Today was a fascinating day at the 2010 FWOTY competition.  The more time we spend with the rigs, the more we learn.  Today we threw 'em into some nasty terrain near Randsburg, California.  

Before we hit the trail we hit the track for acceleration and brake testing.  One of the things we learned was that there's a reason why the Power Wagon's first name is Power.

One of our favorite tests is this rock- and sand-littered canyon.  There are no "go-arounds," so once a rig enters the canyon it's committed.

This canyon is really tight in spots and features sharp rocks that test the puncture resistance of tires.  The trail is also notorious for ripping off protruding or low-hanging body parts.  This year we left no body parts behind, however.

We came off the trail a hair after sunset.

At the highway we regrouped and pointed the rigs toward Ridgecrest.

Our crew of dusty, tired testers invaded the front desk of our motel to beg for room keys so we could shower and hit the sack.

Tomorrow is our last full day of testing and it's going to be a busy day.  We start at the sand dunes and then meander onto some challenging trails.  So far all the rigs are holding up well and all is good.  But, we'll see how they fare tomorrow on our biggest day yet.  Stay tuned.