SoCal Chapter event

How 'bout it SoCal BOD, when are we going to plan our first official SoCal Chapter event? We need to show the rest of So Cal what this outfit is made of.

There are plenty of worthy causes to raise a little money for, plus we need to get everyone together and do some wheeling and socializing. I have my calendar out and ready.......

Richard Gauthier
Event coordinator
Past president

Goatman said:

How 'bout it SoCal BOD, when are we going to plan our first official SoCal Chapter event?

Click to expand...

An entire day went by without even one other BOD member replying to your request? Not good.

Come on guys. Put your planning hats on. We need a Jamboree, or whatever you want to call it.

C'mon Andy, give us a break, it's because we're too busy getting ideas together

Actually I've been a bit busy these last couple days with a few things (my website, and Moab videos), but a big event is certianly something that is thought about (almost daily!). As soon as there are a few good ideas I plan to throw a post up here and start a discussion. If you have any ideas feel free to let me know.

Sequoia

Something centrally located as SoCal is a big area....... Big Bear, Los Coyotes, Stoddard Valley, Gorman............. I dunno, just throwing ideas out there....

Im still trying to get all the bugs worked out on Jeep so not really in a rush. But hopefully sometime before Xmas!

Johnson Valley.

Jes

Do we want an annual event to be at the same place each year or just an event that moves around.


Same place: must have trails for all levels

Moves around: could be hard one year and less the next, but doesn't leed to having good turn outs.


I like the same place idea, but then thats just me.



mark

I agree to the same spot idea..... someplace in Big Bear maybe? Although there we would most likely have no way to have a campfire and we'd be under constant threat of closure due to fire hazards......

I don't know if I like the off road parks idea as much due to the crowds..... what else is there out here??? And also what season are we thinking about as seasons make all the difference in where we can go.

I just thought of someplace... Calico... is there enough for couple days??? I know that there is a variety for hard and medium and easy (plus that lake bed for racing ) but the question is how much is there....

Calico is a pretty good place to have a regular event. The campground facilities are decent, it's close to town, and Calico Ghost Town is right next to the campground, which is nice for families. The wheeling opportunities range from stock to difficult, especially if Stoddard Valley is included. It's a 15 minute drive to Pumpkin Eater.

I also like to go to Los Coyotes (haven't been there for quite awhile), and Parker isn't too far away. I'd lean towards the same time each year, but be open to moving it around some. I know Calico is a good place because my local club goes there every New Years, and we have liked it well enough to not move it anywhere else for 10 years.

The summer is so full of things to do, and it's a long ways away, so I think we should do something in the winter. We could also add an annual Big Bear trip since most like it so well, nothing says we only have to do something once a year.

As far as a fundraising event, we probably only need one, but we could have more regular fun events. Anything is possible.......I'd just like to see us get going. Plus, as event coordinator, I'm giving this a little push.

Los Coyotes in the winter....or Borrego Springs (Ocotillo Wells) or even Truckhaven in Salton City. All good locations for a winter event.
The local Chamber of Commerce has approached me to coordinate a four wheel drive event for them out here in Borrego Springs. I believe they are looking for a date in March or early April. I would be happy to include in the plans if anyone desires.....

Goatman said:

Calico is a pretty good place to have a regular event. The campground facilities are decent, it's close to town, and Calico Ghost Town is right next to the campground, which is nice for families. The wheeling opportunities range from stock to difficult, especially if Stoddard Valley is included. It's a 15 minute drive to Pumpkin Eater.

I also like to go to Los Coyotes (haven't been there for quite awhile), and Parker isn't too far away. I'd lean towards the same time each year, but be open to moving it around some. I know Calico is a good place because my local club goes there every New Years, and we have liked it well enough to not move it anywhere else for 10 years.

Click to expand...

Well, then in light of those two choices I second the Calico area as it's more central to SoCal chapter then Los Coyotes....... and as Goatman says, Calico Ghost Tows is a lot of fun by itself (each time I'm in the area I can't resist myself from stopping by

So...... what does everyone else think???? We probably would want to start organizing things as we need to start lining up sponsors and in a way promoting this, and it's not a one week thing, so we need to start preparing....

Jump This said:

Los Coyotes in the winter....or Borrego Springs (Ocotillo Wells) or even Truckhaven in Salton City. All good locations for a winter event.
The local Chamber of Commerce has approached me to coordinate a four wheel drive event for them out here in Borrego Springs. I believe they are looking for a date in March or early April. I would be happy to include in the plans if anyone desires.....

Click to expand...

Good locations, but too far away for many of us as a regular annual event. I'd still like to get out to Borrego Springs, but Calico and Johnson Valley are much closer, so I've never made it. Granted, us Bakersfield folks are the furthest away..........maybe not, we also have Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

HEY..........HEY.........Can anyone hear me?!?!?! Don't for get about the 2 of us here in Ridgecrest.

Calico is always a great area. It is close and there is all sorts of great stuff out there.

Calico has my vote.

-Scott

DesertXJ said:

HEY..........HEY.........Can anyone hear me?!?!?! Don't for get about the 2 of us here in Ridgecrest.

Click to expand...

Don't worry man, we'll give you directions to wherever it ends up being.

But on a more serious note, I'd like to see some runs for the northern people of our chapter as well, do you know any up there, maybe in the Sequoia National Forest area? (I guess I"m a little partial to that area...)

Sequoia

Truck Haven or Los Coyotes get my vote, Both have good capacities for camping, and little if any hassles from the man. i.e. campfires, redneck activities, etc.

DAN

GSequoia said:

Don't worry man, we'll give you directions to wherever it ends up being.

Click to expand...

I don't need no stinkin' directions, I don't get lost....well....maybe misplaced, but not lost!!

Calico

Calico is a good place with the right kind of trails to be used for this type of event.
The campgrounds have full hookups and they also have cabins available or you can tent camp also.
The way it could be run is to have a moderate group go up Odessa canyon and a difficult group go up Doran. Meet together at the top for lunch and just pass each other on the trail to go down the trails the others went up. For those that don't want to attempt the going down the last section of Doran which is difficult there is a by pass.
There are other good spots to explore with mines etc.
Then Sunday do a pumpkin eater and other runs could be set up.
Go fire and pot luck could be put together for Saturday nite.
I also think the 3rd week of January would be a good weekend since it is a holiday for some and the extra time is nice to have for those fortunate enough to have it off. Before those that don't have it off say no because they don't have it off, it woudln't make much diffrence anyway for you so whats the big deal.
I would be willing to cook a breakfast for everyone and charge acouple of bucks to make it a fundraiser for the chapter.
If you like the ideas then get it set and call the campgrounds to find out what other events may be going on that weekend. You don't want to be in to much competition for the campgrounds etc.
I would be willing to lead a trail on Saturday.
The Best of the West will be the end of February so that will not work and the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab is the 1st week of April.
Just some of my thoughts for the BOD to mull over.
Mil

I'm liking Calico also middle of January, over MLK weekend, 3 dayer

mark

Re: Calico

GRNT said:

[B.
I also think the 3rd week of January would be a good weekend since it is a holiday for some and the extra time is nice to have for those fortunate enough to have it off. Before those that don't have it off say no because they don't have it off, it woudln't make much diffrence anyway for you so whats the big deal. [/B]

Click to expand...

One thing to keep in mind is that sometime in either Jan or Feb there is something going on in Calico... they have either a fest or something.... and we probably want to avoid that weekend... anyone knows what I'm talking about??