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(Not so) at Home on the Bandera Range!

Deep in the heart of Texas’ south central hill country lies 500 acres of a privately owned ranch complete with every type of off-roading terrain imaginable.  For any truck enthusiast (especially 4x4s) this central Texas facility is the ultimate proving grounds to test and tune a true Texas truck.

The sprawling property includes ravines, canyons, dirt, mud, water and rock ledges from which to climb and crawl, and experience everything a fine off-road vehicle has to offer. The ranch provides ideal conditions for those who are into heavy duty all-terrain action.  Recently, Nissan held an off-road test driving event at this privately owned property.

Nissan’s ‘Overdrive’ event was designed specifically for automotive reviewers, giving the media a complete ‘pass’ to take advantage of each truck within their Nissan fleet.  The opportunity to push these trucks to their full potential and off-road capabilities on rugged, wooded adventures was nothing short of a truck lover’s ultimate dream come true.

Within the provided Nissan test fleet were Armadas, Xterras, Pathfinders, Frontiers, and Pro models.  First in the line of vehicles was not a truck at all, but the Nissan Armada, a large SUV which seats up to eight.  Taking the SUV into the wilds of our Texas jungle was actually a surprisingly delightful experience.

Through rocky twists and turns, the large Armada was able to easily conquer steep ascents and descents and easily weaved around the large wild game which could be sunning on the other side of a curve.  Free roaming, live animal obstacles were not purposely part of our test trails but made for even more thrilling rides.  At one point I shrieked at a fellow driver to ‘watch out for Bambi’ who suddenly appeared out from a tree line and stopped directly in our path.

Although there was a massive amount of braking needed in order to avoid our four-legged friend, the Armada was not only completely responsive but brought us to an unwavering and controlled stop.

The rest of the fleet tested included a new Titan Pro4X featuring an electronic locking differential, Rancho Suspension®, and rugged trail tires.  All of the features included within the Pro4X are perfect for those who are not only in the market for a 4×4 but those who have plans on using it for ‘all terrain’ purposes.

After a full day of tearing up the trails it was time to head to my ‘ranch style/western chic’ room complete with fur bedspread, cow skin rugs and a gazelle head on my wall which seemed to stare at me no matter where I was within the room.  Because I am an animal lover, I realized there was no way I could shower and later sleep with what remained of a once-alive creature staring at me.   I took matters into my own hands, and threw a towel over its head (where it remained for the rest of my stay).

After showering in one of the most ornate marble and stone showers imaginable, it was time to get ready for an evening dinner at the ranch’s guest lodge.  The meal placed before us was lovely. The scenery however was a nightmare for anyone who feels at one with the animal kingdom. For example, the dining area is in the midst of a room with hundreds of taxidermied animals placed at every nook, cranny and square inch of wall, floor and corner.  For the first time in my life, I could not eat a steak and could barely choke down the rest of my meal for the ‘trophies’ were all around me.

I had to limit my time and visits in the lodge for fear of going “PETA postal” in front of those within my group.  I will spare any further details and will not impart any further description of the images I witnessed within those four walls.  Instead I will speak about the lovely grounds, the great weather, the meandering stone walkways and the abundant wildlife at the ranch. I later learned that the beautiful zebra’s on the property were among the many animals ‘hunted’ on the ranch grounds.

With all of this knowledge, it actually became quite an effort to concentrate on the trucks as opposed to concentrating on the ‘hunting’ grounds where I was invited to stay. I must admit I’d have had second thoughts about accepting the assignment had I known of the history and purpose of the ranch.

In the end concentrating on trucks did help me out of my horrified state of mind. When the time came to leave, the enjoyment of driving had gone far to save the day. I eagerly waved good bye to all including the (still) towel-covered gazelle head hanging on my hotel room wall.

Diana Claussen

Diana Merrill Claussen has been involved in the journalism and photography industry since 2000 and moved to Texas from Florida in July 2004. Diana inherited her love of cars from her father and the love of speed from the racers and aviators in her family. Her professional career is also in the public relations industry while her personal interests include; outdoor activites, reading, family time, volunteering and animal care.

  

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 at 5:12 am and is filed under Nissan Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.