In late October every year, the southern California dessert comes to life. Not with plant life and any number of strange cold blooded creatures, but tens of thousands of riders who have been waiting patiently for summer temperatures to drop enough to allow them to enjoy their favorite pastime, off-roading.
So I joined the folks from Polaris at the unincorporated town of Glamis in the Imperial Dunes Recreation Area for their season-opening festival of speed, dust, and camaraderie: Camp RZR. Polaris produces this event every year as a thank you to their owners and fans as a way to welcome them back to the dessert and continue to build the fan base for their brand of high end Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs), the RZR.
WOODSTOCK FOR OHV ENTHUSIASTS
This year Camp RZR opened the weekend before Halloween. Taking place on Friday and Saturday, the event is the center of the universe for RZR owners and enthusiasts, drawing more than 30,000 people from every state and beyond. Wander through the gate and complete your free registration and you’ll find vendors selling everything from the latest wheels, tires, suspension systems and other accessories, to gear manufacturers with helmets, gloves and goggles to apparel companies showcasing uniquely designed t-shirts, hats, and other garb commemorating the event. There are a wide range of food vendors, a kids area with a mini OHV track, and a ferris wheel providing a spectacular overview of not just the festival, but the dunes and activity for miles around.
Polaris provides demo rides in their latest machines, in this case both two and four-seat RZR Turbo R and Pro R models. These are free of charge and are a perfect way to try out not just their vehicles, but also the sport to see if it’s right for you. The rides last up to 30 minutes and take you through some of the milder terrain in the area – creating a safe environment for beginners, while giving enough of a taste to see what these remarkable vehicles are capable enough.
Camp RZR ends Saturday night with a free concert, and this year’s headliner was the post-grunge ‘90s rockers, Everclear. The band played a full set to thousands of costumed revelers under the desert stars.
And while all of those activities are things you’d expect to find at a manufacturer sponsored festival, the one thing you don’t is a dedicated field service center that repairs Polaris vehicles for free if they’ve suffered damage in the dunes. Let’s be clear, if you show up with a busted side by side expecting them to get you running, you’re out of luck. But, if you’re having fun in the dunes and you shear a half shaft, bust a shock, or knock a tire off a rim, get in line and their technicians will get you back out there if they have the parts for what ails your machine.
THE GLAMIS EXPERIENCE
Attracting and eclectic mix of riders that range from families to hard core enthusiasts, you’ll see all kinds of vehicles cruising the dunes at Glamis. In addition to our RZR side by sides, there were quads, bikes, custom built dune cars and trucks, and dune-oriented pickup trucks like Raptors an TRXs. All vehicles that want to run in the dunes must have a valid registration or permit from the owner’s home state. If it is unregistered, you can purchase a temporary a California nonresident permit at one of these locations.
There are no hotels or other accommodations in Glamis, just a general store. Most attendees stay in campers and motorhomes, though a few hardy souls tent camp and use the primitive facilities. There are no reserved spaces, you just buy a permit for your camper, find an open location and claim your ground. Our set up was fairly deluxe, with a ring of motorhomes surrounding a massive fire pit we would enjoy late into the evening on both nights.
Our first ride (and yes, even though RZRs and other side by sides have four wheels and a steering wheel you don’t drive them) was after sunset on Friday night as a passenger in a four-seat RZR with a pro rider at the wheel showing us how it’s done. Riding at night is a special experience and I soon learned that riding sand dunes is different from the trails we run up north. You don’t just run up and down them but traverse across the crests, slaloming your way to your destination.
Our destination that evening was Oldsmobile Hill, a landmark that has been attracting and challenging riders since the sport began. It’s a 300 foot climb up a very steep sandy face. It’s busy from mid morning through well past midnight with riders on every type of vehicle taking on the challenge. Modern vehicles have very little trouble making it to the top thanks to small displacement, high horsepower engines and aggressive off-road tires, but that wasn’t always the case. In the early days, people rode the dunes in custom built buggies using frames from Model Ts and other early cars modified for the sand. It wasn’t until someone put an Oldsmobile Rocket engine in one of those buggies that the hill was finally eclipsed, and thus it receive its name. On the night we were there hundreds of riders were zipping up and down the hill, their vehicles lit up with neon whips and other accessory lighting.
RIDING THE RZR
The following morning just before dawn, I finally got the chance to get behind the wheel of a two-seat, RZR Pro R, their most powerful model and one specifically designed for the dunes. Our ride took us back to the top of Oldsmobile Hill where we were in place to greet the sun as it crested the eastern dunes. The scene is otherworldly, though slightly familiar as the Imperial Sand Dunes had served as one of the locations for Tatooine in the original Star Wars trilogy.
We rode from camp in groups of three with a professional rider leading the way. The key is to keep your momentum up and stay tight to the line of the rider in front of you. It’s two-liter four cylinder engine delivers 225 horsepower to all four wheels via a CVT transmission, keeping momentum up in this 2,200 pound vehicle wasn’t a challenge. Our lead rider criss-crossed from dune to dune and I gained confidence with every turn of the wheel. The RZR is shod with 32-inch Maxxis Rampage Fury All-Terrain tires that find grip in even the softest sand. The dual A-arm from suspension features Fox 3.0 Live Valve shocks with external bypass to keep the wheels in contact with the ground. This set up provides a ton of travel, 22.5-inches to be exact, and is adjustable to optimize it for the terrain you’re riding with four ride modes: Comfort, Rock, Track, and Baja.
Getting started is easy, just pull the shift lever into gear and apply the throttle. Instrumentation is sophisticated, but simple, providing all the information you need at a glance. Polaris offers a ton of standard features including bluetooth smartphone connectivity via a 7” glove touch screen with built-in GPS and mapping. Also standard is a Rockford Fosgate premium audio system with easy to use analog dials. Opt for Ride Command+ and you get the ability to check your RZR’s health via a smartphone app. You also get functions like group ride that tells you where other riders in your group are, post ride reports, and more. It’s all designed to make your ride easier, safer, and more comfortable.
SAFETY FIRST
Whether you chose a two or four-seat RZR, you’re surrounded by a full steel frame that along with the 4-point safety harness provides plenty of protection should things get a little sideways or upside down. You should always wear a helmet, gloves, boots, and a long sleeve shirt to protect you from the elements. Riding in the dunes is a social experience, one best shared with family or friends. I was lucky to be with a great group of experienced riders and learned a ton in my few hours behind the wheel. This was only my second time in the sand, and while I felt comfortable following, I think I’d need more time with and experienced rider before exploring the dunes on my own.
AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
Exploring the dunes in Glamis was an experience I’ll never forget, especially since in still finding sand in my gear, clothes, and luggage. Based on comments I heard from some of the top executives at Polaris Camp RZR will be back next year so you should start making plans if this is your jam. But you don’t have to wait until then. The dune season runs through mid April in Southern California, so you have plenty of time to get yourself a RZR, a camper, and a group of friends. Then get out and enjoy it.
Two-passenger, two-door, four-wheel drive off-highway vehicle
Base Price: $37,499
Price As Tested: $46,438
Engine: 1997 CC inline 4-stroke, 4-cylinder
Transmission: Automatic CVT
Power: 225 Horsepower
Gross Vehicle Weight: 2,187 pounds
Fuel Capacity: 12 gallons
