Overland Journal Spring 2008

Medical Kit Critique After reading Overland Journal for the past year, I believe it to be one of the finest publications available on the subject of vehicle-borne travel. Your publication, with its balanced blend of overland journeys and equipment testing and reviews fills a niche that no other publication can match. For example, Tom Sheppard’s article on desert driving (Overland Journal, Fall 2007) was simply superb in its surface terrain analysis. With that said, I was very anxious to read Andrew Moore’s overland medical kit review article. My motivation was based on the essential question all vehicle-borne overlanders face when preparing for a journey: “What type of illnesses and injuries should I expect?” The answer to that question drives what type(s) of medical kits an overlander should obtain commercially or build from…

One promise we’ll always keep: If you see us promoting a product, it’s because we have used it and found it up to the standards we demand, not just because we got it free or scored an ad. No one knows when in the mists of prehistory the first commercial announcement ushered Homo sapiens into the world of free enterprise. We can safely infer that early advertisements were merely spoken pitches for whatever product or service the person wanted to trade for another product or service. (Random thought: Did spammers of the day simply yell at everyone they saw?) With the advent of affordable paper came handbills that were mostly illustrated (since few could read). The first newspaper was printed in England in 1620, and the very first ad in it was…

The first thing you have to understand is that England lost World War II. Okay: That’s obviously an outrageous, patently false statement—at least on the surface. England, with tardy but massive assistance from the United States and other allies, was victorious against Germany, as all . . . well, some. . . schoolchildren know. Under the leadership of Winston Churchill, the British people staunchly withstood the most protracted siege in modern military history, from the opening waves of Heinkels and Messerschmitts to the last sporadic salvos of V2 rockets raining down on London. But that victory cost England more than we can imagine. Isolated as well as protected by water on all sides, Great Britain depended on imports brought by sea for many of its most basic needs. Before the war, she…

Adam C. Jeske Adam Jeske is a genuine farm boy from Wisconsin. He grew up on an XR80, then a KZ750, and a CB360 that never ran, since it was older than he. Freshly married, he and Chrissy moved to a remote mountaintop in Nicaragua for a year. Then he commuted in the U.S. on a Kawasaki Concours, in temperatures often below freezing. After two years in China, he volunteered for a few years with a non-profit in South Africa. With Phoebe (4) and Zeke (2) on the scene, he’s thinking about getting a sidecar rig as the family car. He rides, thinks, writes, does good, and tries to have amazing days. His words and images have appeared in Farmer’s Weekly, The Gardener, Relevant, and a slug of bike rags. See…

Super diesels This year’s Le Mans circuit is once again being dominated by super-clean supercars. The Peugeot 908Hdi has been giving the Audi R10 a run for its money, and the close competition between the two has been making headlines and raising awareness of diesel engine potential. Audi even debuted an R8 concept car in Detroit this January, equipped with an engine based on the 600-horsepower V12 from the R10. The R8 got pretty good mileage at 24 mpg and was even able to pass California emissions. The supercar that got super mileage generated super press, but Audi has since stated that they have no intention of putting the concept into production. Can diesel and electric get along? Jeep thinks so, and their conservation-minded, outdoor-oriented flagship for the Detroit auto show was a concept…

XPCamper Overland Journal had the good fortune to receive the earliest specifications and drawings of a revolutionary overland camper. The XP-Camper employs lightweight composite construction, a modular design, and a pop-top that uses solid side panels to achieve full standing headroom with maximum security and weather protection. The list of support systems is also impressive, and includes over 300 watts of solar power, integrated HID lighting, a Fiamma awning, diesel appliances, and a full bathroom with shower. Look for a complete feature on this new expedition camper and company in a future issue of Overland Journal. xpcamper.com AutoHome’s new Overzone roof tent Autohome, the Italian manufacturer of high-quality roof tents, has introduced the Over-zone, which incorporates a roof extension to provide completely sheltered access to the door. The extension allows free-flow ventilation through…