Scott PrestonSpring weather in Maine can be unpredictable in the best of times. A March snowstorm laid several inches of wet snow at my feet, making me dream of the warmer climate zones of the USA. April showers might bring May flowers, but for me, sick and tired of winter, April thankfully also brings the annual Rovers at Wintergreen in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia; 870 miles of driving seemed worth it just to escape the cold and chill.
First, I had to tackle the greatest challenge – registering for an event that had sold out all 150 slots in just two hours. I stooped to accepting a Faustian bargain from Jeff Aronson; write up the event for Rovers Magazine in return for a ticket.
Over my decades as a Land Rover enthusiast (and a one-time Tennessean), I attended the ROAV (Rover Owners of Virginia) Mid Atlantic Rally and made many friends amongst the region’s Land Rover gurus but never attended a Rovers at Wintergreen event. This 10th anniversary edition seemed the right one to celebrate. Thanks to the decades-long efforts of Mike Boggs, ROAV has a special arrangement with the Wintergreen Ski Resort and remains the only off-road club allowed to use the resort’s trail and road network in its off season. Indeed, we recognized and applauded the extra steps the Wintergreen Resort took to accommodate Land Rover enthusiasts over the weekend.
The 865-mile, 12-hour drive on Friday, April 19, had Jeff and I skittering up the narrow, twisty mountain road just minutes before Wintergreen’s pub, The Edge, closed for the night. With typical southern hospitality, they got us dinner and drinks and made us feel as if we weren’t extending their night before we headed off to our rooms for some badly needed sleep.
Friday dawned to illuminate a beautiful foggy haze over the hills and valleys below. Jeff and I both live along the Maine coast; we will attest that mountain fog feels more gloomy and more frightening [The Cabin in the Woods -ed.] than coastal fog [The Mist -ed.]. Wintergreen has a genuinely great market and gas station called, appropriately, The Market. Jeff and I wandered over for breakfast sandwiches and coffee to begin the day prior to the mandatory and well-attended Driver’s Meeting. The trail driving rules might seem overly strict and obvious to experienced off-roaders, but I could sense that many attendees considered the presentations and introductions helpful and calming.
The meeting gave me a chance to reconnect with several friends, including ROAV president Lawrence Michelon, Norfolk, VA, who offered me the shotgun seat in his Range Rover Classic (RRC) for the day. Friday at Wintergreen involves the final touches of trail cleanup; Jeff and I spent time trimming brush from the sides of the trails most likely to be used by novice enthusiasts in newer vehicles. It also serves to help new trail leaders acquaint themselves with the topography of Wintergreen.
The fog and chill dashed my hopes for a warmer day. Nevertheless, I had a fabulous time exploring the area in Lawrence’s RRC. We spent the majority of our time checking out the trails for their condition and unseen hazards.
Lawrence said, “I really got to know Scott from our respective responsibilities at the ANRAC Diamond Jubilee at Greek Peak, NY, last summer [See Fall 2023 issue -ed.]. What I really appreciated was that when our Trail Leaders were slammed with the number of enthusiasts who wanted to run trails, Scott and his son Harrison stepped in as Trail Leaders. He’s such a knowledgable and caring person, too. He’s representative of the joy within the amazing Land Rover community.”
I live at just 118 ft above sea level; the Wintergreen Resort rises to 4,000 ft. The combination of land temperature (chilly to me) and air temperature (also chilly) resulted in a ground fog that covered the entire acreage in a thick blanket lightly topped by a cloud cover. You could barely see 50 feet in front of the vehicles for most of the day, giving Wintergreen a ghostly aura.
Saturday morning began with the same cool, foggy weather, but promised to improve during the day. Jeff and I hustled over to the 8:30 am Drivers’ Meeting to grab the complimentary light breakfast and coffee. Once more, the groups self-identified to choose levels ranging from mild and enjoyable to truly extreme terrain. We walked outside and down the mountain, where we spotted the long convoy lines of Land Rovers. This morning, I claimed shotgun with Trail Leader Clay Ayers in his beautiful ’95 Coniston Green NAS Defender 90. Clay was the trail leader for the medium-level run – a wonderful mix of a stroll in the woods and some challenging terrain.
The morning trail run with Clay went off without a hitch, crossing several beautiful streams and enjoying the Virginia woods as the fog slowly lifted. ROAV splits the trail runs up into morning and afternoon sessions. Given the proximity of the trails to the resort, everyone had an opportunity to grab lunch at the many breweries and barbecue joints in the area and try a different level trail run in the afternoon.
Jeff spent time with Tyler Smith and Camryn Griffiths, both from Roanoke, VA. Resplendent in his ’99 Discovery TReK vehicle, Tyler led an intermediate group both days: “There were no places requiring a winch,” Tyler said; “The trails had taken a beating over the winter (we had done a lot of trail repair and clearing before the event). While the weather was generally dry, the steep, rocky ascents and descents made for some spirited driving! I was pleased to see that many in our intermediate groups were former novice off-roaders moving up to more challenging trails.”
The beautiful weather finally arrived just in time for the Saturday evening cocktail hour. ROAV staged a grouping of interesting Land Rovers on the resort’s rear deck area, with a splendid view of the mountains surrounding the property. The cocktail hour segued into
a wonderful dinner hour, followed by an entertaining raffle and auction. Many sponsors provided superb items – my favorite was a custom metal Series 109 fire pit! Although my luck did not pan out as a prize winner, I did score a great T-shirt, and Jeff gifted Rovers North hats to very appreciative kids.
The beautiful Virginia Spring weather finally arrived Sunday morning, just in time for our departure back to Maine. We need to congratulate the many volunteers who put in countless hours in support of the event: Lawrence Michelon, Sarah McCaig, David Powers, Tim Coats, Allen and Ali Kidd, Tyler Smith, Mike McCaig and David Short.
Throughout the years, I’ve made it a point in my Rover travels to explore different events around the US, as opposed to attending the same event again year after year. With its comfortable accommodations and amenities, Rovers at Wintergreen is one I’m delighted to have finally crossed off my list. Wonderful people, fun trails and great food options make Wintergreen an event I will plan to attend once again. Maybe next time I won’t have to work for my registration!