It seems like yesterday that we were sitting down to write this same story on 2017, and now here we are aggregating our favorite trips and memories from 2018. Holy cow, were there a lot. This past year held some of our biggest adventures to date, from right here at home all the way to the Greenland Ice sheet and back. So as we round the bend into the new year, and prepare for all sorts of new exciting adventures, let’s take a look back at 2018 and remember the beauty and wonder behind us.
Greenland
Scott Brady along with the Expeditions 7 team and Expedition Portal completed the first vehicle crossing of the long-axis of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The 5,000-plus-kilometer journey was made in three specially prepared Hilux vehicles, all built by Arctic Trucks in Iceland.
Australia Crossing
One of my favorite trips of the year was a crossing of the Australian continent in a Hema Maps 76 series Land Cruiser. Rains and flooding blocked our route forcing us to make a massive diversion, a wheel cracked after thousands of miles of washboards forcing us to swap it in soft sand, and we could have measured the trip by the number of deadly snakes or enormous spiders we nearly stepped on, yet it was as fun and adventure-packed as we could have asked for.
Copper State Overland Rally
What could be cooler than hitting a few hundred miles of dirt roads through the Arizona desert with friends? Doing it in vintage four-wheel drives with a bit of friendly competition spread throughout? In other words, taking part in the Copper State Overland Rally. We had the chance to attend the first two days of this event earlier this year with New Legend 4×4, and although each entry fee is pretty expensive, it’s also an insane amount of fun, and all of the profit goes to fund charities and the arts in the Phoenix area. Expect a full story on this in the coming year.
Mission Impossible
Scott Brady explored the remote and technical track to Misión Santa María de los Ángeles in Baja, California. For this adventure, Scott used his trusted W463 Mercedes G-Class with 35-inch tires and triple-factor differential locks to negotiate the technical terrain.
Tasmania
Scott traveled to the southernmost point of Australia, traversing the west coast of Tasmania, 41 degrees south latitude. He used a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado for the journey.
BMW F 850 GS
Scott Brady tested the new BMW F 850 GS in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. The motorcycle is nearly all-new and includes significant improvements to both performance and rideability.
Morocco
Scott Brady tested the latest Patrol and the new Navara AT32 in the sands of the Sahara. He was not only impressed with the vehiles, but Nissan’s willingness to push them into such remote areas of the desert.
The Great Australian Bight
Scott Brady for Overland Journal and Rob Boegheim for HEMA Maps traveled with a team of adventurers and vehicles to cross “The Bight” from east to west, over 1600 kilometers of remote terrain.
Chevrolet AEV Bison Launch
One of the vehicle highlights of the year was definitely getting behind the wheel of Chevrolet’s AEV Bison in the Arizona desert. Although the launch was only a day long, we had a blast trying out the truck’s four-wheel drive systems on the trail, sliders and skids on the rocks, and Multimatic suspension on the sandy washes. You can read all about our impressions in the full review here.
Airstream Adventures
Airstream has had a legacy of travel from the beginning, and this year we decided to try one out for ourselves. I ended up purchasing a 27-foot International Signature and hitting the road last June, touring the Western US and Canada for the rest of the summer. We learned a ton, ran into some ridiculous issues that we’re still laughing about today, and of course had one heck of a great time. Expect a new story on this in the coming year.
Discovery 5
Land Rover’s new Discovery has created plenty of controversy since it’s release, with vehement arguments on both sides of the fence, so we decided to see what all of the fuss was about by borrowing one earlier this year. With 21-inch wheels and low-profile tire,s it was a bit like tiptoeing through the trail while trying not to pop a tire, but the vehicle’s capability surprised and impressed us when we called upon it. The full review will be released shortly, so keep a sharp eye for its release.
TRD Pro Trip
Of course, we can’t forget to mention what was undoubtedly one of the coolest vehicle launches we’ve attended for the 2019 TRD Pro lineup. Led by Expedition Overland and Toyota USA, we had the chance to take the new TRD Pro 4Runner, Tacoma, and Tundra through the hills and mountains of Utah and Colorado along the Rim Rocker Trail for several days. We camped, cooked out, and then concluded our journey with an epic drive over Imogene Pass to Telluride. You can read all about it on our article here.
And so much more!
There were honestly just too many trips to count this year, from drives through the desert, to journeys along the California coast, trips into the snowy mountains, and so much more. We could bore you with all the details, but since a picture is worth a thousand words, here’s a look at the rest of 2018 through one gallery.
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