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2007 Ultimate Adventure Texas - Prerun FunScouting The '07 Ultimate Adventure-Texas Style From the February, 2009 issue of 4Wheel & Off-Road By Rick Pewe Photography by Ali Russo, Cecil Derrick, Rick Pewe
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There's nothing like a good road trip or a good wheeling adventure. When you put those two together you have to admit to a darn good time. That's the basis of our yearly Ultimate Adventure you'll be reading about next month. That's our combo wheeling/road trip with 20-some capable rigs battling it out over four to five off-road venues. But before we can produce that incredible feat for you to enjoy, we have to endure the prerun, which can be even more adventuresome. This year we decided that instead of a multistate tour as in the past, Texas would be big enough to handle all our needs. Indeed, this is one big state with enough wheeling variety to fit any taste and budget. From the near swamplike Gulf Coast to the bone-dry west, Texas has all it takes for a quality Ultimate Adventure. Without giving away secrets and locations, this little travelogue gives you a peek into the inner workings of the UA, and the great people we visit along the way who make the trip a success. The local venues, clubs, restaurants, 4x4 businesses, and even gas stations along the way make the trip not only possible but downright enjoyable. Check out the photos for some clues on where we take you next month, on Ultimate Adventure 2007.  What's Texas without oil?...  What's Texas without oil? Well, a lot, actually, but we couldn't help finding a natural-gas-powered oil well making the whump whump sound as it slowly cycled away. Jeep provided us with a brand-spanking-new '07 JK Wrangler Rubicon for the prerun, from the press fleet, but they had no clue what they were in for. These rigs are usually driven by the car-review guys who whine about flappy tops and a rough archaic solid-axle ride, which means they never hit the dirt. This one did!  After more than 1,000 miles...  After more than 1,000 miles on this one prerun alone, the Wrangler was looking its best. It carried us through without a complaint the whole time (if you don't count the noise of rockers, skidplates, and bumpers dragging on really tough sections), while still letting us blast down the desolate Texas roads at way illegal speeds in comfort. The press-fleet crew reported they had to buff some scratches out, but didn't mention the flat-black paint touch-up on the underbody. We've changed a few minds about the new Wrangler for sure.  To some, Texas conjures up...  To some, Texas conjures up images of dry, flat, dusty desert. Little do those fools know that good mud tires are needed even for scouting trips in some of the venues we'll travel this year. As of this writing, 3 more inches of rain fell in the area, and it's not like it evaporates at 97 percent humidity! We took the Rubicon through some of the nasty stuff as well, developing a marvelous patina that protected the paint from the branches and trees.  Cecil Derrick from Longview...  Cecil Derrick from Longview Driveshaft and 4x4 took some time off to show us around the trails. Local help is critical to the success of the UA, and we thank each and every one, even when they get us somewhat lost.  We were fortunate to hook...  We were fortunate to hook up with a small group crawling around some granite, and they took us for quite a ride. However, with a stock Wrangler with factory tires and air pressure, we made it up the climb that the other five Jeeps rolled on! Must be that driver...or the line!  As for our impression of dusty...  As for our impression of dusty flats, the hill country was far from that myth. Near Medina Lake, there were more hillclimbs and vertical relief than we've seen in a long time, including some twisty sections of blacktop sure to make your passenger puke.  The godfather of Texas is...  The godfather of Texas is General Sam Houston, who stands over 66 feet tall next to I-45, striking an impressive pose.  What would a prerun be without...  What would a prerun be without the obligatory flattie sighting? A 4-Wheel & Off-Road license plate to the first one to identify what model Jeep this is and where it's located. Bonus points for knowing about the other flattie nearby!  Our trip got rerouted a few...  Our trip got rerouted a few times from flooded washes. This mild little drifter didn't move us downstream as some did. The twister touching down near the Jeep was a bit more disconcerting, but we managed to outrun it.  Randy Kruse wasn't the first,...  Randy Kruse wasn't the first, or last, to roll his ride where the Rubicon scaled right up. Of course, a different line, four doors, and some stylin' spotting didn't hurt us either.
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