The Road Trip Almost Didn’t Happen

Every brand has a first adventure. Ours started with a truck in the shop, a minivan packed almost to the roof, and a family that had no idea what to expect.

We decided to take Grithouse to UTV Takeover in Winchester Bay, Oregon, for our first-ever vendor event. Glamis was coming up, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to test our booth, meet people, and learn what we’d need to improve before the next event.

Then our truck went into the shop about two weeks before departure. The repairs took longer than expected, and the truck wasn’t going to make the trip.

So we loaded the minivan with our canopy, shirts, hangers, display stands, and just about everything else we could squeeze inside. It was packed from the floor to the roof—and sitting pretty low to the ground.

When we arrived and saw the huge trailers and elaborate setups the other vendors had brought, we felt a little undergunned. But we’d made it, and we were determined to give it a try.

Since the kids were already along for the ride, we decided to make a family road trip out of it. We took a detour through San Francisco, visited the Golden Gate Bridge, explored Fisherman’s Wharf, and enjoyed some lobster sandwiches together.

Seeing the bridge was a highlight for the kids, and it reminded us that this trip could be about more than just vending.

Our First Booth. Our First Lessons.

When we finally reached UTV Takeover, we were relieved to find a paved spot for our booth. There was only one small problem: we’d never put up our canopy before.

It took a little trial and error—and gave us plenty to laugh about. Fortunately, our neighbor from one of the veterans groups came over to help. He knew his way around setting up a booth and was generous with his experience.

Even the little wind there taught us something. Our canopy was less stable than it needed to be, so he showed us how to use sand-filled buckets to help weigh it down. That was a lesson we knew we’d remember before Glamis.

The setup wasn’t our only last-minute challenge. We’d run out of time to finish all the shirts before leaving home. Luckily, we found an Airbnb where we could keep working, since we wouldn’t have been able to finish them at the event.

Eventually, the canopy was up, the shirts were displayed, and we could finally stand back and look at our first Grithouse storefront.

Our first booth. Standing. Stocked. Ready.

For a new brand that few people up north had heard of, seeing visitors stop, look at our designs, and react positively to what we were building made the long trip worth it.

Different Dunes. A Whole New Experience.

We’re used to Southern California desert scenery. Oregon’s dunes were something else: beautiful sand right alongside the ocean, with trees and cooler weather that felt very different from Glamis. It was colder than we expected, too.

Without our truck, we couldn’t bring our side-by-side. That meant we couldn’t participate in the riding events ourselves—but we still got to experience the atmosphere and see what UTV Takeover was all about.

When the Sun Went Down

The night drags were a completely new experience for us. Watching motorcycles and side-by-sides line up at the lights and launch across the sand was a highlight of the trip.

Music bingo surprised us, too. We weren’t expecting it to be so much fun, but the music, the crowd, and everyone getting involved made it one of those nights we’ll remember.

And on those cold Oregon evenings, the community fire pit was a welcome sight. The fire stayed going, people gathered around, and it was the perfect place to warm up and talk with new friends.

The People Made the Trip

We met people from SuperATV, Rugged Radios, Addicted, neighboring vendors, the veterans community, and so many others who made us feel welcome. The UTV Takeover organizers were approachable and helpful, even though it was our first event.

One of the best connections was between our youngest and Dylan. Dylan had organized a recycling activity to encourage people to keep the area clean, with cotton candy as a reward for collecting cans.

Our little one loved it. He and Dylan kept making the rounds, collecting cans again and again. We joked that they must have been the event’s number-one can collectors.

It wasn’t really about the cotton candy, though. It was about a friendship that grew out of doing something good for the event. Our kids still talk about Dylan and look forward to seeing him again at Glamis.

We also got to know people at the event booths and a friendly local coffee trailer. Those conversations and little moments of hospitality meant a lot, especially when we’d arrived without knowing anybody.

Until Next Time, Winchester Bay

When the event came to an end, we packed everything up and headed back to Southern California. School was about to start for the kids, so we had to make the two-day trip home without much time to spare.

We left with a lot more than we arrived with: lessons about booth setup and preparation, memories of new experiences, and friendships we genuinely hope will last.

Most of all, seeing our booth standing for the first time—and hearing positive reactions to Grithouse from people who were discovering the brand for the first time—made us glad we took the chance.

We hope to return next year. And maybe this time we’ll bring our side-by-side so we can join in the riding, too.

To everyone who helped us, stopped by, shared a story, or made our family feel welcome: thank you. And thank you to the UTV Takeover crew for putting together an event we won’t forget.