Spring Tide Ride

129 1101 Spring Tide Ride Airing Down Tire

Once on the beach, it was time to drop air pressure and have some fun. The sand here seemed fairly dense, and we saw very few vehicles get stuck. As expected, the sand is wet and firm near the edge of the water at low tide, and you can make good time running there if you choose to do so.

Once on the beach, it was time to drop air pressure and have some fun. The sand here seeme

Driving The Cape Hatteras National Seashore
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which is part of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, is currently embroiled in a battle over off-road vehicle use. Back in 2007, environmental groups filed suit against the National Park Service (NPS) alleging that, in part, the NPS was not managing ORV use in a way that would protect federal- and state-listed animal species. The upshot is that in the spring of 2008, a consent decree was issued by a U.S. District Court judge. This decree forced the NPS to enact a variety of rules, many of which affect those who wish to drive on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. For instance, the NPS had to establish and enforce larger closures around the nesting areas of protected species. If a closed area is violated, there are stiff consequences including closure expansions and the possibility of monetary fines and/or imprisonment for those involved in the breach.

What does this mean to you? Well, you and your family can still use your rig as a tool to explore or fish the magnificent Cape Hatteras National Seashore, but you'll want to stay abreast of closures. One of the best ways we've found to track closures is to utilize the NPS interactive Google Earth map that shows access status. This map can be found atwww.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/googleearthmap.htm. Closures typically take place during the bird breeding season from mid-March to mid- to late-August, and turtle nesting closures can occur until early November. More information on exploring the area via vehicle can be found at www.nps.gov/caha. Then click on "Off-Road Vehicle Use." By the time you read this, the NPS will be close to submitting a court-ordered ORV plan for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and the final rule is scheduled to be published April 1, 2011. We'll keep you informed. Ken Brubaker

On Saturday night, the event crew cooked up a pile of boiled shrimp and all the sides for a great evening meal. A prize raffle followed, and then it was time to enjoy a couple of campfires on a pleasant spring evening.
On Saturday night, the event crew cooked up a pile of boiled shrimp and all the sides for
Raymon and Emily Weller wheeled their well-built '78 FJ40 on the Outer Banks beaches. It's great that 4x4 vehicle access is still permitted in this area as so many other locations have cut off or severely restricted motorized travel on scenic beaches. This access has a long-standing precedence here and will, hopefully, remain open for many years to come.
Raymon and Emily Weller wheeled their well-built '78 FJ40 on the Outer Banks beaches. It's
There are a string of historic lighthouses along the Atlantic coast, and many are open to visitors. For a fee, you can often climb the long, winding stairs to the top to experience the vantage point of the sea from a lighthouse keeper's perspective. There are both painted and raw brick-style lighthouses, and it seems that each looks unique in terms of paint scheme or physical shape.
There are a string of historic lighthouses along the Atlantic coast, and many are open to

Surf fishing is popular here, and a few of the members took the opportunity to cast out a line or two while we were parked on the beach. As the tide ebbed in and out, you could see the birds come along the shore looking for fresh food swimming below.
Surf fishing is popular here, and a few of the members took the opportunity to cast out a
Allen Dickenson provided our ride for the weekend in his '77 FJ40. It's a clean example of a vintage Land Cruiser that's very near original condition. There was a plethora of Cruisers to be seen at the event. There was everything from old FJ40s to a late model 100-series, and plenty of models in between.
Allen Dickenson provided our ride for the weekend in his '77 FJ40. It's a clean example of
Greg Ashcroft is the President of Olde North State Cruisers and owns a couple of Toyotas with which he can play. For this beach trip, he chose to bring his Isuzu diesel-powered 1960 model FJ40. Of course, there were non-U.S. diesel version '40s, but this one is a hybrid conversion that was done to get a heavy-fuel motor in an FJ40.
Greg Ashcroft is the President of Olde North State Cruisers and owns a couple of Toyotas w