Ok, so I want to go off-roading, but everytime I've never done it before and everything I read tells me to hook up with a local jeep club. I'm hesitant. I just have visions of weekly dues and snickering at the stock newbie chick who thinks she can ride...I keep wanting to approach this guy who's always buying Red Bull while I'm paying for my gas because his wrangler is always covered in mud, but I'm not sure if that would be considered rude. When I had my convertible I asked some guy what he was using on his back window to keep it so clear and he freaked out telling me to do my homework before asking a stranger stupid questions...
Actually you'd be surprised, there's many Jeep clubs that are family friendly. Try doing an internet search for any jeep clubs in your area and look at their webpages. You can get a general vibe about them from their website. You might want to check out Jeeperz because I knwo they have a PA chapter and are cool people to wheel with. Also, it's not rude to ask someone about their rig or where they might wheel, I've been asked by other people about wheelin' in general (and about the Jeep), and I've also asked other people about their junk. Good luck
whew....just rolled in from Paragon. Frank & I ran with the green/blue group....the newbies
I encourage you to check out local clubs, they can really help you get started...modifications, safety, recovery, picking lines, etc. You'll be the subject of some joking, but it comes with the territory, is good natured and usually only lasts till the next newbie joins I know in our club, it's important to the members that new folks have a safe/good time and leave the ride looking forward to the next outing. (that's why we were in that group today...doing a little PR)
As far as talking to the fellow at the gas station...go for it. I think most Jeepers are flattered when someone takes an interest in their rig. The guy with the convertible was a jerk (his problem, not yours!) And just so you know...there are no "strangers" amoung the Jeep community~!
good luck in your search and let us know how it turns out
Ok, so I want to go off-roading, but everytime I've never done it before and everything I read tells me to hook up with a local jeep club. I'm hesitant. I just have visions of weekly dues and snickering at the stock newbie chick who thinks she can ride...I keep wanting to approach this guy who's always buying Red Bull while I'm paying for my gas because his wrangler is always covered in mud, but I'm not sure if that would be considered rude. When I had my convertible I asked some guy what he was using on his back window to keep it so clear and he freaked out telling me to do my homework before asking a stranger stupid questions...
As far as jeep clubs and the like go, sounds like a great idea if you can find one. In our area we have at least 3 truck nights a week so if you have any of those check them out, though those are usually just to get muddy, so if you wanna go trailriding, check elsewhere. I was nervous goin to my first trucknight after buying my jeep, but the guys that put in a ton of money to make there rig look unstoppable in the mud didn't even take their's through. And alot of guys got stuck several times so you won't get embarrased as much as you think if you get stuck trying. And as far ask talking to the guy with the muddy jeep at the gas station, go for it...Owning a jeep is kinda like owning a motorcycle, it's a big family.
Jus owning a jeep makes you one of us as long as you want to get some wheeling in with it! Def ask the guy at the gas station becasue if he is like me it will make his day to talk to someone who shares an intrest in jeeps and wheeling. I understand where your commin from with the clubs tho its hard deciding who you want to join up with. You should get to know someone on a forum like this and try to join up with them sometime.
Exactly...You don't need to join a club to get your jeep dirty. Talk to the guy at the gas station, coworkers, or just ask around.
I didn't know anyone that had a jeep, or rather, that anyone I know had a jeep till I bought mine. Once you start talking to other people, jeep owners will start coming out of the woodwork and you'll be wheelin plenty.
Any Jeep club that snickers at stock Jeeps isn't worthy of your time. My 05 X is bone stock and I've met up with a couple of great groups here in the Buffalo area. The best thing about jeepers is that they love to take newbies under their wing and teach them the ropes. I had never been off roading before, and they taught me a ton. Especially how amazing a stock TJ is. Check out these pics http://www.myjeepspace.com/profile.php?sub_section=gallery&id=2314 . 99% of the people who owns Jeeps are fantastic. Don't be afraid to approach someone and ask them questions. That's just being part of the Jeep family. Oh yeah, and don't forget to wave! BTW, where in PA are you? I've meet people from a group called Erie Jeep People. They are a nice bunch.
If you're in the eastern half of PA, check out Blue Mountain Jeep Alliance (www.bmja.org) It's a big club but newbies are always welcome and there are quite a few women in the club so you won't be the only girl on the trail.
I'm about an hour north of Philly. I'll probably just see if I can talk to a few of the other jeepers I see roaming around...I couldn't clear the work schedule until early November to make any meetings anyway.
Are you in the Lehigh Valley then? I'm 90 mins N of Philly. BMJA's meetings are held in Reading, but there are members from Delaware to NY state, PA, NJ. Lots of people in the Lehigh Valley/Poconos as well.
Agreed.
Skitzic - you don't have to attend meetings, and they are more social gatherings than formal "meetings". You can sign up on the club forum and meet some people that way.
Skitzic.....good choice, My GF and I went to a meeting of one of these jeep clubs and I was not impress at all, it was very much a political meeting and out of a least 100 people at this meeting only 2 introduced themselves to us....We very much felt like outsiders while there instead of being welcomed to a family...Although I have meet a couple of members outside of the meeting area and on the road, which have been awsome and very friendly... My advice to you is choose what type of fun you want to have, and decide if you feel comfort and willing to indure some mind games within a club, some club are very organized and some are just out for the fun..personnally I have found more people that enjoy the offroading that do not belong to a club, and they don't scrutinize you on where you went off road.( I went out to the country one weekend close by on some back roads and have a problem with a tire, I made a little post on their fourms and got hammered about wheelin in illeagal placed, if you call county roads illeagal then why do I have a Jeep?).. I don't condole wheeling in illeagal places but they were fast to point a finger. So in short this club has been crossed of my list.... it also was a place where you must attend so many meeting and so many functions through out the year...This is something I am not willing to commit to since I don't even know what I am doing next week, let alone 6 months from now....
Find you a group that enjoys it for the fun and the comradeship of good down to earth people and a crowd that suites your wants and needs..You will have more fun, than being in the big Clubs.... I am not saying that all clubs are bad, in fact none are bad that I have seen, it just this certain one was not suite for us. The smaller groups seem to be more family orgainzed and more personal with each other within the group, this is what we look for. Good luck in finding what your looking for, and don't ever be afraid to talk to a jeeper. They are always a big help and are alway willing to show off their rides..kinda like the biker groups.
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