Killington Mis-Adventure

Chris K. is too much of a gentleman to reply to all of his would be accusers. So I guess someone needs to say something on his behalf. The facts are quite simply these…

Chris was not invited to this "event", nor did he help plan or organize it in any way. He only stopped by to see what was going on and tag along for a little fun. The road that the group organizers chose was only an access road to enter the chosen area, and it was necessary to cross a small stream, which everyone accomplished easily. Chris Velardi started up the hill and broke an axle. He had to return to the bottom of the hill. He and Ernie decided it was best for them to go back out of the woods. While they were discussing that, Chris K. and the "other" vehicle climbed up the hill that the "organized" group was having trouble with. At that point the Discovery and the red truck tried to make the hill and had problems. Chris and the "other" vehicle waited for over a half an hour to make sure that help wasn’t needed, all the while monitoring and staying in contact with the group below. Yes, the statement "we’re having tea and scones" was made , (apparently tongue-in-cheek humor is not well understood) however, this was not in response to any distress call. Prior to departing the area, Chris K. contacted Doug B., a member of the group , and asked if they were OK, the response was "no sweat, we’re all set". The group below had already split up themselves when Chris V. and Ernie left with two trucks (one of which was broken), and as Chris K. departed, the folks below said that they were going back anyway. When Chris K. left they were in no trouble , in fact, they were not even in the river. The last CB contact Chris K. and the "others" had with them said they were turned around and headed out. It only makes sense to think that if the leader's vehicle made it out through the stream with a broken axle that the other three that followed should have made it out as well. It isn't fair to blame Chris Komar for the blunders of the drivers who attended that day.

Chris Komar is a professional driving instructor with many years of experience, his Land Rover is loaded with enough equipment to support a family of four in the woods for at least a month. Chris will usually go out of his way to help people, and many Rover owners who know him have witnessed his willingness to help anyone at various rallies and events. I personally have known him since he was 18 years old, and I know for a fact that he would put his vehicle and himself at risk before he would run out on anyone in trouble. If anyone in the group had asked for any help at all Chris would have responded without a second thought.

The drivers of the "other" vehicle feel that it's about time something is said as well. For all of you who may be questioning Chris Komar's ability to handle off-road situations, ask them. Bill and Bernie Cameron have been off-roading with Chris Komar for 15 years and would put their lives in his hands any day. If Chris Velardi had bothered to call them, he would have found out that he didn't have all the facts before he went ahead and blew this whole thing out of proportion on the internet.

Chris has been blamed for something that he had nothing to do with, by people who by their own actions put themselves at risk. Chris has been slandered and called an "egotistical sociopath" . His only comment was in an email to the "other" Rover owner , and his remark in reference to "amateurs" was pretty mild in comparison to what most people’s response might have been. A poor choice of words? Well maybe, but in all fairness, he was only expressing his astonishment at this whole farce. As I said earlier, Chris is a gentleman.

It’s too bad that this situation had to happen, but people need to take responsibility for their own actions, and not shift the blame to someone else. If the organizer/leader of the event had thought this event through more thoroughly, he may have considered more closely the weather conditions and the necessity to go into the woods prepared. He would have made sure that all of the trucks were equipped with the right equipment for the that days journey. He would have told the ones who were not properly equipped that it was unwise to attempt the route he had chosen.

At the very least Chris Komar is owed an apology, but I doubt any of those involved are man enough to give it.

Any more discussion on this stupidity would only end up being a "skunk-pissing" contest. I feel that it should end here, it’s already gotten way out of hand and is becoming childish.

Sincerely,

Al Tocci

Bill and Bernie Cameron

Winter Mis-Adventure

The setting

Regarding Procedures

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