All photos: Gregory McDonald
Greg on his way to Overland Expo 2015
Dear Readers!
I apologize for the radio silence the past few months. I’d like to get the WCXC ball rolling again with series of posts about last spring’s Overland Expo 2015. I had initially invited my good friend Greg from gadmachine to go with me. When a scheduling conflict came up, Greg, always up for adventure, accepted our press pass (kindly provided by Overland Expo) and headed to Arizona solo. He had a great time, met some great people, and took the fantastic photos you see here.
I’ll cover the Expo in four posts: Trucks, Products, Camp Vibes, and the Obstacle Course.
Next year’s Overland Expo will be held May 20–22, 2016 in Flagstaff, Arizona. The event offers a chance to work on your overland driving skills, attend workshops and classes, watch films and demos, and offers a tangible air of camaraderie. They’re already taking reservations. If you’re interested, click here.
On to the trucks! The Expo is a great place to see adventure vehicles. Here’s what Greg spotted.
A couple of portal axle-equipped G-wagens
A Land Rover Defender 130 Double Cab with a nice, built-in camp kitchen and pull-down work surfaces
A few varieties of two-wheeled transport
The 2015 Jeep Africa concept vehicle, equipped with a 2.8-liter diesel engine
The Earth Cruiser, a shipping crate-compatible world explorer, is based on the Mitsubishi Fuso truck chassis and features a fully insulated pop-up camper top.
A nice Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser
A nicely equipped G-wagen with wheels and tires that make off-road sense.
Not all overlanders require 4-wheel drive.
La Cucaracha, a Mitsubishi Delica 4×4 belonging to Pablo and Anna, who have been traveling the world for more than 15 years. Check out their blog at Viajeros4x4x4.com. They were in the Special Vehicles section (for overlanders invited to the event).
This Defender 130 was equipped with a Ramsey winch and a talisman against evil spirits (like banditos, and corrupt cops, for example).
Here it is from the back. This Defender belongs to the Bell family from South Africa currently traveling in the United States. Follow them through their site a2aexpedition.com.
A Unimog U4000 DoKa equipped with camper shell and flag pole.
This Unimog U500 was customized by Global Expedition Vehicles with a lifting roof. The couple that owns it said their experience is that it’s great to travel with but if they happen to get stuck, they get stuck good. Good thing there’s a winch on the front. Check out more photos of this amazing, roomy vehicle here.
This Sportsmobile belongs to John and Mandi, who having traveling along the Pan-American Highway since May of this year. They’re currently in Mexico. Check their site out at johnandmandi.com or find them on Instagram, @johnandmandi.
Another nice Mercedes Geländewagen
Here’s a G-wagen specifically fitted out for camping.
A few more two-wheeled steeds…
A 1960s-era Mercedes-Benz 911 DoKa truck. These are incredibly durable trucks. You can still find them in Africa carrying ridiculous loads. This one was for sale.
A Rev’it All-Wheel Drive adventure bike
Ah, a little West County Explorers Club love on the rear of this G-wagen cabriolet
This is Global Roamer 2, owned by an Australian couple. You can see some of their photos here.
And what’s an Overland Expo with out a Pinzgauer and Hummer H1?
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