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Uphill Both Ways: Conquering the NEW Jeep Badge of Honor Trail at Hawk Pride Off Road Park! There’s something about the unknown that calls to us Jeepers. It’s the allure of a new challenge, the pull of fresh terrain, and the thrill of not knowing exactly what lies ahead. So when Jeep launched a brand-new Badge of Honor trail at Hawk Pride Off Road Park in Tuscumbia, Alabama, we couldn’t resist. What followed was one of the wildest trail runs we’ve ever experienced—complete with soaked

Exploring Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with Oasis Overland is an unforgettable adventure! We crisscross through stunning mountain scenery, including the Charyn Canyon and Fairy Canyon, experience overnight stays in traditional yurts and explore the surroundings of pristine lakes like Song Kol and Issyk-Kul. Optional horseback rides or hikes through these vast landscapes and encountering nomadic culture truly makes this a highlight of Central Asia. Our robust expedition truck handles all the travel,

It’s no secret that I am, was, and shall always be a “Jeep Guy.” As outlined in Season 2, Episode 2 of the Echoes of Adventure podcast, the LS LJ is my 8th Jeep. Since then I’ve added the ’06 LJ “stock+” build, which is the 10th Jeep I’ve owned (so far). In the family […]View the full article

Conquering Hot Springs Off Road Park After the Storm This wasn’t just another weekend ride. This was 10 hours of asphalt, one flooded state, and a crew of Jeepers determined to make it count — all heading straight for the legendary Hot Springs Off-Road Park in Arkansas. It’s April, which means the state is usually a little wet. But this year, the weather cranked it up to full chaos. Just days before we arrived, tornadoes ripped through the region, and over 8 inches of rain poured down,

Discover Silver Lake Basin: Colorado’s Hidden High-Altitude Ghost Town Gem Experience the Adventure with Peak Overland If you’re into ghost towns and western mining history we have got the trip for you!  Nestled at 12,250 feet in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains lies Silver Lake Basin — a secluded gem where history and adventure converge. Once a bustling hub during the 1890s, this remote basin now offers overlanders and hikers a glimpse into the past, surrounded by breathtaking alpine scenery. T

In our previous articles on vehicle electrical systems we talked a lot about the OEM components and some basic upgrades dealing with adding things like lights and associated switches. This article series is going to focus on auxiliary electrical systems, their components, and ultimately designing and installing an auxiliary electrical system into your vehicle — […]View the full article

[Bozeman, Montana] – XOVERLAND, a leader in the overlanding community, known for its captivating travel documentaries and inspiring adventures, is thrilled to announce the creation of Overland Collective, alongside the acquisition of Overland Journal and expeditionportal.com. Overland Collective brings together XOVERLAND, Overland Journal, Expedition Portal, and XOVERLAND Ranch under one unified banner and represents a strategic collaboration to strengthen the individual platforms while benefit

Let’s have an honest chat—just you and me. Camping season is here. You’ve seen the posts, the reels, the perfectly lit tents beneath the...View the full article

If you’ve been paying attention to the last few blog articles, you’ve seen a footer at the end of each article talking about the 2025 ECOA Patron Support Team. Yes! The ECOA Patron Support Team is back for 2025 and the foreseeable future. In the past we made use of external platforms like GoFundMe in […]View the full article

Our latest adventure began in the southern part of the Cohutta Wilderness, at one of the most beautiful lakes in North Georgia—Lake Conasauga. The perfect place to start our next adventure overlanding the ocoee wilderness. This stunning spot served as the perfect meeting point for our Jeep crew. This time, our team included Stewart Jefferies in a white Gladiator on 35s, Michael Goode in a red JKU on 35s, and Chaz Parks in a white Gladiator on 40s. Our mission? To conduct a shakedown on the Road

As a former student of linguistics, and someone who reads as much as he writes, alliteration has always been one of my favorite literary tropes. Alliteration is when the first letter of each word in a sentence or phrase is the same. So in the case of this article’s subtitle, “Collaboration, Cooperation, and Compromise” is […]View the full article

While first in chronological order, the Pinnacle Creek project was the last one added to my list. This was a project I only had cursory knowledge of having been put in motion a few years ago. I heard it was finally happening during the West Virginia Motorsports and Adventure Travel Day event at the West […]View the full article

My buddy Walt was approached to take point on a return to Tank Hollow Road in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest outside Natural Bridge Station in Virginia. This was a project site I had visited back in late 2022 with a very hardworking team of volunteers. On that project we not only picked up […]View the full article

Every year around Earth Day the Virginia Four-Wheel-Drive Association hosts a project day on the Bald Mountain Jeep Trail. I first attended this project back in 2017 with John of New Horizons Overland. We did our typical “work hard; play hard” thing by incorporating a multi-day trip called “The Shadow of the Parkway” I had […]View the full article

Summer’s Calling: A 5-Day Overland Adventure from Denver to the White Rim Trail by Peak Overland | Summer 2025 Kickoff The snow is melting, the trails are calling, and summer adventure season is finally here. If you’ve been itching to break away from the city grind and trade fluorescent lights for fiery desert sunsets, we’ve got the ultimate 5-day itinerary for you. Starting right at Denver International Airport, this loop takes you through Colorado’s rugged beauty and into the heart of Utah’s

Our exploration community came together last week for four days of exploring, training, and best of all, camaraderie in southern Arizona’s beautiful Aravaipa Canyon. Forty explorers joined us and our sponsors—Graham Jackson’s Overland Passage, Goose Gear, Exploro, Swarovski Optik, and Sonoran Rovers—arriving as strangers and departing as friends. With smaller numbers we were able to host overland training workshops with experts Graham Jackson, Jim West, and Jonathan Hanson in winching, non-winch

So we're back inside at Axleboy Offroad. We've got our 2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport S. This is still bone stock. I haven't made any modifications to it yet. We have ordered and been receiving a lot of the components from our supplier partner. They're going to end up on this Jeep Gladiator. One thing that's going to be probably the most dramatic cosmetically and performance and everything else from the outside, is the lift kit, and the wheels, and the suspension.

There’s a particular musical number from the hit Broadway show Hamilton that always makes me chuckle. It’s when Aaron Burr laments he wishes he could, “be in the room where it happens.” In that moment he was on the outside looking in as Alexander Hamilton secured his position as Treasurer and negotiated for the nation’s […]View the full article

I have been to four out of the five years of the Southeast Adventure Vehicle Expo. It has become one of my top-three favorite events of the year. It’s also the event that kicks off each year for me since it’s one of the few spring events on the east coast. The best part is, […]View the full article

Traveling to remote destinations offers a unique opportunity to unplug from the everyday hustle and truly immerse yourself in nature....View the full article

In the realm of car camping and overlanding, the buzz around harnessing the power of the sun is real. Solar panels offer a tantalizing...View the full article

Fifteen years later we still get these emails. “The Overland Expo is great, but we miss the first ones!” “The Expo is still fun, but the camaraderie isn’t there any more.” “Lots more stuff to look at and buy, but less community spirit.” Of course Roseann and I were thrilled—and more than a bit stunned—at the success of the event she started in 2009. In fact it eventually became just too big for her to manage, and its very success hindered our own travels, which was not the plan . . . Now we are

Ever since we bought our 2014 Tundra, it has exhibited a slight pull to the right, despite the fact that the used-car dealer from whom we bought it claimed to have performed an alignment. Taking it in to a professional alignment shop was one of those tasks that are just so easy to put off—like for three years? A few months ago I installed a complete parabolic suspension on our FJ40. After such a swap it’s smart to have an alignment done. Especially important is checking for caster, which will c

We were early and enthusiastic adopters of the portable 12V fridge concept—first with the classic and dependable Engel, later a series of ARB models, and a superb National Luna model that rides permanently in our 70-series Troop Carrier. I wouldn’t want to travel without one, and I’d certainly never go back to the giant Coleman ice chests and the inevitable three-day slurry in the bottom as 20 pounds of ice melts its way into everything not hermetically sealed. Day trips and picnics are a differ

From time to time, overlanding takes you beyond the trail. A well-rounded journey often includes veering off track to the nearest peak, dropping in for a family visit out of state, or popping into a brewery with friends. While we don’t always need to dress to impress, it doesn’t hurt to choose clothing items that are comfortable, evoke confidence, and can handle the rigors of the road. Since what we wear is an important part of what we do at XOVERLAND, we’ve rounded up our go-to pieces of Vertx

This past weekend, we opened the doors of the XOVERLAND Ranch for the first-ever Freeze Your Fenders Off Campout, and what an unforgettable experience it was! The temperatures plummeted to a chilly -11°F, but that didn’t stop our crew of overlanders from embracing the cold and making the most of the winter wonderland. People traveled from near and far, some driving over 12 hours through harsh conditions, just to be a part of this special event. The cold didn’t deter the fun—we had blazing campfi

Exploring the Northern Florida Adventure Trail: My Overlanding Experience The Florida Adventure Trail (F.A.T.) is quickly becoming a must-do overlanding route for off-road enthusiasts across the country. Known for its mix of terrains, hidden campsites, and unforgettable views, the F.A.T. offers a true adventure for those looking to explore the Sunshine State’s more rugged side. In my latest overlanding trip, I had the chance to explore a portion of the trail, starting on the northwest side o

Is Baja safe? After two months exploring, we felt secure, welcomed by locals, and had smooth military checkpoints. Here's our experience!View the full article

First Exploration Quarterly Field Camp – Arizona, USA – April 5–8, 2025 at the beautiful and private Aravaipa Canyon Ranch. Registration is open. Space will be limited.

Growing up in southern Arizona, I learned very early on how vital water is in the desert. When my friend Bruce and I first began hiking up into the Catalina Mountains, neither of us yet eight years old, we carried ours in surplus metal GI canteens, which along with their canvas covers and three-inch-wide M36 belts probably weighed as much as the water inside. I remember distinctly the one time we miscalculated when trying a “short cut” summer climb over a ridge separating Sabino and Bear canyons