Gas prices are getting pretty nuts in California. My esteemed colleague Peter Nelson invited me out to Hungry Valley for a spot of offroading in a loaner Land Rover Defender 90 and I originally wanted to take my dad’s Ram 1500. I drove it about 100 miles earlier that week and realized that it takes the GDP of a small island to drive it anywhere so I did what any sane person would do: take my lowered BMW sport sedan to an off-road park.
- Car: 2004 BMW 330i ZHP
- Location: Hungry Valley SVRA, Gorman, CA
- Photog: Chris Rosales (me; @chrishasacamera on IG)
- Camera: iPhone 11 Pro Max
Granted, I didn’t take the car that far into the park. I followed Pete down about three miles of two-lane dirt road where I made copious dust and oversteer with my meager 235 horsepower. Not that the lowered suspension of my car felt at all happy with the washboard sections, or the entire road really.
Even though I was slightly worried about breaking my car or rattling something important loose, I soldiered on and had some fun totally taking my car out of its normal context. In fact, it might have been the most important bonding moment the car and I had.
This car has been a difficult one to own. But something about getting it super dirty, dusty, and taking it somewhere it doesn’t really belong helped me sympathize and love the car a bit. Also, it looks super cool in mini-Dakar livery with all its dirt.
As big as we could get it:
