Ted Simon, Lois Pryce, Austin Vince in one spot: Arizona, USA, April 16-18
 

Overland Journal is proud to be a title sponsor of the second annual Overland Expo, produced by ConserVentures.

The 2010 Overland Expo will be held in Amado, Arizona from April 16th through the 18th, and will feature the top names who have made overlanding history.

Returning this year will be popular overland experts Tom Collins (Camel Trophy) and Lois Pryce (Lois on the Loose). They will be joined by:

• Ted Simon - round-the-world motorcycling legend (Jupiter's Travels)
• Austin Vince - twice round the world by small cc motorcycle (Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa)
• Ara Gureghian - motorcycle traveler & author of the hugely popular Oasis of My Soul blog (with his dog Spirit)
• Harold Stephens - longest record-breaking round-the-world trip, in a Land Cruiser, 1967 (Who Needs a Road)
• Gary & Monika Wescott - the Turtle Expedition
• Duncan Barbour - British Camel Trophy team member and 4x4 camera tracking expert for dozens of movies

In addition, the Expo is hosting the first annual Austin Vince Adventure Travel Film Festival, which will run Friday/Saturday afternoon/evenings and Sunday afternoon.

Austin and Lois will also be available to sell their books and videos, as well as offerings from Horizons Unlimited, including the Ladies on the Loose video, the second in The Achievable Dream series.

The Overland Experience weekend packages include Overland Training's driving and motorcycle skills classes and hands-on workshops (over 40 offerings), hosted happy hours, Overland Theater, the Adventure Travel Film Festival, free swag and goodie bag, and a final BBQ banquet Sunday afternoon. Kids are free; free daycare provided for package buyers.

And there are a lot more activities for Day Passes this year:

Access to all the Exhibitors ~ there will be 65+ ~ and all of Overland Theater, the Adventure Travel Film Festival (which runs into the evenings), and there will be a new Demo Arena (demos such as a staged overlanding accident where the Remote Medical / Overland Training team will demonstrate Wilderness First Aid response). Also the new Roundtable Panel area will be open to everyone too. Experts' roundtables on lots of topics. How Did They Get Going and Keep Going? (people who have done epic trips and different ways of financing it); Women's Roundtable; Solo Overlanding (Lois Pryce and Ted Simon); and much more.

Evenings will be a big roving party with music and outdoor dining (two on-site restaurants) and the film fest. Onsite dry camp area provided - if you come on a day pass, there will be a small fee for camping to help offset costs for toilets and security.

Check out more at the website where online registration is open:

Overland Expo

Any other HUBBers going? If so, we should come up with a way to hook up!

It's apparently too late to sign up for anything other than day passes, but that's good enough for me...

You'll have plenty of fun on a day pass.

Incidentally, Guarav Jani (Riding Solo to the Top of the World) will be there too.

Sounds like fun. We'll probably check it out as we are going to be in the area at that time.

Brian and Marie,

I've seen your site. It would be great to meet you in person. If you make it, stop in and introduce yourselves to either me (Jonathan) or Roseann. If we miss you, you'll still have a blast.

Hi Jonathan,

It is looking more and more like we will be there and yes, we'll try and find you once we get there.

Cheers,

Just got back home from the Expo. 2011 will be bigger and better than ever! Next year we need more bikes (though who am I to talk, I drove my Defender 90)...

Cheers,
Nick.

I'd love to see a Ride Report from any riders that made this event.

I don't need a sales pitch from the principles or vendors, just a real world report from an average rider.

Anybody make this event on a bike?

Yes, a number of us attended, including Brian and Marie (2uprtw.com) who are on their way back to Canada after their adventure. It was pretty cool to see them in person after having read their trip blog.

The vendor area seemed mostly aimed at 4x4 adventurers, but it was still interesting to stroll through. I myself rode almost a thousand miles each way on a sportbike to see Lois, Austin, and Ted -- and I'd do it again. Austin showed his movie "Mondo Enduro" and several other motorcycle adventure flicks. Lois and Austin gave a presentation about their recent ride across the U.S. in a Ural sidecar rig, which also involved a short movie. Ted talked about his trip and included a slideshow of his great photos. There were panel discussions, too.

The camping area was fine, though of course dusty (it is south of Tucson, after all). There were places to eat and drink at the venue if you didn't want to eat freeze-dried chow and drink instant coffee all weekend. The expo web site said there were no showers at the campsite, which was true, but the enterprising people who run the "bistro" cafe at the venue set up a portable shower in the back and charged $3. It was worth it, as the nearest campsite that included showers cost substantially more and were undoubtedly less convenient.

I spent the whole time at the event, but at least a few riders took day rides into the surrounding area and told me they had a great time doing it.

I met quite a few nice people and expect to keep in touch with at least a few of them. Some were on bikes, some were in Land Rovers with rooftop tents; all had the spirit of adventure!

Thanks for taking the time to post up Craig.

How many riders showed up in all?

Austin is a good film maker, I loved his Terra Circa film. Be interesting to see what those two come up with next.

I read an article in a Brit mag about the Ural thing. Boring. Can a Land Rover be far off for those two? Kids, Dogs, the cat and a cooler full of beer!
Ah, what an adventure!

I did the four wheel thing 30 years ago. Good fun I guess. I came back to my roots. Two Wheels.
Any pics?

I don't really have a good way to guess, but there were multiple class sessions each day (e.g., Rawhide and BMW offroad school) and they were full. Plus there were at least a few of us in the campsite area that were not in any classes. Maybe a few dozen total? Hard to say for sure.

Not to me, and clearly not to Lois and Austin. In fact, it looked like a pretty great adventure.

I've got some, but I don't see a way to post them on this site and I don't have a permanent server. If anyone is interested, I can send them via e-mail as attachments. There are maybe 10 shots, probably about 1.5 MB total. My address is cb160racer@yahoo.com.

Pictures kindly forwarded to me by cb160racer(Craig)

5 more pictures....many thanks Craig

Thanks for posting my photos, Dave! I really appreciate it.

In order, the first batch of five pictures are:

1. My departure (have you ever seen a CBR600 loaded like that before?!)
2. Camping area
3. My campsite (the space-blanket-over-the-tent sunshade worked great)
4. Expo entrance area
5. Lois and Austin; Ted's table was just out of the shot, to the left

Second batch:

1. Part of the Expo vendor area (and lovely Tucson weather)
2. Ara's BMW sidecar rig; Spirit the dog rides in "the chair"
3. Nickie's DR-Z400 (she sells the rack and bash guard)
4. Offroading "green style" in a Smart car?
5. Looking east from my campsite at dusk

sorry to have missed you
 

I managed to get involved with setting up a vendor stall, and stayed the whole weekend in the main arena. Would have been great to see some more of the HU contingent in an organized manor.

I felt like such a fraud. 35,000 into my trip I attend the Overland Expo, probably the largest overland meet in the world (?), only to leave in a 4x4 with my travel bike on a trailer!
Engine problems now sorted, thank the bike Gods.

I had a great time, first chance I've had to really chat to Austin and Ted Simon. If you're reading this either of you, it was a pleasure to meet you.

I'd attend again, but it would be great to see some more bikes there. $350,000 trucks seem an odd way to see the world. Which presumably is what people use them for?