Overland Journal Fall 2016

Skip the Paperwork Great write-up on El Camino del Diablo [OV Routes, Fall 2015]. The only thing I can add based on my one trip there is that you can get a fair amount of the bureaucratic paperwork done in advance by calling ahead and scanning and sending your forms back. This would be a great tandem trip with the region of El Pinacate just south of the border (crossing at Lukeville and going west on Mexican Hwy 2, with the right documents and insurance, etcetera). On our trip we did not see any illegals, but did run into the border patrol a few times and they were super friendly. They know where you are, believe me, but they are cool about it. One of a kind vibe in that area—feels…

JOHNO ELLISON Raised in Yorkshire, England, Johno Ellison left home at age 18 to join the Royal Air Force, where he trained as a helicopter pilot. The pursuit of higher education led him to Aston University where he studied sustainable product design. Johno’s longing for adventure has taken him through more than 80 countries and his escapades include driving a $300 car to Kazakhstan, hitchhiking through the Balkans, and backpacking around South America. At the start of 2011, Johno and his “It’s on the Meter” team departed on a 15-month expedition to travel around the world in a 1992 London black cab. In August 2011 they set a new world record for the longest taxi journey. JASON SPAFFORD Born and bred in Great Britain, Jason has sunk into various continents over the last…

In November of 2001 my wife, Suzanne, and I pulled into a movie theater parking lot for our first date. Although I had always considered the “movie date” quite mundane, there we were, staring at a gazillion matinee goers with visions of greasy popcorn and Baby Ruth bars swirling around their gray matter. I cringed and asked if she really wanted to press through the crowd. The answer was no. “How about going to Tahoe for lunch?” I queried. Tahoe was on the tail end of an early winter storm and I mentioned that her sandals might not be appropriate. She said this was not a problem, as her hiking boots and jacket were in the trunk of her car. A girl who carried boots and a parka in her…

The two-burner stove has been a common fixture of camp life since the 1950s, and in that time it has gone largely unchanged. As they are prone to do, the forward thinkers at Jetboil seized an opportunity and reinvented the double burner, recently unveiled as the Genesis Base Camp System. Unlike the conventional camp stove packaged within a bulky metal case, the clamshell arrangement of the Genesis is designed to stow within Jetboil’s proprietary cook set. The result is a powerful culinary solution that packs into a 9- by 11-inch bundle that weighs just 10.4 pounds. Each burner produces 10,000 BTUs and is ignited by piezoelectric lighter. The massive 5-liter pot has a heat exchanger built into its base for optimal thermal transfer, and the 10-inch fry pan is coated with…

Over the last several years the Overland Journal team has used Schuberth products on countless treks across multiple countries. As one of the oldest helmet makers in the world, the company’s C3 and C3 Pro models have long been favored by motorcycle enthusiasts for their convenient modular design, superb fit, integrated wireless communications system, drop-down sun shield, and quiet aerodynamics. With the release of the highly anticipated E1 model, they have added even more features to best suit the needs of the adventure rider. Building on their successful C3 Pro, Schuberth designers added the one element that many had been asking for—a peak visor. Carefully shaped so as to not disrupt the stable aerodynamics of the C3 Pro shell, the E1’s visor was tested extensively at the company’s in-house wind tunnel.…

Keeping our equipment clean and dry in the field is an ongoing battle. If you store gear on a roof or rear rack, this issue moves front and center. I picked up an ARB Storm bag a few years ago and have lugged it to Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America. It is constructed of a PU Oxford weave with a PVC inner layer, seams are heat-sealed and taped, and rubberized panels cap each end. There are two zippered mesh pockets inside and a Velcro-secured pocket on the exterior. A semi-rigid plastic panel offers a stable platform for contents, and thick webbing around the closure is easy to grip when rolling it down. Four quick-release buckles, one on each end and two across the midsection, allow you to efficiently cinch the…