This is the Alberta Run 2005 write up, as seen in the January/February 2006 issue of Bronco Driver Magazine.

Waiporous OHV Park Aug 10^th to 14^th, 2005

      It started as a challenge.  The Alberta boys were challenged by the Vancouver Island folk to put on their own Official run.  For nearly a year, the taunting and teasing went back and forth.  Then it was official.  There was going to be an official Broncoii.org Alberta Run.  Under the direction of Rob Piercy, a plan was formed.  We were to meet at Waiporous OHV Park and camp in a group site.

     Brian Rhodes, (“NightKrawler”) and I were to meet in Vancouver and then caravan over the mountains together.  He drove up from Oregon staying at a few other members houses.  After a frantic day, I just managed to catch the last ferry over to Vancouver.  We met in Abbotsford and after the obligatory catching up, we started on our journey.  By the time we arrived in Kelowna at 0400, we were both exhausted and decided to “camp” for the night.  Thank Goodness for Canadian Tire parking lots!!  At noon, we awoke and continued on.  It was slow going as I was towing Beasty with my F250 and camper.  We finally arrived in Cochrane, just outside Calgary at 0300.  Not knowing where the rest of the group was, and having electrical issues, (headlights cutting out!!), we camped in another Canadian Tire parking lot.  It was cold!!  Not expecting the temperatures to be in the single digits, I hadn’t packed long pants or a sleeping bag.  So first thing in the morning, off I went to buy some gear.  We made contact and were met by Rob Peirson and Way Lieng.  They guided us to the campsite and we settled in.

 Over the next few days everyone was treated to some of the most beautiful scenery and gooey trails.  Not much technical wheeling but really muddy.  Oh it was fun!!  The winches got a super workout and some makeshift snorkels were fabricated.  Some not well enough, as it turned out.  As I found out, some puddles swallow 35 inch tires and will go over the hood thereby soaking paper air filters…Ooops.  There was the obligatory breakage and minor stucks but it wasn’t until the last day when a Toyota 4Runner on 36 inchers was cajoled into going first into a particularly nasty mud hole.  2.5 hours later, he was finally out.  Funny how some holes are worse than others…  I somehow ended up in my underwear and Tshirt covered head to toe in mud.  Some kids just never grow up I guess.