COASTAL CRUISER MEETING APRIL 12, 2007
The usual crew of discriminating pub food lovers met at the Spike, which was unusually quiet considering the previous nights Canuck quadruple overtime pandemonium against Dallas.
The meeting got underway about 8:00 p.m. with the following members in attendance:
Steve T, Rob Millson, Gary T, Drew E, Rod McD, Rob C, Justin VanH, Barry P, Dan M, Dan M, Mat R, Rob M (Sopal), Phil S, Martin S, Paul K, Aaron K, & Bill W.
Guests: Mark Hurst and 4WDABC President Steve Millen.
-Cruiser Days prep: Now that we definitely have Deas Island Park for the August 11 Cruiser Days event, we must advertise it. Dan is arranging for a banner ad on Mud. Bill is arranging for this event to be listed in the Toyota Trails Events Calendar. Posters will be developed by Marcin. Jim & Lindsay are probably not available for T-shirts so somebody will have to pick that up. No food vendor has been found either, so that is to be arranged also.
-Steve Dillen, President of 4WDABC, spoke to us about the efforts going on to renew and revitalize their Association. He acknowledged that it has been unresponsive and has lost a lot of members over the last few years. However, he is working very hard to turn this around, develop new goals, and build membership. They have established multi-year agreements with the B.C. government for the three recreation sites: Lodestone Lake, Hale Creek, and Sunrise Lake. The Association has also revived the Backroader and set up the following websites: 4WDABC.COM, 4WDABC.CA, and 4WDABC.ORG . In their effort to boost membership and build a base for negotiations with municipalities, they are recognizing other groups such as 4WD recreational fishermen and ATV users. Steve has also been working on their bylaws to overcome the previous problem of only one vote for one club.
I believe that Steve is working hard to turn his organization around and I suggest we should all discuss the pros and cons of supporting them, especially considering that we are all affected by road closures, gates, and new regulations such as the proposed B.C. Mud Boggers legislation due to be brought in this May. You can contact Steve Dillen personally on his email at
4WDABC@telus.net with your questions and comments.
-CC membership dues: I have emailed a number of people re their overdue status. Some of you have returned email and paid or stated that you will be back soon. At this point I will be reluctantly deleting from membership those who’s dues are a couple of months or more late, do not attend meetings, and do not let me know what your intentions are. Sorry, but if you want to be a Coastal Cruiser and enjoy our wheeling community activities, you have got to participate, communicate and pay your dues like the rest of us.
-April Scavenge Hunt cancelled due to road washouts going into Chehalis Lake.
-May Long Weekend. Saturday May 19-Monday May 21, camping to Big Bar, China Head, and other locations. Some members will be going up a day early on Friday the 18 to establish our campsite. Final details to be announced at the May 10 CC meeting.
-Other Business: Welcome new member Aaron Kuit who drives a ’90 Prado LJ78 who goes on Mud as Prado t. Also thanks, recent new member Dan Mageau for coming all the way from Squamish for our meeting. Hats off to Mat R and Drew E for setting up the computer and projector to show theirs and Sopal’s hard-core mud-bogging videos.
Also, we now have CC business cards to put on unknown Cruiser windshields. Each member was given 3 cards and we hope it will encourage other wheelers to join our club.
Finally, any CC member who needs an up-to-date membership list, simply email Bill and he will send it Microsoft Excel.
-Raffle: Some pretty good prizes of wrenches, high candlepower flashlight, tie down set, inverter, BJ60 spring bushings, and digital multi-meter. Bill W walked with first prize and will do what he does best: shop for more hardware prizes. Other winners were Gary T, Steve T, Mat R, Phil S, & Rob M.
The meeting broke up about 10:00 p.m. and several stayed to watch more wheel’n videos. The rest drifted out into the empty damp streets of the first western terminus of Canada’s original trans-continental railway: the CPR.
~Bill
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