I would like to thank everyone who came out to watch the demo's, Game and Fish for putting up one awesome course, Members of the AZOHVC who came out to man the tents and hand out literature mostly from the ATR (quad club) and to those who put their rigs at risk this weekend.
Last year the total number for the weekend to attend the expo was 27,000. Saturday night at the BBQ the one day estimate was 23,000 and Sunday in the past has been the bigger day, they were now estimating based on that we may reach 50,000!!!!! That is just awesome!!!!
UPDATE: Just received the official email with their numbers, they are now saying that only 35,000 attended the two day event, but only is still not a bad thing that is up over 8,000 people from the previous year. So still reached alot of people.
Pat and Lee who used their quads
A whole host of Trials bike riders from CAT (Central Arizona Trials)
From the 4x4 world:
Jim and Rain
Joe and Lisa
Lance and Paige
Ryan (Broken Brake Line and Broken axle driving 2 different rigs, but not his rigs)
Rox (Broken Axle)
Alan and Tammy (Broken tie rod/drag link)
Marty (2 Broken Axles)
George and Diane
Jack M
John K (yes he did take his buggy through it part way a couple times)
Chris, Jimmy and Olivia
Mike
Chris
Carnage was beginning to sound like a hard core trail run.
This group put on one heck of a show. John from Hunter OffRoad did the emcee part and did a great job. He hit on the points, he had the crowd laughing, kept it entertaining even when someone got stuck. I can't say enough about the job he did. He knew the real stories about the secrets to marriage (husband/wife teams driving/spotting), that if you take your rig to a cheap place to eat that has valet it will come out looking like Lance's, challenges to scratch the cleaner looking rigs, pointing out the family part when a father must come between his daughter and another young male wheeler. He knew the behind the scenes stuff, he was John the Paparrazi Wheeler Emcee.
All kidding aside, John give out great information about our rigs due to his understanding of them from building them for so many years. He tells the crowd the do's and dont's of wheeling, the use of spotters, how equipment helps maintain slow speeds and minimize impact on the environment and our rigs and the fact he is doing this wearing a law enforcement badge only adds to the credibility of his speech. John is a HUGE asset not only to this event, but to the OHV community.
Everyone else did fantastic too, from driving, to spotting, to teaching and lending a helping hand when someone broke. This group really pulled together and did a great job.
All weekend the 4x4 drivers kept talking about the amazing abilities that the trials bike riders displayed. I was in awe all weekend at the things they could do on a bike. A final note from them was they were in awe of us. Guess when presented with a new way to see the OHV world you sometimes seem to forget just how impressive sometimes what you do can be to others. We also thought about swapping rigs with them, wondered how long it would take for them to break our stuff, then we realized when our turns came it would not be their bikes we broke, we would be the carnage and it did not look like such a good idea anymore.
For me personally I would like to thank Lance and Jim, when I took my rig down the full length they did a great job spotting and getting me through.
Thanks again for EVERYONE's help, you guys made this an awesome event, as I was leaving and talking with some members of the Game and Fish I was told that the AZOHVC demo's, and this includes the quad and trials bikes demo's along with the 4x4's were the hit of the show.
Ok, one last one, but certainly not least. I do have to thank my wife, as she put up with me doing the extra leg work this year getting the course built and consulting more often then previous years. Also for letting me have my kids be a part of it. She does not like being away from them any more then I, and she was working around things she had planned for the weekend as well to shuttle the kids to and from, her support allowing me to do this and have the kids be a part of is truly a blessing. So thanks Jannelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I apologize if I have left anyone out.
Ok plug time, for his time, his speeches and overall representation of our sport John from Hunter Off Road. Joe and Lisa from Absolute Off Road for their support in donating raffle items given away by the Game and Fish. Without their support of this event it would make putting it on alot harder. If you have an opportunity to return the favor in supporting their business it would be greatly appreciated by me, as not only with this event, but any time I have EVER needed help these shops have stepped up and been there for me. Great people, great work and they stand behind their products, and also put their money/time where their mouth is by supporting the AZOHVC and its efforts to keep our lands open.