What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

How dependable is your 4x4 club or group of wheeling friends?

mountainexplorer

mountainexplorer

1/2 ton status
Joined
Nov 14, 2001
Posts
4,904
Reaction score
6
Location
Spokane, Wa./Ione, Wa
Am I the only person who finds it IMPOSSIBLE to get everyone together at the same time at the same place?

I've moved our "Snow Days" play weekend dates back like 4 times to accomodate peoples schedules, and now even less people can come than if we'd have just gone on the original weekend. Plus now, most of the snow is gone.

We went to the ORV park a couple weeks ago... 3/4 of the initial group that was going to go actually went, and we got split up into two groups. By the time the 2nd group got there, the 1st group started to leave. Never even all did get to one place at the same time to do anything fun as a group. :crazy:

How do you guys do it? I mean, I usually just let things happen naturally... and seems like more people show up at random than if you try and plan it.
 
Life's a bitch mang. Just be glad somebody showed. I can't get a Glamis trip with more than one group together to save my life.
 
My club's prety cool. I've only been on one trip but we have 5 vehicles so it was prety fun. Having a club forums helps tremendously. Right now we're trying to get something together for spring break, should be fun.
 
You have FRIENDS???? :grin:

Trying to organize a large-scale wheeling trip is a lot like the proverbial "herding of cats".... everyone is there to have fun, socialize and relax and not everyone is going to have the same "sense of urgency" on their days off from work.

What I've found is that there are a handful of guys that I can REALLY count on and that I enjoy wheeling with the most. They seem to be the guys that always show up for events, so we do the most together.

PLUS, as many of us learned the hard way at events like BlazerBash in Moab.....you really DON'T want two-dozen guys on a trail run anyway.... I recall there was a group like that on Steel Bender or Gold Bar Rim.... a few guys broke and the entire group was out until WAY after dark making sure everyone got back to camp safely. Sometimes smaller groups of 6 or 8 guys on a trail is a lot more workable and fun for everyone.... so be careful what you wish for.


.
 
My club is AWESOME! This comming weekend a bunch of folks are helping one of the members drop in a Powerstroke in one of the guys tow rigs. THen right behind that swapping a torque converter in another tow rig. Infortunaly I have to work all weekend or I would be helping them. (Rather be wrenching)

Our club got together and built a CJ5 that was donated by one club memeber for a fund raiser and we ended up raising $40k to help one member build a new house. His wife was parayalized from the wiast down in a car accident and they were a dual income family. The house they had was a split level and she could not live in it.

They were there for me and my family when I had some health problems ready to do whatever we needed if we needed. I am very proud to call these folks my friends. They are the best!:D

One member in particualr has gone above and beyond over and over. He tied up his shop for the Jeep build. He freely offers it up for helping other out including this weekend.

Here is a picture of my Suburban in my buddies garage when I was servicing the tranny. He has TWO two post lifts. one inside and one outside. AWESOME shop for sure. :grin:

lift2.jpg
 
same problem here. we would go as a group of about 6 friends. it was always the same people who were late. we finally said "we're leaving at this time (usually 0800) and if you're not here at 0802 you're driving up by yourself". most good organized clubs are the same way. they pick a time, and whoever isn't there doesn't go or can meet at the trailhead.
 
The group of guys I wheel with are a good bunch. We always help each other out when we can. The core group (originals), have a private forum where we have a tool loan list so a bunch of us don't duplicate expensive tools. We shcedule runs months in advance so we can all try to make it.

The best part is we are not a club. We have a msg board for organizing/chatting and with nearly 100 or so users (about 30 active) it all works out well. There are no dues either so that takes some stress out. Being a part of a club is ok but the problem with most clubs is people want the club to do things for them, not them doing things for the club. You can't have a good club if only 5 members are williing to put out effort. The other 30 just want stuff in return without pitching in to help the club.
 
We don't have a set "club" with dues and rules or anything . Yet when a run is set , hard or easy , there is a good turnout . It is always a pleasure to wheel with the guys I do , break , its fixed or towed . No one left behind . Great guys :D
 
Our club has one official trailride every month and always on the same day (2nd Saturday of the month) and we always meet at the same time, the only thing that changes is the location. The same thing applies to the monthly club meeting. The only exception we ever make is if one of the those days happens to fall on a major holiday (not too many people will show up for a meeting on Christmas day).

This is really the only practical way to appease a large group and to avoid the logistics of having to keep moving dates around. Technically you know the club's schedule years in advance, so if you can't make it then it's your own fault.
 
What I've learned to do is to tell everyone when and where several weeks to a month off. Then tell them again one week out. Then who ever shows up is who the group is. The others missed out.
 
I try and get the large group together for "play days", either at my place or at the ORV park, where we are all just there goofing around.

I've noticed too, that on any trail runs or exploring trips, too many rigs isnt always funner. WE always had "the rule of 3"... never could get more than 3 rigs at the same time to go anywhere.

When we finally broke that rule and got 8 rigs in a row, every 5 minutes we lost someone and whoever was behind them.

3 or 4 is a good number for some trails.

Usually turnout is decent at the larger main events, like our mud races or others, and maybe 2 play days out of the year do we get 3/4 of the group out there at the same time. The rest of the time, no matter what, its typical for a 10-25% turnout.

It's common for me to expect people to cancel even if they said they would or want to go. If they actually show, its a surprise. You give anyone advanced notice for a date, and it gives them time to forget about it and plan something else. You tell them last minute, and they can't go. And there is no perfect time in between to tell anyone. No matter what, something will come up.

Not that it bugs me that much... I just find it funny how people say they want to go so badly, but forget when so easily or change their mind last minute.
 
We have about 50 members in our club, with about half that many actually being regular wheelers and who have a rig that isn't being built or broke at the time (I've been in the club for over 6 years and there are some guys I have never seen on the trail........). Our regular club rides then average around 10-15 vehicles, more people in the summer and less in the winter months.

Obviously the more vehicles you have, the harder it is to keep everybody together and moving. Though this is usually more of an issue due to the different capability levels of the vehicles (lesser equipped rigs getting stuck way more often, we have everything from vehicles with 42's and dual lockers to 31's and open diffs).

We also often get smaller private rides together. This is the opportunity for the more built rigs to get together, cover a lot more territory, and try the harder trails that just are not practical to drag the less built vehicles through. These numbers range from about 3 to 10 rigs...........3 is the absolute minimum I fell comfortable riding with in case something happens, and a group of 10 rigs can stay together especially when all of them are well-equipped.
 
The Arizona guys are simply the best 4wheeling buddies I've ever had. I have learned a great deal about my truck from these guys and if it weren't for wrestling season being during the majority of wheeling season I'd be out more often.
I've had other people volunteer to wrench on my junk, lend me tools, lend me fluids etc. They are all standup guys. Just check out the threads started in the regional forum. When AZ guys have questions or get in a bind, they ask for help and recieve it.

I'm happy and proud to be part of this elite group of treadheads.
 
Here in VA theres only 1 guy I could call and depend on. Back home in Ak anyone would lend you a hand, mainly because of the type of wheelin,terrain and mud, normally if you need help its pretty bad and yer stuck for sure, which means if you hafta leave yer rig overnight..you'll most likely come back to nothing or a pile of ashes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom