Hi Rob,
Our experience with creating the Overland Journal has been a total joy for me. Overlanding/expedition travel is one of the fastest growing segment of the OHV market, and it is building steam from the early retired that don't want a 40' RV, but would easily buy a Sportsmobile, EarthRoamer or 100 series with all the kit.
Just over a year ago, Jonathan Hanson (FJ40, Tacoma and FJ60 owner) and I first started talking about the concept. We believed (and the rate of subscriptions and advertisers has proved) that there was a large group of underserviced travelers/4wd enthusiasts. These are people that use a vehicle as a means of adventure and travel, not where just the vehicle is the hobby. Sure, we all love cool trucks and gear, but we buy them to travel and explore.
The Overland Journal is an independent publication, 100% owned by overland enthusiasts (our staff). I am blessed to have such great and talented people working with me.
From the beginning, we wanted to assemble the "best of breed", which is the highest quality equipment manufacturers and outfitters as advertisers and the most qualified editors. This would help ensure content quality consistent with a $45 subscription rate and very low ad %. For example, ads are only in the very front or the very back.
We worked on editorial first, talking with talents like Henry Cubillan, Tom Sheppard, Chris Scott, Tom Collins, etc., then we started looking for the best photographers we could find. Jonathan is also a great editor (13 books, Outside correspondent, National Geographic Adventure, etc.), which allows me to focus on the business side.
We are also not afraid of printing long stories, as expedition travel usually requires more than the 4-5 pages a trail story allows. For example, in the first issue, the main feature is over 15 pages on a Trans-Africa Expedition. Fun stuff!
We are always looking for good talent, especially those with exceptional photography. Image quality is a priority for us. We are not currently accepting contributions, but don't hesitate to send an email to our editor if you have a unique idea, or some great images. editor [@] overlandjournal.com
For example, the Summer issue will always be the photography issue. It features 10-14 pages of just images taken around the world.
If I can answer any more questions, please shoot me an email:
guide@expeditionswest.com. I would be happy to help.
Thanks again for the interest and support.