1) - I am going to ask that when you arrive you park your Jeep and BEFORE you start airing down, come find me, or whoever is the leader for the day, so you can sign in and pay the fee if there is one. This give the trail leader the time they need to get their own jeep ready so we can get on the trail. I will start drivers meetings at 9:15 and we leave right after the meeting. Please get yourself there with enough time to be aired down and ready by 9:15. Don't be that guy that rolls in during the meeting that everyone has to wait for.
2) - I found the following in a post by Kurt. It is good information so take a few minutes to read it. His OP is here ... http://baystatejeepers.com/forum/viewto ... =10&t=4634 if you want to see the list he posted of the trail number ratings and other information. Thanks Kurt
Trail Etiquette
(Guidelines governing socially acceptable behavior while 'froadin'.)
Written by: Hoosier Daddy from Quadratec bulletin board aka Todd from JP Frog Off-Roaders (Indianapolis, IN)
Some trail rides just aren't as much fun as others. Tempers were running high and everyone seemed edgy. Was it just a bad day, or could the trouble have been avoided?
This article is not about how to be prepared for a run or “safety practices”. While these are very important, they could each be an article by themselves, so it will be a given that all drivers are well equipped and safety-minded. The intent here is to establish some guidelines to insure that everyone has a good time. And that is the point of going off road, right?
So with that in mind, read on...
Be on time If it has been agreed to meet at a certain time, don't be late! The last thing
everybody wants to do is wait "just a little bit longer" while you sign in, air down and get
disconnected. We all know that it is sometimes unavoidable, but don't make everyone wait. Just because you decided at the last minute to stop at McDonald's for breakfast!
Driver's meeting It is always a good idea to make sure that all drivers are well informed. Everyone should know what to expect on the trail, what CB channel to be on, who they will be driving with, etc... Besides, it's a good way to kill time while you're all waiting on the knucklehead who's late!
Communication Everyone likes to joke around on the CB once in a while, but there is a time and place for it. While a group is attempting an obstacle, is NOT the right time! Just because you finished it already, doesn't mean that the person a few vehicles back isn't waiting to hear "all clear". And it's hard to warn someone of potential danger while some moron has decided that everyone on the channel just MUST hear the song that he's listening to!
Watch your back Always, always, always keep the vehicle behind you in your sight! If you don't see the person behind you... STOP! This way no one gets lost. It is very easy for a group to get separated out in the woods and it's not a good feeling to come up over an obstacle and find that your friends have left you. If you are about to round a corner or cross a hill, take a few seconds to make sure the person behind you knows where you're going. If you stop to wait for them, the driver in front of you will stop, and so on up the line.
Be patient We all know that this is not a fast paced hobby. Be prepared to wait! Wait on that newbie to struggle with a mud pit. Wait on the "big dogs" who want to take a few minutes and climb on those boulders. Give the newbie some advice if you can, and watch those big dogs for a while. You might just learn something!
Give everybody some room Don't follow too closely to the vehicle in front of you. It is to your advantage to stay far enough back that you can see under the vehicle in front of you. Watch the tires and diffs. It will help you decide what line to take over the obstacles. (And what lines NOT to take!) You will also avoid being splattered by mud and a possible cracked windshield!
If you have already passed an obstacle and want to get out and help others through (or just laugh when they get stuck), make sure that you park far enough ahead that ALL the vehicles in the group will have a room to park. It really sucks to finally make it to the top of that steep hill (or whatever) and find that you have nowhere to go!
Getting strapped Everyone gets stuck sometime. If you haven't, you're not trying hard enough! When it happens, it is common courtesy that YOUR towstrap should be the one to get muddy while pulling you out. Also, if possible, get out and hook it up yourself. If not, you owe the person with the muddy shoes a beer after the run!
Only one spotter please Sometimes when a crowd is gathered around to watch someone attempt an obstacle, it is tempting to yell out advice. Unfortunately, it can be very confusing to the driver to have several people yelling out at once! Select just ONE (experienced) person to be the spotter. The rest of the crowd can handle the "oohs" and "ahs". (and take pictures. )
Tread lightly Respect the environment! For most of us, part of going off road is experiencing nature. Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but tracks. If you bring food and drinks in with you, make sure that it all comes out with you. (including your cigarette butts!) And if you see trash on the trail, take a minute to pick it up. Trashing the environment reflects poorly on all of us!