long-axis crossing of Greenland. @scott.a.brady
Matt Scott
Matthew is a leading expert in automotive adventure. He has extensively explored the world’s most remote places by 4WD and is considered an industry authority on overland travel. He is the only American to ever become an editor of a major Australian 4WD publication and has over 15 years of competitive auto racing experience. @mattexplore
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