By Norman Barden on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 08:05 am: Edit

The Southern Land Rover Society would like to invite ALL Land Rover owners to our upcoming event. Below are some brief details.
Event: the 8th Annual Southern Appalachian Expedition
When: September 14-16, 2001
Where: Menlo, Georgia
Event to include: Trail rides throughout the weekend, both day and night. On Sat. night there will be a catered supper, a raffle, and an auction. This year's event is being held on over 2000 acres of some beautiful Georgia mountains with some great offroading. There are trails for every level of driver/vehicle.

For ALL the details of the event please visit our website at: www.SOLAROS.com
Go to the events calendar page then click on the 8th annual SAE.

Thanks, and we hope to see everyone there.

Norman Barden- SAE event director

By Jorge P. Gutierrez, Jr. (Jpg2esq) on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 12:22 pm: Edit

I have a stock 95 Disco and am thinking of driving up to this event from Miami in September. I have a college buddy who happens to live in Atlanta who wants to be my co-pilot. It looks like a great event. This would be my first rover trip.

Any suggestions or comments from past attendees? Anything I must absolutely have for this event? I would definitely be hitting the easy/beginner level courses. Sounds like a good time.

By Scott Bowden on Sunday, June 24, 2001 - 11:59 am: Edit

We will have trails for ALL Rovers and Skill levels! There are approx. 4500 acres available to us. The location is in the northwest corner of Georgia, in Menlo.
I have seen some of the trails. If you do not want to tear up your truck there are plenty of rough (moderately eroded) forest roads with the paint scratcher branches removed, perfectly fine for a stock rover. If you want to tear up your truck, there are opportunities available, ie. tellico style trails.
Last year we had about 75 Rovers and 120 people. Camping, Riding, Laughing and Telling Tall Tales. It is a good time

By Norman Barden on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 03:15 am: Edit

There are trails for all levels of drivers and vehicles, from stock trucks to hardcore trail trucks. There is nothing that you will 'need' to attend the event other than you and your truck. We are in the process of scouting even more trails, adding even more to this event. We are very excited about this year's event as it looks to be over 4 times the size of last year's, and with that many rovers, people and trails we certainly should have a good time. For those interested in attending the event, check out our website at www.solaros.com go to the events calendar page then click on the 8th annual SAE. Thanks, and hope to see everyone there. Norman

By John Huntington on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 03:35 am: Edit

We drove over 450 miles (one way) to this event last year and let me just say that we were not dissappointed at all. It was also our first large rover event and it was great. The trails, the food, meeting all the other rover owners, we had a great time and have already sent in our registration for this year. I spoke with norman and it looks like the guys from RoversNorth will have the long distance award this year as they are driving down from VT.
(to norman, if you happen to read this, if you can put on such a great event on 500 acres last year, I can't wait till Sept. to see what you can do with thousands of acres)
See everyone in Sept.
John Huntington
'97 discovery

By Steve Jones on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 06:27 am: Edit

For anyone thinking of attending the SAE, I have but one thing to say, you have to go!! I took my family to this event last year and we had a great time. As for things to take, we should have carried a tarp to stay out of the sun. As for your disco, we stayed on the easier trails last year and had no problems. Call norm and ask him what you should bring, he is always very helpful. If you plan to ride the easier trails then I would guess you wouldn't need anything, as norm's description of the trails is usually right on. Hope this helps you out, Steve

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 09:38 am: Edit

I really want to go - 1,800+ miles each way according to MapQuest. I wonder if I can convince the wife that we need a big roadtrip?...

By John on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 10:00 am: Edit

I am really glad to see new areas/events opening up for the east coast rovers. With Tellico, Mont Eagle, Killington and now Menlo, the quality of east coast offroading is offering the challenge you look for from mild to all you want.

By Norman Barden on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 02:35 am: Edit

John, there are several things that I wanted when I took over as event director for the SAE. One, was to get as many rover owners together to enjoy a great weekend of offroading and camaraderie. Two, was to try and open up new areas for offroading within the south impaticular, but east coast in general. As far as I am concerned I have been able to accomplish these two goals, there are other goals I have but the ones above were my first two.
Last year we had over 120 people at the event and it looks like this year we should have almost 4 times that many.
Also, when I started planning for this year's event I only had one land owner willing to let us use his land (roughly 2000 acres), however since then I have been able to secure over 2000 additional acres (over 4000 total).
The town of Menlo is a small Georgia town and when they realized the amount of people coming to this event, I had land owners coming to me wanting to offer their land. This is an area that we could use time and time again.
Beautiful scenery, great trails, and land owners wanting us to come. (Is all this a dream?!) I hope to see everyone this Sept. Norman

By David Grant on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 03:14 am: Edit

we attended last years event and had a great time. As for things you may want to take, if you are riding the easier trails you shouldn't need anything. We road the easier trails last year and had no problems, the limbs were even cut back to avoid scratches, however the trails were alot of fun, taught us more about offroading our disco II. we did take a shade cover for our camping area and it was very pleasant with this (temps were in the 70s and breezy). We are going back this year, and we have a pretty hefty drive as well, however after last years event, it was my wife and kids that urged us to go again this year. I honestly didn't think she would want to make the drive, but she really wants to go. I also must say that even if you ride the easier trails, you have to ride with someone on the hardcore trails, I did last year and it was alot of fun. It opened my eyes on what a rover can do.

By Dave on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 04:12 am: Edit

I thought I would share my views on the hardcore trails last year. The trails were, in my opinion, great. the description of the trails was right on. We only suffered a dent and got covered (literally)in mud, but there were others that had more body damage. We stretched out the winch line quite a bit. I was in a 90 not a disco, but there were several discos on the hardcore run. From what I hear, there are ALOT more varied trails for this years event, more of everything. I also have heard that this year's hardcore trails have rock climbing as well. Last year there were not many rocks, but like the director posted, this year covers ALOT more trails with varying degrees of difficulty. For those not wanting body damage, the website said that there was about an equal amount of trails for all skill levels. Should be excellent. I would have to recommend this event to any rover owner looking for a great weekend.

By Robert S. on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 05:42 am: Edit

I have sent in my registration for this event, but I have some questions, as I haven't been to this event before. If someone who has been could answer them for me. We plan to drive the intermediate trails but don't want body damage, how are the trails designated as far as body damage goes? Also, my truck has a 1 1/2" lift and running BFG ATs, no winch or anything. Will I need a winch or similar to run the intermediate trails? Thanks for your help. I guess I will be seeing quite a few of you at this event. Robert

By Norman on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 06:16 am: Edit

The intermediate trails this year have been run repeatedly over the past few months with no body damage. I designated the trails by doing the following: I had several different vehicles, from stock to highly modified, follow me through the trails to see which vehicles would go where and what damage was incurred(if any). I then established that the intermediate trails should be run with a mild susp. lift, and good all terrain or mud tires, a winch or tow strap should be brought as there are afew places that they will be used. You do not have to have a winch, but it would help, but bring a tow strap no matter what. Like I said at the beginning of this post, we have incurred NO body damage on the intermediate trails. Is it possible? Yes, anything is possible, but if you are a competant driver and have a moderately built vehicle then you should be just fine. There will be several people on the trails to help everyone through. Hope this helps and let me know if there is anything else that you need. Norman

By Tom on Monday, July 02, 2001 - 08:53 am: Edit

It says on the website that campers are ok to bring this year. Is that just the pull behind campers or the drivable RVs? A friend of mine and I are planning on attending and since he is currently without a rover (wrecked) then he said he could drive the RV. Is this ok or do we need to just pull one behind the rover? We would love to tent/camp, but we would just prefer to bring a camper.
Tom
'00 DII

By Norman on Monday, July 02, 2001 - 09:46 am: Edit

Tom, it is ok to bring either camper (pull behind or an RV). We have plenty of room this year for whatever you want to bring. See you there, Norman

By Robert on Sunday, July 22, 2001 - 04:43 pm: Edit

I have a question about the trails for this year's event. Are they established trails or are they man-made? It doesn't really matter, but I was just curious. Also, is it ok to bring our dogs with us to the event? We usually take them with us when we go camping and such. Thanks, Robert

By director on Sunday, July 22, 2001 - 05:27 pm: Edit

The trails for the event are a mixture of established roads and man-made. The majority (90%) are established logging and old roadways with varying difficulty levels.
The remainder (10%) are man-made trails, these are actually courses built by 2 of the land owners and some built by us.
The ones that we built are difficulty specific courses in which to show the driver what his/her vehicle can do at different levels of modifications.
For example: the novice course is designed to show the owner what a stock rover can do and help them learn more about negotiating offroad routes. The hardcore course is designed to put a well built vehicle through its paces and test the vehicle and drivers ability. The intermediate is designed to put the vehicle and driver through their paces as well.
There are lots of 'natural' trails and man-made, something for everyone. The event encompasses some 4000 acres, that alone should tell you that most of the roads were already there, however we did go through and build additional trails. We wanted/tried to leave as much natural as possible, and I believe we were able to accomplish this.
As for the dogs. yes, it is great that you are including your other 'rovers' in the activities. However, with the amount of people and vehicles involved in this type of event as well as the comfort of other participants, we ask that everyone keep their 'rovers' on leashes while at the event. Hope this helps. nb

By SAE Director on Tuesday, August 07, 2001 - 08:40 am: Edit

Time to get your registration in!!! Less than a month to go before the event. For all the details of the event as well as registration info, please visit our website at:
WWW.SOLAROS.COM
Go to the events calendar page, then click on the 8th annual SAE.
We are recieving registrations everyday, with participants coming from all over the country (NJ, GA, TN, VA, NC, AL, SC, FL, IN, VT, NY, KY, etc,)
This event is the largest Rover event in the Deep South!!
Over 4000 acres of beautiful Georgia mountains for offroading, with trails for ALL levels of drivers/vehicles.
There are over 30 sponsors for the event sending some great products/gift certificates. A quick brief on some of the products/gifts being sent: how about $1000 off a custom rover from Land Rover World Florida, or a set of 'brand new on the market' BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires, or several products/gift certificates from your favorite Rover companies such as: ARB, Rockware, Great Basin Rovers, Premier Power Welder, Rovers North, Tuffy, Atlantic British and RoverTym just to name a few. There will be several companies on site to show off their products.
There will also be some vehicles for sale at the event, including a Series III 109 prepped and ready for offroading!!!
Come join us for a great weekend of offroading and camaraderie!!!
See everyone in September,
Thanks,
Norman

By Mogger on Tuesday, August 07, 2001 - 08:48 am: Edit

For those interested in four wheel drive vehicles other than Land Rovers. We are taking some Unimogs and Pinzgauers to the event. For other Mog owners interested in going check out the SOLAROS website at, www.solaros.com or go to our site at www.eurotruck-importers.com
Sean will have his newly built 'Silver Streak' Unimog at the event, just shipped in from Europe. For those wanting to see the 'Silver Streak' it is on the Eurotruck website. It is one nice Unimog built to handle everything the trails can dish out.

By Smith on Tuesday, August 07, 2001 - 08:54 am: Edit

Question: Is this a Rover event or is it open to other vehicle makes? What is the deal?

By Norman on Tuesday, August 07, 2001 - 09:00 am: Edit

This event is a Land Rover event. It was started as such and will remain a Land Rover event. However, one of our sponsors is Eurotruck Importers. Eurotruck imports Unimogs and Pinz from Europe and as a sponsor they asked to bring some trucks. This event is not open to other makes. Roughly 98% of all the vehicles at the event will be Rovers, and the other 2% will be trucks from Eurotruck. They are coming for two reasons, one is to display their trucks, and the second is to ride the trails with friends.

By Norman on Tuesday, August 07, 2001 - 09:08 am: Edit

There are also a few other cases where other makes are eligible to come. If you need info on this, then please email me. Thanks, Norman