Show notes for podcast 82 Marcel and Chiara of Overland Vagabond Summary In this podcast from the field, Ashley Giordano interviews Swiss overlanders Marcel and Chiara of Overland Vagabond. Currently in Saudi Arabia, the couple has traveled from Switzerland to Iran, along the Silk Road to Singapore, and through Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, and the Arabian Peninsula in their 2016 Ford…

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2021 Issue. Riding to the end of the world, aka Ushuaia, was never our original plan. We did not ride the Dalton Highway to the tip of Alaska. Hence, the popular route from the northernmost point to the southernmost point of the Americas was something that we had already missed…

  Show Notes for Podcast #81  Nena Barlow talks essential skills for backcountry overlanding Summary: Matt Scott and Scott Brady interview Nena Barlow about her favorite Jeeps, her competitive success with the Rebelle Rally, and the essential skills for exploring the backcountry. Guest Bio:  Nena Barlow Owner Nena Barlow grew up in the Southwest, exploring the back roads by Jeep,…

My connection with Elisabeth Schwarz came as a result of a wardrobe crisis. A trip to Saudi Arabia was imminent, and I had no idea what to wear. Headscarf? No headscarf? What kind of loose clothing? How loose? I jumped into the Overland Middle East Facebook group and started typing, hoping for an answer. Several days went by before a…

The Volkswagen T3 Syncro (or Vanagon Syncro) is widely regarded as the ultimate overland rig. Characterized by insane power and torque and Rolls-Royce-esque refinement, the T3 Syncro is impervious to rust, offers unmatched all-terrain capability, a bulletproof engine, gearbox, and drive train, can achieve upwards of 55 mpg, and is conservatively 10 times more reliable than a Toyota Land Cruiser….

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. Bell-bottoms and platform shoes are en vogue. Bee Gees’ disco hits top the music charts while Grease is the must-see film of the summer. Stephen King publishes The Stand, Cold War tensions will continue for another 13 years, and the Berlin Wall will remain in one piece…

  Summary: Matt and Scott discuss the importance of innovation and engineering in the development of aftermarket components, along with Dave’s story of transitioning from white water kayaker to industry leader.   Guest Bio:  Dave Harriton’s career began with four AAA tows and UM’s business plan competition. Now he owns the largest and most respected Jeep accessory company in the…

Photo courtesy of The Referee & Cycle Trade Journal, v. 15 May-Oct. 1895 via the Smithsonian Archives Between the busy streets of Broadway and Binney in Cambridge, Massachusetts, lies a tree-lined path nestled aside red-brick buildings of Harvard University. A sign at the Broadway Street entrance dedicates the paved walkway to Kittie Knox, “…an African American bicyclist and activist who…

  Show Notes for Podcast #78  Summary: Ashley Giordano interviews Brazilian overlanders Sergio and Eleni of @projetomundocao about how an object in an unexpected location changed their lives forever, leading to nearly a decade of travel in their 2000 Land Rover Defender 110.   Guest Bio:  I’m Sergio, 48 years old and I worked all my life as technical salesman…

Photography by Richard Giordano I remember blissfully roaming through the Americas, connecting to WiFi at my leisure, refusing to purchase local SIM cards, and providing the occasional update to our fans back home (my parents) via an inReach communication device. I used public WiFi for the basics: emails, updating our travel blog, and the occasional video call with family members…

“Get out there and travel”. It’s a seemingly simple statement, but it takes a lot of courage for many women to take the leap, whether they are single, a wife, and/or mother. I know because I hit the road hard more than a decade ago and have never looked back. Well, to be honest, after being on the road for…

Real estate prices these days are just insane, and as a prospective first-time buyer, that can feel pretty demoralising. I remember my dad telling me that he purchased his first house here in the UK for £23,000; well, that same property is now worth close to £300,000. With that in mind, overland vehicles may appear overpriced at first glance (while…

In an age where it has all been done before, there remains one great overland challenge. A team of explorers has set out to drive two prepared Land Rover Defender 110’s from London to New York, without the aid of airlifts or boats. Currently the team has made it all the way to Tjita, Russia with only a few minor…

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. Photography by Richard Giordano The electric vehicle revolution is here. From Long Way Up to the Extreme E Challenge, electric vehicles are gaining popularity and exhibiting great potential. With countless automotive manufacturers announcing plans to build all-electric pickup trucks, such as Tesla’s Cybertruck, the GMC Hummer EV…

  Show Notes for Podcast #76 Sean Gorman: Adventurer and 4WD Expert Summary: Scott Brady interviews Sean Gorman, discussing travel and expeditions around the globe.     Guest Bio: Sean Gorman  Sean Gorman is the founder of Sea2Summit Experiences, an automotive consulting business specializing in off road drive experiences, long range expedition preparation, off road vehicle engineering development/ technical support…

  Show Notes for Podcast #75  Gear of the Year 2021 Summary: Matt and Scott riff on the best gear of the year, the ultimate new SUV’s, trucks, and campers Host Bios: Scott Brady Scott is the publisher and co-founder of Expedition Portal and Overland Journal and is often credited with popularizing overlanding in North America. His travels by 4WD…

Classic Land Cruisers, much like Volkswagen campers, have become a wanderlust icon on social media. Thanks to photographers such as Forrest Mankins, I can’t remember what the FJ60 looks like in anything but dusky low-light with a canoe on the roof and an open tailgate. It’s a vehicle that’s become synonymous with adventure, and subsequently, prices have rocketed. However, there…

This is excellent news for us desert lovers. Billy Creech has been elected President of the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association (“MDHCA”) non-profit which was formed in 1993 with the mission to research, conserve and share the natural and cultural history of the Mojave Desert. The MDHCA runs the 75 acre Goffs facility and is the source of much…

Photography by Richard Giordano When I sent a membership request to the Black Series Camper US Facebook group, I felt like a bit of an infiltrator. Sure, I had spent over a month in the 2020 Black Series HQ19 and had my own opinions about the trailer, but I was also genuinely curious how the product had been received on…

  Show Notes for Podcast #74 Summary: A buffet of choices to serve different needs, from backcountry to backyard. Finding the perfect camp table for overlanding or car camping can be challenging, but we’re here to help with brief reviews of seven different folding camp tables. Here are a few of our picks. Host Bios: Matt Swartz My name is…