Overland Journal Spring 2013

Worth Having Mr. Langan, I wanted to congratulate you on the well-done article in the Overland Journal issue that came yesterday [Gear issue]. It was the type of article [ground tents] that makes the Journal worth having, and I’m proud to know the author. I hope they give you the opportunity to do more like it. Mike Hiscox 2007 Jeep Wrangler, Rubicon-based expedition motorhome Borderline Pathetic I’m sorry to say that I will not be renewing my subscription. Your magazine has gone from possibly the best publication in the world to just another overpriced magazine with a bunch of filler wrapped around one or two good articles. The last five issues have been borderline pathetic. Every person I know reads your magazine and every single one of them agrees it’s going downhill fast (started right around…

Pablo Rey Pablo was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He moved to Spain in 1992, where he enjoyed an extraordinary life…but just on weekends. In 1999, during a trip thru Africa, he committed never to buy a return ticket again. Shortly after, he moved into a 1991 Mitsubishi L300 4WD with Anna Callau, his adventure partner. The goal: overland during four years thru Africa, America and Asia while making as many turns as possible. After 50 countries and 11 years, they’re still on the road—it seems they have succeeded. Pablo is an “ex” creative ad writer, “ex” illegal immigrant, and a master of getting into trouble in faraway places. His web page, www.viajeros4x4x4.com has become a source for Hispanic travelers and overlanders. His latest book, Around the World in 10 Years:…

If not for all of you, only the Wall Street mega corporations could afford to start new magazines. This Spring issue marks my two-year anniversary as Editor-in-Chief. In my opinion, founding editor Jonathan Hanson did an outstanding job in developing the voice of the magazine and guiding it towards what it is today. His were tough boots to fill, and I had my reservations on whether you, our subscribers, would accept the new guy. Since that time we’ve added new sections like Living Legends, Adventure Reads, and Inspiration, and started bringing you select new-vehicle offerings. As I write this, Publisher Scott Brady is in Texas driving the 2014 diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee. This year we’ll be adding another new section, a subscriber-generated resource guide on North American overland treks you can…

Overland Journal’ first project vehicle was a 1995 Land Rover Discovery I, a vehicle that has been well used and loved since this publication’s inception. Like many Land Rover owners, I believed the Golden Age of the brand ended when the last 2004 Discovery II was sold in North America. The newer models had independent front and rear suspensions and an even greater dependence on computer-controlled systems—electronics were never one of Land Rover’s strengths. I had resolved to keep my Discovery I functioning as long as possible, at least until the ROW Defenders could be imported under the 25-year rule. I was resigned that the legacy of Land Rover was all that remained. As time passed, even the most ardent of Land Rover purists began to see the performance and reliability…

GrangerFX Scenic Western USA Map $10 Unless I count my two recent iPhones, I’ve owned exactly one GPS; an archaic, battery-eating Garmin 12. However, while doing the Avon tire review for this issue, where I covered a number of off-pavement tracks through the Sierra Nevada, I let my Scenic Map Western USA (an iPhone app) be my sole guide. It offers self-contained vector data (no need for connectivity), can be viewed 3D or 2D, and combines elements from the USGS, U.S. Census Bureau, and Open Street Map. It can also record and play back GPX tracks, and zoom in for the smallest details. GrangerFX also offers Scenic Map for the Central and Eastern U.S., Alaska, and the Grand Canyon. Scenic Map is versatile, works as advertised, and I’m a fan. (JL)…

The rounded-profile Avons allowed the rider to dive into turns with a smooth, seamless transition from the center to the outer edges. Avon’s answer to the question “What tire should I put on my big adventure bike?” is the Distanzia. Tires for quarter-ton motos have a tough job: they must provide excellent grip and good wear on pavement, while offering decent traction on virtually every other surface. This class of tire is typically called an 80/20 or 90/10 tire, describing the amount of on-and off-pavement travel for which they’re designed. My test route included lots of familiar, fast, twisty back roads in the Sierra Nevada, California, as well as several miles of dirt roads on which I’d never traveled. My baseline psi, on my old GS, was BMW’s light-load recommendation: 32 psi…