Innehållsförteckning för Spring 2013 från Overland Journal

Overland Journal’s 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…

Most people define a traveler as somebody who sees the world and eventually returns home. But what if the world became your home? Pablo Rey, of Argentina, and Anna Callau, of Spain, have been on the road for 13 years, and their “home” is a Mitsubishi Delica/L300 4WD van, affectionately named The Cockroach. Pablo defines his previous existence as “a workaholic advertising writer.” “Then, my brain made CRUNCHHH, between other weird noises, and we decided to leave.” Departing their base in Spain, they turned south, through the Middle East, and to the southern tip of Africa. The Cockroach hitched a ride to Argentina atop a fishing vessel, where they spent the past seven years en route to Alaska. During that time Pablo had an epiphany: People in the West care…

If riding the Australian Outback, which spans almost 3,000 miles from the South Pacific to the Indian Ocean, has been on your bucket list, an E ticket ride with the Australasian Safari Adventure Tour might be in order. The Australasian Safari, referred to as the “Dakar Down Under” due to its duration, distances covered, and grueling pace, is an eight-day endurance race through the Western Australian Outback. As an Adventure Tour participant, you don’t get a time card, but you will be dodging “skip-pies” (kangaroos) on many of the special stages. This is not your average laid-back tag-along tour, coasting from one coffee house to the next. If it rains, you will be muddy. If it doesn’t, you’ll enjoy copious amounts of Australia’s famous bull dust. In coastal sand dunes,…

A chilled, moist air circled about my face, the only part exposed from within the Gore-Tex outer bag of my three-part military sleep system. The moonless sky displayed vast constellations that I was regretfully ill equipped to identify without the aid of an iPad app. To the west were the distant snowy peaks of the Andorran Pyrenees, now barely visible in this unpolluted sky. To the south, a faint hint of light rose from a cluster of dwellings a mile down the valley that separated our camp from the only civilization we had seen all day. From inside the tipi, the murmur of my comrades had long subsided and I felt privileged to be witnessing the brittle silence of a crisp, spring night, broken only occasionally by the gentle rustle…

Pros: • Very versatile• Built-in foot pump• Great in warm or cold climates• Small packed size Cons: • Cost (with Pillow Top) The other modular system in this review, the Cosmo Insulated pad with optional Pillow Top, has long been a favorite of the Overland Journal team. From Baja to Siberia, Cosmo pads have proven reliable and comfortable in the most extreme conditions. The Cosmo Insulated pad is a perfect cold weather pad, as it features a thin layer of synthetic insulation designed to protect the sleeper from convective cold air within the pad. Frozen ground or snow is no problem for the Cosmo. The optional Pillow Top takes an already sublime sleeping experience and makes it even better. The 1-inch layer of perforated open-cell foam beneath a microsuede cover creates a breathable and…

Pros: • Compact size• Super lightweight• Impressive comfort for its size• Cost Cons: • Reduced insulation value• Might be too thin for some sleepers One look at the Inertia XL is all it takes to know that Klymit is working within a different set of design criteria: It’s not immediately obvious that this is even a sleeping pad. Central to the design of the Inertia XL is the idea to take any excess pad material and literally cut it out. If it looks unrecognizable as a sleeping pad when inflated, you have to see it packed away in its stuff sack. A shade over 1 pound in total weight, the packed size of the Inertia XL is just about the size of your favorite bottle of beer. It’s astoundingly small…pocket sized. For a bicycle or…

“I prefer the saddle to the streetcar and star-sprinkled sky to a roof, the obscure and difficult trail, leading into the unknown, to any paved highway, and the deep peace of the wild to the discontent bred by cities. . . it is enough that I am surrounded by beauty.” – Everett Ruess “There is a splendid freedom in solitude, and after all, it is for solitude that I go to the mountains and deserts, not for companionship. In solitude I can bare my soul to the mountains unabashed. I can work or think, act or recline at my whim, and nothing stands between me and the wild.” – Everett Ruess Of all the places I have traveled on this planet, Southern Utah holds the greatest personal connection. Any appeal…

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.…

Around the world in 80 days? Nah, that sounded too rushed for Dutch couple Anouk Zwinkels and Bram van Hoek—687 days seemed a better time frame. Friends and family members admired their courage to venture out into the world of overland travel, but not everyone supported their plan. When Bram resigned from his job, his boss told him he was committing career suicide, and everyone considered them crazy to include Iran in the itinerary. In spite of what people said, Anouk and Bram set off. “We chose overlanding since it gave us the opportunity to go places no tourist buses ever stop,” Anouk says. Departing Europe, they steered their Land Rover Defender southeast to Turkey, then through Iran and the Stans before venturing into Russia and Mongolia. From South Korea…

Imagine leaving the Andean 16th-century UNESCO World Heritage city of Quito on a fully equipped dual-sport motorcycle and riding down the western slopes of the Andes, crossing through the rainforest and arriving at the Pacific Ocean for a day of surfing. It´s a three-day getaway hard to top, and you don’t have to ride 8,000 miles down the Pan-American to do it. This self-guided motorcycling and surfing adventure is the latest addition to the buffet of bike tours offered by Quito-based Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental. Riders cross the equator and weave down through cloud forests on roads filled with hair-raising curves and splendid vistas. The destination is the small coastal town of Canoa; a top surfing spot with no rocks, no riptides, and an abandoned, uncrowded beach break. At Betty…

And now I lay me down to sleep…or possibly to toss, turn, grumble, and groan, hoping that fatigue will eventually win out over discomfort and deliver me to the dreamy reprieve of REM sleep. If you travel long enough, or even just once, a restless night’s sleep will eventually find you. With long days on the trail, travelers become weary and the only remedy is a proper rest. Should lumpy or frozen ground conspire to keep you counting sheep all night, chances are that as morning arrives it will take far more than strong coffee to get you going. Central to a good sleep are basic comforts: shelter to keep you dry, insulation to keep you warm, and unless you have something in common with the Bed of Nails performer…

Pros: • Excellent option for warm climates• Small packed size• Excellent warranty• Quick to inflate and deflate Cons: • Slightly noisy when shifting around• Clumsy pump sack• Cost (with Mini-pump) We have featured NeoAir pads in previous issues of Overland Journal and have always been impressed with how such a small package can produce a comfortable night’s sleep. The Dream goes one step further, wrapping the already-comfortable NeoAir pad in a luxurious microfleece pillow-top cover and an additional inch of open-cell foam. The end result is a 4-inch modular pad system that not only packs small, but can be deconstructed to meet changing needs. If you’re headed off on a motorcycle or bicycle trip where space is a premium, simply slide the inner NeoAir pad out from the pillow top. The result is a tiny yet…

Preparing for an emergency is probably the most popular oxymoron term in use today. How do you prepare for a sudden, unexpected occurrence requiring immediate attention or action? Preparation can build confidence, or make you realize you’re just not ready to set out into the unknown; the unacceptable alternative is clinging to the safety and comfort of your recliner and remote control. Once food, water, and shelter are addressed, a reliable light source and communications system can make survival almost pleasant. After all, how are you going to read that survival manual in the dark? While the SCR-578 Gibson Girl (Classic Kit, 2013 Gear issue)—the shapely and beloved emergency transmitter of WWII flyboys—was designed with catastrophe in mind, today’s technology allows emergency equipment to be used daily, rising to the…

The first time I made bread over the campfire I felt like I was reliving an episode of Little House on the Prairie: men in suspenders, women in frilled aprons, all gathering around the fire for a hearty meal and the latest pioneer gossip. Admittedly, my sarong couldn’t pose as an apron and my friends lacked suspenders, but we did have a delicious meal and some gossip after a day on the San Juan River, Utah. Stale bread is a real downer; even the most preservative-packed loaf will taste like sand after just a few days in the backcountry. Fresh bread can lift an entire meal or quiet that craving for an after-supper sweet. The idea of preparing your own can ring bells of your grandmother hovering around the stove…

It is a place where personal decisions dictate your freedom to roam, where your actions can reap great rewards…or cost you your life. Few travelers know of Mana Pools, one of the most spectacular national parks in all of Africa. At first glance, it appears to be just another patch of protected bush land, scarred by seasonal flooding, then sprinkled with every species of wildlife. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, but boasts no outstanding geological features. It’s not located inside a silent volcano like Ngorongoro; it doesn’t have facilities for wildlife observation found in Etosha; nor the endlessly sweeping plains of Masai Mara or the Serengeti, where the epic migration draws tens of thousands of visitors each year. Nope: Mana Pools National Park, lying south of the…

Success does not always come easy. The more daunting the task and the greater the challenge, the sweeter the victory. It was not until the fourth attempt (1985-1987), one that is recorded in the 1992 Guinness Book of Records, that 76-year-old Idaho resident Loren Lee Upton, along with his wife Patricia, succeeded in making an all-land crossing of the Darien Gap by vehicle. It took them 714 days to cover the swampy, 125-mile jungle between Panama and Colombia. Patricia, who joined Loren´s expedition in Panama, said, “There have been several vehicle expeditions through the Gap. However, all have traveled anywhere from 20 to 200 plus miles via the river systems. We crossed a river, but never traveled up or down a river in order to avoid a difficult area.” From…

Rallye Aídes des Gazelles, an all-female endurance rally created by Dominique Serra in 1990 as a response to the male-dominated world of motorsports, will be launching its 23rd rally in March as this issue goes to print. While Overland Journal does not usually feature 4WD events, the Gazelles Rallye is an exception. Why? Heart of Gazelles, the partnering non-profit organization, as well as participating teams from around the world, extend their resources to female-based aid projects throughout Morocco. In the past decade, efforts have included medical aid, support to schools and orphanages, and sustainability guidance for local villages. American desert racer Emily Miller and extreme skiing champion Wendy Fisher spearheaded U.S. efforts in 2009. With five all-female teams competing in 2013, it marks the largest U.S. representation to date. Canada…

For folks interested in anything and everything having to do with motorcycles, the Progressive International Motorcycle Show is the place to be. It shouldn’t be difficult to fit it into your agenda, as over a dozen are held across North America annually. Open to the public, they are a superb place to ogle the latest two- and three-wheeled forms of transportation. From sport bikes to dirt bikes, everything is displayed in an intimate and walkable setting. Of course, our focus was on dual-sport adventure bikes, and there were many fine examples. Big news for adventure riders was BMW’s display of the partially water-cooled R1200GS. With the Paralever swingarm now on the left, the exhaust on the right, a more durable wet-clutch, and water-cooling, the new R1200GS has received the most…

Pros: • Well insulated• Excellent warranty• Extremely comfortable Cons: • Slow and laborious to deflate• Large packed size For the past 35 years, Therm-a-Rest branded pads have been a staple of the backcountry. For 2013, the MondoKing XXL pushes their legacy ever forward and raises the bar ever higher. Boasting a plump 4 inches of thickness, it is remarkably comfortable. At 80 inches long and 31 inches wide, it’s half the width of a queen-sized bed. As the name would imply, this pad is indeed mondo. Because the MondoKing XXL is foam-filled, it qualifies as a self-inflating pad. Simply roll out the pad and open the two threaded valves. As the foam expands, it draws air in. Like all self-inflating pads it will need to be topped off with a few breaths to…

Pros: • Unparalleled durability• Easy inflation• Excellent warranty Cons: • Slightly stiff sleeping surface• A little crinkly sounding• Cost River rafters and overlanders have much in common. Among those things are an appreciation for camp comfort and a desire for durable, if not bomb-proof equipment. With that, we present to you a favorite of the rafting world and the brick house of sleeping pads, the Paco Grande. To say a Paco pad is heavy duty is a gross understatement. These pads double as rafts, sleds, and often get beaten and bounced around the confines of a white water raft for years on end. Overlanders are beginning to see the allure of the Paco Grande as a dependable solution for extended adventures to far off destinations where equipment failures are best minimized. Made in Aztec, New…

Pros: • Two-chamber system• Very well insulated• Excellent value• Cost Cons: • Smaller sleeping area• Thinner than other pads in the test What’s better than one foam-filled pad? Tuo foam-filled pads stuck together. As we have come to expect from NEMO Equipment, the Tuo Standard is another solution from outside the box. It’s literally a pair of pads bonded one on top of the other, each section with its own valve. This provides a couple of unique advantages. Most obviously, it creates a backup in the event of a mid-sleep puncture. It also allows the lower section to be highly inflated to reduce the protrusion of lumps, rocks, roots, and other surface irregularities. The upper section can then be lightly inflated to create a softer primary surface. Lastly, because the Tuo Standard has a divided…

Poison arrows, shrunken heads, brothels, and 20,000 miles on a BMW R60. Danny Liska was the everyman’s motorcycle adventurer: a man from humble beginnings, driven by a thirst for the unknown and the exotic. He is an inspiration for every small-town boy who has ever watched a motorcycle roar past his bedroom window and longed to take off for faraway lands. In 1959, at age 30, Danny Liska left his hometown in Nebraska on a BMW R60, becoming the first person to ride a motorcycle the length of the Americas. In the style of a true purist, he went first to Arctic Circle City (then the most northerly road-accessible town in Alaska) to begin his epic journey. Two years and 65,000 miles later he arrived in Ushuaia, at…

The reality that we can now buy a full-size SUV that gets 28 mpg, has a 7,400-pound towing capacity, low range, variable-height air suspension, locking differentials, and 11.3-inches of ground clearance really gets the heart racing. For vehicle-based exploration, a small-displacement turbo-diesel is the powertrain of choice. While the rumble of a high-horsepower gasoline V8 can be intoxicating, the diesel rules the roost. The question is why? Spending less money on fuel is the first thing that comes to mind. In reality, particularly when loaded down and lumbering along on a remote backcountry byway, this is one of the least important attributes. Range, the ability to traverse greater distances without burdening your vehicle with the weight of a dozen extra jerry cans, is the primary benefit. We also benefit from…

It was a warm June afternoon, 1993. A few friends and I were en route to the 1860’s Gold Rush ruins of Summit City along the shores of Meadow Lake, California. Rather than taking the graded dirt road, we’d opted to traverse the Fordyce Creek Trail, one that rivals the celebrated Rubicon in technical nature. It was early in the season and we’d had to cut and winch a number of downed trees from the route. I’d just respooled my winch cable, loaded my gear, and turned the key. As I pulled back onto the trail, I heard a faint tink from the front end. My first thought was, “Hmmm, that was odd.” At the same moment my steering went limp, freely spinning from full-lock to lock. A quick inspection…