After spending in excess of four days at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, we were totally, unquestionably spent. Of course, we love the SEMA show, but how much bling can a person stand before going off the deep end? For us, it doesn't take much. It wasn't just the bling that was driving us crazy, though-it was that we were being forced to look at cool four-wheel-drive vehicles and gobs of off-road accessories without actually being able to go 'wheeling. We needed a trail fix in the worst way.
Hump 'n Bump drew scores of trail rigs, including a contingent of gonzo fullsized rigs.
So on Friday, two of us covertly fled the confines of the Las Vegas Convention Center in our Escape Pod, Project Teal J. Our goal was to find wide-open space devoid of anything shiny. We ended up on a trail near Logandale, Nevada, where we stumbled on a group of trail riders with the Vegas Valley 4-Wheelers annual Hump 'n Bump trail ride. When the group found out that we were SEMA refugees, they took pity on us and welcomed us into the group where we spent the afternoon 'wheeling and shooting scores of photos. On the way back to Vegas Friday night, we saw Four Wheeler freelancers Ned Bacon and Harry Wagner in Project TraiLex, fleeing Vegas toward Logandale. It turns out that they too were on SEMA overload and looking for open space.
Defecting from Vegas turned out to be a very good thing, both mentally and editorially. Not only did it help us fix our heads, but it also gave us fodder for a cool trail ride story. If the Hump 'n Bump trail ride looks good to you, get more info on the 2005 event by contacting the Vegas Valley 4-Wheelers at 702/561-5480 or www.vv4w.org.
Hump 'n Bump is held in the Logandale Trails System, which is a huge area dedicated to multiple user groups. This military axle-clad TJ is on an obstacle typical of the terrain found in the area. | 
Overall, many of the trails at Hump 'n Bump are fullsize-friendly. If you're not sure about whether or not you should tackle a trail, the event organizers can tell you what's up. | 
In addition to a phenomenal number of daily-driven rigs, there was a significant number of hard-core trail rigs at Hump 'n Bump. |
The infamous Rock Bottom trail claimed this FJ60 as a victim during Saturday's trail run. Don't let this scare you off, though. Hump 'n Bump offers a variety of trails, including many that have less potential for carnage. | 
Four Wheeler's resident Gangsta Staffa, Robin "Stovepipe" Stover, pilots Teal J over an obstacle early in the Rock Bottom trail. Within a couple of hours, Teal J had stubbornly spit out one of its hubs and an axle joint. | 
Project TraiLex was spirited away from its static display at the SEMA show for a little trail action. As usual, it proved a comfortable, dependable method of conveyance over the Rock Bottom trail. |
About Hump 'n Bump
This trail ride is planned and executed by the Vegas Valley 4-Wheelers, and takes place the weekend following the SEMA show. Trail rides leave on both Friday and Saturday. Camping is conveniently located at the event headquarters. This past year, Saturday's trail rides were followed by a huge chicken barbecue dinner and raffle. More than 25 corporate sponsors and supporters helped make the 2004 event a success. Hump 'n Bump offers a wide variety of trails, and they are rated from 1 to 5 in difficulty. All participating vehicles are required to adhere to NUFWA safety requirements. This year's event will mark the 25th anniversary of the Hump 'n Bump.
-Ken Brubaker