Annual Top of the Ozarks Jeep Jamboree

If you are looking for a great event to attend in the Midwest look no further! The Top of the Ozarks Jeep Jamboree held in Seymour Missouri just east of Springfield has got all that you could hope for and then some! At first thought one would wonder what kind of wheeling could be found in that part of the country and until you get there and can actually get a feel for all that there is, you can’t even imagine how technical some of it can really be. Not until you get out there onto the 940 plus acres that the ranch has to offer do you really get the understanding of how big the park really is and how much area is available to wheel.

The folks at Southern Missouri Off Road Ranch have created an incredible park to go wheeling at. Brandon and Mike Powell, Rob Hartman, and Bruce Asplin have made extensive efforts to make sure that their patrons not only have a great place to wheel, they have insured that while they are staying at the park they will have the most modern and convenient comforts available to them during their stay. These guys are still expanding on the park adding new trails, RV camp sites with power, a kitchen and other conveniences in addition to the already existing set up, complete with clean and modern bathrooms (no porta potties here kids), showers and a covered picnic area in case the weather turns bad.

This park has everything from water crossings, steep descents, equally steep hill climbs with off camber situations. For those guys that think they have what it takes there are 10 ft. waterfalls on trails like “Rocker Knocker” and “Double Whammy” to challenge even the most capable of rigs and drivers. This is a park that will certainly become one of my favorite places to wheel in the Midwest without a doubt! Another nice thing about this place is the fact that if you happen to wheel there one summer the terrain will most likely not even resemble what it was the next. With the amount of moisture in the area and the fact that there are so many hills and creeks this place is constantly evolving into a different park on a regular basis.

This year we had a new company show up at the event that will be one of JJUSA’s sponsors next year. Pakk Ratt showed up with a new product that is sure to be a big hit in the aftermarket industry. These folks have designed a storage product that will be showing up regularly on the trail since it is such a convenient and unique way to store everything from your tow strap (which is stored in “the ready to go position”) to shackles, bungee cords, and a number of other “must have trail items”.

If you are interested in checking out the information on the Top of the Ozarks Jamboree or any of the others JJUSA has to offer you can go to http://www.jeepjamboreeusa.com/. If you would like more information on the wheeling that can be found in southern Missouri I encourage you to check out Southern Missouri Off Road Ranch’s website at http://www.smorr.net/. Hope to see you out there sometime!!

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Pine Barrens Jeep Jamboree

Recently we had the opportunity to take advantage of a Jeep jamboree held in New Jersey. It is always interesting to visit different parts of the country and get the chance to wheel in new areas and see the diversity from one part of the country to another. When you think of rock crawling or wheeling, New Jersey is not the first place that comes to mind. The wheeling out there is much different since the total change in altitude is about 30 feet, but on the other hand there are mud holes with sandy bottom pits that can prove to be a very challenging obstacle for even the most experienced of wheelers. These are not the type of mud holes that you get past with excessive throttle and muscling your way through. To get through these kinds of holes it is much better to have a little momentum and a good line versus trying to spin your way through. Once you drop into a hole here and loose momentum you have to address the situation with a little more finesse, if you think you’re going to mash the “skinny pedal” to get you out of a jam you will have plenty of time to think about it as someone hooks a strap to you in order to pull you out. It only takes a second for that loose sand to spin a huge hole underneath your tires and you’re really stuck. Since this jamboree is held in the spring there is likelihood that there will be moisture and mud holes.

Batsto is located roughly half way between Philadelphia, Pa. and Atlantic City, New Jersey. The jamborees here are held at a state park known as the “Historic Batsto Village” in Batsto New Jersey. This is one of Jersey’s historic sites and anyone who appreciates history will get as much enjoyment out of visiting the village as they would from being out on the trails in the very scenic setting. Batsto Village was a bog iron and glass making industrial center from 1766-1867. Founded in 1766 by Charles Read (the most noted ironmaster in west Jersey before the revolution) Batsto is recognized as having the very first bog iron furnace to be established here. Batsto would become one of the most important suppliers to the Continental Army during the American Revolution supplying wartime products such as camp kettles, munitions, wagons, ships, iron fastenings and fittings for artillery caissons. Many of the old buildings that housed the businesses are still standing today like the old saw mill, the general store and the post office. It is truly amazing to walk around the village and know that in its heyday it was a thriving community in which the old buildings that are now historic sat occupied.

As if there isn’t enough to keep you occupied there it is just a short jump either direction (less than an hours drive) to be in Philly or walking down the famous “Board Walk” in Atlantic City. If you happen to be visiting that part of the country or have a Jeep and are just looking for a reason to visit then this may just be the destination and reason you have been looking for. As always any information on this or any of Jeep Jamboree USA’s events across the country can be found on their website at http://www.jeepjamboreeusa.com/.

source: http://www.jeepbrokers.com/pine_barrens_jeep_jamboree.htm