Club Spotlight: Yankee Toys fall Gathering
Brilliant fall colors set the backdrop for the 10th annual Yankee Toys Fall Gathering in New Hampshire. With 68 trucks and more than 100 people, this was one of the best turnouts yet. The three-day event consisted of camping, four-wheeling, and lots of camaraderie. We traversed Class VI roads along with many challenging trails that were made available to us on private lands secured by the Northeast Association of 4WD Clubs.
There wasn't a model of Toyota truck missing from this event, which included FJ40s, FJ Cruisers, a restored FJ25, and even an Aussie HJ45 diesel crew-cab truck.
On the final evening came a torrential downpour, but we would not be deterred from our awesome barbecue dinner. A raffle followed, offering prizes such as a Warn M8000 winch and a set of Interco tires. No one walked away empty-handed, including our youngest members, who with their own raffle helped raise $283 for a local hospital.
-Sheri Becker
"Moparized" Jeeps At Frankfurt
Most of the media coverage of last fall's International Motorshow in Frankfurt centered on exotic European sports and touring cars, but Chrysler used the show to exhibit Jeep products dressed with shiny new Mopar accessories. A Wrangler Unlimited at the show wore 18-inch chromed aluminum wheels, chromed mirror covers, chromed tubular side steps, and brushed stainless doorsills. A nearby Liberty was also dressed up with a chrome grille, mirror covers, and tubular steps. If this is the look you want for your Jeep, visit www.mopar.com.
Ram Brand Trucks
Chrysler has reorganized its brands to strengthen the image of each nameplate. There will be no changes to Jeep, but the company is "unbundling" the Dodge brand, as the press release described it, separating it into distinct car and Ram truck brands, each with its own corporate president. This will allow the car side to pursue its "sporty" nature with vehicles like the Challenger and Viper while giving the Ram side of the house room to add commercial vehicles, including vans built by parent corporation Fiat. It's likely this will have little effect on the existing truck products, but don't be surprised to see the Ram name played up in ads as the brand establishes its identity.
Outback Adds Acreage
Outback Off Road Adventure Park, in the Six Points/Eau Claire area of western Pennsylvania, recently added some 500 acres for wheeling, more than doubling its size to 950 acres. The park offers trails for every skill level and all sorts of terrain, from wooded tracks to rock gardens to mud. If the park's name sounds familiar, that's because it was the first stop on our Ultimate Adventure 2009. For more info, contact Meridian Off Road Center, 724.285.5082, www.meridianoffroad.com or www.outbackoffroadadventure.com.
Calendar
•Dec. 31-Jan. 1: Fire & Ice New Year's Run and Bonfire, Superlift ORV Park, Hot Springs, AR. Information: 501.625.3600, www.orvpark.com
•Jan. 9: Tread Lightly! trainer clinic, Hungry Valley SVRA near Gorman, CA, by Badlands Off-Road Adventures. Information: 310.374.8047, www.4x4training.com
•Jan. 10: Spotting Clinic, Hungry Valley SVRA near Gorman, CA, by Badlands Off-Road Adventures. Information: 310.374.8047, www.4x4training.com
•Jan. 15-17: Winter Fun Festival by the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs, Grass Valley, CA. Information: www.cal4wheel.com
•Jan. 15-17: SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, Laughlin, NV. Information: SCORE Intl., 818.225.8402, www.score-international.com
•Jan. 16: Christmas tree burning party, Twisted Trails Off Road Park, Copemish, MI. Information: 231.651.9548, www.twistedtrailsoffroadpark.com
•Jan. 23-24: Truckhaven Challenge near Salton City, CA. Information: www.corva.org
•Jan. 23-24: Getting Started Off-Road Driving Clinic, Hungry Valley SVRA near Gorman, CA, by Badlands Off-Road Adventures. Information: 310.374.8047, www.4x4training.com
•Jan. 30: Rock Driving Clinic, Calico and Johnson Valley, CA, by Badlands Off-Road Adventures. Information: 310.374.8047, www.4x4training.com
•Jan. 30-31: Papago Military Vehicle Show, Phoenix, AZ. Information: 480.497.9722, www.armytrucks.org
•Note: If you have a 4WD event you want us to publicize, please send the date, location, a description of the event and contact info-phone numbers and/or email/website address-to Calendar, 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, or email 4wheeloff
road@sorc.com. Please submit your info at least four months in advance of the event due to our press lead times.