Off-Roadeo NH

[HowieLong]

Yeah, I hear you. But, I bought a manual to learn how to handle those challenges. Not have a computer do it for me.

I’m still learning - every time I go out. I’m excited for the experience and will no doubt enjoy myself.

But, if I encounter similar terrain on my own watch - it would be nice to learn from the pros on how to handle it while rowing my own gears. Especially since I’m dropping coin to attend.

You may want to check out Northeast Off-Road Adventures at Hunter Mountain. They offer group and private lessons. Looks like it's about 1. 5 hours from Cold Spring. I have not been there but it's on my radar if I ever get my HE.

https://www.nyoffroaddriving.com/drivingvehicle-class-overview/

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[redone17]

You may want to check out Northeast Off-Road Adventures at Hunter Mountain. They offer group and private lessons. Looks like it's about 1. 5 hours from Cold Spring. I have not been there but it's on my radar if I ever get my HE.

https://www.nyoffroaddriving.com/drivingvehicle-class-overview/

I’m a member. Took my first class with them in Oct 2021. They really helped me get sorted with the manual off-road.

I’ve helped cleanup the Hunter trails last season and participated in a few of their events since.

They’re hosting a 2 day camp and wheel in July. Should be great. Really nice crew they got.

It just would be nice to learn from experienced drivers of the Bronco itself. They’re super capable and have specific features that I just want to learn more about on obstacle based terrain.

I went to the traveling Bronco events that had and the guy Sean that @Ourbroncolife had in their video was SUPER informative. But, that experience was only 45 minutes tops.

 

[userdude]

Yeah, I hear you. But, I bought a manual to learn how to handle those challenges. Not have a computer do it for me.

I’m still learning - every time I go out. I’m excited for the experience and will no doubt enjoy myself.

But, if I encounter similar terrain on my own watch - it would be nice to learn from the pros on how to handle it while rowing my own gears. Especially since I’m dropping coin to attend.

You want to go to an Off-Roadeo Connect, where you drive your own. Hopefully Ford keeps doing them and they make their way up to you. They're the guides from the Off-Roadeo's. You may also see if you can hire a guide to take you out, if you want to focus on the manual aspect.

When I went to the Off-Roadeo (TX) it was mostly 4dr Badlands and WTs. There were two 2drs but another group got them, so I had a 4dr Badlands SAS (I have a 2dr Badlands SAS). There were Black Diamonds and WildTraks and I swear a couple OBX's that were non-SAS. They'd had them all since 2021 (~1800 miles total) and they're slightly modified.

If you already kinda know what you're doing, just go and enjoy it with other likeminded (and empty-walleted ) Bronco people.

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

I'm landing in Boston with my son in about 20 minutes, then driving up to Concord for tomorrow's Off-Roadeo! We're VERY excited!

JR

 

[redone17]

You want to go to an Off-Roadeo Connect, where you drive your own. Hopefully Ford keeps doing them and they make their way up to you. They're the guides from the Off-Roadeo's. You may also see if you can hire a guide to take you out, if you want to focus on the manual aspect.

When I went to the Off-Roadeo (TX) it was mostly 4dr Badlands and WTs. There were two 2drs but another group got them, so I had a 4dr Badlands SAS (I have a 2dr Badlands SAS). There were Black Diamonds and WildTraks and I swear a couple OBX's that were non-SAS. They'd had them all since 2021 (~1800 miles total) and they're slightly modified.

If you already kinda know what you're doing, just go and enjoy it with other likeminded (and empty-walleted ) Bronco people.

Yeah, as mentioned in my last post in this thread. Sean let me take my manual on the trails in Dover, NY. But, it was 45 min tops. I learned a good amount in that time. Would love multiple hours of that type of one on one.

 

[BostonSasquatch]

I'm landing in Boston with my son in about 20 minutes, then driving up to Concord for tomorrow's Off-Roadeo! We're VERY excited!

JR

If you're in Boston Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon and want to meet up for a sandwich or a brew or something, message me.

 

[userdude]

Yeah, as mentioned in my last post in this thread. Sean let me take my manual on the trails in Dover, NY. But, it was 45 min tops. I learned a good amount in that time. Would love multiple hours of that type of one on one.

Off-Road Connect is not the Off-Roadeo, just be aware. I think they've only done three in Texas so far, but they're excursions at parks where you drive your own vehicle. Basically, what you'd do with a club, only with Off-Roadeo guides leading.

 

[redone17]

Off-Road Connect is not the Off-Roadeo, just be aware. I think they've only done three in Texas so far, but they're excursions at parks where you drive your own vehicle. Basically, what you'd do with a club, only with Off-Roadeo guides leading.

Ah. It looks like I was mistaken. The event I am referring to wasn’t Off-Rodeo - it was “Ford Bronco Off-Road Drive - Exclusive Invitation” - I drove my own Bronco.

 

[userdude]

Ah. It looks like I was mistaken. The event I am referring to wasn’t Off-Rodeo - it was “Ford Bronco Off-Road Drive - Exclusive Invitation” - I drove my own Bronco.

Oh ok, sounds similar, except this was 8-2pm with a break for lunch. Your best bet sounds like that other place with the private lessons others have mentioned. I'd like to find something like that around here in Dallas. Good luck!

 

[redone17]

Oh ok, sounds similar, except this was 8-2pm with a break for lunch. Your best bet sounds like that other place with the private lessons others have mentioned. I'd like to find something like that around here in Dallas. Good luck!

To be honest, I’m pretty comfortable and enjoy taking it on the trail regularly. I just would like to continue to learn more. I am sure I will still get a lot from the experience in August when I go. Just an expensive trip. I plan to focus on the technical abilities of the vehicle that are shared with my BD.

 

[70Bronco]

I went yesterday. It was fantastic. Awesome experience. Exceeded expectations.

For what it's worth, the reason they don't use manuals came up a few times throughout the day...First, when they started Off-Roadeo a few years ago, the first people they invited to test out the courses were industry folks, Ford dealers, and Ford employees...and even though everyone talked about how they'd been driving manual vehicles for decades, they VERY quickly realized that driving a stick in regular life, and driving one on a very challenging off-road course is completely different, and they were burning up clutches every day.

Second, the trails at the NH location are EXTREMELY challenging...like expert level stuff, and the most challenging of the 4 locations, by far, and the ONLY reason they allow a bunch of mostly noob Bronco owners to drive them, is because the vehicles are so unbelievably sophisticated and advanced. My group did a trail called Cobble Mountain at the end of the day...it was a series of huge steep slabs that stepped up the side of the mountain. It was wet and muddy. The first group of the day had had to winch most of the truck up the slabs...which took a long time...second group waited a few hours for it to dry out a bit, lowered tire pressure (to <20), and apparently made it up without incident. By the time we got there, it was slick with mud, rutted up, and greasy. We literally put our trucks into Trail Control mode at 1.5mph, locked the front and rear diffs, and let the Broncos do their thing. NONE of us would have made it up otherwise (we still had to pull two trucks up)...and manuals don't have that feature.

Bottom line is that if you're such a good off-roader that you could do the course in a manual Bronco, then you don't need to practice the skills, and can just enjoy the day in an automatic Badlands or Wildtrak...and if you need the education on how to drive a manual off-road, then you'd never complete the course (on a wet, muddy day) in a manual...

If I can give one piece of advice, just go with an open mind and have fun. All of the vehicles have SAS, and I guarantee you'll have a blast.

I was in that first group but wasn't the one who slid off the rock into the tree on the left side. It took awhile to get him back out of the tree. We put a tow strap on the tree and some of us pulled the tree downhill while he slowly backed away. Then he still couldn't make it up so we used a Bronco that already made it up the rock to back up and pull him up with the tow strap.

Hank wanted us to use the feature where we put the Bronco in M1, set the cruise to 1.5mph and creep up the rock. It worked for the first three Bronco's but not the fourth. After we got him up and over, the rest of the group just locked the front and rear diffs and went to the right side of the rock. We had no problems by doing that.

I was the only 2-door Bronco in my group and it seemed to handle the obstacles a little easier than the 4-doors (just my opinion).

I tried to post pics of the above event but I receive an error that something went wrong and to contact an Administrator. So, if I get it straightened out, I'll post the pics of the Bronco leaning against the tree. Note, the Bronco did not suffer any damage. It just graciously slid to the left off the rock and rested nicely against the tree. Not even a scratch.

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

I was in that first group but wasn't the one who slid off the rock into the tree on the left side. It took awhile to get him back out of the tree. We put a tow strap on the tree and some of us pulled the tree downhill while he slowly backed away. Then he still couldn't make it up so we used a Bronco that already made it up the rock to back up and pull him up with the tow strap.

Hank wanted us to use the feature where we put the Bronco in M1, set the cruise to 1.5mph and creep up the rock. It worked for the first three Bronco's but not the fourth. After we got him up and over, the rest of the group just locked the front and rear diffs and went to the right side of the rock. We had no problems by doing that.

I was the only 2-door Bronco in my group and it seemed to handle the obstacles a little easier than the 4-doors (just my opinion).

I tried to post pics of the above event but I receive an error that something went wrong and to contact an Administrator. So, if I get it straightened out, I'll post the pics of the Bronco leaning against the tree. Note, the Bronco did not suffer any damage. It just graciously slid to the left off the rock and rested nicely against the tree. Not even a scratch.

That rock wall was legit pucker inducing. My son was recording the ascent with my phone, while I was driving at 2.5 MPH (using Trail Control). We saw an upward pitch of 29 degrees with a roll of 19 degrees. Truly crazy, but at the same time, kinda incredible what a bunch of novice drivers can do in a Bronco with JUST aired down tires.

JR

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