Being an avid off-road and 4wd enthusiast, Ultimate Adventure has been a bucket list item for me as long as I can remember. Seeing it on television always made it seem to be one of the coolest off-road events to ever be a part of. At the same time it makes you wonder, does it really live up to the hype? Is the wheeling really that gnarly? How far do they actually travel? Basically, is it really an "Ultimate Adventure"??
Here is the short answer....... YES.
Now, lets recap.
Being invited to Ultimate Adventure is NOT easy. The only way to be accepted is to apply. The application is pretty extensive, but not nearly as extensive as the rules and requirements to even be considered. For example; A minimum of 35" tire, front and rear lockers, minimum of 100 mile fuel range, street legal registered and insured, custom roll cage, fire extinguisher, winch capable of double the weight of the vehicle etc....
The 4Runner, before being invited, was lacking a couple key requirements. A Front locker and a winch... At this point my biggest concern was just being invited. I had plenty of time to sort out the missing parts.
The process of being invited starts with making the “Dirty Dozen.” These are 12 rigs that caught the Four Wheeler team's attention and will all be considered for the next Ultimate Adventure. Only four will be chosen.... I believe one of the most important parts of being chosen, isn't only being a very well built rig, but also being unique. Something that isn't "cookie cutter."
https://www.motortrend.com/events/dirty-dozen-ultimate-adventure-2022/
After announcing the Dirty Dozen the invited readers are announced, one by one, with their own introductory article featured on Four Wheeler Magazines website. This whole process is such a nail biter!!
I was the LAST to be announced!!!!
Time to party!
https://www.motortrend.com/events/ultimate-adventure-2022-invited-reader-bobby-summers/
JK, time to prepare for the biggest wheeling trip of my life. The mystery is over, i'm going. Now... Where am i going?? That is a crucial piece of information and is not something you are told right away... You are eventually told where the start is and it is TOP SECRET. This year started in Florence Alabama which was 1,567 miles away from my home in Arizona. It is in the rules that you have to drive the rig from start to finish but it is not required to drive it to the start. The majority of people attending hauled their rig on a trailer to the start. My first official destination will be where i will be leaving the tow rig and trailer, Ian Johnson's shop in Mt. Pleasant TN.
Now, what to pack... How to fit a weeks worth of camping gear for me and my co driver along with tools, spare parts, spill kit, food, fridge etc...
Ill break all that down on the next one, stay tuned!