California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc.
8120 36th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95824-2304
916-381-8300

Contact: Jack Raudy
(530) 389-9154

Friday, Jan. 16 through Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004

GRASS VALLEY (Nov. 21, 2003) – Winter Fun Festival, a major four-wheel drive event hosted by the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs, has been scheduled for Friday, Jan. 16 through Sunday, Jan 18, 2004 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.

According to Pat Bashore, co-chair for the event, this year’s Winter Fun Festival will offer three different historical and narrated sport utility vehicle (SUV) trips and ten separate four-wheel drive runs in the high Sierra for the experienced drivers. Bashore said the Frostbite Extreme trip has been added this year for those seeking an experience in the deep snow.

"We fully expect that we will have more than 600 participants joining us this year," said Bashore, "so I highly recommend that people register as early as possible. In addition to the various trips in the snow, we will be providing great meals beginning with Friday dinner through lunch on Sunday. In our Main Street Hall, we will feature indoor entertainment and recreation for adults and children, to include a kid’s corner, videos, music and evening games."

Bashore said that she has two historical SUV trips scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 17 and one additional SUV trip on Sunday, Jan. 18. Additionally, the event features a Friday night moderately difficult run that begins after dinner and nine other snow runs on Saturday, Jan. 18 that range from the Blizzard Brigade in moderately deep snow to the Frostbite Express, a new run where participants can expect unlimited snow depths.

Bashore explained that SUV owners would not require any special equipment and stock vehicles should have no difficulty in the snow using four-wheel drive, low range. "Our experienced trail guides have selected routes that are historical significant, interesting, scenic and very safe for all makes and models of sport utility vehicles and four-wheel drive pickups," Bashore said.

The Saturday Historical Tour will take participants to a number of significant locations in Grass Valley, through the town of Rough and Ready to the famous Bridgeport covered bridge, and tour the historic towns of Goodyear’s Bar and Alleghany. Another Saturday SUV trip affords participants the opportunity to learn about the Empire Mine, tour many of the old hydraulic mining sites, dine at the historic Washington Hotel and the tour ends at the Malakoff Diggins State Historical Park.

Sunday’s SUV trip permits participants to explore the middle fork of the Yuba River, visit the historic town of Alleghany, and ends at the Graniteville Road.

CB radios are encouraged for all of these trips, but are not mandatory.

Cost for any of the SUV or other four-wheel drive trips is $70 for adults, $40 for children age 8 through 14 and children under 7 years of age are admitted free. The cost includes all meals beginning with the Friday dinner through lunch on Sunday.

Bashore said that camping facilities with RV hookups and hot showers are available at the fairgrounds. Motels and hotels are available throughout Grass Valley and Nevada City.

To obtain a registration package or for more information, contact Pat or Mike Bashore at (530) 878-1414 or e-mail patnmikeb@inreach.com.

(Note to Editors: For a JPEG photo of four-wheelers participating in Winter Fun Festival, contact Jack Raudy at (530) 389-9154 or email jraudy@foothill.net)

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California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs Inc
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CA4WDC, INC.
8120 36th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95824-2304
800 - 4x4-Funn
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