Heidi Bunch A contestant in the High Desert Rally races the off-road track in Mineral County Saturday.

Heidi Bunch
A contestant in the High Desert Rally races the off-road track in Mineral County Saturday.

The family-oriented Modesto Ridge Runner 41st High Desert Rally was held in Hawthorne Saturday. The timed event allows for families and friends to go at their own pace and enjoy the scenery Mineral County has to offer.

The rally brings enthusiasts from all over California to run a set-track. Each car is teched in by officials to make sure that proper safety features are in place and participants have the opportunity to purchase gas along the course, if needed. The whole course is set up for an enjoyable event where you are able to ride with friends and make new ones along the route. In this race – the fastest car does not win.

Opening up their event to UTV’s and motorcycles, participants were able to reach out to the newer generation that no longer see the benefits of a rail and like the comfort that a UTV gives them.

This year, Jerry and Mallory Chidester of Hawthorne, were the only locals who entered the rally only to be stopped mid-course when a passenger in a sand rail needed medical attention.

The event is an annual Hawthorne celebration where locals are invited to participate and visitors are encouraged to return.