In the Fall issue of Overland Journal, we conducted a comprehensive soft-luggage test. Â One of the products featured was the Ortlieb Motorcycle Panniers. The manufacture was correctly listed, but the sole-source for purchase was not included.
The Orlieb panniers can only be purchased at:
Aerostitch: and can be ordered at 800-222-1994 or www.aerostich.com
The retail price is $187.00
Luis and Lacey have been on the road for about 3 months and 10,000 miles, traversing the continental United States twice in preparation for their journey to Ushuaia. Driving a 60 series Land Cruiser with a diesel conversion, they plan on driving to the southernmost place in the Americas over the next 1-2 years. Having no hard-set plans, they will camp as much as possible in the roof-top tent in this self-supported adventure.
Here at Overland Journal headquarters, we had the pleasure to visit with them some as they were on their way to southern California, before they head south into the Baja peninsula. With a custom-built kitchen, Engel fridge, and a myriad of magnets, these two will have an amazing overland experience on their Expedición Mundo Perdido.
After featuring Brian DeArmon’s BMW F650GS build in a few issues of the journal, we had a high volume of requests from subscribers that we offer the same decal for purchase that he used on the tank. So we’re glad to announce that we now have these decals available on our online store. These are transparent decals with black lettering, and would be perfect for a window or on a light-colored vehicle (such as white or silver). The cost is $4 for one, or $7 for two (plus S&H).
In addition, we have lowered the price on our small oval decals to $4 or $7 for one or two, respectively.
Coincidence is an over-used term, and in my opinion, is made a lot more common than we tend to believe. When something is forefront in our minds we will gravitate to finding relationships between it and other things we see around us as we go about our daily routine. I was actually thinking about coincidence last month as I strolled the streets of Dubai in the UAE on a sultry first day of Ramadan. What were the chances that I would find myself in the Middle East on Ramadan when earlier this year I had been contemplating a comment that Jonathan Hanson made regarding Ramadan in the Overland Training Cultures course? Jonathan’s measured and thoughtful comment about Ramadan is not the subject of this blog entry though, rather coincidence is.
The week previous to my stroll in Dubai I had submitted a lengthly technical article for the next issue of Overland Journal on water treatment systems. It is an article that takes a dozen systems, and measures them against each other using not just opinion, but real performance evaluations in lab tests. This is probably a first for any magazine, and certainly a large undertaking for Overland Journal.
‘I should write a blog entry on the water systems,’ I had told myself on the flight in. So this stroll in Dubai, on my last day in the Middle East, was as much for assuaging my curiosity about the town as searching for inspiration for this blog entry. I had considered the first day of Ramadan, but was short on ideas for how that relates to water treatment systems. A large poster proclaiming ‘Get a trophy life,’ didn’t seem to fit either. The heat was certainly in a more productive vein hanging in the region of 115°F with a humidity high enough to soak my coolmax t-shirt in very short order, but the link just wasn’t there. Yet.
Walking along the water-front after popping in on a luxury hotel’s beach, I came to a break in the shield wall facing the street and found a drinking fountain. Could I call that coincidence given my thirst? Well I could. I could also tag coincidence on the drinking fountain manufacturer: Helton who also makes the water heater I use in my Defender.
But as I moved towards getting a drink from the fountain, I saw a round structure on the incoming line. Normally I would have made a mental note of ‘filter’ and then taken a drink, but given my mission, I took a closer look at the filter first. Inspection removed my desire for a drink, and also gave me the perfect picture for this blog entry. Take a close look at the filter; if you have a filter in your overland vehicle that looks like that, I suggest you renew it with a new unit. Promptly. For more on water treatment systems take a look at the upcoming issue of Overland Journal. Sometimes coincidence works quite nicely.
Because Overland Journal has decided to not distribute on newstands (due to the high amount of waste), we wanted to offer a low-cost alternative for customers to sample a copy of the journal. Periodically we will change which issue is being offered at the promotional price.
This $10 promotion is only available for addresses within the United States. Shipping, handling, and tax included. We are starting out by offering the Summer 2009 issue at this reduced rate, but in the future it will be a selection from our recent issues based on supply.
We love Nemo tents and equipment – they’re just so functional, as well as beautiful and well-made. Check out their excellent blog, and the news about taking their scraps from sewing tents and making useful items from them. We have two of their tote bags which are great for farmer’s market shopping or toting around Overland Journals . . . and now they will have wallets in 2010.
If you recognize this part:
. . . you now know the identity of our brand-new long-term review vehicle, scheduled to be with us for a year. The summer issue will have a full introduction.
When Overland Journal medical columninst Ed Beggy spied a Butler Bag in the Gear 2008 issue, you might say he fell in love right then and there. He ordered one and took it on a trip, and was dismayed to have the blue flannel lining dye turn his skin … smurf blue! Jonathan Curtis of Butler Bags quickly replaced the bag – an example of great customer service. But when the problem persisted, you might have expected a lesser company to back away . . . instead, this week Jonathan Curtis yet again stepped up to the plate, and explained to Ed that they had problems with the original flannel and have spent considerable time this past year sourcing all new flannel from North Carolina, and succeeded in producing 1000 bags with no problems – and again replaced the bag. We thought this was a great example of the type of service and quality Overland Journal looks for in the products we test and review. Butlerbags.com
Scott Brown of Jeep summed it up for us:
[Overland Expo] brought us together with a common goal . . . conservation and responsible exploration. What a great thing! I think you could say that history was made last weekend, that this event validates  . . . that this is an industry, a lifestyle, a way of life that is growing, strong, good, and here to stay.”