The stars over the Catacombs, just off Utah’s Hurrah Pass, are a silent, overwhelming presence. Here, tucked into a cleft of rock, Flavio and his wife Toni are at home. The only sound is their 2024 Jeep Gladiator cooling down in the vast, desert quiet. For Flavio, a New York DJ who traded nightlife for quiet, moments like this are the point. It’s where the noise of the world falls away, and a deeper rhythm emerges.
Intentional Overland Travel
“The road didn’t start where I thought it would,” says Flavio, reflecting on his move from the East Coast to Utah. “That move changed more than scenery. It changed direction.” In Utah he met Toni, where a shared desire for space and meaning crystallized into ModeOverlandX, their platform for intentional overland travel. What began as solitary trips in an old Wrangler evolved into a shared language of exploration. “Overlanding became our language. It’s how we slow the world down.”
The Un-Named Vessel
Their rig is a deliberate tool, not a trophy. The Gladiator Rubicon, built with a 3-inch lift and 37s, is engineered for control, not show. “The goal was never excess but reliability when the map runs out,” Flavio explains. It carries no cute nickname either. “This rig isn’t a character. It’s our home on wheels.”
That home is a ModCAP Camper that Flavio says rides “amazingly well, even fully loaded,” preserving its on-trail manners. But the true value is revealed at camp. “The clamshell tent changed how we experience camp. It opens quickly and gives us real space to relax… Having a proper table inside lets us work, edit, and plan comfortably.” Most importantly, he stresses, “It gives us something you can’t fake on long trips: a good night’s rest. Waking up rested changes everything.”
Confidence, Forged in Experience
Their approach to travel mirrors their build philosophy. Prepared, but open to whatever the universe throws at them. “Every trip starts with intention, not a rigid plan,” says Flavio. This intentionality, backed by capable gear, allows them to commit. “When a side road looks interesting, we lean in instead of turning back.”
A surprise storm tested that confidence in Brian Head, Utah, when it dumped four feet of snow. “We sheltered inside the Alu-Cab, cooked inside, stayed warm, and waited it out.” The next morning’s recovery – Toni’s first time operating the winch – was a calm, shared task. “It was a team effort. It’s in those moments you learn how to have each other’s backs when things don’t go as planned.”
For Flavio, the most unexpected joy has been the normalcy this life creates. “What surprised us most was how quickly overlanding stopped feeling like a trip and started feeling like a way of being. Somewhere along the way, the road felt familiar, camp felt natural.”
The Horizon is Patagonia
The next chapter is already being charted. “Patagonia is a recent focus for us,” Flavio shares. The dream is a long, mostly off-road journey south, a true test of their ethos and their equipment. “Our rig is built for that kind of travel. Long days, unpredictable conditions and life on the road with a dependable place to reset each night.”
His advice for those starting out echoes his own journey: “Start simple and let experience guide the build. Learn your vehicle, travel with intention and allow the setup to evolve naturally. Overlanding rewards patience more than perfection.”
As dusk settles on their remote Utah camp, the ritual is simple. Coffee is brewed. A chicken parm meal, a nod to their Italian roots, is prepared. The conversation is quiet. Here, in a rig built to go further, Flavio and Toni have found a profound sense of place. And the assurance that the best roads are often the quietest ones.