dunefreak

This year it seems the forecast of rain scared away most of the regulars that go out to Dumont for Presidents Weekend. Others were already dedicated and going out regardless. All photos tagged or sent in to @dumontduneriders from the DDR community Thursday afternoon the weather couldn't have been better. It was business as usual at Dumont with smooth sand and clear skies. There was hardly anyone out there that early. Vendors rolled in and got set up on Vendor Row. Come Friday morning, the cloudy skies indicated a storm was brewing. Some light rain came in and sprinkled the dunes for a few hours. Duners grabbed their camping spots and filled in close to where the action was going to take place. There was a short break in the weather. As most people call it, "the calm before the storm". There was no shortage of Presidents Day spirit with these guys! And then....WHAM. The W came in with a vengeance. Gusts over 35 mph blew hard all afternoon and into the night. On Saturday morning, Dumont resembled someplace out of a science fiction novel. Low lying clouds and fog hung over the dunes. Although it rained for several hours, many still went out to play. Duners showed up at the hill with their trucks, umbrellas and any other way they could stay dry to watch the Jeep hill climbs. As the day went on, the rain finally subsided. The best part of a storm at Dumont is the riding afterwards. It turned out to be a nice afternoon in the dunes. Sunday started off with great weather. The storms were over and the drags were underway. Duners showed up to watch the races and have a good time. Although the poor weather scared most of the duners away this year, the Jeep drags still attracted a decent crowd. The wet sand worked in favor for some of the dragsters, others not so much. Check out the wheelie that this Blazer pulled during one of the races! Talk about a wild ride. This year's President's Day t-shirts by California Casuals featured Trump driving a sandrail. Another great sunset closed out the weekend. We thank everyone who sent in all the great photos and video from the weekend! Do you have pictures from Presidents Weekend you'd like to share? Post them on our forum in the link listed below....

The forecast of rain has raised some concerns for duners this year. Is it going to rain? Yes. Will the river crossing be ok to cross? Probably but we'll just have to wait and see. Usually it's fine unless it pours hard for a full day or more. Are the Jeep races still on? Yes. With a 90%-100% chance of rain on Friday and Saturday, there is no doubt that Dumont will see some rain. How much exactly? We just don't know until it starts to come down. They say 1/2 inch on Friday and 1/4 inch on Saturday, but the weather at Dumont sometimes has a mind of it's own. There have been many times when the forecast of rain has turned out to be sporadic sprinkles or passing showers. If you are on the fence about going this weekend, just go. Some of my best memories of Dumont have been in the rain or crappy weather. Have a little sense of adventure and go have some fun with your friends. You never know what you'll get into out there. Weekend Race Schedule Just because it's going to rain, its not stopping the LV Jeep Club from hosting their 45 Annual hill climbs and drag races. The LV Jeep Club has confirmed their races are a rain or shine event. So bring your umbrellas and EZ-UPs. Don't sit in the motorhome all day. Head over to the drag races and hill climbs on Saturday and Sunday. Friday: Registration & Tech 2pm-7pm, no races Saturday: Hill Climbs | Reg & Tech 7AM- 8:30am, racing starts at 9:30am Sunday: Drag Races | Reg & Tech 7AM- 8:30am, racing starts at 9:30am All times are subject to change Tips for Duning in the Rain Increase tire pressure. Wet sand means more traction. Don't be lugged down by wet sand. Increase your pressure to 15-25 psi for better performance and less load on your equipment. Bring a rain jacket or wind breaker. Just because it's wet out, doesn't mean you have to be. Careful in the corners! Those ruts can easily put you on your lid. Your machine won't slide as well when the sand is wet so act like you are driving on concrete. Don't Forget! tarps to cover your seats and firewood an EZ UP or canopy. Just because it will be raining doesn't mean you have to be cooped up inside card games or movies to watch booze and snacks! if you are stuck in the RV all day, you will need more of both! Weather Forecast and Conditions Follow our Latest Conditions & Dune Reports for live updates on the dunes and road conditions. Already out there? Submit one! Help us help you. This is a community driven site. Detailed Forecast on weather.com Camp Map Lost & Found Lose something? Find Something? Post it up and we'll share it on Facebook as well. http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/forum/9-stolen-lost-or-found/

There's no doubt that this season has been a cold and wet winter. The dunes have been hammered over the last month because of the rain in December. The sand is usually quick to dry out because of the prevailing Dumont winds, but the cold temperatures have kept things damp below the surface. Although some areas are quick to return to virgin smooth sand, the tops of the dunes take more time to dry out. You'll notice how one side of a dune will be perfectly smooth and the other will look like the surface of the moon. When it rains, water collects and cuts deep ruts as it runs down from the razorbacks. The end result? Some ugly dunes! At the beginning of last weekend, the dunes were pretty wet with those funky ripples of "dune cellulite" as I call it. But as each day went by, there was already a noticeable difference in the condition of the sand. Each day it dried out a little bit more. On the south end of the dunes, they were in great shape and were already drying out. So don't worry. Dumont will be full of that fluffy, dry sand that we all crave before we know it. Mother nature has been hard at work. Between the strong winds and warm sunny days, the dunes should be dried out well before President's Weekend. Highs have been in the 60's lately and believe it or not, Dumont will already see temperatures as high as 80 degrees over the next week or two! That's right. Because of the low elevation, it doesn't take very long for the temperature to climb back up at Dumont Dunes. Jan 26-29, 2017 Weekend Report Plan Your Next Trip 10 Day Forecast meteoblue Recent Dune Reports and Conditions President's Weekend