INTRO
Hello.
I am looking for information; specifically information about off-pavement opportunities for SUV?s in Michigan. I am gathering this information with the intention of publishing it in book form.

WHY
There are many SUV owners who have never taken their vehicle beyond a paved road. We all like to make fun of the mall crawlers, but some of them just don?t have any clue about where they can take their vehicle and how much fun they can have. Given the opportunity, many would actually plan a day or weekend trip (or just an afternoon drive) that would include some off pavement driving. People don?t know what is available or where to find more information.

I would like to tackle the project of addressing that shortage. I have personally been involved in taking my Jeeps off the pavement in Michigan and surrounding states for over ten years. I have attended Jeep Jamborees, participated in other organized events, traveled with clubs, and have organized some outings with friends and acquaintances. I have had a great time. All the while, I have been searching for adequate resources on where one can legally go.

As an experience off-road traveler, I continually get asked ?Where can I take my Jeep off road?? There are books on hiking, backpacking, and bicycling Michigan. There are books about off-roading in Colorado, California, Arizona, etc. I have been unable to find any books about SUV opportunities in the mid-west or the eastern part of our country. I would like to correct this situation, if there is enough information available to supplement my personal experience and the research I have been able to do.

SPECIFICS
I am not putting this together for the person with the built vehicle on 35?s with lockers and tons of experience. That may come later, but for now the target is the person with no experience and no contacts, only an interest. I want to primarily focus on scenic drives that include some unpaved or poorly maintained roads. Drives that a reasonable man might consider risky in a standard passenger car, but should be comfortable attempting in an SUV. I will also provide information for when they are ready to kick it up a notch.

I want only areas that are absolutely and unquestionably legitimate. If an ORV sticker is required, please be sure to mention that. I would like any information and data that you can provide: location, description, driving directions, GPS coordinates and track logs, photos, video, local points of interest, and any write-up on the trip. In other words, I want anything and everything that you are willing to share about the trails and back-roads of Michigan. This is intended to be an up to date resource including internet links and GPS information.

When completed, I want the reader to be able to look through the book, read some trail reports, review the options, and plan a trip. For any particular destination or point of interest, they should be able to determine:
- What is it?
- Where is it?
- Why would I want to go there?
- How long will it take?
- What else should I not miss while I am in the area?
- Am I, my vehicle, and passengers up to any challenges that may await us?
- What should I know to make the trip more enjoyable?

CONTACT
If you can provide any information, please let me know at trailboss@wowway.com
If you would like to provide information by snail mail or telephone, drop me a line and I will be glad to provide the direct contact information.