Recently, I attended the Modesto Ridge Runners 46th Annual Hawthorne Rally held in Nevada. Forty-six years is a long time to be holding rallies, but the Ridge Runners are experts at it. More surprising, their club has been around for even longer…
The Travel Lodge by Windham, otherwise known as the “El Capitan” is the rally’s home base. It is a perfect venue. The rooms at the El Capitan have been renovated. And there is also a bar, restaurant and casino. In the back, there is a dirt lot large enough for everyone’s tow rigs and trailers, which also serves as the staging area for the run.
Friends of mine have attended this rally for over 15 years. But it was time for me to participate. However, when I inquired, to my disappointment all entries were sold out. Disappointed, I had all but gave up when the tables suddenly turned. Lucky for me, I was invited by friends to ride up and take part with them in their 4-seat RZR. All I needed was to find a place to stay, a few snacks (of course), my gear and an overnight bag. I couldn’t say “yes!” fast enough.
We arrived on Friday, proceeding to unload the RZR and take it for a mandatory safety inspection where we received our number. It was then time to enter the registration area to check in and pick up the participant packet and customary event t-shirts. It is then I met Teri Bradley and the registration crew.
I had a room reservation at a nearby motel, but decided to ask Teri if there were any cancellations at the El Capitan. Teri said they had just heard word of a cancellation, and I was welcome to have it. I felt like I’d hit the jackpot!
Fasts-forward a bit, while still at registration, we were warmly greeted by Doug Houser, the club president. We spoke for a few minutes about the rally and club history, and it was clear he sincerely wanted each of us to have a good time.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon, participants continued to arrive. Cars came off trailers, were inspected, and the parking lot in front of the motel became full of buggies, 4×4’s, quads, motorcycles, and, yes, UTV’s. In past years, this rally was dominated by buggies. But today, there were 107 richly diverse participants: 60 UTV’s, 40 buggies and a handful of 4×4’s, quads and dirt bikes. Even more evidence of how UTV’s are continually dominating the off-road world… And counting.
I observed old friends greeting each other who’d attended this rally together as far back as the beginning. And met numerous people who had never joined the fun before now. Most of them saw social media advertising – go figure – and signed right up! The modern marketing format afforded an age range just as diverse as the class opportunities. It was a great mix of people who were excited to have their beloved event back after postponing because of COVID, and eager for what was to come the following day.
Saturday morning comes really early. And arrives with a long-standing tradition. I was told that at about 4:00a.m., while in good fun, one veteran participant will fire up their vehicle and drive it to the rear of the motel to fall in line for the rally. Other veteran participants awake to the commotion, alerting them to spring out of bed, put on their pants, run out of their motel room, jump into their vehicles and also jump them in line for the start. This year was no exception. In the wee hours of the morning, I awoke to the din of motors revving and moving towards the line. Not much sleep was to be had by anyone after that. The anticipation of the day was in the way.
A few hours later, the rally master, Mike Bradley, held a mandatory driver’s meeting from the 2nd floor of the El Capitan. Enthusiastic participants listened from the parking lot below. In short, Mike stressed that this was not a race, and anyone racing would be banned from future events. He explained the course was marked with pink ribbons which would always be on the right side of the trail. Mike then opened the meeting to questions…
Questions were answered. The meeting adjourned, And everyone found their way to their cars. Soon, each were waived off of the start by both Teri and Mike, one at a time. Although it was really dusty, the rally course was well thought out. It led us down two sides of the Hawthorne Army Depot, which is the largest US Army munitions storage facility in the country. Anyone who has driven through Hawthorne has seen it in the distance. The Army Depot sits east of town, and its dozens of peculiarly uniform dirt lumps cover over 147,200 acres of desert.
The rally route also took us through several scenic rocky canyons, and along the way there were several checkpoints. Volunteers checked our car for anything amiss. They also recorded our number to help keep track of us on the course.
After the last checkpoint, we emerged on the west side boundary of the Army Depot and were able to see munitions bunkers up close. Then we approached town again. After 83 miles, we were back in the parking lot of the El Capitan. Everyone blissfully covered in thick dust and glowing white smiles.
There were a few hours to rest, clean up and socialize before the Awards Ceremony, dinner and raffle. But not before we experienced a plot twist! Unexpectedly, the power went out in the majority of town, including the entire El Capitan. It created a challenge for the dinner crew serving our hungry crowd. But thankfully the banquet food was already cooked and in warmers, enabling the show to go on.
As the night progressed, the banquet room became darker and stuffier. Then midway through dinner, the lights popped back on and were met with a loud cheer from participants. The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Awards were given out, bellies were filled, and raffle numbers were called. Worn out from such a full, adventure packed day, once the banquet was over everyone adjourned to their rooms for the rest of the night. By 1:00 p.m. Sunday, everyone including us was on their way home. With the exception of room cleaning crews; the El Capitan was deserted as if nothing had ever happened.
If you’re interested in participating in the Ridge Runner’s 2022 rally, start your registration early, as it always sells out. Information can be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Modesto-Ridge-Runners-1503007803246130/. They also welcome new members, so consider becoming a larger part of their club.
Rallies are a great way to show up with only your UTV in tow and an overnight bag. Your weekend is pre-planned by area experts, enabling you to concentrate on nothing but having fun. Consider registering for the Modesto Ridge Runner’s 47th running. You’ll be signing up for a guaranteed good time.
