Storyteller Overland Acquires Taxa Outdoors In this week’s overland news, adventure lifestyle and adventure van manufacturer Storyteller Overland has acquired camping habitat and overlanding utility trailer brand Taxa Outdoors. Entrepreneur and former Global Brand President for Harley-Davidson Neil Grimmer will serve as the chief strategy officer of Storyteller Overland and CEO at Taxa. “With the support of Storyteller, Taxa Outdoors…

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 plenty of folks in between….

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 the La Bocana area of…

If living organisms could write a letter to humans, what would they say? I imagine the message from thousand-year-old bristlecone pines, sequoias, and baobabs would be lengthy (and likely not on paper), while a bird’s eye perspective could be enlightening. But what about the areas we’ve long deemed lifeless, the deserts and dry places? After all, “the middle of nowhere”…

For years, I have dreamed of building an overland camp where people could come to relax and reconnect, a break from the road in the middle of an adventure across continents. My dreams are small compared to that of the Merus team. The Merus Adventure Park, nestled in the heart of Palo Duro Canyon in Texas, the second largest canyon…

Overland Journal Podcast Episode 188 Scott Brady and Overland Journal Archaeology Senior Editor Bryon Bass discuss their recent trip through Kenya and into Ethiopia. As part of the crossing of Africa with the Ineos Grenadier, the team shares their insights on the challenges with temporarily importing the vehicle into Ethiopia and the required bureaucracy process. Their conversation also shifts to…

Travel is supposed to be fun, and everyone has their interpretation of a joyful adventure. In the past decade, vehicle manufacturers have begun blurring the lines between performance, luxury, grand touring, and overlanding with a new crop of ultra overlanders. Why test these extreme vehicles at all? The strongest impetus is the overwhelming popularity of the platforms and the increasing…

We have not covered Kia with any regularity on Expedition Portal or in Overland Journal. It’s not a manufacturer that has much of a legacy in the 4WD world, but if you cast your mind back to the turn of the century, you may remember the tiny first-generation Kia Sportage (1993-2002) and its successor, the first-gen Sorento (2002-2009). Both of…

AltRider Center Stand AltRider’s motto could easily be, “find a need and fill it.” From a Ténéré 700 perspective, they’ve created better crash bars, an adjustable kick stand, three-position lowering links, and several other key items. Their latest effort for the Ténéré is an all-aluminum center stand. The OEM stand on my T7 is fully functional for getting the bike…

It’s hard to know where to start with this rig. I spent an hour listening to the owner share his inspiring journey and the painstaking work that went into every aspect of this build. To fully appreciate this Jeep, it’s better to understand the final form as the culmination of a story rather than simply an amalgamation of premium parts….

Photography by Etienne Musslin When we decide to leave on a trip—whether it’s 200 kilometers, around the globe, or somewhere in between—vehicle choice is often something we dive into headfirst. Maybe your trusty steed is parked in your driveway, or perhaps you’ve spent countless hours (and dollars) building a one-of-a-kind contraption with all the amenities. Whatever it may be, obsessions…

Back in the Saddle (continued from Part 1) A locally sourced breakfast at the Cuyama Buckhorn prepped us for a long day in the saddle. Back on 166, we made tracks for Cerro Noroeste Road to start a 2,000-foot climb to the enclave of Pine Mountain Club. The small bikes were willing, but taxed. With throttles pegged, the TW’s extra…

Small bike adventure touring may sound cringeworthy to some riders, but that’s how I began exploring the backcountry while in high school. Schlepping my camping gear in a Kelty frame pack was an adventure in itself. Many years and miles later, and with Honda’s XR150L test bike in my garage, I was curious to see if I could relive the…

This week, we’ll be getting our hands on the 2024 Kia Sorento X-Pro for a first drive. The X-Pro trim is Kia’s version of an off-road and adventure-oriented package for the three-row SUV, and it features 17-inch wheels with BF Goodrich all-terrain rubber, a locking center differential, a revised skid plate, and a roof rack. Also new is the exterior…

Parked in a construction quarry beside a quiet, muddy road between the villages of Loebetsi and Kibangou in the Democratic Republic of Congo, my son, Keelan, struggled to cook a meal as we dealt with a debilitating mechanical issue and the sunset. We had recently run out of propane, and now the price was being paid; Keelan was forced to…

Walt Wagner and his Tactical Application Vehicles (TAV) team recently unveiled a 2022 Ford F350 Super Duty specifically designed to cater to the adventurous spirit of a family-oriented client; this is the kind of vehicle that will likely eclipse the view as you sit with your loved ones around a campfire at the end of the trail.  TAV specializes in…

Think back to 1972. Some of you may remember when The Turtle Expedition, Unltd. was exploring the backroads of Mexico and Central America in our trusty 1967 109 Land Rover. At that time, we had one battery, and its functions were to start the 6-cylinder gas engine (that choked on Mexican Pemex Nova regular), turn on the single dome light, and…

I’ve always considered the Lexus LX and GX lineup luxury forward vehicles that became popular for adventure travel after the fact. I thought buying a used LX or GX and outfitting it for overlanding was somehow cracking the code, creating an extra-fancy Land Cruiser—an idea that brilliantly pushed the limits of normal consideration. Over the past decade, I’ve learned to…

BMW’s F series adventure bike line features all new machines for 2024. It includes an F 800 GS, F 900 GS, and F 900 Adventure (GSA). They get a new powerplant and a whole lot more. When the F 800 GS debuted in 2018, its lesser sibling was the F 700 GS. They shared the same motor, but the 700…

Lisa Morris and Jason Spafford, aka Four Wheeled Nomad, are regular contributors to Expedition Portal and the Overland Journal, and in 2022 were named our Overlanders of the Year. Their resume includes riding 80,000 miles from the bottom of Argentina to the tip of Alaska, exploring Europe and the Nordic countries, and at present, they are on their biggest adventure…