Gustaf Kupetz directing traffic
Story and Photos by Matt Martin

[Matt Martin, Rovers North’s Marketing Director, beat out everyone else in Westford for the chance to attend the 2009 SCARR event. Read why we’re all jealous –ed.]

Dirt, rain and mud. Fun, family and friends – and more mud… Everything’s bigger in Texas and the 2009 SCARR (South Central Area Rover Rally) was no exception. The Texas Rovers Club hosted the sixth anniversary event on April 16th-19th at the Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area. I went to cover the mirth and mud; hey, someone has to take on the tough jobs!

My journey began with a flight to Tampa, Florida, where I met up with the industrious team from Land Rover Lifestyle (LRL) Magazine. They had just started to kit-out a trio of new LR3s, making them off-road warriors for their 1st Descents project – an effort to test the limits of the LR3 on the roughest terrain in North America. They would debut their decked-out LR3’s at SCARR and you could sense the team’s eagerness for their LR3s to be the kings of the mountain. They’d have to be patient though because we had some serious traveling to do first.

Our caravan headed west along the Gulf coast. We rounded Florida’s panhandle, cut through the oyster-littered shores of Alabama, roved through Mississippi and stopped for a quick tour of New Orleans before turning northwest and traveling along the last leg to the SCARR event. The Barnwell Mountain trails begin 5 miles outside of Gilmer, TX, about 120 miles east of Dallas. We ate up some serious highway miles getting there and the kitted out LR3s handled fantastically.

After a comfortable 17 hour trip, we arrived at the event. We discovered a storm of activity and energy spread across the expansive event grounds. The Texas Rovers organization covers the entire state, with chapters in Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. SCARR represents their major annual event. The event was packed. New faces arrived, old friends reunited and new friendships connected the over 160 enthusiasts in total. Everyone entered the event with the same common appreciation of the savage grace their beloved Land Rovers – nearly 100 of them – could deliver.


A typical Land Rover Discovery line up at the SCARR 2009 event

The Southern enthusiasts searched out the now-famous “LRL Lounge” tent in the camping area. The Lounge provided the perfect gathering spot for attendees to meet the people who give life to Land Rover Lifestyle. We also met with the organizers: Christopher Pullen – president of the Texas Rovers and Laura Shacklette – SCARR Events Coordinator and DFW EC, who shared the vision of the event. “It’s bringing people together with the same interests who love to wheel, see old and meet new friends that make SCARR success.” After a long day, we retired to our tents on the eve of the festivities.

I have no idea if it was the change in time zones or my complete lack of camping skills, but the morning sun grabbed my eyelids and pulled them wide open. Sleepless and sore from the trip, I decided to get up and take some early morning shots of the event area and the stable of Land Rovers. Indeed there were many impressive vehicles in attendance and it was nice to photograph them undisturbed by the hustle and bustle of the event.

After a large breakfast, the group divided itself for the off-roading by trail difficulty. Rovers took off in groups to traverse the vast network of mountain trails reserved this weekend exclusively for the SCARR. This event differed from ones I’ve covered in the past: shorter trails meant attendees could tackle different conditions and make more runs. This provided more opportunities to socialize with the wide range of people. I saw many different driving styles, and gained even more appreciation for what Land Rover engineering made possible, no matter the condition or the driving style.

I also appreciated the engineering elegance and refinement that went into the LR3. This latest Land Rover tackles everything thrown at it, from dry rock to slick, deep mud with aplomb. I’ve driven LR3s off-road in Vermont’s forests and fields, Utah’s spectacular mountains and ravines and now Texas hill country. This superbly competent vehicle is destined to become the next enthusiast’s Rover of choice.

As the last of the groups negotiated their way back to the main pavilion, a Texas-sized dinner awaited the hungry enthusiasts. We shared tales of the trail and compared wheeling strategies, successful and unsuccessful. After dinner, I joined the 1st Descents team and many SCARR attendees in the LRL Lounge for some collective relaxation before the next day of adventure. The shared love for the Land Rover marque felt as vast as Texas itself.

I had been to events before, but I was not prepared for the Texas-size flood of appreciation for Rovers North’s contributions to the Land Rover community. I found myself ushered around the campground like a foreign dignitary – each introduction more emphatically appreciative than the one before. The warm welcome continued well into the night; I’m still basking in it.

The second missing preparation was clear as I peeked out of my tent the next morning – a proper rain jacket. If everything is big in Texas, so’s the rain! Yes, it rains in Vermont but not like this. The wide Southern sky broke open with a torrential downpour for most of the morning. The weather reduced the number of travelers on the trails, but never once dampened the spirit of the event. Through the rain you could see red mud blanketing every Land Rover. Mother Nature was giving out free paint jobs as a gift for respecting her landscape. The rain finally stopped around lunchtime and the grounds instantly reverted to the dry and dusty surroundings that met us upon arrival. The dry grounds presented a terrific opportunity for a group photo, while I got up close and personal with a nest of fire ants. This Texas ritual created much jollity amongst the Texans, who apparently know better than to stand on an anthill.

Like the ants from my shoes, the enthusiasts scattered back to the trails for a few final runs as the event drew to a close. To mark another successful congregation of pavement defiance, the assembly sat down for a group dinner. The highlight of the meal was a merchandise raffle from event sponsors.

I would like to thank LRL Magazine, The Texas Rovers Club and everyone connected with SCARR for their hospitality during our stay. We left the event with a shared feeling of unity fueled by the love of a machine, the places it could take us and the people we met along the way.

Don’t worry, red mud and fire ants, we’ll be back to see you soon.

For all the SCARR 2009 rally event photos see our gallery

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