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Story and Photos by, David Brill

Florida Vacation

It has happened again and I feel it will become a very popular run, even Region wide.

For those uninitiated, the Eastern 4 Wheeler's (E4W's) Florida Vacation takes place in Florida, Massachusetts and is held out of the Mohawk Park Family Campground and Pub (yes, that is really the name). It usually involves many four wheeling folks camping on Friday night and sitting around telling campfire 4x4 stories.

Saturday starts out with some prime 4x4 action in the woods of Savoy Mountain, along very scenic old town and state forest roads. Saturday night involves great food like steak, clams, dogs and burgers, ribs, etc. and then a trip up to the Pub.

This year started really no different from any other year. People were hurrying to get out of work and the house on schedule and, of course, not even coming close.

As we rumbled up 91N, Chris and Erika in the big rolling house phoned up Derek and Diane Degrandpre to see if they were ready and when we would see them. The word came back that Derek had broken his rear axle two nights earlier (just a day after several of us installed a new lift kit in the little Tracker) and was in the driveway having fits. Chris offered to stop by and put Derek's truck on the trailer and pull his off, in order to fix whatever else was wrong when we got to the campground. Once we got there, Derek was off to buy more parts.

Dave Brill twisting up through "The Skewer" in his Toyota.

After the rig was loaded and we were ready to head out, Chris' brother, Matt, climbed into the Bronco, shut the door hard and promptly broke the driver side's door glass. We arrived at the campground at about 9PM, only 4 hours off schedule. Matt, Derek and Dave Hagopian worked into the night finishing up the repairs.

Dinner was had by those present and most settled into bed around midnight.

Saturday's Run

Dave Brill is the President of the Eastern 4 Wheelers in Connecticut and is also the Land-Use and PR Chair for RegionD/Northeast of the East Coast 4WD Association. He has been the President of E4W since the club's inception in 1990. Dave also owns a 4WD instructional business, Backcountry Trails 4WD Instruction and Excursions (www.BCTrails.com). He has written several articles for Blue Ribbon Magazine over the years, the East Coaster and even had a story published in 4WD & Sport Utility several years ago.