Overlander Interveiws - Richard & Kathy Howe

[dhackney]

Overlander Interveiw - Richard & Kathy Howe

Interview Date: 22 September, 2008
Interview Location: Caraz, Peru
Overlander(s): Richard and Kathy Howe
Overlander(s) Nationality: U.S.A.
Overlander(s) Web site: http://www.travelin-tortuga.com/Site/Home_Page.html
Overlander(s) Email(s):
Overlander(s) Favorite Destination: Columbia
Overlander(s) Least Favorite Destination: Nicaragua
Overlander(s) Most Memorable Person Met On Route: [I didn't ask this question, but I think it would be the five strangers who spent hours digging them out of a mudslide on a remote mountain road in Columbia.]
Overlander(s) Biggest Lesson(s) to Date: Rick – If you have a problem, people will help you. Kathy – Propane isn’t everywhere.
Expedition Planned Route: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, ???
Expedition Begin Date: 3/2007
Expedition Planned Duration: Indefinite
Expedition Comments: Crossed U.S. / Mexican border on 19 December, 2007; been to 10 countries and have found people nice everywhere;
Vehicle (year/make/model): 2007 Chevrolet 2500 4x4 (classic, i.e. legacy chassis, pre-ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel motor)
Vehicle Engine (displacement/type): 6.6 liter, V8 diesel, turbo; Allison 6 speed automatic transmission, full time 4x4
Vehicle Kilometers When Purchased: new, 0 miles / kilometers
Vehicle Current Total Kilometers: 46,000 miles / 74,049 kilometers
Vehicle Current Expedition Kilometers: 46,000 miles / 74,049 kilometers
Vehicle Fuel Efficiency: 12 – 15 miles per gallon / 19.6 – 15.7 liters per 100 kilometers
Vehicle Wet Weight: 10,200 pounds / 4,627 kilos
Vehicle Dimensions: length: 19 feet / 5.8 meters; width: 87 inches / 2.2 meters; height: 117 inches / 3 meters
Vehicle Expedition Maintenance/Repairs: EGR valve replacement, reinforce/rebuild Propane/LP/GLP regulator box, leak in shower roof vent, leak in gray water tank
Vehicle Comments: Best features: openness of floor plan, very spacious interior for overall length; 20 years of production have optimized space utilization; Worst features: lack of exterior storage, small refrigerator (3 cubic feet / 85 liters); Fuel capacity – 34 gallons / 128.7 liters; water – 33 gallons / 125 liters; gray water – 17 gallons / 64.4 liters; black water – 20 gallons / 79.5 liters; Propane – 15.4 gallons / 58.3 liters; use a macerator pump for black water; genset uses propane/LP/GLP; LP fill is ACME 1 3/4";
Shipping Company/Companies:
Shipping Comments: Used Evelyn Batista, found her extremely helpful, efficient and professional
Insurance Company/Companies:
Insurance Comments: checked on AIG full coverage but thought it was too expensive
Interview Overall Comments: Lived and traveled full time in an RV in North America for five years prior to setting out on this expedition; went to Mexico 3 times and met some Europeans there who were headed to Central and South America, which inspired the current expedition; Carried a BMW 650 on a bumper rack to Alaska but felt they needed the storage instead of the bike for CA and SA so deleted the bike. Answer to “Why do this travel?” – Desire to see what’s out there; see something different; romance of the journey; for the adventure; perception that CA and SA are easier than Africa or more exotic destinations; Most important lesson learned: How happy people can be with so little.

[Editor's comments: It was great to meet Rick and Kathy in person, and fun to finally interview some Americans. U.S. overlanders are very rare out here.

It is my opinion that the Howe's experience living full time in an RV for five years greatly aided them in making the transition from a 34' diesel pusher to the smaller Tiger and in knowing what they would / could need. Although they admitted to the same trepidation about what they would need in CA/SA in that regard as we experienced.

We almost bought a Tiger, so it was very interesting to be inside one again. I think they make a great package in terms of overall size and capability, although the lack of storage is a very real challenge for full time expedition / overlanding life. The advantages of a Class C are evident in terms of the packaging options it gives the designer.

The big question about the Provan Tiger for this type of application has always been their rigidly mounted camper box. The Howe's came down some very rough chicken bus roads on their way to our location, so it was capable of surviving CA and those roads, at a minimum. I did not ask about or do any inspection for cracks or other signs of failure in the camper box. Rick and Kathy are very happy with the Tiger, and based on my impressions of them, I don't think they would hesitate to share any shortcomings or failures with it. Patagonia, Ruta 40 and the Carretera Austral will be a true test for it.]

Here are Rick Howe's comments regarding the roads, etc. 25 September, 2008: "We estimate that approximately 20% of our 46,000 plus miles on the Tiger have been on substandard roads; from the Dalton and Dempster highways in Alaska and the Yukon to all of the secondary roads and tracks we've traveled throughout Central and South America to date. Despite all of that abuse, we have had absolutely no failures of any kind either internally or externally related to the original construction of the Tiger. It remains as sound and solid as the day we purchased it.

We consider the Tiger to be, for us, the perfect vehicle for the trip we have embarked on and the ones still ahead of us."

Overall length comparison with our Fuso. The leading edge of the front bumpers were aligned. The delta in overall length is just about exactly the length of our garage. Rick has always traveled on or with a motorcycle, so he was pining for his bike when he saw ours out.

Storage box Rick added to the base Tiger.

Front receivers which allow the storage box to be mounted front or rear.

 

[dhackney]

Hard to see in this shot, but Rick & Kathy installed screens in the cab door windows. These are super-trick and are a huge boon for a Class C rig.

 

[dhackney]

 

[kerry]

Thanks for that interview. There's a Tiger like that parked just a few blocks from my house. One of the first things I thought when I saw it was, "How much storage does it have?"

 

[VikingVince]

I had found the Howe's website a couple weeks ago and had been reading it...and then you interviewed them!
Doug, I was surprised to hear you say the you almost bought a Tiger. I have had my eye on them for several years as well as reading the Tiger Owners forum. But there certainly is a big difference between a Tiger and the rig you built. It's nice to see though that the Howe's rig is holding up well thus far anyway. I bet they loved your rig!

 

[dhackney]

Doug, I was surprised to hear you say the you almost bought a Tiger. I have had my eye on them for several years as well as reading the Tiger Owners forum. But there certainly is a big difference between a Tiger and the rig you built. It's nice to see though that the Howe's rig is holding up well thus far anyway.

I just added some comments that Rick emailed me regarding the roads they've been on and the durability to date of the Tiger. I added them to the interview at the bottom of the interview text block.

If it had not been for the "quirky" nature of Provan's owner's personality, we would probably be in a Tiger right now. We looked at a used one and I was very much ready to get on the road and get our trip underway. As I told Rick, it sure would have helped us not have a bunch of stuff we haven't touched in over a year.

The more space you have, the more stuff you bring. A large percentage of our storage space is currently filled with stuff we haven't used. A major purge approaches...

As it turned out, we ended up building our Fuso. No regrets.

As Rick said while we were together and repeated in a recent email, "... despite our different vehicles of choice, both you and Stephanie and Kathy and I had arrived in a lovely spot far from our homes and were sharing the very similar delights of our respective journeys." That's really what it is all about.

There are peope out here in everything from tractors to 2CVs; from 40 foot, 8wd monster European rigs to 2wd Toyota mini vans.

IMO, If you get focused on the vehicle, and tie your identity, self-image and self-respect to it; if you limit yourself to a certain vehicle brand or model tribe as the only "real" or "best" vehicle with the only "enlightened" owners; if you become a brand bigot, blindly loyal regardless of circumstance and outcome; or, if you suffer Buyer's Blindness and become incapable of acknowleding the advantages and upsides of other choices and the disadvantages and downsides of your own; you miss the point.

It's not about the vehicle. It's about the experiences.

 

[VikingVince]

It's not about the vehicle. It's about the experiences.

Exactly! What I intended to communicate in my post was that I was "delighted" to see the Howe's overlanding in CA/SA with a Tiger. (especially since I've considered one) Generally speaking, in comparing all aspects of your rigs, their Tiger isn't outfitted to the same extent as your Fuso, can't carry motorcycles, cost for a new one is around $80K, etc...but I think it's worthwhile for everyone on this forum to see that you don't have to spend $250K on an Earthroamer to take off and have a great experience.

 

[DiploStrat]

Dirty Secret(s)

-- Vehicle based overlanding IS about the vehicle - you want to do it in your choice of vehicle. Otherwise, you would be backpacking.

-- That said, it is supposed to be about travel - seeing things you haven't seen before.

-- News flash: Most Third World roads aren't that bad. Central American roads are excellent, and South American roads, outside the Amazon, aren't that bad either. Africa is a bit more challenging, but do it in the dry season and you can do it in 4x2.

-- There is a difference between "sport" four wheeling - when you actively seek to get stuck and overlanding, when the goal is to get where you are going. Overlanders tend to stay on the "Chicken Roads" (c)DHackney, but then so do thousands of buses, trucks, cars, donkeys, and even people. Why use 4x4 when you can push?

 

[kcowyo]

Nice interview Doug.

The Tiger with a Duramax has been of interest to me for awhile as well. While I enjoy the over the top look of Sportmobiles and Earthroamers, the subtle Tiger looks more than capable to enjoy 90% of what we have in the lower 48. And in real comfort to boot.

Bookmarking the Howe's website for additional updates & impressions regarding their Tiger as a world traveller.



.

 

[dhackney]

but I think it's worthwhile for everyone on this forum to see that you don't have to spend $250K on an Earthroamer to take off and have a great experience.

I have been, and continue to be, committed to that very mission. I hope everyone spends some time looking at the "expedition rigs encountered" thread and some of these interviews for living, breathing examples of that.

 

[dhackney]

-- Vehicle based overlanding IS about the vehicle - you want to do it in your choice of vehicle. Otherwise, you would be backpacking.

-- That said, it is supposed to be about travel - seeing things you haven't seen before.

-- News flash: Most Third World roads aren't that bad. Central American roads are excellent, and South American roads, outside the Amazon, aren't that bad either. Africa is a bit more challenging, but do it in the dry season and you can do it in 4x2.

-- There is a difference between "sport" four wheeling - when you actively seek to get stuck and overlanding, when the goal is to get where you are going. Overlanders tend to stay on the "Chicken Roads" (c)DHackney, but then so do thousands of buses, trucks, cars, donkeys, and even people. Why use 4x4 when you can push?

Fred,

Given that people are overlanding, yes, it would then be about a vehicle.

The challenge is that before you get out here, whether it's a sailboat, a motorcycle, a 2CV or a Unicat, people, me included, tend to get consumed by "the vehicle."

However, once you are out here, it is decidedly not about the vehicle. At least for those who can seperate themselves from that mindset.


RE: roads
So far, my personal biggest surprise in 10 months in South America is the quality of the roads in Peru. One of the guys I interviewed was somewhat disappointed he spent a TON of money building up a Land Rover 110 for Brazil and found the roads to be, in his words, "amazing." As in amazingly good condition, with long stretches newly paved and the rest being paved, new bridges, etc.

I've never driven one, but I think you could see at least 90% of the world in a Westfalia.


RE: chicken bus roads
My favorite are still in India, where they include everything you mentioned as well as elephants, camels, families of six on scooters, moto-rickshaws with 10 meter loads, monkeys, etc.


Doug

 

[DiploStrat]

Speaking of Chicken Roads(c)

All this discussion of LatAm got me inspired to get some of my pictures up. Sorry - they are not yet captioned, in order, etc. - I still have to do my day job. ;-(

That said, this picture, and the ones around it on my website, was taken on exactly the same stretch of Peruvian road that Doug used to illustrate his "Chicken Roads" post. (Look to the right of the truck - it was a long climb.)