If you have a project you’re working on that requires fabric, have a look at the Harts Fabric website. We dropped in to their store in Santa Cruz, California, and were impressed by the plaid, cotton twills, the ripstop nylon, and the selection of duck canvas on hand.

They were very helpful and have a large selection of well-priced off cuts. This is a great resource for outdoor fabrics.

After several trips up north and still no boat, we found an an Aloha 32, a well-regarded, Mark Ellis-designed, cruising boat named Carmana, on Vancouver Island. In mid-May we decided to make an offer.

Shortly thereafter we hired a surveyor to assess the boat. We waited a bit anxiously for the day of the survey. When that day came, however, the surveyor pronounced her a well-found little ship. All systems were go.

The Saturday before we left we had a little grilled pizza bon voyage party with friends. When I dropped off ice for the party, though, and tried to repark the truck… nothing. The starter, that had been acting up, had decided to pack it in. We were meant to leave in two days and it was Memorial Day weekend.

Fortune was on our side though. I had recently sold one of my motorcycles to a great guy named Tyler. He had mentioned that besides working on bikes, he was a mobile mechanic. Remembering this little snippet of conversation while wondering “now what?” was like striking gold. We had invited Tyler and his lovely girlfriend to our party and I asked him if he was up for a project the next day. He was. Smothers Auto Parts in Santa Rosa had a starter in stock and Tyler made quick work of swapping out. We were back in business.

On Tuesday night, after two full days on the road, we arrived in Port Angeles, Washington in time for the 8:15 am ferry to Victoria the next morning. That afternoon I was aboard Carmana, our boat-to-be, in Ladysmith, BC, for the sea trial, to ensure that all the boat’s major systems were functioning. When I met the owner of the boat, a nice, older gentleman in his 70s or 80s, I saw that we were wearing the exact same outfit: standard-issue yellow foulies and blue sea boots.

Natalie drove the truck down and met us in Maple Bay for the haul out, the second half of Carmana’s survey, where the hull would be inspected. Again our surveyor reported that she was in order. All we’re waiting for now are the results of the engine and transmission oil analysis (the marine equivalent of getting blood work done). If she gets a clean bill of health, we take delivery offshore, in U.S. waters, and sail her on our own into Friday Harbor, on the San Juan Islands, to bring her officially into the United States.

From there we’ll bring her down to Seattle to fit a wifi & cellphone antenna so that we can keep in touch with the outside world, and make other minor repairs.

Tonight we’re camped about 20 minutes outside Victoria. Natalie and I are sitting near the campfire. A wifi signal and a new laptop—delivered straight from Apple by my good friend Richard—enable open-air blogging.

We’re diving into this experiment somewhat on the deep end. We have to plan our route to Seattle and learn our way around the boat, all while I juggle deadlines and illustration projects.

Even the beginning is an adventure.

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In May of 2011 the State of California announced a plan to close 25% of its 278 state parks. Shortly thereafter a group of film makers sprung into action, set off on a 3,000-mile journey to visit the 70 parks slated to close, and made the film, The First 70, the trailer of which appears above.

Last year agreements were put into place to keep the parks open. However, according to a recent San Francisco Chronicle article, all of those agreements will expire, many in June of 2014. The article also cites a report by the Little Hoover Commission, an independent state agency that focuses on finding efficiencies in state operations, which recommends California divest itself of some of its state park holdings.

What all this means is that no long-term solution exists to fund California’s State Parks.

This video nicely illustrates how picking the right line can make all the difference.

It’s an Aloha 32, a Mark Ellis design that’s similar to the Niagara 35, a capable boat that was, alas, out of our budget. Both are well-built, spacious, and do away with the ubiquitous v-berth to make room for more galley and salon space. (The berths in these boats are aft.) From what we hear, the boat does have some delamination issues in the deck. Whether they are major or minor issues, the survey will reveal.

We’re leaving to head up north in about a week, boat or no boat. I hope this one passes it’s survey. If not, at least we’ll be up there to continue our search. Good luck, Carmana!

Sailing catamarans have come a long way since the Hobie Cats of the 1960s. Today’s America’s Cup cats literally fly over the water on hydrofoil daggerboards and rudders, reaching speeds over 40 knots. That’s an absolutely incredible speed for a sailboat.

I used to sail my old Prindle 18 across SF Bay and we did maybe 15—18 knots and that was thrilling. We’re also hanging off the side!

The video above features the massive AC72, Oracle’s 72′ boat. The one below features the smaller AC45.

Of course, liners couldn’t compete with jets. This film was made in 1967 as the ocean liner era was coming to an end. It looks like it was an amazing way to travel.

Actually, you still can still travel that way, if you’d like. The QE2 makes the trip from New York to Southampton in seven days. Fares start at about $1,000/person for an inside stateroom.

Here’s a post I wrote about it a couple of years ago, including some video of the mill in action.

South African off-roader, Andrew St. Pierre White, takes a stock Land Rover Discovery on what he states is Southern Africa’s most difficult road, Baboons Pass in Lesotho.

He does the trip with friends in two well-prepared Defender 110s. By the looks of it, it’s not for the faint of heart. Will his stock Discovery make it through without a scratch?

Read more, to see Part 2, below.

According to Wikipedia the 1987–1991 (the last year of production) models are considered the “best of the breed,” as these include upgrades such as better paint and wheels. The 1989-and-later trucks had further fit, finish, and mechanical improvements. One such improvement was a rear wiper assembly which, unfortunately, this one lacks.

The color combination on this one is fantastic though: Spinnaker Blue and wood paneling over a beige leather-and-fabric interior. Check out how thick the carpets are. Have a look at the amazing plaid ceiling.

This Wagoneer is available on ebay and located in Everett, Washington. The bidding currently stands at $7,100 with an unmet reserve. The Buy-It-Now price is $44k. The auction closes in about four days.

If you’d like to do additional research, check out Wagoneer World, a Texas Wagonner dealer, GrandWagoneer.com, a restoration shop with hundreds of photos on their site, and, of course, Wikipedia.

More photos of this truck below.

Update 5/21/2013: The truck was bid up to $10,100 on ebay but failed to meet reserve.

Link trail: ebay

In case you haven’t heard, Overland Expo 2013 will be taking place this weekend at Mormon Lake Lodge in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The 3-day event draws attendees from around the world who come to camp, check out exhibits from over 140 vendors, watch films, make connections, and take classes which run the gambit from driver training (4×4 and motorcycle), maintenance, planning and logistics, to safety & communication. The list is quiet comprehensive, and even includes region-specific roundtable table discussions on sub-Saharan Africa, or Mexico, for example.

Last year’s event drew over 5,000 people. Camping opens on Thursday May 16, and the event proper runs Friday to Sunday. Pack-up and head-out is on Monday.

Here are some quick links:

The event details
The schedule of classes
The FAQ

The map

Have fun!

For the last couple years or so my 4-wheel-drive system has been engaging intermittently. Normally I’d shift the transfer case lever into 4 High and the green lights in the instrument cluster, indicating the status of the front wheels, would blink (four-wheel drive engaging), then go solid (in four-wheel-drive). In the last couple of months though, the lights wouldn’t stop blinking, a sign that the system wasn’t able to engage the front axle.

I had ordered the factory shop manuals for the truck a while back, so I decided to see if I could fix it myself. Also, my mechanic explained to me that my Gen 2 Montero engages 4-wheel-drive by connecting the right-front axle shaft to the front differential by means of a vacuum-powered actuator. (That’s different from the Gen 1, which has auto-locking hubs.) Armed with that knowledge I looked up the actuator in the manual and noticed that it recommended greasing the actuator rod.

I got under the truck, removed the skid plates, pushed aside the rubber boot and saw that the grease, where the rod entered free-wheeling clutch housing (red arrow), was old and jelly-like. I cleaned out the old crud, packed it with fresh grease, reattached the boot, and left the whole thing sit while I reinstalled a pair of marker lights in the bumper.

When I took the truck for a test drive an hour later and shifted into 4 High, the indicator lights flashed briefly, then immediately went solid. Whoo-hoo! An easy fix!

I recently had a set of ARB locking differentials installed in the truck and it was irritating that I had this great new gear and yet the basic four-wheel-drive system wasn’t working. That made this quick fix all the more satisfying.

Update 5/14/2013: In that post I wrote that the Marin county seller of the Blizzard I featured had previously sold a convertible version, claiming it was the only one in the country. If that’s true, this is that truck!

I spotted this 1971 Land Rover Series IIA 88 Utility on ebay yesterday. The seller states that it was treated to a $50k, frame-off restoration in 2000 at the British Northwest Land Rover Company, and has taken four Best in Class awards since that time. Better-than-new upgrades include dual gas tanks, leather seats, stainless steel exhaust, and gearing to allow 70-mph highway cruising.

This classic, soft-top Land Rover was finished in marine blue and features a 2.25-liter, four-cylinder, gasoline engine. Total mileage is just over 51,000, with 4,000 having been driven since the restoration. The condition really does look fantastic.

The vehicle is located in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Bidding currently stands at $14,600 with an unmet reserve. There are about eight days left on the auction. More photos below.

Update 5/19/2013: This Land Rover sold for a high bid of $34,250.

Link trail: ebay > Wikipedia

A rocket stove uses a high-temperature combustion chamber inside an insulated chimney to efficiently burn small diameter pieces of wood. This blog describes how to make a camping version out of tin cans. It looks like a fun project.

If you’re looking for something ready made, check out this review of the EcoZoom rocket stove ($114).

Update 5/12/2013: Or you can buy the tin can version above for $40, already assembled, at Premium Rocket Stoves.

In case you haven’t already spotted it, Jonathan Hanson, a co-founder of the Overland Journal and now co-director of Overland Expo, writes an excellent blog called Overland Tech & Travel.

He recently posted an in-depth article on airing down, in which he explains the ins and outs, as well as reviews the most well-known tools to help with the job. He covers, among others, the ARB E-Z Deflator (a valve core removal tool coupled with a pressure gauge), a set of second generation Staun deflators, and the Mil-Spec deflator from CB Developments.

Both the Staun and CB Developments deflators screw on to the tire valve and stop deflating at a predetermined pressure. The cutoff pressure for the Stauns (they come as a set of four for about $80) has to be set using a tire inflated to the desired cut-off pressure (from 3 to 50 psi). The CB Development deflators (sold individually for about $100) can be dialed in to the desired pressure directly (from 10 to 20 psi). He covers deflators by Trailhead as well.

The article is well written and the products sound like they were well tested.

In some ways motorcycles are the ideal overlanding platform. They’re inexpensive, sip fuel, can get through stalled traffic, or down the narrowest trail. In my experience, they’re two to three times faster over rough roads than 4x4s. And, as this beautiful video shows, they even work for very long distance travel.

Between 2010 and 2012 Alex Chacon, a recent BioMed graduate from the University of Texas, spent just over 500 days traveling up, down, and across the Americas, from Alaska to the Tip of South America, on his motorcycle, a 2007 KLR 650. It looks like it was a stunning trip. If you’d like to dig deeper, his YouTube channel covers his journey in twelve episodes.

Here’s more info on his KLR, the way he equipped it, and why he chose it over a BMW or KTM. He also set up a consulting service to assist other travels wanting to head south.

Update 5/14/2013: Here’s a WCXC post about the benefits of the KLR 650.

Here’s the summary: This slim, aluminum rack acts as a platform for a series of accessories which can be used to mount just about anything to the roof of your truck. The rack can be slotted, as above, or solid. The maximum load is 660 lbs., which is more capacity than you’ll ever need.

A variety of mounting options are available.

Link trail: Expedition Portal > Front Runner

If you’re into into historic towns and boats, and you find yourself in the Pacific Northwest, do yourself a favor and check out Port Townsend, Washington. It sits on peninsula that forms the entrance to Puget Sound and is one of those rare, old towns which is situated to engage the sea. A drive to the local boat yard confirms this. Everywhere vessels from from small sailboats to huge trawlers are on the hard, awaiting refits and repairs. Cape George boats are built there. It’s a nice place.

The area along the waterfront, is known as “downtown.” When we asked about a good local pub, the folks at the natural food store pointed us up the hill (toward “uptown”) to the Uptown Pub. This is a classic bar with good vibes, good food, and local beers. We happened to be there for open mic night and also saw some talented musicians. One guy even came up with his cello… and rocked, playing it traditionally and like a guitar. It was pretty amazing. We’re considering it as a home base for our upcoming Pacific Northwest Trip.

To get there, take Highway 20 north from 101as it runs along the Olympic National Forest. More photos below.

The outside of the Uptown Pub.

Chris Harris from /Drive goes to a product launch for the Pirelli P7 Corsa Classic, a new vintage rallying tire, and gets driven around the Italian Alps by racing greats, Markku Alen and Juha Kankkunen. The vehicles of choice? Vintage Lancia hardware: a Stratos, a 037, and a Delta S4.