2013 Oregon Trophy Challenge

The Oregon Trophy Challenge, which was once known as the Team Trophy Challenge is back for its second consecutive year.  The organizers of the original Team Trophy Challenge took a break a few years ago.  Teresa and her team of volunteers decided to bring it back as the Oregon Trophy Challenge. It was a HUGE success during its first year back and this year it is will be held on September 21^st and 22^nd

The Oregon Trophy Challenge is not your everyday off-road event. This two day, one night event, that is made up of teams of 2 rigs and 4 people, will challenge your skills in and out of your rig.  Using a map and your thinking skills, you will navigate a course that is pre-determined with check points. Each check point will test your skills in different areas. Anything from basic off-roading skills to just down-right fun challenges. This is an elimination event; the Top four Teams will compete for the Grand Prize on the second day.  

Do you work well with others? Do you have three buddies that will have your back? Are you ready to prove you got what it takes to make it through this event?  Then get on over to the sign up page and get your registration in.  Click here to register

Mom’s chat with Teresa:

MOM: Did you ever run in the original Team Trophy Challenge?

TERESA: The original Team Trophy Challenge was put on by Doug Shipman. Unfortunately, I did not have the privilege of running the event. I had not heard of it in until the last year it was held.


MOM: How did you get the idea to bring back the Trophy Challenge?

TERESA: Really it was the disappointment that I had missed it when it was still going on. I thought it sounded like a fun event and was sad that I did not get to experience it. Since I couldn’t compete in it, I wanted to bring it back for others.


MOM: Tell the readers how you got into off-roading. Is it something you have done all your life, or is it a sport you took up as an adult?

TERESA: I started working in the parts department of Gresham Chrysler Jeep in 1997. One of the technicians had a really nice CJ5. He signed up for a Flat Broke n 4 wheelin’ poker run and needed a co-pilot. He invited me and the parts manager. We found out after we were all there that neither of us was good at reading in a moving vehicle, LOL. That was my first trip to the Tillamook State Forest. I found myself in need of a new vehicle the next year and bought from the dealership the 1990 Wrangler that I still have. I began driving it off road in 2000 and learned and grew slowly with my rig.

MOM: Who was your biggest influence in learning to off-road?

TERESA: Originally, Shane Fay, the Jeep tech from my dealership taught me quite a lot. My husband and I have really taught ourselves a lot. Driving is a learning experience. You find out what doesn’t work and change it till it does. We decided to drive to White River to camp out one year. The connecting road 43, is not plowed for snow and was still very full of it. We had just barely left the pavement when my husband sank in and got stuck. We hooked up a strap and I gave him a tug. Of course that buried my rig with the strap tight between us. That was our first learning experience of ‘airing down in the snow’.


MOM: What is your favorite type of terrain to off-road on?

TERESA: I really like trails with a combination of rocks, a little mud, and trees. Something that takes a little skill is always a good challenge. I live near Mt. Hood, so I see some snow. It can be fun to have to ‘four wheel’ to get to work. I can drive in the sand only once a year and be perfectly happy. I don’t care for it getting into seals and chewing things up.


MOM: What do you drive most often when you are off-roading? Give us all the dirty details of your ride year, make, model and modifications. And Name if it has one.

TERESA: Between my husband and I, we have three Jeeps and one early Bronco. My favorite and most often driven is my 90 Wrangler. Being what I learned on, it is the most comfortable for me. I would say that I drive by braille. I like to feel what I am stuck on. I can’t do that as well in my coil sprung JK. It started out stock with a 2.5L.

• It now has a built (by Shane Fay) 4.0L

• on board air

• Tera-low 4:1 t-case

• Dana 44 front and rear with ARB’s and 4.88’s

• Sprung over with reverse shackles and buggy springs

• Locking hubs

• 35” Goodyear MTR’s

• ‘good luck mud’ on the inside of the windshield.

I have never given my Jeep a ‘name’ but my license plate is JP CHIC. :-)

Teresa and her YJ getting it on.

Play Safe and Tread Lightly
A  4 Wheeling Mom

Mom Vs The Caliper

Dad and I were outside listening to the not so comforting sounds his very old, very over work engine. I turned around and saw what you see in the photo to the left. OH Crap was my first thought. I don't need to have to replace anything on my Jeep! One Jeep on it's last leg is enough in this family. 





So I head out first thing this morning and start taking the front end apart. 









I check the brake lines, dry as a bone, I then check out the Caliper seal, it too is dray as a bone.




















Dad Double check everything and he agreed, no leaks where visible from any brake parts, or axle seals. We take a closer look at the dripping on the tire, hmmm it is not oily or greasy looking any more. It is dried, hmmm. We are now thinking maybe a cat sprayed it the night before last.  We have way to many that run free in our area.  



                                                            I start putting it all back together and was asking Dad if the caliper bolts need to be torqued and if so to what? When all of a sudden SNAP!! and the wrench moved easily in my hand!  NOT GOOD! 

The bottom bolt snapped off halfway down the threads. NOT GOOD!  Dad was able to wiggle the caliber off and the bolt was sticking out a hair. He was able to get needle nosed vise grips on it and get it out! WOOHOOO  My Hero! 


We did have a small discussion about him taking over and me not learning if he just does it. I heard blah blah blah If I break it worse I can't blame anyone else.  O.K. I can live with that! LOL HEHEH I'm not a dumb woman, I know when I have a get out of jail free card!  LOL  I took his Jeep down to the parts store and got new bolts and pu her all back together! WOOHOOO! My breakage only cost $3.29 why is it when Dad breaks something it cost WAY?more? Maybe I don't want to know 0_0


Oh and I got to use my new ratchet set! Dad got me for my birthday!  I didn't have borrow one tool from him :-) I had everything  I needed in my own kit! 


Play Safe, and Tread Lightly
4x4 Mom

Mom Talks to The Ladies at Off-Road Vixens

      Off-Road Vixens Defined  

http://www.offroadvixens.com/

off-road:
1. to follow the road less traveled

vixen:
2. a bold and adventurous female
3. daring, risk-taker 

off-road vixen:

A bold and adventurous
female who follows the road
less traveled

I'm excited about having the Ladies from Off-Road Vixens on the blog.  These two ladies have taking a love for a sport and lifestyle and made a business out of it. Way to take a vision and make it a reality. 

One of these day I'm going to make it to an event they will be vending at so I can meet them in person. There I go adding more plans to my wish list :-) I have met so many amazing people online through Facebook and my blog, and I want to meet them all in person! 

Welcome Shari and Carey to Adventure of a 4 Wheeling Mom's blog.

Mom:  What is your favorite off road sport?

ORV:  Well let’s see here we almost can’t choose but we would have to say dirk bike riding because that is what we have been doing since we were about 5. However we would love to get the opportunity to race off road trucks someday. Every time we watch those trucks on short course our adrenaline kicks up a notch. 

(Carey)-- plus my body yells at me every time I get on my dirt bike. Some would say I am little crazy when I ride and that is probably why I am hurt all the time. 

Mom: OH I know what you mean about watching the trucks, I feel the same way about watching 

desert racing!  Someday I'm going to at least ride shotgun in a truck or buggy! 

Mom:  I know I talk a lot about 4wheeling as that is what I do but I know many people participate in others type’s of off road sports. What off road sports do you participate in?

ORV:  You would be surprised about how many 

off road sports there are and how many people are involved in them.  We started out vending at motocross races and since have branched out to include arenacross, endurocross, monster trucks, off road truck racing, snowmobiling, rock crawling, jeeping, mudding and pretty much anything else that has to do with extreme sports. Basically any sport that  you can have fun and get dirty doing. Girls Get Dirty Too!

Mom:  I just love your apparel and stickers. I need to get around to purchasing myself a hat to start with, and build my collection from there. How did you get in to the business of clothing marketed to the off road women?

ORV:  Yes, you do need to get yourself something we have some great clearance deals on the website right now well as some brand new spring styles. We got into selling our clothing by having a passion for riding and a passion for clothes. My business partner and I are neighbors. We moved into our house first; then about a year later we were leaving to go camping and riding and the house next to us was up for sale and I saw this cute little blonde girl next door looking at the house and thought that would sure be nice if someone young moved in because our neighborhood is filled with older folks. At that same time Shari saw us and called her husband and said” hey the neighbors have dirt bikes and camp too.” Needless to say they moved in and our families became very close camping and riding almost every weekend. I was in a stressful position at my current job and I was just done with corporate America. Shari was a stay at home Mom and wanted to start her own business. When we first talked about what we wanted to do we knew we wanted to put an emphasis on how so many more girls were getting involved in motorsports. Both Shari and I were a small percentage of girls when we were young riding dirt bikes and snowmobiles and doing all the things that the boys were doing. Neither one of us were ever girly girls and that has never changed. We wanted something that the women of motorsports could be proud to wear that represents their unique personalities. Hence, Off-Road Vixens Clothing Company was born. 

 
Mom: We love adventures here at Mom’s Blog. Tell us about your most memorable adventure.

ORV:  Well, let me tell you, we went on quite the adventure trail ride from hell last June. Six of us girls set out on our dirt bikes for the first trail ride of the season, this was supposed to be a six mile leisurely ride. As soon as we set out on the trail we encountered a little bit of snow on the trail, no problem, let’s just ride through it! Around the next corner, guess what? More snow! The snow got deeper and deeper until we were pushing our bikes for miles and riding along the edge of the cliff and up on the bank just trying to get into some dirt, any dirt! After several hours of this we were dripping with sweat and exhausted and it was getting dark and we were still miles from camp. But instead of panicking we rallied together and pushed on through about 5 miles of 5 foot deep snow and finally made it out the other side just as the dark was setting in. We then had to ride out another four miles of logging road in the dark with no lights to camp. So I guess the moral of the story is ALWAYS GO PREPARED! Even if you think it’s going to be a leisurely ride, you never know what will be around the next corner.

Mom: BOY Mom and Dad know that song! Glad you ladies made it back to camp safe even if ready to pass out from exhaustion! I know these things never seem fun at the time when you are in this situation, but I find they are the funnest stories to tell later :-) 

Mom:  I know you sponsor women in the off road world. Can you give us a list of who you sponsor and what sport they race in so we can be sure to cheer for the right drivers?

Name	What Sport do they do
Trish Evans	hillclimbs moto
Candice Kent	motocross
Sydney Marie Dickson	motocross
Madison O'Callaghan	motocross
Rachel Karlgaard	motocross
Brittany Lawber	motocross
Courtney Springer	motocross
Brooke Kawell	trophy Kart
Emme Hall	Off Road Racing
Andrea Pathiakis	Short Course Off Road Trucks
Shelby Gagnier (Case)	Hydro Plane
Kimberlie Case	Hydro Plane
Alicia Rutigliano	motocross
Kaylee Perkins	quad motocross racing
Haylee Pickrell	motocross
Taylor Pickrell	motocross
Mykayla Pickrell	motocross
Whitney Archibold	motocross and snow hillclimbs
Dawnell Unsworth	desert moto
Lexi Kiemele	motocross
Emilie Moreshead	snowmobile
Brandy Floyd	snowmobile
Cedar Heinle	snowmobile
Rashya Neilson (Gladfelder)	snowmobile hillclimbs
Nicole Guardern	motocross

Thank you Carey and Shari for taking the time to play along on my blog :-) I know this has been a busy time for you. 

Be sure to check out the schedule of where the ladies will be vending. To learn a little more about the Ladies themsevles check out their About page on their website.

 Play Safe and Tread Lightly

4 Wheeling Mom