4x4 Vagabond: Wheeling the World

4x4 Vagabond: Wheeling the World
Words and story: Dan G. Hilton
Photos: Tobias Reichmuth

It takes a lot to explore the world by 4x4. A stout and capable vehicle is a critical prerequisite, but that's not enough. Money, maps, and a little madness help, but driving the roughest roads and non-roads in existence--from Switzerland to Iceland, Alaska to Argentina, Australia to Asia and Russia--takes more. A good cause provides extra motivation, but together even all that isn't enough.

It also takes planning. So how long did Swiss national Tobias Reichmuth plan his two year round-the-world odyssey before setting out from Switzerland? "I didn't really plan it. I was in Milan a couple years ago and saw this giant map of the world on the floor. I walked on the map and thought, 'This would be an easy route to drive around the world." Six months later he was on his way, driving a well modified and fully packed 1996 Toyota HDJ80 Landcruiser across Western Europe.

I caught up with Reichmuth and his way-cool right-hand drive Landcruiser at a local Irish pub for an interview and photo shoot. With Europe, the UK, Canada and Alaska under his well-worn tires, I had to ask: does it still seem so easy? "Well it's not easy, but it's not difficult either. For many years it's been my dream to drive around the world, so the decision was easy. And so far the trip has been fantastic with no major challenges."

Listening to Reichmuth talk about his journey, I soon realize the Swiss have a propensity for understatement. If digging your six ton truck out an Icelandic snow bank--on your own, in the dark, 20 miles from the nearest sign of life--doesn't phase you, not much will. I ask Tobias what he calls that, if not a challenge. "A photo op," he says, laughing.

Sipping on a pint of something dark and frothy and explaining how he eventually got himself unstuck, Reichmuth sounds like he'd be just as comfortable rubbing elbows in a trendy Swiss office tower or meeting with business associates in Bern. It makes sense. Before becoming a committed 4x4 road warrior, he graduated from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland and founded his own consulting company.

But unlike many of his peers who seemed content to spend the rest of their lives chained to desks and jobs, Reichmuth couldn't ignore one burning question: if not now, when? Realizing this might be his only chance to set out on his own and pursue a lifelong dream, he did what anyone would do. "I sold my business, stored my things, and went looking for a good 4x4."

With his 4x4 driving experience limited to time spent exploring local mountains in a well-used Swiss Army truck, Reichmuth wasn't sure what kind of rig to look for, so he used the Internet to research his options. "Originally I wanted to buy a Land Rover because everyone knows they're so good off-road, but the more I researched the more I noticed that Toyota's seemed to have fewer problems. They're both great trucks, but I'm not very mechanical so I needed the most reliable vehicle I could get."

How has his HDJ80 Landcruiser held up so far? "No problems yet. Just the regular stuff: oil changes, headlights, tires, and fuel. I get stuck a lot, but that's because I tend to drive where I shouldn't, and I don't have a lot of off-road experience. But by the end of this trip, I should be a much better four wheeler.”

Equipping a 4x4 for a round-the-world expedition takes more preparation than an average weekend on the trails. Before setting out, Reichmuth's rig received a heavy duty three-battery charging system, a three inch suspension lift, heavy duty shocks and springs, and a set of BF Goodrich mud terrain tires.

To make his Toyo-Tank more livable, Reichmuth built a large storage/sleeping area in the rear above roll-out drawers for tools and spares. Next to that he installed an automotive refrigerator and a unique water purifier that uses ultra-violet light to ensure a steady supply of clean water. "Getting safe drinking water isn't a problem in Europe or North America, but in South America it will be." he explains.

Although Reichmuth can sleep inside his truck or on top (in a safari-style roof tent) he's only done so about half the time. Instead, he's often invited to the homes of people he meets on the road. "Everyone has been so friendly," he explains, "I really can't believe it. People have been incredibly generous and charitable."

Charity goes both ways, so it's appropriate that this is one of the main themes of Reichmuth's trip. He hopes to raise awareness (and money) for what he calls "one of the most worthwhile charities in the world," SOS Children's Villages (www.soschildrensvillages.org). SOS raises funds to help children around the world by building schools, providing food and shelter, and supporting programs to improve access to health care.

Through his website (www.panmundo.com) he is soliciting donations to support SOS. "People can go to my website and buy kilometers or miles. The goal for this trip is 25,000 kilometers, or about $25,000 Swiss francs ($20,000 US dollars) and 100% of the money goes to SOS Children Charities. It might not sound like much, but in many parts of Latin America and Asia you can build a school for $25,000."

The next leg of Tobias' journey will take him into Mexico and through Central and South America, all the way down to Tierra Del Fuego at the Southern tip of the Americas. Somewhere along the way he'll be joined by a friend or two from back home, "if they're crazy enough to come along." After that it's on to New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China, Japan, Russia, Mongolia and back to Switzerland.

The end of an adventure can be anticlimactic (even packing up the campsite on Sunday afternoon brings me down) so I ask Reichmuth, as much an entrepreneur as grizzled 4x4 adventurer, if he has a strategy to deal with this too. "I've already thought about that," he says. "So I'm avoiding Africa. You have to leave something for next time."

Glancing at his watch, Reichmuth downs the last of his beverage and starts collecting his things. "Time to get moving. I should be in Guatemala by now." You can take the man out of the office, but even with a mud covered Landcruiser parked out front and the world your only destination, you can't always take the office out of the man.

Perhaps this is a good thing: thanks to Reichmuth's frequently updated Panmundo.com website, those of us still chained to our desks and jobs have another place to get to a little fix of off-road adventure--and inspiration--online.

Worldly words from man behind the wheel

In Iceland:
"We met an Englishman who explained his profession as "a liar" and claimed to have seen about just everything on the planet. He traveled on fishing boats to Antarctica, worked on the British weather station close to South Pole, threw post-sacks out of a plane over British colonies, and had at least 20 other fascinating jobs. He even had his laptop with him and a sample of his best pictures from all around the world. I will never forget the picture of a penguin photographing itself."

In Scotland:
"The Landcruiser's front wheel was in the air so I could place the sand-ladder under it, but I still had to dig a bit with my hands to get all the mud away (I really need to buy a shovel). Once again I tried to get the truck out, thinking the sand-ladders would provide some grip. Not enough. I realized I was stuck in the Scottish Highlands, a place with as many people per square kilometer as the Sahara desert."

In Canada:
"Welcome to the most remote camping site I have ever seen! Seventy kilometers from the nearest road and hidden in a huge forest. A real Canadian camping evening means loads of beer, sitting around a fire, and doing some straight talking. This is what I like up here – people have both feet on the ground. However, the distances seem to be endless but even so, there are some police around and I actually got a warning for going 26km/h over the speed limit."

In the United States:
"After some delicious spare-ribs on the bonfire and a long and very cold night in the roof-tent, we found ourselves in the state park troopers' office. We wanted to take part in a lottery to gain access to a hidden valley called "The Wave" but we arrived 15 minutes too late. No chance to do anything about it, not even the legendary Icelandic charm helped. So we had to find our way on our own. Once again it proves to be a good thing to have enough ground-clearance. We drove over a dirt road and through a fantastic desert with colorful hills and golden arches (not McDonald's). How beautiful America can be."

TLC Icon: In with the Old

While our culture's obsession with all things retro often grates on those of us who prefer the authentic vintage to the manufactured or emulated, the Icon TLC is undoubtedly the best thing to come out of this backwards spiral in a very long time.

And what could be better than a completely restored and tastefully updated vintage Toyota Landcruiser FJ40? One that costs less than $96,000 US I suppose. But you get a whole lot of retro for each one of those dollars.

Check it out and order yours today: http://www.tlcicon.com/

Another cool truck site

Rumours of Isuzu's demise have been greatly exaggerated, and their UK affiliate launched a pretty cool Flash-based website to prove it:

http://www.isuzu.co.uk/

Super-duper Duty

Personally, I'm not a fan of over-sized US diesel-powered pick up trucks (I mean, how big and noisy do they really need to be?) but the website for Ford's new and ridiculously-super Super Duty is one of the best automotive sites I've seen in a long time.

Check out the Flash animation:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/2008superduty/insidestory/