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Cindy Creighton
It’s Jam Time
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Larry D. Haight, Darren Fitch & Cindy Homans Creighton
It’s Jam Time
Jeeps of all shapes and sizes made the 2015 pilgrimage from all over eastern Canada.
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Larry D. Haight, Darren Fitch & Cindy Homans Creighton
It’s Jam Time
Trail Guides helped newbies through the Jeep 101 course, which had a little bit of everything.
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Larry D. Haight, Darren Fitch & Cindy Homans Creighton
It’s Jam Time
For those with more experience, tougher trails offered up great challenges.
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Larry D. Haight, Darren Fitch & Cindy Homans Creighton
It’s Jam Time
It wasn’t just Wranglers on hand.
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Larry D. Haight, Darren Fitch & Cindy Homans Creighton
It’s Jam Time
An RTI ramp provided after dinner entertainment.
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Larry D. Haight, Darren Fitch & Cindy Homans Creighton
It’s Jam Time
Play time on the teeter totter.
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Cindy Creighton
It’s Jam Time
Some of the advanced trails had some Jeeps hung up in some interesting positions.
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Cindy Creighton
It’s Jam Time
Despite a couple close calls, everyone made in home in one piece.
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Larry D. Haight, Darren Fitch & Cindy Homans Creighton
It’s Jam Time
Great events like this don’t happen without the work of dedicated volunteers.
Story & photos by Larry D. Haight, additional photos by Darren Fitch and Cindy Homans Creighton
Nova Scotia Jeep Jamboree rocks the Annapolis Valley
Planning for this year's 9th Annual NSJC JAMBOREE started almost as soon as last year's Jamboree ended. Momentum and excitement really started to build after New Years with the call out for Trail Guides and shortly thereafter, posting of the trails that would be run.
An idea reintroduced to Jam for this year was a 'Jeeping 101' course for the newbies, and anyone wishing to refresh their skills. We are very fortunate to have John Cranfield and Andre Simons as our instructors. Both founding members of the NSJC, John spent many years with Jeep Jamboree in Canada and Andre (APJ Automotive, Lower Sackville) is one of the most knowledgeable Jeep guys in the province.
One major step was left in preparation for Jam - trail clearing. Trail guides came from various parts of the province over three weekends leading up to our event. We cleared deadfalls from the winter storms, removed obstacles and trimmed back the overgrowth of spring foliage to avoid excessive pin striping, especially on the 101 trail. One surprise 'obstacle' that we came across on the 101 trail was a small pickup truck that had partially slid off the trail as the driver tried to manoeuvre around a tree stump that had fallen partially across the trail.
Thursday before Jamboree was prep day at Fox Mountain Camping Park and all the guides arrived by mid-morning. Once the big tent was delivered and setup, it was time to fill gift bags with shirts and goodies for each participant.
Jeeps and owners started rolling in by the dozens in all shapes, sizes and skill levels. We had nearly 200 participants in total this year. Thursday evening, Jeeps and their owners went through Tech Inspection and then Trail Selection respectively.
From June 18-21st, Jeep owners from NS, NB, PEI, and Ontario turned Fox Mountain, in the picturesque Annapolis Valley, into Jamboree base camp. We offered six trails in total, everything from extreme (you break it you build it) rock crawling trails to a stock friendly trail as part of the Jeeping 101 course for the newbies. One participant, from PEI, had just purchased a brand new JK two days before coming to Jam, where she promptly signed up for the course. The 101 is a perfect fit for newer Jeepers who want to learn. Not only did they learn what their Jeep could do, but also what they themselves were capable of.
Friday was cold and wet if you were on a trail, but nice and dry for the 101 classroom course under the big top. John and Andre did a PowerPoint presentation on Jeep basics and then we brought a Jeep into the tent to demonstrate Hi-Lift jack safety and winching basics. After lunch, students got to take their Jeeps on a little trail in the campground. For most of the 101 participants, this was their first time on anything more rugged than a forest access road. We had purposely placed a log across the trail and found a little rock garden to manoeuvre as well as a granite rock where each could practice spotting and guiding a classmate. As smoothly as things were going at the 101, carnage was ensuing on the trails. One trail in particular, Tia's (on John Cranfield's farm) is a favourite. When it's wet, it can be a slick, slippery trail with lots of tight turns and off-cambers. Jeeps were losing door handles and mirrors as they slid around the muddy trail and got a little too intimate with the trees.
The fun didn't stop after a full day on the trails. Friday night after dinner, people tested their rigs' flex on the RTI ramp. We had everything from CJs to YJs, MJs and XJs, TJs to JKUs, and even a WK snuck into the lineup.
Saturday was a perfect day for a trail run, sunny, not too hot, and enough breeze to keep the flies away. As they had done on Friday, the guides lined their groups up and gave a quick speech on what to expect for the day. Each group chooses a CB channel and one by one, the group’s head out for another adrenaline pumping day. The trail we used for the 101 had a little bit of everything, from steep inclines to mud and water crossings, off-camber and even a teeter-totter for Jeeps that the landowner had built years ago. It was a good day for everyone and, although one 'Pirate Ship' nearly capsized, no one really sustained any serious damage.
After dinner on Saturday, the closing ceremonies and prize draws brought everyone together in the big tent. Jam sponsors have been phenomenal over the years and 2015 was no exception. Lucky participants walked away with tires, skid plates, compressors, gears, winches, lift kits and thousands of dollars more in prizes. But that wasn't the end of the excitement...
Fox Mountain makes one mean mud pit; a 30-metre long pit of freshly squeezed, thigh deep, ooze awaited any brave soul willing to make the attempt. And attempt they did, much to the delight of the crowd, which consisted of almost all the Jam participants plus dozens of the seasonal campers from the park. One thing that people quickly learned was not to stand too close to the edge of the pit. When those guys and gals hit the throttle on their Jeeps, they don't plan on stopping. It is sort of like watching Moses part the Red Sea.
Once the stars came out and the crescent moon began to shine, it was time to relax and join friends around campfires and let the excitement and camaraderie of the weekend mellow into the wee hours of the morning. With new friendships sparked, and old ones rekindled, pacts were made to do it all again next year at the 10th Annual NSJC JAMBOREE, June 16-19, 2016.