Those in attendance at All-Pro Off-Road's 2007 Jamboree are sure to remember one thing above all else: It was cold! January temperatures in the Mojave often dip below freezing, and landscapes normally famous for scorching mercury readings take on a frigid personality. Last year's event in Johnson Valley was highly successful despite the chill. For 2008, All-Pro's Jon Bundrant decided a change of venue would give participants access to more creature comforts after a long day on the trail. Stoddard Valley got the nod. The Stoddard Valley OHV area is a veritable hop, skip, and a jump away from Johnson Valley. Stoddard's trails aren't as famous as the selection of Hammers found at Johnson, but hard core, mettle-testing terrain is still on the menu.

If there's one thing that's certain about four-wheel adventure it's that it's almost always more enjoyable when it's shared with good friends.?We guess??that??it??has something to do with man's inherent need to explore the great unknown and an associated sense of camaraderie while doing something exciting. There is a reason you own the four-wheel-drive vehicle sitting in your driveway, and subconsciously it just may stem from your childhood. As kids we loved to explore the unknown, and whether it was on bikes or skateboards or foot, we just had to see what was up around the corner.

The night before I left for the Calico Cleanup, I reflected upon what the next day's event meant to me. It was an important day for two reasons: First and foremost, it was a chance for me to do my part to protect the sport I love and enjoy - four-wheeling. Cleanups like this one in Calico, California, are a reminder that off-road areas need to be respected and well-maintained. An event such as this is an opportunity for me, or anyone, to do something for the community, set an example, and make a positive impact. My part may be small, but when combined with the efforts of others, it makes a big difference.

A little over a decade after World War II, the Chuckwalla Jeep Club was officially incorporated by the state of California for the whopping fee of $13.25. The year was 1958, and today we find ourselves looking back with envy and nostalgic admiration at a simpler time of Willys Jeeps, classic hot rods, and the birth of rock 'n' roll.

With many new products for the Toyota FJ Cruiser and all-new Jeep Wrangler JK, the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas represented a good year for 4x4s in general. With new tires, new winches, new lockers, and more, the show presented the latest and greatest available from the automotive and 4x4 aftermarkets. Check out the following for a glimpse of some of the standouts.

The Krawlin' 4 Kids benefit event was held at Rausch Creek Off-Road Park in Joliett, Pennsylvania, on October 21 and 22, 2006, and was sponsored by the KGB 4-Wheelers Club of Frederick, Maryland. The club puts on these benefits to help those in need in and around their community. This year's fund raiser was held specifically for Faith Jackson, a young girl afflicted with cancer, and her family. The event generated over $7,000 in donations to help this brave little girl.

The red rock country of Utah has long been a favorite destination among four-wheelers. It is a hard land that eons of erosion have sculpted and will continue to transform many years from now; a veritable sea of stone. There is also a vast emptiness to this land that encourages exploration. And that is precisely what the Red Rock 4-Wheelers and so many others have committed themselves to during the past four decades.

Back at the Sherwood Forest Campground, which is connected to the off-road park by a gravel road, participants and volunteers were treated to an impromptu barbecue on Saturday night and a Famous Dave's catered banquet on Sunday night, complete with awards and door prizes. The Worst Break award went to Jerry Sweeny, who lost a tranny, made a six-hour round trip to pull one out of a junker, and then installed it in the campground. When the dust, rocks, and mud settled, the 2006 Crawl 4 the Cure event raised $24,500 - over a 16-percent jump from 2005! Forty percent of that money will go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, while the other 60 percent will go to the Minnesota chapter of the MS Society.

With this issue including our article covering the recent 40th Annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, we thought it would be appropriate to let you know about a new off-road DVD that showcases some of the toughest Moab has to offer. Rock'n n Roll'n is the latest four-wheeling DVD brought to you by the people at White Knight Productions.

With all of the different trail events that happen in Northern California, there is not enough time to attend them all every year. However, one of the premier events held every year, the Sierra Trek on the Fordyce trail put on by California Four Wheel Drive Association, was one we were able to tag along on.

Join the staff of Four Wheeler, Petersen's 4 Wheel & Off Road, 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility, Off-Road, Jp, and Diesel Power to help clean up Stoddard Valley OHV Area on January 28th, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. We'll provide you with Gloves, trash bags, food, entertainment, and lots of giveaways.

Transamerican Wholesale held its 8th Annual Parts Expo early summer in Ontario, California. For most, the main attraction was the smoking deals on parts being offered by the majority of vendors in attendance, but the event also served as an introduction for new parts being launched in the second quarter of the year. To beat the crowds, we snuck in on the "vendor's only" day and leapt from booth to booth, digging for anything new. You can check out the cool new stuff we came across in this article.

Hard-core rockcrawling has had an undeniable impact on everyone in the sport of off-roading, but many of us have our four-wheel-drive roots planted firmly in the simpler pursuits of camping, exploring, and other outdoor activities. And when you consider ARB's camping and exploring heritage in Australia, perhaps it comes as no surprise that we all liked the idea of putting together an event that takes us back to our roots in off-roading. And so, ARB's American Outback Series was born, with the first event being held in Oregon in June 2003. This overland off-road trip treated 15 drivers, in their unique, well-equipped four-wheel-drive vehicles, to a camping and exploring adventure that covered more than 600 miles of Oregon's rugged and historic backcountry.

March
3/1-2 - Tierra del Sol Desert Safari held near Salton City, California. For more information, contact: TDS Safari, Dept. 4WDSU, P.O. Box 81304, San Diego, CA 92138, www.tds4x4.com.

Competitive rockcrawling events are on the extreme end of our sport. Drivers push their skills and machines to the limits of mechanical strength, gravity, and physics. However, courses are composed of a group of short-marked obstacles that drivers complete one at a time.

The 2004 Superlift ProROCK Series came to a close at the Johnson Valley OHV area in Lucerne Valley, California. The four-event series positioned competitors on demanding rock courses in California, New Mexico, and Utah before culminating in the finale at Couger Buttes, which revealed Mitch Guthrie, Joachim Schwiesow, and Jeff Mello as the 2004 ProROCK class champions.

Each November, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) holds its annual automotive convention in Las Vegas. This is the premier event of the year for the aftermarket, one in which many manufacturersdebut their new wares. The 2004 SEMA event drew more than 105,000 business professionals and countless manufacturers displaying their product lines for 2005.

Every October, Petersen Events holds the Off Road Expo at the Fairplex in Pomona, California. The leading aftermarket manufacturers from across the country converge on the Fairplex to display off-road products. The general public can purchase anything, including valve stems, toy haulers, winches, wheels and tires, vehicle frames, axles, and Jeep bodies. If it relates to an off-road vehicle, you can more than likely find it here. Some of the manufacturers display the release of new products, so we took a tour of the show and snapped a few photos of products you could quite possibly use out on the trail.

The 2004 Superlift ProROCK Series came to a close at the Johnson Valley OHV area in Lucerne Valley, California. The four-event series positioned competitors on demanding rock courses in California, New Mexico, and Utah before culminating in the finale at Couger Buttes, which revealed Mitch Guthrie, Joachim Schwiesow, and Jeff Mello as the 2004 ProROCK class champions.

With more than a few successful events under its belt, the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs (CA4WDC) certainly knows how to host an adventure-filled 'wheeling weekend. Having attended or participated in a number of the organization's events through the years, we've grown to expect nothing but tough trails and good times, and the 33rd Annual Hi Desert Round-Up provided a good deal of both.

Over the last few years, the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab has become one of the premiere locations for the 4x4 aftermarket to unveil its new products. It makes sense after all: Where else will you find literally thousands of potential customers teeming in one location? The Safari also occurs during the first week of spring, when parts manufacturers have usually just emerged from the research and development stage and are eager to gain customer feedback on their new offerings.

April04/2-4 - 4x4 Wars. This competition rockcrawling event will be held in Cass, Arkansas, and will support two classes: Modified Stock and Trophy. For more information, contact: www.sportsintherough.com.

April
04/2-4 - 4x4 Wars. This competition rockcrawling event will be held in Cass, Arkansas, and will support two classes: Modified Stock and Trophy. For more information, contact: www.sportsintherough.com

With nonstop sunshine and the cool Salton sea breeze filtering through the canyons, the 42nd Annual Tierra Del Sol Desert Safari attracted thousands of 4x4 enthusiasts to the Truckhaven Hills area. Hosted by the Tierra Del Sol Four Wheel Drive Club of San Diego, the event draws vehicles of all makes, models, and abilities, ranging from bone-stock flatfender Jeeps to tube-frame rock buggies. Participants were treated to multiple trail routes that led through sandy washes and rock canyons, and were offered great views from atop the numerous scenic ridges. After the Saturday run, attendees gathered in the vendors' compound for the traditional TDS raffle and to boast about the day's adventures. After 42 years, the TDS Safari continues to provide a great degree of four-wheel-drive fun for the whole family. For more information, contact: www.tds4x4.org.