Not everyone likes snow. For most 4x4 enthusiasts, winter usually means the end of the trail season, and in some parts of the country an end to outdoor activity altogether. For others, however, winter is a welcome relief to summer's sweltering heat and just another challenge to conquer. To these hardy few, snow is an exciting change in trail conditions and makes some of the summer's easiest trails the toughest.

There's no reason to stop appreciating off-highway adventure in winter, just make sure your vehicle is well prepared and that you have plenty of able-bodied help following along. A trail that usually takes an hour or so to complete can take an entire day when it's covered with snow and ice. Before wheeling, make sure your winch is working properly, that you have plenty of tree-savers, recovery and tow straps, and snatch blocks, and that your vehicle is in perfect running condition. A little common sense goes a long way when preparing for a snow run.

We hooked up with Jeff and Dave from Rokmen Jeep Accessories and some local club members to hit a few trails in the mountains surrounding Conifer, Colorado. This small Rocky Mountain town is an easy drive southwest from Denver on Highway 285. In the summer the trails there are mild and relaxing and wind their way through heavily wooded forests. The first part of this winter, Colorado received an unusual amount of snow. To the locals, it was a welcome relief to the previous years of drought. To us, these conditions were perfect for a frozen adventure.

We know a large number OF four-wheel enthusiasts think early Ford Broncos are just cool, and we feel the same. They may not have the "expressive new styling" like the modern Suvs, and they may have the aerodynamics of a .45 slug-but they are classic rigs and they work very well on the trail. Recently we spent a couple of days with the early Bronco Ltd club (ebl) at its annual Bronco daze event in the anza-Borrego desert of Southern California. Founded in 1981, the club is this country's oldest and largest Bronco organization. It now has a membership base that stretches across the globe. In 1990 ebl created its sister organization-the international early Bronco association-due to the high demand for information about the vehicle. They now work together for the preservation and enjoyment of Broncos.

As the blazing desert sun burst over the rugged socal mountains, 76 Broncos from both organizations lined up in formation for two days of trail-crawling fun this past October. We don't see as many elder Broncos as we would like to on the trail, so this was a great place to get our fill of them. We think their lack of presence on the trail is because they've become an expensive collector's item. Even though we have seen our share of well-beat Broncos, we don't see too many enthusiasts taking their rigs and grinding them on the rocks as we used to. We now witness a little more finesse and skillful driving on the trail, especially since the cost of a good fender is as much as four tanks of gas (fuel: the new gold standard!). This was the second event we attended this year based out of the Palm Canyon Resort in anza-Borrego, and like any well-planned event, Bronco daze was a great time.

A Lot Of Folks Don't Like to mix business with pleasure; however, a select few wouldn't have it any other way. To blend both successfully takes hard work, dedication, and pride in business ownership. Jason and Terri Bunch are just one such lucky couple mixing both by living the Jeep life through their successful fab and repair shop, Tri-County Gear in Pomona, California. As Terri recently wrote us: "Our mission statement is work hard, play hard, and when it comes to all areas of life and off-roading there are no exceptions. We don't just fix Jeeps, we live Jeeps! We put our money where our mouth is. Of course, the Jeep itself is just a conduit to all the relationships and good memories built out on the trail."

There are hundreds of shops like Tri-County Gear around the country that bring like-minded enthusiasts together for adventure to form close bonds and lifelong friendships. In our opinion as four-wheel fanatics, what they do is help foster community spirit and a passion for four-wheeling. We can't think of a better way to spend our recreational hours than experiencing awesome adventure with people like this. Throughout the years the Bunches have tried to hold at least one trail event a month with friends, family, and customers. After these events, the one-time customers often become more than just customers-they become good friends. The events vary in difficulty from challenging rockcrawling to mountain trails and all sorts of desert terrain. The most important part is that everyone has a great time. Recently Jason and Terri held their first Borrego Springs Customer Appreciation Event. The event was staged out of the Palm Canyon Resort in Borrego Springs, California, and Palm Canyon makes a great base camp for exploring this region.

The Squeeze is actually tighter than it looks; driving though it is a test of patience and skill. If the unwary driver is not careful, fenders, paint, and glass are the first to take the hit. As a joke, a complementary set of fender flares was brought along on the trip to give to the person with the most fender damage. The fender flares were never handed out and the only person who actually sustained any vehicle damage was a 4-Wheel & Off-Road staff editor who accidently punched a hole in the hardtop of his JK. Oh well!

Borrego Springs rests in the heart of Anza-Borrego State Park. This area is full of 4x4 trails and is filled with amazing geographic sites to see and explore. Borrego is approximately 78 miles northeast of San Diego in southeastern California. Borrego also sits about 30 miles west of the Salton Sea and 40 miles north of the Mexico border. This event rounded up 31 Jeeps and 78 enthusiastic adventurers. After running trails during the day everyone was treated by the Bunches' hospitality to margaritas and a great meal. The last night of the event Jason and Terri raffled off some very cool prizes after we ate Palm Canyon's world-famous ribs. We can't wait till next year's event.

The scenery around Anza-Borrego is spectacular. On a clear day from this mesa you can see perhaps 100 miles in any direction. Below the mesa are amazing rain-carved canyons that in some sections are wide enough for vehicles to drive in and out of, then they neck down to narrow gaps a hiker can barely squeeze through.

Jed and Zack Wood grew up on their family campground, helping their dad with the upkeep and playing with hot rods and musclecars in their spare time. As they got older, dear old dad retired and handed over the operation of their Blue Rocks Family Campground to his boys, and before long they had families of their own. Through the years Jed and Zack found some free time to go run a mud hole or two, but it wasn't until a neighbor friend invited them over to his farm for some four-wheeling and rockcrawling that the brothers quickly realized that they had the makings of some great trails hidden amongst the trees on their own campground.

As it turns out, the family campground sits on top of a massive glacier field where 350 million years ago an enormous ice flow deposited tons of limestone boulders. These rocks are perfect for all levels of trail machines, and the woods also hide some mud holes and hillclimbs such that a small group of wheelers could spend a day or two creeping, crawling, and breaking their 4x4s amongst the Pennsylvania hills. Since the brothers are so busy running the 120-acre campground all summer long and the trails are just being plotted, the four-wheeling's restricted to small groups by appointment during the winter off season. If you're in the northeast and looking for a place to take your 4x4 for some low-range fun, contact the Wood brothers and set up a weekend rendezvous for you and your wheeling buddies. If you want some summer family camping, find out more by calling 610.756.6366 or visit www.bluerockscampground.com.

After a day on the trail it was time to take a 'break' and visit some of the hot spots of Moab.

Thursday March 20th 2008, Day 5 in Moab for Easter Jeep Safari 2008. Instead of going on a crazy trail ride we decided it would be better to check out some of the hot spots of Moab, well the ones that are still open. We started out at the 'Man Mall', the place where all the vendors set up to show off their new products for 2008 (pictures will come later). After leaving the vendors we headed on up to one of the most popular attractions in Moab today, Potato Salad Hill.

Potato Salad Hill gets crazy this time of year with people and rigs of all kinds testing their skills. We showed up in time to see a few buggies running up it with no problem, a couple trucks bash their way up, and the prototype Jeep JT pickup and a prototype Dodge Power Wagon on 40's mob up to the top. Check back later for more photos and video from Tater Salad Hill.

After leaving Potato Salad Hill we headed off in search of the Hot Tubs. To get to the Hot Tubs we had to wheel the Hell's Revenge trail in Ali's Super Duty. This normally 'easy' trail was made difficult by the long and tall Super Duty. Luckily we made it to the hot tubs with no issues and got to see a Jeep blow a U-Joint, a Yota destroy a tie rod and birfield, a buggy make it up a line nobody else had, and a H1 stand on its hind legs.

Day 6

The day so far has been simple, Ali and I started off by dropping off our videographer Jon at the tiny little Moab Airport to fly to Denver then back home to L.A. to be back at his day job tonight. When I say little I mean little! This airport is TINY! The only things flying in or out are little single engine prop planes. Yea, a fun ride for sure.

Anyway, after a quick breakfast we headed back to the vendor area at the Spanish Trail Arena here in town to chat with people about new products and projects they have coming up. You won't be dissapointed that's for sure!

It was the earliest morning yet... we were up before the sun, it was in the low 30's again, and we were off on an all day adventure!

Ali and I joined up with Stephen Watson from Off-Road Design and 23 other rigs for a run through Pritchett Canyon. This run was set to be a Full Size run with the majority of vehicles being full size trucks, not little Jeeps and Buggies. (be sure to pick up the Moab edition of 4WOR Magazine for the full details on Full Size's of Moab cause you ain't going to see many of them here... muhahahah) It was a long day we encountered very little traffic on the trail and it took us from 7am in the morning until 6pm to complete this difficult trek. We had a few breaks, a hub, a couple axle shafts, one roll over (well, flop anyway), and several near misses. All in all it was a good day!

Be sure to check out Page 2 & 3 for even more exciting photos from Moab EJS 2008!

Be sure to check out Page 3 for even more exciting photo's from EJS 2008!

It's Monday, March 17th 2008, and we are all here... in Moab Utah.

The whole gang is here, Fred rolled out in the UAJK, Kevin our long-term JK Rubicon, Editor Pewe brought a couple of Flatties, and Ali and I cruised out in his Superduty (pick up next months issue for the build of the Superduty). Mine and Ali's journey to Moab started out at our world headquarters in the hills high above Los Angeles (or maybe that just sounds better than where we really met) early on Sunday morning (I know I know, I'm a day behind... sue me). The drive to Moab was pretty uneventful with the exception of nearly running out of fuel, getting caught in a snow storm... in all of Utah, seeing several cars and semi's in ditchs, and getting our windows cleaned for free while fueling up (does that even happen anymore in this country?).

So that's it, we made it, the weather in Moab is freezing cold, and we are out on the trails covering all the action we can for you, our favorite readers!

Check out Page 2 for exciting Moab action from Day 2 of Easter Jeep Safari 2008!

Moab Easter Jeep Safari 2008 - Day 2

We made it safely to Moab, got some rest, and then it was off to the trails!

The first trail that we hit at this years EJS was the famous Pritchett Canyon. Now when I say 'hit' I don't mean that we actually ran the trail, with Ali's Super Duty that would be suicide... for the truck at least. So instead we rounded the back taking parts of the Behind the Rocks trail to get to the end/good part of Pritchett. This is where we would encounter our first 'flop' of the week.

Luckily for the driver of this beautiful red CJ he was uninjured and his Jeep only sustained minor damage to the window frame and lucky for us we had the cameras firing.

Be sure to check out Page 3 for even more great photos from Moab Easter Jeep Safari 2008!

We spend the day exploring Area BFE then set off in search of snow... and boy did we find it...

Day 3 of our EJS started off bright and early with the drive up to Area BFE. I'm not lying when I say it was bright when we set off, but bright didn't mean hot and apparently I didn't get that memo. When we arrived at BFE it was a comfy 36 degrees outside, and I was wearing shorts... bright huh. Anyway, for those of you who do not know what BFE is you are going to have to look it up. Sorry, this was my first trip to BFE and as far as I can gather it is an area of privately owned property just outside of town and it houses the famous Helldorado trail.

Once the trail rides were underway we made our way to the famous Helldorado trail to capture some of the action for you. This trail truly is amazing, I'll let the photos tell it's story.

After the trail rides were over at BFE we along with a few of our sister magazines editors decided it would be a good idea to head out in search of some snow. Boy were we wrong. After finding the same spot that the guys went to last year and realizing that it was much deeper this year we decided that it would still be a good idea to head on in. Well after making it about 100 feet and getting several vehicles stuck we came to the realization that maybe we were wrong about this. Four hours later we were all unstuck, fixed, frozen, and headed off to dinner.

Be sure to check out pages two and three for even more photos from Day 3 in Moab!

Don't forget to check out page three for even more exciting photos from Moab!

We grabbed our bags, locked the shop, and hopped a free-bird down to Alabama for some good times in the back woods. The Southeast is a great place to wheel, and the 4x4s that live down there strike fear in even the biggest rocks. lucky forus, some friends had set up a ride at a little family place called Wooly's off Road park. wooly's has about 500 acres situated a short distance outside of lewisburg, Tennessee. we spent a long day cruising up and down the trails, watching folks spin tires on snotty mud climbs, and even had some guys running their rides off the motorcycle jumps.

On our way home from wooly's we stopped by the Elk Ranch, which is hidden in the woods near Florette, Alabama. The last Saturday in August is the date of the king of the hill race where drivers can throttle their rides up the side of a mountain strewn with boulders so big they make 44-inch tires look like training wheels. we got to see folks batter, bash, and crash their way all over these stone-covered trails, and had a great time doing it. So if you're southbound be sure to stop and have a look at what these two sites have to offer.

To contact wooly's, call the wolaver family at 931.703.3129, or visit www.woolysoffroad.com. To learn more about the Elk Ranch/king of the hill, contact Rocket city off Road in huntsville, Alabama (256.883.1131, www.rocketcityoffroad.com). If you think you want to compete, visit the Rocket city Rockcrawlers at www.rocketcityrockcrawlers.com.

Rod Hall is an off-road racing legend bar none. He is the only driver who has competed in all 39 Baja 1000 races, with finishes and wins in most of them. Hall started with a Jeep and now runs an H3in the Stock Mini class, while sons Chad and Josh race an H1 and H2 in their own Stock classes. We got the chance to strap on belts with Hall and codriver Mike Winkle for a few hundred miles in last year's Baja 1000, an experience of a lifetime. We'd done Rubicon runs for fun with Hall and have known him for some time, but this was our first taste of racing with him. We hope we get a second chance.

Winning is always the objective, and Hall has won three times in this race alone. His strategy was to finish the race in time, as that would clinch the season points championship and hopefully beat the other drivers to the finish line. This time a rollover near the start line put Hall down a few hours, and damage to a starter, steering gear, and leaf spring showed up later on the course and slowed the progress. With the H3 fixed, our ride segment was on the second night, with codriver Mike Winkle, and we splashed across rivers and raced on goat trails while dodging stuck buggies in 5-foot-deep silt bogs. Hall and codriver Emily Miller took over for the final leg, cruising into the morning finish in time to be points champions.

The H3 is a marvel of basic racing tech. In this class it's mainly only safety items that are mandated-stock-style suspension (with reservoir shocks) are all that's allowed. Figure over a thousand miles of hard-core Baja bashing, and you appreciate the toughness of the stock H3 engine and drivetrain. These aren't the high-flying, soft-landing, 800-plus megamonsters blasting down the peninsula. These Stock classes are more old-school, run-what-ya-brung. The Halls have this down to a science. Combining years of experience in driving and plenty of practice with the Hummer brand, Hall and his crew are on a winning team.

We hope to run with him again someday, as his entire family and race team (his extended family) are right in line with us. Hard-core, do-it-right racers who will lend a helping hand if they can are what racing should be. That's probably why Hall and sons are some of the winningest guys on the course as well as off.

Back in the day, before all this magazine stuff, I used to race off-road with Rich Severson of Flamingo Racing. His CJ-7 was one rough ride, with thick leaf springs and dual shocks to keep the sky-dirt-sky-dirt view in check. It was state-of-the-art at the time, but the whole sport has progressed by leaps and bounds in 20 years. Here I am with the mud-covered 401-powered monster somewhere in Mexico after Rich had piloted us to another winning season. The Jeep is long gone, but this last Baja, Rich entered and won class 7SX in a 2WD Ranger. Way to go, Flamingo!

Alaska is nothing short of a seldom-traveled paradise for off-roaders. It is the dream that's just out of reach, just a little too far to travel for most off-road trips from the continental U.S. But if you ever get the chance, take it. From glacier-fed bays and rivers filled with salmon to unmolested forests filled with moose, mosquitos, and off-road trails, Alaska is everything we'd heard it would be. And like the warnings we'd received prior to the trip; once we were there, we wanted to stay. Unfortunately, our delusions to stay and live out our days in one of the greatest and most unpopulated states in the nation came to a premature end.

But before we left, we got the chance to meet and wheel with some of the luckier individuals that call the largest of the "Nifty Fifty" home. The Alaska Extreme Four Wheelers took us about an hour outside of Anchorage to the Ruby Lake Trail to give us a taste of some wet Alaskan trail running during the short time of year you can actually wheel without three sweaters or a case of bug spray. If you're lucky enough to find yourself up this way with a 4x4 and are in sync with the Tread Lightly! beliefs, try contacting the Anchorage club through www.akextreme4x4.com and maybe they'll be able to point you toward a trail or two.

Summertime is wheeling, cruising, and fairground time in the Midwest, and the first Truck & Jeep Fest in Canfield, Ohio, brought out the best festers in the region. Produced by Family Events, the show was sponsored by 4Wheel Parts Wholesalers and 4Wheel Drive Hardware, the biggest Jeep and truck suppliers in the nation. The draw was huge for not only the parts and goodies you could buy at vendors row, but also the rock-pile crawl, mud-bog slog, tough-truck competition, and the show-n-shine event. Topping it off was the jumping, bumping, and crashing of the monster trucks as they soared and skittered around the Canfield fairgrounds.

Of course, we mingled with the crowd and checked out the incredible variety of tech, shine, and talent that typifies these events. We even got the chance to meet some wheelers involved with saving Midwest trails and promoting responsible land use. We need more of that type of work, as well as the development of more private wheeling parks for our sport to survive. For more information on next year's event contact Family Events at 317.236.6515 or on the Web at www.familyevents.com.

Imagine attempting an obstacle while a slew of spectators watches your every move intently, small cones keep you boxed in, and guys in orange shirts walk around and judge you like you're competing in the Olympics. Throw in a helmet, a few stickers, and a little cash and you're ready to compete in Superlift's ProROCK Championship series rockcrawling. Recently we had a chance to cruise out to Cougar Buttes OHV area in Southern California, and check out a little bit of this year's professional rockcrawling competitors. On hand were a few dozen well-crafted tube buggies accompanied by die-hard rockcrawler fans that at times got a little too close to the action.

Although we keep up with points about as well as we keep track of scratches on our rigs, we really like the friendly competition and the energy that each team puts into their run. This is definitely an impressive spectacle to see in person and if you get the chance to check out these buggies in action, we would definitely recommend it. And if you get a chance, check out the remote-control rockcrawler masterpieces that these guys are building. We wish they had this stuff when we were kids.

In the far Northeast corner of Michigan's Upper Peninsula lies a 4x4 sanctuary that gives wheelers a chance to hit some of the best trails in the state. Turtle Ridge Off Road Park on Drummond Island has been growing in popularity since it opened just a few years back. Due to land closures and ORV regulations in the state it's one of the few places you can come to hit the rocks. We joined an invitation-only trail run put on by the Williamsburg Welfare Wheelers and local sponsors Griztek, Northwest 4x4, and Inner Air Lock. Judging by the turnout it will definitely become a growing annual event for terrain-desperate Michiganders.

This wasn't your average rockcrawling competition we covered. Missing were the stringent judges counting down the seconds before you have to keep your forward momentum, and the maniac crowds egging you on to hammer down and give them a show. There were time limits and penalties for hitting cones, but it was a lot lower key. These are people just doing what they love to do for the pure and simple fun of it. It was a good showing of some seriously built rigs that you wouldn't expect to see thrashed at a competition. From flatfenders to fullsizes, nobody was afraid to beat their machine into the side of the mountain.

For more information on the park and their upcoming events visit www.turtleridgeorv.com.

If it weren't for dedicated people in the sport of four-wheeling, we would all be doomed. The groups who maintain trail systems and open new areas for us to use are the backbone of the entire off-road community, ensuring us places to take our vehicles in the future. Randy Bodin and Charlene Pigeau decided to open Charlene's family's 122 acres in Southern Ontario, Canada, to off-road vehicles five years ago. With the help of many local enthusiasts the land has been transformed into a trail system that would challenge any level of driver. From boulder fields and rock ledges to bottomless mud and steep, eroded, tree-rooted trails, it has something for everyone.

The area is host to the annual Looney Run event, named after the country's $1 coin. It attracts around 30 vehicles each year from Canada and the surrounding states. Ontario seems like it would be quite a haul for the weekend, but it's only half an hour over the border of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the city of Sault Ste. Marie. They offer rustic camping onsite and all-inclusive package deals with a hotel and restaurant in the nearby town.

For more information on this property or the events they host, contact Randy Bodin at randyb@vianet.ca.

When the sun emerges from winter's cloak of overcast skies and begins to warm the upper reaches of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, it motivates us to wrap up winter projects on our rigs and head for the high country. And while many of us have reveled in fair-weather wheeling on the Rubicon, setting the first tracks of the year in the company of no one is a whole new experience. Add a little snow to the equation and you've got a Rubicon run to write home about. We hooked up with the Twisted Toys 4WD Club for a First Tracks wheelin' run over hill, dale, and granite slab to the Rubicon's Little Sluice.

One thing we liked about the Twisted Toys boys (and ladies), though they're a neophyte club in the realm of wheeling, is that most of the rigs were bought in pristine and unscathed condition. Some of these guys even picked up their rigs from the dealer with zero miles on the odometer. That said, most mods (and dents) were at the hands of the willing and able. From Rockwells and Dana 60s to coilover four-linked suspensions, with nary a hesitation, these guys took it upon themselves to whip out the Sawzall, welders, and tube benders and transform them into exoskeletal wild things. Is this getting your blood pumpin' yet? Check out the next few pages for killer first tracks on one of four-wheeling's classic trails.

Ten years ago when competitive rockcrawling began to flourish, no one really knew where it would end up. Coupled with many different sanctioning bodies, the sport grew and changed over the years, as did the vehicles and drivers. But as with any twist and turn in our industry, another change has happened. The UROC organization has morphed from rockcrawling to Rock Cross, where three rigs abreast compete on a rockcrawling course as it thrills the audience and packs the stands. We enjoyed the first such spectacle at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City last August.

Having a starting flag and a checkered flag means that there aren't any cones, points, or penalties to count or worry about in this competition. Now it's finesse, speed, and durability of the rig that matters and with a lot more action going on. The start line starts each heat off in the two classes-Modified and Stock. These purpose-built rock rigs aren't usually at home in the speed department, so drifting around a dirt turn and quick acceleration were not common to all the competitors. And having three 4x4s of any type scrambling up the same cliff for position is without a doubt an exciting sight.

This type of entertainment is not rockcrawling, and may not be for everyone in the sport. However, it is a new breed of competition we think will grow and spawn technological advances we can all use on the trail, as rockcrawling has done. And with the advent of these closed-course venues, the environmental danger of this type of sport is greatly minimized so as to protect our trails. We think this could be another great direction for 4x4 enthusiasts, and can't wait to see the next event and see what develops in terrain, vehicles, drivers, and tech. For more information go to www.uroc.com.

Texas-the home of rugged cowboys, beautiful cheerleaders, awesome terrain, and the 2007 Ultimate Adventure. Last month we told you about how we convoyed around this great state and some of the unique places where our group of 18 trail-prepped 4x4s were tested against mud, dirt, and gravity. This month we return with Part 2 of Ultimate Adventure where the terrain got even harder.

But first a refresher. Ultimate Adventure is a weeklong off-road trip, attended by our magazine staff, a handful of advertisers, another handful of selected readers, and a couple returning cronies who we drag along each year for entertainment. This event is staged to showcase our off-road spirit by living out of our 4x4s for one week and using said vehicles to explore a different part of the country each year. We usually visit three or four states and about the same number of trails. This year we only made it to Texas, but while there we covered some 800 miles and visited five wheeling locales. Oh, and by the way, we usually rough it, camping in the dirt most nights, driving our trail rigs (no trailers) and following each trail day with a long or short trip on the tarmac to the next trail day. On this trip your rig has to be street-legal or at least street-capable and have enough room for all your gear, and when the going gets rough, remember rule number one: No whiners.

This year we started at Barnwell Mountain in Gilmer for some dirt climbs and deep V-notches. Then we cruised over to General Sam's Off-Road Wilderness Park outside of Huntsville, where the trails got muddy and our posse got cruddy. Of course if you picked up last month's issue you already know this. If you didn't, go see if the local newsstand still has a copy of our Nov. '07 rag, and then check out www.4wheeloffroad.com.

This month we'll cover the last three stops of UA '07, each the home of some very cool rockcrawling trails. As many of you know, rockcrawling has been booming across the nation within the off-road industry, but it's certainly not easier on vehicles than any other terrains. We had broken axles, busted suspensions, and rollovers galore, and it definitely wasn't nice and cool when we had to drag out the tools. In fact, most days the temps were broiling and the humidity made you sweat just thinking about it. But you know what they say: The worst day wheeling with broken 4x4s in hot and humid weather with little bugs crawling down your socks is still better than going to the office.

One last thing: If this trip seems like your dream vacation, then find the application at 4wheeloffroad.com and it may be you and your 4x4 coming along for the adventure next summer.

When we last checked in on our troop of traveling dirt devils, they had just finished a day of mud bogging at General Sam's outside Huntsville, and day 5 of the trip was a road day where we headed west to Cline's Ranch near Bandera. Of course every road day involves a plethora of stops for a hundred different reasons, most of which were results of the previous day in the mud which clogged radiators and had computers overheating. These delays were compounded by every gas stop turning into a water balloon fight, and/or a long wait for the restroom. Then just as we're about to get the whole team back on the road, someone forgot to buy extra beef jerky, or something is making a new rattle under a vehicle and the driver and codriver want an extra second to check it out.

Nevertheless, Editor Rick Pw refuses to lead his pack of scouts down the boring major highways when there are sweet deserted asphalt trails through the sleepy towns of Texas. This makes for a very enjoyable trip because the speeds are slower, which allows rugged trail vehicles and their occupants to relax and enjoy the scenery. When we do stop for lunch, it's not at the same boring McChain food places you can get in every state, but rather a unique diner or mom-and-pop lunch shop where the waitress calls you "darlin'" and the sweet tea is served up fresh. The idea of road days may seem boring, but every day is an adventure on UA.

We awoke on the sixth day of UA in our tent around a large field at Cline Ranch, 20 miles from Bandera and San Antonio in the hill country of Texas. If you think Texas is all flat deserts, think again. The Cline Ranch Off-Road Park has 400 acres of various terrain with many large hillclimbs and thick green wooded trails. Most of the obstacles were around jagged rock outcrops, though the trails also have hillclimbs with loose rock that require the perfect mixture of throttle and momentum.

Owner Dan Diffenderfer led our group with help from James Bannack of Brutal Off Road, Landis and Sally Wolfe, Kia Dave, Leroy Hoffman, and Larry Lancaster. We spent the day weaving our way through deep V-notches with rocky climbs and all sorts of brush and trees hanging in close to pinstripe paint jobs and squeeze body panels on the fullsize rigs. Our time at Cline Ranch was short, but we got a lot of good wheeling in. Thanks to all the great 4x4 clubs that helped us out at Cline Ranch. These guys were great and we can't wait to go wheeling with them again: Austin Jeep Exclusive, San Antonio Jeep Exclusive, WFO, and the Lone Star Early Bronco Club. If you want to go wheeling at Cline Ranch, they are only open on certain weekends and you need reservations for your group. Before we left, the broken few limped over to Brutal Off Road for much-needed repair sessions.

We ended our time at Cline Ranch early and hit the road for a few hours drive over to Trees Ranch way past civilization. Trees Ranch is a massive 5,500-acre facility that is part exotic game ranch and part off-roader's paradise. We stayed overnight and had an excellent meal with all the trail teams and local wheelers before camping out under the stars. The next morning we rounded up our team and headed for the rocks. Our course took us down a dry riverbed and then up through some gullies and canyons which were getting progressively tougher as the day went on. Every obstacle had multiple lines to try depending on how each vehicle was built, such that some rigs made things look easy while others spent multiple attempts floundering around.

Roland Trees and Kenneth Wright were our primary contacts at Trees Ranch, but we also must thank Bob Kostner, Richard Hartgrove, Tony Palmer, Steve Pylant, Bunny and Artie Fluffert, Steven Smith, Mark Harlow, and Greg Fritz for helping lead, feed, and fix our crew of four-wheelers. We can't say enough about how helpful all our new friends from Texas were for our trip, and that goes for every park we visited. Even when our group was dirty and stinky from hours on the road or trails, the Texans greeted us as old friends and bent over backwards to ensure we had a good time. If we missed mentioning anyone, we're sorry because you all made our trip great. If you want to visit Trees Ranch, check out the Web site for a calendar of events or contact them to reserve a group weekend for your club. And if you want to try all the trails we hit look for the Rock Garden, the Bowls, the Lathe, Deception, Greg's Hill, Hangover Hill, South Park, and Lucifer.

After we finished up at Trees Ranch, we headed over to Katemcy Rocks between Mason and Brady for our final day of four-wheeling. Though every place we visited in Texas was awesome, Katemcy is definitely the premier rockcrawling spot in the Lone Star State. In fact it reminded many folks of a mini Moab...only on granite instead of sandstone, and if you're down that way and you like rockcrawling you'll regret not stopping by. The 800 acres of wheeling is on property formerly considered useless since it wasn't much good for grazing livestock. Luckily Shain Chapman and Randy Kruse saw the value of rock-covered acreage and joined forces to develop it into Katemcy.

We spent one day there, but many felt a week wouldn't have been enough. The park has campsites, cabins, and showers should you want to stay overnight (by this time in the week our crew was toxic-smelling so we ended up at a local hotel in Brady). Randy and Shain, along with Casey Kruse, Russ and Christie Bear, Matt Hodges, Jamie Katerez, and Gary and Sherri Banks, were excellent hosts to lead us through the park. This park is also open on certain scheduled events during the year or you can reserve it for a group of wheelers if you have a public or private event you would like to plan.

As kids, how many of you had a wide-brimmed hat and a six-shootin' cap gun that you wore proudly as you roamed the wild ranges of your backyard playing cowboys? Or better yet, maybe you actually got to live the hardy life in the saddle, roping and brandingcattle in the wild fields of the West? And now, how many times in your life have you had the chance to ride into town on the back of your trusty steed, with your gang of dirty roughneck friends and just have the most rootin' tootin' good time ever? Well, this year Ultimate Adventure took our wild band of 18 rough and weathered trail machines, with 34 cowboys and two cowgirls, down to the biggest state in the lower 48 where we wrassled some of the meanest dirt climbs, roughest rock ledges, and mud so nasty it would leave some of our gang sniveling like babies.

So what is the point of all the trails of tears? It's just the most important week of the year for us. The week the editors of 4-Wheel & Off-Road leave our cluttered desks behind to go get some quality dirt under the tires, and rather than go alone we round up a group of like-minded wheelers to go with us. By "like-minded" we mean folks not scared of living in the dirt, wrenching nightly to keep our battered rides on the trail, and wholeheartedly leaving the grueling daily grind behind for a seven-plus day trip where we can recharge our batteries in the most exhaustingly fun week of off-roading possible. Basically the office is closed, we've gone wheeling, and when we get back our clothes will stink and be infested with bugs. Don't you wish you were with us?

So it's 2007 and the name of the game is Big: big state, big tires, big Jeep, big fun in big mud, big dirt, and big rocks. Every year we organize our Ultimate Adventure trip to cover about 1,000 miles across three or four states, where we go wheeling every other day, and commute between trails on deserted backroads in our trail rigs. Not on trailers, and not in air conditioning, but rather behind the wheel of our sometimes barely legal 4x4s with mud-terrain tires whirring underneath and the noise and heat of rugged powerplants filling our ears and frying our feet.

This year we chose to visit just one state-one big state called Texas. You would think we would show up like lethal outlaws in these small towns, what with our big machines and dirty clothes from camping and wrenching every night, but the fact is we usually find some of the most hospitable local wheelers to help lead our troop to the local wheeling spots, and those folks from Texas were as fun-loving as any we've ever met. Never before has the weather been so great (though slightly warm and just a wee bit humid), the trails so fun (though by fun we mean brutal), and the people so welcoming (helpful, fun, and outfitted with some of the best Bar-b-que-ing skills in the nation). It was truly an unforgettable trip, and in case you were wondering, we'll be doing it again next summer to another part of the country, so fill out your application in next month's issue to join the gang.

Check in at Longview Driveshaft & 4x4, Longview, Texas
Just getting your truck done, getting packed, and getting there in one piece is as much an adventure as the trip itself. You'd think everyone would be completely prepared and not have any last-minute projects to do. We promise every year that this is the last year we'll be wrenching at check-in, though we're sure it will be the same next year, and the year after that, and the year after that.

First Blood... red dirt at Barnwell Mountain, Gilmer, Texas
The first trail day of Ultimate Adventure is similar to going to your high school prom. Everyone's a bit nervous as they're sitting in their freshly cleaned 4x4s, and since most of the group has never been on these trails before they feel especially uncomfortable wondering if they're gonna look like a total dork when they hit the dance floor. Lucky for us, we were under the guidance of the Texas Motorized Trail Coalition and the Jeeps of East Texas club, so we headed for some trails at the 1,800-acre Barnwell Mountain OHV recreation area just 5 miles north of Gilmer. Barnwell was a great trail day to get the UA gang warmed up and ready for a week of wheeling, and when we say "warmed up," we mean temps in the mid 90s with so much humidity you could practically swim to the trailhead. Now this forecast may sound bad, but it was actually pretty nice, at least compared to the entire month before when most of Texas was being flooded and folks were literally swimming to safety. Ultimate Adventure rolled into Texas and brought with it excellent weather from across the nation. Believe it or not, from the day we arrived the rains pretty much stopped, and though it was hot and humid, at least there were no unplanned deep water crossings.

Enough about the weather, let's get back to the trails of Barnwell. Imagine some deep ruts and giant V-notches with a plethora of steep climbs thrown in for good measure, then cover everything in deep red dirt and you get the idea of what we were looking at. Barnwell is an old iron ore mine which now offers nearly a hundred different trails for bikes, ATVs, and 4x4s rated from novice to extreme. Plus if you want to come for a weekend there are designated campgrounds, both primitive and outfitted with power and water. The park is great fun and though it's mostly dirt obstacles, that didn't mean there wasn't any carnage or rigs going dirty-side-up. In fact, the very first obstacle we hit, known as Twister, had more than one of our invited readers showing the crowd his rig's belly, and shortly thereafter our rookie feature editor busted out the taillight on that dang Ranger of his (he'll call it the Ultimate Danger Ranger, but that's mostly because it tried to self-destruct more than a couple times on this trip). The day was a great way to get the trucks and drivers ready for the week. Many of the forgotten last-minute things were discovered, like when one big truck sheared off almost all the wheel studs and another big Jeep had the stick shift literally come loose in the driver's hand on a particularly steep climb.

A big thank you goes to Cecil Derrick from Longview Driveshaft & 4x4, his team of local trail hands, and the Texas Motorized Trail Coaliton, who helped spot our drivers through the rough sections they were getting stuck on, and for feeding our troops both lunch and the first of a handful of excellent barbecue dinners we had during our visit in the Lone Star State. And of course Longview Driveshaft was open for business that night as UA attendees scuttled back to lick the fresh wounds and make final adjustments prior to Monday's 200-mile road trip.

Asphalt Wheeling from Longview to Huntsville
One of the unique features of Ultimate Adventure is that between every wheeling day there are a few hundred miles of on-the-road trail to cover. Since no trailers are allowed during the actual event, this means trail rigs on the street. Having survived Barnwell with only a few broken bits, we set off early Monday morning for Huntsville, Texas, roughly 200 miles away. Of course it's less than that if you drove straight there on the highways, but what's the fun in that? Pw has no interest in going straight to the next campground just to sit around waiting for the sun to set. Instead there are neat little backroads to explore, one-of-a-kind diners in every town to eat at, and gas stations to be overrun by hordes of lifted 4x4s looking for fuel, drinks, and whatever foodlike substances can be found. Plus did we mention that the boss is also quite fond of old Jeeps, and it's his personal calling to try and find every one hiding in the weeds along the untraveled bitumen of our great nation?

Now you might think that traveling 200 miles would take roughly 3 1/2 hours, but then you've most likely never been on Ultimate Adventure where 200 miles is an all-day expedition. You see, it's like this: We start the day with another drivers' meeting, but it's usually late since someone has overslept or is still up after an all-night wrenchfest fixing whatever was broken the day before. Then after everyone is packed, snacked, and fueled we finally line up and convoy out of town, waving to our new friends as we leave. Then barely out of town the group is hopelessly strung out across nine intersections waiting for the light to change, until eventually we stop along the way to regroup and see who's missing. It's about this point when someone's rig won't run quite right, or maybe a cooler needs to be strapped down again, or there's that one guy that must skip off into the bushes for just a second. Sooner or later we get back on the road only to get a message relayed from the back of the pack stating that someone had to pull over due to some unexplained mechanical issue. No worries, we're only going another 15 miles till a fuel stop where they can catch up. Of course the fuel stop involves 18 different rigs vying for the only pump in some small Texas town while the men's room has a line around the convenience store. The next thing you know Pw is back in his Jeep and the other Ultimate Adventurers are hustling from the store with armloads of beef jerky, energy drinks, and packets of cream-filled cakes. Again we're on the road, but before long the whole scenario happens again. However, along the way we cruise through neat little towns with one or less stoplight per municipality, and it's not unusual that when we do stop the locals come gawking like we're the traveling freak show. Of course everyone wants to check out the rigs and since it's about lunch time and someone is overheating again or another rig's electronic fuel injection is no longer injecting, we decide to regroup. Thus it is no wonder that we leave one town at 8 in the morning and it's nearly 12 hours later when we finally arrive just 200 miles away, exhausted and ready to set up camp, snap open a brew or two, and hit the sleeping bags. However our new hosts have prepared a welcoming meal which our group could never turn down, and being a hungry bunch we dive right in. Before long some of us wander off to check on the trucks and tighten any loose bolts so the next day on the trial will go smoothly. And that is one of the boring road days of UA.

Every year our trip is filled with pranksters, inside jokes, and people helping deflate each other's tires under the cover of darkness. However, one of the more recently initiated ceremonies of UA is the Pink Hat awards. These pink hats are awarded to the guys who somehow misunderstood the true meaning of UA, and for a day they get the honor of wearing a pink hat to remind them of their folly. It's not really a harsh punishment, but rather a way to poke fun at those who might show up late to UA, be caught running on road days with windows up and air conditioning on while the rest of us sweat, take a bypass rather than dunking their rigs in the deep mud holes, or maybe even sneaking into town in order to pressure-wash mud from the skin of their pretty 4x4. You see, UA is a test of our rugged adventure lifestyle, and if some of us have to suffer through it then gosh darn it we all should. Plus in some ways it could be an honor to get to wear a pink hat for a day, but mostly it's just a great way to poke fun at each other.

Muddy bottoms at General Sam's, Huntsville, Texas
The next stop on our Texas tour was General Sam's Off-Road Wilderness park outside of Huntsville. It was only our second trail day of the trip and Pw wasn't going to make it easy for any of us. The name of the game was mud, and not that dry stuff that falls off tires. No, we're talking grab your spoons cause it's a sloppy milkshake mud that will be filling your floorboards and gumming up your radiators. Now let's not put the mud buggy before the horse. First, a little bit about General Sam's. This 700-plus-acre park has over 40 miles of trails with everything from steep climbs and ragged twisty canyons to deep, deeper, and deepest mud-filled pits. If this is your kind of thing, then there is camping for both RVs and tents and after a day in the muck the showers and running water for rinsing off is a great treat. Now don't expect to meet a white-linen-suited General Sam as this park is named after the late Sam Houston, one of the first commanders of the Texas army and the first president of the Republic of Texas back in the 1830s. Instead, General Sam's is run by Denny Powell, a true southern gentleman who, with the help of some local off-roaders (The Texas Mud Mafia), showed us a great time in their dirty little park (and by "dirty" we mean only the muddy parts).

Our group of wheelers this year is from a wide range of backgrounds and states, but amazingly we didn't have anyone that was champin' at the bit for a good old mud hole. (Note to you readers that have built mud machines, maybe you should apply for UA next year so you can show those rockcrawler and trail guys how mud's supposed to be run.) However, even though no one is "required" to run every trail, a sure-fire way to get some harassment is if you wimp out and take the bypasses (if there are any) around any obstacles, whether they are big rockclimbs or deep sloppy mud pits. Needless to say the mud at General Sam's had some of our troop peeling out and our new mud tires hucking the slurry all over the place. The fact is that even though mud is a pain in the neck to clean up and very hard on vehicles, when you're deep in it and have the throttle pegged with all four tires spinning and you're just hoping that the hole isn't getting any deeper, mud can really be a ton of fun. Again our fearless leader Pw took us straight through the holes behind the local trail leader and even when his Jeep filled with nearly 6 inches of creamy chocolate malt, he just grinned and kept on truckin. By the end of the day we had rigs overheating, cameramen falling down in the slop trying to get photos, and a truly excellent time playing like pigs in the messy muck of General Sam's.

4Wheel Drive Hardware has been speaking Jeep for more than 30 years. From simple interior piece parts to full-blown axle assemblies, these guys know what you need and how to get it to you. As of this November, they'll have one more item of value to their already full roster-the 2007 Ultimate Adventure DVD. Yes, folks, our most recent journey has been captured in all its glory for you to enjoy from the safety of your favorite armchair or couch and is available exclusively from 4WD.
800.865.0961, www.4wd.com

The Rubi Wagon wowed bystanders with its amazing capability and stunning good looks. However, while our Wrangler basked like a celebrity in the spotlight, two Jeep Commanders served brutal duty as support rigs before, during, and after the week-long trip. Both Commanders received suspension mods, tire changes, communication gear, and cargo racks. Except for a Warn winch and stylin' olive-drab paint job on Biggie, both Commanders were abusively overloaded with gear and then driven straight from California to Texas through the 120+ degree heat. Once there, Biggie followed along and put the Quadra Drive II system to the ultimate test. Loaded with 800 pounds of supplies, its prowess on trails was impressive to the fickle crowd of hard-core wheelers. Both Commanders will remain on staff for years of on- and off-road use.
www.jeep.com

The Texas terrain produced enough damage that cutting and welding at campsites and motel parking lots continued late into the nights. The welding was tackled by the Handler 187 and Handler 210 model welders, while cutting duties fell to Hobart's Airforce 250ci and Airforce 400 plasma cutters. However, the star of the trip was the portable "black box" welder. This soon-to-be-released battery-powered, self-contained little gem provides more than 3 feet of welding bead where you need it most. The crew was pensive about any further details since the product is not ready for release yet.
www.hobartwelders.com

Once again the folks at BFGoodrich Tires rolled up their sleeves and brought their products and expertise out into the dirt, rocks, and mud. This year BFG introduced the much anticipated Mud-Terrain T/A KM2. The KM2s on the UAJK Rubi Wagon victoriously slugged it out with every obstacle that our Texas trip could offer. Their performance in the deep mud of Huntsville and the sharp granite of Katemcy was better than expected for a tire that also retained proper road manners. The KM2s on our Commander performed great in the dirt and rock of western Texas and are riding well 4,000 miles later.
www.bfgoodrichtires.com

Typically the reasons for running these hardy little boxes are sound, performance, and strength. The new Hushpower model provides performance and that great Flowmaster sound but with more slender dimensions. As a side benefit, the internal insulation provides dramatic heat reduction so that they can be mounted close to or near body panels and seating compartments. Also making an appearance was the new Super 44 Off-Road version, featuring diamond-plate external walls for even greater crush strength.
www.flowmastermufflers.com

With Warn as the Official Winch, Warn rep Steve Schoenfelder frequently jumped to the task of pulling cable which allowed us continued enjoyment of the 100 percent humidity from the driver seat. As in prior years, Warn models ranged from classic to modern with the newest jewel being the Powerplant combination winch and air compressor.
www.warn.com

Superlift products could be found on numerous rigs and ranged from simple accessories such as their patented eXtreme Ring differential protectors to their Superride Select remote-reservoir shocks. Most importantly, Superlift products replaced factory suspension pieces during the UAJK Rubi Wagon buildup which summarily received a beating in the off-road parks of Texas. They provided the complex but functional 4-inch lift used on our Jeep Commander No. 1.
www.superlift.com

The bumper found on the front of our monster Wrangler is nearly identical to one you can order from Fab Fours. It is one of the few bumpers, if not the only JK bumper, designed specifically for the Warn model 8274. The rear bumper and tire carrier is a production unit and is available now as well. Both units on the UAJK Rubi Wagon survived the week of wheeling with flair. Fab Fours also manufactures a variety of high-quality bumpers for Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Toyota, and Nissan trucks.
www.fabfours.com

In most cases, the demands of a moderately sized winch exceed the output of even an upgraded alternator-easily draining standard battery resources and slowing winch performance. To further extol the virtues of deep-reserve batteries, Optima came on board as Official Battery for its first UA. With the frequency of rollovers and ever-present vibration, their heavy-duty construction and sealed cases were welcomed benefits.
www.optimabatteries.com

The Ultimate Adventure JK Rubi Wagon would not be the killer rig it is today without the products from our other UA sponsors. Thanks go out to PSC Motorsports for power-steering components that survived a week of severe battering with nary a complaint. Poison Spyder Customs provided its bulletproof new Spyderlock wheels for many UA rigs but also played a crucial role in finishing our monster Jeep. Their gorgeous craftsmanship is present in all the Rubi Wagon's fenders. Slee Off Road whipped up a set of its high-quality custom storage containers which survived the week of abuse. Off Road Design did not supply the transfer-case combo for this year's rig, but they were valuable technical partners on the trip. Finally, a very special thanks to American Expedition Vehicles who mastered the overall construction of the first Cummins-powered JK in the world. It is not only impressive that AEV did so under pressing deadlines, but that the rig's mechanical performance was nearly flawless during its maiden voyage.

When most of us think of gated communities, a ton of headaches, restrictions, and old women in BMWs come to mind. But the friendly folks of Florida were thinking on a different level when they started creating the Suburban Estates. The idea was to sell individual lots within the 10,000-acre swampland to create a private community for off-road enthusiasts. Upon purchase you receive a key to the entrance of the property, allowing you 24 hours of access seven days a week for your wheeling enjoyment.

As an invited guest of key-holder Mike Carpenter, we were able to take a tour of the property and meet some of the most active members of the landowner's association (yes, like a homeowner's association). The majority of the property consists of soft sandy trails and endless mud pits, some deep enough to swallow 60-inch-plus tractor-tired monsters dead in their tracks. We like the idea of having a private community of wheelers. No need to worry about trespassing tickets or where you're going to camp-and all the wheelers out there are essentially your neighbors. Want to become part of the neighborhood? Check them out at www.suburbanestates.net.

Competitive rockcrawling has been working its way around the U.S. since organized series were started back in 1999. Since that time dozens of series have popped up around the country and the competitive spirit that we have watched for years on the trails has been refined into an organized system. Events are running nearly every weekend in this country as well as others, but no event is esteemed as highly as the UROC World Championship SuperCrawl.

Every year the SuperCrawl is moved to a different location. In 2004 UROC built the first man-made course just two weeks prior to SuperCrawl III. This year, the 2006 World Championship SuperCrawl V was held in Phoenix at Firebird International Raceway. Despite a flood of naysayers, the course proved formidable and offered plenty of rockcrawling action. In 2005 SuperCrawl IV was built on a foundation of Polystyrene blocks at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Completed in just three days, SuperCrawl IV was held in conjunction with the SEMA show, and automotive enthusiasts from around the world witnessed extreme rockcrawling for the first time. Bitten by the bug, many went home to build their own rockcrawlers in hopes of a title in 2006. In the end, BFGoodrich Tires' Tracy Jordan and Brad Lovell took the cup home in the Super Modified and Modified classes respectfully.

For more information on next year's events, contact UROC at www.uroc.com.

Rock racing is taking the world by storm, and the extreme rock racing Association (XRRA) is the spearhead of this surge. Where rockcrawling competitions are slow and technical, the rock racing teams stand on the throttle and launch their buggies over obstacles with total abandon for mechanical well being, and that makes for a great spectator sport. We attended the finals of the 2007 series in colorado Springs last year and not only was the crowd huge (nearly 7,000 people in attendance), the action was enormous.

For the novice, rock racing is side-by-side racing on two closed courses; it's sort of a cross between rockcrawling and dirt/desert/tuff-truck racing. the vehicles-usually a rock buggy morphed to go fast and jump big-start at the same time, but are racing the clock more than each other. Each buggy is allowed two occupants, a driver and a codriver, and they must race through the weaving course always staying within the banners. the course is made up of banked corners, loose dirt, rock climbs, technical boulder fields, and various jumps. Each team must get through the course as quickly as possible, then the competitors switch lanes for a second run. they then run both courses in the opposite direction for a total of four runs. the top six teams go to the finals for two more runs each and a winner is then decided. As you can imagine, this gives teams plenty of opportunity to bust up their rides, but with 50 teams per event there is some time between each run for repairs.

The XRRA recently teamed up with the Gray Rock Off Road vehicle park in Mount Olive, Alabama, to purchase some property outside Jellico, Tennessee. this will allow XRRA to have a dedicated East coast facility for building custom courses and testing new types of obstacles, bigger jumps, and maybe even figure-8 tracks. It will also be open to the public for wheeling. xRRA will hold events all over the East and on the West coast including at Gray Rock in April. We really like that XRRA is holding all its events on private property. This allows them to build a course specific to what the drivers and vehicles can do without bringing bulldozers and such onto public lands to modify trails. in addition there will be some great sponsors coming to support XRRA including Rancho Suspensions and Maxxis tires. The series will be run with an East and West coast schedule with a final national championship event in Jellico in late September 2008. two of the biggest drawing competitions are the one held in Moab during the Easter Safari and the Father's Day event. the events often have vendor booths to see all the sponsor's products as well as a variety of food and drink, not to mention access to most of the race team pits to check out all the cool buggies being run.

Eastern Division
April 19 Gray Rock, Alabama
May 17-18 Jellico, Tennessee
July 12 Hannibal, Missouri
August 16 Badlands, Indiana

Western Division
March 22 Moab
May 3 To Be Announced
June 14 Colorado Springs
August 2 Cortez, Colorado

U.S. Finals
September 20 Jellico, Tennessee

We like wheelin', and it turns out that the folks at Dunlop do too. We joined them for the finals of the 2006 Dunlop Drivers Cup (DDC) in California last year for a week of wheeling and racing. This was the first time a U.S. team vied to be crowned the world's top nonprofessional drivers as part of a competition born in Europe eight years ago. Showcasing Dunlop's racing heritage and its broad range of passenger, truck, motorcycle, and all-terrain-vehicle tire lines was the reason this tire company's officials started the Cup. Desert racing, ATV competition, wild rides in dune buggies, police car chases, mountain biking, and racing events at California Speedway in Fontana were all incorporated into this year's event.

The 32 international competitors were joined by the U.S. team of Albert Andrade, store manager of America's Tire Co. of Upland, California; Jim McCauley, store manager of Discount Tire in Las Vegas, Nevada; Wallace Hattenhauer, an SBC telephone company engineer from Little Rock, Arkansas; and Brad Sutika, a marketer for Valassis in Livonia, Michigan. They completed 1,800 punishing miles and 10 fiercely competitive stages in seven days.

Our favorite event? Spraying sand and competing in dune buggies at Pismo Beach, where McCauley and Sutika demonstrated prowess. Pismo's Oceano Dunes is the only California State Park where vehicles may be driven on the beach. Not all the stages tested driver skills, though. The sixth event, won by a blindfolded Andrade with help from teammate Hattenhauer, stressed teamwork to complete a unique "blind" off-road course. When the dust finally settled, masters of the 10-stage event were the Germans and the Dutch. The U.S. team placed a respectable 8th and 14th.

"The DDC is viewed like an Ironman event, or sort of like Survivor," said Janice Consolacion, brand planning manager for Dunlop in North America. "Except," she added, "we never vote anyone off the island. Maybe it's more accurate to look at it as a decathlon of driving. It was fun, but challenging."

The DDC is aimed at ordinary driving and motoring enthusiasts-not professionals-and is not for the faint of heart. In fact, as part of the 6.2-mile Mountain Bike and 4.7-mile Jogging Relay Race at Sequoia National Park, participants had to wear a Polar OwnZone Heart Rate monitor, which beeped when they exceeded their healthy pulse rate. One team member climbed uphill to an elevation of 7,800 feet, while the other biked over challenging forest trails. Rigorous training is a priority all teams must undergo.

In spring 2007, the Dunlop Drivers Cup final returns to Europe, with newly selected Dunlop U.S.A. team members that include Kevin Clarke of Fryeburg, Maine; Lee Clark of Topanga, California; Todd Furchak of Romulus, Michigan; Egon Szenttamasy of Pembroke Pines, Florida; Todd Eagan, a writer for Sport Compact Car magazine; and Discount Tire Co. store managers Billy Link of Houston, Texas, and Ryan Brenneman of San Dimas, California. The 10-day excursion is scheduled to travel through six European countries-with driving events in each nation-and finish on the African continent.

Post Note: Applicants must demonstrate the Dunlop passion for driving, have an appropriate level of experience across all the event categories, and be at least 21 years of age. Some other requirements are having a valid U.S. driver's license and no driving felonies, having a U.S. Passport, and the ability to travel on certain dates. Anyone who believes they "have what it takes" to represent Dunlop U.S.A. can visit www.dunloptires.com/driverscup to apply for the 2008 event.