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Tag Archives: land rover challenge
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The Muddy Chef Challenge Competition
Mike Ladden of Drive the Globe shot this awesome video!
Land Rover – TITLE SPONSOR OF THE 2018 Muddy Chef Challenge
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ROVERS MAGAZINE – covers the Muddy Chef
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
On a damp July morning, a large convoy of Ferraris drove slowly in a circle around an encampment of Land Rovers. As Green Oval enthusiasts ogled the Ferraris, Prancing Horse aficionados stared at the Land Rovers. Weirder things have happened, but not many.
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
At first I attributed this alternative universe moment to the presence of the free beer from the Branford, CT, Stony Creek Brewery, free rum from the Newport, RI, Thomas Tew Distillery and free cocktails from the 13th St. Cocktail Catering. Even the restorative powers of the free Cide Road Switchel didn’t change the oddity of this moment.
This added to the sounds, sights and smells provided by the Muddy Chef Challenge, held July 28-31, in Lakeville, CT, the home of the famous Lime Rock sports car race track. Nestled in the stunning countryside of the state’s northwest corner, the track hosted the Ferrari Challenge race series that weekend. The howl of tightly wound-up engines mixed with the growl of Land Rover’s pushrod V-8’s and ticking pushrods of the venerable 2.25 L four cylinder to provide an aural symphony every morning; the noise also helped shake off the effects of the free drinks.
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
Eric Yohe created this unique experience eight years ago, a heady cocktail mixing Land Rover models of all vintages with foodies, extreme grillers, campers and off-roaders. Eric and his team also brought in vendors with enticing products and services, and not surprisingly, you find something to please most everyone. A terrific group of volunteers, including Kristen Feeney, Gene Schubert and Peter Batenaro, among others, helped smooth out the bumps resulting from the rainy weather and large turnout. Raffle income would go to the designated charity, Autism Speaks.
Most everyone in attendance had come from CT or bordering states like NY and MA—and there were a lot of them. Registrations ran well over 100 and hundreds more enthusiasts formed some 90 culinary teams. Rovers North’s Rob Smith drove down from VT in his’ ‘94 Defender and enjoyed “the sports cars racing, meeting Rovers North customers, meeting new enthusiasts and the mix of vehicles.” Michael Ladden, Hampden, MA and Carrie Touchette erected a tent large enough for a circus and for unfurling an old “West Connecticut Land Rover Club” banner (with a Yorkie for a guard dog). John Vallerand, Greene, ME, made another one of his epic drives in his Series II-A 88”. This time he packed the Rover with the largest teepee tent I’d ever seen, as well as his mother and sister. Somehow he found room for his signature cooling utensil, a round griddle the size of a manhole cover.
In comparison, my tent was the size of a beach towel which barely covered my sleeping bag and slender air mattress, but only if I lay them out diagonally. My drive from my island town in Maine totaled 7.5 hours, which included a 1.5 hour ferry trip and the muggiest, hottest, most congested drive imaginable along the interstates in Massachusetts (#nomoresummertravel).
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
I arrived at the fabled race track on a Thursday night, found my assigned camp spot and erected my tiny L.L. Bean tent. I also set up my tiny, two burner camp stove, small cooler bag and diminutive water jug, my one fork and spoon, ready to show off my culinary talents. By that evening a steady stream of Range Rovers, Discoverys and Defenders had emptied out their contents of Tent Mahals, grills the size of kitchen stoves, coolers that rivaled dumpsters in size—and an assortment of tables, chairs, vases, cutlery and linens that accompanied their equipment. All this glamping made me feel like a desert nomad marveling at the encampment of a sheik and his entourage.
Mike Chioffe, Stamford, CT works in IT for a hedge fund, but his escape comes in the form of a ‘95 Range Rover Classic, into which he’s put a considerable amount of sweat equity and overseen some restorative work. Mike’s tent and camp kitchen made mine look like pet’s quarters, but could barely compare with the Big Box Store footprint of Keri and Kieran Dunn from Norwalk, CT. Keri, who works for Vineyard Vines, and Kieran, who works for Pitney-Bowes, have owned their ‘02 P38 Range Rover for just a year; Keri calls it “one classy car.” The daily driver disgorged a tent so large you could stand up in it, complete with an inflatable, full sized double bed. A folding table enabled them to set up their propane-fueled baking oven as well as serve drinks in a refined manner. Durbin Hunter and Haleigh Lipnick, also from Stamford, brought an enormous tent, several propane tanks to fuel their cookstove and with cookware of restaurant quality. For grins they brought along a Golden Retriever with a proper name of Wellington—but who only answered to Mr. Pickles—that entertained every kid in the encampment. Adam and Rebecca Check, Bolton, MA, former winners at the event, created a movie set field kitchen behind their Range Rover that simply dazzled; I slid over every so often to see if I could mooch additional samples of their cooking.
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
You could off-road during the day, with extreme trails a long ride away in MA. Across the hills lay Dutchess County, NY, with its own quaint villages, hillside gentleman farms and country roads. It’s also the home of the Orvis Sandanona Shooting School with its own off-road trails, and Crown Maple Farms, on whose property you could also go off-roading on forest trails. Both required about a 45-minute drive and some long waits on the trails, but in the beautiful landscape, whining about it seemed ridiculous. Besides, the Orvis lodge combined stunning rifles and gear with private club levels of leather chairs, drink and food, which Tim Smith, Norwalk, CT and I enjoyed enormously. Crown Maple Farms’ buildings hid their production inside handsome barns featuring tours, free samples and outdoor dining. Each day’s off-roading also featured an “Iron Chef” competition for those challenged to cook on the fly.
If you tired of the culinary world you could enjoy the Land Rovers surrounding you. Manny Backman, Warrington, PA, and his son, Kevin, Titusville, NJ, arrived in their ‘04 Discovery II. Kevin works for Major League Baseball and takes his ‘67 Series II-A to the train station. Nancy and Vincent Chong, Chappaqua, NY, found their ‘85 Land Rover 110 on Ebay and had it shipped from Florida to New York. They painted it themselves using a roller brush and treated it to a personalized plate that reads “CLIFF4D,” as in Big Red Dog. Professional race car driver Mark Hamilton Peters, Lakeville, CT and Sophie Purdy, Sharon, MA, enjoyed the day in a ‘64 Series II-A 109”, a former NATO Belgian military vehicle with a glorious patina. Bill Schimkowski, Westborough, MA, brought his restored Sage Green ‘61 Series II-A 88”; it reminded me how nice mine would look if I would stop using it for work. Bill let me drive his and demonstrate some of its off-road capabilities.
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
Pediatrician Lin-Lin Remenar, her husband, David, and children Van, Jude and Sydney, arrived in their ’88 and ‘95 Range Rovers. She noted that the Land Rover people they’ve met come from “all walks of life.” “Land Rover owners love leads to passion, which we need more of!” She admitted to some nerves when first off-roading, but said it had become “amazingly addictive!”
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
During one afternoon event Will Hedrick gave a presentation on his efforts to help enthusiasts hold onto their imported Defenders. Throughout the event the UK firm Arkonik presented their refurbished Defenders to excite the gathering. Founder Andy Hayes has spent several years searching out 25-year-old Land Rovers for importation to the US. He calls them “pieces of history, designed brilliantly and refurbished as such.” He seeks to have them leave his shop “better than they were in the day.” Most are from Continental countries so they can be LHD for the American market. For legal importation, the 90/110’s and Defenders must leave with their original engines; for now, that means 3.5 V-8’s or 2.5 L petrol or diesels. The handsome paint jobs and custom seats (one of which would not lift to access the underseat battery) made them look even more striking and certainly added to the joy of the test drives/rides offered generously throughout the event. Client Communications Manager Jasmin Clinton spoke of the many efforts made to educate Americans unfamiliar with these models—and also enjoyed her first ever trip to the US. Prestige Motors of New Jersey works with Arkonik on US sales and became a sponsor of the event.
Muddy Chef Challenge 2016
The “Challenge” part of the Muddy Chef Challenge kept the judges exhausted. Jim and Robert Wollschlager, of Mystic, CT and Omaha, NE, respectively, won the Team Spirit Award with their twin Series Land Rovers. Lars Vigen, Madison, CT, won the Best Campsite award due to the weekend edition of a stuffed coyote [don’t ask]. The culinary competition categories included dessert, appetizers and entrees. You earned extra points for using locally-sourced ingredients (I learned that purchases made at a nearby grocery store didn’t count), in addition to numerous other considerations. Terry Jackson, Lewiston, ME, brought his winning ingredients in his ‘11 LR4. They combined to create “sashimi tuna with a soy, sesame oil and Hillrock Distillery Bourbon glaze, on a mango and roasted corn salsa bed.” Oh—no wonder my stuffed mushrooms failed to garner an award.
By Jeffrey Aronson
Photography: Jeffrey Aronson, Aimee Almstead
Photos from the 2016 Muddy Chef Challenge | By Aimee Almstead
Overland Experts / OFFICIAL SPONSOR
Overland Experts – 4×4 Off Road Mobility Experts
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For over 35 years, OEX Founder Bruce Elfström has perfected the science of off road driving. His team now prepare the best of the best of our military, civilians, industrial utility & mining employees as well as aid workers and NGO employees to drive well, go further and as a result – get home safely.
In our 3-5 day training sessions at one of our sites in Connecticut, Virginia or North Carolina, you won’t find any power point presentations, but a thorough, linear and methodical curriculum delivered on purpose designed and natural terrains in our unmatched vehicle fleet. Just take a look at a few of our reviews.
Training and travel for recreational drivers: 4×4 driving, off roading and vehicle-dependent expeditions all start with a core of 1-3 day advanced driving skills. Ask about upcoming expeditions to:
Our Military and Tactical training is hands on combining our advanced curriculum with highly experienced trainers and our extensive fleet of vehicles, which together make OEX’s training and reputation simply untouchable. Check out more photographs on Flickr
For NGOs, Humanitarian Aid, Disaster/Relief Agencies, Utilities, Geological Survey Companies, or On-Location Filming, we can help with driver training, outfitting, unbiased vehicle acquisition consultation. Our World-Wide Mobility Team can come to you when training your staff in one of our locations is not possible. Wherever that training takes place, our extensive fleet means that your staff will be trained in the types of vehicles they are likely to find on location or in the field – it’s not all about fully fitted-out 4x4s.
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Whistle Pig Rye Whiskey Review from Mouth.com
STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY
MADE BY WHISTLEPIG IN SHOREHAM, VERMONT
MOUTH SAYS…
100% rye. 100 proof. Aged for 10 years in New American oak barrels. Oh yeah, WhistlePig is a seriously strong, seriously good rye.
It’s full-bodied with great hints of wintery spice wrapped around a black pepper center. The long aging tames some of the heat and brings along the vanilla and a touch of dark chocolate.
It’s got a pretty good story, too: Dave Pickerell, longtime Master Distiller for Maker’s Mark, believed that rye was going to be the next big thing, so he went on a quest to find the best rye possible. He fell in love with an unusual 100% rye (rumor has it, it was made by our neighbors to the North, but he’s not telling). He teamed up with WhistlePig founder Raj Bhakta, who bought a 200-year-old working dairy farm in Shoreham where they began hand-bottling the whiskey. Today, they’ve built a distillery, are growing their own organic rye and are working towards distilling and aging their own rye whiskey.
Until then, we’ll just have to settle for drinking this powerfully delicious spirit of top-secret origin that has garnered rave reviews since it hit the market. How’s that for American pluck?
TIP OF THE TONGUE
While whiskey at this price is usually too precious to mix, we love this rye splashed into warm apple cider for a restorative winter warmer.
LIME ROCK PARK / Track Improvements
Last week I visited Lime Rock Park to check on the upgrades and changes to the track. Perhaps the most interesting change for Muddy Chef participants can be seen on the map below and highlighted in yellow. If you were with us last year, you may remember the hospitality tents were setup on a hillside. That hill is no longer there. The new paddock showers and bathrooms should be fantastic! I’ll post photos shortly.
Checkout the press release from Lime Rock below for more information.
Lime Rock spending millions as it builds a better competitor and sanctioning-body experience
LAKEVILLE, Conn. (April 16) – Lime Rock Park Track President Skip Barber recently committed more than $3 million to a wide variety of projects to significantly rebuild Lime Rock’s infrastructure, with a primary goal of providing vastly improved facilities to specifically benefit competitors and sanctioning bodies.
“We’re changing Lime Rock’s competitor-supporting infrastructure from pre-historic to near state of the art. And it will all be beautiful,” Barber said.
By early summer, the project will result in acres of trackside pavement significantly larger than at any time in Lime Rock’s history. The A- and B-Paddocks will be perfectly smooth asphalt and combined, there are 7 acres of paddock pavement. Both paddocks will also be attractively landscaped.
Not since Lime Rock Park’s race track surface itself was re-built in 2008 has a construction project of this magnitude been greenlighted at the famous 1.5-mile automotive and motorsports venue in Connecticut’s Northwest Corner. Some of these projects will be complete in time for Lime Rock’s season-opener – the Memorial Day Weekend Trans Am Series, and Royals Sunday Car Show, May 22-24 – and the rest in time for the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar weekend July 24-25.
“In 2008, the track itself had to get done – it was exceedingly bumpy, it needed more guardrail, better run-off areas. Now we’ve addressed the paddocks in a significant, competitor-centric way,” Barber said.
“We’re doing what we need to do – what we want to do – to ensure the track’s professional racing future,” Barber says. “Major sports car races have defined Lime Rock since the day it opened, and I’m making sure that continues well into the future.
“It’s important to note that everything we’re doing, all the changes, all the improvements… all will make Lime Rock more useful, easier to navigate, more sensible – but all with an eye to making Lime Rock even more beautiful than it already is. I have no doubt that, just in the case of our paddocks, Lime Rock’s will be the most useful and attractive in the U.S.”
Of the multitude of Road to 60 projects underway, the highlights are…
A-Paddock
To be completely re-done and much larger, plus: laser-graded-and-paved to eliminate standing water; it will be landscaped; there’ll be defined spectator walkways and cobblestone curbing; and the roadways through the paddock will be much wider. The new A-Paddock is specifically designed to allow two complete race rigs, tractors included, to park in-line – with a walkway in between – from inside Big Bend up to Victory Circle. Additionally, it will provide large and extremely efficient driving exercise and hospitality acreage for automakers as well as other ride-and-drive, press day and driver-training clients.
April 2015: A-Paddock will have an attractive retention pond behind the all-new Big Bend inside guardrail
B-Paddock
To be completely re-done: Paved in its entirety (and also laser-graded to eliminate standing water), there’ll be much more usable space.
Hospitality Acreage
Manufacturers and teams now have choice of three large areas of Lime Rock property dedicated to corporate, race team and VIP hospitality. The popular Outfield hospitality acreage remains essentially the same but the existing hospitality area in the Infield (between the Chalets) has been significantly increased in size and laser-graded. The third is an exciting new hospitality area that overlooks the Righthander and No Name Straight. “The locations of our hospitality facilities will be second to none,” Barber says. Lime Rock also has three chalets, and multiple (and recently refurbished) trackside meeting rooms.
Infield Spectator Hillside
Completely re-done: Close to 100,000 square yards of earth was moved, re-contoured, re-sloped and/or removed to dramatically improve and expand the sightlines as well as make Lime Rock’s famous “picnic-blanket-and-lawn-chair” experience even more enjoyable. Thanks to the re-working of the hill, close to 45 percent of the track can now be seen from this Hillside – with just a turn of the head.
Additionally, the Infield Spectator Hillside has been extended all the way through the inside curve of the Righthander, creating an entirely new and exciting viewing area of No Name Straight and the Uphill. The Hillside reconfiguration has also allowed the spectator fencing to be moved even closer to the circuit in many locations.
A-Paddock Rest Rooms
The Men’s Room will be completely rebuilt – designed by Sam Posey and David Moore – and the Ladies Room totally refreshed.
Handicap Access
It will be improved and/or added throughout much of the facility.
Also: There’ll be a new PA system; expanded and robust wi-fi; improved cellular service; and improvements and expansions to the other spectator areas
WINNING! / CHECK YOUR MAILBOX!
If you have registered for the Land Rover Muddy Chef Challenge be sure to check your mailbox this week for a surprise! What better way to get psyched for the event than with a surprise. We are working on adding additional challenges to the event. These might include equestrian, water, mud (lots and lots of mud) and field engineering.
RESEARCH IN RECOVERY / OFFICIAL SPONSOR
Our Vision
We are simple people here at RIR and when starting this venture we set out to do one thing.
Design and build the highest quality recovery products for synthetic winch line applications.
Design Criteria
These are what we have in mind when we design our components.
- Safe
- Strong
- Tough
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Soft shackle friendly
- Last but not least COOL!
About Us
Research in Recovery LLC is a small company in Upstate New York. Our focus is to build the highest quality Recovery Gear possible. All of our gear is designed in USA and made in USA. We believe in supporting our local community so we strive to utilize local craftsmen for our production.
To purchase any of the products on this page please visit: http://www.researchinrecoveryllc.net/
Recovery Blok
CNC machined 6061 Billet Aluminum body with a tumble finish,
300 series stainless steel axle and 4.5″ diameter polymer pulley.
Winch line capacity is 1/4″-1/2″diameter.
Working load limit is 18,000lbs.
NOT RATED FOR LIFTING!
$270.00
Line Lok
Using a winch line thimble allows the winch operator to keep a safer distance to the fairlead when spooling in winch line.
2 piece dovetail design CNC machined from 6061 billet aluminum with a tumble finish.
.875″ diameter 17-4PH stainless steel pin.
Working load limit is 18,000lbs.
Breaking strength is 38,000lbs.
NOT RATED FOR LIFTING!
There is no need to cut or splice your line when using the Line Lok thimble. Just remove your existing hook and install the Line Lok in its place.
This product accepts up to 3/8″ diameter winch line and it accepts a 3/4″ D shackle or Soft Shackles.
**DOES NOT ACCEPT D SHACKLES OTHER THAN 3/4″**
$120.00
The “Huxley”
This is our heavy duty version of a hawse style fairlead.
It’s a massive 1.5″ thick X 2.5″ tall it has a 10″ bolt pattern.
CNC machined from 6061 billet aluminum with a tumble finish.
We have also added the TEB feature(Trails End Beverage) a bottle opener machined into the bottom of the fairlead.
$85.00
RIR LLC LOGO DECAL
4″ X 4″ DECAL
$5.00
researchinrecoveryllc@gmail.com
16 Allen St Hudson Falls NY 12839
Aerial View of The Muddy Chef Challenge @ Crown Maple Estate
CROWN MAPLE NEWS
MUDDY CHEF AERIAL VIEW OF MADAVA
Enjoy a scenic aerial view of Madava as seen from a drone that was used to record the Muddy Chef Challenge III visit Friday August 1, 2014.
Muddy Chef Challenge III visit Crown Maple Syrup / Madava Farms from C. Macecsko / manic pixels on Vimeo.
VISIT THE HOME OF CROWN MAPLE
Explore everything that Madava Farms has to offer – from breathtaking scenery to artisan lunches, tours and tastings, special events and more.
NEW EVENT LOCATION AND ADDITIONAL DAY!
The seven wonders of the world – Muddy Chef Style
PHOTO: Seven Wonders of The World
What is the 8th Wonder of The World?
THE NEW SITE LOCATION OF THE MUDDY CHEF CHALLENGE.
IT’S SO BIG WE ADDED ANOTHER DAY TO THE EVENT. NOW – JULY 31, AUGUST 1,2,3 2014.
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR UPDATES – COMING SOON!
VIDEO – Muddy Chef 1 Awards Ceremony
Fred at The Land Rover Muddy Chef Challenge
Video Credit: Calef @ RoversNorth
More from 2008 Muddy Chef Challenge
The Land Rover Muddy Chef Challenge – June 6,7,8 2008 – Stowe, VT
Land Rover Muddy Chef Challenge 2013
The 2013 Muddy Chef Challenge
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