The Overlander Blog http://www.theoverlander.org Mon, 20 May 2013 08:32:07 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theoverlander.org/224-the-overlander-gathering-2010.html <p>The Overlander Gathering 17-19 September, Lincomb Farm, Worcester</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A camping weekend, eveing fires, chat, BBQ and more !</p><p><br />**Saturday evening presentation from Austin Vince of Mondo Enduro fame ***</p><p><br />www.mondoenduro.com</p><p><br />Evening BBQ hosted by Waypoint Tours.</p><p><br />Saturday workshop on 'Overland preparation for 4x4s' by Julian Voelcker of Overland Cruisers.</p><p><br />Test your 'Overland Wheels' on the excellent guided 'Farm Drive' offroaRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:21:22 +0100 http://www.theoverlander.org/203-life-in-the-lorry.html <p>We have lived in the lorry now since September, apart from a month in a flat in Germany over Christmas, so this is a bit of a yarn about what its like to &lsquo;downsize&rsquo; from a 3 bedroom house to a truck !</p><p><img src="/images//dord 023r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Firstly the issue of &lsquo;life&rsquo;&hellip; we wanted a vehicle that would serve as a home on the road in any conditions, hence the choice of a truck. We are 2 adults and one 5 year old (and we set off with a dog, but sadly Read More... gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:47:08 +0100 man http://www.theoverlander.org/201-allrad-show-bad-kissingen.html <p>This is the place to check out the options for overland travel. Every shape and size and make of vehicles are here. The campground is almost better than the actual show !</p><p><img src="/images//BK16r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><img src="/images//BK17r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><img src="/images//BK18r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>It was very hot, but the organisation of the show, supply of showers, toilets and buses to and from the show made it all very easy.</p><p>We had another great bbq as well !!</p><p><iRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:30:16 +0100 http://www.theoverlander.org/200-rgs-overland-workshop.html <p>The RGS Overland workshop at York this last weekend was a great success.</p><p>Thanks to Sam Watson for putting it on again.</p><p>More people than last year despite a damp saturday and cold sunday !</p><p>There were some excellent talks, and much note scribbling by the attendees.</p><p>Some very inspiring photos and plenty of information, as well as the general 'crack' with fellow overlanders. As one person put it, trying to keep a lid on the wanderlust is hopeless at do's like these !</p><pRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:19:14 +0100 http://www.theoverlander.org/192-the-overlander-gathering.html <p>We are having another Overlander Gathering this year.</p><p>Venue yet to be confirmed, hopefully a bit further south than the last one, and it will be in early September..</p><p>Register your interest on the form.</p><p>When we confirm the dates we will list it in the events page</p><p>Thanks </p><p>Stan</p> gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:06:05 +0100 http://www.theoverlander.org/184-win-a-t-shirt.html <p>We are looking for a new 'home' page photo.</p><p>&nbsp;So dig into your trip snaps and post an entry on the FORUM !</p><p>The winner will be chosen by our panel of experts ! </p><p>Dont worry if you dont win, t-shirts are available for sale as well ;-)</p><p>Thanks</p><p>Stan</p><p>&nbsp;</p> gareth@theoverlander.org Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:26:28 +0100 Competitions http://www.theoverlander.org/158-christmas-competition.html <p>Hello All,</p><p>We have a Christmas Competiton running at the moment !!</p><p>Its sponsored by Mammouth 4x4 who are giving the winner a set of Trail Head Tire Deflators !</p><p>All you have to do is find the Chequer Plate Mammouth lurking on our pages ... and be in with a chance to win..</p><p><img src="/images//tire defl.JPG" alt="" /></p><p>&nbsp;Good luck ...</p><p>Stan</p> gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:16:28 +0100 competition http://www.theoverlander.org/152-re-group.html <p>Every journey has its ups and downs, some more than others.</p><p>We have lost a member of our team, so we are having a break from the travelling.</p><p>About a month ago we set of south from Germany, but on the way our old Husky became unwell and unfortunatly has passed away.</p><p>He was a great companion and we miss him.</p><p>Its taken a while to get around to writing this, its not easy travelling with kids and dogs, and the reality is these situations must be dealt with. We have returnedRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:17:10 +0100 overlander http://www.theoverlander.org/150-still-in-germany.html <p>Well we have been laid up here a little longer than expected. Waiting for a parcel from the UK and i have been to the dentist 3 times, i now have a large hole where the tooth was..</p><p>Its getting Chilly, Autumn definatly kicking in and we were hoping to be further south, hopefully soon..</p><p>Staying with friends who live in trailers and trucks, heres one being worked on..</p><p><img src="/images//yazi.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Saw this overlander on a campsite..</p><p><img src="/images//3wheeRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:44:55 +0100 Heading East http://www.theoverlander.org/143-on-the-road.html <p>We have actually made it out of the Uk at last.</p><p>We got the ferry from Harwich to Rotterdam as we needed to pick up a spare tyre in Holland. We could not get the size we need second hand in the UK. And as its a spare spare we decided to go this way. We have freinds in Rotterdam so this route worked well. Its supprisingly easy to leave the UK with a dog, but he wasnt too impressed with the ferry journey.</p><p>Having collected the tyre we are now in Germany as the new radiator has not fixRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:08:48 +0100 Heading East http://www.theoverlander.org/139-were-off.html <p>Its been a stressfull few weeks, no one writes about how to condense the contents of a 3 bedroom house into a lorry and a storage unit, and trying to sell as much as you can. Not easy !</p><p>The lorry is'nt finished but we had to make a break from the lakes. We moved out of the house at the end of August into a caravan at our muddy wood yard to sort our stuff out and get the lorry painted.<img src="/images//Sept2.jpg" alt="" /><img src="/images//Sept4.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>We are now in LincoRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:59:32 +0100 Heading East http://www.theoverlander.org/121-lake-district-gathering.html <p>What a great weekend !</p><p>Thanks to all those that turned up, it was great to have time to chat, drink and sit by the fire.</p><p>The weather on Friday night was a little worrying, but it faired up on Saturday and turned into a pleasant&nbsp;day and stayed like that until Sunday - perfect !</p><p>The turnout was about 25, with a mix of Landrovers, bikes, vans and a car made it up the slightly rough track.&nbsp; We managed to get the lorry into the site although it was a little tight througRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:57:57 +0100 overlander http://www.theoverlander.org/119-watertight.html <p>Its been a while since i have updated this as its been a busy time on the lorry build.</p><p>We managed to get it watertight and make it to the Landrover show at Newark. </p><p>It was great to meet some of you there, even though the weather was a bit dodgy and there was another show on the same weekend it was still an excellent do.</p><p><img src="/images//July2.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>It was good to use the inside before we started the build. In the last few weeks we have gone from this (at theRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:49:05 +0100 Truck Build http://www.theoverlander.org/101-padded-cell.html <p>Managed to finish the insulation (well Simon did), he felt like he was in a padded cell and looked quite 'mad' after cutting all the squares out. Thanks to Festool circular saws it didnt send him completly crazy. We have used a 40mm foam insulation a bit like 'Extrem' only coniderably cheaper. Good to work with and should have excellent insulation properties.</p><p><img src="/images//build 002r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>We have started to clad the interior with MDF, so it can be painted easliy. WeRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:44:39 +0100 Truck Build http://www.theoverlander.org/100-the-airstream-effect.html <p>Not an 'Airstream', but an 'Airblocker'...</p><p>Got the exterior finished and now its onto the guts..</p><p><img src="/images//Bath 030r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Finished the last panel, no more pop rivets.. unless we cut a hole wrong..</p><p><img src="/images//truck 003r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>The new toilet has arrived so we will be fitting the shower and toilet first, just deciding on what materials to use for the 'wetroom'.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p> gareth@theoverlander.org Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:49:37 +0100 Truck Build http://www.theoverlander.org/97-horse-box.html <p>Its looking a bit like a horse box now..</p><p>The windows have finally arrived so we managed to get the cut outs done. Nearly cut one the wrong size. Measure twice / cut once. Or measure wrong twice, cut bigger hole once. Fortunatly we noticed before we started the jig saw up !</p><p><img src="/images//25.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Its all starting to come together now. Its a slow process working everything out, but its worth the extra time to get ot right.</p><p>The windows will be fixed in proerRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:21:36 +0100 Truck Build http://www.theoverlander.org/96-burger-van.html <p>If anyone else asks for a burger or some chips i will scream, besides whch you would need a large chair to stand on in order to be served.. soon it will look more mobile home than burger van.. i hope..</p><p>&nbsp;<img src="/images//97r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>The air riveter is paying off,&nbsp;makes like much easier.</p><p>We are &nbsp;desperate to get the&nbsp;windows in, i hope they arrive soon.</p><p><img src="/images//98r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Ordering the edgeing trim next and then its theRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:45:52 +0100 Truck Build http://www.theoverlander.org/95-solar-furnace.html <p>Cladding the roof in the sun was not a good idea ! We had to take the truck out of the shed to be able to do the roof but man was it hot ! A little bit like a solar oven ...</p><p><img src="/images//62r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Got the roof done and did some bendimg of the Aly for the rear overhang.</p><p><img src="/images//58r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>The ply was put on first , then the Aly glued to it.</p><p><img src="/images//64r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Making the front bends over the frame was an inRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:39:25 +0100 Truck Build http://www.theoverlander.org/94-grand-designs.html <p>Its a bit like the truck version of grand designs, i keep expecting Kevin to walk around the corner going " will it work? there is so much to do in such a short time, will it fall off the back in Mongolia?". Other similarities are the budget is blown away, the work load has doubled and the 'moving in' date has slipped, but hey ho we are building a house on wheels !</p><p><img src="/images//5.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>&nbsp;We have managed to clad the back of the box, most of the roof and are onto Read More... gareth@theoverlander.org Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:45:12 +0100 Truck Build http://www.theoverlander.org/92-travel-plans.html <p>We have been thinking of setting off for some time now. The trip around Scotland was a good chance for us to make our minds up that its the right time to do it.</p><p><img src="/images//Picture 128r.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>Our son Jake is nearly 4, so&nbsp;do a trip&nbsp;before he has to start school makes sense. With the website now up and running its a good time to be on the road promoting it and hopefully inspire others to set off as well..</p><p>We plan to head east initially. Andra (My girlRead More... gareth@theoverlander.org Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:47:14 +0100 Heading East