Trucks Play a Big Role in Overland Expo 2012
Have you ever heard of "Overlanding"? It's essentially describes the act of extreme camping to remote destinations where self-reliance is the top priority. With expedition-style vehicles, which includes both four-wheel-drive vehicles and specially-designed motorcycles, the journey itself is the point of the trip with exploration of remote areas a key component. It's not unusual for these types of travelers to be gone for weeks, months, or even years to places like the Australian Outback, Southern Africa, or criss-crossing North America.
Each year, with a lot of help from their primary publication supporting this activity, the Overlander Journal, the Overland Expo brings all these independently minded people and interested companies together for a weekend of shared stories and lessons. Companies selling completely self-contained cooking and sleeping trailers mix with solar cell makers and water filtration widgets, as well as big-time factory RV makers. The main attractions are the clinics and product exhibitions, specifically designed to teach and sharpen all the necessary skills every Overlander needs to have before they set out on their adventure.
This year's event was just south of Flagstaff, Arizona, backed up against the mountains, where both motorcycles and four-wheelers could enjoy the scenic backcountry terrain during outings continously held throghout the weekend. As you might imagine, the pickup truck (and chassis cab) and othe global heavy-duty platforms work quite well with this world-explorer's themed event. Companies like Toyota, Sportsmobile West, Mitsubishi, Jeep, and Ram Truck are quite popular with these enthusiasts.
No doubt they'll have an even bigger Overland Expo 2013 but they have yet to settle on a location. For photos and information, keep checking their website. In the meantime, if you want to see more photos, we've loaded a folder-full of images from the show on our Facebook page.
Comments
I presume thats a dully under the camper. That's alot of cantilever for the double bed area and no lower support with that window there. Egress from the cab must be limited if the back seats remain in place. I'd like to see inside and check out the headroom.
you need to read about the earthroamer, that is one fine vehicle! they are made like some new type of, I don't know what I can't remmember, but there is a lot of strenght ther thats for ssure, it is all one piece,and very light weightplus I belive the truck is a F-550!
I don't think those are dullys. I saw something on TV couple weeks ago about Earthroamers.
Here is something
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwkmc-LJC-0
A simple Google of Earthroamer XV-LT will show you that those are not duallies and the cab has captain seats in the rear with an open pass-through into the shell.
Those tires on the Ford HD look like street tires. Why would you put those on an Adventure truck?
Some cool looking trucks on the Facebook page.
Noticed an Unconventional Australian TC and this on the site. Their Isuzu based( hey do their own suspension) RV's have been to Africa, Asia(Including Russia and Siberia) and South America
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/11783_432684833422743_364612898_n.jpg
The Earthcruiser above now has a sales centre in the US. That is Mitsu based and has the companies unique suspension.
I noticed a few others on their PDF, like OZTent. There are about 700 hundred companies providing Off Road equipment in Australia.
Here is an Australian Unconventional TC on an old Nissan Patrol Pickup touring the World. TheDrivers are "Grey Nomads" i.e Retirees.
http://www.overlandexpo.com/picture/australia%20map.jpeg?pictureId=14811948
They have ay more pictures on facebook/pickuptrucks.com got alot really nice trucks
@ lou
Because Lou, the closest that thing is going to get to an adventure is the KOA.
For real overland expeditions, you need something that's nimble and agile and something with ground clearance and relatively low height. That wouldn't get even one mile down the trails here in the S.E.
Wide open, flat desert, then it's idea.
These trucks should stay on paved roads where they belong!
If self-reliance is your thing you should invest in a a truck that has the proper weight to size ratio! Like the Tacoma!!!
"Have you ever heard of "Overlanding"? It's essentially describes the act of extreme camping to remote destinations where self-reliance is the top priority."
Sounds like a job for the Tacoma to me!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f36/oxi3/DSCI0046.jpg
@Oxi
...Dumbass...That's all I have to say to you.
Yeah but Oxi...Not EVERYONE wants to go camping out of the back of their damn truck!
If you want to preach self reliance camping then using your TACOMA to get out there isn't very self reliant now is it?...I challange you to walk out into the woods with nothing but the cloths on your back...And stay there for a week or better...Now that would be self reliance you idiot.
@Team Oxi. Mighty common site here, the land of the Snorkel and Tonneau Covers or "Toppers" as you call them.
Ignore the Team Oxi bozo's. The real Oxi stopped posting because he got tired of being ridiculed for lame posts.
oxi quit posting for now because he was scared of the perverts like Lou who were stalking him and threatened to meet him in his driveway...
@Greg - I didn't make any threats. I just pointed out that he posted a huge amount of personal information all over the net. He posted so much information that you could in fact locate his house and check out his truck in person. The vanity plate "oxi" was another example.
Why don't you make some positive posts for a change. you even troll Chevy fans. You were ridiculing Americans for not liking trucks made in Mexico just a few blogs ago.
http://www.earthroamer.com/model-overview/
two models - F550 and F-650
The comments to this entry are closed.