smurfslayer
Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting sasquatch77
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2016
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Like Cowboy Coward said to Ned Beatty in Deliverance: “Don’t say anything, just DO it.”
I did Raptor Assault 4/16-4/17. It was a hoot. “Don’t drive it like you bought it, drive it like you STOLE it”.
Too much text, not enough pics.
low res video
2.7k x 60FPS videos of the higher speed section of Raptor Assault. They’re 2.7gb each, so you’ll need to build up a sizable buffer to watch or just download and watch from the desktop.
1st run
2nd lap
Here are my observations.
This is oriented towards the truck itself, and accommodates all skill levels; zero to hero. At NO time were any of backed off, we were prepped and it was strongly suggested we not push hard where it could result in us rolling the truck. There’s a brief driving intro, out of the class and into the fleet of trucks. You start slow in their dirt / gravel track. I’ll call it a “level zero auto cross in the dirt”. It looks kind of simple / easy at first, but don’t underestimate what you can learn here. Next up was the 30 degree incline / park sideways, and the rock crawl climb. the pictures don’t do this justice and this is where you learn about hill descent mode. As Tone said, hill descent is legit. Next we get to sample the truck in mud/sand in what I’ll call a little more open than the typical east coast 4 wheeling. Buh-bye eco mode
I was way underestimating the truck at first and the first group left us for bad. Then I had to catch up and eventually did. The truck just handled it. The truck really comes alive in this stuff.
There are gen 1 Raptors in the instructor fleet. You know what, they did just fine. Respect.
we did a bunch of driving, then some mountain work in 4 low - a lot of time in 4 low, just like Mall/Starbucks mode. You end the day on the high speed course they have, which for us was dusty as F***, and really pretty doggone fun. I’m not sure if the GT350 guys had as much fun but I got my “money’s worth”.
Some observations:
Nobody got out of the truck at then end and said “that was lame”. I’m pretty certain everyone came away with a healthy respect for the truck, it’s capabilities when pushed (without worrying about a $70,000 financial hit) and what you can do with it as an end user with some practice.
You get swag and a thumb drive with hundreds of pics.
In truck video is encouraged.
The recommended hotel ... What to say? I didn’t like it and wouldn’t recommend staying there. Yes, it’s close. Furniture and features good, continental breakfast + some hot food buffet style.
It’s loud as ****. No matter how hard you try, closing the door is about as loud as a suppressed 9mm supersonic - easily 110 db. Elevator chimes louder than Big Ben. Both days, I got awakened at 0415 by the adjoining rooms iPhone alarm. ON VIBRATE! Yes, the walls are that thin. And apparently everyone else got the idea too because every 15 minutes another door open/close, elevator buzz, then elevator chimes, repeat.
When I came back from day one, the knuckleheads had deactivated my keys, despite my 2 day reservation.
No issues flying, despite layovers and what not. I think I spent... maybe 600 bucks? I upgraded to first class on the return flight, I didn’t sleep for **** the 2 days in tooele. sometimes you just have to say WTF.
If you get the chance, do Raptor Assault.
I did Raptor Assault 4/16-4/17. It was a hoot. “Don’t drive it like you bought it, drive it like you STOLE it”.
Too much text, not enough pics.
low res video
2.7k x 60FPS videos of the higher speed section of Raptor Assault. They’re 2.7gb each, so you’ll need to build up a sizable buffer to watch or just download and watch from the desktop.
1st run
2nd lap
Here are my observations.
This is oriented towards the truck itself, and accommodates all skill levels; zero to hero. At NO time were any of backed off, we were prepped and it was strongly suggested we not push hard where it could result in us rolling the truck. There’s a brief driving intro, out of the class and into the fleet of trucks. You start slow in their dirt / gravel track. I’ll call it a “level zero auto cross in the dirt”. It looks kind of simple / easy at first, but don’t underestimate what you can learn here. Next up was the 30 degree incline / park sideways, and the rock crawl climb. the pictures don’t do this justice and this is where you learn about hill descent mode. As Tone said, hill descent is legit. Next we get to sample the truck in mud/sand in what I’ll call a little more open than the typical east coast 4 wheeling. Buh-bye eco mode
I was way underestimating the truck at first and the first group left us for bad. Then I had to catch up and eventually did. The truck just handled it. The truck really comes alive in this stuff. There are gen 1 Raptors in the instructor fleet. You know what, they did just fine. Respect.
we did a bunch of driving, then some mountain work in 4 low - a lot of time in 4 low, just like Mall/Starbucks mode. You end the day on the high speed course they have, which for us was dusty as F***, and really pretty doggone fun. I’m not sure if the GT350 guys had as much fun but I got my “money’s worth”.
Some observations:
Nobody got out of the truck at then end and said “that was lame”. I’m pretty certain everyone came away with a healthy respect for the truck, it’s capabilities when pushed (without worrying about a $70,000 financial hit) and what you can do with it as an end user with some practice.
You get swag and a thumb drive with hundreds of pics.
In truck video is encouraged.
The recommended hotel ... What to say? I didn’t like it and wouldn’t recommend staying there. Yes, it’s close. Furniture and features good, continental breakfast + some hot food buffet style.
It’s loud as ****. No matter how hard you try, closing the door is about as loud as a suppressed 9mm supersonic - easily 110 db. Elevator chimes louder than Big Ben. Both days, I got awakened at 0415 by the adjoining rooms iPhone alarm. ON VIBRATE! Yes, the walls are that thin. And apparently everyone else got the idea too because every 15 minutes another door open/close, elevator buzz, then elevator chimes, repeat.
When I came back from day one, the knuckleheads had deactivated my keys, despite my 2 day reservation.
No issues flying, despite layovers and what not. I think I spent... maybe 600 bucks? I upgraded to first class on the return flight, I didn’t sleep for **** the 2 days in tooele. sometimes you just have to say WTF.
If you get the chance, do Raptor Assault.
