Fourth Annual MDA Off-Road for Hope - The $65,000 Event

While the rest of you were huddled on the couch in front of television sets and packed in sports bars all over the country to watch the Patriots and Rams fight over a 100-yard patch of grass, we were wheelin' around the greatest Super Bowl party we've ever been to.

The fourth annual MDA Off-Road for Hope brought us down to Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area (located east of Anza Borrego State Park in Southern California) to enjoy the desert setting with 800 other vehicles and more than 2,500 participants to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. We didn't need much motivation when we heard there would be close to $65,000 in raffle prizes, a rockcrawling competition, 13 organized trail rides for 4x4s, bikes, buggies, and quads.

This year's participants raised close to $50,000 for the MDA. To help increase that figure next year, call 858/492-9792 or log on to www.mdausa.com to register for what has become the largest off-road fundraiser in Southern California.