Friends, as you know, there’s always that familiar nervous feeling of anticipation at the beginning of each new great adventure. The challenges of visas, money, equipment, kitting out the expedition Land Rovers—the list seems endless. Left to sort are carnets for the vehicles, first aid, basic food supplies, reference books and maps, letters of authority,…
Matt Prior on Traveling the Silk Road with a Family
Join Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady as he speaks with adventurer Matt Prior about his remarkable five-year journey around the world with his family, known as Project Wild Earth. Matt, his wife, Leah, and their two children are traveling extensively, currently more than halfway across Asia in an INEOS Grenadier and towing a Patriot…
Built to Roam: Expedition Vehicles with Spencer Park of Bliss Mobil
In this episode, Overland Journal Podcast host Matt Scott sits down with Spencer Park of Bliss Mobil to talk about our shared passion for expedition vehicles—what makes them special, what they enable, and why they matter. From design philosophy to real-world functionality, we explore what separates true expedition platforms from ordinary builds. Along the way,…
Pizza to Go: Portable Ovens that Bring your Favorite Pies Beyond the Backyard
Overlanding getaways to the backcountry need not forego the simple pleasure of America’s favorite food. Adding an outdoor pizza oven to your cache of mobile cooking appliances instantly elevates life under the open skies. Today’s portable pizza ovens incorporate several features, and many models use multiple fuel sources. The ideal pizza oven can reach much…
Dave Harriton on What it Takes to Build a Factory Overlander
In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, hosts Matt Scott and Scott Brady are joined by Dave Harriton from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) to delve into the complexities of building a factory overlander. The discussion examines the key components of overland vehicle construction, including transfer case chain integrity, the distinction between aftermarket and OEM…
Travel Beasts’ 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ73 :: Feature Vehicle
It happens to the best of us; we purchase a vehicle and kit it out for a long-distance overland journey, only to find that our needs change as we fall deeper into overlanding and commit further to a life lived on the road. A rooftop tent and daily outdoor existence are fine for a few…
Stay on the Road: Why the Overland Industry Needs Real Travelers with Basil Lynch
It’s easy to get caught up in the business of overlanding and actually forget to travel. But Basil Lynch never stopped. In this episode, we sit down with the founder of Basil’s Garage—an overland outfitter based in San Diego—to talk about why staying on the road matters more than ever. From international travel to local…
The BDR Bros: Nothing’s Thicker than Blood and Bikes
When TJ Brown heard the newly minted NorCal Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) was being opened in the summer of 2024, he immediately called a meeting of his friends, all adventure motorcyclists. The BDR Bros, as he dubs them, assembled on a Tuesday evening with maps, both Google and folding, and began planning for a two-wheeled…
Meeting a Legend: Barbara Toy’s 1950 Series I Land Rover, Pollyanna
Photography by Richard Giordano Sitting under a vintage map of Chipping Norton, I wait for my Scotch egg and gin and tonic. Cool autumnal weather typical of the Cotswolds had led me inside, and I figured a good book and an English pub were the perfect antidote. Opening my current read, Barbara Toy’s In Search…
Graham Jackson: At the Beginning of American Overlanding
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…
Drive It Like You Mean It: Lessons from the Commercial and Recreational 4WD Worlds
In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, hosts Scott Brady and Matt Scott welcome Chris Walker, professional trainer, explorer, and head of Tirion Safety. Chris has trained everyone from oil crews in Alberta to expedition drivers across Europe and Canada. The conversation delves into the real-world differences between commercial and recreational 4WD training—and what…
Rock N Road 4×4 Expedition Bonnet Bag :: Field Tested
When it comes to maximizing storage on a 4WD vehicle, we tend to think we’ve explored every option. But there’s one often-overlooked space that deserves attention—the bonnet. And this is where Brad from Rock N Road 4×4 comes in. Specializing in custom gear solutions for Special Forces, tactical units, rescue teams, and Dakar race vehicles, Brad’s products…
Women’s-Only Off-Road Class Is a Go for XOverland’s Big Thing Event
On Sunday, July 13, 2025, as the featured “Big Thing” overland weekend concludes, the XOverland Ranch is offering a women-only technical training course—a dedicated space designed to build driving confidence, refine recovery techniques, and foster genuine connection among women who share a passion for adventure. Hosted at the picturesque XOverland Ranch near Three Forks, Montana,…
Scott Brady’s Overlanding 101: Travel Simple, Travel Far
“Scott Brady has spent decades traveling the world by vehicle. Now, he’s distilled much of that experience into a compact, accessible, and deeply thoughtful reference guide: Overlanding 101. It’s not just a how-to—it’s a why-to. And it’s probably the best book on overland travel you’ll find, but then again, Scott taught me most of what’s…
Beyond the Human Context: Protecting the Invisible in Kyrgyzstan
In 2017, my girlfriend, Caroline, and I bought a 1990s ex-ambulance Mercedes-Benz 609D in Berlin. With only 40,000 kilometers on the clock, it was in great shape and ready for adventure. Despite our limited resources, we managed to convert it into our off-grid home under the sweltering southern Spain sun. Without a garage, we did…
Living Legend Kingsley Holgate: The Man, the Beard, the Cause
Photography by Kingsley Holgate Foundation Kingsley Holgate is one of my heroes, having completed 41 expeditions (and counting), all after turning 50 years old. Explorations include reaching the geographic center of Africa, which had never been done before, and circumnavigating Africa, as close to the coastline as they could, which is something that was a…
Mike Pfeiffer of Last Line of Defense on Practical Readiness
In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, host Matt Scott converses with Mike Pfeiffer from the Last Line of Defense about practical readiness and overlanding. Mike shares insights from his life as an “army brat,” his experiences traveling and living in various states, and his journey into off-roading and overlanding. The conversation highlights the…
1966 Land Rover Series 2a Marshall Ambulance :: Feature Vehicle
The namesake of British explorer Ernest Shackleton is suitably the stuff of legends. This wheeled Sir Shackleton, who we’ll call “Shack” for brevity’s sake, is a 1966 Land Rover Series 2a Marshall ambulance. But we’ve already entered a shrouded realm of mythology. Though Shack’s registration papers designate his build year as 1968, the error in…
The Best Mid-sized Trucks for Global Travel
The best overland vehicles are constantly morphing with consumer interests and regulatory pressures, but there has never been a better time to choose your next adventure machine. With the growing popularity of overlanding, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have doubled down on suitable models, and in the case of Ineos, an entirely new car company has…
Overland Journal Podcast Episode #239: What is the Overland Collective?
In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, I am joined by Scott Brady and Clay and Rachelle Croft to discuss the creation of the Overland Collective and the acquisition of Overland Journal and Expedition Portal. The episode dives into the lead-up and backstory behind the acquisition, what Overland Journal, Expedition Portal, and XOverland viewers and…