UFWDA Instructor Training 1997

We spent the previous day in a classroom for about eight hours while Chris introduced us to the material in the UFWDA training course. Because we all had lots of fourwheeling experience, he went to great lengths to make sure that we always saw things from the perspective of the students who would have little or no experience with off-highway travel. One thing that disturbed me were the course content modifications needed to avoid law suits.

I enjoyed the opportunity to hear about fourwheeling in Maryland because their terrain is quite different from ours. Mud was their main obstacle while here in southwest BC we deal with rocks and dirt.

Our group represented members from four local clubs (Lionsgaters, Island Rockcrawlers, Thunderbirds, and Coastal Cruisers) and independent members of the 4WDABC. This morning, we went through the field section of the training which mostly meant that Chris would observe us to make sure we knew what we were doing. Blue Mtn was the chosen locale because it was close to town and had lots of fun trails.

Highlights of the day included:

• Watching Steve Barron cautiously navigate his stock Land Rover Discovery through the entire powerline trail without sustaining damage.
• Chris Finch and his recently acquired '63 Mercedes Unimog. This hulking, soft-topped workhorse piqued everyone's curiousity. We couldn't stop watching it. A common phrase heard throughout the day was, "Is the Unimog gonna do that obstacle? It is? Cool!" And with that, the speaker would rush to find a prime viewing spot. A 6500 lb vehicle balancing on three wheels is a compelling sight. Because of the intermittent downpours, we also appreciated its covered seating area for over a dozen people.
• Brad Reid suffering a broken tie rod on his V8-powered Land Cruiser. Since he travels with a full complement of tools and spare parts and knows how to use them, he was able to complete a field repair and become fully mobile in about 30 minutes.
• John Barron and Brad providing a winch demonstration. Brad purposely buried his Cruiser in a mud hole for the exercise and John Barron winched him out. The Selfless Good Guy award goes to Phil Sanger who trudged into 20 inches of soupy mud to hook the winch cable onto Brad's Cruiser. Chris amazed us by piloting his 'Mog over some huge boulders in the middle of the mud hole without even getting his diffs dirty.
• Getting absolutely soaked while trying to climb The Waterfall in the pouring rain, in the dark. John Barron was the King of the Hill in that event, being the only one of the three challengers to make it up under his own power.
• Fourwheeling with people who were devoted enthusiasts, willing to give up some of their spare time to help newcomers. Although we drove an ecclectic variety of vehicles, we shared a common interest in, and dedication to, the sport of off-highway driving.
• Lori insisted on adding to this list:
  Witnessing Larry actually being nervous and concerned with the fact that "big brother " (aka Chris) was watching over him! In fact when I jumped into Larry's truck, he accused me of acting as a spy on behalf of Chris!
  I'll believe otherwise if, and only if, I receive my UFWDA instructor's certificate.

...lars

Chris Allen Tefke (UFWDA) Houtan (Lionsgaters)	Todd of North Shore Offroad takes his 4Runner down a particularly nasty drop-off on a mud challenge trail	Brad and John provide a winch a winch demonstration
John Barron nears the peak of a small hill while the rest of the group waits for the all clear signal	Chris' Unimog	Taking refuge from the rain in the back of the Unimog (Left to right): Doug, me, Todd, Lori, John, Chris & Jim
Brad, seconds before he gets to work on replacing the tie rod	John Edgar, president of the 4WDABC, demonstrates his awesome strength by lifting a corner of his Cruiser wagon	Steve carefully inches his Discovery down an uneven rock face