The elusive Harry Wagner, he’s here in the heart of off-road, and then he’s off finding unexploded bombs in places the rest of us would never think to look. I’m glad there are geophysicists, like Harry, out there looking! With an early history in the Jeep market, Harry has moved through many vehicles through his editorial marching orders. Today he drives a Tundra and an F150 most days. Follow him at @harrysituations
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4:45 – I was a nerd
8:19 – Busted! There was still mud
10:59 –Overlanding was just what they did
14:02 – UXO – unexploded ordnance
18:53 – pre-blog writing to mom
20:26 – the start of freelance work
21:43 – you caught me off guard
25:33 – favorite journalist story?
28:40 – going to Baja
31:17 – Ultimate Adventure is pretty squared away
33:58 – future Harry
38:13 – What attracts you to an event?
42:41 – editorially dead
51:42 – Off-roading still remains fun
We want to thank our sponsors Maxxis Tires and 4Low Magazine.
TRANSCRIPT
On today’s episode of Conversations with Big Rich, we have Harry Wagner, I first met Harry through the media side of our sport, we’ll check out everything that Harry has to talk about his history, how he got involved in Off Road, and we’ll see if he remembers when we first met. Anyway, Harry, thank you for coming on board. And I think I’m going to enjoy this conversation.
[00:01:45.500] – Harry Wagner
Yeah, me too. I’m looking forward to it. I’m really flattered that you asked me.
[00:01:50.150] – Big Rich Klein
Well, you are a big part of one of the events that we do every year, and we’ll get into that. But, you know, you’ve been around for a while with the magazines. But before we get into involved with your media side of things, let’s start in the beginning. Where did you grow up?
[00:02:07.910] – Harry Wagner
Yes. So I was born in Sacramento, California, and lived there until I was eight. Orangevale to be specific. And then my dad actually opened up an off road shop in Yuba City, just like a farming community north of Sacramento. We lived there through junior high school and then I went to high school in Vacaville, California. So all kind of northern California in my childhood. And then I went to college in Colorado, which was like as far east as I had been at that time in my life.
[00:02:40.550] – Big Rich Klein
Well, in Colorado, I saw that that was the School of Mines, I believe it is called. That’s in Golden, correct? Yep. OK, cool You’ve done your homework.
[00:02:50.720]
Well, I’ve been to Golden a couple of times to the brewery, Coors Brewery. And then yeah, I was doing some homework and doing a little little LinkedIn search on your name and to see what else you know you came up with.
[00:03:03.410]
But so let’s let’s talk about that time growing up especially, you know, eight and before. That’s some of that is is hard to remember.
[00:03:14.540]
Exactly. But, you know, let’s talk about those other years.
[00:03:19.730]
When did you when did you or how did let’s say let’s go here.
[00:03:26.610]
What kind of activities did you do as a youth that helped lead you into what you’re doing now?
[00:03:35.710] – Harry Wagner
My family was really active in the outdoors, as I mentioned, my dad had an Off-Road shop, I can’t remember a time of my life when we weren’t on trails like the Rubicon, but also even just fishing and camping on the coast and in the Sierras, where common activities for me and my extended family, my cousins and my aunts and uncles. So I spent a lot of time outdoors growing up. I was a Boy Scout, so I was actually an Eagle Scout and went to Glacial Trails Scout Ranch, which is located adjacent to Fordyce Creek Trail, actually. READ MORE
