There are several events in the Land Rover community that are held over the course of the year, but there are none more well organized than the Mid-Atlantic Rally (MAR), and this year's event was a blast. The MAR is the largest gathering of early series Rovers in the East, which makes it a fantastic place to catch a glimpse of all sorts of Rovers.
The event is held just a short distance from Jefferson's Monticello in Virginia. If you haven't visited Virginia, you really must check it out. The rolling green hills and lush, thick forests are perfectly complemented by brilliant blue skies and misty mornings. Held on a private plot of land abutting the James River, the location is a perfect backdrop for some great four-wheeling.
As usual, Rover freaks were drawn from all points of the country, as well as from the UK and the Netherlands. Event coordinators were on top of things and the weekend went smoothly. A large tent set the central stage for the weekend, providing a place where everyone could gather for dinner and everlasting raffles.
The first day of this year's MAR began with a competition. The Iron-Man triathalon pitted a driver/copilot combo against other teams in a game of endurance and skill. Teams competed in several events, such as the teeter-totter, trailer maneuvering, the tire canoe and carry race, and the Rover-specific RTV driving course.
Once the competition was complete, it was time to take on the woods. The trails were very diverse, with deep forests, steep hills, and wide water crossings. In one particularly difficult section the first day, a 50- to 60-degree slope transitioned into a splashdown river crossing. And then the action really began.
One of the vehicles in our group came around a bend and was immediately stopped by a large group of 'wheelers standing on a high bank looking down to the river below. In an attempt to climb a sandy 15-foot bank on a very steep hill, an old series Rover had gotten stuck. After some interesting winching techniques and some unfortunate damage to the Rover, it finally won free of the sand.
The proximity to the James River made for other interesting activities as well. Some of the four-wheelers placed such overwhelming trust in their lifts, lockers, and Safari snorkels that they believed their rigs were part of some elite submarine corps. However, the water was impossible to resist, and those with large enough lifts and oversized tires drove right on through.
The Rovertym Discovery was first. It lumbered its way around the boulders as if it were gracefully dancing through a minefield. The combination of vehicle capability and driver skill sent the truck to the opposite shore without a hitch.