Then the music started. I suppose the Turtle Expedition camps in too many quiet places to truly appreciate four different boom boxes playing four different songs at the same time. This was major party time, and you either had to like it or get out of town. In the morning we moved downstream to a quiet camp by the river with others who wanted to soak in the tranquility of the valley. Mind you, "quiet" is a relative term. The helicopters started coming in low at about 6:30 a.m.
The party was nonstop. Many participants see each other only once a year, so there was a great feeling of old friends reuniting. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner brought most everyone to the main camp area, and the band entertained late into the night, both for those who would dance, and others just watching.
Our Wilderness roof rack held all our camping gear and provided a place to mount lights, a shovel, and Hi-Lift Jack. SealLine waterproof portage packs kept dust out of our gear. | 
Once a year, four-wheelers from around the world gather in Georgetown, California, for the start of the famous Jeepers Jamboree, the "Granddaddy of All Jeep Events." | 
The whole of the Rubicon Trail in this part of the High Sierras is magnificent. It passes through five major events in the geological development of the mountains, including the Ice Age. |
During the day, there was time to explore. We found the perfect waterfall to stand under next to a warm shelf of granite. Most people seemed content to just set their chairs in the cool water and relax with friends. There were equipment displays at the main camp from companies like PIAA, Dynatrac, HoodLift, Power Tank, Extreme Off-Road, and Marlin Crawler. George Wheeldon, a local geologist and Rubicon expert, gave an interesting seminar on the area.
By Sunday, we had all gained at least five pounds as we motored up infamous Cadillac Hill and out to Tahoma on the shores of Lake Tahoe. We aired up tires and continued to the Homewood Mountain Resort where a final barbecue feast awaited us.
If you love four-wheeling, great food, gor-geous scenery, and the camaraderie that comes with enjoying it all with a few hundred of like mind, sign up for next year's Jeepers Jamboree soon. The roster is filling up as you read.
Rocky sections like this are part of the reason the Rubicon Trail is rated a 10 in difficulty. Some boulders you can go over; others you must go around. Choosing a good route takes experience. | 
The thick, juicy rib eyes were grilled to perfection. No one could complain about the food. We guess most folks gained about five pounds over the weekend. | 
The Rubicon River flows gently through the valley. A more tranquil spot in the Sierras to sit and visit with old friends would be hard to find - and you probably couldn't drive to it! |