Overland Journal Spring 2007

68° 18’N, 133 29’W is a fitting place to write this column, the land of the midnight sun, which at this time of year sees more darkness than light. Dressed as I am, in the comfort of a cabin 120 miles north of the Arctic Circle, I would last but moments in the -22°F that is just beyond the window pane and my view of cloudless skyline. I arrived at this place after driving 4,000 miles in a specially prepared Toyota Tacoma, overland through the length of two of the world’s largest countries. It is our passion for exploration, the desire to discover the world beyond our own zip code, that drives us to load a 4WD or dual-sport motorcycle with gear and venture off to distant places. This same passion…

A Journey Begins . . . ONE MORNING A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO my wife and I were chatting over coffee when I said, “How would you like to go out with me for drinks and dinner with a guy I met recently?” She said, “Uh, sure, why not? How did you meet him?” “Um . . . well, on the web, actually. He has a wonderful site devoted to vehicle-dependent exploration.” A pause, then, “You met him on the internet.” “Right.” Another pause. “Great. We go out for drinks with someone you met on the internet, and the next thing you know we wake up in a motel bathtub full of ice and our kidneys are gone!” Fortunately, we still have our kidneys. The guy we met was Scott Brady, along with his…

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU DRIVE—if someone asks you to name the all-time classic expedition vehicle, odds are high you’ll mention the Series Land Rover. And with good reason. Throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the Land Rover defined the expedition vehicle in every corner of the globe. A few preceded it, and some very fine pretenders have come along since, indisputably improving the breed (and spurring development of the Defender), but nothing will ever replace the 88 and 109 as the paradigm of vehicle-dependent adventure travel. The Land Rover certainly has my vote, despite my flawless 25-year relationship with an FJ40 Land Cruiser. The African books I read as a kid, the movies, the National Geographicmagazines and films, all included at some point a battered Land Rover, the back piled with…

Dr. Ed Beggy Dr. Ed Beggy is a family physician from Tucson, Arizona. In 1995, Ed was able to realize a childhood dream by traveling to East Africa as a missionary doctor, treating people in the sprawling slums in and around Nairobi, Kenya. On his return, he was instrumental in the founding and development of a nonprofit humanitarian aid organization, Shoulder to Shoulder International. He subsequently organized and led seven mission teams to the rural areas of western Kenya to treat children, and develop orphanages for AIDS orphans. Ed enjoys exploring the back roads of the Southwest in his expedition-prepared 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 and Adventure Trailer. Roseann Hanson For more than two decades, Roseann Hanson has worked throughout the American West, northern Mexico, and East Africa as a naturalist guide, journalist,…

[PAHA QUE SUV TENT] A new, heavy-duty SUV tent has been designed by Paha Que to provide the overland camper with covered attachment to the rear of the vehicle and a 100–square-foot floor area. With a minimum interior height of 72” (93” at peak), this roomy tent provides comfortable accommodations for a family, and easy access to the contents of the vehicle. The tent integrates to a wagon, or a truck with a camper, using an adapter sleeve designed to accommodate nearly any size vehicle. High quality zippers and large diameter aluminum poles ensure years of service.www.pahaque.com 888-700-TENT [ADVENTURE TRAVEL] Adventure Travel, AT® works with quality companies across the globe who share Adventure Trailers’ enthusiasm and are professionals in the field of vehicle dependent adventure travel. For group or custom safaris in southern…

DIESEL TOYZ Want a 3.0L common rail diesel engine in your FJCruiser? Todd Herman started Diesel Toyz several years ago because of his interest in bio-diesel technology and high-efficiency expedition solutions. Todd has solved the integration issues with US-specification gas platforms, and can offer turnkey diesel conversions with Toyota computer-controlled motors from overseas markets. Conversions are available for Toyota trucks, Tacomas, 4Runners, FJCruisers, and all Land Cruisers (with particular emphasis on the 80 series). Diesel Toyz LLC. 9206 Converse Business Lane, Converse, TX 78109 Tel: 210-683-9663, www.dieseltoyz.com JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE COMMON RAIL DIESEL The availability of the 3.0L common rail diesel in the Jeep Grand Cherokee is exciting news for expedition travelers. A towing capacity of 7,500 lbs. and mid 20 mpg fuel economy is perfect for an overland platform. The common rail…