Overland Journal Fall 2011

Greetings from Afghanistan Thanks for the second greatest photographic and outdoor adventure magazine published (right there behind Nat Geo). I'm an ER physician with the 115 Army Combat Support Hospital and we’re down here in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, supporting the Marines while they chase bad guys. We work closely with a British helicopter medivac unit, and our brothers from the U.K., in addition to multiple U.S. Army medics and Afghani local nationals. They have been seen coveting my Spring edition, which replaced the entrenching tool in my rucksack during deployment earlier this spring. I’m not sure what happened to the Summer edition, but odds are that it and the missing cookies wound up in my dad’s possession before the last box of goodies was shipped. Here’s hoping the Fall issue makes…

Åsa Björklund Swedish born and educated, Åsa has roamed the globe working as a waitress, a factory employee, and a dozen other odd jobs “that made life more interesting.” As a human rights lawyer, she worked with development aid in Central America, reporting on sensitive issues of the region. When Åsa could escape the office, she explored remote areas of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras in a Land Rover. With a desire to write fulltime, she switched careers to journalism. Her work includes articles for a variety of Swedish and English language magazines and websites, covering topics such as overland traveling, wildlife, current affairs and social issues. Åsa has a passion for animals and has a particularly soft spot for horses. Whenever she can, she hikes the backcountry in her…

The simple things are often the most rewarding—The key is taking time to be absorbed by them . . . I received a package in the mail recently, one of those soft-pack types from an international carrier sporting numerous barcodes and customs stamps. Upon opening it, I removed several layers of additional padding, carefully positioned to protect a small cardboard-wrapped bundle. Peering in, there was a small Ziploc bag containing a plastic box of processed film. Yes, film—good old hold-in-your-hand color transparencies fitted on old-style paper mounts. The edges were yellowing and worn, and handwritten notes graced each one, noting locations such as Yugoslavia, Ukraine, and USSR. I dusted off my loupe and began a journey back in time—to the days of the Cold War, before the fall of the Berlin…

Last month I spent a few days with a group of overland travelers and dual-sport riders. They were an enthusiastic lot, and experience levels varied from newbie to world nomad. The conversation morphed from añejo tequila and Baja beaches, to which company makes the best dual-sport tire, headlamp or roof top tent—the former is not my area of expertise, I know a bit about the latter. The subject transitioned to traveling in Africa, Australia and the Americas—and then naturally to vehicle choice. One of the tequila connoisseurs in the group interjected, “Chris, in your opinion, what is the best vehicle for overlanding?” The side-discussions ceased, and I became the focus of all eyes and ears. The question, “the ‘best’ vehicle for overlanding?” was fair and relevant. But for some reason, quite…

Noren Films WABDR Video and Butler Map $15 - 25 Grab a cup-o-Joe, pop the new WABDR video in, and kick back for a mini vacation on the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route. Then grab Butler Maps’ tear-resistant plastic WABDR map, and head for Washington. Working with Touratech USA, Noren Films has created a fun and informative adventure video. While the film is directed toward dual-sport riders, the WABDR is suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles as well. Both products are well-produced and the Butler map contains embedded Scanfile barcodes which can be scanned with an iPhone to access online video, photos and useful links. (CC) butlermaps.com, 877-379-6053; touratech-usa.com, 800-491-2926 ARB Dual-motor Compressor $545 - 875 Australian-based manufacturer ARB has released the revolutionary CKMTA12 dual-motor unit air compressor. The new offering, which virtually mates two…

Seventy Years of the Seven Slot Grille In 1903, while working for the Standard Wheel Company, Claud Cox founded a small ‘horseless carriage’ company called Overland Automobile. It was the beginning of an overlanding adventure, which to date spans seven decades and has inspired millions. John North Willys purchased the company in 1908, renamed it Willys-Overland, and led the company to become the second largest American auto manufacturer in America. With America’s inevitable entry into WWII, the U.S. Government was in need of a light reconnaissance vehicle to replace the military’s ill-equipped fleet of modified Ford Model-Ts. Their specifications defined a vehicle platform that defied anything in production—and they needed it in short order. American Bantam and Willys-Overland were the two companies that answered the call, followed shortly by Ford. The race…