The good folks at Outside Magazine sent me to the high desert of Oregon to photograph a wild and wacky race called the Gambler 500. The “race” is one part Mad Max, and one part Earth Day with competitors navigating through the woods in Frankenstein cars to pull garbage out of public lands. The weekend saw more than 426,000 lbs of trash removed from nearby BLM and National Forest lands, including old tires, vehicles, and even a camper home..

In addition to the cleanup efforts, the event also brings a unique mix of auto and outdoor enthusiasts from all across the country to this area for good times, live music, and plenty of shenanigans.