The fun factor on Double Mountain...
The fun factor on Double Mountain increased proportionally with our speeds. With uncrowded trails and capable vehicles, it made perfect sense to test the Hummers' limits.
Wednesday started early with clear skies and cool temperatures. All participants met at the convention center and chose from three available runs that varied in difficulty. Our chosen trail ride was the Merritt Mountain trip, which covered nearly 60 miles in the dirt and 200 miles overall. We rode with Cort Stoskoph, who led the group of thirteen H1s and H2s north out of Elko. The trail leaders for the Hummer Roundup included local four-wheelers and members of Rod Hall's race team. Stoskoph is a prominent surgeon from Southern California who spends his free time codriving for Rod's son, Chad. This day's events were much more slowly paced than Tuesday's and included a scenic drive down a two-track road containing the occasional narrow wash or loose, rutted hillclimb. Stoskoph spent the day entertaining us with stories from past Best In The Desert and SCORE events. "The amazing thing about Rod," he notes, "is that he seems to remember every feature on the course. He is always going into a corner with just the right amount of speed, and he hardly ever breaks equipment."
The views on the Double Moutain...
The views on the Double Moutain trail ride were spectacular. It's easy to find wide-open spaces in Elko County with its population density of three people per square mile. Compare that to New York City, which has a population density of 26,403 people per square mile!
Fortunately, no one on our trail ride endured any carnage either, allowing us to cover a lot of ground and still return to Elko at a reasonable hour.
On Wednesday evening, the different groups all reconvened at the Elko Convention Center for daily "chalk talks." Rod Hall discussed suspension design and shock technology, while David Troutman of Michelin/BFGoodrich explained tire design and construction and the effects of varying air pressure. Participants were then left on their own to explore Elko's many dining options, including Silver Street's famous Basque restaurants, before returning to the convention center's auditorium to watch the feature film Dust to Glory. The film was the first exposure to the Baja 1000 for many in attendance, and it had a noticeable effect.
Rod Hall began each day by...
Rod Hall began each day by familiarizing drivers with their vehicles' capabilities. Some of the Hummer owners had never put their transfer case into Low range before, making the Hummer Roundup an eye-opening experience.
Thursday morning we again returned to the convention center, where everyone was eager to play Baja racer. We took the opportunity to head out to the trials course with Rod Hall to observe the master and his craft. The first thing we realized was that Hall is an incredibly modest person, despite his many accomplishments. We also learned the intricacies of Hummer gear ratios, traction control systems, and Hall's fondness for left-foot braking when on the trail. Following the instruction, participants had a chance to put the knowledge to use on a variety of berms, ruts, and gullies. Confident in their new skills, everyone followed Hall up a loose, rocky hill to a peak overlooking Elko. It was the perfect location to bask in the sun and enjoy lunch; it was obvious that the prerunning that has served Team Hummer so well during desert races was in use at the Hummer Roundup as well.