For most of this century, the good ole boys at Yamaha have been putting on an event for the media that is a little different than what other OEM’s do when they are releasing new units. In past years, it was called “Goons in the Dunes” but this year it was changed to a more official sounding event and they went with the Yamaha Sport SE Dune Adventure.

Can you say roost?! Both of these Yammy’s have all the power you need to send a roost like this. The stylish combinations of the Special Editions look great in the sand.

Nothing changed other than the name. We still met for an early breakfast on the way to the Glamis dunes and camped in RV’s while we were out there. The event itself is very different than other OEM events we are often invited to attend. Normally we have half of one day to scramble to take photos of units and in some cases we have to double up with editors from other publications and share the units, in extreme cases we’ll even photograph each other in action on quads to save time.

Side hilling can be lots of fun, but it’s something that takes getting use to. When you have knobbies, it’s real easy to slide sideways and the roost can look pretty impressive. Just don’t expect to have maximum traction without paddles.

Steve Nessl, the Press Relations Manager for Yamaha sees to it that we don’t have any of these problems. Not only did we have plenty of YFZ’s and Raptors to choose from, but the event goes on for two days, so we have lots of time to be creative or just have fun with the machines. (Which is often what ends up happening). For those who aren’t in a hurry to leave and are local, Nessl will let some media use the units into half of a third day.

The flamed YFZ looks just as good in flight as it does in turns or climbing a dune. The real question here is; if you get a quad with a graphics package as cool as this, you have to have gear that looks the part.

This was the first year we didn’t have the ever so (dune) popular Banshee to play with. No body seemed to miss it too much, because we all enjoyed the power from the YFZ’s and Raptors. And with four strokes now dominating the sport market, it’s something we’ve all had to except. The Special Editions have few differences, from the standard units. The colors and graphics are quickly noticeable, but the only other differences are their shocks, you get a slightly upgraded shock with SE units.

Believe it or not, there are some people who prefer duning without paddle tires. This YFZ had no problem with traction climbing Hill #5 (about 300 ft tall) with a rider under 180 pounds with stock tires. The black and red has a stealthy look about it, almost what you’d think Val Kilmer would have for his Batman character.

Part of what makes this event so much fun is the location. For those who live in the Midwest or even East coast, a trip to the dunes is something to look forward to, and for it to be held at the biggest dunes of all…is a special treat. With tens of thousands of acres to ride, the biggest concerns are getting lost and running out of gas. So we always top off with gas and ride in packs. And since this event is held in the middle of the week, we never had to worry about crowds of people that might be in our back grounds when we  take photos. This Yamaha event is something many of us media types look forward to each year. It’s long enough for us to get the job done and have a good time while doing it, not to mention spend a little time with our counter parts in journalism and talk about our favorite subject…ATV’s.

Looking inside the 28ft toybox, it also has a bedroom up front, just past the bathroom. You can see how easily a group of six people could sleep here. If a couple didn’t mind taking the floor under the back bunk, you could fit a total of eight people.

Something else that makes this such a fun trip is the people. Nessl may be the Yamaha PR guy, but get him in the sand and you’ve never know he wears a shirt and tie to work. The same goes with Patrick Biolsi who also works in the ATV division of Yamaha. You’ve got to be one skilled rider to pass this guy in the sand. We’ve used him for a photo jockey a couple of times and have always been pleased with our results.

Most people will agree that 5th wheel models have more head room and storage area. If you’re looking to stay for a week or more, this might be the way to go. You also get a discount if you book 5 days or if you group rents three trailers or more.

It wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t give Yamaha and Steve Nessl some extra credit for coming up with this unique game plan to introduce their products to the media in such a fun way for us to enjoy. More to the point, if you’ve ever camped in the dunes, you know how windy it can get at times. Can you believe we had full size Toyhaulers to stay in while we were out there? A local company called CampnStyle has RV’s that they actually deliver to the various spots where people camp. All we had to do was bring a sleeping bag and pillow and the rest was taken care of! We probably enjoyed the luxury of RV’s more this year than previous years because this year the wind was blowing over 25 mph most of the day. This gave us a place to escape the windy conditions and enjoy our meals in comfort, not to mention a cozy place to download all our photos. Best of all, the RV’s gave us a place to shower and clean up after spending half the day in blowing sand. Sleeping in a warm trailer apposed to a tent was also a notable plus.

Most people will agree that 5th wheel models have more head room and storage area. If you’re looking to stay for a week or more, this might be the way to go. You also get a discount if you book 5 days or if you group rents three trailers or more.

If any of you are planning a trip west, rest assured you’ll be in good hands with Scott and Shelly Keefe and their group of guys at CampnStyle. This is a company that started with five trailers three years ago and through hard work and customer satisfaction now have 25 units to offer. Their fleet of trailers can accommodate many sizes of families and wallets. They start at a 26ft for $189 a night to the mighty Full Throttle 40 ft 5th wheel at $399 a night. Keep in mind, these trailers can sleep six or more and if you’re traveling with a group of friends, you can divide the cost up among you. Call (877) 965 RENT or visit www.campnstyle.com for more info. Scott did tell us to pass on that if you want to book a holiday weekend, you should call no later than two months ahead of time. They’ll take reservations up to one year in advance.  And if that wasn’t enough…how about including a Yamaha Rhino in your rental? The local RV storage and service (Dune Edge Storage) now has Rhinos to rent. So, you could have a Rhino waiting for you inside your toyhauler when you get arrive at the dunes! How cool is that?

The Full Throttle model is the biggest in their fleet. This is what some would call the Presidential sweet in the dunes. It has a hidden bunk above the rear garage, with a privacy curtain and a kitchen that would keep the best chef busy. If that wasn’t enough, did you notice the big TV on the wall?

For those of you who may not be RV trailer savvy, they give you an in-depth walk- through before leaving you with the trailer. This way you understand all of the operations of the unit and have some peace of mind about what you’re sleeping in.

All in all we had a great time at this years Yamaha SE event. The name may have changed a little, but the strong winds is the only thing we could have done without. Our thanks go out to all who had a hand in putting in on and we look forward to next year!