We Interview Christian Murphy and Scott Brady from A+E Networks’ Overlanding Special!

We talked about the special coming to A+E Networks regarding Overlanding, made in part with Land Rover, in a prior article, find it Here. As we get closer to the release of the special we wanted to talk more with the professionals in the special about the awesome journey that is Overlanding.

Thanks to Land Rover and A+E Networks, they connected us with Christian Murphy and Scott Brady. See what they had to say:

Eric Seuthe II: Hey Guys, we are so thankful that we could take the time to talk to you ahead of the special’s release. Overlanding is a lifestyle that reminds us of the joy of backpacking, a disconnect from society, and a connection to mother nature. Most backpackers talk about their joy in the sense of community of the journey, and the sights that they see along the way. What location on your journey had the biggest impact on you?

Christian Murphy: The Grand Canyon, without exception, made such an impact – it is really hard to describe; its majesty, the sheer scale of it… and to experience it from the remote North Rim with no one around was something very special that I will never forget. Aside from the impact of this stunning location, perhaps the biggest impact for me was the overall experience of being on this amazing adventure; it is the sum of all the parts that makes overlanding so unique – a rare sense of freedom, adventure, exploration whilst learning about the country, its people and yourself.

Scott Brady: Seeing the joy of my travel-mates as we arrived at the Grand Canyon, the sun kissing the horizon and revealing the magnificent geology of the Colorado Plateau. Even this early in the trip, we had become a team, the culmination of months of preparation and pandemic-induced delays. It was a genuinely special moment.

Eric: With the recent obelisk events around the globe recently, a lot of people began journeys off road around the world to find these locations, and visit them before they disappeared, but one of the greatest drawbacks to that movement was in the waste and destruction of protected lands during the amature’s pilgrimage. Does the special talk at all about how to be environmentally friendly to the locations that you journey through?

Scott: We discussed Tread Lightly and Leave No Trace at length prior to and during the trip. We also changed our route on several occasions due to road closures. Our route included well-traveled routes with durable surfaces, and we employed all of the available technologies on the Defenders to reduce wheelspin and trail impact. We also aired down the tires to improve traction and reduce ground pressure. Any spirited driving moments were restricted to the sand dune OHV area, where our tracks were erased with the next winds.

Christian: The special does address it, and respecting and protecting the environment is a key theme and is central to overlanding, whether that be where and how you drive, the things you take with you and take out with you, a deep respect for the majesty of the outdoors and a fierce determination to protect it for future generations.

Eric: What was the longest overland adventure or journey that you have taken?

Christian: As a younger man, I had done hiking trips for 4-5 days and have camped for even longer. But this was my first true overland adventure for 5 days off-the-grid.

Scott: I have been fortunate – truly lucky in every sense of the word – to circumnavigate the planet overland three times and cross all seven continents. These journeys have required years of travel, and hundreds of thousands of miles to complete.

Eric: Even though it was only a short overland adventure, compared to some, when you came back from your five day long journey, how did it feel to once again be around the hustle and bustle of a modern city?

Scott: This trip was profound despite its duration as so many of us had been sheltering in place. It was renewing for me, and a reminder of how grateful I was to be healthy and have the opportunity to travel. Even the hustle and bustle feels good- the world returning to some degree of normalcy.

Christian: I felt like I wanted to return to the outdoors and keep overlanding, experiencing more great adventures! I longed to feel that sense of freedom again.

Eric: What journey would you recommend for someone starting out on a journey, who wants to get the feel for the adventure, but doesn’t have all the tools, or experience in overlanding?

Christian: Would recommend a weekend or long-weekend trip to a remote area that’s not too far from home but accessible in a standard 4 wheel drive or SUV vehicle. To really experience overlanding, I learned that you don’t need lots of new equipment; you can, to a large degree, experience it with the tools and resources at hand.

Scott: Adventure is available everywhere, defined simply as an undertaking with an unknown outcome. We can drive to a lake we have never visited, or explore a historical site just a few towns away. Overlanding is just a tool to access those moments of adventure, and it is so important that overland travel does not feel inaccessible. Everyone has a different view of what remote might be, or what a new cultural experience is. We can start by finding out what is just over the next hill, and let the journey take us from there.

Eric: Well thank you guys so much, and can’t wait to delve into the wanderlust of your special!

Make sure to check out the special on Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 10:00 p.m. ET or during it’s encore presentation on The HISTORY Channel Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. ET.