Overland Journal 2008 Summer

Summer 2008 $10
James Bay, Canada Lightweight Tent Test Trailer Comparison Jaguar Trail
Overland Journal Summer 2008

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Contents Summer 2008
Feature
s
26 James Bay, Canada, Jim Young
38 Trailer Comparison, Chris Marzonie
61 Lightweight Tent Test, Jonathan Hanson

72 National Luna Fridge, Long Term Test, Scott Brady
73 75-series Land Cruiser, Chris Marzonie
78 A Desert Journey with Jack Dykinga, Jeff Scott
85 On the Jaguar Trail, Roseann Hanson
104 IGT BBQ, Scott Brady
Dep
artments
6 Overland Post
10 Editor’s Column
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12 Editor’s Project
16 News from the Trade
25 Overland News
55 Latitude
96 Discoveries: Nipton, CA, Roseann Hanson
99 Conservation, Roseann Hanson
100 Overland Medicine: Cuts and Scrapes, Dr. Edward Beggy
106 Classic Kit: The Naturalist's Gun, Steve Bodio
112 Tail Lamp: Falling in Love with a Motorcycle, Christine Jeske
On the cover: James Bay, Canada. Photo by Jim Young.

This photo: Brantley Gutierrez in the Buttermilks, California.
Photo by Sinuhe Xavier.
Back cover: An ominous warning at the head of the Mormon
emigrant trail, Utah. Photo by Sinuhe Xavier.
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5

OverlandPost
Overland Journal
and the Law
I was home with my Sportsmobile parked in the
driveway, when a police officer pulled his squad car
to a stop in the middle of the street, turned on his
roof flashers, and got out. I was thinking, What did
my son do now, when he said, “Do you read Overland
Journal?” I said yes, and he said, “Is this one of those
vans in the magazine?” Jim Jackson, President of ARB USA, his wife,
Fiona, and son, Ian, on adventure in Bali.
So I gave him a tour.
Charlie Sikes
Sportsmobile
Mesmerized
Being a long time reader of magazines dealing with
many outdoors and 4WD vehicle pursuits, I was
literally mesmerized by my first issues of your out-
Irascible and standing publication. It made all the others feel like
comic books! I felt like a kid again, visiting relatives
opinionated and sneaking off to read my uncle’s National Geo-
graphic magazines.
Dear Mr. Hanson,
I hope you accept post from irascible, opinionat- The photography and level of expertise captured
ed old men who have owned an eclectic array of within the articles is astounding. Even the level of
“overland” outfits. Starters would be a real Land advertising is held to an appropriate high standard.
Rover with manual transmission (and Fairey over- It has already been reserved a prominent location on
drive), full-floating axles (locking hubs on both ax- my coffee table, moving the “comic book” brethren
6 les), factory diesel engine. A 1965 Nissan Datsun to boxes in the basement . . .
Patrol which had better specs (7 main bearings etc.)
than the beloved FJ Toyotas. A Marine Corps Mity I’m secure in the feeling that I don’t have to tell
Mite with all-aluminum body, air-cooled V4 engine you to “keep up the good work” . . . just keep them
and a potentially fatal flaw. A U.S. Army M151 with coming.
a potentially fatal flaw. A Mercedes Unimog 406
paired with 3 interesting days at the factory in A newly devoted reader . . .
Gaggenau including some time on the proving
ground shared with the French Foreign Legion. Brian Dallmann
1990 Jeep YJ; 2005 Dodge Power Wagon with
Bottom line the best “overland” creation is pop-up camper.
God’s own mule or a horse.
Interesting publication – good luck.

Write us a note
attention: Overland Post
Sincerely, editor@overlandjournal.com
P. O. Box 1150
Jerry Julson Prescott, AZ 86302
Reed Point, Montana Include your name, address, e-mail address, daytime phone
number, and the year and make of your vehicle.
Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
Where in the world has your Overland

Journal been? Send us a photo, along with your name,
the location, and a brief description.

7

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Summer 2008
Publisher Scott Brady
Executive Editor Jonathan Hanson
Editorial Director Chris Marzonie
Senior Editor, Africa Graham Jackson
Senior Editor, South America Henry Cubillan
Senior Editor, At-Large Douglas Hackney
Conservation Editor Roseann Hanson
Medical Editor Dr. Edward Beggy
Contributing Editors Stephen Bodio, Tom Collins,
Brian DeArmon, Bob Hazel, Adam and Christine Jeske, Lois
Pryce, Andrew Moore, Kevin Rowland, Chris Scott, Jeffrey
Scott, Tom Sheppard, Mark Stephens, Jim Young
Director of Design Stephanie Brady

Senior Photographer, South America Jorge Valdes
Photographer At-Large Sinuhe Xavier
Director of Marketing Brian McVickers
Director of Strategic Development Roseann Hanson
Contact
Overland Journal LLC
P.O. Box 1150
Prescott, AZ 86302
editor@overlandjournal.com
Overland Journal is a trademark of Overland

Journal LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part without written permission is
prohibited. www.overlandjournal.com
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

Send comments to editor@overlandjournal.com
or P.O. Box 1150, Prescott, AZ 86302
Subscriptions 9
5 issues/year
Payment must accompany all orders.
Domestic & Canada 1 year $45 US, 2 years $80
International 1 year $75 US, 2 years $140
Online at www.overlandjournal.com or
P.O. Box 1150, Prescott, AZ 86302
Back Issues
Payment must accompany all single-copy orders.
Domestic & Canada $13.95 US (includes p&h)
International $19.85 (includes p&h)
Online at www.overlandjournal.com or
P.O. Box 1150, Prescott, AZ 86302
Advertising
Contact Roseann Hanson
roseann@overlandjournal.com
Moving?
Send address changes to service@overlandjournal.com.
Include complete old address, with zip code, as well as
new address. Allow two to four weeks for address change
to become effective.
Postmaster
Send address changes to:
Overland Journal LLC
P.O. Box 1150
Prescott, AZ 86302

Journal Entry: From the Editor Jonathan Hanson
Let’s talk about oil
Y
ou knew this one was coming, didn’t you? But let’s really think outside the box. Overland Journal. Not a word
Yes, we’ve been hearing all the questions: “What are there about the mechanism, only the goal. We’re about travel, explora-
you guys going to do? Your magazine is about vehi- tion, and adventure, pure and simple. And one of the most inspiring
cles. Fuel prices are going up. Holiday driving is down. ways to optimize the adventure quotient of a trip is to leave your 4WD
SUVs are doomed. What will happen to Overland Journal?” at a trailhead, riverbank, seaport, or lakeshore, and continue the jour-
The answer is easy: We’ll thrive. And that’s not the false bravado of ney by foot, bicycle, canoe, kayak, or sailboat. We have many stories
a presidential candidate trailing by 300 delegates. planned about people doing just that, with tutorials on how to do it
First, overlanding is still, and will be into the foreseeable future, yourself. So even though our masthead reads, “The publication for
one of the most economical ways to travel. In a vehicle stocked with environmentally responsible, worldwide vehicle-dependent expedition
camping gear and food, you are free from hotel and restaurant ex- and adventure travel,” we can think of a lot of ways to define the word
penses (or free to indulge in them as a treat now and then). The more “vehicle,” and in any case we can be vehicle-dependent without being
comfortable and self-contained your rig, the longer you remain happily vehicle-restricted.
indepenent. Think of it this way: Two people camping and cooking Here’s something you can count on: The spirit of adventure is not
their own food save at least $80 per day over the hotel/restaurant rut. going to die because gas hits five bucks per gallon, or ten. It certainly
If your vehicle gets just 15 mpg, and gas is four bucks a gallon, that’s won’t die in us. We’ll adapt, we’ll innovate, we’ll economize, and we’ll
300 miles you can drive. The more people in the vehicle, the more you have more fun than ever. Those along for the ride will have fun with us.
10 save. The fact is, given how dreary air travel has become, with ticket
prices rising because of the same fuel-cost issues—and aircraft fleets
being grounded because maintenance crews “forgot” to check for mi- Here's something you can count on: The
nor problems like, oh, cracks in the wings—the family camping trip spirit of adventure is not going to die because
could well see a resurgence as a great American (or fill in your country)
pastime. How cool would that be? gas hits five bucks per gallon, or ten. It certainly
Second, if you’ve been with us for the last year and a half, you’ll won't die in us. We'll adapt, we'll innovate, we'll
know that we’re ahead of the curve on this issue, both in terms of economize.
lowering fuel costs and reducing impact on the planet. Our Toyota
Land Cruiser FJ60 conservation project vehicle is even now receiving a
diesel engine conversion that should increase its fuel economy by 50 to So we at Overland Journal will continue to enjoy and promote envi-
75 percent, while dramatically reducing emissions and increasing power. ronmentally responsible, worldwide vehicle-dependent expedition and
Look in this issue for another, homegrown conversion: Jim Young’s adventure travel. Always with an eye toward the future, always on the
classic Land Rover 88, powered by a Mercedes Benz diesel and capable lookout for new trends and opportunities for overlanding, and always
of 25 mpg fully loaded. with the words of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum of Dubai
Third, we’ll continue to investigate alternatives to the dominant in our heads. When asked about the future of middle eastern oil, he
expedition-vehicle paradigm. Check out the Ecamper in our current replied:
News from the Trade. I think of this clever Honda Element conver- “My grandfather rode a camel; my father rode a camel; I drive a
sion as the Volkswagen Westfalia of the 21st century. No, it won’t Mercedes; my son drives a Land Rover; his son will drive a Land Rover;
reach the same spots as an FZJ80 or 110, but anyone who couldn’t get but his son will ride a camel.”
out and have some amazing adventures in the Ecamper just isn’t trying See the Fall, 2046 issue of Overland Journal for our comparison test
very hard. We plan to cover many other economical platforms that are of Bactrian versus dromedary camels.
capable of backcountry exploration.

11

Editor’s
Project Vehicle
Jonathan Hanson
Springs and Things

Basic geometry hijacks a virtual shopping
trip for Land Rover suspension bits
Imagine before you a perfect cone of some It sounds like much ado about a pretty
easily sliced material. If you take a swing at it arcane distinction, but once each geometric
with a machete and cut across it at an angle, so shape is incorporated into a specific spring
that the blade doesn’t cut through the base of type, the differences in performance are sig-
the cone, the perimeter of the cut you’ve made nificant.
will be an ellipse. If, on the other hand, you cut A typical semi-elliptic spring for an over-
straight down through one side of the cone to land vehicle comprises several leaves, from just
the base, the arc along the edge of your cut, three or four to ten or more. Several factors—
from the ground on one side to the ground on the number and length of the leaves, their
the other, will be a parabola. thickness and width, and the characteristics
12 A “semi-elliptic” leaf spring, then, is a of the steel used, to name a few—combine
spring whose curve, viewed from the side, to determine the rate of the spring: the force
roughly describes part of the long axis of an required to compress it a certain amount. The
O
ellipse. (Incidentally, you’ve likely seen fully individual leaves of a semi-elliptic spring pack
ne doesn’t expect to run into elliptic leaf springs if you’ve ever watched a are usually curved virtually parallel with each
words such as “hypotro- western with a horse-drawn buggy in it. Look other, and subsequently each leaf bears on the
choid” while doing some- at the springs under the seat.) leaf above and below it not just in one spot,
thing as simple as research- You might expect that a parabolic spring, but nearly along its entire length. This distrib-
ing leaf-spring suspension for a Series Land therefore, looks like part of a parabola from utes stress more or less evenly (there’s some
Rover. I just wanted to make a decision: stock the side, but the truth is a little more complex. concentration on the ends), and also creates a
Land Rover semi-elliptic springs, or aftermar- The individual leaves in a parabolic spring ta- lot of interleaf friction, which acts as a built-in
ket parabolics? per in thickness from the center to the ends. If damper at the same time it reduces the com-
But in an effort to understand more than you were to put a perfect unarched (flat) para- pliance (flexibility) of the spring—an effect
sales pitches, I did a little surfing beyond man- bolic leaf on its edge on a piece of paper and that gets more pronounced as the spring pack
ufacturers’ websites. Before I realized what trace a line from the middle of the top of it out accumulates dirt or rust. Many applications
was happening, high school geometry reared to the end and back to the middle of the un- of semi-elliptic leaf springs, such as on light-
its ugly head, and I started running into long derside, the shape would be an extremely elon- duty cargo trailers, rely solely on this inherent
words and longer formulas regarding the geo- gated parabola. There’s a mathematical for- damping action and dispense with separate
metric shapes implicit in the description of mula to determine this taper which you do not dampers (shock absorbers).
each spring type. But rather than tell you, for want me to reproduce here—you’re supposed A typical parabolic spring for an overland
example, that an ellipse is “a locus of points to be enjoying this. In practice the parabolic vehicle, by contrast, employs as few as two
on a plane such that the sum of the distances shape is modified a bit, since most spring mak- leaves, and rarely more than four. The leaves
to two fixed points is a constant,” I found a ers thicken the middle of the spring further to do not lie against each other, but are separated
couple of more practical descriptions. help space the leaves, but that’s the theory. nearly their entire length. Each leaf moves

against its neighbor only on the very ends, dras- adds more expense. Lastly, as you might imag- When I first replaced the suspension on my
tically reducing interleaf friction. The taper we ine, if a leaf on a two-leaf parabolic spring FJ40 and installed poly bushings, I was dis-
discussed earlier creates a progressive effect breaks, the effect on the spring is much more mayed at how much harsher the vehicle felt,
on the spring rate. All else being equal, this dramatic than if a leaf on an eight-leaf semi- and the image in the interior rear view mirror
construction produces significantly increased elliptic spring breaks. Quality construction is went totally fuzzy. So rubber bushings are
compliance, which results in a superior ride, the obvious prophylactic for that. not by any means inferior to poly, they sim-
and increased traction on rough ground due A couple other components contribute ply exhibit different characteristics and must
to better tire contact. Finally, parabolic springs to the performance of leaf springs. Bushings be replaced more often.
are lighter than multi-leaf semi-elliptics. cushion the connection between the ends The last component is the shackle, the
The current popularity of parabolic springs of the springs—the eyes—and the vehicle’s bracket that connects the moving end of the
has led many to believe they’re a new inven- frame on the stationary end of the spring, spring to the frame, allowing the spring to
tion. Not so, even among expedition vehicles: and the shackle on the other end. Originally lengthen and shorten as it flexes. The most
Land Rover used parabolic springs on the 101 these bushings were rubber, and most factory important facet of shackle performance
Forward Control vehicles such as the ones the products still are, but virtually all aftermarket is the angle between it and the end of the
Joint Services Expedition used to cross the Sa- replacements are polyurethane, a much harder spring. The two should be at 90 degrees to
hara in 1975, and Santana, the Spanish licensee material (actually polyurethane can be made allow the greatest amount of travel.
builder of Land Rovers, used them on their soft, but suspension manufacturers usually So, after all the research, do I go with
later versions of the 88 and 109. err toward durability). In addition to being standard, proven, period-correct semi-ellip-
So far the parabolic spring sounds like the longer-lasting, polyurethane bushings tighten tic springs, or the advanced performance of
obvious choice for a solid-axle, leaf-sprung up the suspension, reducing body sway and parabolics? Compliant rubber bushings or
overland vehicle. However, there are a couple pitch somewhat, and sharpening handling re- durable polyurethane?
of downsides. First, parabolics are signifi- sponse. Actually, I, uh . . . haven’t decided yet. I’m
cantly more expensive than most semi-elliptic However, polyurethane bushings can still having geometry flashbacks.
springs. Also, the reduction in interleaf fric- squeak maddeningly if not kept lubricated,
Opposite: Mick Pearce and Nick Jasinski ex-
tion moves virtually all the responsibility for and they can reduce suspension compliance amine a broken parabolic spring from one of the
damping into the damper itself, making shock due to their stiffness. Polyurethane also trans- trans-Sahara Joint Service Expedition's FC101
selection and quality much more critical, which mits much more vibration into the frame. Land Rovers. Photo by Tom Sheppard.
13

Contributors Summer 2008
Jim Young Jeffry Scott

Jim Young grew up in the hills of north- Jeffry Scott is a southern-Arizona based
west Connecticut, and spent his child- photographer who has traveled exten-
hood backpacking, canoeing, and ex- sively documenting life and environmen-
ploring in vehicles he’d rebuilt himself. tal issues along the U.S./Mexico border.
His first big road trip was a two-month His travels, however, have not been
tour of the country in a 1979 Chevy limited to the southwest United States,
pickup, when he was only 20. Jim’s affair as work has taken him across the coun-
with old Land Rovers began on a whim try and around the world to England,
10 years ago when he bought his first France, Spain, Italy, Vietnam, Thailand,
without ever driving one. From there Hong Kong, Guatemala, El Salvador,
it’s been a downhill slide into all things old Land Rover, including the and Mexico. Wherever he travels, he enjoys getting off the beaten path
complete rebuild of two hybrids. The James Bay trip was his fifth multi- and away from the tourist traps to experience the real world. He lives in
week/multi-thousand-mile trek, and the second with his new wife, Tucson with his wife Louise and daughters Chloe, 6, and Aubrey, 4.
Wendy McFarlane, whom he met on expedition. With the completion
of his Mercedes-diesel-powered 109 this summer, debate on next year’s
destination is underway.
Stephen Bodio Roseann Hanson

Stephen was born and educated in For more than two decades, Roseann
Boston and has lived in Magdalena, New Hanson has worked throughout the
Mexico, for over twenty years. He has American West, northern Mexico, and
traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, East Africa as a naturalist guide, journal-
and especially Asia. He has been an ist, and conservation program director.
editor at publications as diverse as English Happily obsessed with big cats (especially
Literary Renaissance and Gray’s Sporting cheetahs), she also enjoys wildlife track-
Journal, where he wrote a book review ing, birding, and exploring the world’s
14 column for twelve years. His articles, most remote regions by foot, kayak, or
essays, and stories have appeared in one of her 4WDs, including a “new”
publications as diverse as The Atlantic Monthly, Smithsonian, the LA Times FJ60 that is getting a turbodiesel makeover. She is currently a business
Magazine, Northern Lights, Double Gun Journal, and Simple Cooking, as well consultant for strategic planning and conservation, and is Overland Jour-
as in literary quarterlies. His most recent book, Eagle Dreams, is about the nal’s conservation editor. When not traveling, she lives with her husband
Kazakh horsemen of Mongolia. An excerpt, published in The Atlantic, is Jonathan in a remote corner of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, where they
included in the anthology The Best American Travel Writing 2002. are building an off-the-grid home from sustainable materials.
Kevin Rowland Christine Jeske

Kevin Rowland resides in Rochester, Christine Jeske and her husband Adam
New York, where he works as an have spent the last nine years living in Ni-
industrial designer to support his travel caragua, China, and most recently South
needs. In addition to working in the Africa. She came to South Africa for a
design field, Kevin teaches design and position in a microfinance organization,
consumer behavior studio courses at the where she enjoyed frequent motorcycle
Rochester Institute of Technology. Kevin rides over deeply rutted roads to visit
is the full-time caretaker of a 1985 Land loan clients. Christine and her husband
Cruiser, which he recently converted now teach development and intercul-
to run on Toyota’s world-famous 1HZ tural communication at a South African
diesel engine. The Cruiser is the main exploration platform for Kevin, college. She also enjoys writing piano music, cooking desserts, and
his wife Amy, and their dog, Tubby, and has safely taken them from the making Lego and toilet paper roll creations with her two children, ages
Arctic Ocean in northern Alaska to the Mexican border, helping them four and two. She has written for magazines including Relevant, Adventure
explore almost every state in between. Motorcycle, Country, and MomSense. Read more at www.jeskelife.org.

Fall 2008
Coming to Overland Journal
• Sahara Empty Quarter, part 2 (really!),
by Chris Scott
• Vermont Expedition Society exploration
• Review: Family tents
• Best of Breed: Flashlights
• The Trail of Turtles, by Gary Wescott
• Skills: Hi-Lift jack techniques
15
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News from the Trade Exploring the newest gear for overlanding
diesel news by Kevin Rowland

Mid-size Diesels Coming
Diesel prices have arrived at a historic Econoline, and Navigator. Based on per-
high just in time to help squelch U.S. centage comparisons with the current
consumer acceptance of the new clean- gas-powered V8 platform, it is estimated
burning, ultra-efficient engines we’ll be that the new diesel will have about 340
seeing over the next few years. The prices horsepower, 430 foot-pounds of torque,
don’t look as if they will change anytime and a mileage increase of 20 percent.
soon, but consumer perceptions might.
Despite the fact that both Ford and Dodge
Trying to take steps in the right direction, have promised to be first to the line with a
the Big Three are all in a push for clean, mid-sized clean diesel, GM appears to be
mid-sized diesel engines for their 2010 beating them to the punch, and has offi-
models. cially released the details of their new 4.5-
liter Duramax diesel. The specs haven’t
Dodge says that their big 6.7-liter is ready changed much from the original numbers Le Mans on Biofuel
to be 50-state legal, but there’s still no Overland Journal reported a year ago, but In a new twist for the Le Mans race cir-
word on what their contribution to the the technological advancements evident cuit, Audi has announced that the Ger-
mid-sized market will be. in the fully dressed prototype making the man company Choren (which is working
show circuit are quite surprising. The 4.5 with VW to develop their SunFuel bio-
Ford has not officially released the details has the same compacted-graphite com- fuel) will be collaborating with the race
of their design, but leaks from the dealer posite block construction that the newest team’s fuel supplier, Shell, to blend bio-
show in Las Vegas point to a new 4.4- Toyota, Land Rover, and even the Audi fuel in with their diesel race fuel. When
liter diesel closely related to the current supercar diesels are putting to use. There Audi runs the race this June, it will be the
3.6-liter Land Rover engine. Ford is plan- is also an interesting lack of visible mani- first time biofuel has been used in the
ning to run the new engine first in the folds, since the exhaust exits toward the 24 Hours of le Mans race circuit. They
F150, then the Expedition, Super Duty, center of the V, where it pushes the single expect emissions to be 90 percent lower
16 turbo nestled in the valley and pumps air than comparable race engines.
directly back to the valves. All this allows
GM to lower the number of assem-
bly parts, cut the engine weight,
and simplify the exhaust gas re-
circulation systems. Lowering including the Hummer line, depending on
the part count and the com- how current talks to terminate or sell the
plexity of the manufacturing Hummer brand play out.
process makes the engine a
bit greener in both emissions In response to these Detroit rumblings, Toy-
and raw material use. ota has been firming up their plans for U.S.
diesels. They are officially promising a varia-
The turbodiesel V8 produces tion of their 4.5-liter engine currently avail-
310 horsepower and 520 foot- able in overseas Land Cruisers, and a new
pounds of torque, and an increase 7-liter V8 diesel that will debut in a variation
in fuel efficiency of 25 percent over of the Tundra full-size concept we mentioned
the equivalent V8 gas engine. GM last issue. The 4.5-liter has been well-received
states that the new smaller diesel will in markets such as Australia. Whether or not
be available first in the 2010 Chevy plans for the 7-liter survive the diesel fuel
2010 Duramax Diesel Silverado and GMC Sierra half-ton cost spike remains to be seen.
4.5L V-8 Turbo (LMK)
pickups, with later installations to come,

17

Ecamper
Ursa Minor Vehicles has released the new Ecamper pop-top camper and utility in their vehicle,” says Jim Koutras of Ursa Minor Vehicles.
to the North American marketplace. Based on Honda’s popular 4WD “Our Ecamper pop-top conversion is the logical progression to ensure
Element, the Ecamper is a versatile and economical camper for two— a good night’s sleep before the next adventure.”
think Volkswagen Westfalia for the 21st century. The pop-top offers
a protected sleeping platform with a comfortable mattress, 12V LED Constructed with advanced carbon-fiber and honeycomb materials,
lighting, and adjustable windows for cross-ventilation. Access is pos- the lightweight Ecamper has scant effect on the Element’s excellent
sible from the interior of the vehicle through the Element’s rear sunfuel economy. When lowered, the pop-top blends in with the sleek
roof, so there’s no need to go out in the weather to set up, and the lines of the Element’s roof and still allows garage access. Look for a
hard-shell roof and marine-grade canvas walls keep out wind and rain. comprehensive test of the Ecamper in a future issue of Overland Jour-
“The Honda Element appeals to active people who prioritize versatility nal. ursaminorvehicles.com, 619-424-4080
18
JK Security Console
Tuffy Product's 16-gauge steel console for the Jeep JK provides 50 percent
more storage and far more security than the factory version. A special bracket
is included for mounting a stereo, HAM radio, or other electronic equipment
inside the lockable console, with a hole for the radio microphone. Front and
rear drink holders include anti-rattle rubber fingers. The main storage area
includes a 12V marine-grade power outlet and a removable utility tray. Tuffy’s
1/4-inch-thick patented Pry-Guard II latching system secures the lid, and a
gas strut supports the lid when open. The Tuffy is taller than the OEM con-
sole, and features a much-needed, larger and more comfortable full-length
padded armrest. Each console includes brackets for both automatic and
manual transmissions, and will work in vehicles equipped with or without rear
power window switches. tuffyproducts.com, 800-348-8339

19

Bakkie Rack Arai XD3

The perfect solution
for mounting a roof-
top-tent at cab height,
Helmet
the new Bakkie Rack The Arai XD helmet line has been
system mounts your extremely successful with adven-
roof tent at cab- ture motorcyclists, and for 2008 Arai
level for improved has implemented several improve-
aerodynamics, while ments to increase airflow, stability,
preserving maximum and safety. Most notable is the emergency-release cheek pad
storage volume and system, which allows medical personnel to detach the two side-
access. The frontrun- support pads and easily remove the helmet while retaining C-
ner rack secures to spine control. This newest XD is highly configurable, allowing the
the bedrails and elevates the rack and tent 12 inches higher. Nissan and user to ride with the shield down, shield up, or even removed. The
Toyota crew-cab trucks make excellent overland platforms, and new visor can be removed as well. Complementing the helmet's great
products like the Bakkie Rack make it even easier to outfit them. Avail- looks is improved ventilation, with seven intake and six exhaust
able from Equipt Expedition Outfitters. equipt1.com, 866-703-1026 vents, and a Dry-Cool liner. Available in black, white, aluminum
silver, and black frost. araiamericas.com
20

Steel Core
Security Straps
Steel Core has introduced new security tie-downs for the 4WD
market, for secure equipment transport and security from theft.
Steel Core added a neoprene cover to the locking, hardened-alumi-
num buckle to seal out dust, and the straps adjust via a stainless-
steel locking cam to accommodate any size load. The strap mate-
Tacoma
rial is cored with steel, and is harder to cut than a security cable.
steelcore.net, (714) 879-7999
Sliders
The Slee-Slider for the Tacoma consist of a 2- by 3-inch, .120-wall
rectangular tube with four 2- by 2-inch outrigger legs. The legs attach
to a 3/16-inch thick L-shaped frame plate that covers the side and
bottom of the factory frame. The plate is form-fitted to the frame
and mounts to existing holes. The side plate secures to the frame in
five locations using half-inch grade-8 bolts, which are mated to 2-inch
square plates on the inside of the C-frame. The sliders are finished
with skid-resistant powder-coat. Pre-treatment includes baking to re-
move all oil, phosphate washing, and final sandblasting before the
powder-coating is applied. sleeoffroad.com, (303) 278-8287
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Overland News Showcasing expedition travelers and resources from around the globe
Born in Lode Lane

by Roger Crathorne and Gavin Green Red Tape and White Knuckles
“Land Rover insider” hardly begins by Lois Pryce
to describe Roger Crathorne, who
was born the year Maurice Wilks con- The definitive motorcycling adventure, Lois Pryce’s journey
ceived the vehicle, and on the same through Africa—alone, no support vehicles, no fancy GPS, no satel-
road (Lode Lane) where it was built. lite phone—was an even more audacious venture than her solo trip
Roger went to work for Land Rover through the Americas, chronicled in Lois on the Loose (and the Winter
at the age of 17 and has been with the 2007 Overland Journal).
company ever since, first in engineer-
ing, where he was instrumental in the Lois, a contributing editor to Overland
development of the Range Rover, and Journal, left from London, England,
then most famously as the head of and finished her expedition in Cape
Land Rover’s demonstration unit. Town, South Africa, crossing the Sa-
hara, war-torn Angola, and the Congo
Born in Lode Lane is thus perhaps the ultimate intimate look at Land basin along the way. Red Tape and White
Rover. Roger’s tales go far beyond the usual journalistic histories, Knuckles is the story of this adventure,
into the inner workings of the company and the personalities of its and it should be a ripping yarn. The
employees. For a fiercely loyal company man, Roger is candid about first copies were being shipped as we
many of the dead ends and mistakes Land Rover made along the went to press. Loisontheloose.com
way to creating the world’s most iconic expedition vehicles. And his
inside stories are priceless, such as the bit about the role the Queen’s
corgis had in the design of the Range Rover’s cargo area. Even if you
already own the standard Land Rover library, this is a worthy addition.
amazon.co.uk
Team Latitude 25
If you’ve ever wondered what life is like around the which was awarded by the Royal Geographical So-
world at the same latitude where you live, you’ll be ciety (with the Institute of British Geographers) and
interested in a unique expedition that recently de- Land Rover earlier this year. The team was provided
parted from Britain’s most southerly point—the Lizard with £10,000 and the use of a Land Rover Defender
Peninsula—in an attempt to circumnavigate the world 110. The voyage aims to discover how continents
at or as close as possible to the latitude of 50° north. affect climates, and how these climates affect peo-
ple at the same latitude. The team departed from
The team of three—Peter Lovell, Spike Reid, and Da- beneath the world’s largest antenna on the iconic
vid Smith—is undertaking the Latitude expedition satellite dish at Futureworld. Follow their progress
as winners of the Land Rover ‘Go Beyond’ bursary, at geographyjourneys.blogspot.com

26

As Far As You Can Drive
Anywhere
from
Story and photography by Jim Young
27
James Bay, Canada
Two people, two dogs, and one old Land Rover

explore the most remote road in North America

F Four hundred and seventy five
miles from the nearest town, almost all on gravel roads—that’s the reality I
must keep in mind. That, and the fact that my
wife and I would be driving there in a 33-year-
old, short-wheelbase Land Rover. With two
dogs. And no other vehicles.
The Trans-Taiga Road, in the James Bay
region of northern Quebec, is the most re-
mote place accessible by vehicle in North
America. Although not the 4WD adventure
more than common hand tools, and although
lacking four-wheel drive, the truck could be
driven normally.
Other improvements include power steer-
ing, parabolic springs, overdrive, and a myriad
of smaller enhancements. As all these modi-
fications, as well as the rebuild itself, were my
own work, I was confident in the truck—and
just as confident that should trouble arise, I
we’re used to, what this trip lacks in techni- would be able to fix it myself in the field. For
cal difficulties it more than makes up for in insurance, I carried a full complement of tools
isolation, and the planning and logistics that and spares. Calling in a tow truck from 300
requires. The trip there and back would cover miles out a gravel road would be an expensive
over 4,000 miles, and take us on more than venture and one I hoped not to experience.
1,100 miles of gravel road. Given the mileage we’d cover on gravel, I
That’s not to say we would just jump in wanted tires that would stand up to the com-
the old truck out back and head north. Our bined abuse of rough surfaces and the low
Land Rover had a major rebuild in 2000, and pressure I prefer to run to maximize comfort
continues to be upgraded, with reliability be- and traction. I decided on the BFGoodrich
ing our number one objective. Starting with All-Terrain TA/KO. We ran them on the
28 a new frame, it is now powered by the ven- gravel at 20 psi in the front and 25 in the rear,
erable OM616 2.4-liter Mercedes Benz die- and found them very predictable. With an on-
sel, to which the company owes much of its board air compressor to inflate them come
third-world reputation. A bulletproof engine pavement, they performed flawlessly both on
capable of burning almost anything oil-based, and off the blacktop.
it has never let me down—and it also returns The James Bay region is accessed by the
close to 25 mpg loaded, giving us a range of James Bay Road, which runs along the east-
Page 26: James Bay around 250 miles from even the tiny stock ern side of James Bay, at the southern tip of
Page 27, left to right: Sunset over the Rupert Riv- Land Rover tank. Another 10 gallons carried Hudson Bay. The road was built in the early
er. Swimming at Lac Jacques Cartier in the Res
Faunique Des Laurentides, Laurentide Mountains, in NATO cans extends our range to around 1970s to facilitate the construction of numer-
Quebec. Exploring along the Rupert, north of the 500 miles, enough to stretch between the in- ous hydro-electric generation stations run
Route du Nord. frequent fuel stops the James Bay area offers. by Hydro Quebec. If not for the dams, this
This page top to bottom: Loaded up and ready Another major alteration was a pair of road and the others off it simply would not
to go. Airing down at the entrance to the Route
du Nord. Rover axle housings incorporating Toyota exist. The James Bay Road is nearly 400 miles
Opposite: After 100k of the Route du Nord in the electric-locking differentials and custom 30- long, beginning in Matagami and ending in
rain. spline axles. These differentials and axles are Radisson. (To give you an idea of the scale,
exponentially stronger than the originals, and in Radisson you are 1,000 miles due north of
the added traction benefit of lockers is always Toronto.) Heading off the James Bay Road
welcome. In the unlikely event of a rear axle are the gravel Route du Nord, which leads east
shaft failure, it can be removed, the locker to Chibougamau, and the gravel Trans-Taiga
engaged, and the truck will drive as if noth- Road, which branches off just 45 miles south
ing is wrong. As well, should we experience a of Radisson, and dead-ends at Caniapiscau.
complete rear differential failure, the rear diff There are also a few other gravel roads off the
can be swapped with the front using nothing James Bay Road, leading west to the bay and

29
servicing the First Nation settlements along beginning of each of these trips. We met two our first night out in a private campground
its shore. We would find ourselves covering kindred spirits and fellow Series Land Rover named “Le Nirvana.” Private campgrounds in
the entire length of all three main roads, as owners at a festival at the Orvis store, and Quebec are known for their idiosyncratic cli-
well as a trip out to Chisasibi and the conflu- spent an afternoon swapping stories of ad- entele, and this one didn’t disappoint. But the
ence of the Le Grand River and the bay, and ventures and adversities, plentiful among any owner was very pleasant, and we had a great
on to Long Point, as far north as you can drive group of vintage Land Rover owners. After a time people-watching that evening.
along James Bay. nice visit we again headed north under their North toward Quebec City, the land had
Along for the ride were our well-traveled envious gaze. an almost midwestern feel, as the roads led
Labrador retriever, Maggie, and her new com- Crossing into Quebec, the earth flattens though small agricultural communities. After
panion, Molly. With two dogs and a month’s out between the U.S./Canada border and the crossing the St. Lawrence, we drove east along
worth of gear in a short-wheelbase Land St. Lawrence River, and roads wind through its north shore and over to the Canyon Sainte-
Rover, space was . . . limited, but we still felt pleasant farm fields. We drove through Sher- Anne, a deep gorge worth the detour. Back
comfortable. We left Connecticut and headed brooke and on to Thetford Mines. Peering to Quebec City and turning north, the road
due north, through the Berkshires of Massa- over the edge of the viewing platform for the took an abrupt uphill slant as we climbed into
chusetts and into Vermont, where we spent huge open-pit asbestos mine outside Thet- the Laurentide Mountains and our first taste
a couple days touring the Green Mountains. ford, we found ourselves holding our breath of wilderness. The Laurentides are beautiful,
The state parks in Vermont are some of the watching the huge excavators crawling around and beckoned for another trip in the future to
nicest you’ll find, and the winding path of the bottom, looking like Tonka toys from this explore what they have to offer, but for now
Route 100 reminded me how to handle the height. Provincial parks in Quebec are not as our attention was turned to the north. Down
fully laden truck, a skill to be relearned at the prevalent as elsewhere in Canada, so we spent the other side into the agricultural basin of

Lac Saint-Jean, again the lay of the land seems I liken the feeling to driving a powerboat on
more Nebraska than northern Canada. Fear- plane in a light chop. There is intermittent
ing this the last outpost for Tim Horton’s (we contact with the surface and the truck, like a
were right), we stopped for lunch in Saint- boat, tends to float on top of the undulations.
Felician. However, corners tend to be more torn up
From this point on we really got the feel- than the straight sections, so care is warranted
ing that we were in The North. Traffic evapo- when approaching them.
rated except for supply trucks and a few other The Route du Nord crosses the Rupert
adventurers, most of whom were fishermen River, and it is a lovely sight—for now. The
or hunters. The paved road ended in the town river is slated for diversion in 2009, under
of Chibougamau, which had all the trappings much controversy; we were happy to see it
of a modern day frontier outpost. We stayed before it disappears. We would visit this river
in the municipal campground and prepared again farther downstream, where it crosses
for our first stretch of gravel in the morning. the James Bay Road and has significantly
It was 300 miles to the next fuel stop in Ne- more volume.
miscau, so I filled both the Land Rover’s tank Near the western end of the Route du
and one auxiliary can. Nord, a side road headed north to the village
Just north of Chibougamau we aired down of Nemiscau, which has the only fuel in the
for the Route du Nord. At first, we shared the area. It’s predictably expensive, but not out
road with enormous logging trucks carrying of line considering the distance it has to be
loads I can only guess were over 60 tons. The trucked. Waiting for the new modern fuel bar
drivers monitor and chat on CB channel 9, and to open, a local told us of a bear that had been
even though we don’t speak too much French, shot in town that morning, as it clung to a
the chatter warned us of their approach, and telephone pole surrounded by barking dogs.
all seemed courteous and responsible drivers. There is no agency to relocate troublesome
Still, the size of them demands respect. At animals in the region, so most are simply, and
about 100 miles in, the logging trucks disap- sadly, killed.
peared too. Now we had the road virtually to Off again west, we spent the night at an
ourselves. informal and primitive campground com-
The surface on the Route du Nord was mon on the sides of the northern roads, and
more like packed sand than the processed frequented by fisherman (who like to fire up
gravel we were anticipating. It is under con- their diesel trucks and launch their boats in
stant maintenance—we passed no fewer than the wee hours of the morning). Up early, it
30 three road graders along its length. These was a short hop to the James Bay Road, and
graders travel very slowly and at times leave back on pavement.
a very large windrow to cross. They can also The James Bay Road was built to extreme
This page top to bottom: Bull dust on the road to turn up large rocks, so care needs to be taken specification for handling the enormous loads
Nemiscau, the only fuel-stop along the Route du
Nord. The surface of the Route du Nord. Logging
when approaching them and driving through of equipment and material needed for the
trucks common on the eastern end of the Route freshly graded areas. This first morning greet- Hydro Quebec dam complex. Unfortunately,
du Nord. ed us with rain and, in substitute for the dust not much in the way of resurfacing happens
Opposite: Asbestos mine at Thetford Mines, we were expecting, churned-up, glutinous on this road, except patching the larger wash-
Quebec.
mud that stuck to every surface of the truck outs and potholes. There is, however, a sys-
and would stay with us for the rest of the trip. tem of signs to warn drivers of approaching
The day, and in turn the road, did dry out and bumps and their severity—one triangle be-
the bull dust we were anticipating soon ap- ing the smallest and three triangles being the
peared. We stopped twice to plug a few small largest. There are a lot of triangles along the
gaps and stem the flow into the truck, and al- length of the James Bay Road.
though never eliminated, it was certainly liv- Seventy-five miles north of the intersec-
able inside. tion with the Route du Nord is the Relais
Almost all the gravel surfaces we encoun- Routier, the only fuel stop along the James
tered were a conglomerate of small rocks up Bay Road. The next fuel is 130 miles north, in
to one and a half inches in diameter, spread Radisson. The Relais Routier also houses the
along an even washboard surface. Getting up area medivac helicopters, as well as a mechan-
to speed on such a surface is counterintuitive, ic on duty during normal hours, a motel, and
since the truck rattles and complains until you cafeteria with surprisingly good coffee. These
reach about 40 mph, when things abruptly are the only services along the 385 miles be-
smooth out and driving is actually a pleasure. tween Matagami and Radisson.

31
The town of Radisson was built solely to under the Chisasibi Agreement. Here you can
support the hydro projects, and was nothing find guide services as well as other necessities.
more than a spot on the map 40 years ago. The Cree of this region are shy and reserved,
With a population down to about 500 from While we were relaxing but have a good sense of humor and are
its peak of 2,500 during construction, the very friendly if you can get them to open up.
town doesn’t offer much more than basic ne- and preparing dinner They’re also well-known as pranksters: When
cessities. There is a small restaurant and bar, that evening, both dogs we asked at the police station about camping
a gift shop that carries an array of First Na- became suddenly alert out on Long Point, we were solemnly warned
tion crafts and art, a grocery store that also that a bigfoot had recently been spotted in the
serves as the only gas station and SAQ (liquor and agitated, staring in- area.
store) in town, and a couple of auto repair tently into the woods The turn to Long Point off the Chisasibi
shops. The standout hotel is the Radisson Road is not marked at all. It’s a small gravel
Inn, housed in a central complex that includes behind our tent. Soon a road that leads across Le Grand Dam 1 and
Hydro-Quebec and governmental offices for very large black bear ap- continues northwest to the bay. We parked
the area. Surfing the FM dial, we discovered a peared from the bush the truck on the rocky beach along a line of
single, funky radio station at 103.1. sea-going canoes, and walked the end of the
We camped two nights in Radisson, and close enough to look in point. Gin clear and with salinity less than
on the day between drove west to Chisasibi the eyes. that of seawater, the bay was inviting, but too
and Long Point, on the shore of James Bay. cold for swimming (for us anyway—the dogs
This is a Cree town of over 4,000 people, and found it delightful). With the afternoon wear-
was relocated here from Fort Georges Island ing on, we turned back east toward Radisson

for another night before starting on the real sional truck along the road in the distance.
challenge, the Trans-Taiga Road. We broke camp on a typically cloudy
While we were relaxing and preparing morning, and headed east toward one of
dinner that evening, both dogs became sud- the two fuel stops along this road. Nouchimi
denly alert and agitated, staring intently into Outfitters is the first, at km 286, and just in
the woods behind our tent. Soon a very large case the next one, Mirage Outfitters, wasn’t
black bear appeared from the bush close open for some reason, we decided to fill the
enough to look in the eyes. Wendy grabbed truck and all the cans. Although the Land
one dog and retreated, while I tossed the Rover returns 25 mpg along paved roads, we
other in the back of the truck. Collecting my noticed it slipping to around 20 on the gravel
hatchet and a southern accent reserved for of the Route du Nord. Our two NATO cans
such occasions, I turn back toward the bear. suddenly seemed marginal, so I had bought
“Go on, git!” Surprisingly, it did. Shortly af- another five-gallon can in Radisson. Diesel at
terwards, the local police arrived and said this Nouchimi Outfitters was $1.25 a liter, which
bear had been seen in the area over the past didn’t seem out of line. Little did I know we’d
couple days. Sadly, I suspect this bear is dead soon see about the same price in Connecti-
like many others that share his curiosity. I was cut.
pleased, however, with the reaction of the At km 352 we reached Mirage Outfitters,
dogs, and knowing that they would alert us of and it truly seemed like a mirage. Set in the
an approaching bear was a comfort. middle of absolutely nowhere is a full-service
Forty-five miles south of Radisson was lodge offering guided hunting and fishing
the beginning of the Trans-Taiga, where we trips, a cafeteria-style restaurant open to the
would spend the next week and cover more public, and a fishing tackle and gift shop in the
than 800 miles. After airing down again, we main lobby. They also have small dormitory-
set off east towards Caniapiscau at an easy size rooms available.
45-50 mph. The road is very wide and surpris- Beyond the Mirage the road became less
ingly smooth, although conditions change as traveled. Past the access road for the LA1 dam
different sections are graded. Like the Route at km 395 the road narrows and the speed
du Nord, the entire length of the Trans-Taiga limit (speed limit?) drops to 70kmh. The far-
is under constant improvement; this time the ther east we drove and the more remote the
count of road graders rose to five. area became, the more obvious it was how
Since it services five hydroelectric dams, much effort it takes to maintain this road and
there is a fair amount of traffic along this the structures it supports. There are dozens
32 road. Besides maintenance vehicles we passed of bridges and smaller culverts, over water so
sportsmen in pickup trucks pulling campers, plentiful that small rivers and lakes aren’t even
This page top to bottom: The road surface at the which in turn pulled fishing boats. I’m not named. The work is never complete, and even
eastern end of the Trans-Taiga Road. A bridge
sure how legal these rigs were, but we saw a along the farthest stretches we saw the occa-
along the Trans-Taiga at the last official camp-
ground the Trans-Taiga. GPS reading at Cania- good many of them throughout northern sional grader being fed by dump trucks ferry-
piscau. Quebec. Most drivers seemed skilled and ing gravel from borrow pits along the road.
Opposite: The lake at km 521 along the Trans- courteous, although some tended to cut the It was along this section that I noticed the
Taiga, at sunset.
corners a bit, as the road is smoothest on the truck getting a bit louder, and I began experi-
inside, so it paid to stay alert. And of course menting with its volume in relation to throttle
by “fair amount” of traffic, I mean in relative position. Any question I had about the cause
terms. We went from seeing a truck every 45 was answered with the sudden loud blat of
minutes on the western section to seeing one a diesel truck minus its muffler. The exhaust
every four hours in the east. had parted just upstream of the muffler, but
We drove until early afternoon, then made as there was enough pipe exposed to clamp,
camp at km 203 at the Pontois River camp- we were soon back on the road. With anxiety
ground. This is the last official campground building, I hoped this would be the extent of
along the Trans-Taiga, and very comfortable. our trouble.
We spent two nights here relaxing and reading Surprisingly, there are four private airports
next to the river, while the dogs spent the time along the Trans-Taiga, and coming across one
swimming and napping in equal portions. this far out is a bit surreal. Then again, with
There were a few other residents, but we were distances so great I’m sure the executives of
beginning to get the feeling of solitude. The Hydro Quebec don’t spend their days bounc-
sound of the wind and water and the ravens ing along gravel roads like their subordinates
was a constant, only punctuated by the occa- and those of us who do it by choice.

33
Brisay is the end of the trail for most peo- crossing these and other obstacles.
ple, and is the last generating station on the Fifty miles of this and we attained our final
road. Past this point the Trans-Taiga is rela- goal: the terminus of the Trans-Taiga Road at
tively empty, and receives far less maintenance the Caniapiscau Overflow Structure. We were
and traffic. It is categorized as “4WD only” I noticed the truck get- 475 miles from the nearest town—a distance
and not recommended for ordinary over-the- ting a bit louder, and I greater than that from Boston to Washington
road vehicles. This final stretch was the part D.C., or from San Diego to San Jose.
of the road I was most looking forward to. began experimenting It’s hard to describe the feeling. On one
Surprisingly, the road broadened until it with its volume in rela- hand I could look at this place as not being
was half again as wide as it was west of Brisay. all that remote—after all, there is another out-
But instead of being surfaced with the grav-
tion to throttle position. fitter’s base here, and buildings for the semi-
el, this stretch seemed to have been simply Any question I had about permanent dam crew. Although abandoned
carved out of the ground as it lay. The surface the cause was answered in appearance, I’m sure that if a real prob-
was much softer, and littered with rocks up to lem emerged there would be some help to be
the size of melons. There was no comfortable with the sudden loud blat found at one or both of these facilities. But on
speed at which to travel this surface, and close of a diesel truck minus the other hand, one look at a large-scale map
attention was needed to avoid the innumer- and you begin to understand just how far out
able rocks and ledges rising up to greet us. To-
its muffler. there we were. It gave me the same sensation
ward the eastern end we encountered several as being in a very tall building. Sure, you’re on
large washouts bisecting the road, and more solid ground, and really, everything is fine.
than once had to drop down into low gear But like looking down at the ground from 50

floors up, our spot on the map was very unset- As with all expeditions, seeing the end in
tling. In the seven years I have owned and re- sight is sometimes hard to take. We spent a
built my old Land Rover it has never failed to slow few days heading south along the James
start, but suddenly I was sure disaster was im- Bay Road, including a night alone in a primi-
minent in this impossible place. I didn’t shut tive campground on the shore of the mighty
down the engine for the entire time we spent Rupert River. It’s hard to grasp the volume
enjoying our achievement. of water this river carries, and even harder to
The day was advancing, and just how far think that in a couple years the vast majority
back west we would travel depended mostly of it will be diverted north and through the
on sunlight. We were self-reliant and, except turbines of Hydro Quebec’s power stations.
for the water which was all around, carried All these roads were brought forth due to
anything we could need. The 50 miles back to progress, and progress marches on. And so
Brisay was just as bad as from, and travel was will go the Rupert River.
again slow. This was perhaps the most difficult Continuing south and to the end of the
100 miles I have ever driven, simply because I James Bay Road, we stopped at the manda-
had labeled it a “road” in my mind, to discover tory check-station in Matagami, and although
that it drives more like a western trail or east- there is no such station on the Route du Nord,
ern logging road. Had I envisioned a “trail” in we informed the authorities of our departure
my mind I would be writing now that it was all the same. Timber stands of the area slowly
the smoothest trail I had ever driven. gave way to rolling plains and farmland as the
A left and then a right turn away from empty expanses of land succumbed to popu-
the hydro structure in Brisay, we again picked lation and busy town centers.
up speed and looked for an inviting place to
spend the night. Forty miles west, at km 521, a
concrete bridge crossed an unnamed river that
tumbled over gentle rapids and spilled into We were perfectly alone
a beautiful unnamed lake. How these exqui-
site waters remain without any way to identify
and perfectly happy.
them is a mystery. Perhaps they are so numer- Nothing could have
ous there simply aren’t enough names. Sitting made this place better,
back now and recollecting, I just call it the
River and Lake at 521. I hope that’s enough. and it was at once clear
As if by prearrangement, the mosquitoes why we came all this way.
34 feasted on us until dark in this place, and then
disappeared. Our private campsite overlooked
This page top to bottom: The Rupert River where our private lake, which reflected a sunset ap-
it crosses the James Bay Road. A $2.00 bug hat,
worth its weight in gold. Swimming in the Rupert.
parently intended solely for us and halted our Our trip was far from over, with plans to
nightly chores. Extra rations of vodka were spend time with friends and family in Ontario,
in order as we enjoyed the sight and the fire but the adventure was. Driving along these
began to roar to life. We were perfectly alone roads, still miles and miles from our home,
and perfectly happy. Nothing could have seemed ordinary. Tim Horton’s abounded.
made this place better, and it was at once clear Any anxiety we had for this crazy old truck
why we came all this way. We made dinner in had been replaced by the constant and com-
the dark and stayed up late enjoying the fire, forting clatter of its diesel. It would get us
while my feeling of anxiety faded away. home with nary a complaint, and sits now in
After filling up at the Mirage next morn- the barn, awaiting its next adventure.
ing, we drove leisurely back to the km 203
campground and spent another night next to
the Pontois River. A fellow camper offered a
dinner of fresh-caught walleye. I have to say
that although most of the French-Canadians
do their best to perpetuate their long-standing
reputation, some are very friendly and were
very good to us. This was some of the best
fish we had ever had, but as non-Quebec resi-
dents we were unable to try for our own above
the 52nd parallel without a guide.

TRIP PLANNING
James Bay, Canada
Requirements Equipment
The James Bay region is a very remote part of The black flies and mosquitoes are legendary up
the North American continent. That goes double here, so plan for them. We found ourselves lucky
for the Trans-Taiga Road. Although the hydro- and only needed our head nets on one night.
electric projects have brought most modern ne- Don't count on this, however—be prepared for
cessities to the area, there are some things that flying insects in biblical proportions. Make sure
are simply not available. For instance, there are your tent has proper no-see-um netting on all the
a few general repair places in Radisson, where doors and windows. DEET-based insect repel-
you could replace a tire or probably a fuel filter, lents are effective against mosquitoes, but have
but there are no car dealerships for hundreds of little effect on flies. Look for a broad-spectrum
miles, and if something specialized breaks while repellent.
you're up there, parts are a long way off and ex-
pensive to attain. If you need a set of 18-inch Seasons
tires for your Range Rover Sport because you've Summer temperatures are generally mild, but
ruined the sidewalls, they will be weeks coming must not be taken for granted. Bring plenty of
unless you have them air-lifted in and are willing layering clothes and warm sleeping bags.
to pay a lot.
Resources
Any special medical or dietary needs should Walter Muma
be taken into consideration before getting too This private website by Walter Muma, offers the
far north. Although staples and common sup- best information about the northern roads in
plies are available at the Esso station in Radis- Quebec and their conditions. He also has some
son, and they actually had goat cheese when we excellent maps. jamesbayroad.com
were there, kosher, ethnic, or specialty foods are
simply not available. There is a small hospital in Bounjour Quebec
Radisson if the need arises, but you should bring The official tourism agency of the province of 35
your own supply of medications and prescrip- Quebec. bonjourquebec.com, 877-266-5687
tions. It's a good idea to bring more than you
may need, should you find yourself in the area James Bay Tourism
longer than expected due to mechanical or other The official tourism agency of the James Bay re-
unforeseen trouble. Again, this is a very remote gion. tourismebaiejames.com, 888-748-8140
part of the world and there is no running down to
the local drug store.

Vehicle File
1974 NAS 88-inch Series III Land Rover
Owner: Jim Young, seriestrek.com
• Rebuilt in 1990, including a new galvanized • Steering: Toyota FJ60 power steering
chassis and new Defender bulkhead. box driven by the Mercedes Benz power
• Brownchurch roof rack mounted directly to steering pump. Modified original steering
the roof panel to lower the center of gravity column fitted with a Borgeson collapsible
and reduce wind resistance. shaft and U-joints. Seriestrek heavy-duty
• Drivetrain: Mercedes Benz OM616 4-cylin- tie rod and drag link.
der diesel engine with a Seriestrek adapter
mated to the stock 4-speed transmission Miscellaneous:
and transfer case. Rocky Mountain Rover- • Front bumper air storage tank with on-
drive overdrive unit. board compressor
• Axles: Original Land Rover housings, • Vector 1,000-watt inverter
Toyota 4.56-ratio V6 electric-locking differ- • Engel fridge
entials, Seriestrek 30-spline axles, Super- • Custom upper and lower rear storage
winch freewheeling hubs. decks
• Suspension: Rocky Mountain 2/3-leaf para- • Mark Love center console box
bolic springs, military shackles, Old Man • Tracker high-back seats
Emu dampers.
36

James Bay Trip Route
Cartography by Andrew Long (longcreative.com)
Map
area
U n g a v a
B a y
H u d s o n
B a y
Caniapiscau NEWFOUNDLAND
Chisasibi Radisson Trans-Taiga Road
J a m e s
B a y
C A N A D A
Route du Nord
QUEBEC
James
Bay
Road
ONTARIO 37
G u l f o f
S t .
L a w r e n c e
Quebec Prince Edward

Island
NEW BRUNSWICK
Montreal
MAINE
Lake
Huron NOVA SCOTIA
VERMONT
Lake Ontario
NEW HAMPSHIRE
HAMPSHRIE
Lake Erie
MASS.
Boston
CONNECTICUT N O R T H
A T L A N T I C
O C E A N
New York
U N I T E D
S T A T E S

38
Mobile Homes with Real Mobility

The Overland Journal team heads into the backcountry
with a selection of five rugged homes on wheels
Story and photography by Chris Marzonie

W
hen was the last time you packed for a camping trip in less than 30
minutes?
I don’t think I’ve ever been that lucky. However, I’ve never owned a
trailer designed to make camping an effortless, pack-some-food-and-go
lark. Even though my Tacoma is permanently equipped with basic sup-
plies and equipment, I always have to add certain things: sleeping bag, pillow, cooking gear, gad-
gets, camp chairs, maybe a table—the list goes on, depending on the trip. But in the last couple
of weeks I’ve discovered what it would be like to own a dedicated trailer packed with my entire
kit—just hitch up, turn on the fridge and toss in some steaks and beer, and leave.
Of course, anyone with an Airstream can do the same thing. But the trailers we reviewed go
where no Airstream dares to follow. These are overland trailers, more at home 30 miles from the
nearest pavement than in space #30 at the KOA. They share rugged frames, high ground clear-
ance, and other features designed for severe use. Overland trailers have been popular in Austra-
lia and a few other countries for years, but they’re a relatively new concept in North America.
Why consider one? The ready-to-go aspect is hard to overvalue. You can prep it to your
heart’s content and leave it parked and waiting when the urge arises. Since heavy and bulky
items such as roof tents, fridges, auxiliary batteries, solar power systems, and water tanks can be
mounted on the trailer, your 4WD stays lighter for short trips and daily driving. If you own a
short-wheelbase vehicle, or have a family, or both, even a small trailer affords vast extra storage
space. Organization is dramatically improved, so setting up camp is easy and fast.
Of course, depending on its size, clearance, and suspension, an overland trailer can be a
hindrance on tight or technically difficult trails, and a pain if backing up becomes necessary. If
you aren’t judicious about scouting tough sections on foot, you soon will be. But under most
conditions you’ll find towing a trailer to be nearly effortless. On the road, the stability of your
total rig might actually be increased if you have your heavy gear inside the trailer rather than
piled on a roof rack on the vehicle.
Considerations
Here are a few questions to consider before you decide on a trailer: 39
• How far do you plan to go, and for how long? We reviewed a range of trailers ap-
propriate for anything from weekend getaways to an around-the-world epic. The lon-
ger you will be away from re-supply, the heavier and bulkier the payload will be. You’ll
also want to consider the functions of the trailer. Basic needs might only require ad-
ditional cargo carrying capacity; more advanced expeditionary requirements may in-
volve specific built-in systems, including a kitchen, shelter, and water storage. What-
ever size you choose, it needs to be safely within the towing capabilities of your vehicle.
• What type of terrain do you plan to encounter? Some trailers have sufficient ground clear-
ance and suspension capability for average dirt roads and occasional shallow stream crossings,
or intermediate surface irregularities, up to 2.0-rated trails on a 1-5 scale. (See the Over-
landing page at overlandjournal.com for more information regarding trail ratings.) A few of
the trailers we review are capable of challenging much more demanding terrain, such as
severe washouts, deeply-rutted tracks, large rocks, and deep streams, up to 3.5-rated trails.
• Last but not least, you will want to determine what level of safety and security a trailer will
provide for your application. Families with small children may want to scrutinize things like
sharp corners or edges, heavy doors or lids without gas struts to support them, or exposed
electricals. Will you be able to stop both tow vehicle and trailer safely in an emergency? Will
the trailer be stable on dirt roads at higher speeds, or in off-cambered situations? Is the level
of theft protection commensurate with your region of travel?

Adventure Trailers Chaser
$5,914 ($14,065 as tested)
A
good one-line description of ship between the trailer body and the trailing
the Chaser would be “military arms made it necessary to mount the dampers
meets sports and recreation, at a severe angle, diminishing their effective-
with a side of racing.” From ness. I’m happy to see that the latest (third)
a military aspect, the Chaser has the basic generation of TASS combines the damper
benefit of a voluminous storage box sitting and air spring into a single component (the
atop a bombproof chassis. From a sports and damper goes right through the middle of the
recreation viewpoint, it’s a stylish trailer that bag), improving the mounting angle and al-
can be optioned with useful things such as lowing the damper to be much more effec-
cargo rack systems, a roof tent, a Baltic birch tive at controlling compression and rebound
kitchen shelf, a shade awning, fuel cans, a 19- of the airbag. Limit straps and rubber bump
gallon water tank with pump, and a fridge. stops further enhance the ride. The result is
40 Regarding the “side of racing” remark, that an already impressive suspension has be-
we would never endorse such a practice, but come simply amazing.
this trailer can probably follow your tow ve- The Chaser’s frame is constructed of
hicle at any speed short of wildly irrespon- phosphate-washed, welded steel with a pow-
sible. The Adventure Trailer suspension has der-coat finish. The body is zinc-washed 14-
evolved to a state of refinement you have to gauge steel, also powder coated, and available
see and feel to appreciate. in white or custom-matched colors. Optional
AT refers to it as TASS (Trailing-arm Air- 10-inch drum brakes with an electric control-
bag Shock-absorber Suspension). The system ler are available, if you plan to run the trailer
utilizes trailing arms and an air spring/shock constantly near maximum GVW. Wheel hubs
assembly to independently suspend each are rated at 3,500 pounds each, and use a wa-
wheel. This keeps the trailer more level and ter-resistant Bearing Buddy system for grease.
stable when one wheel meets irregularities in Bearing maintenance requires disassembly for
1.
the terrain. By using air springs (air bags) the visual inspection and repacking.
capacity can be adjusted easily for anything The cargo configuration consists of a
from an empty to a fully loaded trailer— large, main box and a smaller nose-box. The
not possible with conventional leaf or coil main box has a weather-tight lid that employs
springs. The minor downside to this is that gas struts to assist opening, even with a roof
the air bags require periodic adjustments and tent mounted. An optional tailgate is avail-
filling (they tend to lose air over time). able. The nose box has a top-opening lid. It
Compression and rebound energy is con- typically will house things such as an auxiliary
trolled using an adjustable shock absorber battery or two, power inverter, solar control-
(damper). One reservation I had with AT’s ler, battery chargers, and 12VDC receptacles.
2. previous setup was that the physical relation- Both boxes have lockable hasps. Various inte-

Pros:
• TASS: High performance, fully adjustable
air spring/damper combination on
independent trailing arms
• Airbags can be adjusted to level the
trailer side to side when camping or in
an off-camber trail situation
• Corrosion-resistant finishes
• Ability to traverse highly technical
terrain—high clearance, well-protected
3.
from damage, accepts large tires
• Weatherproof and dustproof storage
• Lightweight (700 pounds base weight)
Cons:
• Main cargo box access requires substan-
tial reach-over (varies with tire height)
• When deployed, the roof tent floor
partially folds if the cargo box lid is
opened (see photo #3)
• Fridge location inside front of box
requires lid to be opened to access fridge
4. • No rigid lid support as a backup in the
event of a gas strut failure
5.
rior and exterior lights are available, including

a back-up/work lamp for trail and camp use.
Adventure Trailers uses LEDs exclusively, as
they require less energy and do not attract
bugs like other lights.
I’ve spent considerable time with AT
Chasers on trails and extended expeditions,
and even took one to the frozen Arctic Ocean
last year (see Overland Journal Winter 2007).
The Chaser is ideal for someone who 6. 7. 41
wants rugged simplicity and reliability, along
with a high degree of trail capability and sus-
pension refinement. While I’m reluctant to
call it a “no-frills” trailer (it can be optioned
with a lot of extras) it’s tailored more to those
who are on the go, traveling by day and wast-
ing no time when they’re ready to relax in the
evening. adventuretrailers.com, 877-661-8097
1. Mario Donovan explains the new TASS

suspension technology
2. Nose box, can carriers, and 19-gallon water
tank with hand pump
3. The tent floor hinges when the cargo box is
opened
4. The tent fully deployed
5. Adjustable stanchion with Eezi-Awn shade
awning
6. Fixing the Baltic birch shelf in place
7. The nose box houses a solar controller,
battery tender, and Discover deep-cycle
battery
8. On the test course 8.

Adventure Trailers Horizon
$8,566 ($16,403 as tested)
T
he Horizon is similar to the enclosure and privy can be used for hot show-
Chaser in design; the chief dif- ers and/or portable toilet duties.
ference is in physical dimen- The Horizon lends itself to a more special-
sions and the number of stor- ized role in long-term trips, due to the ability
age compartments. The Horizon is 18 inches of the two side compartments to keep specific
shorter and four inches wider than the Chaser. equipment and/or supplies isolated from the
In addition to the main box and nose box, a bulk cargo area, and more readily available.
full-length side box is mounted above each Obviously one cabinet makes a great dedicat-
fender. One of the side boxes can be optioned ed kitchen workspace, housing a stove, pots,
as a kitchen, complete with a Cook Partner and cooking supplies. The other side can be
42 stainless-steel propane stove on slides, a full- reserved for field equipment and instruments,
length cutting board fitted to the inside of photography equipment, reference materi-
the door—which acts as a work surface when als—pretty much anything you want to keep
open—and a propane bottle mounted on the easily accessible. When we interviewed Mario
tongue. As on the Chaser, the optional 19- Donovan, co-owner of Adventure Trailers, he
gallon water tank is UV stabilized, black roto- noted that the company maintains a philoso-
molded polyethylene, and includes a spigot phy using a 10-minute rule. “When consider-
with a hand pump, just an arm’s reach from ing accessories for our systems, we insist that
the kitchen area. The advantage to the hand if camp can’t be set up in 10 minutes or less,
pump is reliability (fewer parts and no electric- it doesn’t belong on an Adventure Trailer.”
ity required), but it can be tedious if you need a adventuretrailers.com, 877-661-8097
lot of water. An optional freestanding shower
1.
2. 3. 4.

Pros:
• TASS: High performance, fully adjustable
air spring/damper combination on
independent trailing arms
• Airbags can be adjusted to level the
trailer side to side when camping or in an
off-camber trail situation
• Corrosion-resistant finishes
• Ability to traverse highly technical
terrain—high clearance, well-protected
from damage, accepts large tires
• Weatherproof and dustproof storage
• Tread plates fore and aft of fenders
provide standing spots to access cargo
• Large tailgate
• Tailgate fridge access
Cons:
• Main cargo box requires substantial
reach-over height for access (although
the tread-plates and large tailgate
compensate)
• When deployed, the tent floor partially
folds if the cargo box lid is opened
• No rigid lid support as a backup in the
event of a gas strut failure
5.
6. 7. 8. 43
1. Fridge slide and Engel fridge

2. On the overland route
3. Nosebox, can carriers, treadplate, and water
tank with hand pump
4. LED "night lights" draw little power (privy tent
in background)
5. On the test course
6. Lock 'n Roll hitch provides superior
articulation
7. Side box storage provides convenient access
8. A view of the TASS suspension system
9. Kitchen cabinet, complete with Cook Partner
propane stove on slides, and a cutting board
9.

Jumping Jack
$4,995 ($5,435 as tested)
T
he Jumping Jack is a versatile the bench platforms for the tent (or the up-
trailer that serves three func- right sides when used as a utility trailer). The
tions: First, it provides a large, front panel also secures a third folding section
tall, and comfortable living of steel frame and expanded metal that is re-
space that will keep you out of the elements movable. It can be used either for the front
with room for several people to sit, sleep, eat, wall in utility-trailer mode, or as a large camp
and even walk around. Second, it provides a table with threaded leg attachments. The all-
large steel platform for transporting all man- steel construction with heavy hinged panels
ner of large and heavy cargo, including rec- and expanded metal cargo surface means that
reational toys, field equipment, tools, etc. (up rust can be a concern.
44 to approximately 1,800 pounds) Third, it can The tent is well-made and reminds me of
be converted to a standard utility trailer by re- the classic Springbar tents. Sewn from high-
moving the tent and securing the deck pan- quality cotton canvas fabric, the tent is breath-
els upright, which makes the front and sides able and seals well in wet weather. Setup is
nearly five feet tall. extremely easy (thus the name Jumping Jack),
You will have a tough time hurting this using a clever system of heavy-duty steel inter-
trailer. It’s built of heavy-duty, welded steel nal jointed arms assisted with gas struts. The
with a black powdercoat finish. The floor deck lever action of these arms locks them in place
is made of sealed wood planks. The cargo deck and provides the correct tension to keep the
consists of two hinged panels framed with tent body taught. The entire operation takes
steel and decked with expanded metal. They about five minutes. The tent boasts no fewer
fold 90 or 180 degrees to each side, creating than seven screened windows for great views
1.
2. 3. 4.

and ventilation in fair weather.
Once the tent springs erect, the 3-inch-
thick upholstered mattresses stowed on
the floor can be set into place on top of the
benches on either side of the main floor area. Pros:
• Versatile
The cushions are 7 ½ feet long; one creates • Spacious living area
a single bed, the other a double. Underneath • Ideal foul weather retreat
the double is ample storage space for luggage. • Strong construction allows rough
The last step is to lift the hinged table from handling and heavy cargo loads
• Doesn't obstruct rearward vision from
the floor. As with the tent, a jointed arm locks tow vehicle (depending on load on the
it in place, and it’s ready for use. There is about cargo platform)
13 cubic feet of storage on the floor between
the cushions when the tent is stowed, allowing Cons:
luggage or other items to be packed inside the • Heavy
tent, safe from weather and dust. • Width limits travel on narrow trails
Jumping Jack offers several accessories, • Prone to rust
• Limited suspension travel, no adjustment
such as an awning, a cooler rack, a propane • Limited tire size
bottle rack, a saddle rack for water or fuel cans, • No auxiliary power options
and electric drum brakes. The axle is a 3,500 lb.
torsion-bar unit that employs rubber inserts
to control compression and extension. This
design is simple and rugged, but offers very
little wheel travel and no adjustment. Standard
axle hubs with dust caps and greasable service
ports require periodic maintenance (cleaning,
inspection, and repacking).
The Jumping Jack is essentially a small,
sparsely furnished hotel room on wheels,
with an enormous, versatile cargo platform
on top when stowed. It would be the one to
7.
have in extended foul weather, and makes a
comfortable cocktail-hour gathering place
for a half-dozen friends. jumpingjacktrailers.com,
866-461-7001 45

2. Fully deployed with camp table
3. Front panel for utility trailer doubles as a large
camp table
4. The Jumping Jack can withstand bumps and
knocks
5. Easy opening sequence
6. Cargo bed folded out for tent support 5.
7. Single bed
8. Double bed and pop-up table
6. 8.

Kamparoo Vacationer Trans-Continental
$7,595 ($10,151 as tested)
K
amparoo is known as Cub in So how does it work? You just park it
Australia, where they have where you want it, chock the wheels, unclip
been making trailers for three some latches and twist the foot-posts out a bit,
decades. Cub is distributed in crank the hand wheel until the tent is open,
North America by a Canadian company under and you’re finished. If necessary, you can de-
the Kamparoo label. Our test unit is a Vaca- ploy the stabilizer legs that level the floor, but
tioner model equipped with a Trans-Conti- that only takes another minute.
nental package, which includes a heavier-duty The Kamparoo uses a weatherproof
axle, longer and stronger drawbar, and larger clamshell enclosure to house the tent body,
46 (29-inch) tires, resulting in more ground clear- mattress, storage space, and support systems.
ance and rough service capability. The top half of the clamshell is clad with
Several things about this trailer set it apart checker plate aluminum and includes an in-
from the others we tested. No offense to one tegrated roof rack that can accommodate a
of the greatest women on earth (sorry mom, variety of loads (up to 400 pounds). As the
I’m just trying to make a point here), but my tent is deployed, this roof flips upside down
mother could tow this trailer into the bush by and becomes the solid, raised floor of the tent
herself, set it up by herself, and enjoy it. It’s room. The other half of the clamshell, fixed
that easy to use. This is an excellent trailer for over the chassis, is the bed where the mattress
anyone who doesn’t require highly technical and bedding reside, elevated slightly above the
trail capability, and it’s especially good for any- floor area. Below the bed is a 41 x 32 x 10-
one with limited mobility or strength. inch storage area that can accommodate bins,
1.
2. 3. 4.

duffle bags, or anything that isn’t very tall.
The tent forms a great all-purpose room
Pros:
• Lightweight
right next to the bed, fully enclosed and under • Low towing profile and center of gravity
the same roof. The tent canopy is made of a • Corrosion resistant finishes
high-grade waterproof canvas, and has four • Easiest to set up of the units tested
• Simple yet versatile
large windows and two doors. The front and • Enclosed room with raised, rigid floor
rear windows have zippered clear plastic pan-
els that allow natural light into the tent even if
it’s raining outside.
Cons:
5. • Slightly limited trail capability
An optional stainless steel kitchen system • No fridge option
is housed in a checker plate aluminum box • No power option
mounted on the trailer’s tongue. The kitchen • Limited tire height (31-inch maximum)
• Roof rack must be unloaded to deploy
includes a slide-out, two-door cabinet with tent
wash basin and countertop. A 16-gallon wa-
ter tank with hand pump is available, and the
pump spout is positioned to reach the wash
basin. Other options include a propane tank,
add-on awnings and rooms, and a stone-guard
for the front (the classic Aussie style).
The Kamparoo’s chassis is built of hot-
dipped galvanized steel with a 3,500-pound-
rated square-tube axle. The suspension com-
prises slipper springs (leaf springs using an
eye in front and a flat leaf in the back that
is wedged into a pocket on the frame), and
mono-tube dampers. An electric brake kit is
optional. Ground clearance and suspension
travel are somewhat limited, but the Trans-
Continental still managed to track well behind
a 4WD on rough terrain, including some deep
gullies (cross-axle obstacles) and large embed-
ded rocks. Where ground clearance is lacking, 6.
the stout galvanized frame is able to take some 47
scraping, dragging and bumping without is-
sue.
In a very lightweight (845 pounds with the
kitchen) package, the Kamparoo provides an
astonishingly easy setup, and the benefit of a
completely weatherproof, standing-headroom
sleeping and changing area, along with exten-
sive options to add even more comfort and
convenience. kamparoo.com, 780-361-2000
7.
1. Hand crank with nylon strap controls the tent,

with assistance from gas struts
2. The newest models come with an aluminum
checkerplate deck with rack (not shown here).
3. Slide-out kitchen
4. 3,500-lb. square-tube axle with "Slipper" leaf
springs and shocks
5. Optional stone guard protects the trailer and
items mounted to the tongue
6. Hard-floored room makes a nice changing
area or privy
7. Generously sized bed with cargo space below
8. Stabilizer jacks 8. 9.
9. Tent deployment couldn't be easier; just turn
the crank

Campa All Terrain Trailer (ATT) Explorer
$12,000 ($20,000 as tested)
T
he Campa originated in the from the test crew at the first night’s camp.
wilds of South Africa and Aus- The Campa was the most complex trailer
tralia, and over many years has of the group, and took the most time to set
evolved into the current de- up, but the results were worth it. There is no
sign, now manufactured in the U.S.A. The ac- mistaking that this trailer is built with a phi-
tual trailer used for our test is a well-traveled losophy best described by Chris Cole when
DRS (Disaster Reconnaissance System) unit, he told us, “It’s better to have it and not need
but is essentially the same as the ATT Ex- it than to need it and not have it.”
plorer model built for the civilian market. The Mounted to the forward section of the
Explorer is one of two civilian ATT models, trailer are a fridge and/or cooler, one or two
48 the other being the Expedition, which offers five-gallon jerry cans, an optional hot shower
larger tent and room options. unit, a deep-cycle battery and electrical sys-
After spending some time with this trail- tem, an optional Honda EU1000i power gen-
er, and interviewing the president of Campa, erator, and a spare tire. Two small platforms
Chris Cole, it became obvious that there is no behind the fenders hold one or two propane
better way to demonstrate the durability of a tanks, an expedition-grade water filter, and
product than to showcase one that has been two—yes, two—Hi-Lift jacks. The jacks at-
put through the wringer. The test trailer had tach at each rear corner, and are used for sta-
endured over 140,000 miles of use, includ- bilizing and leveling the trailer while camping,
ing the full length of the Rubicon Trail, and but can easily be detached for recovery or
surviving a flop on its side in Baja, Mexico, utility use.
1. yet still managed to elicit admiring comments
2. 3. 4.

Pros:
• Stainless-steel construction is highly
corrosion-resistant
• Comprehensive and highly functional
systems
• Manual hand brake on tongue
• Lifetime warranty on cargo boxes
• Tent, room(s), and awnings are designed
and manufactured in the U.S.
• Chassis design maintains stability and
balance despite the large number of
components and systems
Cons:
• Heavy when fully outfitted and loaded
(the test unit was over 3,000 pounds)
• No optional finishes
• Fridge is located at opposite end of the
trailer from galley
• Main box cannot be accessed without
raising the tent platform (although this
provides a security benefit)
6.
7.
49
10.
5. 8.

2. National Luna dual-chest fridge (with sun-
shade) and Honda EU1000i power generator
3. On the test course
4. Extruded aluminum base allows both tent
and awnings to be easily mounted or
removed
5. Stainless steel water inlet with mil-spec
coupler and cap serves two 20-gallon tanks.
6. Gull-wing cargo doors and lockable can
carriers 9.
7. Rotating ball coupler with surge brake, hand
brake, and sway controllers
8. 6,000-lb. axle with control arms, drum brakes, and leaf spring suspension
9. Slim-profile, low-voltage fluorescent lamps are provided in the cargo bins and at the galley
10. The showstopper galley
11. Katadyn stainless steel Expedition water filter, propane tank, and Hi-Lift jack 11.

The trailer’s main box incorporates fully severe terrain. Each level of the rack uses fric- an incredibly strong (we got a demo) propri-
weatherproof gull-wing doors on gas struts, tion stays to hold it in the stowed position, and etary synthetic canvas that is tightly woven and
which allow easy reach-in access from either pivots outward for access to the various table- waterproofed. The fly screens are triple-weave
side of the trailer. The box is mounted on a ware and spice containers. material that blocks 84 percent of UVA and
sliding track system, so the entire middle sec- UVB rays. The main tent itself can be zipped
tion of the trailer can be removed from the off of the base for cleaning or repairs: a nice
chassis, leaving a utility trailer that can be used feature if you ever accidentally damage your
for common hauling duties. tent and need to send it to the factory. You just
There are two fender boxes on each pack it in a standard box, avoiding the large
side of the main box. One contains recov- container and freight handling normally asso-
ery equipment, with room to spare for field ciated with a roof tent.
equipment or other quickly needed items; The Campa’s frame is constructed of CNC
the other houses a stainless washbasin with a laser-cut, fully boxed and welded C3R12 stain-
water faucet, leaving additional room for mis- less steel, fitted with a 5,180 lb. tow coupler
cellaneous items. Two fully baffled 20-gallon with surge brake (auto-reverse enabled) and
stainless-steel water tanks reside underneath manual hand brake. An optional anti-sway de-
the trailer, and can be isolated or combined vice is available for the tongue. The wheels roll
depending on needs. You can hook a sump Directly above the main box is a tent on a rigid axle with a 6,000-pound rating, leaf
hose up to a stream or lake and pump water mounted to a platform that raises on four spring suspension, stabilizer/control arms,
into the tanks. The on-board purification sys- posts, elevating the tent floor so the main box and gas shocks. There are four zerk grease fit-
tem ensures that you will always have clean can be accessed without disturbing the tent. tings for maintenance; two on the coupler and
drinking water. The tanks are placed so one The hinged tent floor then opens to the rear one at each wheel. The axles have an EZ-lube
is in front of the axle and one behind, result- of the trailer, creating a canopy over the galley. bearing lubrication system, which allows both
ing in an easily managed 6.5-percent tongue This canopy also serves as the entrance portal inner and outer bearings to be lubricated from
weight when the tanks are full (static measure- to access the tent, using the attached ladder. the end of the spindles without removing the
ment on a level surface). The low mounting If you desire privacy, or if the weather is foul, hubs. Drum brakes are standard equipment,
position provides ballast in the frame area, you can attach a walled room that hangs from and tires up to 35 inches in diameter can be
lowering the overall center of gravity. the canopy and surrounds both the tent en- fitted. All of the cargo boxes are constructed
Behind the main box is another modular trance and the galley. This room has a thick of C5R12 stainless steel and carry a lifetime
box with a single drop-down door that opens and durable six-inch-deep tub floor that stays warranty.
to the rear of the trailer. This reveals a gal- dry in a downpour, and has reinforced loops With a total of four cargo compartments,
ley that includes everything you need to serve for staking it to the ground. An optional free- a full complement of camping systems and
a fine meal for a party of six. When open, standing enclosure can be used for hot show- accessories, and a weatherproof galley, the
50 the door serves as a countertop and a base ers or portable toilet duties. Campa is a smart choice for someone who
for the Cook Partner propane stove. Inside Both sides of the tent platform, parallel to has serious fieldwork to do, or who enjoys
the box is a beautiful oak storage system with the sides of the trailer, are equipped with shade extended, fully self-contained camping—or
cubbies for nested pots, a kettle, a cutlery set, awnings and adjustable poles. There is even both. campausa.com, 440-823-8532
utensils, dry storage containers, and a brilliant a shade awning at the front of the trailer to
tableware and spice rack that is designed so protect the fridge from the sun while camped. Above: Chris Cole displays the galley
well that it carries glassware (yes, glass) and All the tents, rooms, and awnings are designed Below: The Explorer (left) and its roomier mate,
ceramic mugs safely on corrugated roads and and manufactured by Campa in the U.S., using the Expedition
Image courtesy of Campa USA

Evaluation and Testing
The goal of this review was not to com- experience and none
pare similar trailers and declare an Editor’s currently owns (or
Choice, but to explore a variety of approaches has owned) any of the
that fill different needs. We assembled a group trailers in this review.
of manufacturer’s representatives and a test The data we col-
team in Central Arizona for a multi-day ses- lected is more sub-
sion that combined backcountry driving and jective and empirical
camping. We spent some time on twisty paved than scientific and
roads and straight highways, and finally used a calculated. Each tes-
single test vehicle to tow each trailer through a ter was provided with
closed-course test track in the mountains. two pamphlets, one
The test team comprised myself and four for evaluative criteria
others: Jeremy and Windy Edgar (regular Over- and one for test crite-
land Journal gear testers; see Summer and Win- ria. For a list of these
ter 2007), and Tim Huber and Danica Moore. criteria, visit overland-
Tim and Danica are avid explorers who roam journal.com/testing. Our
the western U.S. and Mexico in a Toyota 4Run- overland route allowed us to observe trailer team. For the final phase of the review, each
ner. Part of Tim’s background is working in performance on varying terrain, from primi- tester towed each trailer behind a 2008 four-
the off-road racing and suspension industry. tive 4WD trails with some technical obstacles, door Jeep Wrangler JK on a closed course.
I chose these four people based on their abil- to graded and corrugated dirt. We set up camp The course was divided into five segments,
ity to provide objective opinions, as well as early every evening, which allowed each trailer one for each tester. For an equal comparison,
a balanced view from both male and female to be deployed with ample time for demon- the same person drove his or her respective
perspectives. All four have ample overlanding strations, questions, and answers for the test segment with a different trailer each time.
Conclusions 51
I’m sure I speak for the entire team when factor, the low profile and stability allowed wide track kept it (and the Jeep) very stable.
I say it was a pleasure to travel with these trail- it to follow through a surprising amount of I admit that I couldn’t declare a single
ers and see how they operate, both on the trail rough terrain without much protest. The personal favorite. I have two: the Adventure
and in camp. The manufacturers have each Jumping Jack’s biggest detraction in my mind Trailers Horizon and the Campa ATT Explor-
done a remarkable job at finding—and excel- is its width (91 inches). This keeps it off many er. I like to travel light (or at least fool myself
ling at —a niche in the market. The Adventure narrow trails and can be a hindrance to the into thinking I do), so I like the Horizon for
Trailers models and the Campa were the clear concept of treading lightly. However, I under- its compact dimensions, rugged construction,
favorites on technical trails. The Kamparoo stand that it must be this wide to accommodate and did I mention how much I love the sus-
was the most user-friendly, and its enclosed common OHVs (it can accommodate three pension? On the other hand, on many trips
standing-height bedroom was a plus. The adventure motorcycles side by side). This is an I’ve camped in one place for an extended time,
Jumping Jack stood out for volume of living important segment of Jumping Jack’s market and this aspect of the Campa is very appeal-
space combined with payload capacity. Much and shouldn’t be considered a fault, just some- ing. A fellow named Dan Cook is currently
like 4WDs, there was no single trailer that ex- thing to be aware of. The Adventure Trailers towing one of these trailers around the world
celled at something without a compromise in were effortless to tow through the test course. on a 75,000-mile fly-fishing trip—a perfect ex-
another segment (though the Adventure Trail- Although we tried to upset them in certain ample of someone fully exploiting the Campa
ers and Campa came close.) sections, they simply followed on through design (flyfishingtheglobe.net).
On the test course, all of the trailers behav- with no drama. The current TASS suspen-
ed well. None felt poorly balanced or trans- sion is outstanding. The heft of the Campa
ferred any unpleasant feedback. The light fully loaded for a trip could be felt behind the
weight of the Kamparoo was obvious, and Jeep, but not as much as we feared. The well-
while the suspension and tires are a limiting balanced components, low tongue weight, and

Overland Team Favorites
Windy Edgar:
Adventure Trailers Horizon
Jeremy Edgar: The trailers we tested were manufac-
Adventure Trailers Horizon tured with such different goals that
Danica Moore:
Campa ATT Explorer Like the average North American, I could envision myself using each
Tim Huber: most of my adventures are limited one. Considering my needs, and a
This was an amazing opportunity, to long weekends. Something in the preference for complete indepen-
Campa ATT Explorer and I had a blast learning about and two-week range would be consid- dence, my favorite was the Horizon.
I saw the different trailers as Swiss testing all five trailers. However, ered epic. Taking this into consider- It’s easy to use and access, and sturdy
Army knives, each made with dif- only two really stood out for me. ation, the Horizon was my favorite. for off-highway travel. It’s comple-
ferent options and in sizes to suit
My dream is to take a year off The compartments keep gear well- mented with carefully considered op-
the user’s needs. That being said,
and travel around the world, and organized, safe, and dry. The easy tions, such as a refrigerator on sliding
my clear favorite was the Campa.
one trailer really catered to this. setup and breakdown is ideal for a tracks, a roof-top tent, an awning, a
The ATT is truly the ultimate.
The Campa ATT had everything weekend trip, but the trailer easily 19-gallon water tank, and a kitchen
Every feature, compartment, and
52 tool was obsessively thought out. I would need to survive on my supports two people for lengthier contained in a side box, with plenty
own safely, away from the civilized journeys. Ease of towing, clean de- of extra storage. The Horizon has
It shows that this design has been
world. The kitchen was built for six sign, and stout suspension also add ample room for mounted toys such
around the world and is the most
people, and the tent can sleep up to to its appeal. as bicycles. It’s easy to hitch and tow,
tested of the bunch. I feel the ATT
five. It has plenty of storage for wa- and travels with confidence over any
offers the most versatility in the If I were to undertake a journey of
ter and fuel. It’s obviously built to terrain. The best feature is the cus-
most efficient package. several months into extreme terrain
handle any type of weather Mother tomer service. You can travel know-
and weather, my top choice would ing you have solid back-end support
Second choice? The Adventure Nature could throw at you. It can be the Campa. It’s the Boy Scout from the company.
Trailers Horizon. It has the capac- withstand a small flood, extreme of trailers: prepared for any situa-
ity and many of the options of the heat, and fairly cold temperatures. tion. On the opposite end of the My second choice was the Kamparoo.
Campa. For three- to seven-day What more could anyone ask for? spectrum, solely for short week- This trailer is so easy to manage you
trips the Horizon will support two
I know my dream trip is in the dis- end outings, my pick would be the can truly deploy the tent one-handed.
people in great comfort. It boasts
tant future, so for now I will ex- Kamparoo for its one-handed ease The interior resembles a real bed-
the most technologically advanced
plore the United States. The Campa of setup. room more than a tent. I appreciated
suspension, and it won my heart in
seemed a bit much for long week- the kitchen mounted in a dedicated
the looks department.
end or even week-long trips. For box with a sink and faucet, stor-
Then again: I can think of five this reason, I loved the Adventure age space for a stove and cookware,
different trips I took last year for Trailers Horizon. It had all the ame- and a 14-gallon water tank. The low
which each of the five trailers nities and safety you would need center of gravity and general tough-
would have been my first choice. It for smaller adventures, such as an ness allow the Kamparoo to negoti-
just depends. efficient kitchen area and plenty of ate diverse terrain. Both trailers are
storage. It’s easy to clean and access user-friendly for one person or more.
is good. The trailer is built for du- They each have a clean, simple design
rability. I could take this trailer on while efficiently serving the purpose
ALL my adventures. for which they are intended.

Notable mention
Outlander Trailers
Although we were unable to secure one in time for our test, we wanted
to include some information about Outlander. I was able to examine these
trailers at the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab last year, and was impressed
with the utilitarian nature of the design. The basic concept is a tube steel
frame, almost like a cage, to which various cargo boxes and equipment
are mounted. This modular approach allows Outlander to offer various
models and configurations. The 11-gauge steel framework provides a
sturdy and protective means of transporting a payload over technical
terrain in the backcountry.
The Sherpa (pictured) is a compact model; the Sherpa II is a larger
version with either a top-loading or rear-access main box. Another model,
the Traverse, can transport adventure motorcycles.
The dustproof and weatherproof locking cargo boxes are made of
tig-welded, powder-coated aluminum. The main box on the Sherpa II can
be removed for typical utility use and hauling duties. All of the trailers
can be customized with roof-tents, jerry cans, coolers, tool mounts, tire
carriers, multi-axis couplers, Yakima rack accessories, and more. Axle op-
tions include rigid tube axles with shock absorbers, or torsion-style axles.
The standard tires are 235/75/R15, but custom wheel and tire options are
available. Running ground clearance is a minimum of 13 inches.
Outlanders are competitively priced: The base model Sherpa, including
the main cargo box, starts at less than $3,000. (Prices are subject to change,
so please verify with Outlander.) outlandertrailers.com, 501-681-4573
53
Adventure Trailers
Prototype clamshell overland trailer
Adventure Trailers, following their tradition for innovation, will re-
lease a new overland trailer this fall. The new design combines their fast-
acting independent air suspension, and a lightweight composite body.
The design allows for quick set-up, and incorporates a large expand-
able main tent with standing head room, and a full kitchen with a stove,
fridge, and water. The trailer features easily accessible storage compart-
ments, and a built-in queen size bed.
Development and testing are currently underway at Adventure Trail-
er's Upland, California, facility. adventuretrailers.com, 877-661-8097

Trailer Comparison
Adventure Trailers Adventure Trailers Kamparoo Vacationer
Campa ATT Expedition Jumping Jack
Chaser Horizon Trans-Continental
Price* $14,066 $16,404 $20,000 $5,290 $10,151
Overall length (from

131" / 333cm 122" / 310cm 129" / 328cm 144" / 366cm 154" / 392cm
coupler)*
Distance, coupler to
94" / 239cm 94" / 239cm 93" / 236cm 104" / 264cm 112" / 284cm
wheel hub*
Overall width* 64" / 163cm 68" / 173cm 71" / 180cm 91" / 231cm 67" / 170cm
Overall height** 65" / 165cm 69" / 175cm 72" / 183cm 48" / 122cm 49" / 124cm
Ground clearance (at

23" / 58cm 23" / 58cm 17" / 43cm 18" / 46cm 22" / 56cm
frame)*
Ground clearance (at
16" / 41cm 16" / 41cm 13" / 33cm 13" / 33cm 11" / 28cm
lowest point)*
Approx. weight (dry)* 1100 lbs / 499 kg 1500 lbs / 680 kg 3100 lbs / 1406 kg 1200 lbs / 544 kg 845 lbs / 383 kg
Payload capacity 1800 lbs / 816 kg 1400 lbs / 635 kg 2200 lbs / 998 kg 1795 lbs / 814 kg 790 lbs / 358 kg
Departure angle 36 degrees 49 degrees 28 degrees 30 degrees 30 degrees
Recommended tire
Up to 35" Up to 35" 31"-33" 28" 29"-31"
size
TASS (Independent TASS (Independent
Axle type Round tube (rigid) Torsion style Square tube (rigid)
trailing arm) trailing arm)
Axle rating 2500 lbs / 1134 kg 2500 lbs / 1134 kg 6000 lbs / 2722 kg 3500 lbs / 1588 kg 3500 lbs / 1588 kg
Suspension type Air spring/shock Air spring/shock Leaf spring/shock Rubber inserts Leaf spring/shock
* as tested
54 ** approximate - varies depending on tires, rack components, tent, etc.
Resources
Other trailer manufacturers of note:
Aliner Expedition: aliner.com, 724-423-7440
Tentrax: tentrax.com, 800-488-2022
Jayco Baja: jayco.com, 574-825-5861
Chalet Alpine with Trailboss Package: chaletrv.com, 541-791-4610
Sylvan Sport Go Trailer: sylvansport.com, 828-883-4292
Conqueror Trailers: americanmobileresponders.com, 678-557-1008
Some of these trailers will have limited capability during extended adventures or over technical
terrain. Special Thanks
Special thanks to overland trailer owners
Online information: Andrew Walcker (Adventure Trailers Horizon)
Outback Teardrop Trailer Site: outbackteardrop.com and Mike Schwartz (Kamparoo Vacationer
Expedition Portal Forum: expeditionportal.com/forum Trans-Continental) for traveling to Arizona to
Teardrops and Tiny Trailers Forum: mikenchell.com/forums participate in the comparison.

North America
Lati tude
55
37° N Sinuhe Xavier

http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif
56

57
32° N Jack Dykinga

58

59
40° N Sinuhe Xavier

60
36° N Scott Brady

A Home in Your Pannier
Lightweight tents for motorcycle or 4WD camping
Story and photography

by Jonathan Hanson
61
Photo by Chris Marzonie

I’m always amazed at how many people think a tent shouldn’t cost more than lunch. I first ran into this phenom-
enon when I was leading sea kayaking tours. So many clients showed up with big-box-store
$39.95 dome tents that I considered offering a discount on the trip cost for those with decent
equipment. So monotonously did the evil things collapse in the slightest breeze, splinter their
fiberglass poles, rip out stake loops, and split their screen windows that I accumulated a tent
repair kit of heroic proportions. Fly material was so thinly coated I could easily breathe through
it—infrequent Sea of Cortez rain equaled soaked and grumpy occupants.
Your tent is your single most important piece of camping equipment. True, in mild and
bugless conditions you can do without one, and sleeping tentless is one of the great joys of be-
ing outdoors. But when bad weather hits, the tent is all that stands between you and a miserable
night. And in a survival situation its importance is magnified by an order of magnitude. You can
get by with a poor-quality sleeping bag and a good tent, but the best bag will avail you little if
your tent self-destructs in a driving rainstorm.
So. With quality as job one in picking a tent suitable for motorcycle touring or lightweight
4WD camping, what’s next?
Protecting Against Precipitation

Shelter from rain and snow is usually first on the list of tent functions. This seems like a
simple task: just stretch a sheet of waterproof fabric over the top. But physics throws a wrench
into the system. Humans inside a tent raise the interior temperature through body warmth and
cooking, and the humidity level through breathing and insensate perspiration. When cold rain
hits fabric that is warm and humid underneath, the resulting interior condensation can drip off
the ceiling and soak the occupants nearly as effectively as the rain. In traditional canvas tents,
62 the heavy and semi-porous fabric could both absorb and evaporate much of this; lightweight
synthetic fabrics cannot. So today the standard construction to mitigate condensation pairs a
porous, non-waterproof inner tent, the canopy, with a waterproof fly. The canopy absorbs and
transfers interior moisture to the space between it and the fly, where circulation can disperse it.
Modern single-wall tents employ a waterproof/breathable membrane to achieve similar results
without a separate fly, although such tents are rarely as effective at preventing condensation.
Just as important as a breathable canopy, if not more so, is flow-through ventilation to carry
moisture-laden air out of the tent before it has a chance to condense. The most effective ven-
tilation is achieved if there is a chimney effect: a low vent where cool air enters, and a high vent
through which moist, warmer air naturally rises and exits. Sloped tunnel tents are excellent at
this; dome tents without a peak vent are very poor.
Waterproofing the fly material is generally done in one of two ways. Most manufacturers
coat the underside of the material with polyurethane (PU), and the top with a DWR (Durable
Water Repellent) coating. The PU provides the bulk of the waterproofing; the DWR helps
moisture bead up and run off rather than soaking into the material (the PU is on the bottom to
protect it from UV degradation). However, while PU is very durable, the DWR coating typically
degrades with use, letting the fly soak up more and more water as it ages. This won’t result in
leaks, but it will result in a heavy tent and a greater chance of mildew if you put it away wet.
A more expensive—but significantly better—solution is to impregnate both sides of the
fabric with pure silicone. Unlike PU, which merely coats the fabric, silicone embeds itself in
the structure of the weave, significantly strengthening it. Silicone-impregnated nylon has a very
slick surface that sheds both dirt and water. You can shake out a wet siliconed fly and it will be
nearly dry instantly.

Shrugging Off Wind Floor area is an important consideration, especially if you might be
The next function of a tent is to resist wind. This is best accom- stormbound for significant periods. For two people, I like at least 35
plished with a combination of strong, resilient poles and, at least as im- square feet of floor space, and 40 is luxurious. A vestibule—a floorless
portantly, tautly cut and sewn fly fabric. The sturdiest pole arrangement outside area covered by the fly—is an excellent place to store muddy
in the world will do little good if the fabric it supports sags and flaps. boots or other gear you want protected but not in the tent. You can
In 1975 The North Face introduced the Oval Intention, the first also—with care—cook under some vestibules, if there is enough clear-
commercially successful tent to employ flexed, small-diameter alumi- ance between stove and fly.
num poles (originally arrow shaft material) to support the structure, a The best way to choose a tent is to try one at a shop that will al-
construction method now nearly universal. Tensioned poles go a long low you to pitch it and climb inside, preferably with your partner. Note
way toward removing slack in the canopy fabric and keeping the fly taut. the ease of access and use of space. Lie down and check to see if you
(However, there’s more than one way to support a tent, as you’ll see in the have enough room at your head and feet, remembering that a sleeping
reviews further on.) Despite many attempts, no one has yet made a fiber- bag will add bulk. Check the headroom to make sure both of you can
glass tent pole equal in tensile strength to aluminum. The best aluminum comfortably sit up at once. Lean on the pitched tent to get an idea how
poles generally come from either Easton or DAC, so if you see either well it will resist wind. Pay attention to weight, but not to the neglect of
brand on a pole it’s one indication you’re getting a high-quality tent. quality or comfort—a pound or so won’t matter much if you’re awake
Manufacturers commonly divide tent models into three-season and and grumpy at 3:00 a.m.
four-season—the latter employing more and/or larger-diameter poles, And remember—spend more than you did on lunch.
fewer screen panels in the canopy, perhaps heavier fabric. The only real
disadvantage to four-season tents, besides weight and cost, is that ven-
tilation is often minimal for warm-weather use, when you want to catch
every breeze. Some of the tents here can be opened wide in summer, yet
Testing Procedure
buttoned up tight in winter, maximizing their versatility. I pitched all these tents together on an unseasonably blustery week
Many tents are advertised as “free-standing,” meaning they will stand in southern Arizona, so each had an identical chance to show its mettle
on their own without stakes. However, this almost always refers only to in a blow. I timed how long it took me to pitch each tent from stuff sack
the canopy—the fly usually requires staking, especially if it incorporates to completion after one practice run. Then I spent as much time as pos-
a vestibule. That’s not all bad, because all tents should be staked when- sible living in each over the course of several days, directly comparing
ever possible, not just ballasted with your sleeping bag and Thermarest. features and performance. I also weighed each tent without its included 63
I watched one tent so weighted clear the top of a saguaro cactus when a stakes.
gust caught it on a beach in Mexico. However, one tent in this group is
truly free-standing, just in case you need to pitch your tent on slickrock
or ice.
That brings us to the last component of wind resistance . . . stakes. In
their zeal to reduce advertised weight to the absolute minimum, as well as
to save cost, tent makers almost universally equip their tents with stakes
that are a joke—tiny skewers you can bend with a thumb and two fingers,
or plastic pegs that fold in half when pounded into hard dirt. (Welcome
exceptions in this group included Hilleberg, Nemo, and MSR.) Examine
very closely the stakes that come with your tent, and if they’re sub-par,
buy aftermarket replacements that are suitable for the type of ground on
which you plan to camp.
Layout for Living

The final characteristics to evaluate are ease of use, and living ar-
rangement.
The faster a tent is to pitch in wind or rain, the sooner you can be
under shelter. More tents are now offered with a canopy that is semi-
permanently attached to the fly, so the whole thing goes up at once—a
nice feature that also keeps the canopy dry.

Stephenson 2RSL $500 (depending on options)
Pros:
• Extremely lightweight
• Fast pitch
• Storm-resistant
• Silicone-coated fabric
• Made in U.S.
Cons:
• Must be treated with care
• Marginal headroom
• No vestibule
• Door lets in rain when opened
T
here are several sub-four-pound tents on the market. surface of the inner wall is aluminized. Theoretically this creates a
But not one boasts anything close to the 42 square feet modest insulation layer, reducing the temperature contrast that causes
of floor space offered by the Stephenson 2RSL, which condensation. It seems to work, although excellent chimney ventila-
64 weighs exactly three pounds—probably less than the tion probably contributes as much.
chrome studs on a pair of leather Harley Davidson panniers. Yet the Pitched tail to wind with just three stakes, the 2RSL set up tight
Stephenson’s two-pole, sloped-tunnel design is not only spacious, it’s in a fast 3 minutes, 23 seconds. Twenty-five-mph gusts just rolled off
incredibly strong, known to shrug off 60-mph Himalayan gales. it. Side winds are more problematic, however—while the tent stands
Credit this weight-to-performance ratio to Jack Stephenson, a for- up to them, the windward wall can bow in enough to reduce interior
mer aeronautical engineer. He, and now his son, William, have been volume by a third.
sewing tents and sleeping bags for a small but loyal clientele for 40 Inside, the 2RSL is five feet across and nearly nine feet from end
years. (They also supply an amusing naturist-oriented catalog and web- to end. Stephenson calls the space adjacent the door a “vestibule,” but
site.) Stephenson uses a featherweight, 30-Denier, silicone-impregnat- it’s really just space. Certainly there’s room for all kinds of gear. Head-
ed nylon sourced from the hot-air balloon industry—which explains room, however, is a bit tight; I measured just 37 inches. The SL option
the exuberant color combination on the review tent. Fortunately, more combines a larger door with huge side windows that can be guyed out
muted choices are available. to provide vast screened ventilation, or zipped up for winter use.
Stephenson eschews industry-standard pole design. The 2RSL’s First exposure to the Stephenson’s feathery fabric and poles can
front pole is a fat 16mm in diameter, but very thin-walled. It’s pre- be a bit alarming—it doesn’t seem possible anything so light could be
formed into an elliptical arc, so no stress is induced bending the pole durable. Indeed, the tent should be treated with care. A groundsheet or
to pitch the tent as with most designs (the sections are short enough to footprint is a good idea (and oddly not offered by the company). How-
create no packing problems). The aluminum alloy is a superior 7178T6. ever, given consideration, Stephensons are astonishingly resilient—I
While strong, the poles must be treated with care—step on one and it know a couple of 15-plus-year-old 2Rs still in regular service. A testi-
will collapse. mony to the staying power of both the tent and the company.
Stephenson’s approach to condensation control is also unique: warmlite.com, 603-293-8526
Both the inner and outer wall of the 2RSL are coated, and the outer

Kifaru 6-man Tipi $901 (plus $115 for screen doors)
K
ifaru brought a familiar shape into the 21st century ing some williwaws that slammed through the site on the first test
to create a different approach to wilderness shelter. day. The central pole is heavy-walled aluminum, adjustable to properly
The 6-man Tipi is a floorless, single-wall, ellipsoidal tension the tent. Since it experiences little but compression stress, it’s
pyramid, supported by a central aluminum pole and immensely strong.
15 perimeter stakes. Besides the unparalleled 140 square feet enclosed The Tipi’s fabric is a lightweight, silicone-impregnated . . . fabric.
by its four pounds, nine ounces, the design also provides full standing Kifaru declined to say if it’s nylon, polyester, or some blend. As a re-
headroom right next to the pole. Still not impressed? You can also sult of the coated single-wall construction, the pyramid shape, and the
equip the Tipi with a 3 1/2-pound woodburning stove that folds into lack of peak ventilation, the Kifaru can condense dramatically in cold
a 10 x 12 x 2-inch-thick package—including the seven-foot chimney. conditions. Usually this will simply run down the steep walls, but in a
You have to see it to believe it. wind it can shake off onto the occupants, as I experienced once in the
The “6-man” designation is misleading. Six people could sleep in Bighorn Mountains. Kifaru offers an optional liner to mitigate the prob-
it, but the sloping walls leave the perimeter of the tent usable for little lem. The same construction characteristics that cause condensation in
but fully horizontal humans, or gear storage—albeit a vast amount of cold weather ironically make the Tipi a bit of an oven when it’s warm,
the latter. The actual living area is spacious for two, and easily accom- although the white fabric version should reduce that effect.
modates a pair of Kermit chairs or LuxuryLite UltraLite cots (see the Living with a floorless shelter is easy when it’s tall enough to walk
2008 Overland Journal Gear Guide). This is the tent to have in extended in rather than crawl. A smaller floored tent with a bunch of tracked-in
foul weather conditions: Stoke up the fire, brew some coffee, and grab dust that you have to sit in actually feels dirtier. Only if you mess up and
a book. pitch it in a low spot are you likely to get rain water running underneath.
Pitching is easy, but time-consuming. You must allow the right The perimeter is mostly in contact with the ground, so flying insects are
amount of slack when staking the perimeter, measured using one of not the problem you might think, and you could easily plug any gaps.
the included plastic stakes. Once up—my second try took me 9 min- Sitting in a chair next to a glowing stove in the Kifaru, it’s hard to believe
utes, 5 seconds, not a long time, but the slowest in the review—the you’re in a “lightweight” tent. kifaru.net, 800-222-6139
Kifaru is very sturdy despite its tall profile. It had no problem deflect-
65
Pros:
• Huge floor area
• Standing headroom
• Optional stove
• Lightweight
• Silicone-coated fabric
• Made in U.S.
Cons:
• Very expensive
• Poor ventilation
• Prone to condensation
• Time-consuming pitch

Nemo Morpho $385
Pros:
• Very fast pitch
• Roomy
• Lightweight
• Weather-resistant
• Innovative
Cons:
• No true vestibule
• Marginal for four-season use
J
udging solely from its name, you’d expect the Morpho to be a Inside the 4-pound, 13-ounce Morpho there’s nearly as much floor
far-out design—and you’d be right. Don’t bother looking for space (40 square feet) as the Stephenson, but the higher, 40-inch peak
66 the poles when you pitch this one, because there aren’t any. height actually makes it seem roomier. The fat, three-inch-thick air
The Morpho uses air instead. tubes are well-protected inside sleeves, and don’t intrude noticeably.
Stake out the Morpho’s four corners, then hook up the “Nemoid” There’s no vestibule per se on the Morpho. However, from inside
bellows foot pump to the front air beam valve and start stepping. Like the tent you can open the front screen panel, unclip the nose of the
a green beast emerging from the depths, the tent rises and begins to tent from the fly, and draw it backward, creating a covered, floorless
assume a rigid, sloped-hoop shape. Inflate the second beam and you’re area for cooking. I suppose you could store gear there as well, but
finished. I’ve seen a video of this accomplished in 45 seconds flat, but doing so would reduce the sleeping area significantly. Unclipping the
that was with an already-staked tent—cheating. Starting from scratch section has no effect on the structural integrity.
and moving quickly but smoothly, I had a best time of 2 minutes, 10 I can’t quite decide if the Morpho is a three- or four-season tent.
seconds—still darn fast and easily the best in test. It’s strong enough to resist wind and snow loads, and the single-wall
It all sounds like a gimmick, but it’s not. The air beam structure is half of it smacks of a mountaineering shelter. But the screen front
very strong, and utterly resilient—you can fall on top of this tent and would let in a lot of swirling cold air, and when the front fly is but-
it will pop right back up (just in case, spare air tubes are included). The toned up there’s no peak ventilation at all. On the other hand, the
exterior—a hybrid of single-wall, waterproof/breathable construction screen allows good crossflow air movement on warm nights with both
at the rear and top, and a screen front under a silicone-coated nylon doors tied open. Perhaps three-season-plus is the right description.
nose—vied with that on the Hilleberg as the most wrinkle-free. Pitched One thing’s for sure: The Morpho packs a lot of living room into a
tail to wind it was equal of any tent here in 25-to 30-mph winds, and light and strong package that will have you out of the weather faster
it actually resisted moderate side winds better than the Stephenson, than any tent here. nemoequipment.com, 800-997-9301
although stronger gusts started to push over the beams if I didn’t stake
out the guy points.

Hilleberg Staika $685
H
illeberg, a family-run company based in Sweden (with hook every other fly clip to an alternate pole, resulting in phenomenal
a recent subsidiary in the U.S.), has been producing rigidity. Since the Staika’s footprint is symmetrical, a shift in wind di-
best-quality shelters for mountaineers, canoeists, and rection bothers it not in the least. During my time with it there was
other outdoorspeople for 35 years. They pioneered never an indication from the tent that there was wind, despite some
the concept of linked canopies and flies that pitch in one step, and 30-mph-plus gusts.
were one of the first makers to adopt superior silicone-impregnated The Staika incorporates what I think is an ideal living arrangement
fabrics. for two in a small tent. Floor area is a roomy if not huge 35 square feet,
The Staika (made in the Hilleberg factory in Estonia) is one of but each occupant has his or her own full-sized entrance and an identi-
their most versatile models. It’s a three-pole dome with joined canopy cal, generous vestibule. Despite the aerodynamic shape of the exterior,
and fly. The poles are 10.25mm DAC Featherlight, a little fatter (and the interior side walls are nearly vertical, and sitting headroom is avail-
thus stronger) than commonly supplied with tents this size. The pole able over much of the floor. The ventilation on each door can be var-
ends slide into short pockets around the base of the fly, after which ied from nothing to full screen; in fact in bugless conditions the doors
the upper part clips on, and a separate vent top clips over that. It’s so will open completely the full length of each side, creating basically a
instinctive that my second pitch, in 4 minutes, 15 seconds, was only a shaded gazebo. Effective peak venting should minimize condensation
few seconds faster than the first. Hastening the process is the fact that when you’re buttoned up in a blow.
the Staika is completely free-standing—even the dual vestibules are Quibbles? Well . . . the hooks that hold open the interior doors are
supported completely by the poles. This is the only tent here you could tiny and difficult to operate even bare-handed; with gloves on they’d be
effortlessly pitch on rock, ice, or even soft sand. the target of much cursing. The Staika is the second heaviest tent here
While fully self-supporting, the Staika can also be nailed to the at 7 pounds, 5 ounces minus its included pile of stakes. But you’d have
planet via no fewer than 16 stake loops and included, instantly adjust- a difficult time finding a more versatile, comfortable, and bombproof
able guylines (with 16 included, excellent-quality stakes), to resist even lightweight tent. hilleberg.com, 425-883-0101
a ferocious storm. If that’s not enough, it can also be double-poled:
You can insert an additional set of poles in the existing sleeves, and
67
Pros:
• Extremely storm-resistant
• Ideal two-person layout
• Completely freestanding
• Excellent ventilation
• Made in Europe
Cons:
• Expensive
• Heavy for solo use

Sierra Designs Tengu 2 $259
Pros:
• Low price
• Linked canopy and fly
• Excellent ventilation
• Big vestibule
Cons:
• Three-season only
• Time-consuming pitch
S
ierra Designs has a long history of offering a lot of tent Even on my second try, dealing with the hub, clips, sleeves, and fly ten-
for the money. I’ve totally lost track of the models I’ve sioners, plus the three stakes necessary to tension the two vestibules,
tried and owned, but most performed beyond their price, 6 minutes and 41 seconds had gone by before I climbed inside, the
68 and the Tengu 2 is no exception. It also proves that Sierra second-longest time of the review.
Designs hasn’t simply been treading water selling their perennially pop- Once inside, I found the 32 square feet of floor space adequate,
ular Clip Flashlight. helped by vertical side walls and, of course, the generous outside stor-
The three-pole Tengu 2 boasts the same attached canopy and fly age. The floor was a bit short, however: barely seven feet long under
design as the Hilleberg, and has a similar rectangular floor with dual sloping end walls. If you are over six feet tall this is probably not the
entrances and vestibules. But one vestibule on the Tengu is very large, tent for you. Ventilation is unmatched, as you’d expect with nothing
the other very small—sort of a vestigial vestibule, if you will. The big but screen around you, and a peak vent in the fly helps exhaust warm
one is plenty big enough to store a mound of gear, or cook in when air. One disadvantage to the Tengu’s design is that the canopy cannot
stormbound. The canopy of the Tengu, however, is nearly all screen, be set up on its own as a screen room. However, with both vestibule
keeping it firmly in the three-season category. It’s perfectly strong in doors tied back there’s still plenty of breeze. Skylights in the fly and
wind, thanks to a well-cut, PU-coated fly and variable-diameter (8.5 vestibule combine with the neutral blue fabric to let in pleasing natural
to 9.6mm) DAC poles, but that wide open canopy would be frigid in light.
cold weather. I suspect that with a little practice, one could reduce the Tengu’s
Pitching the Tengu was more fiddly than it should have been given pitching time. For its weight, reasonable at 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and
the unified canopy and fly. The two main poles are joined in the middle price, the lowest here by over $100, the Tengu 2 is a sturdy home for
by a swiveling hub, which frankly was a pain—when positioning one two for spring, summer, and fall trips where the chance of near-freez-
pole in its tab grommet, the hub would transfer movement to the oth- ing temperatures is scant. sierradesigns.com, 800-635-0461
er pole and it would pop out of its tab. If this were my tent I’d remove
the hub and accept the slight loss in strength Sierra Designs claims it
adds. The third, shorter pole supports the fly over the main vestibule.

MSR Elbow Room 3 $450
T
he Elbow Room lived up to its goofy name: It was Room presented a smooth profile to the wind. However, I had to add
hands-down the most spacious floored tent here. De- short paracord runners to each tie-out loop to achieve what I felt was
spite empirical dimensions similar to the Nemo and Ste- proper tension, and I didn’t like the tiny, ground-level, Fastex-style
phenson (40 square feet), the soaring ceiling—well over plastic buckles that attach the fly to the stake loops.
40 inches tall across most of the tent—and near vertical side and end The canopy incorporates screen windows in the end doors, and
walls, added to the light-gathering cream-colored canopy and fly to a large screen window high on each side. Two peak vents in the fly,
create a tremendous feeling of airiness. Admittedly, this tent is sold as a held open with struts, ensure good chimney air movement. The screen
three-person model and it is the heaviest in the review, but its 7 pound, windows are a little too big to consider this tent a four-season design,
10 ounce weight is not out of line with some smaller two-person tents. but they’re high enough under the full-coverage fly that every cold gust
It would be perfectly comfortable for a couple with a small child. won’t be sucked into the tent. You’d be better protected in the Elbow
The Elbow Room follows conventional tent construction: The Room in a freak blizzard than in either the Tengu 2 or the Morpho.
canopy goes up first, followed by a separate fly. The freestanding cano- And of course on warm summer nights you can pull off the fly and
py is supported by two main 9.5mm DAC poles in a standard overhead leave the windows totally open to the breeze.
X shape. These poles slide through sleeves with a pocket on one end, Like the Hilleberg, each occupant of the Elbow Room can claim a
so there’s no walking around the tent to stick the pole end in a tab. A private door and identical vestibule, except they’re on the ends of the
third, 9.1mm pole circles the tent at about shoulder level, pulling out tent instead of the sides, which is not quite as convenient. But if you’re
the walls on clips, and forming an eyebrow for the vestibules on each cooking under one end, either occupant can exit the other end without
end of the tent. Time to erect after one trial was a reasonable 5 min- climbing over a tentmate. Not counting the Kifaru, this is the tent in
utes, 30 seconds, but if it’s raining or snowing, the canopy is exposed which I’d be most happy during a six-hour rainstorm.
to weather until you stretch the fly on the last step. With the minimum msrgear.com, 800-531-9531
four stakes required to locate the ends and side of the fly, the Elbow
69
Pros:
• Very roomy
• Bright interior
• Weather-resistant
• Canopy can be pitched
separately
Cons:
• Heavy for solo use
• Marginal for four-season
use

Conclusions
W
hen I worked for other outdoor magazines as a Of the conventional—i.e., non-tipi—designs, the MSR was the
freelance equipment tester, I was frequently told nicest in which to spend a lot of time. That horizontal pole really does
which products to test—and that often included add elbow room, fully exploiting the generous floor and vestibule
stuff from companies that were good advertisers space. Of course, the MSR is the heaviest tent here by a small mar-
but poor manufacturers. Now I’m free to choose the best candidates gin, but its combination of room, build quality, and right-on-the-edge-
to start with, and that’s exactly what I did here. Each of these compa- of-four-season versatility put it solidly in the running for the Editor’s
nies is familiar to me, and I know from Choice. I can’t find a single reason not
experience that every one produces to recommend this tent.
top-quality gear. There are no inferior The Stephenson is the lightest tent
products here, just shades of excel- by almost two pounds, yet it has the
lence. most floor area. It’s one of the stron-
The Sierra Designs Tengu 2 is gest if kept pitched tail-to-wind, and
significantly the most affordable tent it’s equally comfortable in the warm-
here, and holds its own in quality. Its est or the coldest conditions. Quite a
PU-coated materials are in line with combination of bests. However, no
most competitors, and the DAC poles one can deny that the gossamer 2RSL
are first-class. The bathtub floor is one needs to be treated with care to make it
piece of material with no seams—even last. My minor quibbles lie more in day-
the Hilleberg can’t claim that. The Ten- to-day considerations. I strongly prefer
gu combines reasonable interior room a floorless vestibule for storing wet
with excellent vestibule space, inside a or muddy gear, such as boots or soft
sturdy, wind-resistant structure. It was panniers, out of the weather, and for
let down a bit by the time-consuming cooking in the rain. I’d trade some of
pitch and three-season-only weather the Stephenson’s interior area for some
protection, but if you are not much covered exterior area, and a little more
taller than my five-foot-nine, it’s a solid headroom. The door, while it provides
value. easy access, lets in a lot of water if you
70 The Kifaru is an enigma. It en- have to enter or leave while it’s raining.
closes an enormous area, yet the livable If you can live with those characteris-
part is not that much bigger than some tics, no tent on earth offers more room
other tents here, albeit much taller—the and strength for less weight.
luxury of being able to stand up to The Hilleberg Staika must also be
dress, and use real chairs and cots, can’t evaluated with consideration of its
be overstated. However, the single-wall weight—the second highest here. You
construction and lack of peak venting mean it’s hot in hot weather could carry two Stephensons instead. However, the Staika matches the
and prone to condensation in cold. The latter can be addressed with 2RSL in quality, and betters it in layout, convenience, resistance to
the optional liner, but that would add to the already terrifyingly high abuse, and multi-directional wind stability. The freestanding capability
cost—a fully optioned 6-man Tipi with screen doors, stove, and liner shouldn’t be overvalued, since all tents should be staked when pos-
retails for $1,600. The Kifaru’s 15 required stakes and large footprint sible, but in situations where stakes simply can’t be used the Hilleberg
limit pitching options in some areas, and result in a long setup time. shines, and the feature makes setup a snap. The floor plan is one of
The Kifaru struck me as a luxurious nonconformist choice for cool- the best I’ve seen for two people. The Staika is four-season-capable as
weather camping in habitats where staking is easy, for those who ap- is; double-poling it would render it invulnerable to anything short of a
preciate the made-in-U.S. quality and can afford the price. storm with a name. If the tent is split between two bikes the individual
While it isn’t the least expensive tent, the Nemo Morpho clearly of- load is inconsequential. The Staika earns the Editor’s Choice—it is
fers the most innovation for the money. The air-supported construc- worth every penny of its premium price, and will provide a safe and
tion might not render aluminum poles extinct, but it’s a viable alterna- comfortable haven for years of adventures.
tive, and performs on a par with poled tents. Even discounting that,
the Morpho is a well-made, sturdy shelter that’s light enough for solo
use but spacious enough for two. I’d like to see a model with a proper
vestibule, but that gripe wasn’t nearly enough to prevent me giving the
Morpho our Value Award.

A Second Opinion By Brian DeArmon
I
consider vestibules to be a critical design feature of tents
used for overland travel. Without one, you are brewing cof-
fee in the rain, and either sleeping with your muddy riding
boots inside the tent or hoping whatever you covered them
with the night before didn’t blow away, leaving you with soggy feet for
the next two days.
The Tengu 2 has the vestibule nailed, but the mesh canopy won’t
cut it when temperatures head south. The MSR and the Hilleberg are
both superb tents, but I would give the edge to the Hilleberg for the
slightly larger and more convenient vestibules, and its freestanding de-
sign.
For two people, having separate entrances, each with its own vesti-
bule, is an incredible convenience. After a long day on the trail, when
blood sugar levels are low and tempers are shorter than normal, being
able to pitch the tent and get out of the elements quickly makes life
on the road so much nicer. Equally important is the ability to get to
your own boots and egress from the tent for that 3:00 a.m. nature call
without crawling over your tentmate.
The Hilleberg Staika would add over seven pounds to your pay-
load, but it provides a rock-solid shelter for two, fast set up, easy ac-
cess, good ventilation, and would be an outstanding addition to the
gear list for any trip where a ground tent would be used.
71
Stephenson 2RSL MSR Elbow Room 3 Kifaru 6-man Tipi Hilleberg Staika Nemo Morpho Sierra Designs Tengu 2
Price $500 $450 $901 $685 $385 $259
Weight without
3 lbs, 0 oz / 1.36 kg 7 lbs, 10 oz / 3.6 kg 4 lbs, 9 oz / 2.1 kg 7 lbs, 5 oz / 3.3 kg 4 lbs, 13 oz / 2.2 kg 6 lbs, 5 oz / 2.9 kg
stakes
Floor area 42 sq ft / 3.9 sq m 40 sq ft / 3.7 sq m 140 sq ft / 13 sq m 35.5 sq ft / 3.3 sq m 40 sq ft / 3.7 sq m 32 sq ft / 3 sq m
Number of vesti- Two/15 sq ft / 1.4 Two/19 sq ft / 1.8

None None None Two/22 sq ft / 2 sq m
bules/total area sq m sq m
Number of doors One Two Two Two Two Two
Number of Two/7178T6 Three/DAC 7001T6 Three/DAC 7001T6 Three/DAC 7001T6

One/aluminum/24 Two/Air beams/8.8
poles/material/ aluminum/16 mm, aluminum/9.5 mm, aluminum/10.25 aluminum/8.5 mm to
mm cm
diameter 9.5 mm 9.1 mm mm 9.6 mm
30-Denier nylon/
Fly material/ 30-Denier nylon/ 70-Denier nylon taf- 40-Denier ripstop 70-Denier nylon taffeta/
Unknown/silicone silicone/breathable
coating silicone feta/polyurethane nylon/silicone polyurethane
laminate
Best pitch time 3 min, 23 sec 5 min, 30 sec 9 min, 5 sec 4 min, 15 sec 2 min, 10 sec 6 min, 41 sec

Long-term Review:
The National Luna Fridge
By Scott Brady
T he market is glutted with products designed to a minimum-performance standard,

and incorporating a minimum number of features, with low price as the only ob-
jective. Thankfully, a few companies still refuse to compromise the goal of putting
quality first. In our 12-volt fridge test last year (Overland Journal, Summer 2007), we found Na-
tional Luna to be one of those companies, and a year with the NLR-40 has done nothing to
change my opinion.
The functional requirements of a fridge begin for me when I leave the house. Usually my
first stop is at a market to stock up on drinks, bottled water, steaks, and vegetables. This first
stop highlights two of the unique features of the NLR-40: interior space layout and rapid cool-
ing performance. The combination of a small upper crisper area (with basket) and deep main
storage compartment keeps fruits and veggies from getting smashed, and allows efficient layer-
ing of meats and drinks in the larger compartment. The second impressive feature is the rapid
cooling capability—very rapid. This fridge can bring room-temperature sodas to refreshingly
cold in just over an hour, after which the thick insulation keeps them that way.
Of course no product is without a quibble or two, and the National Luna cannot dodge a
couple of complaints. Most obvious is the complexity of the control panel. Apple was certainly
not involved in the design review, as neither the functions nor their access are intuitive, requir-
ing me to keep the manual tucked in the optional insulation cover. With the manual in hand,
all features are available, but there is no question the process is more complex than turning a
simple dial.
72 Another complaint is one reflected in the original review, which is the lack of a power
switch. Turning off the NLR-40 requires unplugging the cord. Finally, the National Luna carries
a premium price tag, which will understandably give pause to some budget-constrained buyers.
It will be up to the individual to determine if a 30- to 40-percent improvement in performance
is worth the 100-percent increase in price.
The durability, rapid cooling performance, and thoughtful interior layout combine to make
the National Luna the unit I will use in my new Discovery project. Both the classic 5-speed
Land Rover and the National Luna are the perfect tools for my chosen adventures. Available
from equipt1.com, 866-703-1026.
The National Luna

combines technology,
Other Unit Reports
An unusual result of the Overland Journal fridge test was that all of the units tested went
performance, and to homes among our staff, except one: the FridgeFreeze. The Engel found its way into our
conservation vehicle project, where Roseann modified it with nearly every accessory available,
quality construction including a Two-Zone compartment (see the 2008 Overland Journal Annual Gear Guide). The
into a class-leading National Luna has been in use for months at a time keeping elk meat frozen in my garage, and
has accompanied me on two major desert trips in my Jeep Rubicon. The Waeco is now with
fridge. one of our test teams, serving full-time duty in their 4Runner. However, despite the impressive
industrial-strength appearance of the FridgeFreeze, it proved to be the least used because of
its bulk and weight, and in the end it was the unit no one wanted. Proof that function can still
win over style.

Rare Breed:
Toyota Land Cruiser 75-series pickup
Common around the world, a 75-series pickup is royalty in the U.S.
Story and photography by Chris Marzonie
73

I
t’s strange to think of a Toyota Land Cruiser as contraband, sharing a list with ab-
sinthe, Cuban cigars, Sierra Leonean diamonds, and coca. But while 75-series Land
Cruisers are ubiquitous workhorses virtually everywhere in the world, they were
never imported into the U.S. Sighting one here is cause for bootleg-turn maneuvers
to get a close-up view or flag down the driver.
Speculation abounds as to why we have been (and continue to be) denied. Personally, I don’t
buy the argument that “the U.S. market simply won’t support it.” My guess is that it has more to
do with design feasibility and economics as they relate to EPA and DOT standards. Canadians
share our grief to an extent, but they can import foreign vehicles that are at least 15 years old
(we have to wait 25). That means our friends to the north will be able to import a truck like the
one featured here in another five years. Up until a few months ago, Mexico allowed foreign used
cars between 10 and 15 years old to be imported, but a recent change to the law says they must
74 be exactly 10 years old. So, if you live in Mexico and would like to own a 1998 HZJ-75, this year
is your one and only chance.
Toyota introduced the 70-series in 1984, replacing the venerable 40-series except in very
limited markets. The new range was designed to appeal to a broader market, while still retaining
the mandatory strength and reliability for which the 40s were legendary. The lineup started with
the 70 (short wheelbase), 73 (mid-wheelbase), and 75 (long wheelbase) versions. Configurations
1. "Diesel" fuel cap with Japanese characters included cab-chassis and two-door troop carriers (wagons). The production run lasted through
2. Speaker HID lamps
3. Rear receiver hitch with pintle
1998 (the year of our feature vehicle), when the slightly updated 78/79-series was introduced.
4. BFG Mud-Terrains on non-U.S. 80-series The 75 employed a stout, boxed ladder frame chassis with leaf spring front and rear axles.
wheels (Hint: 75-series trucks can be distin- The front and rear differentials were aligned to the right side of the vehicle, along with the
guished from 78/79-series by the 6-bolt pat- transfer case, to allow easy tracking of the lowest points through rough terrain and obstacles.
tern. 78/79-series have a 5-bolt pattern.)
5. Technitop roof tent
The 70s were soon in use by commercial, military, and private interests the world over—with
6. A Viair on-board air compressor with storage the exception of North America.
tank is mounted inside the toolbox So you’ll understand why my jaw dropped when I saw this truck cruising the streets of Moab
7. Diamond-plate toolbox and custom rack with last year. I tracked down the owner, Jeremiah Proffitt of Proffitt’s Cruisers, and he invited me to
mounts for the roof tent
8. 4.2 liter 6-cylinder 1HZ diesel with ATX turbo
visit their shop in Delta, Colorado, to spend some time with the 75-series truck and a few other
9. The windshield has hinges for folding opera- of their remarkable Land Cruiser projects.
tion, but there are no bumpers or latches on According to Jeremiah, the previous owner imported several 75s to North America exclu-
this truck. sively for underground mining operations. They were ordered as left-hand drive, Middle-East-
10. Left-hand drive; Cobra 75WXST CB; and
ARB compressor switch.
specification cab-chassis versions with no body panels or bed behind the cab. Consistent with
11. ARB switches for front and rear air lockers MSHA smog requirements for underground mines, 1HZ 4.2 liter, six-cylinder diesel motors
12. ARB roof rack and Safari Snorkel with pre- fitted with ATX turbo-chargers were supplied. The diesel engines were mated to five-speed
cleaner manual gearboxes and two-speed transfer cases. Four-wheel disc brakes were another nice fea-
ture included with these trucks.

5. 9.
10.
1.
11.
2. 6. 75
3. 7.
4. 8. 12.

. . . sharing a list with absinthe,
Cuban cigars,
Sierra Leonean diamonds, and coca.
76

For whatever reason, the previous owner decided (or perhaps planned all along) to spare
one of the trucks from the tortuous clutches of life in a hard-rock mine, and managed to legally
title the truck for street use. The result is what you see here, as far as we can determine the only Specifications
legally titled 1998 HZJ-75 truck on U.S. soil. • 1998 Toyota HZJ-75 cab-chassis
After enduring what was no doubt a gauntlet of red tape, inspections, permits, and certifica- truck
tions, the owner spared no expense turning the truck into a functional 4WD vehicle. He had • Middle-East spec left-hand drive
a custom stainless-steel bed built and painted to match the cab, including continuation of the • 1HZ diesel engine with ATX Turbo
body lines and angles. He fitted new differentials from Toyota, equipped front and rear with • Five-speed manual transmission
ARB air lockers. The front end is equipped with an ARB bullbar, Speaker HID lamps, and a • Two-speed manual transfer case
• Four-wheel disc brakes
Warn 8274 winch. Other modifications included aftermarket dampers and Alcan springs for the
• Solid (live) front and rear axles
suspension, and a Safari Snorkel with pre-filter. • Leaf spring (spring-under) suspen-
Once out on the streets, the original owner found the truck attracted far too much attention sion front and rear
for his liking. It was subsequently relegated to collector’s status, and warehoused in a metal barn
somewhere in the mountains of Colorado. The barn doors were blocked with heavy equipment
to eliminate break-ins. And there it sat for years. Modifications
Eventually, the owner decided to sell, and contacted Proffitt’s Cruisers. Jeremiah was elated • Legally titled in the U.S.
to acquire such an esteemed example of the Land Cruiser legacy, especially one that was other- • Stainless-steel bed
• ARB air lockers front and rear
wise unheard of in the U.S. market—and one that had only 43,000 miles on the odometer.
• ARB bullbar
Jeremiah inherited many spares with his purchase, including the original differentials, sus- • ARB short roof rack
pension, spare clutch, spare axles, and various other parts. To add his own touches and more • Safari Snorkel
overland capability to the truck, Proffitt installed a diamond-plate toolbox behind the cab, along • Warn 8274 electric winch
with a custom steel rack to accommodate a Technitop roof tent and a custom canvas canopy. • Speaker HID lamps
Atop the cab sits a short ARB roof rack, a useful gear platform for camping with the tent de- • Diamond-plate locking toolbox
ployed. Perfectly proportioned to the body and suspension is a set of 255/85/R16 BFG TA/ • Viair on-board air compressor
KM Mud-terrain tires on non-U.S.-spec FJ80 wheels, although Jeremiah plans to install a set of with tank
factory solid-center split rims to maintain a more original appearance. Likewise, Jeremiah plans • Technitop roof tent by African
Outback Products
to replace the Safari Snorkel with a new OEM Toyota snorkel. (It’s not much different from the
• Custom utility rack (similar to
safari version, but it does have the name “Land Cruiser” molded into the plastic.) original, but with mounts for the
The interior of the HZJ-75 is very utilitarian, just as Toyota intended. Cloth 60/40 bench tent)
seats face a spartan dash, with no power locks or windows in sight. ARB illuminated rocker • Custom soft canvas cover
switches, a Cobra 75WXST CB, and XM radio are simple modifications that match the purpose • Cobra 75WXST CB radio
of the truck as a rugged and reliable workhorse.
It’s interesting to note that Overland Journal’s executive editor, its publisher, and its editorial
For current-year model 70-series
director (myself) have all driven 70-series Land Cruisers at some point or another. We’re very 77
Toyotas on the web:
fortunate to have had these experiences, and I hope the countries who have the 70-series Land toyota.co.jp/worldwide
Cruisers available to them know how lucky they are. I remain hopeful that a 78-series Troop toyota-gib.com
carrier will find its way to my driveway one of these days. Until then, I’ll just have to arrange
visits to Jeremiah’s 75. At least I was lucky enough to get in without paying admission the first
time. After this article runs, who knows?

Images to Make the Heart Sing
A Desert Journey with Jack Dykinga
Story and photography by Jeffry Scott
78

79
OverlandPhoto by Summer
Journal Jack Dykinga
2008
The chill in the morning air belies the fact that in Emerging sharply from the desert floor, the white granite face glows
six months, this will be one of the harshest places in the United States, red as first light skates across the world, and the mass of spines on the
with daytime temperatures soaring to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. But in multi-headed cactus catches hints of the color. Dykinga checks the spot
January, just before the pink band of first light appears on the hori- meter again, then methodically exposes several sheets of film. Within
zon, Jack Dykinga finishes his photographer’s breakfast—coffee and a minutes, the perfect light has passed—and the first half of the day is
chocolate chip cookie—then bundles up in a down parka and climbs out finished. A lifetime of experience, the last 27 years of which have been
of the Four Wheel Pop-up camper mounted on the back of his Toyota spent almost exclusively behind a 4x5 camera, tells him he got the shot.
Tundra. Throughout the years, Jack has traveled here frequently. He knows
When the pink band appears, Dykinga knows he has about 20 min- instinctively how the light dances across the desert. He greets individual
utes to get his 4x5 Arca Swiss camera set up, and the shot composed. plants as if they were long lost friends. This place, the Cabeza Prieta
He’d scouted out the location the night before, knowing how the light National Wildlife Refuge, 860,000 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert in
would play on the Tinajas Altas mountains and the cotton-top cactus he southwestern Arizona, is a place that makes Jack Dykinga’s heart sing.
had chosen for the foreground. “I can only hope that if I can capture the spirit of the place on film,
80
“I’m drawn to holes on the map. Places that are the big empty.
I suppose it’s the solitude, the quiet, and the star-filled nights.”
other hearts will sing, too,” he has said. “I want to go places where people don’t
It is more than making a living that go,” he says. “This truck and camper com-
drives Dykinga; it’s more than the art—it’s bination is quite simply the most impor-
about saving landscapes and preserving tant piece of equipment I own. In order to
wildness. take great photographs of the landscape,
“That’s the whole thing,” he says. “This one needs to live there. I use my camper as
is what you want to do with your photogra- a mobile base camp and office, from which
phy—change the planet.” I can hike or backpack deeper into wilder-
At 65, an age when many men are ness areas.”
thinking of retirement, Dykinga, one of “Both the Toyota Tundra and the Four
the preeminent landscape photographers Wheel Camper are bombproof and totally
in the world, is in his prime. The gregarious reliable. For me, a breakdown means no
bear of a man exudes passion for his craft, time in the field, and that translates into no
the environment, and life. income. This is first and foremost a work
“Advocacy is the driving force in my truck.”
photography. I use large format as a ham- Dykinga lives out of the truck for days
mer,” Dykinga is quoted on the Lowepro or weeks—depending on the location, the
website, one of his sponsors. “The Sono- weather, or the assignment. For him, it is
ran Desert has a sparseness that makes it paramount to spend time in a place, to live
look like a monument, yet it’s full of life— there.
everything from whales along its shores to “You don’t ever get good landscape
pronghorn antelope, in a unique ecosys- photos unless you live there. You really do
tem. There are two Mexican National Parks have to learn the nuance of the land, and
in the Sonoran Desert, but protection on see the light. Then the next day you might
the U.S. side is lagging.” get a picture. In landscape photography,
Dykinga would like to see the Cabeza light is more than mere illumination—it is
Prieta given national park status. He serves the subject.”
on the board of the Sonoran National Park In workshops, of which he teaches
Project, an effort to turn the region into a eight to 10 a year, he preaches light—and
bi-national park on the Arizona/Sonora control. He packs as much into a photo-
border. graph as possible, even if the subject is 81
Sadly, even existing protection on the simple. In an interview on a German blog
U.S. side is suffering, from both the mas- site, Dykinga describes his style this way:
sive tide of illegal immigrants, and from the “I try to move the viewer’s eye through
efforts of the Department of Homeland this rectangle that I have imposed on the
Security to stem the flow and protect the landscape. I do this by using the power of
U.S. from possible terrorist attacks. the corners with radiating bold diagonal
Signs of the strife are everywhere on lines. I strive to create maximum impact
the Devil’s Highway. Border Patrol agents with contrasts in color, texture, subject
drive repeatedly back and forth, stirring matter, and flow of compositions from
up clouds of dust. They stop at our camp very close to infinity. A successful photo is
in the middle of the night, diesel engines one which can be approached on multiple
idling. Worst of all, tracks from both immigrant and Border Patrol ve- levels. For instance, it can be artfully composed, it can document the
hicles arc across the land. Shaking his head as we walk through the desert subject and transmit information, or it can be simply a pleasing juxtapo-
between the good light of dawn and dusk, Dykinga says, “Everything sition of color and texture. The best images pack in the most informa-
changed after 9/11. This was going to be a national park, then Home- tion or create a sense of wonder.”
land Security came in here and ran roughshod.” That sense of wonder is often missing from his students, and society
A rare moment when his enthusiasm is ruffled. as a whole.
Dykinga, whose most recent book, Images—Jack Dykinga’s Grand “To me, that is what’s lacking. The sense of wonder and discovery.”
Canyon, was released in April 2008, spends nearly half the year work- He all too often sees “destination trophy hunters” who see photos in
ing away from his Tucson home. His traveling home is his 2004 Toyota books and magazines, and strive to recreate them. One needs to wander
Tundra TRD Access Cab 4x4, to which he added a 1.25-inch suspension to find what Dykinga is looking for.
lift, Firestone airbags, upgraded Bilstein shocks—and that Four Wheel “I’m drawn to holes on the map. Places that are the big empty. I sup-
Pop-up camper. pose it’s the solitude, the quiet, and the star-filled nights.”

82
Concentrate on seeing the light and your images will stir the soul.

A Chicago native, Dykinga got his 1976, but in 1981 left newspapers behind
start in photography when he won a photo him for good.
contest for high school students in 1960. “I quit without anyplace to go, really.”
He started in newspapers working for the He had the idea of building a business
Chicago Tribune in 1965, but left after a taking people out backpacking and teach-
year because, ironically, they were still using them photography. Not sure how or
ing 4x5 Speed Graphics, and the Sun Times where to start, he went to Arizona Highways
allowed him to use the 35mm Nikons and to see if they would do a story on his ven-
Leicas that interested him. ture, and he ended up with an assignment
In 1971 he won the Pulitzer Prize—the from them. But the magazine wanted large
peak of success for a newspaper photog- format photographs, and he was strictly
rapher—for a series of photos he shot on 35mm. So he borrowed a 4x5 and did the
state schools for the mentally retarded. assignment.
“Warehouses for the unfortunates,” as he “I laid the Kodachrome down on the
described them. light table, and I was addicted.”
Those years in Chicago were historic: Back in our camp off the Camino del
riots, conventions, the upheaval of the 60s Diablo, Dykinga opens up a bottle of red
and 70s—and as a newspaperman Dykinga wine special for the occasion—Casillero
was in the middle of it all. del Diablo—and discusses photography
“The really exciting thing then was Chi- while we enjoy the comfort of his camper.
cago was the epicenter of photojournalism. “Photography is like this continuum
Every day was a contest. That was as good from engineering on one side to art on the
as it got for newspapers. It felt like you were other,” he says. With the advent of digital
changing the planet every day.” images and total automation, “it’s interest-
During those years, he saw a presen- ing how a lot of the basic definitions in
tation of mountain climbing photos by photography are changing.
National Geographic photographer James “Equipment is great, but one’s per-
Stanfield, and thought to himself, I’ve got to sonal vision is everything! Concentrate on
do that. Later he read an article in Backpacker equipment and you’ll take technically good
magazine about Philip Hyde, one of An- photographs. Concentrate on seeing the
sel Adams’s students who became an ad- light and your images will stir the soul. 83
vocate for wilderness, producing several “With today’s cameras, making a well-
books with the Sierra Club that resulted focused, well-exposed image is easy. The
in preservation of wild lands. Hyde would problem is that there is little understanding
become one of Dykinga’s greatest influ- of focal length, shutter speed, and depth
ences. of field. If a photo is good, it just sort of
“That was the seed,” he says. “They re- happens and the understanding it takes to
ally did change the planet.” do it again often is lacking.”
Still at newspapers and now back at What to do? “When you are shooting
the Chicago Tribune, Dykinga was work- landscapes, turn off all your AF, your AE,
ing on a story for the Sunday magazine your AWB. Sometimes the wrong exposure
about a middle-aged man who was going is the right exposure for the mood you are
to climbing school on Mt. Rainier, with the trying to create.”
purpose of fulfilling his dream of climb- Even with experience and knowledge,
ing the mountain. Jack says, “The subject serendipity plays a part—that, and as for
didn’t make the climb, but I did.” farmers, the weather. A slight breeze blows
In an article for Natural History, he added, “A new way of seeing as the prime light rises above the horizon. Combined with the seconds-
opened up to me. The combination of severity and beauty, the experi- long exposures, “This is what nature photographers call a swearing mo-
ence of empty places with no need of people and their baggage, caused ment.”
me to look inward.” The next morning, the breeze is gone, and Dykinga, his effervescent
Back at the Tribune, working in a management position, he’d found smile in constant play, works the light.
himself staring at the “big empty” on the maps of Arizona. He quit, “This was a four-picture day. Count them. I’m going to be high all
and traveled the West before ending up in Tucson. Not quite done with day. It’s like Christmas; you get to open these gifts every day.”
newspapering, he took a job as photo editor at the Arizona Daily Star in As nature gives to Jack Dykinga, his dedication, advocacy, and pas-

sion gives back to nature. As a fellow of lishment of the Grand Staircase-Escalante
the International League of Conservation National Monument in Utah, as well as the
Photographers, he and four other pho- Sierra Alamos National Park and United
tographers became the first ever R.A.V.E. Nations Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. For
(Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition) to his work on the latter, the Mexican World
document the El Triunfo Cloud Forest in Wildlife Fund and Agrupación Sierra Ma-
Chiapas, Mexico, drawing attention to the dre honored him with their conservation
threatened habitat in the quar-ter-million- award.
acre cloud forest, home to 378 species of Wherever the road takes him, Dykin-
birds and over 2,000 species of flowering ga’s drive appears endless. The destination
plants. That work is continuing. A second R.A.V.E, in Baja, Mexico, often remains unknown, until he gets there. Flowers blooming in the
drew attention to a location where an exclusive resort was planned. desert. Dogwoods budding in Yosemite. Any could be enough to force
“Just shining the light on it prevented it,” he says. “All you can hope a detour if the conditions are right.
for is retaining pockets for species to survive.” For if there is one thing the desert has taught him, it is that “we need
His photography and advocacy have been instrumental in the estab- wilderness to feed our souls.”
Jack Dykinga discusses his equipment:

“I have two Arca Swiss F-Field cameras that are a blend of a field camera
Publications
and classic monorail camera. One has a long telephoto bellows, and one has Jack Dykinga’s conservation-oriented books include: Frog
a shorter wide-angle bellows. Mountain Blues; The Secret Forest; The Sierra Pinacate; The Sonoran Des-
ert; Stone Canyons of the Colorado Plateau; and Desert: The Mojave and
I have the following focal-length lenses: 65mm, 75mm, 80mm, 110mm,
150mm, 180mm, 240mm, 300mm, 400mm, and a 120mm macro lens, as Death Valley. He authored and photographed Large Format Nature
well as a triplex lens that is a 360mm, 500mm and 720mm lens all in one by Photography, a guide to color landscape photography. Jack Dykinga’s
changing the rear element. ARIZONA, released in 2004 from Westcliffe Publishers, and IM-
AGES: Jack Dykinga’s Grand Canyon (to be released by Arizona
I work with Fuji 4X5 Velvia film, both 50 and 100 ISO. The important thing to
84 note is the relative information equivalent: 500 megapixels for a single 4X5 Highways in April, 2008) reflect Jack’s love for Arizona. He has
sheet of Velvia scanned at maximum resolution. also collaborated with Mexico’s Agrupación Sierra Madre to help
produce their latest book on the Mexican state of Tamaulipas,
In addition to the 4X5 format I can switch to the 6X12 cm format using 120 printed in both Spanish and English.
roll film. I recently added a Nikon D3 digital camera with a 24mm PC (per-
spective correcting) lens.” Learn more about Jack Dykinga’s work at dykinga.com

On the Jaguar Trail
85
Story by Roseann Hanson, photography by Jonathan Hanson and Scott Brady
Cat conservationists August 31, 1996 – Baboquivari Mountains, southern Arizona. A hot,
muggy summer day, the best kind, when the normally dun-colored hills are
come together in the bristling green and alive with butterflies and flowers and birds, a gift from
what we call monsoon rains. Lifelong cougar hunter Jack Childs, his wife,
Arizona-Mexico bor- Anna Mary, and hunting partners Matt Colvin and Gavin Weller were work-
ing their hounds in these remote, rugged mountains two hours southwest
derlands to find out: Is of Tucson. The terrain is so fractured and steep, it can take hours to cover
just a few miles. The dogs had picked up a scent and were baying hard up
North America ready in the oak-and-juniper-dotted rhyolite crags above. But something sounded
to ensure a future for wrong—the dogs were frantic, their calls more urgent than normal. Two
cougars? Cubs? Scrambling up the scree slopes, the hunters gained the
our biggest cat? ridgetop to find their dogs had treed not the expected mountain lion, but
a large male jaguar—El Tigre stared balefully down at them. As the legend
goes, Jack put down his rifle and picked up his video camera. And his life
Above: Motion-triggered camera captures a jaguar in was changed forever.
southern Arizona (Emil McCain, Borderlands Jaguar
Detection Project).

Clockwise: The team leaves Brown Canyon in the Baboquivari Mountains.
Roseann Hanson and Cathryn Hilker inspect a fresh cougar scrape. A rare
Gila monster, Arizona's only venomous lizard, hissed his displeasure at the
team. A jaguar captured by motion-triggered camera on Mexico's Northern
Jaguar Reserve, courtesy the Northern Jaguar Project.
86
Panthera onca,
the jaguar, is the largest cat in the Western Hemisphere. Males aver- a gutteral, cough-like call that resonates across even forest landscapes
age five to six feet in length and can top 200 pounds. By contrast, (much like a very loud leopard’s call).
male cougars in the Southwest rarely exceed 150 pounds. The cougar Like all cats except African lions, jaguars are solitary, and come
is long and sleek, with tall legs and a smallish head, but the jaguar’s together only to mate; females raise their cubs on their own to an
blocky head sits atop powerful shoulders on stocky legs with large age of about 12 to 18 months. The territories of males might take in
feet. Jaguars are perfectly suited to climbing, swimming, and crawling parts of female territories, but males don’t share territories—they will
in order to capture their preferred prey: peccaries, deer, livestock, and fight to hold their ground. As the cubs mature, males disperse out of
even caimans. Jaguars are “roaring” cats, with a larynx adapted to make their mother’s home range and strike off to find their own stomping

grounds, challenging other males for rights to their land and females. hovered at 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and rain spattered our windshields
Most people relate the jaguar to tropical Brazil or Belize, where it as we headed west on Arizona 86.
has gotten the most press. But historically the range of El Tigre has Brown Canyon was added to the 118,000-acre Buenos Aires Na-
been from the southwestern U.S. to southern Argentina. A science tional Wildlife Refuge in 1995, and Jonathan and I were lucky enough
workshop held in Mexico in 1999 on the status of the jaguar revealed to live there from then until 1998 as volunteer caretakers. It would be
that jaguars have been lost from over half their range since 1900, with great to return, and show the team this sub-tropical canyon with Sierra
most of the loss occurring in Mexico and the U.S. in the north, and Madrean influences—tall sycamores, oaks, junipers, catclaw thickets,
in Brazil and Argentina in the south. Most of the loss is due to defor- agaves and cactuses, rare reptiles and birds such as vine snakes and
estation, conversion of land to other uses, and killing of the cats and gray hawks, and lots of cats, including jaguar, mountain lion, and bob-
their prey. cat. While we lived there, we had five encounters with cougars, and
As one of the top predators in our hemisphere, the jaguar has regularly tracked a single female in whose territory we lived. We knew
been a cultural icon for power and spirituality for millenia. The Maya when she bred, had kittens, and hunted, and had found her kills many
believed the jaguar’s
spotted coat sym-
bolized the night
Our goal was to explore overland along the Arizona-Mexico border,
sky, while Amazo-
nian people believed where jaguars have been recorded
them to be a con-
nection to the spirit
world because of
in the last 12 years.
their reflective eyes. The Aztecs fed the hearts of sacrificial victims to times. And we’re certain we heard a jaguar calling one night in late
jaguars. Today the jaguar is a powerful symbol for wildness, spurring 1996—though at the time we did not know what it was, as Jack’s sight-
passions across cultural boundaries, from environmentalists to live- ing remained secret for some time.
stock growers to scientists to regular citizens. Despite being listed as an I hoped to share a glimpse of a cougar with Kathleen, Lily, and
endangered species in the U.S. by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in particularly Cathryn, who has never seen a cougar in the wild, although
1997, jaguars are still in extreme peril, particularly because we continue she has lots of face-time with cougars: As the trainer for the Cat Am-
to fragment their habitat. bassador program, Cathryn has raised dozens of big cats, from chee-
This is what brought 10 of us together in May 2008 to learn as tahs to tigers to ocelots, all of whom lived at her Ohio farm while
much as possible about the status—and fate—of this incredible preda- learning to be ambassadors for the zoo’s education program. Her cou-
tor that some think might be returning to the American Southwest. gar, Carrie, was one of her first cats.
Our exploratory team comprised myself, a conservation and busi- We set up base camp at the Brown Canyon Environmental Educa-
ness consultant working in North America and East Africa, along with tion Centre, a comfortable stone lodge in the upper canyon, just above
my husband, Jonathan Hanson, executive editor and co-founder of the creek. That evening we sat around the fireplace while winds raged
Overland Journal; Scott Brady, publisher and co-founder of Overland in the canyon walls above and rain fell onto the metal roof, and talked 87
Journal; Jack Childs, retired land surveyer and mountain lion hunter; about how each of us came to be interested in cat conservation.
Cathryn Hilker, founder and director of the Cat Ambassador program “I was a professional horsewoman for years—fox hunting and
and Angel Fund at the Cincinnati Zoo and a leader in big cat conserva- training horses—and then I met a cheetah,” Cathryn said. “It changed
tion (particularly cheetahs); Kathleen Maynard, volunteer with the Cat my life. From then on I dedicated my life to that cat.”
Ambassador program and wife of Thane Maynard, the zoo director; Speaking on the magic of big cats and why they affect us so much,
Lily Maynard, daughter of Kathleen and Thane; Gabriel Paz, Arizona Kathleen said, “Cats like cougars and jaguars are the representations
Game and Fish Department officer; Marisa Rice, senior hydrologist of the wild for us humans. A predator is about life and death. We
with Pima County Water Resources; and Brian DeArmon, education humans have a primal fear of predators; as primates we’re genetically
chairman for the Overland Society, a new service organization aiding coded for this. Even today we’re no more removed than we were in the
conservation efforts through education and four-wheel-drive trans- earliest times from this fear, which is triggered by these predators—
port assistance. and we’ve dealt with it worldwide by exterminating them.”
Our goal was to explore overland along the Arizona-Mexico bor- That is the story of the jaguar in Arizona. In the book Borderland
der, visiting key people involved in conservation, as well as sites where Jaguars: Tigres de la Frontera, authors Dave Brown and Carlos A. López
jaguars have been recorded in the last 12 years and where conservation González surveyed the last 100 years of documented jaguar sight-
efforts are underway—and where the new border wall has been erect- ings—either photographs or skins. There were 65 occurrences. Three
ed. We wanted to learn as much as possible about the natural history were kittens, and 28 percent were female, the last of which was killed
of this elusive cat, its habitat, and interaction with other native wildlife. in the central White Mountains in 1963. A graph of the documented
We began in Brown Canyon, in the Baboquivari Mountains opposite occurrences showed that since 1970, the sightings dropped markedly.
the ridge where Jack and his friends videotaped their first jaguar in The reason is thought to be that in 1969 the state of Arizona passed a
1996. We were on the Jaguar Trail. law protecting jaguars from hunting (including an $850 fine). Prior to
When we picked up the Cincinnati crew at Tucson International that, jaguars were considered pests to livestock growing, and hunted
Airport, the weather was distinctly un-May-like for Arizona: Storm for bounty. So hunting (and thus documentation) both diminished, but
clouds streamed in from the west on a 40-mph gale, the temperature also went secret—it’s unlikely it ceased altogether. When the Endan-

Clockwise: Jack Childs inspects a cat print at a cattle pond. Roseann
Hanson showing claw marks on a big-cat scratching-post log in Brown
Canyon. One of 65 photographs of Arizona jaguars captured by remote
camera by the Borderland Jaguar Detection Project/Emil McCain. A close-
up of the cat print in the first photo that gave pause to the team: big enough
for jaguar, but likely cougar.
88
gered Species Act was passed in 1972, the jaguar was listed in Mexico big cat feces (also called scat) in the middle of the trail—still practi-
but not in the U.S., because it was assumed to be extinct here. One cally steaming, not more than a few hours old. A few paces away was
interesting fact is that there has been no female documented since a scrape—a pile of leaf litter next to the trail that cats such as cougars
1963, and so it’s still widely thought there is no breeding population pile up and then urinate on. These are scent markers or “signposts” to
in Arizona. The nearest confirmed breeding population is in the west- communicate to fellow cats or other species, particularly about terri-
ern slopes of the Sierra Madre, around the Ríos Yaqui and Aros, only tory boundaries. The top of the scrape was still wet.
about 125 miles due south of Douglas, Arizona. Jaguars are still being For the rest of the morning we scanned the hills for signs of a cat,
killed at an alarming rate in Mexico. keeping as quiet as possible. Occasionally a few drops of rain clattered
The next morning we set out early for a hike up the canyon, look- in the trees while the sun played hide-and-seek with clouds. On the
ing for big cats. The sun had just cleared the canyon wall, and we were two-mile hike we found no fewer than 15 scrapes of varying ages, two
still bundled up against the cold wind and threatening dark rain clouds. more older scat piles, and one fallen log that had lots of claw marks
Not more than a quarter mile up the creekbed that is thick with catclaw, on it—a possible big-cat scratching post. Lots of big cat activity—
mimosa, hackberry, and sycamores, we came upon a very fresh pile of most likely cougar, although jaguar was of course a possibility, having

been previously recorded in this area. We also saw several white-tailed is a member of the collaborative Arizona-New Mexico Jaguar Conser-
deer, and sign of javelina—a favorite jaguar food—and human sign as vation Team, which initiated a monitoring project in late 1996 by sup-
well. New and heavily used trails sliced through the rocky hills heading plying five remote cameras to him and to Warner Glenn, a rancher
north to a spring on the other side of the ridge, used by migrants and and cougar hunter who also photographed a jaguar earlier in ’96 in the
drug runners or “mules.” Peloncillo Mountains on the New Mexico border, a different male than
Fourteen years ago there was no migrant activity in the canyon, the one in the Baboquivaris.
but the continued decline in Mexico’s economy and the commensurate Jack and his wife Anna Mary expanded their monitoring efforts in
increase in northward migration, as well as changing Border Patrol en- 2001 to become the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project, seeded with
forcement strategies, have forced more people into the remotest of ter- their own money and later grants from sources such as the Wildlife
rain. Border issues have ignited passionate wars of words—and physi- Conservation Society and the Phoenix Zoo. The Jaguar Conservation
cal conflict—in our region.
Millions of people cross the
border into the U.S. where
they readily find work; many
Of course, it’s not just about jaguars.
are aided by people smug- The big spotted cats, Kathleen urges us to remember, are
glers who charge as much as
$2,500 per person (represent-
‘umbrella’ species, meaning if you protect habitat for an animal
ing an estimated $2.5 billion
in revenue per year). Drug
that uses such a wide landscape, you protect many species.
smuggling is even more mas-
sive, with a smorgasbord ranging from marijuana to heroin to cocaine, Team supported the research and the Arizona Game and Fish Depart-
and now meth. Many billions of dollars’ worth of people and drugs. ment furnished film, batteries, and developing for additional camera
Border residents are sick and tired of the trash, the trails, the human stations. Game and Fish officers such as Gabe are invaluable for assist-
waste, the crime. The borderlands swarm with border agents and their ing with landowner relations, Jack said.
trucks, helicopters, ATVs, check points and guard towers—all adding On December 9, 2001, one of the cameras captured an adult male
to the war zone feeling along our borders. jaguar in Arizona about 6.5 km north of the Mexican border. On Au-
And then there is the border fence. Desperate to show some sort gust 7, 2003, 20 months later, the same jaguar was photographed again
of effort to stem the impossible flood of people and drugs, Congress at another monitoring station 6 km farther north in the same mountain
passed the Secure Fence Act and President Bush signed it into law range—jaguars’ spots are as unique as fingerprints. In 2004, Humboldt
on October 26, 2006—calling for 698 miles of mandatory fencing State University graduate student Emil McCain began his masters thesis
along the Mexico border. Although specific funding for the fence has research on the project. The effort has since increased from 13 camera
been delayed, nearly $1.2 billion in Department of Homeland Security stations to 50, and the search effort encompasses a larger area of more
funds for border security are available. And in April this year, DHS an- remote and inaccessible mountains and includes track and scat col-
nounced it would waive more than 30 environmental and cultural laws lection transects. Between June and December 2004 the Borderlands 89
to speed construction of the wall. Eighty miles of the 12-foot-tall steel Jaguar Detection Project captured 14 photos of jaguars. To date there
barrier have already been built in southern Arizona, seven in the region have been 89 jaguar “events” (65 photographs and 24 sets of tracks).
where the jaguars have been crossing. Jack and Emil have authored the first comprehensive scientific paper
on jaguars at the northern portion of their range—and were the first to
calculate a jaguar’s home range in the Southwest (525 square miles), as
well as to verify the year-round presence of jaguars in the U.S. (Journal of
Mammology, 89(1):1–10). This is an impressive list of accomplishments
“What do you think? Is it cougar?” Cathryn asked Jack Childs. We for a true grassroots effort, compared to the large, staffed organiza-
were crouched in the mud at the edge of Champurrado Tank, a large tions that, despite significant funding, have added little to jaguar science
cattle pond on the southern slopes of the Sierrita Mountains. Two (though plenty to the written material on the need for jaguar conserva-
big cat prints nudged the edge of the water, which was riffling in the tion).
breeze. Our group hiked up into the brush surrounding the tank, in a nat-
A long silence. Too long. My heart leaped—jaguar? They were big, ural terrain “funnel” where one of the trip cameras is mounted to a
and the central pad very large—one of the characteristics of jaguar tree. Cameras capture everything from migrants to wildlife such as deer,
paws. Jack cocked his head. “Probably cougar, a big one, but see how skunks, foxes, cougars, black bears, turkeys, opossum, and bobcats.
it’s slid down toward the water, and the mud exaggerates size.” Jack “I think there could be a viable Arizona population of jaguars, if
gave a tutorial to the group on how to tell different species prints apart, we wanted it,” Jack said. “Obviously, they are here. The nearest core
and then we poured a plaster cast of the print. breeding population is in the Rio Yaqui, only 150 miles away. One the-
Jack and Arizona Game and Fish officer Gabe Paz, who I have ory (about the males in Arizona) is that these are surplus males from
known for 15 years, had met us at the Marley Ranch headquarters, and the core populations, who circulate around a huge region, from time to
we’d bumped over 10 miles of backcountry ranch roads to the tank and time returning to Mexico.”
to see several of the 50 hidden digital motion-sensor cameras that Jack Of course, it’s not just about jaguars. The big spotted cats, Kathleen
and his partners maintain throughout the Tumacacori Highlands. Jack urges us to remember, are “umbrella” species, meaning if you protect

Clockwise: Jaguars in Arizona have proven to be strictly nocturnal (Bor-
derland Jaguar Detection Project/Emil McCain). A purple Santa Rita prickly
pear cactus blooms in Brown Canyon. The 12-foot steel border wall near
Sasabe, Arizona. Jack Childs checks one of 50 motion-triggered cameras
his team has set up and monitors every six weeks.
90
habitat for an animal that uses such a wide landscape, you protect many effects of the fence have been on the southern end of the wildlife
species. Jack said: “If you save the jaguar, you’ll save the cougar, and refuge, keeping out Mexican cattle and stopping smugglers’ cars, both
the wild turkey, and the ’possum. People come to hear me talk about of which were having a huge negative impact on the land, according
jaguars, but I end up telling them about the biodiversity. This jaguar, no to Fish and Wildlife biologist Mary Hunnicut, who we had talked with
matter how much publicity it gets, is not any more important than the earlier. Mary admits that the barrier—which is 12 feet tall with tightly
’possum.” spaced bars—will permanently cut off deer and mammals like cougars
Cathryn, with her characteristic disarming Midwestern directness, and jaguars that used to use this region.
got to the main question we’d all been thinking: “So what about this While we ate lunch in a dense mesquite thicket, our group talked
dumb border fence?” more about the wall. Cathryn’s work in southern Africa to save the
“The impact of the fence is unstudied,” Jack said. Though he ad- imperiled cheetah has many parallels, including barriers. She witnessed
mitted that the main jaguar, Macho B, has not been recorded since first-hand the devastation to wildlife when massive fence barriers were
July last year, when the fence was completed. The immediate positive put up in Botswana, ostensibly to protect domestic animals from dis-

It’s not just about saving jaguars.
ease. Wildlife died by the hundreds of thousands, trapped by the fence.
Cathryn helped establish the first cheetah reserves—huge privately
owned ranches—in Namibia. These, and the research, education, and
outreach they provide, have been instrumental in saving one of Af-
rica’s great cats.
Talk turned to what the immediate future holds for jaguars in North
America. Dave Brown said it well: “We need reservoirs, not remnants.”
Like Cathryn’s Namibian effort, a group called the Northern Jaguar
Project recently raised several million dollars to purchase two ranches
in the Rio Yaqui region where part of the core breeding population
exists—along with ocelots, river otters, military macaws, and cougars.
“[The jaguar] is a living myth. People can embrace this. There is a
joy of knowing they are here—I’ve never seen a polar bear, but it gives
me great joy to know they are there,” Cathryn said.
“Everything here has a right to be here,” Jack said of the wildlife
of our great borderlands. “God put them here for a reason. We need
to give them a chance.”
May 24, 2008 – Arizona-Mexico border, just east of Sasabe. We

stand on U.S. soil looking south into Mexico through the steel bars
of the border wall. It stretches as far as we can see east and west,
12 feet tall. An insurmountable, impermeable barrier to all terrestrial
wildlife—the mule deer, pronghorn, Coues’ whitetail, javelina, cou-
gars, and jaguars. Not an insurmountable barrier to humans—where
we stand are hundreds of footprints where people have dropped down
into the U.S. from the top of the fence and rushed off into the desert
grassland to the north, bound for Phoenix or Chicago or New York,
where plenty of work awaits. The drug smugglers don’t bother going
over; they cart along gas torches. Humankind has built walls as long
as we have been humans, to keep “undesirables” out—Hadrian’s Wall,
the Great Wall of China; and to keep people in—the Berlin Wall, the 91
walls of the Warsaw Ghetto. But they do not work. The walls always
come down.
Our border wall will not last, believes Dr. Peter Warshall of the
Northern Jaguar Project. Like all others, he said hopefully, it will come
down. But it will take time before any resolution will solve our border
woes enough to bring down the wall. And by then, will it be too late for
southern Arizona’s jaguars? I am left to wonder how we can ensure the
future of our rarest cat and its brethren, the cougars and the many ani-
mals of the borderlands, if we do complete a 700-mile barrier across
G
the borderlands? Like Dave Brown said, we need reservoirs, not rem-
nants. I’m personally hoping future generations will be able to thrill to
the knowledge that jaguars still roam free in the Southwest.
Diversity demonstrated by
motion-trigger camera:
Good fences make good neighbors, wrote Robert Frost Black bear, bobcat, cougar,
in Mending Walls . . . Before I built a wall I'd ask to know / What I Coues' whitetail deer, Mexican
opposum, wild turkey, coatis
was walling in or walling out, / And to whom I was like to give offence. (Borderland Jaguar Detection
/ Something is there that doesn't love a wall, / That wants it down.' Project/Emil McCain)

Cast of Cat
Characters
Cathryn Hilker
Cathryn Hilker’s life is filled with Kathleen and
animals. Now in her 70s, Cathryn Macho B Lily Maynard
grew up on an Ohio farm, where This 13-year-old tigre started it all Kathleen Maynard is a writer, a
she still lives, and is an avid horse- Jack Childs when his meal on a rocky ridgetop film producer, and the mother of
woman. Adventure has long been Born in Iowa in 1942, Jack moved in the Baboquivari Mountains was three daughters. She has studied
in her blood. In 1955, a year af- to Tucson with his family when interrupted by Jack et al in 1996. birds of prey for 25 years, and
ter finishing college, she drove he was nine. After high school, he He was not seen again in Arizona big cats, specifically cheetahs and
across the Congo in a Studebaker worked as a land surveyor until until 2004, when he reappeared in cougars, for the past eight years.
pickup, with a baby gorilla in her retiring in 1993. His wife, Anna a now-famous photo sequence: She tries to teach Cathryn Hilker
92 lap. As well as raising her son, Mary, is a retired teacher and The jaguar known as “Macho about birds of prey in exchange
Carl, she spent the next several avid outdoorswoman who enjoys A” was photographed on June for the deep and life-changing
decades training horses and vol- riding mules and tracking with 25, 2004 at 8:47 pm; four hours connections to a cougar named
unteering at the Cincinnati Zoo. Jack. They have two grown chil- later, Macho B passed the same Sage and a cheetah named Bravo.
In 1980 she jumped at an oppor- dren, 10 grandchildren, and two camera, on the trail of Macho A. She works for the Angel Fund as
tunity to start an education pro- great-grandchildren. The Childs’ Macho A has not been seen since. a writer and project manager, and
gram for the zoo, giving visitors a encounter with “Macho B” the Over the next three years Macho one day hopes to glimpse the rare
chance to meet animals up close. jaguar changed their life, cata- B has provided us with a wealth Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis)
Her first charge was Angel the pulting them into jaguar research of information: he is now at least in the wild. Lily Maynard is an
cheetah. The program was hugely in Arizona, in Brazil’s Pantanal, 13 years old; his home range is at avid explorer: she has kayaked
successful; Carrie the cougar was and Mexico’s Sierra Madre. Jack least 525 square miles; he is part the Boundary Waters, hiked and
added, and then a tiger—and the is author of Tracking the Felids of of a population of jaguars that kayaked in Alaska, and has led
Cat Ambassador Program was the Borderlands. He and Anna Mary utilize southern Arizona up to hiking and kayaking trips on Isle
born. Cathryn continues to lead founded the Borderland Jaguar 50 miles north of the border in Royale and the Upper Peninsula
the program, raises money for the Detection Project in 2001 and every month of the year; he has of Michigan. She grew up at the
Angel Fund to benefit cheetah have conducted jaguar surveil- been documented 81 times (57 Cincinnati Zoo, where her father
conservation and other projects, lance and research for the Arizo- photos and 24 tracks) in a wide is the director. Lily is studying bi-
and zips around Cincinnati in her na-New Mexico Jaguar Conser- range of habitats and elevations; ology at Smith College; she drives
Subaru with FELIS 1 plates. On vation Team since 1997. Their and he is nearly strictly nocturnal. her parents’ Subaru Forester but
choosing a life of meaning and book Ambushed on the Jaguar Trail: Sadly, Macho B has not been seen admits one of the highlights of
adventure, Cathryn gives sage ad- Hidden Cameras on the Mexican Bor- since July 2007. We hope he’s the Jaguar Trail trip was driving
vice: “All you have to be is willing der will be published this year. just enjoying a nuptial stop down Scott Brady’s cool new Jeep Ru-
to work hard.” south in one of the reserves. bicon.

93

From left: Lily Maynard, Kathleen Maynard,
Roseann Hanson, Cathryn Hilker, Scott
Brady, Brian DeArmon, Marisa Rice; photo
by Jonathan Hanson.
Map, courtesy the Northern Jaguar Project,

shows the extent of jaguar sightings, the two
newly purchased private and existing federal
reserves in Mexico, and suitable jaguar habi-
tat. Our “Jaguar Trail” took us from Tucson
94 west to the Baboquivari Mountains, on the
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, east
to the Sierrita Mountains, south to the bor-
der town of Sasabe, and then back to Tuc-
son via the town of Arivaca and the famous
Ruby Road. Forest land, the 25 miles wind
through rock canyons and oak-dotted hills
deep in jaguar country. Four-wheel-drive
side roads abound, offering plenty of remote
camping and hiking, though it is drug-smug-
gling country and camping is probably best
closer to Peña Blanca Lake. Contact Coro-
nado National Forest for more information
(see Resources).
Resources
Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project swjag.org
Northern Jaguar Project northernjaguarproject.org
Wildlife Conservation Society and Panthera Foundation savethejaguar.com, panthera.org
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/
buenosaires
Coronado National Forest fs.fed.us/r3/coronado (click on the map, the Tumacacori Highlands are
west of I-19; click “Scenic Drives” and “Ruby Road”)
Special thanks to support from: Overland Society, overlandsociety.org; Buenos Aires NWR, Bonnie
Swarbrick and Mary Hunnicut; Zamberlan Boots, zamberlanstore.com

95
sierra expediitons ad - .5 page
Photo
Overland by Jeffry
Journal Scott 2008
Summer
DISCOVERIES Great finds from around the world
By Roseann Hanson
A modern oasis with a foot in the past—

Nipton still serves overland travelers in the Mojave Desert after 100 years
We secured a campsite for our truck and tent (less than $20, includ-
ing a fire ring and access to the sauna, showers, and a hot tub under the
stars; also available are tent cabins with woodburning stoves, and B&B
accommodation at the hotel) and then headed to the Whistlestop Oasis
to check out the grub, figuring that’s what it would be in the middle of
one of the largest desert wildlands in North America.
“I’ve got two burgers left—been kinda busy today,” we were told by
Bill Sarbello, a sort of biker-Uncle Sam lookalike who it turned out was
the owner, chef, waiter, and busboy. And not in a hurry, which was fine
with us. A couple at the next table informed us the food here is actu-
ally famous. We sipped our cold Becks and enjoyed the homey atmo-
sphere—wood paneling, sofas, and photographs, particularly of trains.
The hamburgers were astounding. Over the next four days we en-
joyed dinners ranging from enormous glazed pork chops to shrimp
scampi. Forget the menu—just ask Bill what he recommends. You won’t
be sorry.
T
Our explorations showed us that this region is one of the finest on
he amenities have certainly changed—I doubt they had the continent for backcountry adventures by foot, 4WD, and motorcy-
saunas, panini, and Wi-Fi in 1905—but the purpose re- cle—yet just an hour from Las Vegas or five from Phoenix. The Mojave
mains the same for the hotel, trading post, and restaurant National Preserve is just south of Nipton; to the west is Death Valley
96 in the tiny hamlet of Nipton, right on the Nevada-Cali- and Nevada’s Old Spanish Trail; and to the east and north Nevada’s New
fornia border on Highway 164. Throughout the 19th century, tired trav- York Mountains, Lucy Gray Mountains, and Lake Mojave.
elers stopped at “Camp Nippeno” to refresh themselves at this point We explored Joshua tree forests and rock landscapes so beautiful
where two overland wagon routes crossed in the Ivanpah Valley. By they appeared to be professionally maintained—and saw more sign of
1905, when the railroad came through and established a “whistlestop,” mountain lions than we did people.
there was a hotel and trading post. In the evenings we sluiced off the trail dust with hot showers,
When we rolled in one morning last December, the parking lot of then enjoyed cold drinks, great food, star-filled skies and the romantic
the Nipton Trading Post was packed with bright orange KTM motor- sounds of trains passing in the night (okay, it was pretty loud—bring
cycles fresh off a KTM Adventure Tour, a rental Harley piloted by a earplugs)—an atmosphere not much changed after a hundred years.
Japanese couple, a dune buggy, and several nicely outfitted 4WDs. nipton.com, nps.gov/moja, nv.blm.gov, travelnevada.com
Photo courtesy KTM.com

97

98

OVERLAND CONSERVATION Roseann Hanson
it’s wrong to trash the planet. This is just plain

horrifying. We recently tried out two fine al-
ternatives. Klean Kanteens are made from Containing Oil Spills
food-grade stainless steel that is non-leaching
and toxin-free, and they come in 12, 18, 27, Not the Exxon-Valdez, but your own oc-
and 40-ounce sizes with wide mouths that casional mishaps—like in your driveway
accommodate ice cubes. One complaint: the when your dog knocks over the used-oil
wide mouth does make it hard to sip while container before the lid’s on, or on the trail
on the move (resulting in suspicious-looking when a spiky rock perforates your oil pan
wet marks in one’s lap) and the pull-top thingy or a container of spare oil splits in your tool
is just too hard to drink from without being box. Don’t leave it there—oil is toxic as well
Green Water able to squeeze the bottle. I’d love to see a sip-
straw option like that on CamelBak’s excel-
as alarmingly soluble and flammable. Best
to clean it up safely and thoroughly. Ab-
Although research has yet to confirm the ex- lent Better Bottle, which we also tried. As of sorbentsonline.com offers portable kits as
tent to which soft-plastic (such as PET) and April this year, CamelBak’s plastics are BPA- well as larger kits for your garage, including
hard-plastic (such as Nalgene) water bottles free (bisphenol-A is the chemical in question sorbent pads and socks, and a safe plastic
leach harmful chemicals, there are still good in hard-plastic water bottles)—perfect for disposal bag, for under $30. Actually, this
reasons to reduce or better yet eliminate plas- water. These bottles are easy to drink from, company also sells cleanup supplies for the
tic containers in our lives: 14 million tons of have strong loops on the top, and are narrow big stuff, like the 11-million-gallon Exxon-
plastics were dumped into U.S. solid waste enough to fit into vehicle beverage holders. Valdez disaster. absorbentsonline.com
facilities in 2006 alone. That includes 50 bil- camelbak.com, kleankanteen.com
lion water bottles, folks—up 10 percent over
the last two decades despite the fact we know
Eco-Overlanding Noteworthy efforts around the globe

99
Superlight and streamlined roof tent field report: let go, watch tent pop up on hydraulic shocks, pour a Côtes
In the Spring 2008 issue of Overland Journal we report- du Rhône and pop a Bass. Done. We’ll report further on
ed on the Conservation Project Vehicle’s journey to this tent in a future issue, giving it a thorough overland test
TLC4x4 in California for a diesel makeover. To get it for economy comparison, durability, dust-proofness, ven-
there, we drove from southern Arizona to Los Angeles, tilation, and comfort. Will the carbon-fiber flex too much?
stopping to camp in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge Is one latch enough? Are the windows too fussy? Time will
near the Colorado River. This was the perfect chance to tell, and we’ll report. autohomeus.com
try out our new AutoHome Columbus Carbon (small
model). Weighing an astonishing 73 pounds (33 kg), the
51 x 83-inch (130 x 210 cm) carbon-fiber-shell tent fit
perfectly on the Land Cruiser across three Thule sport
rack bars—installation took about 30 minutes. The tent
sits just 11-3/4” (30 cm) tall. We wondered about how
it would affect highway mileage, and were surprised to
record 16 mpg even with a tired and piggy 2F engine
(we re-did the math three times). Camp set-up was mea-
sured in seconds: step to back of vehicle, unclip latch,

OVERLAND MEDICINE Dr. Ed Beggy
Don’t Faint—it’s Just Blood

How to deal with the most common field
injury, and keep your cool when all around
you are losing theirs
T
here’s something about the covering a large area should be covered, not
sight of leaking Type O Posi- only to reduce fluid loss but also the risk of
tive that can induce quivering infection. A semi-permeable dressing such as
indecision in otherwise com- Tegaderm will allow the wound to breathe
petent humans. But cuts and scrapes, or lac- adequately. If the abrasion shows impacted
erations and abrasions in medical parlance, debris such as dirt, irrigation with a syringe
are the most common injuries we encounter and a non-toxic surfactant such as ShurClens
in the field, so the ability to deal with them— will help wash out the material. If necessary
minus the hysteria—is paramount. a clean gauze pad can be used to lightly scrub
The vast majority of cuts or scrapes are the area.
minor, and will heal quickly even if left un- What about antibiotic ointments? It de-
100 treated. But more serious lacerations can be pends on whom you ask. Personally, I like an
life-threatening, and medical help might be abrasion to dry and form a scab quickly. The
out of practical reach. It is up to you and your body does an excellent job sealing abrasions
travel companions to assess the damage and and preventing infections. Why not let it do
deal with it effectively. its work?
An abrasion describes a loss of the up- For large abrasions, especially the deeper
per layers of skin, usually by scraping across a ones that need to be covered, I apply plenty
rough surface. It may be a simple scrape on a of antibiotic ointment; not so much to pre-
knuckle when a wrench slips, or much larger, vent infection as to prevent the gauze from
as might occur in a fall down a rocky slope. sticking. If you’ve ever peeled off gauze that
Most abrasions will form blood clots and has stuck to a wound you’ll know what I
stop bleeding more quickly than lacerations. mean.
This is the result of chemicals within your Lacerations are slices through tissue.
cells called clotting factors, which are released They may be straight and fairly clean, as from
when cells are crushed and damaged. A lac- a knife, or ragged and dirty from a fall. Ei-
eration damages fewer cells and to a lesser ther way, one must assess the damage and de-
degree, so less clotting factor is released. termine a treatment plan.
An abrasion damages far more cells, crush- The first thing to do after a laceration is:
ing them and releasing more clotting factors, don’t panic! Most people instinctively grab
thus speeding clot formation. the wound or place a finger over it to stop the
Most abrasions require only a good clean- bleeding. That’s okay, but find a clean cloth,
ing with soap and water, and a bandage. Small bandage, or even a tissue to replace that dirty
abrasions may not even require the bandage, finger. Take a few minutes to let clotting be-
but large abrasions and multiple abrasions gin and regain your composure.

There are good reasons why Eezi-Awn is one of the most respected manufacturers of overland equipment.
Since its inception 25 years ago, the name Eezi-Awn has been synonymous with quality. From rooftop tents
to retractable awnings, Eezi-Awn’s dedication to exceptional service is evident in all the equipment we
produce, sell locally, or export to many countries around the world. Eezi-Awn is beyond comparison.
Remember that long after the sweetness of price is gone, quality prevails.
101

Now peek at the wound. Still bleeding? Wait a bit longer. Or, try biopolymer found in shellfish that forms a tight seal when activated
applying a little downward pressure on one or both sides of the wound by contact with blood. Persons with shellfish allergies could exhibit a
to pinch off the blood vessels that are bleeding. This may take a couple negative reaction to these products. All hemostatic agents should be
of tries to find just the right spots, but is a very handy trick. kept well away from mucus membranes—eyes, nose, and mouth.
The magnitude of bleeding should be assessed during this in- Some concerns have been raised about the solidified “mess” left
spection. A serious, deep laceration, or a massive abrasion with tissue in the wound by these agents, which can require surgical removal. Per-
loss, may have damaged the arterial blood supply, the higher-pressure sonally, I think it’s a moot point. I suspect most people would rather
supply side of the circulatory system. If blood is spurting out of the be alive with a “mess” in their wound than dead from blood loss. Nev-
wound, pumping in time with the victim’s heartbeat, you might have ertheless, these products should be used with care and full attention to
an arterial bleed. If blood soaks several gauze pads in a few seconds, the instructions and warnings, and only when all other efforts to stem
consider this confirmed, add plenty of gauze dressings, elevate the bleeding have failed.
wound if possible, apply direct pressure, and promptly transport the Another type of wound deserves mention: the puncture. A punc-
victim to a medical facility. ture is an in and out laceration. A screwdriver in the palm of the hand
The location of a laceration is also important to consider. A relais a good example (don’t ask how I know this), so is a typical animal
tively shallow laceration over the beefy part of the leg or arm rarely bite. Clean and dress but avoid closure for small punctures, especially
presents major concerns. However, a similarly shallow laceration over animal bites, which have a tendency to become infected. Most animal
the wrist or hand may damage critical nerves or tendons; a laceration bites are allowed to remain open to drain, and heal on their own. Be
near the eye, the tear ducts. Improper care of either may result in a particularly alert for complications if the puncture is very deep, or in a
permanent deformity or disability. Prompt medical attention is recom- critical organ area such as the abdomen.
mended. Lacerations in other areas may have similar complications, Once your wound has been cleaned and treated, it is important to
but are too numerous to elaborate in this short article. When in doubt, monitor for signs of infection. Increasing local pain associated with
get it checked out. swelling, drainage, and redness are cardinal symptoms of infection,
Once the bleeding is controlled, look again. Is the laceration com- though not all are necessarily present early on. If you suspect infection,
pletely through the skin and exposing the underlying fat? If so, then seek medical attention.
optimally it requires a closure: sutures, staples, or perhaps glue; which Keep your tetanus immunization up to date. Boosters are given
one depends on the skill and experience of the help available. In all every 10 years for clean wounds, but five years for dirty, deep wounds.
cases, primum non nocere (first, do no harm). Don’t attempt something If your wound is the result of a mammal bite, you may need a rabies
for which you are not qualified. Better to simply bandage a wound and vaccination—almost certainly so if it was from a wild animal that could
allow it heal on its own than to attempt a closure, damaging underly- not be caught for examination. Seek medical attention immediately, or
ing tissue (e.g., nerve or artery), or close in an infection, creating an start a list of the people you want to bite.
abscess. Expert treatment of serious lacerations or abrasions is obviously
For shallow, short, otherwise clean lacerations, one field option beyond the scope of a two-page article. To further your knowledge
is 3M’s Steri-Strip, a three-inch-long, fiber-reinforced tape strip that and skills, consider taking a Wilderness First Aid or First Responder
102 spans the laceration and pulls the edges together. The skin must be course.
clean and dry for proper adhesion. Tincture of benzoin is often ap-
plied to the skin edges to create a better bond with the Steri-Strip.
A relatively new concept in laceration closure is the use of cyano-
acrylate adhesive. Although it’s the same stuff as Super Glue, only the
Special Thanks
Thanks to Dave Bennett, for additional expert review of the medical column.
brand Dermabond has been approved by the Food and Drug Admin-
istration for medical use, and only in shallow lacerations, not subcuta-
neous tissues. FDA approval notwithstanding, I have an index finger
that is happy I had an unopened (i.e., clean) tube of Super Glue handy
one weekend a couple of years ago. Don’t try this at home. I am a
trained professional.
Resources
Most of the bleeding wounds we have discussed are easily con- QuikClot: z-medica.com, (203) 294-0000
trolled with simple direct pressure and a little time. But serious wounds Celox: celoxmedical.com, 44 (0) 1270 500019
can be life threatening. If standard measures do not work, it may be HemCon: hemcon.com, (877) 247-0196
time to use a hemostatic agent—a chemical or material that promotes Dermabond: dermabond.com, (877) DERMABOND
clotting. The clotting process is very complex, but several products Steri-Strip; Tegaderm: 3m.com
have been developed that rapidly accelerate clotting through some- ShurClens: available from many first-aid supply companies.
what different mechanisms.
QuikClot rapidly removes water molecules from the blood, causing
a concentration of clotting factors and speeding the formation of clot.
Although initially a granular product, it has since been released in im-
proved sponge form. A drawback in the past has been the production
of excessive heat, but this has been mitigated in newer products.
Celox and HemCon bandages are both based on chitosan, a natural

Safari Drive ad - .5 page
103

Snow Peak IGT BBQ Box
When prime rib-eye is on your menu, this barbecue is the right choice
W
e all love good equipment, but certain things go beyond necessity and into
the realm of passion. For me a charcoal-fired barbecue definitely counts
as a passion. There are disadvantages to charcoal, to be sure, but nothing
can touch it for flavor, and for me that flavor is worth the inconvenience
involved in storing briquettes and disposing of ash.
My quest for the best portable charcoal barbecue ended when I found the Snow Peak IGT
BBQ Box, which offers an ideal combination of excellent quality, compact dimensions, precise
heat control, and easy cleanup. The construction is robust, starting with a stainless steel main
box and a removable briquette tray. The tray has three positions, which allow, say, a fast sear
followed by a lower heat for finishing. The lever that changes the height gets very hot and is
impossible to adjust with bare hands. Fortunately, my multi-tool does the trick.
The tightly spaced grill design will seem strange to Weber owners, but the advantages
quickly become obvious. Never again will you watch in horror as a jumbo prawn slips between
the bars and lands in a cloud of ash. I now fearlessly toss shrimp, steak strips and sliced veg-
gies on the grill surface.
The entire assembly packs up into a 9 ¾ x 14 x 5” package, and weighs 11 pounds. The
compact dimensions make it easy to find a place to store the unit, but the resulting grill area
does limit portion sizes to about four people.
I like using the Snow Peak grill so much that is has completely replaced my big home Cole-
man grill, which now sits rejected in a corner of the patio, collecting spider webs. Available
from expeditionexchange.com, 310-618-1875
104
Argentine Rib-eye with Chimichurri

Rib-eye: Choice or Prime, aged for three to four days in the refrigerator. Add liberal amounts
of sea salt to both sides. Grill over a hot bed of coals and mesquite chips (if necessary, soaked in
water). Typically five to seven minutes per side, turn only once.
Chimichurri Preparation:
1 bunch of fresh parsley, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice from one lemon wedge
1 teaspoon course black pepper (fresh ground preferred)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Mix contents in a bowl and let sit for a few hours in the fridge for the flavors to blend and enhance.
Use as a topping for steaks and game meat after they are cooked.
Recipe provided by Felipe Negritto, an Overland Journal reader from Argentina

VIKING
O F F R O A D
vikingoffroad.com
Early Jónsson fam

ily overland trip.
1951 in a convert North Iceland
ed 1942 U.S. mi
litary Ford GP.
Stuck?
We've got you covered
105
Available at:

Classic Kit Stephen Bodio
106
The Naturalist’s Gun
A tool of explorers, scientists, adventurers, and rogues
C
olonel Richard Meinertzhagen efficient small-bore. A short section near
probably had the best one. the muzzle of each barrel was rifled to sta-
The celebrated soldier, spy, bilize a solid slug (a system called by H&H
and hoaxer, one of the more a “Paradox”). Thus it could be used as a rifle
flamboyant productions of the late British for animals up to the size of modest deer, or
Empire, was best known for his adventures, as a shotgun suitable for collecting birds as
diaries, and outspokenness (when introduced small as swallows without ruining their value
to T. E. Lawrence, who was wearing spot- as specimens.
less white Bedouin robes, he was said to have Such a product from a world-renowned
asked, “Whose little dancing girl are you?”). maker was expensive even when the colonel
But he was also an ornithologist of deep bought his in 1920—duplicating Meinert-
knowledge and vast collecting experience, if zhagen’s H&H Royal today (and you could,
occasional dubious probity, and he had the exactly) would cost over $100,000. But there
wealth to acquire the best tools for the job. was a huge market for this kind of gun—in
A naturalist’s gun should be just big enough all price ranges—from roughly the mid-19th
to get the job done, small enough to take century until World War II.
anywhere and to use on small birds as well It was the age of the gentleman amateur
as larger mammals, and of reliable quality. naturalist. Few, to start, were professional sci-
His choice was a Holland and Holland Royal entists, who barely existed as such; some were
side-by-side in 28 gauge, perhaps the most professional collectors like Alfred Russell

107

Wallace; others were colonial administrators, or slugs, but versatile enough for birds and Armed with all this data, I decided, as
missionaries, military men, explorers. Virtu- the pot with light loads. Fair enough, if you a proper modern heir to the tradition, that
ally all, from Darwin on down, were hunters; are hunting near home, need to use it for self I needed one. Unfortunately I was about
most were also keenly interested in insects defense, and carry a lot of weight in ammo. $99,600 short of a Meinertzhagen replica.
and botany. They fed the insatiable appetite But the most common bore used in natural- No matter—I had discovered a naturalist’s
of museums and universities for skins or ist’s guns was the .410 (actually a .45 caliber— gun derivative much cheaper, but just as in-
stuffed specimens to add to the burgeoning don’t ask), often derided by professional gun teresting: the folding gun. Picture a typical
catalog of new species being discovered in writers as a “toy.” break-open shotgun, except that instead of
the farthest corners of the globe. Well: It depends on what you want to do. opening just far enough to eject and insert
They were an unusual lot. Many, whether When journalist Peter Fleming, Ian’s much- cartridges, these folded completely in half.
wealthy or not, were well-born; virtually all less-famous but much-more-adventurous Explorers could tuck them into a trunk or
seem to have been literate writers. A very brother, walked across Xinjiang in 1935, he suitcase; poachers would hang them on a
partial list would comprise Darwin, Wallace, took only the rifle equivalent, a rook rifle; this hook under their coats.
and Bates; myriad English soldiers, adven- I found one in the online catalog of
turers, plant collectors, big game hunters, my friend Glenn Baker at Woodcock
and civil servants, from Arthur Neuman Hill, in Pennsylvania, for about the price
(collector of butterflies and illegal ivory) of a modern pump action—a folding
to novelist, ornithologist, and Burmese single-shot .410 by W.J. Jeffrey of Bir-
official J.K. Stanford, sheep hunter Doug- mingham, circa 1930. Glenn thought
las Carruthers, Meinertzhagen and his it might be a Belgian action finished in
Indian associate Salim Ali, the Russian England, but expert gunsmith Jack Rowe,
Nikolai Prjevalski and the French Jesuit formerly of London but now resident in
Peré Armand David. Americans included Enid, Oklahoma, assures me that it was
the prolific nature writer William Beebe a genuine article, made by Ward and Son
and his friend Theodore Roosevelt, as in St. Mary’s Row and finished by Jeffrey.
well as Roosevelt’s sons. Aldo Leopold’s It weighs four pounds—half a typical
son Starker was collecting in Mexico as modern 12-gauge—and has a wrist (grip)
like the stem of a wine glass. The most
common adjective I hear applied to it is
Picture a typical break-open shotgun, except that “feminine.” I find that if I go out with
the dogs for nothing in particular it is the
instead of opening just far enough to eject and insert gun I reach for. Why not? . . . it weighs
108 four pounds.
cartridges, these folded completely in half. It has provided our kitchen with plen-
ty of rabbits and a few birds, and there
are literary antecedents for that too. In the
winter of 1940, a young Patrick O’Brien,
late as the 1950s, and I was taught population despite danger from everything from bandits long before the success of his Aubrey-Matu-
biology by a Belgian ornithologist who was to snow leopards. After he published his ac- rin sea stories, used a virtually identical .410
still collecting in the 1960s, in the Andes. count, a reader objected to his using such an “borrowed” from his wife’s rich relatives to
These men left behind a library of books inadequate weapon. Fleming’s reply is price- keep his family fed. I like to think I am main-
that could keep a bibliophile happy for 50 less: taining the tradition of both classical natural
years, and a legacy of plant, insect, mammal, Mr. Money-Coutts writes from Berkhamstead history and literary hunting and gathering.
and bird names unmatched in history. All are and can perhaps be forgiven for his ignorance of the
reason enough for any romantic naturalist armaments market in North China. But when he
to want such a tool, but there are uses for a complains that in Central Asia, as in Brazil, only
naturalist’s gun that go beyond mere nostal- a rook rifle ‘stood between Mr. Fleming and an un-
gia. The same characteristics that make such a timely death,’ he is being less venially fatuous. Mr.
gun ideal for use in the remote bush, for gen- Money-Coutts evidently belongs to the ‘keep a bullet
eral use in difficult circumstances—lightness, for the woman’ school, and has no doubt shot his way
sturdiness, versatility—make it the ultimate out of many a tight encounter among the savage no-
“pot” or travel gun. mads of Hertfordshire.
Why not something more powerful? Most Such little guns, often in the same model,
experts would recommend the ubiquitous eventually became the choice of poachers as
12-bore, powerful enough to take down any- well as naturalists—a sure sign that they must
thing including large animals with buckshot be useful.

Visit us at: www.snowpeak.com
109

Continued from page 112
my husband bought a Kawasaki Concours, which was enormous as far in his bloodshot eyes. Out of it he got a flashy motorcycle article, and all
as I was concerned. I couldn’t touch more than the first joint of my big I got was the brunt of every household duty for a week. Next time, dear
toe on the ground from the saddle. husband, make a deal with me first.
So when we moved to South Africa, his eyes twinkled whenever two
wheels rolled past. In cities, he ogled motorcycles and their price tags Fourth: Take the cost into consideration
through dealer windows, while I made gagging noises. I had him diag- More marriage battles are fought over finances than any other cause.
nosed with some kind of psychosis, or at least a mortal sin. She thinks she has made financial sacrifices in your relationship (no mat-
What’s wrong with men? I spent months puzzling over this one, ter how much you think she’s the shopping addict) and when she sees you
convinced that men lack some sanity gene. My year-old son began ex- drop a few months’ paychecks on a bike, she had better be involved in
hibiting the same symptoms of his father’s motor-sickness. Since he was deciding the price range. While most motorcycles will save on gas and
old enough to scoot across the floor he would make a beeline for the purchase price over a car, there’s no sense pretending they’ll be free.
stroller wheels every morning, just to fondle them happily. Ah, rolling Also, fill her in on how much the tire replacements, oil filters, and all that
things. The only word he bothered to speak for six months was “ball.” maintenance will cost in a year. The price tag on my husband’s first bike
At eighteen months he begged for wrenches and hammers and started blew my mind. Then, when it cost us nearly another month’s wages in
“fixing” his sister’s tricycle. He was succumbing to the allure of fast repairs over the first twelve months, every spare part was another knife
things, rolling things, and especially fast rolling rumble-noised things. jab in my heart. It’s worth striking a balance between a bike new enough
I, on the other hand, was growing more motherly every day. Give to not fall apart (or one you can fix yourself), but probably not the prici-
me a car, even a little car, but something with doors, a roof, and car seats est model in the shop.
for our two toddlers. Toddlers—even bike-obsessed little boys—don’t
ride motorcycles. Fifth: Address her fears
But my husband, in addition to a love of motorcycles, has been Don’t think that a smoochy, “It’s okay honey, I won’t crash,” will
gifted with a great love of me. In that love’s accompanying patience cut it. Talk it through honestly. Respect her for not wanting your head
and wisdom, he gently led me toward a love of his own dear friend, the smashed on asphalt. Popping wheelies and racing around hairpin moun-
motorcycle. If you find yourself in a similar predicament, here are a few tain turns might rock your world, but it rocks her trust. Together you
recommendations from the woman’s side. need to sort out a balance of safety and adventure.
First: Get a bike that fits her Sixth: Kindle her sense of adventure
If I started my three year-old daughter on a bicycle without training Some women love tagging along on the back of a motorcycle. I tried
wheels, she would have crashed, and hated bikes for years. Likewise, my it on a couple of trips across the American west, but the butt-numbing
husband figured out he would have to buy a motorcycle short enough hours staring into the back of my husband’s helmet, listening to engine
for my toes to touch the ground, and weighing less than a small el- drone and the wheels on superhighway pavement, didn’t excite me. For
ephant. So he dragged me along shopping. While I wasn’t in the mood me the thrill of motorcycling never made sense until I held the handle-
to waste a day of my life in bike shops, I thank him now. I sat on dozens bars myself. Even then, I would trace the exact start of my love affair
110 of bikes, practicing leaning the weight left and right and judging how with motorcycles to the moment I barreled our dual-sport Bushlander
likely I was to topple over. While he dreamt of a Kawasaki KLR650, we over a two-foot hump of dirt on a neighbor’s driveway and felt my body
compromised on a Honda dual-sport “agricultural” motorcycle sold lift into the air. In that moment I struck that balance of thrilling forces
here in South Africa, the CTX200 Bushlander—short enough for me to both under and out of my control that makes motorcycle adventuring
ride, manly enough to escape being called a scooter. what it is.
Second: Tell her how cool she looks You don’t need a Y chromosome to love hitting the road on two
Be proud of her. As women, there’s no getting around the fact that wheels with an open throttle. Explain that a motorcycle is more than a
we get a lot more comments and stares than the average man on a mo- gas-saving way to pick up groceries (though she might be happy to hear
torcycle, and sometimes it’s not the attention we would ask for. A man that, also). Take her to a cornfield on a bike she can handle, and let her
feels cool with a humming gas powered beast under him. A woman free for an afternoon. Let her plan your next trip. Don’t worry—there’s
might just feel dorky with her hair squashed in a helmet and tangled adventure in her blood somewhere.
from the wind. Respect that female motorcycling takes a certain amount With a bike that fit, a cost I could handle, and a gradually built trust
of confidence. She needs to sort out the biker-lady stereotypes and fit in the logic of my husband, I eventually fit motorcycles into my own
herself into this saddle with her own style. dreams of a simple and daring lifestyle. Even as a thirty-something
mom, I crave a blue sky over my head, the smell of fresh eucalyptus
Third: Respect her requests in my nostrils, and the roll of acceleration around the next bend of an
If she doesn’t want you taking that month-long ride to Guatemala, African road.
don’t—yet. A year into our stay in South Africa, my husband revved up With a little patience, the woman of your life might, too. And you’re
his motorcycle one morning in an adventure-lust trip across the tiny well on your way toward that dream trip together through Chile, Thailand,
country of Lesotho. Five hours into the ride, he crashed. He rode on, or Namibia.
with a banged up knee and great underestimation of the slow speeds re-
quired by an entire nation of gravel roads. By 2:00 a.m. when he limped
in the door, having called me only once all day, I could have punched him

111

Tail Lamp Christine Jeske
Falling in Love With a Motorcycle

A former motorcycle widow explains how she joined the fraternity—on her terms
I
112
t’s a common problem: A man loves there’s adventure to be found. But it’s been a Honda XR80. His father, a Wisconsin dairy
motorcycles. He falls in love with a long road to loving motorcycling in South Af- farmer, still spends most retirement hours
woman. She hates the motorcycle. rica. Only recently have I reached the insanity “out in the shop,” a cow barn converted to
She fears for his life on the motor- point of pulling on seven shirts, two pairs of motorcycle graveyard—or resurrection field,
cycle. They have children and she gripes every pants, boots, and inch-thick gloves, and vol- as he sees it. He could turn a conversation
day, Honey, please just sell that old bike and settle untarily plunging into the winter chill of the about a dead rat or your third cousin’s wedding
down with a seven-seater minivan. He’s dreaming Drakensberg mountains to ride to a dairy farm to motorcycles. I couldn’t sit at their family’s
of a six-month ride from Norway to India, and fill our family’s milk jug. dinner table with dignity without a motorcycle
and she has never sat on anything with two I’ve always liked life simple—milk straight license in my wallet. By the end of my first year
wheels that didn’t have pedals. from the cows, extra blankets instead of extra of marriage, I succumbed.
I recently met a newlywed motorcycle- heaters, and basic transportation. But my idea I had never so much as driven a manual-
loving man who went so far as to buy a motor- of simple usually involved crazy homestead transmission car, so I enrolled with some trep-
cycle and hide it at the neighbor’s house, keep- dreams, like taking a 20-year-old truck—or idation into a technical college’s week-long
ing it a secret from his wife for some months. better yet a horse—to town for groceries. Un- motorcycle course. I was the only woman,
Oh, I wouldn’t want to be in that house when fortunately, I reached adulthood without any save for a black-leather-clad, 300-pound mom
she found out. knowledge of horses. And destiny gave me a with a braid down her back. It generally took
But I would like to talk to that couple. husband who knew about motorcycles, not me a half-dozen tries to start out in first, and
I don’t fit the typical profile for a motor- horses. the instructors must have prayed every time I
cycle journalist. I’m a thirty-something pianist Every Father’s Day, and a few days in be- rounded a corner. But I passed.
with an economics graduate degree, and a tween, my husband’s mind wanders back down My proud father-in-law lent me his 1976
mother of two. True, I’ve never been the kind memory lane to what he claims as his fondest CB360, a bike older than I. It died after two
who buys a diaper bag with little duckies on it childhood memory—scooting over farmlands rides, and I contentedly didn’t turn the key of a
and stays at home in the air conditioning when on the first dirtbike his father bought him, a motorcycle for another five years. Meanwhile
Continued on page 110
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61 Lightweight Tent Test, Jonathan Hanson

On the cover: James Bay, Canada. Photo by Jim Young.

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Interesting publication – good luck.

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Springs and Things

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Jim Young Jeffry Scott

Stephen Bodio Roseann Hanson

Kevin Rowland Christine Jeske

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diesel news by Kevin Rowland

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Bakkie Rack Arai XD3

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Born in Lode Lane

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James Bay, Canada

Two people, two dogs, and one old Land Rover

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Quebec Prince Edward

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Mobile Homes with Real Mobility

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rior and exterior lights are available, including

1. Mario Donovan explains the new TASS