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NAXJA NAC to join East Coast 4 Wheel Drive Assoc. NAXJA MEMBERS TAKE NOTE..

sidriptide

nobody of any consequence
what does this mean to you? let me 'slpain.....

www.ec4wda.org

East Coast 4 Wheel Drive Assoc is an organiization made up of smaller "member-clubs" much like United Four Wheeel Drive Assoc, which NAXJA is already a member of. east coast is just a smallers version of that and they concentrate their efforts on the eastern 1/2 of the US. they support legal OHV use and are very active in the political end of it including a presence in Washington DC... EC4WDA is too small/regional to think about asking NAXJA to join on a natioal level but the NAC falls entirely inside of their "region B" and "region D".... EC4WDA has offered us an "associate membership" which is generally extended to businesses and such, and is more of a "mutual endorsement" than an actual membership... full membership would include a "dues fee" based on our member base and that would be financially imposible at this point with close to 150 members in the NAC boundaries...
what does this all really mean?

MORE WHEELING!
EC4WDA clubs have a "sister" relationship with eachother, and extend open invites to eachother to attend their trail runs/events.. i see this as an exellent opportunity to stimulate some active wheeling in the NAC... up till last year we have pretty much had NACFEST once a year and last year we added Mohawk Madnes as a "chapter event" and some impromptu "lets go wheeling" threads thru the wheeling months...
i will be extending invites to NAXJA MEMBERS ONLY to attend some of our more local trail runs and events here that i am involved in.. this is a good opportunity for NAXJA Memebrs in other parts of the NAC to try to hook up with a local club for some wheeling as well and if you are interested in getting in touch with someone locally i can help with that...

check out the link i posted at the top... EC4WDA is neck deep in the land-use issues here in new england as well as throughout their regions.....

NAXJA is a very big organization but because we are so spread out we stil fall under most "local" radar and remain somewhat unknown to many... this will be a way to gain exposure for NAXJA as well as show support for one of the few organizations that puts alot of effort into keeping wheeling legal for EVERYONE......
this will not affect you NAXJA dues or membership in any way... and we arent "merging" with any other organization.. think of it as 2 large organizations agreeing to support eachother.

thanks for taking the time to read this.. please let me know if you have any questions at all about any of this....
 
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Does this mean that any event (or informal "non-event") put on by the NAC is or automatically must be open to people from other EC4WDA clubs? If so, I am opposed. I would be in favor of making a contribution to EC4WDA annually to support their efforts on behalf of the sport, but I did NOT join NAXJA because I wanted to go wheeling with Broncos, Dakotas, Suzukis and whatever. I joined NAXJA because I wanted to hang with other Cherokee and Comanche drivers and owners. I also don't particularly enjoy large events on a regular basis. I think we should be emphasizing quality, of trails and of our member participants. I see no particular need to open up our runs just to attract more vehicles.

I also see this as being in conflict with our by-laws regarding guests at our events.
 
Eagle said:
Does this mean that any event (or informal "non-event") put on by the NAC is or automatically must be open to people from other EC4WDA clubs? If so, I am opposed. I would be in favor of making a contribution to EC4WDA annually to support their efforts on behalf of the sport, but I did NOT join NAXJA because I wanted to go wheeling with Broncos, Dakotas, Suzukis and whatever. I joined NAXJA because I wanted to hang with other Cherokee and Comanche drivers and owners. I also don't particularly enjoy large events on a regular basis. I think we should be emphasizing quality, of trails and of our member participants. I see no particular need to open up our runs just to attract more vehicles.

I also see this as being in conflict with our by-laws regarding guests at our events.

I second Eagles statement.

Its not NAXJ&EEA (North American XJ & Everyone Else Association)

Its NAXJA
 
i dont see it that way... this would be an Associate membership, not a full club membership.. in reality NAXJA-NAC doesnt have a whole lot to worry about... we hardly wheel!!! it's really doudtfull anyone will be banging on our door wanting to come to our runs.. it is meant as a way to get the NAC members more access to more wheeling. and i honeslty dont see many members doing much besides myself and the guys closer to paragon.. i'm trying to stimulate some activity here.. if we get a base of members who want to wheel we can do ALOT more AS A CHAPTER.... we NEED more than 2 runs a year... getting exposure for NAXJA would OBVIOUSLY get the attention of the XJ guys who might be members of smaller clubs and may yeild us some new members.... we are not "elite" and have no need to adopt a "land rover" attitude.. i understand the whole reason behind NAXJA and the XJ and it is a certain bond that hold the club together. but why handicap ourselves by excluding the rest of the world? we are in no danger of having our runs "diluted" by zukis or dakotas so rest easy my feathered friend...

this is nothing more than an attempt at stimulating some activity.... trust me.. every other club already has their own thing going on and no one is going to try to steal any NAXJA thunder.... i really dont expect many NAC members to take me up on these offers very often, but you cant say i didnt put effort into trying to get the ball rolling... and for the record i AM NOT publicizing this as an invite to everyone else to come hit our runs..... EC4WDA clubs dont even know this is in the works.. to them we would be just another new club on the block making an effort to support organized and responsible 4 wheeling....
you have no need to feel threatened by this...
 
Eagle said:
I see no particular need to open up our runs just to attract more vehicles.


thats totally the opposite of the intention here... i want to open up MORE opportunities for NAC MEMBERS.... the additional exposure that NAXJA gets could hopefully get NEW MEMBERS for us....... i'm not trying to get "big runs" together for NAXJA.... i already do enough of that for my other club.. i thought i found a way to offer the other events/runs to NAC MEMBERS..

nothing more than an effort to get everyone of these web-wheelin XJ "enthusiasts" off their patoot and on the trails..
 
I would think any NAXJA/NAC event would still be bound by NAXJA by laws saying that only NAXJA members can attend NAXJA events and each member is allowed only 1 guest vehicle, right? I also like wheeling with a whole bunch of XJ's, even if it is just once or twice a year, and I wouldn't want that to be dilluted either.

However, I know that the EC4WDA Region D is very active politically and has done a LOT to promote and secure legal 4 wheeling in New England so in that regard I think this is a very positive group to be associated with. :thumbup:
 
If I understand this correctly, this opportunity would allow NAC members to represent NAXJA and wheel at EC4WDA events but not necessarily establish an automatic invitation for EC4WDA members to NAC events. If so, I don't see the harm in it. Having wheeled with both groups, I think it is refreshing to sometimes have a mixed bag of vehicles rather than watch one tin-foil station wagon after the next take the same line.

I guided a stocker group at EC4WDA's Region D on the Rocks at Paragon a couple of years ago at the request of Doug Abrams (Doug & Bark formerly of NAXJA and now a big wig in Long Island Off Road.) I had a great time and they are very well organized. The only other NAXJA person there was Chark from Ohio, who I was very surprised to see.

I just don't see how this could possibly be a bad thing.
 
MuddyJeep said:
Mike, your the man and just a big thank you to all the work you do in this 'wheeling world'.

thanks i really appreciate the credit you give me.. but i'm really not a glory hound.. i love what i do and i just want to get people out doing too..
 
Lawn Cher' said:
If I understand this correctly, this opportunity would allow NAC members to represent NAXJA and wheel at EC4WDA events but not necessarily establish an automatic invitation for EC4WDA members to NAC events. If so, I don't see the harm in it. Having wheeled with both groups, I think it is refreshing to sometimes have a mixed bag of vehicles rather than watch one tin-foil station wagon after the next take the same line.

I guided a stocker group at EC4WDA's Region D on the Rocks at Paragon a couple of years ago at the request of Doug Abrams (Doug & Bark formerly of NAXJA and now a big wig in Long Island Off Road.) I had a great time and they are very well organized. The only other NAXJA person there was Chark from Ohio, who I was very surprised to see.

I just don't see how this could possibly be a bad thing.

thanks for translating it for me mark.. i sometimes get on a roll and over-explain things.... i see doug abrams all the time too, a real good guy and does alot for our sport..
 
1. Thanks Mike.

2. This is an "honorary" membership, and as said above this is to help out the people in areas that dont have alot of wheeling area. Also to "stimulate" some wheeling, this doesn't mean an OPEN INVITE to EC4WDA members on OUR RUNS, however an invite to NAXJA/NAC members on EC4WDA runs.

It's a good thing that isn't costing anyone anything so for the "less fortunate" areas enjoy.

Relax no-one is invading NAXJA/NAC.

STROKER
 
STROKER said:
1. Thanks Mike.

2. This is an "honorary" membership, and as said above this is to help out the people in areas that dont have alot of wheeling area. Also to "stimulate" some wheeling, this doesn't mean an OPEN INVITE to EC4WDA members on OUR RUNS, however an invite to NAXJA/NAC members on EC4WDA runs.

It's a good thing that isn't costing anyone anything so for the "less fortunate" areas enjoy.

Relax no-one is invading NAXJA/NAC.

STROKER

well said.... this is to give our paying members other opportunities to go wheeling outside of NAXJA or NAC events. It is a nice added benefit for our members who pony up.
 
I'm impressed. It really sounds like a great idea. I don't see how anyone wouldn't benefit from this, epsecially in an area where there is not a whole lot of places to wheel like here.

The majority of my wheeling is at my boss' farm where he has given us permission to wheel as long as we respect the land and if we do leave damage we gotta fix it asap. But Im kinda tired of the same stuff over and over and would like the get out to western mass when Naxja puts on the trail runs and also be able to help out with everything else like cleanups which EC4WDA seems to be doing a lot of.

I'm all for it.

Thanks Mike and everyone else you've been working with. I don't know how you have any free time with all the stuff you do for wheeling around here.

-Dean

by the way, I'll be in red soon, I'll have some extra money starting in a couple weeks and decided the first thing I should do is send in my dues, I sorta got tired of being a freeloader and I figure every dollar helps.
 
I hadnt said anything until now, but overall , this sounds like a good idea, I think the opportunity to get out a little more is a good thing. Thanks to Mike for initiating this.
 
I think this is the worst sticky and it should be removed. the whole purpose of this club was to bring fellow XJers together so we could all wheel together and share in put. we are allready a national club and a member of UFWDA I say if you wana go join the east coast 4 wheel drive assosiation go do it on your own.

NAXJA is A XJ club ONLY all others can leave.

I am a member of the huson vally section of EC4WDA. I go wheeling with them and have another membership to that club also. It is alowwed and you can do it too! No one said you can only wheel with NAXJA.
 
rockreadyxj said:
I am a member of the huson vally section of EC4WDA. I go wheeling with them and have another membership to that club also. It is alowwed and you can do it too! No one said you can only wheel with NAXJA.

so how is gaining new interest from the opposite side of the fence a bad thing??
i STRONGLY support the idea of NAXJA members joining local clubs and this is a perfect way for them to get exposure to them... and conversely there are alot of XJers out there with little knowledge of NAXJA.... and as was said before, there is little chance of "outsiders" banging our doors down looking to infiltrate our runs.... every club already has ttheir own schedule for the year.

why is everyone so threatened by this?? what is wrong with promoting NAXJA on different levels?? how much new interest would a link on the EC4WDA site get for us? how much interest would a EC4WDA link on the NAC home page give them? NAXJA can try to remain it's own exclusive entity , which is not a bad thing, but when you distance yourself from the local level of the legal politics you lose touch with what is really happening... there is more to wheeling in the north east region of the US than Paragon Adventure Park... we are very lucky to have it, because private land really is the future of wheeling up here if "we" (as active wheelers) continue to leave the land-use issues to someone else....
another reason to support EC4WDA and local clubs..

i'm sorry if you don't see my point joe.. i do not see this as a disadvantge to anyone.. and certainly no disproportionate advantage....
 
lobsterdmb said:
well said.... this is to give our paying members other opportunities to go wheeling outside of NAXJA or NAC events. It is a nice added benefit for our members who pony up.

I love that!! Great point, i dont understand how so many non members are allowed to have so many posts. And most of the time they are the same dam posts or they just have a stupid answer.

Well thats a whole other topic. And to get back to the topic, this idea is actually growing on me. everyone is always bitching about not having enough trailrides, well here is our chance. more land, more friends, more connections to other land, and other friends. like i said my opinion has kinda changed.

Pete
 
sidriptide said:
so how is gaining new interest from the opposite side of the fence a bad thing??
i STRONGLY support the idea of NAXJA members joining local clubs and this is a perfect way for them to get exposure to them... and conversely there are alot of XJers out there with little knowledge of NAXJA.... and as was said before, there is little chance of "outsiders" banging our doors down looking to infiltrate our runs.... every club already has ttheir own schedule for the year.

why is everyone so threatened by this?? what is wrong with promoting NAXJA on different levels?? how much new interest would a link on the EC4WDA site get for us? how much interest would a EC4WDA link on the NAC home page give them? NAXJA can try to remain it's own exclusive entity , which is not a bad thing, but when you distance yourself from the local level of the legal politics you lose touch with what is really happening... there is more to wheeling in the north east region of the US than Paragon Adventure Park... we are very lucky to have it, because private land really is the future of wheeling up here if "we" (as active wheelers) continue to leave the land-use issues to someone else....
another reason to support EC4WDA and local clubs..

i'm sorry if you don't see my point joe.. i do not see this as a disadvantge to anyone.. and certainly no disproportionate advantage....


If you want to work on getting more members why don't you first try to get all the forum users to become paid members? That is a better way to get more members. I myself tell every XJ customer that I come in contact with about NAXJA. I am a big supporter of NAXJA. I think that word of mouth is the best way to advertise the clubs existence. A banner on a site really will not help.

Like Pete said I am all for more places to wheel. That is a good thing but the club is what it is. I think that you should keep in mind that we all belong to NAXJA not NAC. Nac is a chapter of NAXJA. Naxja is a national club why should they join a regional club it makes no sense. With the need for more land to wheel on why don't you start approaching landowners for permission for NAXJA to use their land? I cannot see the need for NAXJA to join EC4WDA. Everything that you want can be done without joining EC4WDA. It seems to be that joining EC4WDA is the easy way out. We could use the same private land they use if someone puts in the time and does the work.
 
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