Febuary 1997   Newsletter for The San Luis Obispo County Four Wheel Drive Club
Editor Jenni B.

1997 Officers & New Volunteers

• President     Dave H.
  
• Vice President     Ray M..
  
• Secretary     Kathy P.
  
• Treasurer     Tom C.
  
• Ways & Means     Jennell T.
  
• Membership    Mark B.
  
• Events     Ray and Darlene M.
  
• Land Use Liaison     Jerry J.
  
• CA4WDC Liaison     Jennell & Brian T.
  
• Promotional /T-shirts     Anne A.
  
• Web site     Mark B. & Jeff S.
  
• Safety Clinic     Randy P. (chair), with volunteers: Jerry J., Jenni B., Brian T., Tom C., Mike A. and Mike A., Jim Z., Will & Jesse H., Robert M., Ronda S. and Simone S.
  
• Vehicle Show     Brian T.(who will accept any volunteers he can lay his hands on!)
  

Editor's corner:

The tragic accident on TV Tower road served as a reminder that we need to take extra special care when we're out wheelin' . . . even when the road SEEMS tame. We all know that this could 've happened to any of us. That's part of the reason we enjoy club membership…safety in numbers. There's no telling what being part of a group (or at least one of TWO vehicles) on that road might have done, but it brings back to mind the topic we've been banging on since the beginning of this club: SAFETY FIRST!
We're all here to have fun. We all like to take off and wheel on a whim. But there's no reason to wheel alone…there's always one of us who will go along for a ride. If all else fails, just call Ray! He's our Mikey…he'll go anywhere, anytime (and probably eat anything, too)!

That's right…at the February meeting, as promised, the club came up with a great schedule of runs well into the summer. Get your rig tuned up and your fishing pole ready…here are the big club runs planned for this spring (of course, there's still the local weekend after runs and the middle of the night "let's go wheelin'" runs, too) Club run dates are in bold.
Individual members have also expressed interest in the plain-typed events and may have the information you need to make for a GREAT trip.

• FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 2 Joe R. will lead members to Dove Springs/ Jawbone Canyon in the Red Rock Canyon area near Mojave. He's planning to leave town Friday morning, but others may leave later in the day or after work. Check out his Trailboss Pre-run Report complete with MAPS, Directions and POINTERS elsewhere in this newsletter (not included with this web version). Way to go, Joe! Joe plans to leave on Friday morning, and since there is an open motorcycle area there he plans to take his motorcycle, but there are plenty of trails that are appropriate for 4WD.

• March 1-2 Tierra Del Sol Desert Safari at Anzo Borrego, Randy's going and will share the info with anyone who calls him.

• March 22-30 Easter Jeep Safari, Moab, Utah. Dave D. is going and will share info with anyone who calls him .

• MARCH 22-23 Kyle C. will lead the club to his current favorite wheelin' spot (I think it's his current anyway)…Clear Creek! The mud and challenge has recently been reported EXCELLENT! This will be an overnight leaving Margie's Diner in Paso at 8 a.m. on Saturday. There's still a lot of ice in the creeks, so Kyle sayz bring warm clothes and a toasty sleeping bag. Plenty of wood would be a good idea too. But don't let the cold scare you…the run will be excellent with Kyle in the lead.

• APRIL 11-13 Jenni B. and Jill & Todd V. will lead the club for another fun run to Big Bear. Jenni B. will be the local contact to help arrange lodging and travel to So. Cal. From the cabins/campgrounds…it's all up to Todd & Jill. You may recall that last year we went a bit earlier than this, but due to heavy snowfall at that time we were unable to complete the John Bull trail and some other doozies and the snow danger was a bit much for lots of us. So, we're aiming at a later date to avoid those problems and enjoy more mud, rocks, and water in better weather…less ice and snow. (Ask Brian T. about the sidehills for clarification.) We need to know by February 28 who would like to go so we can reserve shared cabins again. Call Jenni at home or at work. She'll lead a group out of San Luis Obispo at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 11 for this fun run!

• MAY 2-4 CCORE Fun Day, a poker run at Turkey Flat…

• and in July or August, Jim Z. will lead a run to Red Lake and the area trails!
  WHEW!

• Win a brand new Warn snatch block (Line doubler). YES! It's to be given away to the member who brings in the most new members (min. of 6) between now and April 3rd '97 ! To be presented at April meeting.
• This is a 16,000lb rated unit that demands respect! If you don't have a winch you still want this. I guarantee when you whoop this baby out on the next trail even the most sage mountain man will offer a low growl of respect and approval. It will make you a manly man or womanly woman and the lowly crowd of wanna be wheelers will part at your passing with awe in there eyes.
• So get aggressive - tell em what we have to offer, share some trail experiences, tell them about some of our other activities trail adoption, political and land use work, conservation, vehicle show, newsletter, etc.

The only restriction is that the winner must bring in at least a minimum of 6 members! Otherwise contest starts over!.(This means every one starts back at 0 ) Make sure if some one joins through you I know it: contact Mark B. by phone or via e-mail at [email protected]

Sunday, February 9, 1997

The day dawned bright and beautiful for the Clear Creek day run. Randy & Kathy P got to Margie's first, and Randy put away one of Margie's mini omelets that is enough to feed a platoon. Kyle C. and Paul B. arrived next, Kyle in his new Toyota pickup, and Paul trailering his flat fender behind his ford truck. One of our new members, Robert M. , drove his Jeep CJ, and Randy B. brought his friend Mike in Randy's Toyota pickup. Just so you know, Randy B. and Mike ordered biscuits and gravy, and got their order in 6 minutes flat. It took them considerably longer to put them away, but the eager 'wheelers walked out of the restaurant at 8 a.m. sharp and were on their way north.

To get to Clear Creek Management Area, you take the First Street exit at King City, get gas at the 76 station, and head north up into the hills (9am). It was green and though it was cool, the weather couldn't have been better. It took us about 2 hours and after unloading Paul's flat fender at one of three staging/camping areas(10am), we were on the trail.

The BLM has recently signed the area, and though it doesn't "encourage" use of the area (because the soil is laden with asbestos that is dangerous to breathe), it does a good job of directing.

As we headed up the hill, Paul provided some good video footage by slipping and sliding through the numerous mud patches we encountered, but the best was yet to come. Kyle chose a trail that took us by "the Piccachos" with the goal of investigating a trail he hadn't been on before, as a potential goal for the March club run. Well, we were delighted when the route took us through what was unanimously determined as the best mud hole any of us had ever seen. It had no drop-offs, a long, muddy approach, and a very long sloping muddy exit, with a three foot deep hole in the middle big enough for Tom's Blazer, with a solid bottom and rocker panel deep good, clean MUD!

First Kyle tried it in his Toyota. He got just about to the top side of the hole, and spun out. He tried it again . . . five or six times. Just about the time we thought he'd give up, he laid a tire up on the near side, got just enough traction to get out of the hole, then he plowed his way to dry ground above. Next was Robert. He pretty much did the same thing, but in fewer tries. You should have seen his grin! Randy B. had to use what Jerry J. commonly calls "a little more momentum." At this point, the rest of the group formed a peanut gallery, in a really great dry spot right next to the hole. Well, when Randy blew through the hole, he peppered everyone with some pretty formidable mud balls, creating quite a stir! Robert learned that you don't want to shout encouragement when you are directly in line with a flying mud ball . . . you might get an unwelcome meal!

Next was Paul, and he plowed through in just a couple of tries, but he put on quite a show, which you are going to have to see on the video at the March meeting, because pictures are way better than words in this case. Last, but not least was Randy P in his newly fuel injected Jeep. Randy gave it several wholehearted tries, and actually made it up out of the hole once, but he had it locked in, and the jeep followed the path of least resistance which led right up to a tree. That necessitated backing clear back down through the pit again. Try as he may to get up on the side of the ditch for more traction, the weight of the Jeep kept him in the deepest part of the ruts. So he bypassed the hole and successfully negotiated the upper part of the obstacle with reckless abandon!

OK, I can't tell you all the good things about this run, or you won't come to the meeting to see the video and hear the trip report from Kyle. All in all we had a great day, with Paul, Robert, Randy & Kathy having dinner at a sensible hour at Moody's pizza in King City (6pm). Robert will tell you that the combo there is KILLER! Kyle and Randy B. made a beeline home and I'm sure they had time to wash some of the mud off their vehicles before they hit the sack while visions of mud puddles danced in their heads!

By Kathy for Kyle

Ted Miles Jeep

offers a 15% discount on all part
(& 10% off accessories like hats)
to club members who present their 1997 Membership Card!
Ted Miles Jeep/Eagle

7380 El Camino Real

Atascadero 466-2411

San Luis Obispo County 4-Wheelers General Meeting Minuets

Febuary 5, 1997

The last meeting of the SLO 4 Wheelers was held at Player's in Atascadero as usual. There were five new members at the meeting and lots of business to report.

• Starting with Ways and Means, Kathy P.reported for Jennell T..that to make money we plan to put on a practice safety clinic in anticipation of doing that as a source of income next year. We also plan another Vehicle Show, and could consider running a food booth with Marty as we did for Colony Days last year.

• Mark B.(membership director) reported that we now have 35 paid members, and that there are 5 more new members at the meeting to sign up tonight!

• (Events) The bulk of the meeting was taken up planning upcoming runs for this year. Ray M. got plenty of input on events, and we finally came up with several places and dates secured. Ray suggested that we start planning a work day for our adopted trails.

• We have a SLO 4 Wheelers Web site, and a new Committee to oversee it, with Mark and Jeff as co-chairmen. Randy circulated a hard copy of what you might find on our web page. It is very impressive!

• Randy P.is the Chairman for the Safety Clinic Committee. He plans to put on a members only trial safety clinic this fall in preparation for our doing them as a service to the community and a source of income for the club. Randy will call volunteers for a committee meeting in February.

• Brian T. is Chairman for the Vehicle Show, which will be held probably in September again this year. That gives us time to get some advertising in the magazines. Brian plans much the same as last year, and reported that Advance Adapters would even be willing to donate Raffle Prizes.

• Randy P. reported that 6 condors were released last month in the Ventana Wilderness and some of our club members were on hand to help and to witness the spectacular event in the wilderness.

• Rhonda S.is the new Scrapbook Chairperson, and has a scrapbook, and pictures from the last few events to put in them! Avanette Z. donated another scrapbook.

• Under Old Business, Ray's father is an attorney and will be looking into the incorporation process for us, and Dave D. brought in a booklet on incorporation for our information.

• Mark B.introduced a bylaws change, which was read before the membership. Essentially, what it proposes is that the Newsletter Chairperson would be a Board of Directors member, rather than just a Committee Chairperson. The proposed change will be voted upon at the March meeting.

• Kathy P. brought up a need for a new banner, and the potential cost. Right away, Rhonda S, Mark B. and our new member, Robert M., jumped in to volunteer time and use of expensive equipment for us to make a new banner! They will get together and report back at the next meeting.

• For the good of the club, Randy P. talked about our club providing input to the County Board of Supervisors concerning the "carrying capacity" of Oceano Dunes as relates to camping. CA4WDC, through Mike A., their "Natural Resources Consultant-North", has suggested that input from a local level (meaning us) would help keep the campsite numbers as they are, and not be decreased. Research into the matter will result in information for you so that a letter can be written to your county supervisor.

Next General Meeting

Wed. March 6, 1997