Well, we’ve all been playing about in the snow having fun, and many of us 4x4 owners have been rescuing friends and neighbours who otherwise couldn’t get to work. In other words, without 4x4s in the latest Big Freeze, many people just wouldn’t have been able to carry on their normal lives. Isn’t it funny, how, not one word of complaint about fuel guzzlers or the inappropriateness of 4x4s in most parts of this country. I was amused to see many saloon cars sliding around in an impossible attempt to climb the steep hill that leads from my house into town. Why don’t drivers accept that their cars won’t make it in these conditions, heed the advice they are given in the media and just not venture out – then they wouldn’t clog up the roads for us sensible 4x4 drivers who have to inch around them as we carry on our way...
No doubt that will provoke a few letters! But, seriously, let’s enjoy the good publicity and hope a few of the angry brigade stop having a go at us, as this extreme weatherlooks set to be the way forward now for our ever-changing planet. And the recent boost to 4x4 sales, new and used, is obviously a result of the current weather conditions.
In fact, the pre- and post-Christmas heavy snow wasn’t 4x4 Magazine’s first wintry encounter. Three of us were ambling along deep, snow-clad mountain tracks through a beautiful winter wonderland of a forest back in early November when we took part in the Mille Rivieres event. That was a real adventure and for those of you who fancy getting stuck into your own adventure overseas we have an overland travel special in this issue to help you get started. Overland travel companies have been sprouting up everywhere over the last few years and there is no better way to get 4x4 adventure travel into your blood.
So ‘enjoy!’ I’m off to scrape yet another layer of snow and ice off my Grand Cherokee after the fourth major snowfall in a couple of weeks. Don’t you just love this time of year?

HILS EVERITT