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In this episode of the Budget Overland Podcast, Benji and Jay bring in our favorite Overland Partners for a little Q&A for a not so serious discussion on overland topics. Budget Overland wants to wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday!

In this episode of the Budget Overland Podcast, Benji and Jay have a great conversation with Erick Huertas.

Erick Huertas spent most of his childhood in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. Growing up in a low-income household, he developed a passion for the arts as a form of expression early on. Upon graduating High School, Erick enlisted in the United States Navy as a member of the esteemed Hospital Corps. As he began to travel the world as a young adult, he turned to photography to document his memories and the places he had traveled.

While working as a healthcare worker in the fight against COVID, he purchased a Land Rover LR3 as a ‘fixer-upper.’ In the summer of 2021. He embarked on the famous Trans-American Trail, a 5,000-mile dirt road trail from Cape Hatteras, NC to the Oregon Dunes. Erick spent 86 Days on the road and traveled across 33 states and 13,000 miles during his westward journey. Documenting his journey in a handwritten journal and taking photos on his iPhone, he will be featured in “Land Rover Owner International” in February 2022.

Erick’s moderate success through his trail encouraged him to take photography more seriously. Erick soon purchased a camera and enrolled in The University of Washington’s Professional Photography Certificate. Through the Guru Shots Photo Competitions, he has been featured in 11 exhibitions and three magazines. Currently, he writes for LRO and “Rover Depot” documenting his expeditions. Erick also shoots stock photography for Alamy and iStock, a subsidiary of Getty Images. Erick hopes to blend his passions of Photography and writing with his passion for medicine as he aspires to work for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

In addition to being a student of Photography and Nursing, he studies French, German and Arabic. Erick has a strong belief that language and art are some of the best ways in connecting across different cultures.

Connect with Erick:

Social: @wandering_lottie

Email: erickhuertas0@gmail.com

www.flickr.com/people/erickhuertas

In this episode of the Budget Overland Podcast, Benji and Jay scroll through the Budget Overland Facebook Group and read and share their thoughts with some of the popular threads. They talk about RTT vs Ground Tents, unique budget build ideas, how to heat the cab of your vehicle in the winter and other topics.

In this episode of the Budget Overland Podcast, Benji and I have a great conversation with Gene Sherman about overlanding in converted ambulances.  Gene provides great insight on why choosing an abundance and converting it is great alternative to more expensive manufactured luxury rigs.

About Gene: Gene is a lifelong maker, entrepreneur, teacher, and public speaker who was born in the Soviet Union and immigrated with his family to America in 1977. From Erector sets and making plastic models as a child, to becoming a machinist/tool-maker by age 21,Gene has taught hundreds of manufacturing company employees in the use of the latest technology. In his 30's he worked at a university and owned a robotic vehicle start-up. Over the past decade Gene has turned his focus towards helping people by creating a unique hands-on skills learning center for advanced manufacturing to help them find meaningful and rewarding careers.

Gene created Vocademy, a unique academy where people of all ages came to learn a breadth of amazing and valuable skills. For the past 10 years Gene has had 30 employees and been involved in teaching over a dozen amazing skills every day.  Vocademy offered everything from traditional hands-on skills classes, to high-tech, in-demand modern skills, and all the way to an amazing, six month, Maker Skills Academy program.

But in March 2020, COVID-19 shut down his school. This pandemic took away 80% of their revenue and they could not survive. While spending six months closing the business, he  decided to take a slower pace and work on personal things that I had planned for many years. Gene went back to work at a local high school as a teacher.  This "normal job" has given me the time and freedom to write, develop new ideas, and work on my personal projects which include ambulance conversations.

Contact Gene:

https://amborv.com/

http://forums.amborv.com/

AmboRV Facebook group

Gene Sherman’s favorite movie Tucker:  Watch it here: Tucker: The Man and His Dream

In this episode of the Budget Overland Podcast, Benji and Jay introduce themselves to the Budget Overland Community and they each have 5 unprepared questions regarding their overland experience and points of view in regards to overlanding.