Sorry I'm late to the after-party, too!
Thanks to all who helped put this on. It was a world-class time for Sean and I. He already chimed in, a little too much - LOL, so I'd better get with it. I came out to Arizona not knowing what to expect except for the photos from last year and the year before. The 2008 Expedition Trophy eclipsed all of my hopes and expectations for fun, learning, challenges, great people, great food and fluids, and campfire comradery. The whole event from start to finish was first class.
From a Happy Hour Trophy to Navigation Course perspective, we were so glad to be on Team B. God bless you, Matt. To kick butt on the nav course and then hurl at the finish line! LOL. The fact you did it solo just blows me away.
Congrats to Tony and Paul/Martyn for the AWESOME food and drink champion preparation, cooking and delivery. Paul, I got away with two of your beer glasses, and they are my favorites to drink from at home, now!
Thanks to everyone sharing their recipes, too. I can't wait to cook some of that stuff for the family.
It always ticks my wife off when I come home from camping, because I always try eating everything served on a campout. I return liking something I never did before. She can try to make me eat something at home, and it just doesn't happen. A fellow camper can create some exotic recipe and I just dive right in!
:eatchicke
Thanks also to the clinic teachers and their great lessons. I knew I would learn a ton, but didn't know that the quality of the lessons would be so solid. The (forgive the paraphrased names) wilderness/field medicine, tire repair, foriegn country travel, ham radio, map & compass, and minimal wilderness impact classes were great! I hated missing Connie's cooking class while we were navigating.
Many thanks to the sponsors and the Overland Society for making this event happen. I've been blessed to have had the opportunity to help teach a really important advanced adult Scout leader training called Wood Badge a few times. The comradery that the staff of one of those courses achieves during the preparation time and the course delivery weekends is an incredible experience, especially when one considers the future impact it has on the participants. We always joke about leaving after the second weekend and having a Wood Badge Hangover. I have an Expedition Trophy Hangover now. I can't imagine how those of you that put it on must feel after working so hard, seeing it become such a great success, making such a difference in each of the lives of the participants, and then having to put it away for another season.
Well, here are my photo contributions. I'm working on the video (I've still never uploaded anything to YouTube, so be a bit more patient, please).
1) Tony's rig expressing it's articulation
2) Waiting my turn to get on pavement (ughh) in front of a beautiful Joshua Tree
3) J's Power Wagon as seen in the reflection in Lance's glasses
4) Sunset at the Overland Campsite
5) Lots to see here. Note custom pinstriping on left. In center, four of us started the night sleeping under the stars -- about 2:30, the wind picked up like Ike and poor Andrew was on a thermarest on the ground. He had to get out of the dust. I had to pee, but knew that if I got up, my cot, thermarest, sleeping bag and chair would be in the next county, so I had to hold it. LOL. On the right, Lance's Lemming was open all night. Lance, do you have a battery kill switch?
6) Note how J. camouflaged his impressive Power Wagon.
7) Another view of the victor's hood ornament.
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