As you can see here, the Logandale...
As you can see here, the Logandale Trail System resembles Moab in many ways. Steep rock faces are the order of the day.
Interstate 15 between Mesquite and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an interesting stretch of road. Those vehicles traveling southbound seem focused on getting to Las Vegas as quickly as possible. Those vehicles traveling northbound seem focused on leaving Las Vegas as quickly as possible. Most passengers sit behind tinted glass as they speed across the desert, tunnel vision in full swing, intent on their destination. Most are oblivious to the incredible desert they're traversing. Most fly right by the Overton/Logandale exit without a glance, totally unaware that once a year one of coolest off-highway events takes place just a few miles away.
The event is Hump N Bump, sponsored by the Vegas Valley 4-Wheelers in association with the Nevada Backroaders, Southern Nevada Land Cruisers, and Total Karnage. It takes place at the Logandale Trail System, which is an incredible off-highway area that offers wheelers an in-depth look at the rugged and beautiful Nevada backcountry. The Vegas Valley folks have been throwing this huge off-highway bash for 28 years, and it has become legendary in the wheeling community.
The Logandale Trail System sits a lug nut's throw from the town of Logandale as well as Lake Mead and the Valley of Fire State Park. The trails inside its perimeter vary widely in difficulty level. The region itself, the Moapa Valley, has a fascinating history. Archeological finds indicate that the region was occupied by Indian civilizations as early as 1,000 B.C. In 1864 Mormon pioneers settled in the area and began ranching and farming along the Muddy River. All of this is noteworthy because of the incredibly challenging terrain and arid conditions. In 1938 the landscape of the area was changed when Hoover Dam was completed. As the waters of Lake Mead rose, they covered the nearby town of St. Thomas. Today, it seems like the Moapa Valley is thriving, and its towns are showing signs of growth.
We had the opportunity to spend a couple days at Hump N Bump '08. We've been to this event numerous times, but '08 marked a year of change for Hump N Bump because for the first time, base ops were at the Clark County Fairgrounds. This meant lots of parking for RVs, a grassy area for tent camping, flush toilets, and a whole lot less dust than the previous location alongside the Logandale Trail System trailhead. One thing that didn't change was the awesome trail rides and the fantastic turnout. As a matter of fact, more than 200 participants showed up to run the nine guided trails. This helped to raise money for the Vegas Valley 4-Wheelers and the Southern Nevada Trail Fund (SNTF). The purpose of the SNTF is to work closely with the BLM, NPS, and Nevada State Parks to educate the public, maintain a vehicular trail system, and support responsible OHV activities.
Hump N Bump offered two days of guided trail riding and a big Saturday night barbecue. There was also a huge raffle on Saturday night and thanks to the generosity of more than 40 sponsors, there were more than $13,000 in prizes.
If you want to experience Hump N Bump, keep November 6-7, 2009 free. For more info, visit www.vv4w.org.
 The one and only H3 that we...  The one and only H3 that we saw at Hump N Bump was this five-cylinder model that belonged to Tammy Ryan, aka Tinkerbell. She's a Vegas Valley member who led our ride on the Bowl Trail. |  The beginning of the Bowl...  The beginning of the Bowl Trail is scenic and docile. This trail is great for stock to lightly modified rigs because there are go-arounds at many of the obstacles. |  Flash floods are common in...  Flash floods are common in the area, so new obstacles just kind of appear, like this one next to a main road. |
 Eighteen year-old Vincent...  Eighteen year-old Vincent Napolitano made the drive from Vegas in his TJ. He says he's a newbie to wheeling, with only 3 months experience, but from what we saw he did a great job behind the wheel. |  Bob White hit the Bowl Trail...  Bob White hit the Bowl Trail in his AiROCK-equipped TJ. He says if he had to build it again he would "try to build it right the first time. It took three suspensions before I got it right," he notes. |  The Shetter Trail finishes...  The Shetter Trail finishes with a challenging obstacle that throws rigs every which way before forcing a hard left turn while coming down a steep rock face. This obstacle is notorious for snapping axleshaft U-joints. |
 One of the most unusual rigs...  One of the most unusual rigs we saw was this '75 CJ-5 owned by Brian Daugherty. He says he built it because he "couldn't find a CJ-7." The rig sports a 304ci V-8, a T-18 trans, a Dana 20 with Tera-Low and twin-stick, a Dana 44 front axle, a 14-bolt rear axle, and a custom coilover suspension. Oh, and 90-degree approach and departure angles. |  The leader of our run on the...  The leader of our run on the Shetter Trail was Joe O'Bremski in his '66 Unimog 404. It's powered by a 2.8L inline six-cylinder engine that runs on propane. It has the stock six-speed transmission and a two-speed crawler box. O'Bremski says this combination gives the rig a 350:1 crawl ratio. |  Watching Cody Crawford's '00...  Watching Cody Crawford's '00 TJ in action was awesome because it worked so well. This rig has a supercharged 4.0L engine, a TorqueFlite 999 trans, a 3.8:1 Atlas II, a pair of ARB-locked Pro Rock 60s, a Treks Off-Road long-arm suspension, Allied beadlocks, and 38.5-inch Maxxis tires. |
 Those who challenged the Shetter...  Those who challenged the Shetter Trail found themselves wheels-up from time to time. |  Roger Cantu demonstrated (over...  Roger Cantu demonstrated (over and over) that an '06 Dodge Ram Quad Cab can be a capable trail vehicle. There weren't too many obstacles he wouldn't try. |  This is the S-Curve, and it's...  This is the S-Curve, and it's the last major obstacle you'll encounter on the Bowl Trail. It's a fascinating technical obstacle that can cause major body damage if done wrong. There is a go-around for rigs not wishing to chance bent sheetmetal. |