Vermont Rovers - Spring 2025

I first met Dave Sweetapple at Owner’s Day at the Land Rover Experience Event in Manchester, VT., in 2018. We hit it off immediately. A couple weeks later we connected again at the Vermont Overland Event and our friendship strengthened at every event thereafter.

We soon decided to create our own event and agreed it to hold it at the Meccawe Fishing Club, Bridgewater, VT, with its historic clubhouse, pulled to its location by a team of oxen in 1904. The rustic building overlooks a 9-acre pond set in a bucolic landscape. The club, which dates back to 1901, included Calvin Coolidge among its members. Dave invited some of his buddies and I invited some of mine; the dozen Land Rovers looked perfectly appropriate in this setting. This first event proved so entertaining that we soon had another gathering, the Covered Bridge Run in Grafton, VT.

Around that time, Dave and I started talking about forming some kind of “club” and expanding our adventures. Through his huge presence on social media as @Vermont Rovers, Dave linked himself with what seemed to be a billion Land Rover enthusiasts worldwide. We started the Vermont Rover Club, a more formal version of Dave’s Vermont Rovers. It quickly turned into a great group of people with “Roveritis”, such as ourselves. Our members include folks from all around New England and as far away as California.

The Land Rover Experience, Manchester, VT, invites us over during Owner’s Days a couple of times a year, and that is always a good time; showing us new trails and introducing us to new people. It’s also great to demonstrate the capabilities of Series, Defender L316, Discovery 1-2 models and earlier Range Rovers. We’ve made a few runs around the southern Vermont area, exploring some old quarries and local attractions. The drive up to the top of the Mount Equinox always provides a great test on the way down for all of our old Series Land Rover drum brakes. On another run, we drove to the top of Okemo Mountain, Ludlow, VT, which included a short hike and climb to the top of the fire tower. This included a challenging trail, “Vomit Mountain,” followed by a calming lunch in Ludlow.

A couple years later, after a long winter, we all suffered from Rover withdrawal, so I called Dave and asked, “What do you think about having a Weenie Roast to kick off the spring?” Dave arranged the food end and together we cleared some trials on my land in Grafton, VT. The first Vermont Rovers Weenie Road was held that April, which is still “Mud Season” in Vermont. Not surprisingly, we spent a great deal of time recovering Land Rovers from the mire. Despite this, the turnout exceeded our expectations and the event was a great hit.

The next year, we moved the date of the Weenie Roast to mid-May, giving the ground extra time to dry out. Vermont Class 4 trails open May 15^th, which coincided with our shenanigans. There are many trails on the property with various levels of difficulty, including a power line hill in nearby Windham. We have added a swap meet to the event. People generously bring additional food and drink. Some opt to camp out on the property, for others, they choose to stay at the Grafton Inn or local AirB&B’s. We now have the annual Weenie Roast set for the weekend after Mother’s Day (May 16-18, 2025)

Other Vermont Rovers events include our friend John Vallerand’s Maine Misfits and RoverBits, held this year from August 22-24, on his property in Greene, ME. It also features some great trails, lots of food and parts galore. In September, we lead a Land Rover contingent to the British Invasion, in Stowe, VT is held in Stowe, VT., Many of us caravan up as a group, from southern Vermont and New Hampshire, taking a scenic route up 100 and picking up a few more trucks on the way.

Don Flys’s Metal Dash weekend, in Petersham, MA is another great time with parts, camping and campfire tails. This is always the weekend after the invasion.

We usually get one more run in before winter and then start planning for next year.

While, Dave Sweetapple, affectionally called Dave “LandRover”, is no longer with us, his presence is felt at all of our gatherings. We’re committed to keeping his love of exploring new trails, comradery and fun times with friends going – the mission of the Vermont Rover Club. Looking for more information? Contact Glenn Parent gproverguy@gmail.com

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