WHAT IS THE SAYING? THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION.

This page is a continual work in progress. In the interest of sharing as much information and hopefully assisting or inspiring someone else, I will continue to add to the questions below.

If you have something specific that you would like to know about my preparation, the vehicle, my route or about the team I have provided a form below.

WHEN WAS THIS TRIP PLANNED?

The short answer is it has been considered for nearly 25 years- from the original beginnings of Drive The Globe.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE TRIP?

Simply put. Explore. Inspire. Share.

IS THIS OVERLANDING? IS IT VANLIFE? IS IT AN ADVENTURE TRAVEL EXPEDITION? OR IS IT JUST A ROAD TRIP?

Yes! It is all of the above & to some extent none of them. To be clear, each of those definitions tend to be a little restrictive in their approach. Overlanding to me is simply exploring the world under your own direction & control. Truthfully it could be on 4 wheels, two wheels, pedal power or even walking. Van Life to me probably addresses the self control of your sleeping & living quarters more than anything else. So from that sense, yes I will be living the Van Life. Adventure travel is the what & why of the story. It is the sights, the people, the cultures & the challenges I encounter. It also is the hiking, the backpacking & cycling adventures I do along the way. And finally, yes- it just might be the ultimate road trip- especially when you consider I am doing it in an old converted army truck. I most like to use the words- Nomadic Life.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SPONSORS?

I am approached frequently by various companies, distributers & product manufacturers to promote their products. Due to my social media influence & the number of visitors that check out this website it is understandable. Actually, it’s probably just the bright orange truck, huh?! The quick answer is yes but… In the past I have repped various brands. My requirement is simple. It has to be something that I genuinely use, believe in & can be proud to show off to millions of people around the world. I am willing to test new to market items but I will ALWAYS be honest and my findings will be reflected in my commentary. If you are interested in working with me please contact me HERE.

HOW LONG WILL THE JOURNEY TAKE?

That is the one question that I will NEVER answer. I do not know & it is not part of my trip plan to set a predetermined time frame. Suffice to say, it will be awhile.

WHAT VEHICLE ARE YOU USING?

As of the Fall of 2023 I moved into a 2002 Stewart & Stevenson M1085 6 wheel drive former army truck. Prior to that I traveled in a 1994 Stewart & Stevenson M1079. This former military truck was also converted into a 4x4 global expedition RV completely in house. Prior to that I spent 12 months on the road full time in a 1979 Mercedes Unimog 416 DOKA U1100 turbo diesel. Read more about these trucks HERE. I have been known to travel via motorbike, pedal bike, aircraft & hiking as well.

WHAT CAMP TRAILER WERE YOU USING?

2018 Unimog Xpedition Trailer (UXT 1102). It was based upon a Schutt US Military M1102 HMMWV Trailer, designed, fabricated & outfitted completely at Drive The Globe. Read more about the trailer HERE.

ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

Yes I am. YouTube is where you will find my Weekly Epic Travel Series hosted, as well as many other videos that I have produced over the years. I plan to upload a new episode most Tuesdays at 2pm EST (-5 GMT). I also frequently update Instagram, Tik Tok & Twitter. I co-host a weekly podcast with Phil from Waypoint Overland available on your favorite podcast platform. I also feature exclusive content and other member benefits through Patreon Membership.

WHY NO FACEBOOK?

Ha, ha! Cause it is the next MySpace?!, I hope anyway… Actually, I am on Facebook too. I just don’t focus on it because honestly it seems more of a place for people to rant about politics & fake news. Not into it- never will be- sorry! The other platforms are more positive & better suited to the adventurers in all of us.

HOW MANY CONTINENTS WILL YOU VISIT?

The plan is to visit all seven continents that make up this great place we call the Earth.

WHAT IS YOUR PROPOSED ROUTE?

Very roughly speaking the plan is: North America to Central America and following the Pan American highway to the tip of South America. Visit Antarctica, ship the vehicle to Southern Africa and complete a Trans-Africa crossing. Ferry on to Europe and then cross Asia and finally end in Australia.

HOW MANY MILES IS YOUR PROPOSED TRIP?

That is a tough one, probably in the plus or minus 220,000 mile range! I will post total miles driven and days on the road as I proceed.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ON BOARD?

There will be two of us. (I hope) The Stewart & Stevenson overland rig has been designed to carry two people for extended travel.

WILL YOUR EPIC OVERLAND TRAVEL SERIES FEATURE ANYONE ELSE?

I hope so! One of the goals of this trip is to share the adventure with both other overlanding travelers & of course our followers at home. Collaboration is a big part of the story. Stay tuned, you may see other familiar faces & other expedition vehicles collaborating with me on various parts of the trip.

HOW WILL THE TRUCK GET TO EACH CONTINENT?

Because of the size (primarily height & length) the truck will be shipped via ocean transport with the roll on roll off method (RORO) rather than being containerized. Because of our proposed route I will only need to ship 3 times (South America to Africa, Asia to Australia, Australia returning to North America) I also will need to ferry from Central America to South America around the Darien Gap and from Africa to Europe across the Straight of Gibraltar (Mediterranean Sea).

IS YOUR VEHICLE THE RIGHT TRUCK FOR THIS KIND OF TRIP?

No…….. Seriously, though, No! Well, maybe…. at least parts of it. Bottom line: There is no perfect vehicle. Learn more here: Choosing The Right Vehicle For Your Adventure . The truck is an extremely capable overland vehicle. It is generally very robust, very reliable and can carry and pull enormous amounts of weight. The downsize it that it is kinda big, heavy and may not be allowed in certain places due to size (game parks in Africa as an example). Developing countries horrible bridges & infrastructure may prove too unstable for the weight. The truck is slow- real slow. But then again, I am not in a rush.

WHAT GEAR DO YOU USE TO PRODUCE YOUR VIDEO CONTENT?

The gear that I use can be found HERE.

WHAT TRAVEL SHOTS OR VACCINATIONS ARE REQUIRED?

Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Cholera, Yellow Fever, Rabies, Measles-Mumps-Rubella, Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis), Meningitis and a few other routine ones that you might get in the States anyway like Influenza & Shingles.

WHAT DOES YOUR COOKING GEAR CONSIST OF?

Honestly, most of my cooking is done on a Tembo Tusk Skottle. No pans to clean, no mess, easy clean up and I can cook just about anything on it. I do have a full kitchen on board, including an oven, range, microwave & toaster.

HOW MUCH DOES A TRIP LIKE THIS COST?

That is tough to answer as there are so many factors. I will be publishing a log as I go on my Patreon page. The single biggest expenses are fuel, food & vehicle maintenance.

WHAT NAVIGATION DO YOU USE?

I primarily use Gaia GPS on my iPad and the Garmin Tread & Overlander. In addition I am a huge printed map nerd, I also frequently use the iOverlander app.

THE WEBSITE DISPLAYS TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELLED & TOTAL DISTANCE CYCLED. HUH??

One of the goals for this trip has always been about exploration- whether that is by 4 wheels or 2. As an avid cyclist I hope to ride as much as I drive. In fact, you may rarely see me move more than 100 miles a day in the truck. Although this is one epic road trip- it is not about being a road warrior. I will take my time!

WHY ALL THE QUOTES ON YOUR WEBSITE?

The quotes inspire me, and I hope they inspire you too. Many have ventured before us, they remind us to always be humble.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A TRAVEL COMPANION?

Yes, I am looking for a very special woman to share adventures with.

WHY NO FURRY TRAVEL COMPANION?

Honestly, I have never ruled that out. I love animals, but I am also very conscious of the commitment- especially being on the road full time. Crossing international borders with dogs & / or cats can be very challenging. I like to get out on the motorbike frequently, days away from home base make an animal less of an option right now. I do have an expedition turtle though. Read more HERE.

WHERE HAVE YOU TRAVELED TO IN THE PAST?

I have explored many parts of the world over the past 25 years. All told, I believe I have visited over 120 countries on 5 continents (Still need to get to Australia & Antarctica). A large part of my exploration has been in North America, Europe & Africa.

COVID-19. THOUGHTS?

Many thoughts. This has obviously deeply affected this journey. More importantly though, it has changed the world in so many ways & probably will continue to be a reality for years to come. This pandemic has altered life for everyone on Earth, time will tell how we recover and move forward. In the short term it has closed borders, caused a multitude of restrictions in nearly every corner of the world and has economically & environmentally impacted over 200 countries. I continue to actively monitor the situation, I am in contact with friends, fellow travelers & organizations on every continent- collectively & together we wait & work for a better future. In the short term I am on the road- staying safe, visiting places that are open & locales that I will not negatively impact the infrastructure.