By Martin Liptrot • Photos by Fletcher Isacks and Sean Murphy
Collective nouns reflect the evolving nature of our language, and when given to groups of living or inanimate objects, they can often be surprising. They give things a little bit of mystery, character, a certain je ne sais quoi. For example, there is a circus of puffins, a murder of crows, and a parade of elephants — which sounds more interesting than a flock or a herd.
So while there are fleets of cars and convoys of trucks, to the best of my knowledge, no name for a group of these most exciting and adventurous vehicles has yet been coined.
Challenge accepted.
An Annual Gathering at Topsail Hill
Each spring, the 30A Sand Rover Rally takes place in Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County, Florida. Here, owners, drivers, and aficionados of these rugged four-wheelers gather and swap stories about their on-road and off-road exploits.
Perhaps this could be the gathering to try and establish a collective noun for these impressive vehicles. But what should it be?
What is important to recognize when searching for a suitable collective noun is that it isn't going to be just about the vehicles — it's very much going to be about the lifestyle they promote and represent. The 30A Sand Rover Rally recognizes that although it is ostensibly a gathering of beach cruisers, it is so much more than simply a car show.
Sure, the event welcomes more than 100 Land Rovers, Broncos, Jeeps, classic dune buggies, vintage military vehicles, and assorted beach cruisers. But there is also live music, food trucks, and family- and dog-friendly games and challenges for all. So pure petrol-head names like a Rattle, a Rust, or a Backfire can probably be dismissed.
Slow Down, You're Here
And to prove the point: while the designated drivers are at their campsites polishing their chrome, greasing their flanges, and inflating their super-sized tires ahead of the weekend's event, fans of the beach cruiser lifestyle attend a kickoff party on Friday evening, sponsored and hosted by Grayton Beer Company, a local craft brewery.
"People who love having the wind blow in their hair as they ride in an open-top four-wheel-drive vehicle on the beach are our kind of people too," said Grayton Beer Company's head brewer and COO, Tyler White. "They want to have fun, live life to the fullest, and enjoy every moment. We brew a range of beers to complement those times and are looking forward to welcoming fellow beach lovers from across the country to the 30A Sand Rover Rally. Our brewery motto is 'Slow Down, You're Here' — I think that rather fits this event perfectly."
Then the Serious Off-Roading Starts
On Saturday, the beers are put away and the serious off-roading business starts.
"Santa Rosa Beach features over 25,000 acres of protected land to explore, including Topsail Hill Preserve, the venue for our rally this year," said 30A Sand Rover Rally event director Daisson Hickel.
"It is a privilege to be partnering with the State Forest and Park Ranger teams to host this event and, of course, with that privilege comes responsibility too. All drivers are reminded to be courteous to other drivers and to respect state property," Daisson said. "All activities adhere to the tread-lightly principles of off-roading, and vehicles are only allowed on numbered roads previously identified and agreed with State Park authorities.
"Our drivers have a lot of love for their vehicles and the backwoods environment, so we remind them, please take it slow and easy. Don't feel pressured to venture onto narrow trails. There are plenty of regular dirt roads to explore."
Heroes of the Off-Road
When the dirty business is over and the vehicles return to the rally site, there's a chance to swap stories again and interact with heroes of the off-road, Land Rover, and extreme travel community.
Four-wheelers get to listen in awe about the two-wheel exploits of Azure O'Neil. Since leaving corporate America, Azure has traveled through 31 countries, including a multi-year journey on her 1989 Honda Transalp, which took her from coast to coast and top to bottom of both North and South America.
And those who dream of participating in mammoth off-road, pan-continental races can swap notes with Bill Burke, who was chosen from more than 2,000 applicants to be one of the two-person team representing the USA in the Camel Trophy — often called the "4x4 Olympics" — a grueling 1,200-mile rally through Burundi and Tanzania's Great East African Rift Valley.
And what would a rally be without prizes? There are trophies for cabinets and decals to be applied to vehicle bumpers, awarded for a range of achievements including Muddiest Ride, Coolest Vintage Land Rover, and the Long Distance Rover Award for the participant who traveled the furthest to attend.
So, What Should We Call Them?
It has to reflect the adventurous nature of the people who pour so much effort and resources into these off-roaders. It needs to capture the rugged determination to get over the next hill or to ford the next stream. And it has to reflect the good humor and never-say-die attitude of the participants, for sure.
So how about an Exhilaration of Sand Rovers?
Originally published in Beach Happy Magazine, Volume 8 (Spring 2022). Story by Martin Liptrot. Photos by Fletcher Isacks and Sean Murphy. Dates and details reflect the 2022 rally.
