Wait... there is a Mendo Recce?

[lithium1330]

So, this popped up on my fb feed today from Rovers North... 

 

"Exploring the roads at Mendo Recce this weekend with some excellent people. This place is hard to believe. - ZG." 

 

Zack is regular on Dsource.. and decided to googled what it is. 

Turns out... it's a gathering in mendocino NF (ya, sorry if this is old news, new guy here).

So, learned a little something about Mendo Recce history (http://www.fourfold.org/mendo_recce/history.html), and found some pictures from past events; 2014 was most recent http://www.fourfold.org/mendo_recce/mendo_XX/#)...

 

There is even a picture of s S2 with a NCLR NCRC badge - which, the badge, is interesting.

http://www.fourfold.org/mendo_recce/mendo_XX/#DSC_3029.JPG

 

... and more Series than trucks with power steering! It was like bizarro world..., something I've never seen in person.  

http://www.fourfold.org/mendo_recce/mendo_XX/#DSC_3027.JPG

 

 

NCLR was mentioned a few times, though not much more details 

 

Maybe some of the NCLR founders can share stories?

[DHappel]

Nick D went this weekend.  I think he's back now.

 

Used to be only old trucks.  Basically leaf springs were good.  Coils were acceptable.  Air was right out.

 

I understand it's not that way so much anymore, but I've never been.

[Phil.]

I was on the list for a few years but never went to a Mendo Recce in my RRS for obvious reasons. I've met Granny a few times and he didn't strike me as particular about your vehicle than the rest of the list. But the group didn't do much beyond the annual last weekend of April trip to Mendo so it wasn't meeting the needs of a lot of other LR owners in Northern California...and their bias based on age/suspension/what they considered a real Land Rover wasn't exactly rolling out the welcome mat. I'm surprised NCLR is even mentioned.

[lithium1330]

re: NCLR.. that may be my mistake... typed faster than my brain worked. 

It was referring to NCRC. 

 

I suspect the leaf spring, old truck bias will slowly go away... I mean, it's like mac fan club for people with Apple II's.

Ya, what are Apple II's.   

[astateofmike]

NCRC was the club that was around and a lot of the NCLR founders were part of efforts to bring new life to the club.

 

Then there were some nasty words said about "the new guys" on the Mendo emails.  Which we all got.

 

So NCLR was formed as the NCRC did not see the vision of new blood.

Granny was an original BOD member, but soon stepped away.

 

I have never been to Mendo.  Life just seems to keep my busy.  Dan goes or used to go alot.  Seems like there is ALWAYS family, good food, good drink, great music and tons of stories. Maybe one day...

[ROVRMAN2]

NCRC was the club that was around and a lot of the NCLR founders were part of efforts to bring new life to the club.

 

Then there were some nasty words said about "the new guys" on the Mendo emails.  Which we all got.

 

So NCLR was formed as the NCRC did not see the vision of new blood.

Granny was an original BOD member, but soon stepped away.

 

I have never been to Mendo.  Life just seems to keep my busy.  Dan goes or used to go alot.  Seems like there is ALWAYS family, good food, good drink, great music and tons of stories. Maybe one day...

Mike, you are so diplomatic.

[astateofmike]

Mike, you are so diplomatic.

 

I think the intent to revive started out just fine.  I think the enthusiasm of those of us who formed the NCLR was just so overwhelming that the NCRC crowd failed to understand we didn't want to change everything...we just wanted to make it active.

 

When I was President and NCRC had gone away, I offered to host all their webcontent on the club website, to keep the history of Land Rover owners in NorCal alive.  Didn't get traction for long.

In hindsight, there has always been a cross over of the MRList/NCRC and NCLR...but never have we all been able to come together as one.  

 

So, diplomatic I remain in hopes one day water passes under the bridge finally.

[Desertcrawler]

Yes, there is a mendo recce list and some of us are on it. I am pretty sure the only event they typically do is the actual Mendo Recce - which is always the first weekend in April if I remember right (maybe the second). 

 

Good group of guys there, they pride themselves on being "not a club" -- no dues, no regs, etc. Most definitely a group worth joining and connecting with if you have an older Series vehicle. I usually check in with them when I'm asking questions about Death Valley - they have some good explorers of that region there. We have other club members who are also part of group - I think TigerDan usually hits the event pretty regular. 

 

I haven't been in many years - Death Valley over Easter break always conflicted. 

[SLOHybrid]

I went to this too this past weekend! Arthur in his trusty 109 and me in the 25th stayed @ Tiger Dan's house then convoyed over there!  what a drive!  no real offroading but scenic and lot's of old Rovers.  Bloody freezing and rainy this year there!

 

​You will be surprised how many young folks are starting to appreciate the "series" trucks and have the $ to buy them & seek out the oldest of the mark.

[astateofmike]

 

​You will be surprised how many young folks are starting to appreciate the "series" trucks and have the $ to buy them & seek out the oldest of the mark.

 

There goes this old poor man's opportunity to find one then..much like housing in the Bay Area, the tech money love of patina will keep me at bay. 

 

Lucky my One Owner "low mileage" 40th Anniversary Great Divide Edition Camel Trophy Range Rover Classic with all original parts and no offroading....will carry me through the years.

[wineryrover]

I have gone 10 of the last 11 years, always had a great time.  This year there were 41 rovers - 22 Series trucks, 5 Defenders, 8 RRC's, and 6 others including a new RR and a couple LR3's.  Oddly, only one D1 and no D2's, that is different than past years.  Some years I hit the trails, other years go to the lake.  It has ranged from hot and dusty to snowing.  Next year is the 25 year, so a big turn out is expected.  If you are interested in going and need more info, feel free to ask.  As mentioned, Dan is also a regular there.

[Swedjen]

I went up there in 2003 in my then newly acquired '90 RRC. It had the chrome plated tri-spoke dumps - big faux-pas among some. Snarkiness abounded. Didn't feel all that welcome, except for Granny. Froze my ass, then the heater core popped.  Never went back. No biggie. 

If I'm gonna' camp out and drive around, rather go to the Sierras or the Black Rock Desert. 

When Series were the only Rovers around, ( I had an S2A at the time) they used to go to the Black Rock on July 4th weekend.  That was pretty dam awesome for some kid who had never seen a real desert.

Anyone want a set of chrome plated tri-spokes? Have truck, will deliver or you pick'em. In Los Gatos.

[TigerDan]

That "Leafers Before Coilers" attitude has pretty much died out now. There may still be a few hangers-on who feel that way, but they mostly shut up about it and everyone is made to feel welcome now, even those riding on air suspension. RRCs are usually pretty well represented, an interesting evolution is that many die-hard Series guys decided that they wanted something a little smoother-riding and quieter to augment the Series as they got older, so the weapon of choice seems to be the RRC. Granny himself went from Series to RRC to LR3 over the years.

 

A little of the history behind this event is that many of Granny's (Granville) Rover buddies got together to throw him a camping/birthday party for his 50th, and it just sort of became an annual event. He will be turning 75 next year. I've known him for about 28 years, met him when I was living in Ukiah and he was still driving Series trucks. And for those who have heard of TeriAnn or have seen her website Expedition Rover http://www.expeditionlandrover.info she manages to show up about every 5 years and is planning to make the 25th next year.

 

Oh, and it's always on the last full weekend of April. People generally start to arrive as early as Wednesday, some coming from all over the country. One attendee this year drove from New Jersey in 5 days in his DI. There are various mild trail around around the Mendocino Nat'l Forest and the event culminates in a huge Potluck on Saturday night.