SLSD Jeep Invasion 2018 Holds True To Its Name
Michigan’s Silver Lake Sand Dune (SLSD) Jeep Invasion was lifted to new heights for 2018 with more live music, trail tours, vendors and yes, even celebratory fireworks. This year was certainly worth celebrating: It brought an impressive 1,461 Jeeps to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. Imagine how many Jeep waves that amounts to. (You do the math!)
For many attendees, the first weekend of June is the official kickoff of summer. As a sun-deprived Michigander fresh out of a long winter season, the Jeep Invasion results in the first major sunburn of the year. There’s so much action, it’s easy to forget the sunscreen. I’ll take two extra crispy shoulders and one sun-baked forehead to go, please.
Jeep Camaraderie
The Jeep Invasion event holds true to its name. However, this is one instance when the word “Invasion” is used in a positive light. The camaraderie seen in Jeep culture is heartening, and this gathering is no different. All festivities are planned with community and family in mind. After a day of 'wheeling therapy, nights are spent at nearby campsites with laugher echoing through the smells of roasted hot dogs and smores.
The benevolence doesn’t stop there. If a Jeeper is stuck, no matter how overzealous with the gas petal, there’s always someone who stops to help. It’s not uncommon to see a group of people come together to aid in vehicle repair, even if it takes up a big chunk of their 'wheeling time. Dune climbing newbies are welcomed with advice and encouragement, and stock Jeeps dominated the dunes in impressive strides. Tires are the most important upgrade for driving over sand and through flooded waters, and Nitto Tire was the prominent choice for the best performance.
There’s a variety of vehicles to admire while riding along the sandscape. Among the herds of Jeeps, a jaw-dropping Chevy Blazer was found lurking behind a bush.
Built pickups tested their limits in a display of rugged suspension and horsepower across the rutted, drifting dunes.
Racing Across the Sand
ATVs and dirt bikes zipped effortlessly through the masses of big rigs. Some even challenged Jeeps and trucks in races across a damp sand flat, while others caught air or took to one wheel.
Despite the natural competitiveness in racing, in the end it was all in good fun. Everyone who wanted a chance to see how fast they could go did so gleefully with white knuckles at full-throttle across the flat.
Into the Lake
Across the park, several brave souls skirted around the waters edge, as if playing chicken with the Lake Michigan tides. Others drove right up and took the plunge without hesitation, like Brock Sage and his Jeep Cherokee, living proof that snorkels save engines.
Jeep didn’t just create an iconic brand. It created a booming automotive culture. When you step into a Jeep, you become a part of a niche family, and the SLSD Jeep Invasion is the quintessence of what Jeep ownership is all about. The dates for next year are Friday, May 31 through Sunday, June 2. In the meantime, scroll through the photo gallery to see more Jeeps and rolling dune backdrops (no sunscreen required).
