land rover birmingham

[leeawalden]

dave, sounds good. Are they meeting at the dealership first?

austin, I think its just me and Ben in town for the summer. I don't know if he is going yet or not, he said to let him know. You can ride up here if you want and I will drive up with you. I guess it will be another 5:30 leaving time

 

[leeawalden]

I called up there today and apparently it is by invitation only. Invitations went out to new customers to try and get new people interested in offroading, so unless anyone else bought a new ranger rover last year, we didn't get an invitation...well I guess Dave did since he has bought some new cars from them recently. Anyways I asked if we could go anyways and she had to talk to her manager and call me back. Didn't think she would, but she did and said it would be alright if some of us came. IOW, If you want to go and did not get an invitation from them, let me know I have to call back later this afternoon with a head count. I have to have the drivers name, vehicle info, and also if anyone is going to be riding with you give me how many and their names just in case (for food and such i guess). The reason I am saying this is because I kinda had to be persistent with her so she would ask the manager and I don't know if anyone else that calls she will do the same deal if you don't have the invitation. Just post up here. I am going to call around 4:00. So far I guess its Me and two other trucks. I am going to give her the names in order of you posting up so if she cuts me off, which hopefully she won't, you will just have to call yourself and bug her until she puts you on the list. However, who knows, maybe she won't be so hesitant.


Lee

 

[michaels]

hey lee, please put me and my dad down.

Michael and les stricklin. 2004 green disco.

i'll be driving most of the time, but dad will probably want to hop in the seat a couple times. truck is stock.

 

[leeawalden]

I just called up there and signed us up. Michael, I got you down too. With you down that is 5 discoveries.

 

[michaels]

allright thanks a lot man. does it cost anything? just want to make sure i have some cash on hand if it does. if you could psot up when and where to meet then that'd be great. looking forward to meeting y'all!

 

[leeawalden]

Oh yeah no problem. As far as I know its free, it was last september when they went to grey rock. Just pay for your own gas. Meet at 8:00 for sign in at the dealer and leave at 8:30. They provide snack food at the dealer and lunch on site. I am going to bring some snack type stuff in case.

Also to anyone going. I have a factory ladder from a D2 that I am looking to sell and even some Hella 500's if anyone is interested I will bring that stuff up. Also, if anyone has an extra front or rear D2 drive shaft laying around...bring it, I might end up buying it from you hahaha.

 

[michaels]

Also to anyone going. I have a factory ladder from a D2 that I am looking to sell and even some Hella 500's if anyone is interested I will bring that stuff up. Also, if anyone has an extra front or rear D2 drive shaft laying around...bring it, I might end up buying it from you hahaha.

i'll take you up on the ladder. how about 60$?

and thanks for putting my name down. i appreciate it.

 

[Ronnie]

I called this morning and got myself on the list so I guess I'll see ya'll there. I'll be in the black RRC (probably the only RRC) and looking very sleepy as I'll leave Montgomery around 6:45 to be there on time :ack: !!!

 

[d2dave]

yeah, probably the only rrc. damn i wish someone would bring a defender this time and make things more intersting.

 

[Ronnie]

I'm still planning to be there but I think Lord Lucas hates me. I haven't had time to make any off road trips in 8 - 9 months and I commit to this one and this morning my expansion tank starts leaking ! I've got one on the way so I should be able to swap it out pretty easily on Saturday morning before I take my daughter to see Kung Fu Panda opcorn:

 

[d2dave]

good luck with that, hope you get to make it.

 

[MikenBama]

How was it? I ended up getting an invite to go fishing in the Gulf. I also have not had the best luck with the B'ham dealership and it sounded a bit like we might be getting treated like "second class citizens" at the event. So I bailed...sorry. On Sunday afternoon I did get to see two mud-covered Rovers headed south on 65 heading towards Montgomery. Was that some of ya'll?

Mike

 

[leeawalden]

How was it? I ended up getting an invite to go fishing in the Gulf. I also have not had the best luck with the B'ham dealership and it sounded a bit like we might be getting treated like "second class citizens" at the event. So I bailed...sorry. On Sunday afternoon I did get to see two mud-covered Rovers headed south on 65 heading towards Montgomery. Was that some of ya'll?

Mike

You didn't miss a lot. I had a good time, it was just insanely hot and very very dry and dusty. I think 4 or 5 if not more of us left after we ate lunch around 2. Me and another guy were heading back to Auburn on 65, but got off at 280 so it could have been us. It was a red disco and a green disco. It would have been a fun place if it had rained. It also wasn't as difficult as Grey Rock...they said they tried to gear it more towards stock rovers. Way cooler gift bag this time though!

 

[michaels]

the morning ride sucked. i got put in with all the other stock vehicles, and they took us on really lame trails. after lunch was much, much better. the guide for the afternoon went at a much quicker pace than the guide who led us in the morning. we found some pretty off-camber hill climbs and descents and it couldn't have been better. my back end hopped out on me on a particularly steep, rocky, and tight hill climb and almost hit a tree. there was also one really deep mud hole that a stock lr3 went through with less effort than a pretty modified disco did.

i didn't get the feeling that we were being treated badly. the dealer guys were too busy kissing ass to this one couple who brought their 08 sport and were mad that it was getting dirty.

all-in-all, it was a pretty fun day once we got a new guide, and it was great to meet lee, davis, ben, and all the other guys. i'm definitely looking forward to seeing y'all in auburn, and we'll have to get together later on this summer.

 

[leeawalden]

michael, did you get any pictures, my camera died before I even got there.

yeah we will have to plan something this fall. I wouldn't mind doing an overnight trip sometime this fall when it isn't so gat dang hot.

 

[michaels]

lee,

i only got a few pictures, but they were all when the trucks were parked while we were stopped and got out. i have a couple i'll put up. there's one pretty sweet one of ronnie's RRC. i was just too busy driving to snap many pics.i'll definitely get out and take a bunch of pics on our next run though, when we all aren't split up.

and an overnight trip sounds great, and i really want to go to gray rock before the summer is over. my dad had a great time too. he used to do this stuff all the time, except he used homebuilt baja VW's and dune buggies.

 

[MikenBama]

Sorry that the wheeling was not more exciting for you guys, but glad that the dealership was treating you well. I am SOOOOOO interested in finding some Rover people to do short camping trips with, but so far I have not heard a lot of folks really "light up" about weekend trips. I bet it isn't all that hot up at Caney Fork right now! I am heading out to do some camping and kayaking with friends in Missouri for a couple days this month, but I would be all about some camping later this summer. Oh yeah, I broke down and bought a NAS 110. Drove it 585 miles yesterday to get it home. It is a fixer-upper, so not really ready to trot out to the trails just yet. Are there any other D110 owners around here? I know a ton about Discos but still not exactly an expert on Series/Defender trucks and have some questions. Will probably post them on here in another section.

Mike

 

[Ronnie]

I agree with everyone else here. Overall, it was a fun time but was WAY too hot. The next day my face looked a lot like this dude >>> I guess I should have put on the visor I dragged all the way from Montgomery but forgot to wear!?! It was good to see everyone again and to meet a couple of new faces. Hope we can do it again soon...

 

[michaels]

i'm lazy, so i'm just gonna link to my photobucket page. they're all unremarkable still shots of a few trucks when they're parked. except for Ronnie's RRC. that picture just looks sweet to me.

http://s287.photobucket.com/albums/ll160/mds0010/land rover/

 

[leeawalden]

Hey Ronnie, we need to find some places between here and bham, know of anything? I was talking with Ben and we might try to make the next LR Mobile thing...it would be kindof far but we would probably go to the beach and make a weekend out of it.