In the world of outdoor adventure, it’s easy to take the trails we ride, drive, and hike for granted. But the truth is, those trails don’t maintain themselves. Behind every epic vista and every rugged off-road route is a community of volunteers, nonprofits, and dedicated trail stewards working to keep access open, safe, and sustainable….
The Scientific Exploration Society :: Overland Conservation
When we read about Darién Gap expeditions, we tend to focus on the immense undertaking of the crossing from a four-wheel-drive perspective. But for Colonel John Blashford-Snell, the expedition leader responsible for the first crossing of the Darién Gap with a team of Range Rovers in 1971-72, the mission also focused on plants, animals, and…
Principles of Overlanding: Anthropology and the Overlander’s Code
In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, host Scott Brady talks to Dr. Bryon Bass about the principles of overlanding and the Overlander’s Code, created as a supplement to resources like Tread Lightly and Leave No Trace. They discuss the importance of respecting unique cultures and taking responsibility for one’s actions while traveling. Dr….
iOverlander 2.0 Debuts with Major Updates
When my wife and I left North American shores in 2017 to explore Africa, the mobile app iOverlander had only been in circulation for about two and a half years. The crowd-sourced travel software launched by Jessica Mans and Sam Christiansen was still only in its infancy, but as we toured the continent over the…
Smile, You’re on a Motorcycle :: Cardo Touts Riding’s Mental Health Benefits, Helps Vets
Cardo, the moto comms giant, recently surveyed over 18,000 motorcyclists in 114 countries and found that 56 percent of riders throw a leg over their bikes to “improve their mental well-being.” I have certainly found in my short time as a motorcyclist that hopping on the bike for a ride, whether it’s long or short,…
Filming on Public Lands: Legal Risks, Recent Changes, and What Lies Ahead
For content creators who capture their adventures on public lands, understanding and navigating federal regulations has become an increasingly high-stakes endeavor. Recent legal battles and legislative developments have brought new hope for creators while exposing the ongoing challenges of balancing creative expression with compliance. The passage of the EXPLORE Act marks a turning point in…
Jessy Muller Takes the Slow Road
Overland Journal Podcast Episode 202 Full-time nomad Jessy Muller has been living on the road for over six years. Over that time, she’s learned a lot of lessons about slow travel, finding peace as a solo adventurer, and coexisting with an old RV—in Jessy’s case, a 1978 Dodge Commander. In this wide-ranging conversation with Overland Journal…
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…
Epic Quest :: The Pan-American Highway in a School Bus
Who hasn’t dreamed of traversing the Pan-American Highway on an epic overland journey? I certainly have, and last year, that dream became a reality when a group of avid adventurers decided it was time to tackle one of the world’s longest road networks. The Backstory: From Dream to Reality In 2022, Max and Joel, the…
Rust To Glory – The Ultimate Overland Movie – Is Now Streaming
Rust To Glory redefines the overland adventure documentary genre by capturing the trials and tribulations of three unique teams and their unlikely vehicles as they tackle the world’s largest amateur rally, the Budapest-Bamako. “We wanted to show what it’s like to compete in this grueling overland rally in three junkyard rescues,” said Andrew G. Szabo,…
Tracks4Africa Founder Wouter Brand :: November, 22 1954 – June, 14 2024
Even if you’ve never traveled on the continent, you are likely familiar with Tracks4Africa, the pioneering crowd-sourced GPS mapping software and paper map publisher. Its co-founder, the enigmatic Wouter Brand, died last week at the age of 69. When GPS technology was made available to civilians at the end of the twentieth century, new travel…
Join Naresh Kumar as He Cycles Across America to Combat Human Trafficking
Naresh Kumar has cycled more than 10,000 kilometers through 13 countries on a tandem bicycle to raise awareness and funds to combat human trafficking. Now, you can join him as he travels from Oregon to DC, inviting strangers to join him on project Freedom Seat. Born and raised in a suburb of Chennai in South…
Father’s Day Podcast :: Interviewing Larry Brady
On this Father’s Day, we celebrate all of the dads. We are grateful to those with us and honor those who were gone too soon. Dads have an important job, providing protection, love, support, training, and much more. It is a hard job, and it is supposed to be, as honoring those responsibilities helps…
Sinuhe Xavier on Adventure and the Meaning of Home and Fatherhood :: Video
Raising a son is like watching a fragment of yourself break free, stepping into the world on its own. With each word and each step he takes, he drifts further from you, molding you into who he’s destined to be. It’s like your heart is out there, navigating the world independently, evolving beyond your grasp….
Travel Safe in Baja and Beyond
By now, you have likely read about the most recent Baja tragedy involving two Australian brothers and their American friend who were found murdered just outside of Ensenada on a surf trip. The incident is deeply troubling, and our hearts go out to their families; we hope you will soon find solace in these difficult…
Outdoor Alliance Celebrates 10 Years of Public Lands Advocacy
In our continually shifting legislative landscape, America’s public lands often end up as an all-too-convenient political football for policymakers on both sides of the aisle. There’s no denying that there is an incredibly large range of stakeholders when it comes to our public lands, from staunch preservationists to those who seek full government divestment, and…
Join Expedition Portal to Support Acalanes High School Body Shop’s Baja Adventure
Over the previous few decades, the traditional shop class has all but disappeared from American middle schools and high schools. Subjected to a wide range of diverse pressures, vocational education [career and technical education (CTE) as it is more correctly known] has slowly been whittled down to a stub of what it once was. Budget…
Three Surfers Murdered While Overlanding in Baja, Mexico
Three Mexican nationals, two males and a female, have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad. This development follows the discovery of three bodies (there are recent reports of a fourth body being found) at the base of a cliff in…
Kingsley Holgate :: Overland Journal Podcast
Overland Journal Podcast Episode 190 There are a handful of true living legends in the overland world: Tom Sheppard, Lois Pryce, Ted Simon, Mac MacKenny, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, among them. But for my money, Kingsley Holgate is in a category of one. His laundry list of accomplishments in overland travel is enough to make…
Milestones in Human Achievement :: Transglobal Car Expedition and The Hardest Geezer
I’m currently reading Julian Sancton’s riveting Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night, an account of the trials of the Belgian/Norwegian/American expedition to Antarctica in 1897. The Belgica’s voyage was the first to make multiple landfalls on the continent and the first to overwinter South of 71…