Sometimes you find out about things in funny ways. We met Mike Krejci through a letter he sent us. He wrote to bust our chops about the fact that we had said it was getting old seeing the "Tonka" name on trucks. And we quote: "Where is this guy (Jerrod) coming from? I mean, Tonka is why us grown-ups still play in the mud. Did this guy play with Barbie and Ken, or what?" There was no way that we couldn't respond. Mike picked up the phone, a bit astonished that we would actually call him. After we laughed about it for a few minutes, Mike proceeded to tell us about a little event he puts on every year in Idaho. We couldn't resist going up to see what Krejci's Mud Bog was all about.
We headed our doll-carrying butts towards Bonner's Ferry, Idaho. When we got there, things were already in full swing with a big crowd lining the mud pit. Mike had spent a lot of time watering down the mud run and making a few hillclimbs on the surrounding hills. There was something for everyone, even the ATV guys. There were food vendors, campsites, and a band. We watched all sorts of trucks hit the mud, from a state trooper to a tractor-tired Ford to the Red Bull ride. If you didn't have a rig there, someone was bound to let you go for a ride in theirs. We're not sure we've ever run into friendlier, more humble, generous, and fun-loving people than at Krejci's Mud Bog.
As the sun set on Saturday, a huge bonfire was lit and the rockin' band Bone Orchard began to play. The party went straight into the night, with everyone finally trailing to bed by the wee hours of the morning. But the next day, people were up early, nursing a few hangovers and fixin' a few broken parts here and there. By 10 a.m., trucks were back in the pit, the band was playing, and the mud wrestling started. There were more people jumping or getting thrown in the mud than people staying clean.
As the second and final day dwindled down, the event ended and we said our goodbyes to Mike Krejci and his friends. Krejci's Mud Bog wasn't the biggest event we've ever been to, nor were there official rules or the most modified trucks we'd ever seen. There were no guys with sponsors on their doors, and no one told us we needed to feature their trucks. People come to Krejci's Mud Bog for one reason: to have a great time. Will we be back next year? You can count on it.