Apparently, I turn 53 this month. Don’t worry, you don’t have to send cards or gifts, not if you don’t want to… For my birthday I was hoping to throw a few bits and pieces into Deux Smurf and enjoy a few days in the hills camping and green-laning, but for obvious reasons that ain’t gonna happen, and you know what, I’m ok with it.
| Publication Information |
|---|
| Cover Price: Free |
| Format: Digital, 96 pages |
| Frequency: Monthly |
| Subject: 4×4, Off-Roading, Green-Laning |
| Publisher: The Mud Life |
| News, Reviews & Adventure |
The Mud Life Issue 13 April 2020
Turner’s Torque
Apparently, I turn 53 this month. Don’t worry, you don’t have to send cards or gifts, not if you don’t want to…
For my birthday I was hoping to throw a few bits and pieces into Deux Smurf and enjoy a few days in the hills camping and green-laning, but for obvious reasons that ain’t gonna happen, and you know what, I’m ok with it.
Coronavirus is hitting everyone hard, from small businesses to the giants and almost everyone in between. The car industry is a good example, it began with the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show, then all the car launches including the new Defender press launch.
Maybe spare a thought for all the 4×4 tour operators who’ve had to cancel all of their organised tours, and probably given refunds which they can’t really afford to do.
One thing’s for sure, it’ll get worse before it gets better, but it will get better, it always does. I’m not suggesting everything will return to normal of course, and the counsellor in me can’t help but reflect on how the virus will change the world and our attitudes towards it.
Of course attitudes may not change, for many people life will continue the way it was, but in the rush to return to normal, perhaps we should use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.
Take care everyone, and we’ll hopefully see you on the other side!
Damian, Editor-in-Chief
TURNER’S TORQUE 5
NEWS 6-11
WHAT’S ON 12-13
LANING LIFE 15-19
VEHICLE REVIEWS
- Subaru Forester E-Boxer 20-26
- Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian X 28-37
- Seat Leon Cupra 38-43
INTO AFRICA… 44-48
GOODS & GEAR 50-52
REVAMP YOUR CAMP 53-59
GREEN-LANING – ON THE ROCKS 60-68
FB PAGE OF THE MONTH 70-71
OUR GARAGE 72-73
READER’S RIDES 74-79
READER’S FURRY FAMILY 80-82
TRAINING WITH NWRLR 83-87
GREEN-LANING – TIME TRAVELS 88-91
RETRO SNAPS 92-93
DIRECTORIES 94-95
You don’t always hear from me, I tend to be the creative boffin in the background, who puts this mag together after Damian has done the writing and taken the pics. That said, I do write some of the articles in the mag, but very rarely sign my name, so you’ll just have to guess which bits are mine.
Neither of us had ever created a mag before we started this one up, and as the month’s go on I think I’m getting a tad more proficient at playing with the look of it.
Why am I telling you this?
Well I’ve spent the last few months trying to get the look of the What’s On pages right, but I’ve never been completely happy, so at the beginning of March I took a bit of time to start again from scratch. I was very happy with what I came up with, and was proud to show it off to you all, then the bl**dy virus happened, and well What’s On?, nothing, that’s what’s on, but I’ve decided my hard work has to be seen; I think I’ve adapted it well – check out pages 12-13.
We had also planned a ‘camping’ section for this mag seeing as we are heading towards the Easter break, then the country went into this Gandalf style “You shall not pass!” lockdown, and no bugger can go anywhere. We decided to keep the section in, because this will end at some point, and at that time all us stir crazy shut-ins will want to get out into the countryside, and having the best kit for it will make life easier.
Karen Lee A.K.A Muddy Madam, Creative Director
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