At the entrance to the park, we paid the four-dollar use fee and stopped to admire the junk artistry on display before heading out onto the dunes. There we found acres of sweeping dunes to climb over and specially constructed obstacle courses to test our skills at ATV handling. While there, we learned a lot about the endurance of both man and machine. We also discovered how to get stuck and how to get free.

We were there during June 2003, and witnessed part of the set building for the movie "Troy," starring Brad Pitt and Peter O'Toole. In the distance, we could see the private compound that was built to accommodate the film crew. Both the compound and the movie sets were to be removed after the filming returning the area to its natural state.

After a couple of hours, we rode single-file back to town and turned in our ATVs and helmets, but kept our souvenir bandanas.

The whole experience was thrilling, although a little dusty. This is not an excursion for those who can't handle a few smudge marks and a layer of dust on their clothes. You do need to be careful when driving these machines. It is afterall a motorized vehicle and there is limited supervision. If you get yourself stuck somewhere, its up to you to get yourself turned around and back on the right path. I'd recommend riding with a buddy if at all possible. It was a great excursion that still allowed us the rest of the day for ourselves.