On this episode of Overland Weekly, we sit down with Justin Wages (Grass Valley, CA) for a powerful, wide-ranging conversation that blends life, recovery, and off-road obsession. Justin shares his journey from a nature-filled childhood and street/drag racing days, through a life-altering cancer battle (colorectal, liver resection, lung lobe removal), to rediscovering the outdoors via mountain biking and, ultimately, overlanding.
We dig into his unique path across platforms—GMC Canyon lessons learned, Nissan Xterra Titan-swap and Armada/Y62 Patrol insights, Titan XD towing horses, and why he finally jumped into a Land Cruiser 80. Now working with the team at Dissent Off-Road, Justin unpacks what he’s learned about armor, wheel offset, portals, A-TRAC vs lockers, and why a solid axle 80 on 37s made him a believer.
If you love techy trail talk, wheeling stories, and honest inspiration about the healing power of the outdoors, this one’s for you.
Learn more about Justin's story:
https://placerlandtrust.org/placer-land-trust-part-of-team-effort-to-beat-cancer-for-one-employee/
https://share.google/UVAzqA0tokOUvzkrv
