Moab and the Camel Trophy

The Olympics of 4x4: A Look Back at the Incredible Camel Trophy. The organization ended competitive events 20 years ago.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enth...?ocid=msedgdhp

I'd revered many of the participants and organizers of the Camel Trophy for years. And, in the mid-90's they scheduled an off road "convention" and training session in Moab, Utah. You had to be running a Landy to be invited (as well as contribute significant funds to the effort). My wife and I had a competition-prepared Defender 90 with a 4.0 V8 on 33's we wanted to run. It had the usual 3 lockers, yada yada. So, I prepped the vehicle the way I usually do, taking it apart and putting it back together the "right" way so as to be ready.

So, we drive down to Moab in our Landy and get rooms in the same hotel as the convention. Oddly, we didn't see that many Landy's around. After meeting and talking with participants, we learned few of the participants drove in. Most had their vehicles, and vehicle collections, delivered to them at the site. And, a few of the pros laughed at my Landy because it was literally perfect - but that's just how I keep 'em. Their Landys were dirty and considerably dented.

Out on the trail, the other participants quickly disappointed me with their outlandish, showy and drunken behavior. For, they would really beat their vehicles - rolling several of them in the process. Whereas my wife and I would study an obstacle during a quick hike, then carefully and efficiently climb our way through it. No messy wheelspin, no fuss. Yeah, I've mauled my body in motorcycle wrecks, but I've neve rolled an off-road vehicle. For, if I did, I had just lost my ride home. All they lost in a roll was one of many vehicles they had brought in for the event.

The participants (many of them Irish/English) would drink substantial amounts of alcohol during events. As a result, my wife and I topped most of the competitive events - for we were sober and in good physical shape. Frankly, most of the other participants were rich - and simply there to have a good time. My wife and I also had an advantage because we both know Moab well, as we have been going down there and 4-wheeling for many years. So, it ended up being us "locals" mixing with the rich foreigners. I think my wife and I were also the only couple there that were actually working at full-time jobs. Most of the well-to-do there were pretty much living off investments.

So, did we learn anything from hanging with the Camel Trophy for a week? Yes. But it was mostly about character and societal positioning. Well, I must admit we learned a few things about winching and righting a roll safely.

I think Land Rover did a terrible job of re-doing the new 90 and 110 Defenders. So, we tend to mostly stick with Jeeps now. The old Landy's have gotten way too expensive to keep running well. Yet, if I got a call from some of my Trophy buddies wanting to meet for beers - I'd still do it. They were a bunch of spoiled rich boys, but they were also friendly and accommodating. I would not mind getting stuck with them somewhere out in the Amazon. It would be entertaining.

Hunter

By the time I became some what of a "regular" around Moab it was almost exclusively the arena for Jeep--many of which were "trailer queens".

Whenever the subject of Rovers comes up, I am reminded of an example which, I think now, more typifies the life of the "new" Rovers on holiday. I have no clue why these two couples would have made such a journey on which we encountered them. We were on the early stage of going south on the Dempster Highway in the NWT. Just south of Inuvik is the crossing of the Red River. In winter it is via an ice bridge, in summer by ferry. As we pulled up to the ferry slip, we found ourselves in line behind what was obviously a new Rover with Washington plates. As we waited the four occupants emerged. They looked as if they had just stepped out of an REI catalog. I'd guess them in their mid forties and I judged a bit uncomfortable with their current environment. They were dressed as if in uniform. All were wearing "convertible" pants, and safari shirts. All clean and pressed! One male did break ranks with his foot wear, instead of hiking boots he was wearing leather sandals---with socks! On the roof of the Rover was the officially ordained travel rack and covers. The only thing not seen was a jerry can---but I'd bet there were high heals under the covers. :rolleyes2:

We avoided conversation and as we arrived at the south shore there was a unusual show---even for the Arctic, a line of possibly 10 mature Bald Eagles and a few juveniles standing in a row along the water line as the tide went out. We stopped to enjoy that sight and also wondered around a native (but then unoccupied fish camp) on the other side of the road. The Rover seemed disinterested and continued on.

The trip from Inuvik to Dawson in the Yukon is a bit over 400 miles of dirt road. We did not encounter our "shipmates" again until late afternoon at the mid-point of the Dempster. We pulled in for a cup f coffee and fuel.

During the day, we stopped often to enjoy Eagles, Arctic Fox, Brown Bear and Caribou. As we drank our coffee, we could not help but over hear the discussion going on between this out of place strange huddle of travelers. They were sharing their disappointment with their day, which apparently was at an end because they were staying that night at this roadhouse which included a motel. They had not seen any wildlife all day, as I listened I tried to imagine where their eyes were pointed.

Finishing my coffee we moved on---with a feeling of some sorrow for the unseeing. To them, they missed much of the great value in such places. They came but they weren't there:o:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave Grubb

They came but they weren't there...

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A good summation, Dave.

Seeing so much wildlife in the Bush is what my wife and I remember about our trips to Alaska. I think the biggest chunk of animals we saw were hundreds of Bald Eagles. They were everywhere we went. We went out on boats to be with the Orcas and saw a lot of Brown Bears too. We still talk about that trip and had two cruises scheduled to go back, but that bastard CO19 virus caused all of our plans to collapse. But, we shall return.

Hunter

Nice work there, Kira.

Hunter

Can only relate a story told to me.

My friend his wife and two daughters were competing at a JR Drag event. The dragster with lawnmower engines and both girls were 8-10yrs old. Anyway on the way back they pulled into a campground and were setting up. Up pulls a Prevost Motorhome towing some fancy car. I don't remember what it was, but after stopping the driver steps out of the motor home in a full chauffeur's outfit on and proceeds to unhook the car. Soon a well dressed couple emerge and get into the car and leave. Meanwhile a women in maid's or cook's outfit also comes out and tell the chauffeur how to set up the table for the evenings meal. My friend remembers that the chauffeur and cook were married and traveled for their boss on these trips.

Now this was in the early 90's when Prevost were in the $100,000 dollar range well out of most people's ability to afford one.

Really not sure that's the way it should be.

Prevosts were already in the near $1,000,000 range even then, I think, Fred, but quite a funny story. There ought to be a movie.

Land Yacht .....

I have to add another story that happened that day---but had nothing to do with the Rover gang.

At some point along the way we came upon two native men pulled off the road and out of their pick-up---obviously looking at something across a wide shallow valley. We walked back to where they where and said hello but they weren't exactly talkative--I think we might have gotten a grunt. Anyway, across the valley on the far slope was a small herd of caribou--probably 1500 yards. Without binoculars they were ant size. We did have our binoculars with us---they pretty much hang around our neck from morning until dark. At some point I decided to wipe an impression on these two guys---with that, I pulled myself up to full height----pointed with great authority and said: Tuk-to-yak-tuk. With that our new "friends" looked at me, straight faced and then back to the caribou---never said a word, but I was sure they hadn't been impressed. I had just played my best shot---and didn't even get a smile. Tuktoyaktuk happens to be one of only a few words of Gwich’in I know---and it fit perfectly---it means: "looks like caribou". I don't know---maybe they didn't speak Gwich'in :maybe:

Before we left a car stopped and a German man came back. He ignored us but asked the natives what they were looking at. Ignoring him didn't work out and finally one said "caribou". The German had a hard time picking them out but finally saw the tiny spots. Then he wanted to know how they knew they were caribou----again the natives tried to ignore him but finally relented and said: "see many---caribou---see one---bear---all we have! With that we decided it was time for use to leave town:omfg:

Well, I guess it is time to sell my jeep trailer...or maybe not. If my wife is with me, the jeep gets towed for over two hours of travel. If she isn’t, the sky is the limit. I will admit a certain bias to towing, because i get the same mileage in my truck with the jeep in tow, as I get with my jeep on 38’s and 5,13 gears. But then, I unabashedly don’t mind telling people I tow it. That way, when something breaks, it comes home to get fixed, instead of trying to find parts in Moab, San Hollow, or the Rubicon. Okay, I may need to find some parts on the rubicon. I tried to upload a photo without success.
Incidentally, I was in Sand Hollow one time, when someone assumed my jeep was set up only the easy trails. On the Moab scale, they were 4’s and below. I usually run the trails up to, and including 8’s. Well, and Rubicon. I may try Pritchett next time i go. I have done everything up to that, so might as well check it off the list.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scooter

...my jeep on 38’s and 5,13 gears. But then, I unabashedly don’t mind telling people I tow it. That way, when something breaks, it comes home to get fixed, instead of trying to find parts in Moab, San Hollow, or the Rubicon.

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Nice. You're getting into Buggy country. Cool.

Hunter