Alaska Offroad Warriers

[Donkeylips]

I hate to be the safety police here but what's up with complete disregard for seatbelts?!? :looser:

No kidding. How many times do you think it will take mullet man hitting his head before he puts on a seat belt? Natural selection at its finest.

 

[cisco]

There are some pretty strange characters on that show. I just wonder how they got picked.

I have to imagine purely on entertainment value. Put a bunch of unlikely bed partners together and watch em squirm. Also people from different demographics so there's someone to relate to and someone to hate. :D

 

[Jeepasaurusrex]

Its too scripted to watch...

 

[cisco]

Maybe I'm easily amused but I thought the first episode was entertaining. What a cool place for an expedition.

 

[Anthony1]

Maybe I'm easily amused but I thought the first episode was entertaining. What a cool place for an expedition.

I agree. :awesomework:

Where do I sign up for next year? :redneck:

 

[JAWS]

I agree. :awesomework:

Where do I sign up for next year? :redneck:

You do realize this would require wheeling :haha:

 

[Trail Beast]

I agree. :awesomework:

Where do I sign up for next year? :redneck:

Even at 20 below, Northwest ‘Off Road Warriors’ jeeped on

An interview with Carl Jantz and Rich Rudman, two Western Washington engineers who compete on the History Channel reality show “Alaska Off Road Warriors.â€

By Rob Owen
The Seattle Times

The race featured in “Alaska Off Road Warriors†began near the Pacific, south of Anchorage, and continued north to Deadhorse, near the Arctic Ocean, from June to July.

In the History Channel’s new competition series “Alaska Off Road Warriors,†which premieres Sunday, Nov. 30, two Western Washington engineers are introduced as non-Alaska outsiders.

Carl Jantz, of Poulsbo, and Rich Rudman, of Kingston, longtime friends, were recruited to bring Jantz’s 4 x 4 CJ5 “Super Jeep†up to Alaska for the man/machine-versus-the-wild race that began near the Pacific, south of Anchorage, and continued north to Deadhorse, near the Arctic Ocean.

Initially Rudman, who previously appeared on “Monster Garage,†was approached by an “Alaska Off Road Warriors†producer about competing with an electric 4 x 4 Rudman had written about on his Facebook page.[/B]
“I ran out of money and never built it, but I told them I knew someone else with a well-built Jeep who has done extreme snow challenges in the Yakima area,†Rudman said.Producers contacted Jantz, 55, a former Boeing machinist who now runs Jantz Engineering. He and Rudman, 52, co-founder of electric-vehicle supply house Manzanita Micro, became a team and headed to Alaska for the race that ran from June to July.

“They wanted some guys from the Lower 48 and that was us,†Jantz said.

“There was a lot of nervousness: ‘You’re from the United States; we’re from Alaska,’ †Rudman said of the reaction from their Alaska race competitors.

Dubbed MacGyver and the Mad Scientist — Rudman bears a resemblance to Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown from the “Back to the Future†films — for the past 10 years the pair have attended an annual off-road snow camp between Christmas and New Year’s where they drive in conditions that can get as cold as 20 degrees below zero.

“We’re used to that tough environment,†Jantz said. “I think we kind of surprised them. We’re outsiders and they didn’t think we’d be ready for the harsh environment. We just took it in stride.â€

Their vehicle, which was built in 1942, took it in stride, too.

“The challenge was to keep the rig moving,†Rudman said. That was easier said than done, particularly when they encountered mudholes and muskeg.

“Tundra is the stuff growing on top,†Jantz explained. “Underneath that is muskeg, the dead rotting plants — in England they’d call it a peat bog — and underneath that in summer is two feet of water and under the water is permafrost. So when you sink through the muskeg, you’ve got nothing [but water].â€

“The jeep likes to drive over things, not through things,†Rudman added with a laugh.

Water also proved a challenge in another setting: Driving up rivers, something the pair have little experience with in Washington (“Down here if you drive in a river valley or salmon stream, they shoot you, hang you, draw and quarter you and throw you in jail,†Rudman said). The path of glacial rivers proved unpredictable due to snowmelt.

“We camped at one spot where we saw the river bank move 75 feet in less than two hours,†Jantz said. “So the [race] course is constantly changing.â€

But despite — or maybe because of — the changes, these engineers enjoyed their time on “Alaska Off Road Warriors.â€

“For me and Carl, it’s two months of jeeping,†Rudman said. “We’re having fun. This is playing.â€

 

[Trail Beast]

I saw that. At least Carl and Rich put on the lap belts. Which is typically how I wheel too. Only put the full harness on when hauling ass.

There are some pretty strange characters on that show. I just wonder how they got picked.

I've watched it a few times now. For the most part, I saw everyone wearing their belts. But if not, That's their own risk. BFD. When the next episode releases, I'm sure that'll all come out. Since they hinted the Mullet head banging the roof and getting knocked out.
There was a little scripting. But, I thought they did a good job filming!

As long as he doesn't take the long way around, & have to back track. Looks like Carls got a chance at the $100K. I KNOW the Jeep made it back in one piece. I wonder if the other rigs made it through the whole season. :stirpot:

 

[Anthony1]

You do realize this would require wheeling :haha:

Yeah I know. :awesomework:

 

[hlb3]

Those Land Rover guys are tools.

 

[Trail Beast]

Its too scripted to watch...

It wasn't scripted at all.
It WAS heavily edited, & taken out of context though. I've been getting the behind the scene scoop from Carl. Real life, & TV are 2 different worlds.
They're shooting for ratings, & I hear they were extremely over budget.

 

[Big Rick]

What I am not understanding is if there is a hundred grand on the table and you have a chance to win it, Why isn't any one bringing anything to the table. Granted Carl brought the super jeep, which is a super tough and will probably outlast the years to come. It's also fast, but it's not a blown ls7 fast. But everybody else brought bull ****. Was there some kind of rule book that says that you can't do any upgrades to your rig, at all. Because you could be damn sure that if there is one hundred thousand dollars that I can win, I'm going to spend 90 thousand to make sure I do. I'm not going to bring out some run of the mill trail rig that wheels well, I'm going to bring out a KOH rig that wheels way better and faster and is way more bomber than any other of the competitors that I am running against. Really, look at the top truck challenge for instance. Those guys bring everything they've got to the table , and for what? a couple of gift cards for some parts that they may never use, and a trophy. I don't believe the $100,000 even exists. That's just my opinion, I don't mean to offend anybody, especially Carl and Rich.

 

[TreeClimber]

I wondered the same thing, but, judging by the crap hanging on Carl's rig, it looks like he packed everything including a kitchen sink..... so, it *looks* like they were camping out of the jeeps. This, of course, makes no sense, because there would be a production crew of 20 or 30 folks, filming, feeding, housing, etc. I cannot fathom Carl needing that much crap just for surplus parts.

I'd feel great taking my TJ up there, but, I'd make damn sure I had lots of fuel.

 

[hiwater]

I wondered about the vehicles being used in the event as well. I mean who the hell brings a vehicle that can not last 5minutes without overheating. I personally like the fact they are not using 100k rigs but at least don't bring crap to the table either.

 

[JOOP]

I wondered the same thing, but, judging by the crap hanging on Carl's rig, it looks like he packed everything including a kitchen sink..... so, it *looks* like they were camping out of the jeeps. This, of course, makes no sense, because there would be a production crew of 20 or 30 folks, filming, feeding, housing, etc. I cannot fathom Carl needing that much crap just for surplus parts.

I'd feel great taking my TJ up there, but, I'd make damn sure I had lots of fuel.

This.

I like that they used average joe rigs. Because I said KOH would turn into $100k rigs before the first race. Look at it now. If you want to win KOH you better spend a couple $100k for a bullet proof rig. If not, You're not going to win.

I'd like to run my YJ up there. Fuel would be the biggest concern. I think I would have to do a motor swap before i would run it. V8 for sure.

 

[Big Rick]

How much is the prize for winning KOH?

 

[Trail Beast]

This.

I like that they used average joe rigs.

It's all for production. :awesomework:
One episode is a weeks worth of shooting. There's still 7 to go.

 

[Mark m.]

Watched it for the first time last night. Disappointing.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

What I am not understanding is if there is a hundred grand on the table and you have a chance to win it, Why isn't any one bringing anything to the table. Granted Carl brought the super jeep, which is a super tough and will probably outlast the years to come. It's also fast, but it's not a blown ls7 fast. But everybody else brought bull ****. Was there some kind of rule book that says that you can't do any upgrades to your rig, at all. Because you could be damn sure that if there is one hundred thousand dollars that I can win, I'm going to spend 90 thousand to make sure I do. I'm not going to bring out some run of the mill trail rig that wheels well, I'm going to bring out a KOH rig that wheels way better and faster and is way more bomber than any other of the competitors that I am running against. Really, look at the top truck challenge for instance. Those guys bring everything they've got to the table , and for what? a couple of gift cards for some parts that they may never use, and a trophy. I don't believe the $100,000 even exists. That's just my opinion, I don't mean to offend anybody, especially Carl and Rich.

Its the same reason they dont invite PRO singers to the "American Idol" kinda shows.

Pros acting like pros is boring, but amatures acting like pros is entertaining.

 

[Corey Y]

It will probably end in a 4 way tie. Each person will get $12,500 for two months of being on camera.

 

[pokey]

It's all for production. :awesomework:
One episode is a weeks worth of shooting. There's still 7 to go.

Its the same reason they dont invite PRO singers to the "American Idol" kinda shows.

Pros acting like pros is boring, but amatures acting like pros is entertaining.

:awesomework: its all about the entertainment of average people and the advertising money they bing in.

 

[Trail Beast]

It will probably end in a 4 way tie. Each person will get $12,500 for two months of being on camera.

Each team got paid wages during the filming. It was a union crew production.

 

[Donkeylips]

I like how that yuppy *****ed about Carl pushing the leaning trees in the first episode and then wraps his winch line around a tree in the second. That's swell. Asshat.

 

[JesterFab]

Is Crash driving the War Wagon? Land Cruiser... :stirpot:

 

[JOOP]

Each team got paid wages during the filming. It was a union crew production.

Believe it or not but they dont get paid that much on a pilot episode.

 

[pokey]

I like how that yuppy *****ed about Carl pushing the leaning trees in the first episode and then wraps his winch line around a tree in the second. That's swell. Asshat.

Yea I noticed that as well.

 

[Anthony1]

:redneck::redneck::redneck:

 

[dfowlkes]

I'm going for the tweeker looking dudes in the open diff ifs runner:D gotta cheer on the under dog

 

[CHOP SHOP]

I'm going for the tweeker looking dudes in the open diff ifs runner:D gotta cheer on the under dog

The "Breaking Bad" wheeler! That was INTENSE!!! :haha:

 

[Toy4runner]

I like how that yuppy *****ed about Carl pushing the leaning trees in the first episode and then wraps his winch line around a tree in the second. That's swell. Asshat.

The dude is an idiot. He can't drive either :haha:.