Gauging interest in a TLCA chapter

[crzrcrzy]

So now that we're all starting to network I guess the next step is to see if there's any interest in a TLCA chapter or for that matter see if we can get a "club" organized and then see about TLCA status. Here's a link on what TLCA recommends How to Start a TLCA Chapter

It may be difficult to organize because we are so spread out. If we knew where the majority of the club members were located we could "base" from there (Billings, Bozeman, Kalispell, Etc, Etc). Maybe every other meeting could be held in the Kalispell/ northern area and/or the billings/southern area? For those who wouldn't be able to make a meeting, we could set up a video conference without too much trouble so everyone can still participate. I'll start to spread word on the Kalispell end and see what kind of interest I can generate. If you are interested or know of people that are interested PM me or have them e-mail me at: crzrczy@yahoo.com or just post up here. If we can get enough members together let's do this!

Let's hear your thoughts and any advice. I am by no means an organizer so any help would be awesome.

Adam

 

[Cletus]

while i'm not against a TLCA chapter, this thread raises some interesting points on the relevancy of the TLCA these days. MUD has taken over much of what made the TLCA useful. i've been an on and off member for a long time and decided this year i'd rather spend the money on the truck instead of renewing. i'm sure i'll be a member again, but i feel more of a community here on mud than i ever have with the TLCA.

 

[Montana Sig]

Any Toyota group or club in Montana would be great. But like you mention, the space and miles between the cities certainly plays a problem. And as much as I'm not a fan of the Magic City, they do have two or more 4x4 clubs; Magic City and Rim Rock (?). So that would be the first place, unless there is a concentration of Cruisers elsewhere.

I'm in Bozeman and I don't know of any in the city. Though I do know of a few Tacomas/4Runners.

That said, I'd be happy to help as time allows.

 

[Fish406]

Thanks for the PM Adam.

I've read both the links provided above and I'm now kinda sitting on the fence. While I'd like to get together with other FJ owners and BS about our rigs while tipping a cold one, all that TLCA membership hubbub is probably way too organized for my tastes. Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman, yadda, yadda. Plus, I'm not really a dedicated 4x4 guy, my FJ takes me to work and my dog to the park, that's about it.

But after saying that ^^^^, if there were a TLCA chapter around I'd probably join. I mean if dues were only $25 a year I'd be down, I just don't have the time to drive to Kalispell or even Billings to attend meetings so I'd have to be a local thing.

Montana Sig, I'm in Bozeman too and see FJ60's all over the place but don't know any other owners. Although I did just get mine so I imagine I'll meet a few.

 

[crzrcrzy]

while i'm not against a TLCA chapter, this thread raises some interesting points on the relevancy of the TLCA these days. MUD has taken over much of what made the TLCA useful. i've been an on and off member for a long time and decided this year i'd rather spend the money on the truck instead of renewing. i'm sure i'll be a member again, but i feel more of a community here on mud than i ever have with the TLCA.

Ok, that was an informative read! I agree with you that Mud has always been THE go to site for me. It is what pushed me from just owning a Cruiser to loving all things Cruiser (something TLCA wouldn't have done). TLCA was, For me, mostly just a magazine subscription. While my current membership has lapsed I will renew simply for the TT magazine.

 

[brew8]

3 Puppies who is a great resource for parts held a meeting this fall at his place in Helena he had a few guys show up for a get together, I could not go, but I know he had a few guy's show up, I would like to work to get cruiser heads together in Montana just to BS or have a cruiser only event. I know Paul stops by here I hope he chimes in, as far as TLCA I support any org that supports the hobby, I have just finished a long stint in politics and would like to help Paul in those efforts trying to get guys together, Larry

 

[crzrcrzy]

Thanks for the PM Adam.

While I'd like to get together with other FJ owners and BS about our rigs while tipping a cold one, all that TLCA membership hubbub is probably way too organized for my tastes. Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman, yadda, yadda.

I'm in the same boat. I'd prefer to just have a club or for that matter just a contact list of people interested in getting together for wheeling, wrenching, shooting the breeze or whatever. There's been countless times when anther set of hands wrenching or just another person to go explore some trails with would have been awesome!! I've been stuck and had to walk out or call for help more times than I can count simply because I had no one to wheel with and i just hafta push my Cruiser as far as it will go and them some. Keep the opinions coming!
Adam

 

[3_puppies]

OK, here's my take on all this.

Bozeman, Billings, Missoula and Helena all have local 4x4 clubs, I'm not certain about Kallispell or Great Falls, but non are Toyota specific.
Our geographic area is quite large compared to other markets. That was why I put together the meet and greet at my place this fall. I thought I was somewhat centrally located to most of the state. That way no one had to drive more than a few hours to get here. Out of the 48 mud members I could find in Mt, 8 said No or had conflicts, 5 were maybes, and 6 actually attended. I started 4 weeks before with first contact and sent out 1 week before reminders incase anyone forgot. Since then I've found/located 6 more MT members. I even put an ad on craigslist for the meet and greet and only had 1 responce from it.
We had a good time and all that were here seemed interested in a club.
Due to our large area, monthly meetings wouldn't work, due to the far distance and the road conditions.

I'll put together another BBQ at my place this spring, probably April sometime??

I still think being part of TLCA as individuals is a good thing, and mud has done wonders for communications. Hopefully this will help us all out in the long run.

My end thoughts are, if we could arrange a "looser knit" club, that only met 2 or 3 times thru the spring to fall. Maybe a weekend get together with some trail rides, or a "work" day ie. maybe some one wants to go thru there front axle, maybe install new spring bushings on a rig, clutch or brake service.
I don't think a "formal" club will work in our area, we need to come up with what works for US.

Paul

 

[Rigger]

It is nice to read everyone's ideas and thoughts. We have a lot of different people here, with a lot of different situations. It is very interesting. Our state is large and we are scattered, as has been pointed out.

I'll chime in here with my own particulars:

I am a husband, father, & business owner, so I have a fairly busy life. But I am blessed with a super-nice wife who encourages and supports my Land Cruiser hobby. The time available to spend with this hobby tends to come in short increments because my family has to come first. That said, I can break away for a day or so if the occasion is right.

A technical-type get-together is of interest to me. A one day trail ride would interest me as well. Some day, I want to go down to Moab; maybe 2010, 2011, 2012? I wanna see Moab before the enviro-Nazis shut it down the way they do everything else. I would also like to travel to one of those mega-swap meets that they have for Cruisers. Someday, I'll get the chance.

I am interested in getting together to talk about Cruisers. I have not joined the local 4x4 clubs because mostly I like Cruisers. I also like Toyota pickups. I'm not a Jeep fan; I mean they're nice and all but, you know, Cruisers are special.

I do not want to have a get-together that is primarily about drinking. I don't drink, and I'm not all that comfortable when there is a bunch of alcohol around. The above two sentences are not intended to offend anyone. They are simply to tell you all how I feel. Please don't take it wrong.

I would like a chance to see 3_puppies' collection of Cruisers and parts, so if he extends another welcome to his place, I will do what I can to get up there. Paul, I'm sorry; I missed the last one due to schedule conflicts. I appreciate that you made an effort to get all us Cruiserheads together.

Alfred

 

[3_puppies]

Alfred, when the next one comes around is 1 month's notice good? With the 1 week update? I'm pretty flexible so 1 weeks notice is usually good for me but I know everyone else's situation is different.

Please don't take it that I was picking on anyone, but there always seems to be lots of talk and interest, but when it comes down to doing something it fizzles out.
I talked about the get together for 3 years before I actually did it, so I'm not immune.

Paul

 

[crzrcrzy]

Sounds like you've tried this before 3_puppies. Well i guess we'll just all stay in contact and do as much as we can. If anyones up this way and needs a helping hand or just wants to chat look me up. I'll try and set up a snow run and maybe a day wheelin trip @ Wild Bill orv this spring. As for a Moab trip that would be incredible to convoy down there and hang out. Lets stay connected and get to know one another.
Adam

 

[morrison]

I'm in Billings, have talked to Larry about this sort of thing in the past. I probably wouldn't be a regular at any sort of super-organized TLCA-style group, but I sure would like to see continuing get-togethers like Paul did in Sept. and maybe a trip to the Pryors once in a while. I would of been at Paul's but for a last minute conflict. I think there are quite a few LC owners in Billings that might have some interest. Larry--you know a lot more local cruiserheads than I do--are there some around who don't get on Mud?

Paul, I wonder if setting a date even more than 1 month in advance would work? If you could see your way clear to do that, I know I for one would be able to plan better around a date 2-3 months off. (Heck I can't even find time to work on my rig--I still haven't even put on that disc front axle I bought from you 2 years ago!)

 

[crzrcrzy]

Hey Morrison, what does the japanese? writing mean in your sig? What are the pryors?

 

[morrison]

Pryor Mts are where we Billingsites go to 4 wheel--on the MT/WY border, check yr map.

Japanese= "toyota wa yonrinkudo no saiko da zo. Rankuru banzai" means: Toyota is the best of 4 wheel drives--Banzai Landcruiser!"

Kind of tacky, sorry...

 

[CruisinMT]

Not sure about a TLCA chapter but a parts swap meet would be awesome. Maybe we could do eastern and western groups and have a combined trail ride every so often. Though I would like to get together for an alltime BS session, driving 5-6 hrs in my 42 year old cruiser is too much. Whats the fun in attending a landcruiser meeting if you cant take your rig to show off and BS about. So I say we could split the state and then come together for special events or trail rides. just my .02 cents

 

[morrison]

You have a point. I was unable to drive to Helena last fall, but even if I had not had a scedule conflict, 4 1/2 hiway hours on my knobby bias ply tires is not a lot of fun. A swap meet is a great idea! We should have it at Paul's place--he has kind of a permanent swap meet going on there anyway

 

[orvis17]

I think Paul has it right when he says we have to make it work for US! I will be at Paul's next event, if at all possible.

I would also be interested in some semi-local day trail events.
Dean

 

[morrison]

Another thing we could all do that would be beneficial is to compile a good list of trails in our own area to share w/ others. I'm pretty familiar with S Central MT, but I wouldn't know where to go to get off road in Western MT.

 

[Rigger]

Another thing we could all do that would be beneficial is to compile a good list of trails in our own area to share w/ others. I'm pretty familiar with S Central MT, but I wouldn't know where to go to get off road in Western MT.

That's a great idea. I'd be glad to hear about a few beginner trails I could run. I'm not a real experienced wheeler yet.

 

[Rigger]

Alfred, when the next one comes around is 1 month's notice good? With the 1 week update? I'm pretty flexible so 1 weeks notice is usually good for me but I know everyone else's situation is different.

Please don't take it that I was picking on anyone, but there always seems to be lots of talk and interest, but when it comes down to doing something it fizzles out.
I talked about the get together for 3 years before I actually did it, so I'm not immune.

Paul

A month notice is fine. I'd be okay with next spring, when the weather is nice and we can be outside.

I agree with you; sometimes there's a lot of talkers and not a lot of doers. I'm the worst offender.

I would like to see your collection of rigs. I have a lot to learn on Cruisers, and you'd be a great teacher, I'm sure, with all of your years of experience.