Here is a fun video passed on to us by reader KC O’Connor in Wyoming. Thanks, KC - a fun one as we down here in the desert start thinking of traveling north to the high country. Though I’m not sure I’d like my Land Cruiser to go up against that bighorn . . .  

Bighorn vs. Toyota

On Saturday I finally got out on my first real, long (for me) adventure ride with friends Brian (goodtimes) and Bruce (DesertDouglas). What a great day -

We started out at our house southwest of Tucson, in the Sierrita Mountains, and headed south around Stevens Mountain, crossed Caballo Loco Road, and then hooked up with San Juan Ranch Road (or Ryan Ranch Road, depending on which map you use), which took us all the way to Arivaca Road through gorgeous ranch country. Brian and Bruce were nice enough to slow wayyyyy down for this newbie, who tends to do everything at one speed - slow and steady. At least I didn’t crash!

We had a break at San Juan Ranch, a beautiful historic but abandoned ranch house, though there is a huge mesquite corral, which still is home to a nice herd of ranch horses. The Marley Cattle Company still runs this region, and they use traditional roundup methods - horses. Our iron horses met up with some of the real deal - it was fun. We were met in Arivaca by Jonathan, on his beautifully restored Triumph Trophy . . . no dirt for him! A great lunch, then back home via Arivaca Road and Highway 286 (boy, I’m still not comfortable on pavement - I much prefer the dirt!). Bruce had his first flat in many miles - mystery puncture for sure, as they never did find what did it.

The three guys got it repaired in short order, especially thanks to Brian’s tools and expertise. A great first ride guys - thank you!

Once again, the New York Times trails Overland Journal in coverage of important events and news for overlanders. Today’s NYT edition has a story on the new Royal Enfield motorcycle:

NYT

The NYT story focuses on the C5, a slightly different model than our long-term G5 (see below), but using the same engine.

Not what you expected, huh?

In a world of powerful and fiercely complex KTMs and BMWs, we’re taking a different route with this one. The Royal Enfield, originally British but now manufactured in India, has long been the choice for low-budget but epic explorations on the sub-continent and adjacent Himalayan highlands (like, 16,000-foot highlands). Their new model combines one-cylinder simplicity with the efficiency of fuel injection, to address the environmental regulations in the developed world. We’re going to see how it does in north America. For a bit more, visit David Blasco’s Royal Enfield blog, which is always fascinating even if you’re not (yet) into obscure motorcycles:

Royal Enfield blog

We recently received the first of three (stay tuned) long-term test vehicles we’ll be adding to the Overland Journal fleet in the next month. This one would fit under the conservation vehicle sub-heading, since you’ll never visit a gas station while riding it:

It’s a Montague Paratrooper, a mountain bike that folds to half its normal size in about a minute, and stores where no normal bike will. It drops neatly into most hard-shell roof cases, for example.

Once assembled - fold over the frame and lock the quick-release, then insert the front wheel; done - it feels just like any normal mountain bike. I haven’t been able to induce any untoward flex, and it rides, shifts (via Sram components), brakes, and handles very well. We took it to the Overland Expo, where it served as daily cross-event transportation for me, Lois Pryce, and several other people. Everyone who rode it was impressed. There’ll be a full report in the magazine soon, but for now, if you’ve always wanted to have a bike along on trips but hated the awkwardness of transporting it on a hitch or roof carrier, take a look at the Montague line.

Montague Bicycles

We received this news bit from Nick Taylor in Colorado, who is a fellow in the RGS:

Vehicle-dependent overland travel by Graham Spark, David Palmer, Mike Hingley, Sam Watson
· Workshop (York)
· Saturday 23 May at 9.00

With the growth in interest in vehicle-dependent overland travel, a workshop will take place where desert guides, expedition navigators and medics and experienced overlanders will give talks on how an interested traveller can equip their vehicle and plan their own trip to a variety of locations, whether a run down to the Pyrenees or a drive to Cape Town.

There will be a small selection of trade stands, a display of example overland vehicles and a programme of lectures and demonstrations throughout the day.

Refreshments will be available including a specially commissioned
Overlander real ale for the non-drivers!

Venue: Terrington Hall School, York.
Cost: £5 per vehicle.
Contact: Sam Watson
watsonsam@talk21.com

A few weekends ago I had the pleasure to attend some dual-sport motorcyle training courses taught by Tom Collins and Lois Pryce at the Overland Expo in Prescott Valley, AZ.  I am very new to adventure motorcycling (and even motorcycling in general) having just purchased my very first bike less than a month ago: Suzuki DR200.  It has been the perfect bike for me to learn on, and Lois even enjoyed borrowing it a few times when teaching her classes.

I was very inspired hearing presentations by Tom, Lois and others who shared their experiences of world travel.  It was also wonderful receiving practical advice about real-world situations and being able to practice on the dirt in a closed-course.

We helped Lois to sell some of her books all weekend at the event: Lois on the Loose, and her most recent Red Tape and White Knuckles.  Of course many people were asking her to sign their copies of her book.  I asked her if she had ever signed a motorcycle, to which she answered, “no.”  So I had her sign my bike with a black permanent marker!!

Now I will proudly ride the “Lois edition” DR200 as I head out on my own adventures.    =)

Photos by Bruce Douglas and Chuck Nordstrom

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.”

Last winter, Overland Journal ran a story about Sean Avery’s family endeavors with their pink Land Rover in the wildly successful Rhino Charge in Kenya. The Avery family is at it again this year, and here’s an update from Sean:

Dear All,

• These are  challenging times for East Africa and its wildlife.   
• Bushmeat is a source of “free” food for the poor - the attached disturbing article says that Kenya has lost 60% of its wildlife in the last 30 years, and with ever increasing population and poverty, the bushmeat trade escalates also.  
• You will all be aware of the severe implications of the global economic downturn on tourism to Kenya, which in turn impacts the income stream that sustains the country’s wildlife protection bodies.  It is a challenging time, and the blame for the recession rests with the First World.
• The Aberdare Conservation Area (ACA) is Kenya’s principal water tower upon which 1 in 3 Kenyans depend, and it is also a wonderful montane National Park bordered by Forest Reserve, in turn bordered by dense small-scale human habitation, and the ACA holds one of Kenya’s remaining but threatened black rhino and bongo populations.  The threats come from poaching for horn and bushmeat.
• The Rhino Charge takes place on June 1st to raise funds for Rhino Ark Charitable Trust, which has for 20 years been successfully constructing the largest electrified game fence in Africa to protect the Aberdares, in close co-operation withe the Kenya Wildlife Service.

If you are interested and would like to support our fundraiser, please visit the Justgiving websitse which we have set up.  If you are US or UK tax payers, your donations subject to the tax exemptions applicable in those countries.  If you know anybody else who might be interested, please forward this e-mail to them.

www.justgiving.com/rhinochargecar38-2009