Podcast - Blue Yonder Overland

Jen interviews Azure O’Neil, Director of Programming for Overland Expo. Azure discusses not only the catalysts for adventure in her own life but how her adventures have fueled friendship and community. Full show notes and links at blueyonder-adventures.com

Jen and Mat discuss the various categories of overlanding camping setups they have seen or experienced and outline the pros and cons of each. Full show notes and links at blueyonder-adventures.com

Jen interviews Will Curry, founder of Kamperage, dedicated to offering fully electric RV rentals and introducing people to the joy of more time outdoors. Will and his wife are also very intentionally prioritizing family adventures together outside with their two daughters so Will shares what has worked for them. Full show notes and links at blueyonder-adventures.com

Sometimes the hardest thing about camping or other outdoor adventures is just finding the time! Jen discusses planning strategies and practical tips to help you fit more adventures in your life. Jen also discusses ideas to keep your adventurous spirit alive even during the “off” seasons. Full show notes and links at blueyonder-adventures.com

From gear to prep, Jen and Mat discuss what you need to get started cooking while overlanding. Jen shares tips she learned at Overland Expo and asks Mat about his "go to" meals", plus packing and storage tips. Full show notes and links at blueyonder-adventures.com

Topics covered:

1:01 Kicking off with Overland Expo SoCal and Central Coast camping takeaways

4:45 Basic cooking setups

9:30 Chilling food

16:50 Beyond hot/cold, what do you need?

28:40 Why breakfast tacos are the best camp breakfast

31:25 Tips on food storage

43:30 Go-to meals

Excited to go camping this weekend until you checked the weather forecast? Jen talks through standard items to have on hand to mitigate common weather and seasonal problems, extra items to pack for seasonal extremes, and shares stories of creative problem solving to still enjoy a camping weekend in less than ideal conditions. Full show notes and links at blueyonder-adventures.com

Topics covered:

4:03 Kicking off prep and mitigation with temperature: too cold or too hot

13:15 Camping in wet weather

20:15 Camping in storms and wind

26:10 Aftermath of storms: mud

28:18 Camp noise and trying to sleep

33:00 Problem solving and mindset

Jen unpacks some of the most commonly heard worries about camping outside of campgrounds and practical strategies to address these issues, including how to go to the bathroom, how to shower or keep yourself clean, and how to deal with dishes and trash. She discusses trade-offs in choices ranging from location choices to products to vehicle setups that you might want to consider based on who is camping with you, how long you’re going, and what season it is. Full notes and links listed at blueyonder-adventures.com

Topics covered:

01:08 Intro to dirty overlanding- why are these objections and questions worth thinking about?

3:29 How do you go to the bathroom?

20:02 How do you shower or keep clean?

29:03 Dishes and cleanup

37:25 Preview of Overland Expo SoCal

Jen interviews her sister, Megan Skalbeck, who has embraced all forms of camping- backpacking, motorcycle camping, car camping, bikepacking- and is always ready to say yes to her next adventure. Jen and Megan discuss some of the trade-offs in decision making around taking risks, moving constantly, building community and building habits. Megan shares a few of the practical details of car camping around Joshua Tree as well.

Full show notes, links, and behind the scenes photos at www.blueyonder-adventures.com

2022 US Coffee in Good Spirits Champion, Alex Hager, joins to talk about her background and lessons learned from camping, bikepacking, and overlanding. She talks about the mindset to embrace solo adventures plus practical tips, gear advice, and how to uplevel your camp coffee. Alex has also found community while camping solo and shares benefits of both solo and group adventures. Full show notes and resources at blueyonder-adventures.com or ask questions and see more behind the scenes with @BlueYonderAdventures on Instagram.

Full show notes, links, and behind the scenes photos at www.blueyonder-adventures.com

Topics we covered:

03:15 Intro to Alex

09:40 Alex’s intro to overlanding

13:20 Alex decides to buy an overlanding vehicle

19:50 How do you approach solo trips?

27:15 Finding community while camping solo

38:45 Favorite gear

42:01 Alex’s coffee evolution and how to drastically improve camp coffee

Join Jen and Mat to discuss all the basics you need to take with you on your first overland camping adventure. We’ll discuss everything from safety and recovery gear to basic cooking and camp comfort, along with mistakes we’ve made along the way. Ask questions and see more behind the scenes info including evolution of vehicle and kitchen set-ups at blueyonderadventures@ on Instagram.