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| By Brian Letendre | ||||
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With record rains throughout the midwest in the spring and early summer, all eyes were watching the water levels and spillway status for the 2019 Crawl 4 Christ as the days got closer. Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, at Pensacola Dam was recording a water level just over 752 feet (above sea level) with flood stage considered at 750 feet, as of July 3, the first day of Crawl 4 Christ. That level was down from 755 feet recorded just 1 week earlier. All that water meant that the rock garden below Pensacola Dam was not accessible, but God had mercy on us unworthy participants; and the Army Corp of Engineers had reduced the flow over the second and third spillways to just a small flow. Many of the rocks, obstacles and trails were all open for some fun!
On July 4, the first of the nearly 200 participants checked in for Crawl 4 Christ (Crawl4Christ.org), the annual fundraiser for the United Christian Off-Road Alliance (UCORA.org). Crawl 4 Christ is an annual family-oriented event which is centered around amazing fellowships, fun activities, and friends with shared interests in off-roading. While all the events directly included with registration are held at Green Country Christian Camp, many of our participants spend time on the trails and the rocks, testing their vehicle and modifications against the most difficult terrain in Oklahoma, and the rocks did not disappoint.
For those who had been to Disney before, said it was like their first time out as the water flows had rearranged many of the trails. The 'Waterfall' had more water flowing than I had even seen. I actually was skeptical if it was passable because of the amount of flow at the entrance, where drivers would have to crawl at an angle to the water flow before they could get the proper approach to the climb. Many drivers later proved me wrong by climbing the waterfall with relative ease. The obstical 'Little Blue' was also flowing with more water, but it too could be conquered by the brave driver, who usually came away with a big smile and a wet t-shirt. Everyone had a great time on the rocks.
Back at camp where the main events took place, UCORA expanded the offering by hosting Winching 101. This entry-level class on winching was taught by Steve Garrett. Steve is the owner of the Swampcat Jeep and has a huge knowledge on recovery and recovery techniques. Steve did an awesome job explaining not only the basics of winches and what to look for and look out for, but introduced everyone to some of the differences in recovery gear, accessories, and basic techniques to closed system winching. This class setting was a new adventure for Crawl 4 Christ and we had such a great response, we are already planning to offer it again next year and gathering ideas for classes to be held.
In addition to our first 101 class, Metalcloak joined us at camp with their CTI trailer. Participants had the opportunity to test the flex of their rigs in a controlled manner and talk to Corey Osborne from Metalcloak about what was limiting their rig's performance. Corey is a wealth of knowledge and everyone walked away knowing more about their rig than they did when they pulled on the trailer.
Finally, what is any event without the food! This year, the participants were treated to 3 meals provided by ministries partners. We ate like kings from the first day and each night after. This was not just hot dogs and chips each night, but a full barbecue meal with pulled pork, brisket, and all the sides you can imagine. Each night, if you left hungry, it was your own fault because there was plenty of food.
Overall, The 2019 event was a year of growth, and a year of firsts. It was the first time we registered over 150 vehicles; the first time UCORA officially partnered with 3 other ministries to bring the event to you as a true Alliance of Chritian Off-Road groups; the first time we extended to 4 days; and the first time we hosted a 101 class. But even with all that happening, our biggest accomplishment came on Saturday afternoon. As the family picnic was coming to an end, I had the amazing opportunity to welcome 2 new members into the family of Christ. A crowd gathered around the pool and 2 people were baptized! We at UCORA want all of our participants to know that while we enjoy having you join us for this amazing event, we want you to see and share in the love that Jesus Christ offers you and, if you desire, we are open to talk to you more about Him and can even baptize you if you feel led.
The 2019 Crawl 4 Christ was a huge success. It's a reunion of wheeling friends, families, and ministries from all over the United States. The event could not have been successful without the help of our partners in ministry; Jeepin for Jesus, JeepHer for Jesus, Jeepers 4 Jesus North America, and Christian Off-Road Association (CORA) chapters from all over the central states. We also want to thank our 2 Exhibitors; Metalcloak, who brought out their CTI trailer, and Quake LED, who helped us light up the night. A huge thank you goes out to C4x4 Online Magazine for their continued partnership with UCORA to cover all the angles of our event and provide great images we use for our rock crawlers' calendar. Finally, thanks to Project Swampcat, an amazing vehicle by Offroad Addiction and Steve Garett. Steve taught our Winching 101 class, the first of its kind and we look forward to bringing him back for years to come.
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