A look at

Maine Winter Romp '98

There's not much (Roverwise) going on in February This makes it a perect time to head to Maine and play in the snow. EROS dispatched Eric Riston and Jeff Berg to lead the invasion team. . .

This year's Maine Winter Romp was held over Valentines Day weekend. The site, as always, was Unity Maine, and the event's organizer is Unity resident, and Land-Rover enthusiast, Bruce Fowler.

Friday evening a number of folks met for dinner at the Unity Pit Stop Restaurant. After the meal most headed out to the woods to attempt a hill climb. Unfortunately, the group never quite reached the hill itself as the lead cars broke through the snow crust and became bogged down on the low ground approaching the slope. Some smart winching got everyone turned around and back on solid ground, but it took some time.

John Cranfield driving Muddy was amongst the leaders on our (failed) attempt to conquer the power line cut hillside. Mike Smith (not seen) gives Muddy a tug with his Rangie.

Mike Smith's Range Rover and the author's Series IIa FINSUP lined up to help recover the leaders of the aborted hill climb.

The owner of this Defender took perverse pleasure in getting himself stuck while everyone else was forced to watch is antics.

The next morning saw even more people arrive for breakfast at the Homestead Restaurant. Hearty meals seemed to be the order of the day. After stoking up, the group met at the Pit Stop to pick up instruction packets for the road rally. This sent us to five towns, one college campus, two business establishments, and along a number of back roads (and paths) in search of hidden Rover parts. The rally instructions provided the locations of each, but it was up to each team to plot the most efficient course. Nobody completed the entire course before the designated stopping time: lunch.

George Bull and Joanne Cameron drove this 101 Forward Control Land-Rover across Africa.

Eric Zipkin discovers that there's a good reason to keep your fire extinguisher mounted in a bracket.

Bruce organized a cookout in a nearby field. There was hot coffee and a bonfire to warm the body and Rovers to warm the heart--it was Valentines Day after all. After lunch there was another unsuccessful attempt at the hill climb followed by an off road "white lane" trail run.

The run was along a logging road that seemed to be passable. Looks were deceiving however, and soon a Discovery was buried to the axles in snow. A winch vehicle was brought into position and the Disco was pulled free. Meanwhile people behind the Discovery started backing up and turning around. Bruce was going to lead a group of less hearty along another route while the leaders pressed on.

It was during this "advance to the rear" that the author managed to back off the trail and completely bury his vehicle FINSUP in a deep snow bank formed in the valley of a 30 degree side slope. Mike and Alan from East Coast Rovers lent their expertise to the extraction, for which the author is profoundly grateful. (If anyone has a photo of this please send it to me so I can include it here.)

After that Bruce lead the group along another path attempting to meet up with the leaders of the group who were trying to complete the original route. However, that group transmitted (via CB radio) that they were turning around too, so Bruce and the main group headed for the student lounge at nearby Unity College. About an hour later the stragglers walked in looking haggard. At the lounge everyone filled up on inexpensive, but excellent, draft beer (IPA and Guinness were two of the choices) and pizza. George Bull and Joanne Cameron showed some videos of their journey through Africa, and of other Rover events. Everyone had a good time talking about Rovers.

John Cassidy brought his Unimog to play.

Another Series Rover ready for a day in the snow. I was glad he come because this is the winch that extracted me from an embarrassing situation!

Sunday morning it was back to the Pit Stop for breakfast. The Romp party was joined by a group of Scarborough Land-Rover customers who were there for a WHEELS event. (L-R dealers must sponsor several such events a year.) John Cranfield set up a non-damaging trials course for the group. Bruce and a group of volunteers from the Romp went to the site ahead of time to cut down some dead brush and build a bonfire. Once the trials were underway that group set out to blaze a trail for the WHEELS group to drive that afternoon. Chainsaws could be heard clearing the way so that these owners of newer vehicles could avoid "OVLR pinstripes."

This sign at the start of the road leading to Bruce's cabin didn't stop us.

Eric"AB ext. 231" Riston shows that he was BRN24WHL anytime, anyplace.

Jeff Jackson makes use of his Coast Guard training and puts his Rover to work as an Icebreaker.

The trip "in" was without incident, but the group leaders, who became followers on the way out, found interesting ways to get stuck as they worked their way back to civilization. After that some headed for home while others stayed for one more evening of night life in Unity, Maine.

Thanks to Bruce Fowler and John Cranfield for putting on such a wonderful event.

Jeff Berg
Unity, Maine
February 1998

Empire/LRO List of charges for sponsorship of the lists/website.
Empire/LRO Policies against the distribution of unsolicited commercial e-mail (aka SPAM).
Empire/LRO fees for the distribution of unsolicited commercial e-mail (aka SPAM).
Frequently Asked Questions

<--Back

HOME

TOP

Forward -->