Hawk Performance

less treacherous than the steep, narrow side roads in the area. Lucky for us, the Squamish and Elaho valleys offer some spectacular views and photo ops. Most popular would be the long bridge across the Squamish River at about the 35 km mark, and the waterfall about 5 km from the start of Elaho River road. On the way to this second spot, you’ll see some great vistas of the Elaho Canyon.

Further up the Elaho River road, there are some popular 4x4-only camping spots on the river bed. Since this is a low-water time of year we thought we might try driving out to the river bed - we weren’t disappointed! The short trail to the camp sites is a well-traveled and deeply-rutted path with a couple of big mud pits. Some playing in here was necessary - another factor of snow wheeling is the colder temperatures, so one of the Jeeps discovered that driving on a frozen mud hole sometimes means that you suddenly drop through ice and have to use a little bit of back-and-forth to get over the ice chunks and out! Once we’d had our fill of riverbank wheeling, we headed back down toward Squamish and our homes. By this time it was getting dark - and this is possibly one of the most important factors when winter wheeling. The days are much shorter so being prepared for darkness is essential. The Lightforce “Striker” quad-LED setup on

this G-class featured two each of flood and spot lenses, mounted up high for optimal beam performance. Thanks to good lights, we didn’t worry about wildlife or any other unseen hazards on our way back to dry pavement.

While I was happy I didn’t get my own rig involved in a minor trail accident, I did spend the drive home reflecting on how I might prepare for this myself. I would certainly need to add some lights to my truck, and as a precaution I would bring a supply of food and water in case we had to spend the night somewhere in the snow. With a little bit of preparedness and some well-equipped friends, you can have a lot of fun in the snow - just make sure you remember that just like on city streets, winter conditions can change everything at a moment’s notice.

TRUCK | JEEP | SUV

Travis Barker’s ‘72 Blazer sells for big money at Barrett-Jackson

Story by John Gunnell, photos courtesy of Barrett-Jackson

Rock and roll stars and special cars seem to go together naturally. “Rocket 88” was the name of a 1951 tune that is generally credited with being the first rock and roll song. Cars with names from “Maybelline” to “Little Nash Rambler” made the Top Ten charts. Elvis loved his tail-finned Cadillacs and John Lennon had his psychedelic Bentley.

Rock and roll drummer Travis Barker also had a customized ’72 Chevy Blazer in his car collection–or at least he had it until the recent Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. He sold it there for $93,500. We have to believe that is now the world’s record price for a ’72 Blazer and it is going to be hard to beat that price for a long time. Rock and roll drummer Travis Barker.

“Travis Barker” may not be a common household name to some people, but to those who love contemporary rock and roll music, he is one of the bestknown drummers to ever come down the pike. Barker has been beating the skins for a long time. He was born in 1975 on this writer’s 28th birthday and began playing the drums at an early age.

OFF-ROAD Plus MAGAZINE FEB/MAR 2020 22 Barker’s first significant professional gig came in 1996 when he performed for the Aquabats. Two years later, he left that group for Blink182, a band that hit it big with “Enema of the State” in 1999. Barker has demonstrated a wide variety of musical skills and even got into acting with the MTV reality series named “Meet the Barkers.”

In 2008, a plane he was in crashed after an aborted take-off attempt, killing the pilot and others. Barker survived and recovered from that and went on to release his own debut solo album called “Give the Drummer Some” in 2011. Barker kept working with rappers on Yelawolf, Asher Roth and Nottz, as well as with Blink-182 and the Transplants.

As far as his love of cars and trucks, like Elvis Presley, Barker’s taste in automobiles was originally focused mostly on Cadillacs. However, he had a passion for both prewar and postwar editions, rather than just the ‘50s fin-mobiles that Elvis liked.

GM LS3 V8 has considerably more power than the truck’s stock engine.

Although Cadillac models dominated Barker’s automotive passions and despite the fact that his personal car collection is filled with original and customized Cadillac models, he also developed a love of certain Chevrolet products, including Blazers.

His customized 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer had been resto-modded and personalized to his tastes. The truck featured a new LS3 V8 engine and a four-speed GM automatic transmission. It rode on a raised suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers and had Black Rock wheels wrapped in size 35x12.50 Nitto “Trail Grappler” tires.

The Blazer’s exterior was finished in Gunmetal Gray and featured 7-inch Vision VX series headlights. Inside the Blazer, a new custom interior featured black leather seats, air conditioning, Dakota Digital gauges and a custom aftermarket sound system.

Very nicely representing the Chevrolet marque, Barker’s custom 1972 K5 Blazer crossed the auction block as a highly desirable, final-year example of GM’s immensely successful 1967-1972 “Glamour Series” light-duty SUVs. A Barrett Jackson spokesperson said, “It actually stands as a great first-generation K5 Blazer and a great example of one of the most influential and versatile sport-utility vehicles ever produced.” Retaining its great factory original looks, Barker’s custom K5 Blazer provided far better performance than the SUV came with from Chevrolet. The brand new GM LS3 525-hp V8 that was substituted under the Blazer’s hood upped the vehicle’s power output substantially. The high-tech GM engine was matched up to a three-speed automatic transmission for cruising ease. Barker was busy and only 1,962 miles were put on the Blazer since it was completely restored and treated to the upgrades mentioned above.

After being updated, the Travis Barker Blazer was fitted with the lifted suspension for better ground clearance. The Blazer’s exterior was refinished in businesslike Gunmetal Gray, which looks great and includes features such as the 7-inch Vision VX headlights. The upgraded interior features seats with flawless black leather upholstery, air conditioning and a set of Dakota Digital gauges. It also was equipped with a custom aftermarket sound system, just in case additional entertainment should ever be required.

Before the Scottsdale auction, Barrett-Jackson said that it was thrilled to offer the Blazer and other select vehicles from Travis Barker’s collection at the 2020 Scottsdale Auction. “Coming from the care of a true enthusiast with a keen eye for great design and engineering, they are now ready for new owners to enjoy and appreciate with that same uncompromising passion,” the Barrett-Jackson spokesperson said.

The Blazer has a custom black leather interior.

Canadian Trails for Winter Wheeling and Powersports Play

OFF-ROAD Plus MAGAZINE FEB/MAR 2020 24 Story by Stefanie Galeano-Zalutko

The official reign of winter may be December to March, but in all reality it’s much, much longer for those who reside in the northernmost points of the continent. Thankfully, Canadians have the good fortune of enjoying spectacular mountain views, pristine alpine lakes, diverse wildlife, and various outdoor recreation year-round. So, trade in that warm fire for a parka and grab your off-road gear, because we’ve lined up a few of the country’s best trails for winter adventure.

Prairie Creek Provincial Recreation Area Popular among local off-roaders, the Prairie Creek Provincial Recreation Area remains a somewhat hidden gem in west-central Alberta, tucked within the province’s diverse landscape. While use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) is prohibited within the park itself, Prairie Creek serves as a comfortable, scenic stop along the way to nearby trails frequented by 4x4 enthusiasts and snowmobilers.

Expect a fair amount of difficulty. According to Backroad Mapbook, Canada’s #1 choice for backcountry maps and outdoor recreation guides, “Take your time exploring the informal trails in the area—with plenty of steep terrain, water crossings, and other challenges, you won’t want to rush yourself.”

Easier trails are relatively close by, including Lost Knife Trail, which is located approximately two hours south, but riders should confirm seasonal access first. As the Ontario Federation of 4WD Recreationists (OF4WD) points out, it’s important to consult your local trail groups and government agencies during the winter months, as many Canadian trails are turned over to snowmobile enthusiasts from December 1 – May 1. “These trails are off-limits for 4WD use, and you could be charged if you travel on the trails without a valid snowmobile permit,” but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost for wheelers.