If you’ve been paying attention to all of the buzz surrounding Overland Expo WEST 2024, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Patty Upton, her incredibly captivating story (and hence presentation), and you’ve seen the many photos attendees (and her fellow speakers) have taken with her and her storied cherry red 1966 CJ – 5 Jeep. Patty, her late husband, Loren, and their Jeep, “The Sand Ship Discovery,” are truly legends in the overland community: they explored parts of the world that had never seen travelers; logged a Guinness Book of Records entry for the “First All-Land Crossing of the Darien Gap,” and racked up five years and 56,000 miles with of stories, photos and extreme adventures. Overland Expo is thrilled and honored that Patty has chosen to spend her summer traveling around the country, including our events on her itinerary. Your next opportunity to meet Patty, hear her captivating stories, and – if you’re extremely lucky – sit in her little red Jeep is at Overland Expo PNW.
Please continue reading to learn more about Patty and her journey.
Patty had always said she had been traveling since before she was born. In fact, in mid-1953, she traveled from California to New Jersey to enter this wonderful world with her maternal grandparents by her mother’s side. Patty’s dad was in the Marine Corps, and every three years, they had their bags packed, anxiously awaiting “orders.”
In grade school, Patty’s favorite toy was a world globe. She was fascinated with places like Karnack, Cairo, Timbuktu, Kashmir, Jerusalem, Machu Picchu, and countless more. Reading the stories of Livingston, Stanley, Burton, and the adventures of Osa and Martin Johnson fueled her imagination and her desire to travel.
After spending only a few years in any one place, Patty and her family found themselves in the former Canal Zone in the Republic of Panama. She graduated from Balboa High School in 1971 and attended the Canal Zone College for two years.
Patty then began working as a secretary/receptionist at the Canal Zone Girl Scout Council and felt right at home. She’d been a member of the Girl Scouts since the age of seven and had achieved the rank of First Class, the highest award a girl member could receive at that time. Later, Patty was to become office manager at the Girl Scout office, but eventually, that position was phased out due to the US/Panama Treaties.
At this same time, the opportunity to join Loren full-time on his Jeep expedition, A World Odyssey – The Epic Voyage of the Sand Ship Discovery, presented itself, and she jumped at the chance and took that leap of faith. Their goal: to drive one American-made vehicle around the world on a north / south course, from Roads End, North America, to Roads End, Europe, via the southernmost road in South America and the southernmost road in Africa – all on land, except for the South Atlantic Ocean.
To hear more about Patty and Loren’s adventures with the Sand Ship Discovery, be sure to attend her session in the Storytelling Pavilion and join us for her informal Q&A at our Women Who Wander Fireside Chats on Friday night in the education area. (Please note: Patty is looking for a museum home that is suitable for the Sand Ship Discovery. If you or someone you know has connections with an appropriate museum or a contact at Jeep who might be interested, please see Patty at the event or contact [email protected] to get in touch with her.)
Overland Expo: What is your all-time favorite campsite?
Patty Upton: Wow! This one is hard. Five years of living in the Sand Ship Discovery provided a lot of campsites. Ones that stick out in my mind for their sheer beauty are several just off the Pan-American highway in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, and the Etosha Pan in S.W. Africa (Namibia). Then there were others that were favorites because of the challenges that we were faced with while camping there, such as the campsites on West and East Mishap Hill in the Darien Gap and, of course, Broken Axle Camp in northern Sudan.
Overland Expo: What was your go-to overland meal?
Patty Upton: Once we were out of the Darien Gap that would be eggs and potatoes.
Overland Expo: What is your best silver-lining story?
Patty Upton: Again, five years traveling, so there were several, and I do believe they all had happy endings. Every one of them made us stronger and more determined to push on. But the one that was the most frightening was when we broke a rear axle in northern Sudan. But you’ll have to attend my presentation to hear about that one.
