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The Can and Stick Race is a team affair, consisting of a driver and a passenger. The driver drives, and the passenger grabs the cans, juggles them, and puts them back, in the proper order. The action is fast-paced, furious, and gauranteed to stir up many emotions, and lots of clouds of dust.

Photo: That's Hi-Desert Roundup, 2010 in the background, as a well-built Toyota truck prepares to begin the race.

Since this is a race, the object is to drive a twisted course while the co-driver grabs colored cans from colored stakes. After the course has been driven, your turn around and put the cans back, in the proper order and the proper colored can on a like-colored stick. You know, the blue can goes on the blue stick. Rigs must end up where they began for a clear run. There are four classes in this race: Men's Long and Short Wheelbase, and Women's Long and Short Wheelbase.

Photo: This truck kicks up a cloud of dust as it negotiates a tight turn, on the way to the first can.

Photo: Grabbing the first can on the run takes lots of eye-to-hand coordination, and you have to stay strapped in your seat. It's much harder than it looks...

This isn't a walk in the park and it's a lot harder than it looks. The driver has to maneuver the rig close to the can, so the passenger can reach out and grab the can. What makes it even more difficult for the passenger is that seat belts must be worn at all times, as per California state law and CA4WDC protocol. Open-sided, lifted vehicles without doors are at a distance advantage, as the co-driver doesn't have to contort themselves around the restrictive confines of a door, and a lifted vehicle provides a more convenient height in which to grab at a can.

Photo: This girl successfully grabs the second can on the run. Check out the cloud of dust this Rubicon is stirring up.

Photo: Talk about concentration! This girl has placed the can back on the stick, amid a cloud of dust.

The first can is the hardest, it's set up so the participants must back in. For the driver, it takes some really tricky maneuvering and for the can grabber, a lot of stretching is involved. Woe be it when a can is dropped, as the passenger must get out and retrieve the can, squandering precious seconds.

After a can is picked up, it's a mad dash to the next one, about 30 to 40 yards distant. The co-driver has almost enough time to juggle the can around before it's time to retrieve another one. I didn't count, but it looks like there are about 8 sticks with cans perched on them to retrieve.

Photo: This fine early Bronco is wheelin' the hard way, on the way to the first can.

Photo: This quartet kept us entertained as we watched the Can and Stick Race, as they attempted a few steep hill climbs, and popped wheelies while they were doing it.

Then, it's back to the start of the race and time to run the course again only with a twist: Put the cans back. Blue can on blue stick, yellow can on yellow stick, and so on and so forth. All the time while you're rip-roaring down a dusty, twisty, rough four-wheel drive course juggling cans on your lap and trying to get the correct colored can on the same color stick. The whole equation adds up to a lot of fun! Since this is a race, the fastest time wins.