2002 Hummer in Moab, Utah - Straight From The Jachmann - Off-Road

As I looked around the city, I saw everything from fullsize 4x4s and Jeeps to Scouts, Internationals, and Samurais ready in trail trim to attack the trails of Moab, Utah, in order to experience the ultimate off-road terrain. It didn't matter what type of vehicle you had, as long as you were a participant - that was the ticket.

Let's back up a bit. This year, I was planning to get my project vehicle out to the coveted trails of Moab rock, but uncontrollable circumstances kept my 4x4 from being completed in time - ah, there is always next year. So I did the next best thing. I picked up the phone and called up the folks at GM and arranged to drive out in a Hummer.

It wasn't the first time I had a Humvee in Moab, but this was an '02 Hummer decked out for serious off-roading. It definitely had the bling-bling factor. So I loaded up the Hummer and trekked from Southern California to the east side of Utah.

I spent the night in Vegas and headed up to Mt. Charleston. Yes, there are mountains in Vegas - it even has snow and a resort on it. It was a great opportunity to check out the Hummer's off-road prowess in all different types of terrain. When I got to the top, the mountain side still had thick patches of snow on it. After a couple hours of playing around, I was on my way to Utah. From the heavily snow-capped mountains of Brian Head and on, it turned into the most picturesque road trip I've had in a while.

Once in Moab, I forgot about all the stress and deadline pressure and attempted to enjoy myself while I was out there. Besides, a bunch of us brought out our mountain bikes and did a couple of epic rides in between the week's events - a definite stress reliever. This issue, we feature the trails of Moab with a diversity of vehicles participating. It doesn't matter what make or size of your off-roader; it matters that you use it.

What I can say is I am a true believer in the Hummer; this is bar-none the ultimate thoroughbred production vehicle that is sold. Sure, every vehicle has its limitations, and, sure, you can build a capable vehicle for a fraction of the price, but will it still be a Hummer? Next month, we'll give you an updated testdrive.