Jeffrey AronsonI met up with Rovers North’s Gene Schubert and Nick Cota at Sarek Autowerke, Glenn Allen, VA, to drive the 60 miles to Arvonia, the “new” location for the venerable Mid Atlantic Rally. Ralf Sarek had generously agreed to loan us two vehicles: a high-mileage ’08 BMW 750 Li used as a company loaner, and a buff ’97 NAS Defender 90 SW owned by enthusiast Shane Kisner.
Gene stepped in front of us and took command, firmly gripping the Defender keys. “I’m doing you a favor,” he insisted while swinging a sharp elbow toward me and delivering a hip check on Nick. “If you drove it, you’d only want one,” he quipped, hot-footing it out of the parking lot. So much for team spirit.
Nick and I muttered, “Whatever,” and turned to the Bimmer. It came with a short list of “Don’t Touch This” instructions and a quarter tank of gas. On the other hand, it was comfortable with a capacious trunk, and the Mid Atlantic Rally’s site would have required a long walk.
The Rover Owners Club of Virginia (ROAV) has held a version of the Mid Atlantic Rally since the mid-1970s. It’s been located in different regions of the state; for 2022, it returned from the southwestern corner of Virginia to Buckingham County, the location of the Little George Rod and Gun Club at Pearl’s Pond Farm. At just under 1,000 acres, the family farm of Cassel and Tucker Adamson and their children, Annie, Cassel, Perry, and Ella, provided the perfect mix of hills, fields, and water crossings along the banks of the James River.
The Adamsons wanted to make certain their property could accommodate an event of this type, so they set a limit of 150 vehicles – which filled up very quickly. Attendees came from as far away as New England, Florida, and Ohio. Pearl’s Pond Farm serves as a feeding and breeding ground for a variety of wildlife; deviating from the marked trails or making one’s own on the fly would risk expulsion from the event. (Happily, that was never required.)
A standing joke about the event’s acronym, MAR, claims it stands for “Mud and Rain” and this year proved the accuracy of that moniker. Hurricane Ian slammed into Virginia the very October weekend of the event, pummeling the state with as much as 3.5 inches of rain in two days and leaving thousands without power. Virginia’s soil is officially called Pamunkey; unofficially, it’s a dense, thick red clay that mimics ice when wet – say, after a hurricane drops several inches of water.
In preparation for its return to Pearl’s Pond, ROAV held several volunteer work weekends to clear long-lost trails, create new ones and uncover forgotten logging trails. The hours spent brush hogging, chain sawing, mowing, grooming, and erecting signage on the many miles of trails were enormous; kudos to the numerous volunteers for their hard work and the hundreds of hours they spent preparing the site.
Google Maps identifies the entrance to the Pearl’s Pond Farm at 6549 Bridgeport Road. Our convoy turned at Bridgeport Road, missed the entrance completely, and continued down the country road until its termination. We doubled back and finally spied a small MAR banner. The Bimmer’s rear wheels began spinning immediately upon hitting the slick clay soil; as we headed downhill toward the campsites, we wondered what it would be like trying to ascend the incline as the rains only continued to increase the saturation level of the topsoil.
ROAV had set up three larger campground areas – one specifically designated a “quiet zone – some flat on fields and others with gentle slopes. Another set of campsites dotted some of the forest groves. A brisk walk took you to a large pavilion, its views enhanced by the nearby Little George Defenders. Even without sides, the pavilion kept you dry while you enjoyed a Friday night dinner (courtesy of Land Rover Richmond) catered by Piggin’ Out BBQ and entertainment provided by a bluegrass band who identified themselves as “Some Good Ol’ Boys.” When you bought a serving cup for the James River Cellars wines or the James River Brewery beer, you enriched the coffers of the Arvonia Volunteer Fire Department; rarely did extra drinks feel so socially responsible.
For this MAR, ROAV encouraged open trail drives and provided online maps with trails labeled by the level of difficulty. Driving etiquette meant that you had to stay on trails and not tromp through fields of corn or grasses, but the hundreds of volunteer hours before the event had created entertaining and challenging off-road opportunities. Trail marshals led a few guided tours for those unfamiliar with the terrain and helped with a few mechanical issues; attendees appreciated the added flexibility.
Under the guidance and backhoe skill of Mike McCaig, ROAV had opened up and created clearings that enabled Gene Schubert, Nick Cota, and me to create the most challenging RTV course. Tight spacing of large trees, natural hollows in the ground, clever placement of logs and rocks; after two days of plotting, setting up poles and signs, and engaging Mike’s earthmoving talents, the Rovers North crew – aided and abetted by R.O.V.E.R.S club RTV demons Kyle McMullin and Mark Van Lenten (among others) – succeeded in creating a six-section course full of challenges for competitors. Even the weather cooperated by providing a steady drizzle that made side slopes truly treacherous. Entrances demanded immediate turns and exits required momentum or winching; devilish, yes, and we could not have been prouder.
This MAR also saw the revival of the Aluminium Man Triathlon, consisting of a Scavenger Hunt, a Blindfold Driver competition, and the RTV course. The Scavenger Hunt required you to locate and identify items that you could find only through the correct GPS longitude and latitude coordinates. The Blindfold Driver Race required a navigator to stand outside the vehicle and instruct a blindfolded driver through a course delineated by of a series of cones. It would demand total confidence in your navigator’s instructions to avoid humiliation in front of dozens of spectators.
First place in the Aluminium Man Triathlon went to Team Rover Lovers (Loic and Ethan Fabro, with Team Sandal Bandit (Charles Galpin and Ron Peppard) taking second place and Team Orange Crush (Russel and Charlie Green) scooping up third place.
Ralf Sarek, Richmond, VA, had an ’05 Freelander abandoned at his shop, Sarek Autowerke, and ready for adoption. After completing long-deferred repairs, he decided to offer it as an auction prize at MAR. At the Saturday night group dinner, the brisk bidding – quickly surpassing my initial offer – saw the Freelander going to Andrew Gurowitz and his son, Avi, in Washington, DC. It joined Avi’s ’12 Range Rover Supercharged and the family’s Defender Trophy Edition. Andrew said, “I just wanted to help ROAV with this fundraiser, and my son Avi, who is a big enthusiast, wanted a smaller Land Rover.”
With apologies to Ford’s old advertising jingle, “Have you driven a Freelander lately?” I did, for the first time since 1998 in the UK. This orphaned model, quite successful in Land Rover’s European markets, hit the market in the USA in 2002 with 16,000 sold; by 2008, a total of 30,000 would arrive before replacement by the LR2 [Freelander 2 in other markets -ed]. Before the auction, I took the Freelander on a drive on the muddy tracks and saturated, slippery fields on the MAR site; it felt nimble and sure-footed, no doubt due to its unibody construction and independent front/rear suspension. The 2.5L V-6 engine, mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission with permanent 4-wheel drive, might labor on the open road given its curb weight of 3,699 lbs., but the 177 lb. ft. of torque helped it scurry about nicely. It captivated me enough to put in a (losing) bid.
To David Short, the president of ROAV, “MAR was a ‘swimming success’ due to, and despite, the remnants of a hurricane coming through. The Adamson family told us they were happy to host the event because of how professionally it was managed and conducted. They appreciated how well the property was cleaned up and restored after the event. We also got a nice letter of thanks from the Arvonia Volunteer Fire Department.”
Oh yes, I learned my lesson on the drive back to Richmond. This time, I pushed Gene Schubert aside and leaped into the NAS Defender for the return trip to Richmond.
I must admit – Gene was right. To drive one is to want one.
Little George Rod and Gun at Pearl’s Pond
Cassel and Tucker Adamson recall never tiring of the joy of driving their Defenders over their family land at Pearl’s Pond Farm. When ROAV lost access to its Wheatland Farm location for the Mid Atlantic Rally, the Adamsons welcomed ROAV back to their 1,000-acre property.
With their children, Annie, Cassel, Perry, and Ella, the Adamsons take great pride in opening their land to the traditional pastimes of fly fishing and bird hunting. Darin Strickland, the Upland Operations Manager, runs all the hunting operations for Upland Hunting [quail, pheasant, grouse] and Dove Club [mourning doves]. The harvesting of crops and clearing of land is oriented toward providing feed and cover for the birds. To encourage hunting and fishing activities for teens, Annie created an enthusiast club she named American Jake.
The Adamsons gave ROAV permission to renew trails and carve out new ones. Strickland noted, “The volunteer workers discovered logging trails we didn’t know we had! It’s been great that they’ve opened up new trails. Even the muddy trails along the perimeter of our fields provide valuable firebreaks.”
The family’s Defenders serve as transportation for visitors and hunters, whether enjoying the hunting seasons or seeking a family or corporate retreat.
[For more information, visit www.littlegeorgerodandgun.com -ed.]