The first weekend of June marked the second instalment of our OK4WD Summer Camp event. The OK4WD crew, along with 50 customers, traveled to Brownsville, Vermont, for three nights of camping, offroading, exploring all that Vermont has to offer, all while raising money for the Vermont Community Foundation.
Ok4WD Summer Camp was developed to bring customers together not only to share trails, eateries, and local history, but also to educate them on how to use their vehicles and accessories while out in the field.
Taking a vehicle from stock to a fully outfitted adventure vehicle is all in a day's work here at the shop, but for a customer, all of the new components can be pretty overwhelming. One day, you have a simple vehicle, and the next, you have deep-cycle batteries, solar panels, an inverter, compressors, a camper, power management systems, recovery equipment, and the list goes on and on...
Not only can learning your way around a built out vehicle be overwhelming for someone, then finding a destination on a map, traveling on roads and trails you've never been on, set up camp, and having your routine firing on all cylinders is a lot for anyone new to the hobby.
That was what sparked the OK4WD Summer Camp. Inviting customers to a beautiful state we are familiar with, to a location centrally located near amazing places to explore, and camp amongst like-minded individuals, all there to help answer questions, educate customers on how to use specific products, where to go, and guide customers safely along trails. Leaving everyone with confidence and the knowledge to venture out on their own on their next trip.
Summer Camp kicked off on Thursday afternoon, with customers rolling in from all around the East Coast. We saw license plates from New Hampshire, New York, and even as far as Florida! It was then that we realized how eager our customers were to gather for a fun weekend in a new state. After a long road day for many of the participants, a simple night with a group bonfire was in order.
Friday, on the other hand, was an action-packed day; you could feel the excitement while the smell of coffee filled the campground.
Groups began to break camp and head out for the day to explore trails and quaint Vermont towns.
The OK4WD Summer Camp crew took a small group of campers out for their first ever trail ride. This would be the first time participants aired down their tires and put their vehicle in four low. After arriving at the trailhead, participants hopped out of their trucks for a quick tutorial on how to use a tire deflator. Once the tires were aired down to around 20 psi, it was time to start tackling the trail.
The trail started off with a simple incline, gaining elevation, as the forest grew thicker the further we got away from pavement. As we progressed, the obstacles began to come into view. This trail in particular is a very friendly beginner trail and the obstacles increase in difficulty as you make your way through, building confidence along the way.
Starting off with simple, small ledges, rocky subtle hill climbs allowed participants to get familiar with how their vehicle felt on uneven terrain. The simple task of maintaining smooth, constant pressure on the gas pedal becomes difficult when your vehicle begins to sway and come off the rocks. By the time we arrived at the crux obstacle of the trail, participants had smoothed out driving and loosened the grip on their steering wheels. But, when they saw the crux feature, the radio chatter began to disperse.
The feature is a wet, steep rock that does not have a clear path up. The rocks show signs of bumpers and axles being dragged on them, making folks wonder whether this obstacle was actually passable without causing damage to their vehicle.
Each vehicle has different amounts of ground clearance, different approach and departure angles, and wheel bases, so this obstacle has to be tackled differently for each vehicle. The larger tire Jeeps could take the obstacle straight on, while the longer wheel base and smaller lift vehicles would have to take a different approach. 
Spotters were out stacking rocks, relaying to the drivers which way to turn, "More gas, turn a little driver, you got it."
Once over the crux of the trail, it was smooth sailing for another 35 minutes of climbs, descents, and tight turns. After coming off the mountain, we stopped for a quick recoup before continuing on to where the dirt meets the road.
But we had one more stop before making our way back to camp. We took the group to one of our favorite hidden gems in Vermont for a bite to eat and a celebratory beer to mark the group's achievements. It was then off to base camp to share stories with the rest of the campers and hear where their day took them. 
After two days of exploring Vermont, we were left with one last night of camping. Saturday night's bonfire is a great opportunity for everyone to gather, share stories, and discuss plans for future trips, as well as share your wishlist of gear you'd like to have before the next trip.
It's also when we have our raffle to help raise money for the Vermont Community Foundation. The Vermont Community Fund is home to more than 1,000 charitable funds and foundations created by generous individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits to support the causes they care about in Vermont and beyond. Individuals can contribute to the VCF by establishing a fund, making direct donations to existing funds, or supporting specific community initiatives. All of the funds raised from the raffle were donated to the David R. Coates Fund for Vermont Disaster Relief, one of the many organizations you can donate to through the VCF website.
It's such an honor to be part of the adventure travel community. Every participant at OK4WD Summer Camp is willing to help and so welcoming, and there isn't another group of individuals we could imagine spending a weekend with. At Summer Camp, you leave with more friendships, stories, and experience that fuels you to get out and explore.
For more information on OK4WD events, please considering subscribing to the OK4WD Event Calendar.
