While alone in the desert a few months ago I began thinking about King of the Hammers and how over the past decade I have always wanted to attend. Although I was aware that the event was held in Johnson Valley, California, I was not sure what time of the year, so I promised myself to check as soon as I had cellular service again. A day or so later I had a sniff of weak service at a high elevation and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that KoH would be taking place the last few months in January this year, and there was a high probability I would be only a few hours away. I looked up and smiled to Heaven, thanked the Lord for another amazing adventure, and ordered my ticket!
Men - I have been here at KoH for the past week and would encourage all to join me as the big races are this Friday and Saturday. Estimates suggest there are already 60-80,000 fun loving folks around me camping on BLM land in the valley, and everyone is having fun. With many more adventurers and fans arriving daily, the crowd is expected to surpass 100,000 for the weekend. King of the Hammers is largely centered on an interesting hybrid style of desert racing which includes 100+ mph blasts through the desert, and extreme rock-crawling through areas with names such as Backdoor, Chocolate Thunder, Jackhammer, Sledgehammer, Wrecking Ball, etc.
As others have suggested, KoH is a bizarre combination of the old days of Burning Man and Mad Max with a bit of carefree, reckless, and self-destructive dose Americana spicing it up!!!
Below is a map of the 200-mile Race of Kings and down in the center, slightly off to the left, is Hammertown.
Hammertown is the somewhat mythical desert oasis where all things radical and mechanical assemble to spend a few weeks together. Manufacturers include big names like Ford and Toyota, specialty companies like Currie Enterprises, Kenda tires, Optima batteries, and King Shocks. It's like a candy store for big boys who like very cool toys. Side-by-side manufacturers such as Can-Am and Polaris offer free test rides while other companies such as Monster provide an amazing shaded viewing area at the start/finish line with free energy drinks. If you are wondering why you are not here, so am I - there is still time for you to arrive before the big races in a few days.
Some may have noticed the screenshots above and below are from OnX Offroad and not my normal Gaia GPS navigation software. As many of you know, I am always searching for the optimum solutions for my particular style of overland adventure and although I currently am using some of the finest gear available, I am always looking for better pieces, and am willing to consider and experiment with others. OnX was here, and Gaia was not. On top of that, OnX had all of the navigation info for Hammertown and the Race of Kings available for free. After meeting with OnX and discussing their current product line I was very happy to hear that like Gaia, their program would now integrate with Android Auto so I am able to display the map and navigation information on my factory RAM 8.4" Uconnect touch-screen. Decision made, order placed.
One of the more interesting parts I was able to examine was this Jesse Haines Fabrication portal set on display at Branik Motorsports. These are an improved portal axle hub based off the original HMMWV design used for the military. It was fun to hang around with the guys at Branik and learn more about axle modifications such as this.
Since I was attending as a spectator and not a competitor, my pass would not permit me to explore the pits to interact with the teams and manufacturers supporting them. A few people who I had worked with previously were able to make some changes and presto, I was now in the pits seeing all sorts of cool things and talking to the men who make it all happen. Here is an interesting motorcycle rolling on some massive Mickey Thompson tires.
I bumped into the team at Sherpa Motorsports and was invited to an event later that same evening. Between the time I departed and arrived again, they had blown a motor, sourced a replacement, removed the destroyed one, and had the replacement installed and were connecting the last few wires. All this while entertaining myself and others with a tour and food from an amazing overland chef. I wish Sherpa the very best and had a great time with the guys. Thank you Sherp!
For those interested - here is an interior shot off one of their rigs - all business in here folks!
Another group who I met with, and was invited to a VIP event, were the folks from King Off-Road Racing Shocks. I didn't bring my camera to the event since I really wanted to focus my time and energy on meeting other race teams and key manufacturers, to listen and learn. I must say, the professionalism at King was at the highest level and I had a great time. It was an open bar combined with the absolute best tacos I have ever had outside of Mexico. I was able to sit down at the table and talk with iconic men that have been competing here at KoH since the earliest days. We shared stories and smiled at the endless similarities between all forms of racing regarding competition, compassion, sportsmanship, and deadly duels on the track. So many great folks everywhere I turned.
When the sun goes down, many head to the hills to spectate, and watch others spectators compete in informal competitions. The shots below were at Chocolate Thunder and represents a very small piece of a much larger pie. If I would have zoomed out the picture would have been difficult to understand but there were hundreds of vehicles attempting the climb and countless thousands of spectators lining the rocky hills to the side. In short, it was complete mayhem with engines revving to red line, fans screaming and throwing beer cans, vehicles crashing into and crawling over each other. This was pure and undiluted Americana and it happens every night on multiple hills around Hammertown.
In this scene, a girl jumped out of the blue truck and hopped up onto the surround rock to confront a male spectator who had thrown something into the rig and apparently struck her. Once the offender was identified, she hauled back and punched him so hard in the face he collapsed and tumbled down the rock - the crowd went wild. She and her boyfriend hopped back into the truck, revved the engine, and lurched up over the obstacle spitting smoke, sand, and rock.
In this scene - a truck had been crawling up an obstacle and after being unsuccessful in several attempts, the crowd began to boo and taunt the driver, shining flashlight into his eyes and dazzling him with lazers to distract him. It appeared the driver became frustrated and really put the hammer down which resulted in his truck pointing to the sky and rolling over. I'm not sure if he was strapped in but when he crawled out it was obvious he was in a fight or flight scenario where his brain stopped working while his arms and legs took over like an unthinking animal - he crawled out over top of his wife and collapsed to the ground just outside the truck. The look on his face was unforgettable. Immediately, the crowd organized a rescue exercise and within a few more minutes the truck was successfully being recovered by anonymous fans.
Here is my closing shot for now of the truck being driven out by a random bystander. At King of the Hammers, you are simultaneously able to view the most intense competition where lives are literally at stake, just a few feet in front of you, while at the same time, watching people who have never met or spoken with each other, risk their lives to perform dirty, dangerous, and potentially deadly acts of compassion. Here are two short videos (one and two) that provide some additional insight into just what goes on here in Johnson Valley.
I encourage you to come to Hammertown, hang out with super-cool people, and for once in your life, see things that others have only dreamed of seeing.
Men - I have been here at KoH for the past week and would encourage all to join me as the big races are this Friday and Saturday. Estimates suggest there are already 60-80,000 fun loving folks around me camping on BLM land in the valley, and everyone is having fun. With many more adventurers and fans arriving daily, the crowd is expected to surpass 100,000 for the weekend. King of the Hammers is largely centered on an interesting hybrid style of desert racing which includes 100+ mph blasts through the desert, and extreme rock-crawling through areas with names such as Backdoor, Chocolate Thunder, Jackhammer, Sledgehammer, Wrecking Ball, etc.
As others have suggested, KoH is a bizarre combination of the old days of Burning Man and Mad Max with a bit of carefree, reckless, and self-destructive dose Americana spicing it up!!!
Below is a map of the 200-mile Race of Kings and down in the center, slightly off to the left, is Hammertown.
Hammertown is the somewhat mythical desert oasis where all things radical and mechanical assemble to spend a few weeks together. Manufacturers include big names like Ford and Toyota, specialty companies like Currie Enterprises, Kenda tires, Optima batteries, and King Shocks. It's like a candy store for big boys who like very cool toys. Side-by-side manufacturers such as Can-Am and Polaris offer free test rides while other companies such as Monster provide an amazing shaded viewing area at the start/finish line with free energy drinks. If you are wondering why you are not here, so am I - there is still time for you to arrive before the big races in a few days.
Some may have noticed the screenshots above and below are from OnX Offroad and not my normal Gaia GPS navigation software. As many of you know, I am always searching for the optimum solutions for my particular style of overland adventure and although I currently am using some of the finest gear available, I am always looking for better pieces, and am willing to consider and experiment with others. OnX was here, and Gaia was not. On top of that, OnX had all of the navigation info for Hammertown and the Race of Kings available for free. After meeting with OnX and discussing their current product line I was very happy to hear that like Gaia, their program would now integrate with Android Auto so I am able to display the map and navigation information on my factory RAM 8.4" Uconnect touch-screen. Decision made, order placed.
One of the more interesting parts I was able to examine was this Jesse Haines Fabrication portal set on display at Branik Motorsports. These are an improved portal axle hub based off the original HMMWV design used for the military. It was fun to hang around with the guys at Branik and learn more about axle modifications such as this.
Since I was attending as a spectator and not a competitor, my pass would not permit me to explore the pits to interact with the teams and manufacturers supporting them. A few people who I had worked with previously were able to make some changes and presto, I was now in the pits seeing all sorts of cool things and talking to the men who make it all happen. Here is an interesting motorcycle rolling on some massive Mickey Thompson tires.
I bumped into the team at Sherpa Motorsports and was invited to an event later that same evening. Between the time I departed and arrived again, they had blown a motor, sourced a replacement, removed the destroyed one, and had the replacement installed and were connecting the last few wires. All this while entertaining myself and others with a tour and food from an amazing overland chef. I wish Sherpa the very best and had a great time with the guys. Thank you Sherp!
For those interested - here is an interior shot off one of their rigs - all business in here folks!
Another group who I met with, and was invited to a VIP event, were the folks from King Off-Road Racing Shocks. I didn't bring my camera to the event since I really wanted to focus my time and energy on meeting other race teams and key manufacturers, to listen and learn. I must say, the professionalism at King was at the highest level and I had a great time. It was an open bar combined with the absolute best tacos I have ever had outside of Mexico. I was able to sit down at the table and talk with iconic men that have been competing here at KoH since the earliest days. We shared stories and smiled at the endless similarities between all forms of racing regarding competition, compassion, sportsmanship, and deadly duels on the track. So many great folks everywhere I turned.
When the sun goes down, many head to the hills to spectate, and watch others spectators compete in informal competitions. The shots below were at Chocolate Thunder and represents a very small piece of a much larger pie. If I would have zoomed out the picture would have been difficult to understand but there were hundreds of vehicles attempting the climb and countless thousands of spectators lining the rocky hills to the side. In short, it was complete mayhem with engines revving to red line, fans screaming and throwing beer cans, vehicles crashing into and crawling over each other. This was pure and undiluted Americana and it happens every night on multiple hills around Hammertown.
In this scene, a girl jumped out of the blue truck and hopped up onto the surround rock to confront a male spectator who had thrown something into the rig and apparently struck her. Once the offender was identified, she hauled back and punched him so hard in the face he collapsed and tumbled down the rock - the crowd went wild. She and her boyfriend hopped back into the truck, revved the engine, and lurched up over the obstacle spitting smoke, sand, and rock.
In this scene - a truck had been crawling up an obstacle and after being unsuccessful in several attempts, the crowd began to boo and taunt the driver, shining flashlight into his eyes and dazzling him with lazers to distract him. It appeared the driver became frustrated and really put the hammer down which resulted in his truck pointing to the sky and rolling over. I'm not sure if he was strapped in but when he crawled out it was obvious he was in a fight or flight scenario where his brain stopped working while his arms and legs took over like an unthinking animal - he crawled out over top of his wife and collapsed to the ground just outside the truck. The look on his face was unforgettable. Immediately, the crowd organized a rescue exercise and within a few more minutes the truck was successfully being recovered by anonymous fans.
Here is my closing shot for now of the truck being driven out by a random bystander. At King of the Hammers, you are simultaneously able to view the most intense competition where lives are literally at stake, just a few feet in front of you, while at the same time, watching people who have never met or spoken with each other, risk their lives to perform dirty, dangerous, and potentially deadly acts of compassion. Here are two short videos (one and two) that provide some additional insight into just what goes on here in Johnson Valley.
I encourage you to come to Hammertown, hang out with super-cool people, and for once in your life, see things that others have only dreamed of seeing.
