Throttle Blog

Off Road Vehicles have been around for about a century. They got their start from a French mechanic named Adolphe Kegresse working in Russia. The track based belt was designed to be fitted to normal wheeled vehicles effectively replacing the rear wheels, and was capable to ride on surfaces other than paved or gravel roads.

In the 1920s and 30s Kegresse worked in France converting cars for civil and military off road use. There were several expeditions across Asia and Africa that used Kegresse’s design. In the late 40’s and early 50’s there was a surplus of off-road utility vehicles like jeeps and were bought and used largely as tools. This civilian use for off road vehicles soon got adapted to off roading as a sport.

Several other companies started making recreational and utility type off road vehicles, including Toyota and Land Rover among others. The basic and very distinct shape of the jeeps became popular and widely available from other manufacturers.

In the 60’s and 70’s off road vehicles became more of a comfortable family-type of vehicle, taking the moniker of Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). They featured 4 wheel drive with better, more comfortable suspension than other vehicles, and had an enclosed back end, much like a delivery wagon. Examples include the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wagoneer, Toyota Land Cruiser, and Chevy Blazer.

More recently, SUVs have become behemoths of comfort that are filled with technology. Most manufacturers make at least one model. Some have several. They come with leather seats, computer controlled everything, surround sound music systems, television/DVD players, and just about anything else you can imagine.

Please stay out of Death Valley. You are ruining it for the rest of us Volvo driving hippy/asian americans.

Mkaythks

death valley, volvo, hippy, off road, hypocrite, 4×4, jeep, truck

You’ve no doubt heard about the fires that burned through half of San Diego County a few years ago. Part of that fire burned most of the Corral Canyon OHV park which has been closed ever since.

I’ve never been there. It’s a trail area for motorcycles, ATVs and 4×4s. They recently opened the northern portion of the area. Hopefully more will be opened soon. I took the family up there Sunday to have a look. We didn’t take any toys with us because we weren’t sure what to expect.

It turned out to be a worthwhile trip. Something we could easily do as either a day trip, or pack the trailer and make a weekend out of it. With fishing and other activities, it should make for a great summer.

The Descanso Ranger District will reopen a portion of the Corral Canyon Off Highway Vehicle Area that was closed in July 2006 after the devastating Horse Fire burned through the recreation area. Effective March 1, 2007, the northern 1/3 of the OHV area will reopen for public use. Please see the associated press release and closure map for additional information. Red Sticker use period on the Trabuco Ranger District is 12/1 - 4/30

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

April 16, 2007, will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Virginia Tech community and the world beyond.

To remember and honor the victims of those tragic events, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

The fund will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to:

• Grief counseling
• Memorials
• Communication expenses
• Comfort expenses
• Incidental needs

If you plan to give, please click the link below:

Have you seen the show? Typically it’s pretty good. But I just watched the Glamis edition and was quite shocked that they had the nerve to burn pallets in their camp fire.

Pallets you say? Yes, pallets.

Perhaps they’re un-aware that pallets have nails, and the nails get left behind after the fire is out. If you think it’s not a big deal, then you haven’t had first hand experience with them and what kind of damage they can do to tires or feet.

I have. On both. Leave your pallets at home. Don’t bring them to the desert unless you take them apart and remove all the nails. (Psst, that goes for ANY wood you bring with nails to burn at the desert.)

Lets hope they hear about this and don’t do it any more.

I recently bought a 2007 Yamaha Raptor 700R SE. It’s an incredible quad. A friend let me ride his 2006 (stock) out at the dunes of Gordon’s Well in Southern Cal. It only took me about 10 minutes of talking to myself and laughing under my helmet to convince me to get one.

My biggest problem I figured would be convincing my wife, but even that was simple. I planned on getting one some time this summer, but lo and behold, my wonderful wife let me do it before the end of the season.

Because of that I was able to take it out for a few weekends and really put some miles on it. Most of my rides the first 2 weekends were of considerable length; about 10-20 miles each ride, several rides per weekend.

Every time I get on that thing, I get a warm, tingly feeling in my nether regions. I haven’t felt that tingly feeling coming from a combustion engine for years.

I wrote up a pretty good review for it, which was published at ATV Source Magazine.

There are many reasons people buy Jeeps. Some just like the looks of them, or perhaps they want the prestige that you feel when you drive one. Even if you never take it off-road. (In some circles, those people are called Mall Crawlers)

Some want to be able to go anywhere. And Jeeps can do that. In fact, that’s what they do best. That’s what they were made for.

But building jeeps isn’t all they do well. They also know how to advertise.

Exile Pictures, LLC

Last weekend at Ocotillo Wells was incredible. We got a late start because Ree (my wife) had to work Friday. Typically when we plan a desert (or any camping) trip, we like to head out early Friday.

As I stated in my introductory post, I decided to try to start a new family tradition of doing Easter at the desert instead of my sister-in-law’s house. She likes the idea because 1) she and her husband and kids love the desert and 2) she doesn’t have to deal with that whole house thing when she has functions at her house. We discussed doing a Christmas at the desert too, but I’m not sure if that will happen.

It was raining in San Diego and that almost always means wind in the deserts. This time was no exception; the evenings and nights were windy, but that wind provided a great sunset on Saturday night.

The wind also did some damage to my trailer. Everyone had gone for a ride except me and my two boys. So when the wind kicked up I was there by myself trying to get the awning rolled up. I left a small amount of blood as a sacrifice to the wind Gods while cursing and begging them for mercy but I of course failed miserably to get it down before it got completely hosed.

All in all it was a good great weekend. I almost went over the bars after dropping off a short cliff. That adventure (which I never completely fell off the quad) managed to rack up several bruises and a wrist sprain that will likely take several weeks to heal. Aside from that and the awning, nothing broke and nobody got hurt.

Throttle Blog is all about off-roading. It’s launch on Good Friday will hopefully be a sign of success. Unfortunately, it’s going to have to wait a few days until I get back from the desert. That’s right, I’m off to the desert to get some good article ideas. Well, ok, fine. I won’t lie. I’m going to the desert to try to start a new family tradition for Easter.

See, we usually did Easter at my sister-in-law’s house, but I’m trying to change that. I’d much rather spend the weekend at the desert where there’s more room to hide easter eggs and a chance for the kids and adults to do something we all love; off-roading.

So be sure to check back later and I promise I’ll get some interesting stuff up here.