Overland Journal Spring 2024

ORDER UP I received my first copy of Overland Journal today. Just scanned through it and wanted to say amazing content and photography—[it] makes me want to travel more. Galen Truan CONNECTION I want to compliment Marianne Todd’s story on Colorado’s San Juans. Those roads were our stomping grounds when my three sons were growing up. They literally learned to drive on parts of Black Bear Pass and other roads in the area. They even bounced around in their mother’s womb there before birth. We have many fond memories, and Marianne did a great job of bringing them to light again. Her imagery also captured the feel of the place. The polish was the layout and the fact it was published in Overland Journal. Seen through this lens, it reminds…

AKELA WORLD For the past six years, Leander, Maria, and their 12-year-old son, Lennox, have been circumnavigating the globe in their beloved old Mercedes truck named Akela. The journey has taken them from their home in Austria through Europe and Central Asia to Borneo and Indonesia, where they have immersed themselves in diverse cultures and stunning landscapes. After spending over a year exploring Australia and the United States, the pandemic interrupted their journey and forced them to halt for a year. Now, fueled by their indomitable spirit, they are back on the road, heading toward Central America. They are an adventurous family, continuously chasing the horizon, seeking new experiences, and embracing the wonders that await them on their global expedition. @akela.world PAUL J. DRISCOLL Born and raised in southwest Montana,…

With the tailgate of the 2018 Ford F-150 Raptor demo vehicle popped open, only three factory-installed options appeared to greet me in the austere M1: a mattress, a Yeti 1500 power station, and the portable battery’s mounting bracket. Other than that, the camper was bare—no slide-out kitchen or expansive set of drawers, no complicated power management system, not even a roof vent. I was met with cold metal and glass and not much else. My first thought was, “I’m going to need to pack way more stuff if I’m supposed to live out of this thing for three weeks.” After I spent an hour examining the M1’s structure and construction, I decided that this was the perfect way to evaluate a mobile shelter, as any strengths and weaknesses of the…

PORTABLE CAMPING SINK | $259 Established in Germany, Boxio manufactures stackable toilets and sinks made from recycled plastics. Inspiration struck while founder Arvid was building a tiny house for his family. Composting toilets in Europe were expensive and complicated, so with the help of his co-founders and a couple of engineers, a prototype wasbuilt. By 2022, Boxio became a full-fledged company, shipping units to customers worldwide. The 8.37-pound Boxio portable sink measures 11.81 x 14.75 x 11 inches and houses a 1.3-gallon water tank with an identically sized greywater jug. Those requiring more freshwater will need to carry a dedicated jug or jerry. A hinged washbasin insert with a stopper and strainer fits on top. Water runs through the faucet thanks to a hand pump, which worked flawlessly during testing.…

Last winter, my hometown in North Dakota was bogged down with “the blizzard of the century.” In the hospital where I work as an emergency physician, staff were getting rides to and from work by volunteers on snowmobiles, and many slept at the hospital for the entire week because travel was so difficult. Yet our ambulance service still functioned, and when I inquired, a crew member walked me to the ambulance bay and sold me on TruckClaws. TruckClaws are ingenious traction aids and can be attached to the tire of any vehicle with adequate clearance between the fender and tire and inside the wheel and brake assembly. The traction plate is strapped by setting it on top of the tire, feeding the attachment strap behind the tire and wheel assembly…

There’s a lot to be said about a little tank bag. I’ve been just as guilty as the next ADV rider, packing out a full-size tank bag with all the things I think I need, only to not use half of it. Worse even is a restriction of movement—or worse still—restriction of the handlebars while turning sharp corners (which has happened). Enter Mosko Moto’s Gnome, the 5-liter bag big enough to accommodate a 1.5-liter water reservoir, your wallet, a phone, a few tools, sunglasses, a snack or two, and maybe even some gas additive. Mosko designed the bag with a landscape mount position, putting it high onto the tank, which frees up space for the rocky roads where you really want to stand to maneuver your bike. Suffice it to…