Table of contents for November - December 2020 in TREAD

Idon’t spend much time on social media, but when I do I’m often assaulted by a stream of pictures that must have been taken by a camera-wielding cat (we’ll call him Garfield) that leaped from a moving car. They’re often out of focus, poorly composed, poorly lit, or the photographer cut off someone’s feet or head and left me wondering what the subject was. Apparently our feline shutterbug, while attempting to land on its feet, put zero thought into composing said images. In the inaugural Viewfinder we discussed the age-old truism that the best camera for any job is the one you have in your hand. This month we delve into the most crucial component of creative imaging: How to identify your subject, frame it, and fine-tune the composition prior…

The dog days of summer are over; we’re prepping for colder weather. We’ve been cooped up for months because of COVID-19 so we’re itching to get out—ANYWHERE. Crisp air nips at your cheeks while airing down tires, your breath creates clouds of opaque vapor as you hustle the job. It’s time to get out there and experience winter adventures! But, before you dash out into the frozen unknown, there are a few tips, tricks, and gear upgrades you should consider before leaving your home for the frigid wonderland. Prepping your vehicle for cold-weather travel is key to enjoying the great outdoors come winter. TIPS Give your adventure rig a thorough go-over (or have a mechanic do it for you). Checking fluid levels and engine coolant throughout the year is important,…

Record the Journey, Veteran Overland, and Southern Xpeditions have three things in common: a great love for the outdoors, vehicle-sustained adventure, and helping veterans. Each organization has its unique spin on making a difference, but collectively they do it with passion, honesty, and humility. Veterans helping veterans, changing lives at every dusty turn of a trail, campfire chat, or re-integration into everyday life. The leaders of this trio are all veterans. Their love for the outdoors and adventure drew each of them, independently, to overlanding. They were enveloped in the community and realized over time that vehicular-based travel and experiencing Mother Nature was healing them. In turn, they wanted to give back, help others, and share this experience with veterans struggling with reintegration, PTSD, or a host of other postwar…

If you’ve been to Overland Expo or have been following the Land Cruiser movement, then you have seen the builds by Sackwear's founder Tim McGrath. His recent vehicles include the ’66 FJ45 Troopy and, most recently, the ’93 80/79 series Maltec—the first double-cab Land Cruiser Maltec build to land on U.S. soil. However, McGrath's passion for Land Cruisers started many years prior. After spending time in high school working for a local airport and turning wrenches, he picked up his first vehicle, a ’74 FJ40, which he used to plow the back-roads of Taos, New Mexico, for extra money. Over the years, he spent time fixing it up, and his passion for Land Cruisers was born. McGrath has a background in advertising and design. After trying to find a T-shirt…

Lesson Number One “There are bandits ahead on this road—very bad men! We can guide you past them.” The driver of the 70-series Land Cruiser pickup seemed touchingly concerned for our welfare, as did his grinning friends in the bed, dressed in djellabas and carrying AKs and a single century-old Lee-Enfield straight out of a David Lean epic. We were headed west from the Nile across the Egyptian desert, tracing the route of a 1912 Carnegie Institute expedition. The two Carnegie scientists had been on camels; there were eight of us in three Land Cruiser Troop Carriers hired in Cairo. Our expedition’s goal was to precisely replicate the scientists’ photos to document the changes of a century. We’d turned off a tarmac road and had been paralleling a long-disused railroad…

You have been marooned in a small life raft adrift on the waves of an unforgiving ocean for two blinding bright days and two very dark nights. Without a moon, the blackened dome above your head stretches to every corner of the horizon speckled with thousands of tiny points of light, like pinpricks in a black canvas tarp. Sweeping across the expanse is the disc of the Milky Way, a dense concentration of stars and gases. Each night, theses stars swirl in a familiar pattern as the Earth turns on its axis. Gazing up at these stars, the universe may feel immense, but the ocean surrounding you is colossal; land, hidden by the curvature of the Earth, is out there somewhere. But where? Without a compass, a map, or other…

The right set of aftermarket wheels can not only greatly enhance the look of your truck, but how it performs on and off the road as well. Wheel manufacturers constantly improve their wheels by utilizing dedicated technologies and invaluable experience to produce wheels that not only look great, but ones that can contribute to increased wear resistance, damage mitigation, and even improved gas mileage. We collected some of the latest releases for you to check out; which set will you choose? MAMBA WHEELS/M25 Mamba Wheels’ M25 is offered in matte gray with a black lip edge and machined drill holes and styled with a rugged mesh-inspired design. Available in 5- and 6-lug options, the M25 comes in 17×9, 18×9, and 20×9 sizes. mambawheels.com BLACK RHINO/RIFT BEADLOCK The Rift Beadlock is…

The year 2021 looks to be the year of the Bronco. The highly anticipated and long-awaited return of the iconic Ford looks to regain its place amongst the off-road elite. Soon you will see many on the road and on the trails. Sean Jennings is one person who couldn’t wait for the new Bronco, so he decided to build his own modern version. Jennings grew up drawn to the outdoors where he spent his free time camping and fishing. He served two tours with the Marine Corps and often found himself out in nature riding quads, dirt bikes, and hitting the trails. After his time in the military he wanted to figure out what was next. He went to college, studying marketing and graphic design, and now works with clients…

Carl Montoya isn’t just the owner of one of the most respected axle and gear aftermarket manufacturers and up-fitters in the world, he’s a family man who loves to play hard in the great outdoors. Montoya is a consummate mountain biker, snowboarder, and off-road enthusiasts. When he’s not working hard in his shop in Cashmere, Washington, he can usually be found out in the mountains playing with family and friends. He built this next-level adventure RV with the work hard and play hard ethos. It is the Nitro Gear & Axle/Just Differentials tow and event rig, as well as his family weekend play machine. If you’ve been to an off-road or overland show on the West Coast in the past few years you’ve likely seen this beast already. But there…

Sudan is a country that makes headlines for all the wrong reasons. After being labeled a “state sponsor of terrorism,” regular citizens have suffered for years under heavy international sanctions. Virtually all countries have severe travel warnings against visiting Sudan, and it's assumed to be very dangerous. But as I've seen repeatedly throughout Africa, the story is more complicated than it would first appear. I’m told the deserts are simply stunning and wild camping is perfectly safe all over the country. In fact, multiple overlanders have told me the people in Sudan might be some of the friendliest in all of Africa; while I’m skeptical, I’m also excited to find out for myself. Out of Ethiopia While most people assume the trouble is in Sudan, that is not the case…

Some are drawn to foraging, the collection and harvest of wild plant foods, for nutritional purposes. Others enjoy the hunt. Some folks want to hone their wilderness survival skills or are looking to add variety to their diet. But, most importantly, learning practical foraging skills instills confidence, empowering us to engage with nature while reminding us that we are not separate from it, but part of it. STEP 1: Learn to Properly Identify Plants The first step to foraging edible plants is learn ing how to properly identify them. Plants, like every living thing on the planet, use a variety of adaptations to ensure their survival. Sharp spines on a cactus, thorns on a rosebush, and thick bark are good examples of the external lines of defense that plants…

Have you started to accumulate more and more accessories and are now looking for a better way to manage them all? Perhaps you have used up all your spots for rocker switches and still need to hook up a fridge or an air compressor. There are several options on the market these days to help you get organized and manage all your 12V accessories. A simple power management and control system may be the answer to your problems. We all know that there’s always more that can be done to your vehicle. What started out as a weekend off-road truck has turned into a weeklong off-grid adventuremobile. And as you build your vehicle to do more and stay out longer, you’ll most likely be adding on more lights, an air…

Do you ever get the urge to jump on a motorbike for a stress-free romp around the trails without having to deal with the bulk of a heavy off-road motorcycle? If you’ve been looking for a fun, easy-to-ride, off-road–capable bike, you’ll want to check out the all-new bike Honda has in store for you. Sixty years after Honda’s groundbreaking ’61 CA100T Trail 50 debuted, Honda is back at it again—this time with an updated, trail-ready, compact motorbike for modern riders. The motorcycle is designed for casual trekking on- and off-road and its styling incorporates the classic flavors of the golden era of motorcycling while updating it with a heavy dose of modern design and technology. The ’21 Honda Trail 125 ABS is based on 2019’s concept bike, the CT125. The…

DAY 7: ALASKA HIGHWAY (-12 degrees C) 1,980 km to Tuktoyaktuk Dancing around icy sections of the wooden boardwalk path, I saw a cloud of steam rising in the distance. We were almost there. The snowy trail led to a forest of aspen, birch, and white spruce, in the midst of which lay a pool of natural hot springs. These thermal springs marked the last unfrozen body of water my husband, Richard, and I would encounter for the next four weeks, as our travels took us north past the Arctic Circle to the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. But for now, we looked forward to enjoying the mineral-rich heat and mystical Narnia-esque surroundings of Liard River Hot Springs in the wintertime. Heading to the sheltered outdoor change rooms, we started…

Being stuck inside is an overlander's worst nightmare. But this is exactly what happened in the spring of 2020 when states, one by one, required stay-at-home orders to protect the health and safety of their residents due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Outdoor shows were canceled, group camping trips were postponed, and toilet paper was on backorder. And then came Super Fun Outdoors with the Virtual Adventure Vehicle Show. Paired with Rigs & Coffee and Tread magazine, Super Fun Outdoors hosted a virtual overlanding event to bring the outdoor community together while supporting a local food bank in the Bay Area of California, one of the hardest-hit communities at the time. The virtual event, hosted online and on social media, highlighted many popular builds, including Jeep Wranglers, Toyota Tacomas, and…

“WHAT IS A WEED? A PLANT WHOSE VIRTUES HAVE NOT YET BEEN DISCOVERED.” –RALPH WALDO EMERSON (Pseudotsuga menziesii) The light green needle tips of Douglas fir branches are high in Vitamin C and make a delicious cup of tea. The Nlaka’pamux of the Thompson territory of British Columbia consumed fir needle tea to prevent scurvy, while the Isleta Puebloans in New Mexico used it to treat rheumatism. 2 tablespoons pine needles (fresh) 1 cup boiled water Honey (optional) to taste Strip the needles off the branch and cut into smaller pieces. Add a spoonful of needles to your mug and cover with boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain out the needles, sweeten to taste (optional) and enjoy. Caution: Be careful not to confuse with Yew family as…

Settling down after an active day at the campground, by the fishing hole, or even in the backyard demands one thing: A hearty meal. Whether you’re craving a juicy steak (beef or portobello) or have a hankering for a bowl of home-simmered chili (bean or no bean), you’ll want to cook it on a reliable stove that won’t leave you hanging. Leave it up to the Swedes to create an elegant yet practical solution for our camp cooking needs. The sleek-looking Primus Tupike is a wood-trimmed two-burner portable stove that is designed in Sweden. Created to handle campsite-cooking duties, the compact stove looks perfectly at home in a modern kitchen as well. The stove’s stainless steel body, die-cast aluminum sides, oak laths, and brass details upgrade the look of any…