Sightings - Winter 2023 - Rovers Magazine

Winter came late and milder here in Northern New England, until it didn’t – such as February and March. Lots of firewood has been stuffed into the woodstove as we peruse the vast number of Sightings. Once again, our intrepid Sighters have shared their findings with us, for which we thank them!

It’s always useful to novice Sighters and veterans alike to review the rules of the contest:

Rule # 1 – All Sightings receive recognition and our appreciation, but not necessarily a mug. We reward only those Sightings that capture the unique qualities of Land Rovers and distinctively display them.

Rule #2 – If your Sighting doesn’t really surprise you, it won’t surprise us, either – thus we can’t award you a mug. We’re delighted, but not surprised, that Land Rovers appear in British television programs, British publications, films with British themes, and shows about African safaris. You shouldn’t be surprised, either, and should consider looking for other ways to get a coffee mug.

Rule #3 – At an ever-changing date before publication, we close off the Sightings; for this issue, it was February 13, 2023. If we’ve mentioned the Sighting in an earlier issue, we might not mention it again. If you’re new to the family of Land Rover enthusiasts, you may not have seen your Sighting in an earlier issue.

Rule #4 – If you qualify, one mug per Sighting per issue. No more than two Coveted Mugs will be awarded to the same person per year.

Rule #5 – Sightings that are Land Rover references in books go to our Literary Land Rover editor for the mention, but only when space permits.

Rule #6 – Psst… Email submissions – remember we can’t send a mug by email. Send us your real name and shipping address, too.

Rule #7 – Snail mail Sightings must be sent to: Editor, Rovers Magazine, P.O. Box 90, Vinalhaven, ME 04863.

Rule #8 – Grudgingly, very grudgingly, the Editor admits he might have made an error. Let us know if you think you’ve been jobbed, but all decisions of the Editor are final.

Television and movie producers know that Land Rovers add viewers. Ford Lowery, League City, TX, spotted the Defender in an episode of ABC’s Big Sky. Ford and Kris Heikkila, Mason, NH [see Rule #6] enjoyed seeing the Series III in the program Tulsa King. Steve Lister, Utica, OH, was quite certain that FOX advertised a program called Special Forces showing a crane lowering a Series 109” into water. Colby Lowe, Bozeman, MT; Larry Simpson, Belle Plain, KS; and Joihn Dillingham, Canton, GA, also saw it. A seasonal Netflix movie, The Noel Diary, featured a Series III 109” as the main character’s ride, noted Brenden and Rachel Foley, Murphy, NC; Sherry Block, Hadlyme, CT; JD Howard, Walnut Creek, CA; Steve Lister, Utica, OH; Terry Imm [see Rule #6]; Loic Fabro, Herndon, VA; and Denise Champney, West Kingston, RI. Denise and JD Howard, Walnut Creek, CA, also found a Defender on an episode of Firefly Lane. James Hutchison, Cambridge, MA, shared screenshots from a Weather Channel program showcasing a woman’s Defender 110 traveling the Pan American Highway from Alaska to the tip of South America. He also reminded us of the Defenders driven by “very bad people” in the movie The Man From Uncle. John Dillingham, Canton, GA, and Larry Simpson, Belle Plaine, KS, saw a spot for the series The Selection: Special Operations Experiment, which showed a submerged Land Rover in a training assignment. Loic Fabro, Herndon, VA, witnessed a “sliver of the [rear] bed” of an NAS Defender 90 in the movie Luckiest Girl Alive. David Rock, Providence Forge, VA, watched Wild Kratts with his kids, and “it made sense” that the wild animals they’re following would be tracked in a Defender 90. Lana Fabro, Herndon, VA, noted that the spoiled UK “snowflakes” in the reality show Snowflake Mountain use a Defender 110 to transport their participants through the Lake District in England. Greg Coffman, Lakeville, MN, enjoyed seeing a “nice Series” while watching Netflix’s History 101 episode on the impact of the GPS. Bo Prillaman, Richmond, VA, saw a “great Series I” on the UK’s Magpie Mysteries on PBS, and a Range Rover in The Mosquito Coast. Despite emissions restrictions in central London, Bo Prillaman, Richmond, VA, spotted a Defender during the UK show Slow Horses. Tom Bache [see Rule #6] spotted the Mutual of Omaha float that included a Land Rover during the Rose Bowl parade. Is it product placement or serendipity? J D Howard, Walnut Creek, CA, found a Range Rover Sport in the new episodes of Magnum PI. B J Montgomery, Summerville, GA, noted a Series Land Rover in an episode of Hunters. Adam Setliff, Flower Mound, TX, and David Rock, Providence Forge, VA, noted the role of a Discovery II in the movie Knock at the Cabin.

Catalog and online clothing companies always enjoy adding Land Rover imagery to their product promotion. Jesse Smith [see Rule #6] enjoyed seeing the Land Rover pickup on the home page of the Hong-Kong based GRs website. Matt Coats, Portland, OR; Jim Piccinini, Delmar, NY; and KC Jones, Santa Ana, CA, noted that the US/UK company Free People shot their Fall catalog in Iceland, featuring one of the many Defenders that populate the country. James Hutchison, Cambridge, MA, [see Rule #6] enjoyed seeing a Land Rover in a Territory Ahead catalog. Christian Cartner, Tampa, FL, spotted the UK’s Chiltern Chukka boots promoted in the Crockett & Jones online catalog, with the model standing on the wing of Defender 90. Cloudveil uses a RHD Defender prominently on their webpage and email blasts, noted Darin Honey, Lake Oswego, OR, and Mark Kellgren, Pineville, NC, to tout their Jackson Hole roots. TeriAnn Wakeman, Crescent City, CA, enjoyed seeing a green Defender 90 on the homepage of Faherty clothing. Alec Breaud, Pensacola, FL, appreciated the Range Rover Classic in the Mizzen & Main catalog. Lisa Monish, Pensacola, FL, liked seeing the UK Defender at work for a rescue service in a Section Hiker online catalog. Hans VanLancker, Milton, MA, noted the Series III canvas top prominently displayed in the Alp & Meter catalog. Donald Ziolkowski, serving in the armed forces overseas, received the latest Duck Head catalog and spotted a Series III.

Automotive-oriented publications, print or online, naturally care about the unique qualities of Land Rovers. P T Schram, Churubusco, IN, enjoyed glancing through a copy of The Shop and saw a Series Land Rover. James Hutchison, Cambridge, MA, appreciated the Land Rover digital artwork by UK citizen Katie Hounsome. General interest articles often include references to Land Rovers to draw in readers. P T Schram, Churubusco, IN, spotted the Defender 110 in an article in the British publication The Guardian; he also spotted an article discussing mobile amateur radio problems on QRZ.com.

In an ad for the Salishan Coastal Lodge that appeared in the magazine 1859, the lodge used a Land Rover to capture eyeballs, noted Ozir and Zeeshan Faruqi, Beaverton, OR. David Tow, Tualatin, OR, spotted a “rover in a Rover” – a topless Series I with a happy dog in it. Wendy Zaremba-Just, Berkley, MI, liked the Land Rover in a Torrid Clothing photo. Aubrey Taylor, Raleigh, NC, noted an ad for a DJI drone that used the flat wing of a Defender as a launch point. P T Schram, Churubusco, IN, spotted a Defender 110 in an Indeed.com ad. Joe Cole, Powell, OH, saw a Land Rover in The Scout Guide / Columbus.

In an unusual Sighting, Pippa Finnegan, Wyndmoor, PA, noted that a Partsvia truck traveling the Pennsylvania Turnpike had a RoW Land Rover 90 on the side of the truck body. Jason Sheehy, Mount Sterling, OH, found a $125 Colle Defender 90 candle. The annual Nantucket Christmas Stroll parade included a Land Rover all the way from Bozeman, MT, noted Colby Lowe. Don Seder, Dacula, GA, stopped at a Buc-ees in Texas and noted some fine Land Rover toys. “Does [the Sighting] have to be a real Land Rover?” Yes. Michael Stalker, Slingerlands, NY, saw a mention and a photo of the Wylder Windham Hotel’s Land Rover in a Yahoo.com Finance article. P T Schram, Churubusco, IN, saw what appeared to be a Range Rover Sport or a Range Rover Evoque being driven across the court by a Butler University mascot during a televised game. Eric Lowe lives in “land-locked Bozeman, MT, but during a trip to Kona, HI, he found a Land Rover Nantucket Surf Club hat – “doubling my collection.” Abigail Block, Hadlyme, CT, follows an Instagram account @thenordicbarnhouseproject, and was happy to see a Land Rover in one of the photos.

We’ve mentioned these before, but thank the Sighters who remind us of the popularity of Land Rovers. James Thompson, Rockwood, PA; Danny Finnegan, Wyndmoor, PA; Leighton Dowdle, Marion, NC; Will Skidmore [See Rule #6]; Dill Badger, Manchester Center, VT; and Stephen Greene, Gouldsboro, NC, liked seeing the L L Bean catalog with the Land Rover on the cover. Ford Lowery, League City, TX, caught the high desert Defender in a Marriott Courtyard promotion. Bill Badger, Manchester Center, VT, and Leighton Dowdle, Marion, NC, liked seeing the ex-MoD Defender from Orvis in his inbox and catalog; Jim Hutchison, Cambridge, MA, also noted that the Orvis catalog featured a Defender 110 on the Barbour clothing pages, and that Territory Ahead included a Land Rover in their catalog. Steve Oliver [see Rule #6] noted the split windshield and rear bulkhead in a Fjall Raven online advertisement. Dan Mullholland, Alamo, CA, enjoyed seeing the Defender in a 5.11 Tactical Equipment online ad. David Rock, Providence Forge, VA, reminded us of the Defender 110 three-door in a Marriott commercial. Ian Marshall, Harpswell, ME, applauded the Land Rover on the cover of Yankee Magazine. Kevin Kelly, El Macero, CA, and Brandon Montgomery [see Rule #6] enjoyed seeing the Range Rover Classic in the Peter Millar catalog. Nicholas Pistolakis, Point Pleasant, NJ, and Joe Cole, Powell, OH, noted the Huckberry Instagram posting of a Land Rover. Edward Roach, Kingston, MA, enjoyed seeing the “tricked-out Rover” at the 2002 Snowbound Expo in Boston. Joseph Stephens, Montgomery, AL, enjoyed the oft-cited Defender at Stonehenge. Adam Setliff, Flower Mound, TX, is happy to see B F Goodrich still using Defenders in their tire ads. Danny Finnegan, Wyndmoor, PA, and Nicholas Pistolakis, Point Pleasant, NJ, saw a Land Rover in Season 2, Episode 3, of Jack Ryan. Erik von der Hoff, Rogers, MN, enjoyed perusing old magazines to find an image of “our favorite Land Rover of all time,” a Range Rover Classic. Ray Sisk, Hope, ME, spotted a RHD Defender 110 in a Singapore Airlines ad.

Winners: