Pan-American Highway breakdowns and lessons

Regardless of whether you have a van, a pop-up camper, an RV, a rock crawler or just a basic old pickup truck, the vehicles we own help facilitate the adventures we want to have. In Episode 93, we camp at White Rock Lake with Harry Wagner of @harrysituations and KP Pawley of @zerodeclination and talk all about adventure vehicles and what set-ups are best suited for different purposes. Both Harry and KP have vast experience traveling around the globe and living in different rigs, gaining unique insights on what works – and more importantly – what doesn’t work. They’ve built, driven and seen nearly everything and share with us their experience. Topics include roof top tents, if you need a winch, diesel versus gas, traction boards, the best tires and the most common modifications that make people’s vehicles worse, not better. We also discuss the astronomical cost of new vehicles and some of the best used vehicle values that make for great adventure builds on a budget. Whether you have a six-figure build or just an old beater and a tent on the ground, you can learn a lot in this episode.

2:30 – Recording from White Rock Lake near Mount Lola

5:00 – The legend of the Warren Lake trail

8:00 – All About Adventure Rigs with KP Pawley and Harry Wagner

16:02 – Old and new Toyota Trucks – slow and expensive but reliable

19:00 – How Harry and KP know each other

21:05 – Universal hatred for UTVs and side by sides

24:08 – The difference between people who want a van vs a pickup with a camper

26:20 – Pow Bot’s Ford Bronco he grafted a fiberglass camper onto

29:25 – How important is the pass-thru from cab to camper?

30:20 – A brief background on Harry Wagner’s 4x4 adventure career

31:40 – A brief background on KP Pawley, living full-time in his camper

33:20 – Taking 3 years to drive the Pan American Highway in 2016

34:50 – What was your biggest breakdown on the Pan American Highway trip?

36:47 – Was there a piece of gear that saved your trip?

39:00 – Have you ever been extorted by law enforcement?

42:10 – Is a gray market import from a foreign country a good adventure vehicle? 

44:50 – What was Harry’s favorite overlander/adventure vehicle he owned?

46:40 – What is your most essential creature comfort in an adventure vehicle?

49:40 – Roof top tents – Harry is not a fan. Why?

54:00 – The rise of the six-figure adventure vehicle

58:20 – Everything you do to your truck makes it worse

1:01:20 – Why have Toyota Tacomas become so popular?

1:02:10 – Harry is driving a 2015 Mercedes GL550 he bought for $10k

1:05:40 – The astronomical cost of new vehicles

1:08:30 – What are some used trucks that are reliable and affordable?

1:13:35 – The shortsightedness of gas prices and old V8s versus new EVs and hybrids

1:14:35 – Diesel vs gasoline – what’s more reliable?

1:21:00 – Zero Declination – building a full-size truck camper that fits gear like a van.

1:26:20 – What is it that pulls you away from the pavement?

1:27:45 – Advice of what not to do, winches, traction boards and Hi-Lift jacks, best tires

1:33:40 – The “power move” – one thing on your rig that makes other people jealous?

1:35:45 – How important is a shower or a toilet?

1:38:30 – You have $10,000 to go adventuring, what are you going to buy?

1:40:40 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?