Holiday Off-Roading

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, motors revving and drivers mingling, oooooh.

Oh, you’ve never heard that particular Christmas carol? Well, maybe you should this year. Perhaps off-roading and holiday celebrations don’t seem like the most common combination, but in many parts of the country, crisp fall weather and mild winters make the holidays a perfect time to take out the rigs and celebrate what you’re truly thankful for: family, friends, and horsepower.

While poor weather in some regions puts outdoor holidays out of the question, milder climates across the country offer an ideal setting for getting out of the house during the rush of the season and taking your celebration on the road. Take, for instance, Sand Mountain, located outside of Reno, Nevada. This popular dune destination for West Coast residents has become a straight up Thanksgiving destination for many off-road lovers. People from all over Northern California and Nevada pull their trailers and campers to the sandy dune, then proceed to set up a Thanksgiving base camp that would have blown the Pilgrims right out of their socks.

Complete with quads, dune buggies, sand-ready side-by-sides and turkey fryers, Sand Mountain transforms into a community of thankful individuals using the great outdoors as the ultimate reminder of everything they appreciate in life.

For the outdoor-loving family, what better way to spend your Thanksgiving holiday than taking part in an activity that brings your family away from the television and back together? Sure, there’s something to be said for the traditional turkey dinner around the table, but there’s also a valid argument for bonding around wrenches, cooking in the camper and spending your holiday dressed in riding gear, hoodies and dusty jeans.

Being thankful doesn’t require a feast at home. What it does require is a moment to reflect on the things in your life that make it worth living: the people you love, and the activities that make you all smile. So, if motors are one of those material items in life that help bond your family together, why not consider spending a holiday on the trail, in the dunes or in the garage. Just don’t ride after your turkey dinner; you wouldn’t want to fall asleep at the wheel. Darn that tryptophan.