It is common for many to offer the conventional advice to “never travel alone.” Filmmaker, Sterling Noren, has some alternative thoughts, however, when it comes to solo travel.

With extensive solo traveling experience by motorcycle throughout many remote regions of the world, Sterling is on the podcast to share his insight, expertise, and rationale for solo travel along with a couple of good stories based on his vast variety of experiences.

Learn what Sterling Noren considers the five essential skills for solo travel, why solo travel can sometimes be safer than traveling with a group, and how to minimize your risk and optimize your fun while solo traveling aboard a motorcycle or in a vehicle.

Having filmed 10 out of the 12 popular BDR films (Backcountry Discovery Routes) along with a host of compelling documentaries, Sterling now focuses most of his creative energy on his Motorcycle Travel Channel on YouTube, where his films exhibit a Zen-like, meditative quality that allow the viewer to be present within his experience.

In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Sterling co-owns the Jonquil Motel in Bisbee, AZ along with his partner/girlfriend, Eva Rupert.

Get inspired to try heading out on your own by joining Sterling and Jimmy for a deep dive into all things solo travel.

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For anyone traveling into the backcountry whatever the means of transport, taking precautions to prevent wildfire starts and knowing what to do to stay safe if a wildfire ignites near your location are essential outdoor skills.

That’s why we’re grateful to have experienced wildlands firefighter, Jessica Braun, share her extensive knowledge and insight to help us learn what we can do to both prevent wildfires and stay safe when adventuring into the backcountry during fire season.

Jess explains current theory and practice being implemented by the U.S.F.S. (United States Forest Service) to mitigate wildfire danger and what to know about how different types of forest management may affect wildfire severity in an area where you may be recreating.

Jess, Jimmy, and co-host, Leah, deep-dive into the many different ways one can accidentally ignite a wildfire when camping and enjoying a variety of forms of vehicle-based recreation in the backcountry during fire season. Whether driving your vehicle, building a campfire, or enjoying some camp cooking, Jess explains best practices for preventing those wildfire starts from happening in the first place.

And if you find yourself far into the backcountry when a wildfire erupts, what do you do next? How do you report the wildfire start? How do you escape being caught in a wildfire and what is the best way to stay safe if you are caught within one? Jess shares her approach to pre-scouting recommended before adventuring into fire-prone areas, how to be prepared for an emergency evacuation in the event of a wildfire, and best practices for surviving if you find yourself trapped by the flames.

There are few places in the world where wildfire is not an issue for those heading into the backcountry. Enjoy becoming more wildfire aware and learn the basics of preventing wildfires and staying safe during fire season by joining our conversation with Jessica Braun.

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There are some whose expertise when it comes to D.I.Y. vehicle modification, accessorizing, and maintenance is so advanced that they could probably get a job at most pro shops for the price of asking. For most of us, however, our D.I.Y. skills have their boundaries, and there comes a time when we must look to a competent pro shop to assist us with whatever work we’re doing to our overland/adventure vehicle.

When that time comes, we hope that everything we’ve packed into this episode will help you get the results you want. Whether you’re making major modifications, doing some light accessorizing, or just having routine maintenance performed, we’ve brought our top pro, Josh Hull, Manager at Dark Horse Customs in Bozeman, Montana, onto the podcast to share his insight and offer tips on everything from identifying a top-tier pro shop to learning how to communicate more effectively with its technicians.

Dark Horse Customs is XOVERLAND’s go-to pro shop that has assisted us with our own unique vehicle builds for over a decade now. That’s why we’re excited and grateful to have their top guy on our podcast to discuss everything related to getting professional work of any kind done to your vehicle.

Jimmy Lewis and co-host, Leah Heffelfinger, sit down for a deep dive with Josh into this subject, even using their own vehicles and experiences as case scenarios to provide examples of what it looks like to go through the process of working with a pro.

Here are just some of the topics we cover in this episode:

How do you know you’ve found a top-tier shop? What are the red flags to look out for when it comes to selecting a pro shop to work with?

Modification? Accessory? What’s the difference?

When should you involve a pro shop? What types of modifications are risky to install for the average D.I.Y. vehicle owner?

Why it may actually save you money to order your accessories through a pro shop rather than buying them elsewhere.

Will a pro shop look over my D.I.Y. work to ensure the work has been done correctly?

Don’t find yourself wasting money and time when trying to work with a pro shop to build your dream overland/adventure vehicle. Join us for this unique episode and gain insight and knowledge from one of the best in the business to learn how to do it right the first time.

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Have you ever considered taking all of that money you’d be spending on labor and using it to build your own custom truck camper? That’s exactly what Courtney and Riley Casey of the popular YouTube series, Ambition Strikes, set out to do–and did it.

Whether you’re ready to go all-in on a fully-built D.I.Y. truck camper or just looking to customize the camper you have with some ingenuity and sweat equity, this episode will both inspire you and help you to reach your goals with knowledge and insight into how to make the D.I.Y. dream a reality.

To realize their dream of spending a winter hitting up all of the major ski resorts throughout the U.S. with their “IKON” Ski Pass, creative couple Courtney & Riley Casey decided to sell their O.E.M. Lance Truck Camper and use the proceeds to buy materials to build their own custom design.

Thankfully for all of us, they put in the extra effort to film the entire process! This popular D.I.Y. truck camper build video now has 1.7 million views and Courtney and Riley’s YouTube Channel, Ambition Strikes, continues to grow in popularity (342k Subscribers) as the two venture into the world of off-the-grid living.

In this episode, we catch up with Courtney and Riley to reflect on their amazing truck camper build and see what we can learn from these two when it comes to “Doing It Yourself.”

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Water management and purification while hiking and backpacking is one thing, but managing a large quantity of water to supply an overlanding vehicle and several occupants over the duration of an extended trip is a whole different situation.

Even if you are not heading out for an extended overland journey in less developed countries, meeting your hydration needs for something like a weekend of mountain biking or a week-long vacation in the remote backcountry will require an effective plan and the necessary equipment to make this possible.

To address this need, we brought Guzzle H20 co-founder, Tyler Bech, onto the podcast to discuss best practices for sourcing, purifying, and managing large quantities of water for overlanders and anyone interested in vehicle-supported recreation of any kind.

XOVERLAND has been partnered with Guzzle H20 for years now and for good reason:  Their products are truly unique and function perfectly to resupply our team with large quantities of water on expeditions around the world.

In this episode, you will learn the actual science behind water purification, including the fundamental differences between “filtration” and “purification” and why it is necessary to pay close attention to all aspects of your water management if you wish to stay healthy and have good tasting water while recreating out of your vehicle.

You will additionally learn what an effective mindset for water management looks like, how to effectively source water for purification, and how to avoid the common pitfalls made by many attempting to purify water no matter what kind of method or device used.

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Hot dogs and hamburgers are always a win around the campfire, but maybe you’re looking for a way to spice up your culinary experience the next time you head out on the trail.

That’s why we teamed up with Linhbergh and Karissa of “Gondirtin” for this episode. When it comes to elevating camp cooking, these two bring their A-game every time. The best part is that they know how to radically improve the taste and flavor of camp cooking by making a few simple changes that anyone can accomplish.

Listen in as XOVERLAND host and co-host, Jimmy Lewis and Leah Heffelfinger, chat it up with Karissa & Linhbergh as the two share funny stories of their first-ever camp meals, favorite ingredients, tips for cooking techniques and equipment, food history, recipes, and more.

If you’re ready to have some fun turning some heads around camp when you break out the fish sauce rather than the ketchup, and you’re interested in raising your culinary camp cooking game to the next level witho2ut having to attend culinary school–this is the episode for you!

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On this episode, host, Jimmy Lewis, sits down with XOVERLAND co-founders, Clay and Rachelle Croft, and XOVERLAND Content and Marketing Director, Evan DeHaven, to discuss everything happening that’s been happening behind the scenes at XOVERLAND and the new vision and direction for the company.

Clay and Rachelle discuss their original vision for their business and how that has evolved into the XOVERLAND brand. Evan shares the details of the XOVERLAND Network and the many new content areas featured there, including the all-new “Creator Series,” “Trail Talk,” and expansion of the masterclass-themed “X-Class.”

Clay and Rachelle also share the details of how their original “Overlander Film Fest” has now been re-branded as The XOVERLAND Film Fest, when they expect to host it, and how the film fest can serve as a gateway to having one’s work considered for the Creator Series.”

Finally, listen in as Clay Croft reads XOVERLAND’S complete brand “Manifesto,” and Evan, Clay, and Rachelle discuss the belief and values represented by the manifesto that everyone who works at XOVERLAND strives to realize in their own lives.

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Rachelle Croft sits down to host solo adventure traveler and highly successful YouTube creator, Eva zu Beck, to discuss what’s next for Eva after five years of global traveling.

At the time of this recording, Eva is traveling across the U.S. to decide where she’d like to live as she works on her next move to “build a house and live in it.” Being that she was passing through Montana, we got a chance to sit down with her in person at the XOVERLAND Hangar.

While she may currently desire to build a house in a unique place in the mountains, by no means is Eva ceasing her adventuring; she is simply altering her lifestyle and approach to adventure seeking. Her conversation with Rachelle explores what these changes look like to Eva and how she is navigating this exciting yet challenging time in her life.

Join the conversation, as Eva and Rachelle discuss their life values and the choices they have made–and still make everyday–that manifest what they value most.

As an added bonus to this insightful conversation, hear the captivating story of Eva’s first major adventure upon leaving London at the start of her YouTube career, discover her favorite countries throughout the world, and get a look at the vision she has for her most romantic adventure yet.

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In the second episode of our XOVERLAND Podcast Q&A Series, we take on questions from listeners and fans about the challenges of time, money, and geographic location when it comes to getting started in overlanding. 

Here are a few example questions we work on answering:

1. How do you go overlanding if you’re working a full-time job and have responsibilities related to having a family and a house?
2. Can you really go overlanding if you’re struggling financially? How much do you need to budget for an overlanding adventure?
3. How can I go overlanding if I live in Northeast Connecticut or in a state like Mississippi? 

Along with answering these and other specific questions from our listeners, we use their questions to spark broader conversations around the subjects of budgeting time and money for overlanding, figuring out how to find overlanding opportunities and vehicle-based adventure regardless of where you live, and how determining what you’re really seeking from your experience can greatly impact what it will cost you in terms of time, money, and commitment.

This is a super-insightful episode you don’t want to miss, featuring XOVERLAND’s new Content & Marketing Director, Evan DeHaven, and XOVERLAND’s Social Media Manager and Content Producer, Andy Potter.

This podcast is brought to you by onX Offroad!

Read the full show notes here!
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Rebecca Donaghe is an experienced film producer whose credits include noted feature works such as Finding Forrester, Where God Left His Shoes, and She Gets What She Wants. 

Her current passion lies in combining her love of adventure with her professional talent as a film producer by leading “special-ops style” expedition production crews to produce award-winning, ethically-minded advertisements within the outdoor space.  

Possessing an M.B.A. from Yale, Rebecca is the consummate professional always seeking out new paths to personal and professional growth. That is why she has become focused on pursuing a wide range of adventures around the world that include navigation rally racing, sailing the open ocean, surfing, rock climbing, and even riding through Morocco and Mongolia aboard “monkey bikes.”

In this episode, Jimmy is joined by XOVERLAND’s new podcast co-host, Leah Heffelfinger, for a conversation with Rebecca about how adventure can provide far more than thrills. Rebecca explains how, for her, adventure is sought out as a path to learn about herself that leads to intense and often immediate personal growth. 

Rebecca’s philosophy of adventure and how it affects her life is incredibly detailed and well-thought-through. Whether you are new to the world of life outside of your comfort-zone or have been at it for years, this unique conversation is sure to provide you with some useful ideas and enhance your perspective when it comes to finding your next adventure. 

Join Rebecca, Leah, and Jimmy as the three have fun exploring just how an adventurous approach to life can lead you to a place of fulfillment and a lifestyle that aligns with your deepest values. 

Read the full show notes here!
Watch this podcast here!