Jeep Jamboree USA at Oak Ridge
Story: Dan Hankin Photos: Dan Hankin and Mike
Grant
The population of small town Lovingston, Virginia swelled by a few hundred for the weekend as four wheelers from 13 states gathered for two days of off-roading at the Annual Oak Ridge Jeep Jamboree.
Beginning Friday with a hearty breakfast catered at the Lovingston Volunteer Fire Department, drivers and passengers picked up their box lunches and headed out to the staging area at Oak Ridge Estates to split off into groups and meet the trail guides. Following the mandatory drivers meeting, each group set off in different directions to tackle the trails.
The terrain at Oak Ridge offered as much variety as the Jeeps and people who
participated. Any given trail might have you crossing water, rock crawling,
climbing and descending steep inclines, or navigating tight-cut paths through
the woods. Most of the trails were enough to challenge - and sometimes intimidate
beginners, while still entertaining more experienced drivers. Many trails
offer the option of a bypass around the tougher obstacles for those who want
to be sure their Jeep will get them to work on Monday, though the bypasses
seem to be the path less traveled. With the always helpful trail guides spotting,
even stock Jeeps could successfully navigate most obstacles with little drama,
though trail guide Tom Lassen's
winch was put to work a few times. It should also be noted that most Jeeps
at the Jamboree did leave with a few dings or scrapes to prove their adventure.
If you can't live with a few beauty marks on your ride, the Jamboree may not
be for you!
At any group event, people can really make or break your experience. The people
at the Jamboree were a great bunch. Mid-day lunch breaks on the trail encouraged
comraderie among the group and gave people an opportunity to get to know each
other. A dinner buffet catered at the fire house at the end of each day also
gave people an opportunity to share their triumphs and defeats with other
groups and give each other an idea of what to expect the following day on
the trails they've yet to experience. The trail guides are all experienced
four wheel drive enthusiasts and their love of the hobby shows. Most of these
guys create and maintain the trails on their own time. They also realize that
getting new people involved with four wheeling and educating them about doing
things right, treading lightly, and leaving the land better than they found
it is the best way to ensure a bright future for their pastime.
Many of the participants we spoke to told us this was not their first Jamboree,
and most of the remaining crowd swore they would return. My co-driver, Mike
Grant, and I will be among them. After two days of successfully navigating
every obstacle thrown at us, and denying every bypass, we were defeated by
the final hurdle - the infamous CJ-5 Hill, a steep rock face rising from water
and bordered by an old washed out bridge. Next year we'll be ready.
Jeep Jamboree USA organizes multiple annual events in several states. For more information or to schedule a trip visit www.jeepjamboreeusa.com or call 1-530-333-4777.
