And in the blink of an eye, there it went. It’s hard to believe that the year has passed and is now in the books. It seems like just yesterday the ball had dropped opening up the year to untold adventures, and looking back, it would be hard to argue that 2014 was anything other than one of the most remarkable years for the Overland International crew. From Antarctica to Iceland, Baja to Colombia, our small but ambitious team pushed towards the corners of the globe in search of adventure’s best. I’d say we found it––repeatedly.
Below are just a few images from our collective trip around the sun. We hope your year was filled with just as much fun and travel and hope the year ahead provides even more. From all of us at Overland International, we wish you a very happy new year.
– Christophe Noel, Senior Editor
Baja
Overland Journal Editor in Chief Chris Collard is a regular to Baja and once again found time to explore its many wonders.
Death Valley
Creative Director Sinuhe Xavier teamed up with the crew at Aether Apparel to explore Death Valley by adventure bike. Read the full story [HERE].
Lake Powell, Southern Utah, and the Mojave
It’s a perennial favorite and one visited multiple times by members of the crew.
Baja by Motorcycle
It was, “a business trip” if any of our wives happen to ask. Or, it was a classic boondoggle. Either way it was one of the best trips of the year. Read the full report [HERE].
Expeditions 7
For team members Scott Brady and Chris Collard, this particular year of the Expeditions 7 project included amazing opportunities. Few visit the South Pole once. They did it twice. The expedition brought them to Africa and South America before it’s culmination in Utah.
This is easily one of the best images of the year. Any time emotions like these are captured, they should be celebrated.
Scott Brady is quickly becoming one of the most traveled men of our time. His humility and support of his team is even more impressive as he helps his crew explore the world.
Iceland
This tiny Island nation has captivated the hearts of our entire crew. Iceland has been visited by Scott Brady, Chris Collard, Christophe Noel, Sinuhe Xavier and our photographic legend, Bruce Dorn. As you read this, Scott Brady is preparing for his third trip to the land of fire and Ice. Look for Christophe’s bikepacking story in the next issue of Overland Journal.
Overland Journal and Expedition Portal Senior Editor Christophe Noel spent a month in Iceland, two weeks atop his pre-production Salsa Bucksaw.
Colombia
Just this month, Scott Brady and Sinuhe Xavier traveled to the mountains and jungles of Sinuhe’s homeland to undertake one of the most ambitious two-wheeled adventures our crew has ever attempted. Thanks to the knowledge and resources of Elephant Expeditions, the trip couldn’t have been easier or more exciting. Look for that story in an upcoming issue of Overland Journal.
Scott Brady, and his BMW motorcycle, hitch a ride on a panga in the Amazon River basin.
Moab – Easter Jeep
As guests of Chrysler, three of our team headed to Moab to see Jeep’s latest. For Troy Bignell, our Australian intern, it was his first trip to the land of the Red Rocks.
Chris Collard sure takes a nice image, doesn’t he?
Ecuador by motorcycle
It is a beautiful country, one Christophe Noel had not visited until this year. He vows to return, and again via motorcycle.
Our own backyard
It’s fun to visit far off lands, but just as fun to explore the remote roads of our own backyard in the Southwest of the U.S. Director of Operations Chris Cordes and Designer Chazz Layne seemed to be everywhere all at once. From the Mojave Road to the high peaks of the Rockies, they even folded in beach time, and a lot of fun campfire sit-arounds.
Motorcycle Press Launches
We were lucky to attend the launches of the new Kawasaki KLR, the anticipated BMW R1200GS-Adventure and even the Aprilia Caponord Travel Pack which happened to launch not just in Arizona, but just five miles from OI HQ.
Motorcycle Crashes
Okay, there may have been one of those. Christophe Noel learns why tall windshields must be considered when riding up big ledges.
Motorcycle Jumps and other shenanigans.
This category belongs almost exclusively to Scott Brady. No matter how big the bike, he aired it out, or nearly drowned it, often in the same mile.
Adventure McVickers
Brian McVickers is not just our Business Development Manager, he is fearless in his adventuring. Having sailed the full length of the western U.S. he also joined us on the motorcycle trip to Baja and even tackled the Colorado Trail on a mountain bike in a multi-day bikepack. He is, quite simply, unstoppable.
Brian fly fishes the Colorado River in the depths of the Grand Canyon.
The Salsa Cycles Bucksaw Launch
We were honored to be amongst the very first to get to ride one of the most important bicycle productions of the last 25 years, the Salsa Bucksaw. It was…as fun as a week gets.
Vegas to Reno by Land Rover
To help celebrate the new opening of Land Rover Reno, the OI team tagged along to connect their new store with the Las Vegas store…by way of dirt, naturally.
….And so much more.
It was a great year filled with fun new vehicles to test, build, and drive. We met amazing new friends, reconnected with old faces, and look forward to yet another great year ahead.
