What Do You Mean "Mud Bogging"?

Written by Wayne Allen

Sunday, 15 November 2009 08:56

by WayneAllen

When you grow up country, you find yourself with a need to get creative in terms of how to entertain yourself. You might not have all the luxuries of living in a downtown metropolis, and so you have to find unique ways to keep yourself occupied and challenged. A lot of times these activities stem from boredom and a fearless approach to getting seriously dirty. I'm sure that's how mud bogging got started. Unsure what that is? Let me fill you in.

There are many things you need to know to fully understand all this sport has to offer. For instance, you need to understand that to those that participate, this is a sport. Other things that will be addressed within this article are: what mud bogging actually is and how you should go about getting a good mudder. Which means, how to get a vehicle in shape to mud bog.

I should start by saying again that this is in fact a sport that is nationwide. While perhaps less noteworthy than football or something like that, mud bogging is growing in popularity all the time. In the south, mud bogging goes on all year, since the warm weather is ideal for mud production. The more north you go, however, the more mud bogging becomes seasonal according to the fluctuation in weather patterns.

Mud bogging requires two things: powerful engines and a pit of mud. This mud usually forms a long trench for the off road trucks to try and pass through. The trenches range from anywhere from 1/8 of a mile to a mile, judging on where the bogging is actually taking place and how many people are coming out to watch it. If you have ever lived in the country enough to know what mud bogging is, you certainly know that it's as popular of a spectator sport as it is a competitive one.

In order to win a mud bog, you have to complete the course. Usually this means just getting in and out of the trench without the need of assistance. Very often, few vehicles will make it through the trench, so it's easy to determine the winner if only one truck sees the other side. If you are stuck, you are pulled from the running. Unless of course no one makes it to the other side, which means the winner is who makes it the farthest in the trench. If more than one truck makes it to the other side without assistance, the winner is determined by who did so the fastest.

If you hope to compete in a mud bog, you have to have the right equipment. Firemen don't show up to fires without water, and so you too should educate yourself on the necessities of victory. First and foremost you need a powerful engine inside the body of a truck or jeep. I have seen a few mudders in my day that were cars, but this rarely worked out well. Most will then advise you to jack up the truck and pop on some oversized tires. This should help you through even the deepest of trenches.

Often times, the racers will only be competing for bragging rights until the next bog. Sometimes there is a hat passed around to collect a pot among the racers and spectators for the winner of the event. This keeps the sport selective to the areas. No sponsors, no contracts, just good ole' boys and girls pushing engines to the limit.

Well, it might not be as big as football or baseball, but mud bogging certainly has its place in American sporting. Whether it's the thrill of the throttle or the slew of mud being hurled through the air from churning tires, something keeps people excited about bogging.

About the Author:

When you grow up in the country, you have to get creative when it comes to entertainment. This pasttime is better known as mud bogging to those who do it. Mud bogging may never be as large as football, but it has cemented a place for itself among outdoor gamers.