By Rob Putnam As the sun rises over an Arizona skydive drop zone, Tamale Sepp flings open the doors of her nondescript, under-the-radar white van. She inhales the earthy air mingled with scents of grass crushed by jumpers as she begins her day in the cruiser that she recently made her home. In late December,…
Overlander Lubricant – Drink Responsibly
It has been a long, hot, and trying day. The rig has been behaving badly, the last of 20 checkpoints involved a locked and loaded Kalashnikov, your convoy partner has been very hard work, and there is a difficult multi-day remote mountain pass ahead. It is at times like these that all an overlander needs…
Overlanding as a Team
As an instructor for various overlanding skills, I am often asked what the secret is for encouraging an unenthusiastic partner to appreciate the outdoors and how to make the overland experience enjoyable for them. People wonder if the solution may rely somewhat on buying certain products and amenities to increase comfort while on the road….
The Basic Overland Gear Everyone Should Have
The Overland Journal Podcast #20 Principles of Overlanding: The Basic Overland Gear Everyone Should Have Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding, Matt and Scott review the top 10 pieces of kit that help support local and international overland travel. Topics include navigation, communications, recovery equipment, medical kits, training, tools, and more. This list is all…
The Collective :: Moto Maintenance
After being on the road for 20 months through Latin America, when people ask me what I missed most about home, I have to answer that it’s my tools. Specifically, a shop full of tools with ample space to maintain and repair my motorcycle. Throughout our journey, it was an ongoing struggle to ensure our…
What is Overlanding? :: Podcast #18
The Overland Journal Podcast #18 Principles of Overlanding :: What is Overlanding? Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding, Scott and Matt discuss the history of the term “overland,” and how to properly define it within the context of experience, with input from a large quorum of other overland travelers. They also pose a series of…
Overland Skills :: Travel Planning and Safety
Even diehard overland travelers and expeditionary personnel will eventually need to stay at hotels, inns, or various private accommodations. You might need to overnight during the trip bookends, as you fly into a country and stage your gear, or prepare to depart back home. Arrangements can vary widely by country, continent, and culture. A concierge…
Podcast #16 :: Rooftop Tent or Ground Tent or Wedge Camper for Overlanding?
The Overland Journal Podcast #16 Principles of Overlanding :: RTT vs. Ground Tent vs. Swag vs. Habitat vs. Sleeping in the vehicle Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding podcast, Matt and Scott discuss the best sleeping solutions for an overland camp. They review the options of a Rooftop Tent (RTT) vs. a Ground Tent vs….
A Letter From Our Medical Editor
Publisher’s Note: We are grateful for all of our Expedition Portal readers, and our subscribers to Overland Journal. These are challenging and defining times for all of us as people and as travelers. Many of our fellow overlanders are stuck behind borders or managing major adjustments to their travel schedules. If there is anything we…
Overland Expo West Postponed to July
These are challenging times for our communities and families, and our hearts go out to all those affected. In addition, many travelers are stuck behind borders or are struggling to arrange transportation home. As an overland community, we are an industrious group, and well-prepared to address this challenge together. We received notice this morning from…
Classic Kit | The Pelican Case
Dear Meriwether, Here are a few things I’d like for you to do while you’re out West: Explore the Missouri River, map it, take a look at its southern tributaries, find a Northwest Passage, establish friendly relations with the natives, study the soil, the animals, the geology, the climate, the plant life. Oh, and find…
The Road Chose Me Volume 2 Book on Kickstarter
After years of working a desk, I realized that life wasn’t making me happy and I needed to make a change. I began dreaming, saving, and planning, and finally quit my job and sold all my stuff. Back in 2009, I wound up driving 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina, and I’ve been hopelessly hooked…
2020 RawHyde Adventure Days
Editor’s Note: The Rawhyde Adventure Days is a popular event in Southern California that brings motorcycle and 4wd adventurers together. Read our overview of last year’s event here: 2019 Adventure Days Press Release :: ADVENTURE DAYS 2020 RawHyde is thrilled to announce that Adventure Days 2020 will be the Grand Opening of our newest and…
Fieldcraft Survival Offers Overland Training
Press Release: Fieldcraft Survival has partnered with Overland International to offer Overland Training. Fieldcraft Survival has partnered with Overland International to offer quality overland training courses to cover a myriad of topics and skillsets. Fieldcraft will be offering this training to civilian, military, commercial, law enforcement, governmental, and non-governmental teams. Overland Training courses will provide…
From Scratch – How we came to terms with our everyday lives when the adventure ended
It might seem strange, but one of the things Dave and I missed most while traveling around the world on motorcycles were our pillows. Okay, strange. But the pillows were symbolic of more than just memory foam. If we had our pillows, it meant we would have a bed, which meant we’d have a place….
You Just Got Back From an Epic Journey—Now What?
“The real work of an expedition begins when you return.” –Louise Arner Boyd Many of us put in the work to plan, save for, and finally embark on a long-term adventure without a single thought as to what we’ll do when we get home. At the time of departure, the last thing you want to…
Tail Lamp | The Joy of Getting Stuck
Opening Photo: The author getting stuck in Antarctica (brrr). Photo by Chris Collard. Oh, I remember the first time I got stuck in the dirt. But the very first time I found a vehicle unmovable was the night my dad gave me my car when I got my license. I wrecked that Honda Accord within…
Build Your Skills With These Off-Road & Overland Adventure Books
Over the years, our staff has been asked a lot of questions about overlanding. But there’s one query that almost every enthusiast seems to have in common. No, it’s not “What size tires can I fit with this lift?” but rather “What will improve my vehicle’s capability the most for the least amount of money?”…
A Touch Of Camel Trophy: Towing a Land Rover Through Canada’s Whipsaw Trail
What do experienced overlanders do when a disabled truck needs to be recovered on the trail? Some of North America’s best off-highway driving instructors and vehicle recovery experts showed us their skills when they recovered a disabled truck from the historic Whipsaw Trail in July 2019. My husband, Steve, and I have driven Whipsaw four…
Learn how to drive the Pan-American Highway
Before I had even heard the word “Overlanding” I set out to drive my little Jeep Wrangler from the top of Alaska to the bottom of Argentina. Needless to say I had the adventure of a lifetime, and I will never be the same. Over the course of almost 2 years I drove 40,000 miles…