When the people at KC HiLiTES reached out to me, it kick-started my off-road heart. During our conversations, I could only smile thinking of the KC “Smiley Faces” from all those vehicles that have passed by me throughout my life. KC was created in 1970 and has been a symbol of outdoor freedom, adventure, and performance ever since. On the conversation of adventure, freedom, and performance, nothing could encompass these three attributes more than the “Gambler 500”, “Sons of Smokey”, and “Hooptie X”.
The “Gambler 500” was started in Oregon in 2014 by Tate Morgan and the OG Gamblers, a small group embracing cheap fun in all forms. Now dubbed "Gamblertown", the original event in Bend, Oregon is the global meetup for what Gambler has evolved into as a brand encouraging people across the world to go have adventures using Gambler 500 as a call sign. Gambler creator Tate Morgan, has also created “Sons of Smokey” which is an application that coincides with the stewardship ideals that The Gambler embraces. This app is used to report trash in the wilderness and provide that location to the treasure hunting stewards who volunteer their time to clean debris. This App is open to all, and reports assist samaritans, Parks Rangers, and BLM in cleaning up illegally dumped waste.
“Hooptie X” is known as the most accessible racing on the planet. They strive to make automotive racing exhilarating, fun, and easy welcoming all, and I mean all makes and models. Whether it’s squeezing the life out of every corner, Hammering down straightaways, or just sending it over a jump. Hooptie X is all about being inclusive to all and building a healthy community of people who just want to push their pedal to the floor.
I headed to Bend, Oregon to meet up with the KC team to cover these events and create some content for the brand. Since this event is all about being outdoors they wanted me to camp with them. So with my tent, sleeping bag, and camera gear, I arrived in Gamblertown to endure dust, constant rain, and crazy “gamblers” everywhere. The weekend was underway and the town was booming! Mini bikes, go-karts, and Hoopties, oh my lawd! I mean, seriously, it's hard to explain how interesting this event is! Large mountain people rummaging around the town in costumes or banana hammocks, the strangest vehicles, serious racers, and do-gooders rummaging trash from local trails. Everywhere I looked, I was shocked at this alternative lifestyle festival that brought in so many different kinds of people.
I highly encourage people to look into “Sons of Smokey” and “Gambler 500” to report trash and support cleaner outdoors. Resources like this can change the way we travel and respect the beauty of roads less traveled. And for those looking to go fast, look no further than “Hooptie X”, where everyone and everything is welcome, as long as it runs and rolls!
