2009 High Lifter Mud Nationals - Digging Deep In Texas

Ever since I kicked off this journey of working for ATV Rider Magazine, I've had the opportunity to travel the country and experience some of the greatest ATV events and adventures offered. From the Big Buck GNCC and various WORCS races to numerous local events that happen right in my backyard. Each one of these events have been an incredible experience, but there is one that I specifically look forward to more than any other each year, and that's the High Lifter Mud Nationals.

My first exploit to this event and the mud bog scene in general was in 2008, and I must admit, I had the time of my life! Imagine 15,000 people joining together in one location with the same interest in mind: riding quads and having a great time. I met some really wonderful people and had the opportunity to try a bit of muddin' of my own. Each day was a blast, but there had been downsides. One aggravating one was our hotel was almost an hour's drive away, so that meant getting up at the crack of dawn and heading back a little earlier than I liked each night. Granted, it was still a blast, but I knew there had to be a better way to experience it. I was determined to convince the powers that be that this year I needed to stay on site to describe the after-racing festivities.

Back in February at the Indianapolis Dealer Expo, Editor Thad Josey and I spent some time hanging out with the guys from Gorilla Axle strengthening a good friendship. When talk of the Mud Nationals came up, I shared my idea with them and it was very well received. Team Gorilla rider Dewayne Crowder offered to put us up for the duration of the nationals, so we could see what the event is really like after everyone was finished racing. Without hesitation Thad and I accepted his offer and began planning. I had been excited about going before, but experiencing the event like this pushed me over the top.

The trip for me would definitely be an exhausting one as I was on the road for a WORCS race in Arizona to central California for some shock testing with Fox Shox and then home only long enough to pack for the early flight the next morning. Once at the respective airports, both Thad and I endured flight delays that didn't allow us to arrive at Mud Creek Off Road Park in Jacksonville, Texas, until late Thursday night. Our friends were waiting for us with a cold beverage in hand so we could all relax and catch up because the next day was going to be a busy one for the two of us since the big events were kicking off.

When I stepped out of the trailer first thing on Friday morning Team Gorilla had already been up and prepping their machines for the upcoming EPI Endurance Challenge, aka Buddy Run, being held early in the afternoon. The crowds were equally preparing for this contest as spectators began packing in on "High Line" which ran right alongside the course. Imagine the murkiest water and mud filling deep holes with plenty of ruts and then throw in the occasional broken-down competitor that is now an obstacle in this timed point-to-point race. The fans cheered for their competing friends to claim the fastest time, but in all reality you were considered lucky if you just finished, as there were more machines broken down in the bog than there were finishers at the end of the Challenge. Top honors went to the team of Jordan Berza and Ryan King while second place was claimed by Clint Adams and Hoyt McCormick (of Team Gorilla!) with only a few seconds separating the teams.

After wrapping up the Buddy Run, we made our way back to the pits and I made a few calls to some friends back home. While our pals at Yamaha had allowed us to use a Grizzly 550 to get around on and get in a little riding, we were in need of something to carry more equipment as well as a passenger as both Thad and I were going to the many events. This is where Kawasaki came to our rescue by hooking us up with a brand-new Teryx 750 FI, which is exactly what we needed for hauling our camera equipment. The bed of the Teryx allowed us to stow all of our camera gear as well as a cooler for our food and drinks, a good thing too because it was going to be another long night for us. Thanks guys!

As everyone in camp grabbed a quick bite, we all made our way over to the Polaris MuddaCross pit. With the cancelation of the wheelie contest, the MuddaCross was moved up by an hour and even that wasn't enough. The racing action was fierce as riders in groups of three battled to complete two laps in the frigid cold waters of the pit. That water was unusually high compared to the previous events, and that left many a competitor in need of a tow while their rivals raged on. While I enjoyed seeing much of the intense competition, the action continued on well beyond midnight and that was tough on both fans and competitors as the Mud Bog competition was to be held early the next morning. When the Open class finals finished close to 2 a.m., our group again packed it up and headed back to camp to a warm fire and some nourishment to fill our stomachs.

This is where we had the chance to see that the racers weren't as lucky as us. Once we were back and our stomachs were full, we could hit the sack. Quite a few of the racers encountered mechanical issues in the MuddaCross races and had a long night of wrenching ahead of them. Many worked into the wee hours of the morning hoping to have their machines race-ready for the next contest. These guys are true die-hard racers.

Saturday brought out masses of fans to line the hillside of the bog and watch the action unfold. Anyone who has never been to a mud bog competition and thinks there's no skill involved in getting their machine across the water first needs to see one of these battles firsthand. There was as much bumping between racers as I've seen at some motocross events all while trying to keep the front end of the machine down and traction to the ground. We cheered on our friends as we took pictures and watched some of them advance to the next round while others finished after one run. Either way, when they came out of the pit, they were right back on the sidelines hanging out and cheering on their fellow racers. This was racer camaraderie at its finest.

Rounding off the day's scheduled events was a freestyle ATV performance by the H-Bomb Films Bomb Squad along with Team Akraix. These high-flying stunt riders kept the crowd on the edge of their racks with their acrobatics including a backflip by Caleb Moore. Just when everyone thought the show was over, what I would consider one of the highlights of the weekend was about to unfold. Moore jumped into his Polaris RZR and launched it into the air from the same freestyle ramp from which these guys had just been jumping their quads. To take things a step further, Moore convinced High Lifter owner Scott Smith to ride shotgun as he took the RZR off the ramp yet again. The crowd roared to life as the RZR sped toward the ramp and launched into the air sending the duo 30-plus feet into the air. It was absolutely amazing watching that RZR fly! As the show ended, everyone fired off their machines and headed back to camp because the night was just getting started. The awards were being handed out soon, and not long after that, the competitors could put away their race faces and have a little fun.

The awards ceremony went rather quickly and included a raffle that had prizes from companies like Kawasaki, Warn Winch and a host of event vendors. It seemed as if almost everyone at the ceremony walked away with some kind of prize and a smile on their face. It was after this when the nighttime fun kicked off for Thad and I. We were treated to a true Southern feast that started with some of the best ribs I've ever eaten prepared by Team Gorilla's own Hoyt McCormick. From there, the party rolled over to a camp just a few hundred feet from where we were staying.

The camp we strolled into consisted of various race teams that parked all of their trailers and campers in a gigantic circle. In the middle of this circle was a cooking station on wheels that kept some of the finest food you've ever tasted--steaks, shrimp, some strange Cajun dish called "boudain" and all the fixings you could imagine--rolling out all night. This environment is what I'm used to; where on the starting line your only friend is the checkered flag, but after the race is over you can relax and everyone gets along and has a great time together. When I first walked up, I really didn't know anyone other than the folks we were staying with. Thad and I were introduced to new people all night long, and by the end of the night, I felt like we were all one big family.

All of us mingled around with drinks in hand sharing and listening to everyone's riding or racing stories of the weekend and having a great time. The music was blasting out of someone's truck as some people danced. Everyone we met was as welcoming as family even if I barely knew them, and that was a great feeling. If this is what "Southern hospitality" is all about, sign me up. In this weekend I made a ton of new friends and established long-lasting relationships. The people who are involved in this aspect of ATV riding are great and should be the example of true ambassadors for our sport. The attitudes and egos are left at the bog, and at the end of the day, everyone is there to have a great time.

As I hung around the party at camp, Thad was invited to go out with some of the guys for a night ride through some very deep and dark backwoods swamps and to some of the more popular "party" areas. While I had fun at last year's nationals interacting with people out there, the experience I had this year blew that out of the water. Thad returned with a look on his face of both exhaustion and excitement. He happily described swamps they bogged through that were chest deep and required the occasional dismounting of the ATV in order to keep forward momentum. He got a true taste of what backwoods mud boggin' was all about. There was no better way to end the night.

Sunday morning came upon everyone all too quickly, and the weather started taking a turn for the worse with cold temps and gusty winds. Mother Nature held off the bad weather just long enough for everyone in attendance to have a great time and pack up for the long trip home. The goal of my trip this year was to experience what the event is really like with true die-hard enthusiasts, and that's exactly what I got. Every person I met over the course of the nationals made us feel extremely welcome. It wasn't because we were the magazine guys covering the event, but because they were just genuinely good people who like to have a good time and want others to enjoy it with them.

We had plenty of people offer to put us up at future mud races, and you can bet that we'll be taking them up on their offer. Our new friends contributed to a great weekend of racing, riding and fun, which only leaves us wanting more. A huge thank-you to Team Gorilla, Dewayne Crowder, Rhonda Leblanc, Carrie Liegh and everyone else who helped make this one unforgettable experience. And we certainly can't forget to thank High Lifter for putting together the finest ATV event in the United States. We can't wait to do it again next year!