Planning and executing the Ultimate Adventure has become an art over the years because it's such a herculean event. As much as we'd just like to throw a clean pair of socks and underwear in the glovebox and hit the highway, the UA just wouldn't be the same without detailed planning. We're not saying that it's as complicated as moving the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force to a new theater of war, but it does demand comprehensive logistics and a lot of local support.
 Rob and Terri Grinnik, owners...  Rob and Terri Grinnik, owners of Meridian Off Road Center and local club members, led us on our first day of four-wheeling at Outback Off Road Adventure Park in Six Points, Pennsylvania. This was a unique experience on the park's formidable and spectacular trails. Information: Outback Off Road Adventure Park/Meridian Off Road Center, 724.285.5082, www.meridianoffroad.com |  JeepSkool in Ohio was darn...  JeepSkool in Ohio was darn cool! The off-road park is run by Kelly Haylett and his JeepSkool crew. This was one of the more challenging wheeling stops on UA, and it definitely took its toll on the Ultimate Ranch Truck and a few other rigs. UA participants greatly appreciated Haylett's hospitality and the chance to wheel one awesome off-road park. Information: JeepSkool, www.jeepskool.com. |  Our day spent wheeling the...  Our day spent wheeling the trails at Rocks and Valleys Off-Road Park in Harrison, Michigan, was impressive. Ron Price and his Rocks and Valleys Rangers hosted an incredible event for the weary gang of adventurers. Our stay here was met with tough and challenging trails, and the nightly feasts of savory outdoor cooking was first-class. Information: Rocks and Valleys Off Road Park, 989.539.1448, www.rocksandvalleys.com |
We have to hand it to Editor-in-Chief Rick Péwé for bringing UA together; the event requires months of planning, hundreds of phone calls, troublesome permits, figuring out the routes to and from the trails, and a lot of prerunning. However, the UA wouldn't be the same without all the behind-the-scenes help we receive from local wheelers and 4x4 club members. Their assistance was the key to the success of UA09. The entire staff is truly grateful, and we thank each and every person who helped us out.
We can't tell you where we are headed for the Ultimate Adventure in 2010, but if you and your club members think you can sway us your way, please let us know. Tell us about the four-wheeling in your area and how you may be able to help us out: 4wheeloffroad@sorc.com
 In Mount Perry, Ohio, we met...  In Mount Perry, Ohio, we met up with Ralph Painter and his local 4x4 associates. Painter created the 150-acre Painted Rock Adventure Park, which challenged every UA participant. Everyone in attendance had a great time wheeling this incredible area. Information: Painted Rock Adventure Park, 740.659.1171, www.paintedrockohv.com |  The Turtle Ridge Off-Road...  The Turtle Ridge Off-Road Park on Drummond Island in northern Michigan was a remarkable experience. Just getting to the park was a journey in itself. Clint Carter and the Williamsburg Welfare Wheelers did a great job leading us on an awesome day of wheeling in the park's tough and muddy trails. Information: Turtle Ridge Off-Road Terrain Challenge Park, www.turtleridgeorv.com |  The Ultimate Adventure started...  The Ultimate Adventure started in Butler, Pennsylvania, this yea, the birthplace of the jeep. We were lucky enough to have been given a history lesson by historian Lee Bortmas on Bantam and the company's importance in the start of the jeep. Everyone on the UA walked away from his lesson on Bantam with great sense of enlightenment. Even the Butler Flat Fender Club showed up with a few fine rides. |