It’s no secret that I am, was, and shall always be a “Jeep Guy.” As outlined in Season 2, Episode 2 of the Echoes of Adventure podcast, the LS LJ is my 8th Jeep. Since then I’ve added the ’06 LJ “stock+” build, which is the 10th Jeep I’ve owned (so far). In the family there have been an additional seven Jeeps over the years. That said, I have never been exclusively a Jeep owner. I’ve owned a few cars, most notably my 1990 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe when I was in college, and most infamously my Chrysler Sebring; oh and even a truck. I think everyone at one point has owned a Ford Ranger. Anyway, despite the litany of vehicles that have passed through my driveways over the years, and despite them be mostly Jeeps, I am still a pretty open-minded person when it comes to vehicles. I drew a lot of inspiration for my LJ build from the iconic Land Rover Defender 90’s and 110’s. Those chonky European utilitarian 4×4’s, combined with equally utilitarian American 4×4’s like the CJ8 Scramblers of the 80’s is why I fell in love with the longer wheelbase two-door LJ’s when they first came out in 2004. Modern comforts with classic utilitarian features. At any rate, when the phone rang early last week asking if I was able and willing to go to a Land Rover event in New York I emphatically agreed without any hesitation.
The signs were subtle like only 3′ tall letters could be subtle
So, how did a self-professed “Jeep Guy” end up behind enemy lines at a Land Rover event? Well, I was there on behalf of Tread Lightly!. The event in question was Destination Defender and was put on by Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, PLC which is the parent company of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. This event was a lifestyle event encompassing all things not just Land Rover but specific to the Defender series of vehicles that have become the flagship model of the Land Rover brand over the years. This is very similar to how the Wrangler has been the flagship vehicle for the Jeep brand ever since Jeep was a brand. Just like with Jeep having the CJ, aka “Civilian Jeep” prior to the Wrangler nameplate it was given in the 80’s, the Land Rover Defender has it’s roots in what are known as the “Series” vehicles. Just like CJ’s of the late 40’s and 50’s which were born out of WWII, so were the early Land Rover Series I, II, and III vehicles. Also, just like with early Jeeps, early Land Rover Series vehicles were purely utilitarian and were used on farms and around town as work trucks. One of my all time favorite early Land Rovers was the Series II “Forest Rover.”
Not many have survived to the modern era
Tell me that’s the not the coolest Rover you’ve ever seen
While I could go on about the similarities of the early Land Rovers and their parallels to their older American cousins, we’re here to talk about an event centered around the current incarnation of the Defender model.
As a “Jeep Guy” my knowledge about the current Land Rover Defenders is only slightly greater than my experience driving them which is nil. So if you’re looking for information about the latest and greatest vehicles Land Rover has to offer, you’re in the wrong place. What I do want to talk about is the event itself. In a way, Destination Defender reminded me a lot of the old “Camp Jeep” series of events; one of which I worked as a Trail Guide back in 2005. It was a communal celebration about all things relating to the Jeep Brand. This event in New York was not much different; also not far from the 2005 Camp Jeep location which was in the Pocono Mountains just over the Delaware River. Music, food, activities, trail rides, guest speakers, and a showcase vehicle section all celebrated the iconic Defender nameplate. Also, like with Jeep events, it wasn’t exclusive to the Defender. I saw a number of older pre-Defender Series era Land Rovers, as well as many other non-Defender Land Rover models. That said, the iconic D90 and D110 Land Rovers were the obvious stars of the show even while their younger, newer, descendants were in the spotlight.
Righthand drive and set up as an Ambulance
Since I spent my weekend working the Tread Lightly! booth, I didn’t get to roam around the event too much. We were set up in a corner of the “Showcase Vehicle” lot adjacent to the main event area. Friday was pretty low-key just enjoying the show as people rolled in. The weather put a figurative and literal dampening to our spirits as we got a few hours of heavy rain in the middle of the day. However, Saturday’s weather more than made up for it. Sunday was a little gloomy, but was at least dryer than Friday. That said, the weather did in no way dampen the spirits of the attendees. Even when the schedule got thrown out the window Sunday, as high winds closed the main outdoor stage and a major reshuffling of bands and speakers was made, people were still in high spirits.
There were multiple bands performing from various stages around the venue
As someone who works in the music industry, it was nice to get to enjoy the music with the work
The banquet was for their Defender Service Awards
No I was not invited… Yes I did crash the afterparty – Shh, don’t tell
yTread Lightly! has a long history with the Land Rover brand. One of the coolest things that happened repeatedly over the weekend were long-time Land Rover enthusiasts sharing their various co-branded Tread Lightly! and Land Rover memorabilia. It was also fun listening to a litany of stories of various Tread Lightly! projects over the years that Land Rover owners had participated in. So many people see things like “stewardship” and “responsible land use” as being “anti-fun” but the contrary is true. By fostering a love of the environment and enjoying outdoor recreation responsibly, we not only maintain the ability for us to have fun, but we preserve the outdoors so others can have fun as well. On top of that by doing our part to protect our public lands we preserve them for future generations. That was something that was echoed by so many Land Rover owners. Now, if we can only get other brands to equally embrace environmental stewardship into their brand identities.
Topics included this talk on the Land Rover Defender Community
Other topics were on the upcoming Dakar Rally, tech-talks, and other lifestyle topics
Over the years I’ve attended hundreds of shows and events. Some in the 100’s of thousands, some in the mere 100’s. This one ranks in the top 10% of all of those shows. I applaud the organizers from JLR and the hosting event venue for putting together one hell of an event. Aside from the weather, which no one can control, there isn’t a single thing I could complain about — other than not having enough time to experience everything. If I get invited back to another Destination Defender event I’ll have to make sure to peal myself away from the booth, or classroom if I’m teaching, in order to experience some of the things I missed.
Thank you to Doug from Tread Lightly! for inviting me to tag along. And thank you to JLR for letting a Jeep guy driving his girlfriend’s Chevy van through the gate. And thank you to my girlfriend for letting me borrow her 4wd van for the weekend.
Events like this embody the mission of ECOA to Educated, Encourage, and Inspire other outdoor and vehicular based recreation enthusiasts. This event also illustrates the relationship between ECOA and Tread Lightly! in promoting responsible land use through education and stewardship projects. If you’re not already a member of Tread Lightly! you can do so via the membership portal on their website. 91-92% of the funds raised through memberships goes right back into projects. Also, consider joining the ECOA Patron Support Team. Funds we raise get used to attend events like this and others throughout the east coast, as well as support the content we create on this blog.
Disclaimer: All views, thoughts, opinions, and sarcastic tongue-in-cheek humor belongs to that of the author and should not be taken to reflect negatively in any way shape or form to Tread Lightly! or Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, PLC.
