Deep thoughts... (1 Viewer)

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My 0.02
If I wanted to be in a car club I would go back to hot rodding Mustangs.
I want a club that organizes runs at least monthly to a local location.
I want runs that are stocker friendly in this mix.

If you look at the last few "club trips", Moab, ICBM and Roundup not withstanding, They have been 38 inch tire, double locker runs to SE Oklahoma.
(Not digging on the 38 inch tire crowd, they are the only ones getting out with their trucks.)

My remedy to this is that members need to step up as "single event" run organizers.
The other Chris Smith has done this recently with the Terlingua trip and has offered to lead another expedition in the fall down to the Big Bend area.
( Do it early in a the month and I am there for that one)

I will do like wise, I will organize a stock-light mod camping and wheeling trip for July.
Date choices are July 7, 8 or July 14, 15. Family and kid friendly.
Agenda is light wheeling / trail riding, camping, back country if possible.
(probably at Clayton Lake State Park if it isn't)

Swimming and fishing are likely. Consider it a shakedown trip for Colorado in August.
Location will be southeastern Oklahoma. Clayton is the likely destination but I am open to suggestions if anyone has any.
I need date preferences and possible locations from other interested members of the club by this weekend. (5/25)
Next monday I will publish the location and the date on our list here on mud and ask that the club leadership get the information up onto our website for any interested parties to see. This run will be an open vehicle type run, in case someone has a Landrover or Jeep buddy that wants to tag along.

I hope this starts the pebble rolling in the desired direction.
Whose next?
CAS
 
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Put another way

May - MOAB sponsored by Rising Sun

Jun - ??? -???

July - Oklahoma - Chris A. Smith

August - Colorado - Gary Coberly

September - ??? - ???

October - ICBM - Sponsored by LSLC and TTR

November - ??? - ???

December - Haven House Donation - LSLC club charity ride and luncheon.


Chris pick your month for Terlingua. ( I am partial to Sept 11-16 timeframe or 2nd weekend in November)
 
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Good stuff here folks! Panzer, you're describing exactly a trip that Valkyrie and I have been discussing. My June and July look good for that trip, other than whatever July 4 weekend is. Thanks for getting that ball rolling. I'm going to try to do at least one run a month this year.

My personal goal for the club isn't necessarily to be the biggest. The membership contest we did with PMC a while back was fun and I think it was a good membership drive for TLCA - as that was the goal really - but sheer numbers don't make a good club. Let's try for quality over quantity. :D We have to strive to offer something for everyone so that everyone can participate. For example, the best way for me to get out to do these trips is if it offers something for my wife and kids other than bouncing around in a truck all day.

Pretty much everywhere we go offers something for everyone. The Clayton trip we're discussing now will basically be driving some backroads through the WMA. We can either do it as an expedition type run camping along the way, or we can base camp at the state park which offers cabins and playgrounds.

I've got some other ideas, but we'll save that for later......
 
I will be back...
 
I am guilty of being a bad member. I have only made 3-4 meetings in nearly a year of membership. However, I have had commitments Thursday nights. I have not made a wheeling trip yet, which has been due to the status of my rig (I think it is nearly there!). I would be interested in local trips as I am a newb driver when it comes to off-road (other than thatr mud crap in HS).

That being said, my goals for joining LSLC included:
1 - Meet a great group of guys that are together for a common purpose.
2 - Wheel together
3 - Seek and receive tech advice
4 - Other (Haven House was a nice surprise)

Just my $.02, and prolly worth less.

BTW - what was the gist of the 360 link?
 
Well, here's an outside looking in account. I guess I found this one a little late, but here's my opinion of my first (and due to work constraints, only) meeting at Pappa's. I walked in and saw two groups of guys sitting at opposite ends of a long room. I looked left, looked right, and the group on the right waved at me. I went right, my first TTR meeting. They conducted business, chatted, and then everyone went outside and B.S.'ed, checked out rigs, and swapped lies. It was good fun. I went down to the other end, and tried to get in on some conversations. Every time I tried to get in a conversation circle, I found myself on the outside looking in. Suffice it to say, I joined TTR that night, and didn't join LSLC.

Now, what to do about it? Try making new guys that look lost feel like you're a social group, not a social click (sp?). I joined TTR because they made me feel like they'd like to have a new member. They also wheel alot. I don't get to make many trips, but at least they're getting out there, even if for a weekend trip to Gilmer w/ 3 or 4 people. I feel like, if I ever get a free weekend, there's a good chance I'll get to pick up w/ some of the guys and go out and do some wheeling.
 
I apologize if that's what you experienced at one of our meetings. I don't think anyone would purposely shun someone else in the group. Jackasses don't tend to last long with us.
The 'meeting' format you described is pretty much what we do too. Unless there's a run coming up, there's usually not a lot of actual business to discuss. There's no gavel banging or formal procedings. If you can make it back out sometime, don't be shy - come say hello and I'll buy you a beer.
 
Newbie here

So as a LC newb and non-member (for now until I can put together some money again, since when did putting kids through camp get so dang expensive) and has not made a meeting yet but has been in some car clubs.

I agree that having meetings is important but just as important are outings of some kind, since this is a wheeling club wheeling outings should be something fairly regular.

My rig (err wife's rig to be perfectly honest) isn't all armored or locked or running 37's or really anything other than stock AT tires, so I would want some newb stuff and someone who is in the know keep me from destroying my wifes favorite vehicle.

I am game for some weekend day trips and I don't mind a couple our drive to get there.

PS Jason thanks again for looking over my new purchase and giving me the thumbs up.

-Sean
 
What Jason said... x2.

The Hallmark of Lone Star is No Rules. Everybody is welcome and we don't really cater to anyone. That's why the Newbies have been overlooked. And, that's the gist of this thread. Is it worth changing ourselves to attract more people? I don't know.

Historically, we treat the club like a Sunday School class. Everybody is welcome, we have "church" activities, but the fun stuff happens after you get to know the individuals.

We meet and talk about trucks and future runs. When you listen, you find that each member is self-motivated. So, you need to hook up with Member X if you want to go to Big Bend. You need to hook up with Member Y if you need help repacking a birfield. Etc, etc, etc.

HTH
Happy Trails! N
 
The Texas clubs are probably the pinnacle of clubs in TLCA. Or at least in my book. A lot of my ideas are taken from your clubs activities and doings.

My thoughts.
It's very hard to have the something for everyone attitude. But we try. I'm always trying something new. Some stick and some don't. All clubs have issues in my book. Nobody is perfect. But I do try to have events for every type of vehicle. I consider there are 5 classes of club member. They can be any part of the 5 or all of them.

1. Classic club member. Restoring, collecting, talking about anything OEM.
2. Social club members. Willing to go to meeting as well as events.
3. Mild wheelers. Willing to go on mild trails and not interested in tearing up their junk.
4. Hard core. Extreme. Wanting to push the limits. Damage usually happens.
5. Love to camp.

Monthly meetings take care of 1&2
Help a member of the month 1,2,3,4
Expedition trips 2,3,5
Day wheeling trips 2,3,4
weekend wheeling trips 2,3,4,5
non cruiser events 1,2,3,4 (adopt a highway, golf, etc...)

52 weeks in a year

12 monthly meetings Including the annual event.
6 Help a member of the months
3 expedition trips
4 day trips
6 weekend trips
5 non cruiser events.

36 events total. And something for everyone and about 1000 less hairs in my head a month. Events and event planning is what has grown our club. Half of those events we usually don't have a huge participation. But added up monthly for all the events we have a good participation record. Something for everyone.
 
any time a newbie, or someone with a pristine rig wants to wheel, and doesn't want damage,
just speak up. i will happily go out with a group, and lead some trails, or ride along and spot.
and i promise no damage:).
but if ya wanna wheel some harder stuff, i'll help you out with that, too. my schedule is not really great, usually working weekends, but if i can be available, i will gladly be of assistance.
if you don't know me, ask some folks i've wheeled with, both hard and stock. they can confirm for you that i'll take good care of you. :)
 
Well said Nick, and that brings us back to defining ourselves as a club. When I mentioned the FJs, I did not mean that we need to put all our concentration on getting new members and zeroing in on them. I was more saying that we have had guys in FJs approach LSLC that felt that they were blown off, and they may have been, not on purpose though. These are the "new" guys that are us 10 yeas ago. They need a place to hang out and I think LSLC is the place. We have gotten older and more set in our ways and I think we need new younger blood involved to revitalize the club whether they are in 40s or FJs, or Tacos for that matter. At some point I see the TTR guys and the LSLC guys under one roof. Hell we all wheel at the same place, at the same time, meet at the same place and time, why not? We have Tacos and they now have Cruisers. Its going to get confusing quickly. The only thing that I would hate to see happen is LSLC to loose its identity, but thats what we are talking about anyway right?
 
Trollhole said:
The Texas clubs are probably the pinnacle of clubs in TLCA. Or at least in my book. A lot of my ideas are taken from your clubs activities and doings.

My thoughts.
It's very hard to have the something for everyone attitude. But we try. I'm always trying something new. Some stick and some don't. All clubs have issues in my book. Nobody is perfect. But I do try to have events for every type of vehicle. I consider there are 5 classes of club member. They can be any part of the 5 or all of them.

1. Classic club member. Restoring, collecting, talking about anything OEM.
2. Social club members. Willing to go to meeting as well as events.
3. Mild wheelers. Willing to go on mild trails and not interested in tearing up their junk.
4. Hard core. Extreme. Wanting to push the limits. Damage usually happens.
5. Love to camp.

Monthly meetings take care of 1&2
Help a member of the month 1,2,3,4
Expedition trips 2,3,5
Day wheeling trips 2,3,4
weekend wheeling trips 2,3,4,5
non cruiser events 1,2,3,4 (adopt a highway, golf, etc...)

52 weeks in a year

12 monthly meetings Including the annual event.
6 Help a member of the months
3 expedition trips
4 day trips
6 weekend trips
5 non cruiser events.

36 events total. And something for everyone and about 1000 less hairs in my head a month. Events and event planning is what has grown our club. Half of those events we usually don't have a huge participation. But added up monthly for all the events we have a good participation record. Something for everyone.
Click to expand...


That is awesome, but the "losing hair" over the club activities thing is why LSLC will never go that route. Unless we get a Chris King type that wants to plan and organize like a mad-man, I just dont see LSLC ever going that route.

THe problem with having a few folks that do everything is that when they burn out, the club stumbles.

With LSLC, I see it only as a stumble. It is a great club with lots of leaders willing to pick up the ball and run with it.

If I were there I would recommend joining forces with the TTR guys. Having 2 clubs in the same place at the same time is silly. There is no reasaon the identities cannot stay in place either. The Roundup can still be the Lone Star Roundup and the TTR run in January can still be that as well.

Lone Star Toyota Trail Riders has a nice ring to it :)
 
wngrog said:
That is awesome, but the "losing hair" over the club activities thing is why LSLC will never go that route. Unless we get a Chris King type that wants to plan and organize like a mad-man, I just dont see LSLC ever going that route.

THe problem with having a few folks that do everything is that when they burn out, the club stumbles.

With LSLC, I see it only as a stumble. It is a great club with lots of leaders willing to pick up the ball and run with it.

If I were there I would recommend joining forces with the TTR guys. Having 2 clubs in the same place at the same time is silly. There is no reasaon the identities cannot stay in place either. The Roundup can still be the Lone Star Roundup and the TTR run in January can still be that as well.

Lone Star Toyota Trail Riders has a nice ring to it :)
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Losing hair is never a good thing. We used to have one event planner. But since JP is now on the Toyota trail Team we have had to spread out event planning out to volunteers. Has worked well so far and having 2 or more planning events. Plus it let me focus on other things.
 
Panzer said:
Chris pick your month for Terlingua. ( I am partial to Sept 11-16 timeframe or 2nd weekend in November)
Click to expand...

Chris, the Terlingua Chili Festival is always the first weekend of November but the second weekend of November is good too (my traditional weekend). Let's do a big club trip. I'll leave the snake gathering tools at home.
 
Very well put.

Trollhole said:
The Texas clubs are probably the pinnacle of clubs in TLCA. Or at least in my book. A lot of my ideas are taken from your clubs activities and doings.

My thoughts.
It's very hard to have the something for everyone attitude. But we try. I'm always trying something new. Some stick and some don't. All clubs have issues in my book. Nobody is perfect. But I do try to have events for every type of vehicle. I consider there are 5 classes of club member. They can be any part of the 5 or all of them.

1. Classic club member. Restoring, collecting, talking about anything OEM.
2. Social club members. Willing to go to meeting as well as events.
3. Mild wheelers. Willing to go on mild trails and not interested in tearing up their junk.
4. Hard core. Extreme. Wanting to push the limits. Damage usually happens.
5. Love to camp.

Monthly meetings take care of 1&2
Help a member of the month 1,2,3,4
Expedition trips 2,3,5
Day wheeling trips 2,3,4
weekend wheeling trips 2,3,4,5
non cruiser events 1,2,3,4 (adopt a highway, golf, etc...)

52 weeks in a year

12 monthly meetings Including the annual event.
6 Help a member of the months
3 expedition trips
4 day trips
6 weekend trips
5 non cruiser events.

36 events total. And something for everyone and about 1000 less hairs in my head a month. Events and event planning is what has grown our club. Half of those events we usually don't have a huge participation. But added up monthly for all the events we have a good participation record. Something for everyone.
Click to expand...
 
Trollhole said:
1. Classic club member. Restoring, collecting, talking about anything OEM.
2. Social club members. Willing to go to meeting as well as events.
3. Mild wheelers. Willing to go on mild trails and not interested in tearing up their junk.
4. Hard core. Extreme. Wanting to push the limits. Damage usually happens.
5. Love to camp.
Click to expand...

Humm.... Those sound like Poll questions...
 
Thanks Marshall. That's a very cool way to organize it. Now we need a type-a personality to take that on. :D (I think I'm all 5 of those categories.)

I really don't think we need to change much, other than we need to be more welcoming to new people. I hate to think someone could attend one of our meetings or one of our events and not feel immediately welcome. That's something we all need to think about. We also need to go back to issuing some kind of welcome to new people who sign up with us, via an e-mail or maybe a letter of welcome and a sticker - now that we have some.

I think the main problem right now is that we are in a lull and folks just haven't been wheeling. New guys sign up hoping to tag along and learn some new stuff - and when we do go we're all more than happy to help anyone along. But, when they don't see anything going on here, they naturally go looking somewhere else. I don't want people to sign up with us expecting us to entertain them. This isn't a business, it's our hobby. I know you guys like to go out and wheel and camp, we just need to get back in the swing of it. And when we do, everyone is invited.

:beer:
 
Another note from a newbee

I wanted to post a note on my experience in case any other new folks are reading this. My first event was jamboree. Everyone was incredibly welcoming. First Butch worked all saturday and part of sunday to help get my truck ready and teach me a bunch of stuff. Everyone was real welcoming at the event and Butch's daughter found me and let us on a wagon ride. My wife had a blast and she did not even know if she wanted to go. And then day two Gary gave me a VIP lesson on his 4wheeling style in his truck. They even tried not to laugh in front of my face that I brought a Lexus! So while I know not everyone has had a perfect first experience, I certainly did. I am trying to find time to go to the monthly meetings. Unfortunately I normally work pretty late on Thursdays, but hope to see you guys there soon. BTW - for me the best trips are short ones since I only get about 3 days off a year, up from zero last year.
 
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