4X4 Challenge!
The competition included the 4WD "Slow Drag" (go as slow as you can go over obstacles and through ditches without using the breaks or stopping forward progress or going out of bounds), spotting (driving over parallel logs without falling off, guided by only your spouse's hand signals, no talking), trailer back-up skills, a creek run and winching.
On the left, the team is learning about the competition, on the right, Jeff is giving Janet a few last-second pointers before the Slow Drag.
Lorri and I got to do the log thing for our team which we did well until the very end when Lorri told me (talking is a no-no) that I had to get all the way to the finish (duh!). We lost five points for that. It was worth it for the laugh.
Next, John backed the van to a direct bulls eye, stopping the trailer hitch exactly on top of the middle circle without any outside help or signals from anyone. I was impressed! Then Duncan backed the trailer through the serpentine back-up course and into the "garage" while successfully ignoring bad directions form most of the team members.
Which brings us to the creek run, which wasn't so much of a competition but a 4WD run through, around and over the meandering creek of Competition Island, ending with the van parked at about a 30 degree angle and scaring all the passengers.
The finale involved winching the van out of the creek bottom up onto dry land. Perennial winch-meister, Craig Peterson, was on hand to provide expert commentary and keep us from getting seriously injured. Since Jeff had just recently winched a tree stump out from his front yard, he was elected our wincher and did an excellent job.