EarthRoamer Around the World

[JRhetts]

Just in case you wondered what one can do with an EarthRoamer:

Press Release

Contact:
Michele Connolly
EarthRoamer®
1460 Overlook Drive
Lafayette, CO 80026
michele@earthroamer.com

***For Immediate Release***

EarthRoamer® Welcomes Back Around the World Explorers

Lafayette, CO (09/29/08) – Australians ******** and Pip Smith recently completed a two and
a half year, 25,000 mile trip around the world in their EarthRoamer XV-LT. Starting in
Alaska, the couple drove across the United States, shipped the vehicle to England and
drove across Europe to the easternmost point of Vladivostok, Russia. The EarthRoamer
was then shipped to Australia and driven across the country, ending in spectacular
fashion at the Sydney Opera House.

The EarthRoamer is being shipped back to the United States and driven to EarthRoamer’s
headquarters in Lafayette, CO, where a celebration will be held for ******** and Pip’s return.

******** was the first person to fly solo around the world in a helicopter twenty five years
ago. Pip was the first woman to fly around the world in a helicopter. This trip afforded
******** the opportunity to revisit some of the sites from his solo trip 25 years ago. Another
experience of a lifetime notched in the belt of adventure travelers!


About EarthRoamer®
Founded by a pair of engineers with a thirst for adventure, EarthRoamer is in its sixth
year designing, building and selling the only fully self-contained expedition vehicles in
North America. Built in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, EarthRoamer
allows adventurers to travel far from the beaten path in unparalleled safety and comfort.
More information is available at www.earthroamer.com, by calling 720-304-3174 or via
email: info@earthroamer.com.
###

 

[DiploStrat]

Quote from Australian Press:

"The couple travelled in a distinctive Earthroamer truck complete with a bed, bathroom and cooking facilities.

Breaking down in the truck was one of the highlights of the trip, Mr Smith told reporters.

"We broke down in Mongolia just on the onset of winter, in a snow storm," he said.

"We got a coal truck from the local coal mine to tow us 100km over a 7,000 feet (2,134 metres) foot mountain pass in freezing and snowing conditions."

The couple waited six months through a bitter Mongolian winter while the truck was repaired.

During their enforced stop over and throughout their trip, Mr Smith said they always met friendly locals."

To be fair, the Earthroamer is an impressive vehicle, but let us remember that all overland vehicles can break. Six months does seem a bit long to wait for parts, however.

 

[JRhetts]

As you state in your quote, "The couple waited six months through a bitter Mongolian winter while the truck was repaired."

From some private communications I have received, they had problems with the common oil rail, and for several months they eschewed flying in a qualified Ford mechanic, trying to use more local talent to repair the problem. It is my understanding that parts were able to be flown in relatively easily, but that diagnosing and physically repairing the engine [NOT the ER house] was what consumed the 6 months.

 

[DiploStrat]

Alien Vehicles

One reason that most serious overlanders build on non-US spec Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, or similar platforms.

That said, I owned and drove two Chevrolets in Africa and Latin America for about fifteen years - but that was because I was more familiar with the US truck than with others. (And yes, I had a stock of parts, shop manuals, and carried SAE tools.)

The bottom line, of course, is that you can do the "round the world" trip in a Volkswagen Kombi; you don't need an Earthroamer, or a Unicat, or whatever. (You will, of course, be a LOT more comfortable in one of the latter.) At the end of the day, it is the driver, not the vehicle, that matters.