Introduction
Seminar Content
Scenic Trail Driving and Camping
More Information

Introduction

Many new 4X4 owners assume their new wonder-vehicle will take them anywhere -- a fantasy fostered by sensational manufacturer advertising. The reality is that taking your vehicle off pavement into remote and challenging terrain is far from foolproof, and can be downright dangerous. It certainly requires considerable knowledge about your vehicle, navigation, off-pavement driving techniques, safety strategies and equipment.

While the Rangerovers.net website attempts to provide as much information as possible on these topics, there is no real subsitute for hands-on training. For this reason, we are now offering a limited number of private seminars for Land Rover and Range Rover owners, combining classroom training with practical driving experience. These seminars, aimed at preparing yourself and your vehicle for safe, environmentally responsible off pavement expeditions in remote areas, are held at our secluded ranch in the San Francisco Bay Area that incorporates miles of old roads and logging trails amid breathtaking scenery.

Seminar Content

Rangerovers.net private training sessions can be customized to your needs, but generally include topics such as the following:

• Familiarity with your vehicle and its 4WD system, suspension, braking and traction aiding systems, clearance limitations and vulnerabilities.
• Basic and advanced vehicle equipping
  
• Dealing with mechanical breakdowns
  
• What tools and spare parts to carry
  
• Recovering the vehicle when "stuck"
  
• How to deal with being stranded in the middle of nowhere
  
• Safety precautions to avoid being stranded with nobody knowing where to look for you
  
• Emergency equipment for survival and comfort if you do get stranded
• Practical navigation with and without GPS in remote areas
• Tread Lightly principles to avoid damage to the landscape
• Environmental issues relating to off pavement travel
  
• Preservation of responsible access to primitive roads and trails
• Respect for private property in remote areas
• Practical driving techniques and hands-on practice

Coverage of these topics is provided in classroom sessions including a detailed PowerPoint presentation, supplemented by practical driving experience on our  network of scenic ranch and logging roads of varying difficulties that were used for the famous 1999 Land Rover Trek. The level of instruction and degree of driving challenge is adjusted to the knowledge and experience level of the participants, and the structure can be customized to suit your needs and preferences. Seminars are normally one day in duration, but overnight camping amid the venue's superb scenery can be accommodated by arrangement. The secluded camp spots include redwood groves and sheltered creekside meadows.

To inquire about scheduling a private session for yourself or a group of friends, please email me.with details of your background, experience level and preferences.

Scenes from previous training seminars at the current location of Rangerovers.net. Land Rover dealer event photos by Marlie Eugenio (top left, top right and above left) and Chuck Mobraten's son Tyler (above right).

Ranch Tours and Camping

Some Rover owners simply desire a little environmentally sensitive back country touring in remote scenery and/or an overnight campout with their friends. Unfortunately, this normally requires driving many hours from the San Francisco area, and sharing camping facilities with the vacationing masses.

Rangerovers.net can make special arrangements to allow small private groups to tour and camp out on our scenic, private ranch. Its scenic access and logging roads encompass a variety of difficulty levels to match your experience and skills. Access to some areas varies by season in order to preserve the environment. There are numerous gorgeous secluded, sheltered camp spots that beat the usual public parks and campgrounds hands down, both in scenery and privacy. You are little more than an hour's drive from the City, but in another world, surrounded by redwoods, wilderness and wildlife.

A cover charge for day use and camping goes towards the cost of maintaining and preserving the natural environment and trails.

This arrangement is only available on a very limited basis. Tread Lightly principles are required to be observed.

If you have comments or suggestions, email author John Brabyn