Category Archives: Off Roading

Activities, Jeep

Remembering Mark A. Smith, founder of Jeep Jamboree

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

On June 9, 2014 a legend passed away.  It is fitting that Mark Smith was eulogized on the Jeep.com website, as the man had contributed so much to Jeep culture over the years.

From the Jeep blog:

There are certain types of people who only come around once in a lifetime. They are the kind of people who regularly inspire everyone around them and bring out the best in others. Mark A. Smith, founder of Jeep® Jamboree USA, was one of those once-in-a-lifetime people. Today, we’d like to take a moment to remember Mark, who passed away at the age of 87 on June 9, 2014.

We recently spoke with Pearse Umlauf, Vice President of Jeep Jamboree USA, about his experience working with Mark and some of his favorite memories.

When did you first meet Mark?

I met Mark in 1996 at the second annual Camp Jeep event in Camp Hale, CO. Mark had been asked by Chrysler to build the off-road test track and staff them with experienced guides. Camp Jeep participants had the opportunity to test drive a variety of Jeep brand vehicles over the off-road course. It was a huge success. I remember being told back then that Mark was an off-road icon. He was sitting on the back of a pick-up truck wearing his trademark white cowboy hat next to his one-eyed dog named “Jeep.” Continue reading →

Jeep

Jeep Owners Go Topless May 17th, 2014!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

All Things Jeep is getting geared up for the 7th Annual Go Topless Day coming up on May 17th.  From the website:

Go Topless Day is when we celebrate the love, spirit, and sense of fun & adventure that comes with owning a Jeep.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

  • TAKE THE TOP OFF YOUR JEEP. This one requires no explanation. Even if your top won’t come off, please join the festivities.
  • Join JEEP CLUBS GOING TOPLESS We are enlisting Clubs and Organizations worldwide in joining us and celebrate Go Topless day with picnics, trail runs, trail clean-ups and social events. We’ll update this list at the beginning of February!

If you are in the New England area, you can Join ALL THINGS JEEP and the Ocean State Jeepsters at our East Coast flagship event in Massachusetts. For more information on the MA GTD event, please e-mail GTD@allthingsjeep.com

Continue reading →

Jeep

Jeep and Mopar Brands Reveal Six New Concept Vehicles for 48th Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The Jeep and Mopar brands have once again teamed to develop a variety of vehicles that will debut at the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, April 12-20. Now in its 48th year, the Easter Jeep Safari will be attended by thousands of die-hard off-road enthusiasts looking to enjoy a week of serious off-roading on some of the country’s most renowned trails.

“We head to Moab and the Easter Jeep Safari with six new vehicles we know Jeep enthusiasts will truly appreciate – including our first two new Jeep Cherokee models built specifically for this important event,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “We look forward to putting these new Jeep vehicles in their proper environment and receiving important feedback from our most loyal customers at their favorite annual off-road gathering.”

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Adventures, News, Offroading - General

Johnson Valley Access Preserved!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Press Release:

Hammerking Productions, the founders of The Griffin King of The Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire, are pleased to announce that the week-long off road festival held annually in Johnson Valley, CA will be able to continue in its current location for the foreseeable future. After six years of negotiations between the United States Marine Corps, the federal government and the Off Highway Vehicle(OHV) Community, a deal has been reached to preserve the majority of the land in Johnson Valley for OHV use.

Congressman Paul Cook spearheaded the deal which allows nearly 100,000 acres of land to remain open to the public and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Marines will have access to approximately 55,000 acres of shared use land for 60 days a year to meet their training objectives, but will not retain ownership of the land the remaining 305 days a year.  The proposed legislation is expected to pass  the House later this week and the Senate next week before the holiday recess.

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Offroading - General, State Parks

Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area General Plan Public Comments NEEDED

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

From the California Association of 4-Wheel Drive Clubs:

Thanks to all of you who attended the recent public open house meetings held in the East Bay Area to detail the Draft Preferred Concept for the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area General Plan (DPC). Draft Preferred Concept.

Members of extreme anti-OHV groups were also there to try to impose their closure agenda on the OHV community and DPC planning team. Over the last seven years, those closure advocates have worked with East Bay Regional Parks on a massive and fraudulent campaign to build political support for an outright ban of OHV use on the Tesla property. They have been making weekly, if not daily, visits to the offices of State Senator Mark DeSaulnier and Assemblymember Joan Buchanan demanding legislation to enact an outright ban of OHV use at Tesla.

It is critically important that we counter that smear campaign by sending comments to the SVRA planning team and the aforementioned legislators.

Continue reading →