Meeting

[jmaiella]

Yeah, my approach comes from being one of the founders of the Bruisers. Our credo, as it were, was 'first we wheel.' We started out as a wheeling trip, progressed as an email loop, then a listserv, then a forum.

Their monthly meeting is a meeting of the Board, open to anyone who wants to attend, with a lively happy hour at the TGI Fridays near the dealership in Silver Spring. It's generally the same 8-10 people every month. All of the socializing happens on the trail, at a garage, or at get-togethers at bars, concerts, Renaissance Faires, whatever - not at our 'meetings'. Most of the social planning is facilitated through our forum.

Now, I just get a different vibe from this group. Colangut summed it up pretty well, I think, that he's not that into wheeling anymore. That's honestly a feeling I get from a big chunk of this club.

I guess, as a guy in my mid-20's with an FJ Cruiser, I'm probably coming at things from a different angle than the older (no offense! I mean it as 'mature' and 'worldly' ) FJ40 crowd.

No, I don't wheel 52 weekends a year, but I do wheel, or wrench, or go shooting, or hunting, 2-3+ weekends a month. So, I just don't see sitting through a meeting about TLCA membership quotas and finances and t-shirt designs as a weekend-worthy activity. It's more reminiscent of work, than fun to me.

 

[iptman]

Blue pin here. Fairfax Corner area.

I don't necessarily want to attend every month's meeting but I do want to wheel and wrench. My CLCC membership check is in the mail as soon as I see a wheeling trip I want to go on or a few tech days I'm interested in. To be fair I did go to the welding tech day at colangut's house (which was great btw) but I haven't seen an interesting tech day since.

However, if the meeting was in an area where I could get to sans traffic then I would attend to try and influence the direction of the club and give my opinion on matters (at least I think that's the purpose of non-officers showing up).

-Patrick

 

[Devilmans Hand]

Red Pin in Burke, Va

I would have loved to check out the welding tech day...but i wasn't yet around here. The electric tech day was good, but the general maintenance tech day at Convenience was pointless...just a change your oil kind of event. Think only Jmaiella got something out of that one w/ a wheel bearing replacement.
I haven't seen too many events that would warrant belonging to a club...I'd like to go wheeling...but I'm not seeing many club outings...
I could just be missing something though...

-Sam

 

[kulangot]

Regarding the last two posts about getting something out of the club (which I understand and agree with).

I would argue that if there was a bigger regular meeting with more enthusiast that there would be a larger network of people making connections to do what ever it is that they are interested in. Some into restoration, some into wheeling, some into wrenching and some into posing (with others into restoration, wheeling, wrenching and posing

Perhaps we should consider the club as more of a network rather than a organization burdened with keeping a few members entertained via events, dog and pony shows, etc. Get the people involved and the good stuff will happen on their own with less involvement from the club.

I think that we have to consider the human element of car culture aside from the particular interest level where and whatever it might be. There was plenty of wrenching, wheeling and hanging out that went on in the old club with out have to do as much formal organizing on behalf of the club to make that happen. A larger group of people is what will make the club worth belonging to.

My two cents. I've comment enough on this, thanks for listening.

 

[Jakes40]

Blue pin in Winchester

I agree with colangut. but you can not make every one happy. there are plenty of wheeling trips. out there (just got back from CMCC) just not from our club. I believe this is because of were we are located. There is no great place to do big 4wheeling events with several different trail levels local.

I live in Winchester, I've tried to make it to the meeting but after a days work and a 2-2.5 hour drive home Alexandria is bad for me. Not saying I could make it to all the meetings but Tysons is only 15 min past my office and I do a lot of work at the malls in Tysons. Tysons is ideal or closer to ideal for me.

Chris

 

[John Smith]

Red Pin in Silver Spring inside the Beltway

Red Pin in Silver Spring, inside the Beltway here.

I joined CLCC when Josh was President. I can't remember how many years ago that was but I bet Stumbaugh does, my guess is near 10 years ago. In my opinion the club had the same issues it does today even way back then. We are a transient area with traffic that sucks and unless you are getting something out of the monthly meetings or club you stop coming.

If we want to grow the club we need to offer something for everyone. Wheeling trips for the wheelers, tech days for people who like to wrench or want to learn, social gatherings, events, for people who like to hang out and look at vehicles, drink beer, etc. I joined the club to initially learn about Land Cruisers, hang out with people who love them, and go wheeling.

The internet, and this Web site has had a huge impact on many local chapters I bet. You can get all your tech questions answered, buy and sell parts, find people to wheel with, and hang out with virtually everyday. Before the Web you needed to meet face to face to accomplish most of this in our hobby. Not so much any longer.

I just got back from the CMCC event and got to meet Jesse there. We were there with a few former and current CLCC memebers. I had an excellent time wheeling, wrenching, talking trucks, and just hanging out socializing. The reason I joined CLCC in the first place.

Please, would every red pin and blue pin person who posts up to please let us know what you would like out of CLCC.

I like the idea of hosting alternating meetings on the MD side of the Potomac. Depending on the number of MD red pins an easy meeting spot could be Darcars Silver Spring where the FJ Bruisers meet. I also like the idea of hosting meetings at individual members houses during the slow Summer months when many are out of town or busy with other things.

 

[76FJ40]

Blue pin in Warrenton. I'm not much on the formal club side of things but I do appreciate the ability to get together with other Cruiser Heads to wheel and exchange tech advice ... and ma.ybe drink a beer

 

[greytandy]

Red pin in Olney, MD.

Dan, you need to add a pin too to shift the balance to northern Montgomery county!

 

[Blue77FJ40]

Red pin in Rockville, MD. Interesting discussion.

I like the idea of meetings at DarCars, but every time I go there, parking is at a super premium, even when I go there on my bike - at least near the parts dept. Perhaps at Rockville dealer, they have a lot of space there. Either way, MD mtgs would be appreciated by the MD contingent, small as it is.

I got to experience the club back when it was meeting near 236 in VA, a long drive for me, but traffic was way way less than now. There seemed to be a lot more buzz and events, but many of those members have dropped out of view.

I enjoy the tech days at member's houses where the host gets a chance to participate in the repair of his vehicle and learn something. I also like the wheeling and socializing. Unfortunately, there are very few wheeling choices left open to us in our area.

 

[Thornton]

Red pin , Manassas.

I understand that the majority probably get off later than I do and that's why the meetings are at the time that they are. Had the same issue when I was a scoutmaster, the committee would not budge on the time. That's when I found out I was a minority.

Weekends are totally out. They should be for wheeling, wrenching or with the family.

As far as heading back in towards D.C. for a meeting, thats not a pleasant thought for me. Thinking more about it I'll just try to make 1 or 2 meetings a year and pay my dues. Maybe the meetings should be rotated between Maryland and Virginia.

I just hope that this doesn't get to the point everyone just wants it in there backyard. Hell, if thats the case I've got a detached garage I'll pull the cruiser out, set up some tables, parking is no issue and we can have them in my backyard. For a small fee I'll even make sure there is cold PBR in a cooler.

Sam you'll be close to work.

 

[Devilmans Hand]

Thornton, I'm game whenever. I work right next to convenience auto.

 

[dallasryan]

Independent pin in Tyson's. You can imagine my feeling about having meetings in this location. I count myself among those who would like to see a variety it events. I spend a good chunk of my youth playing in the mud. Now I would be interested in some camping, learning about repairing and restoring land cruisers ( particularly diesels) and hanging out. I certainly do not expect the club to cater to my needs exclusively. I just think it should either be more varied, or maybe even another chapter or section with a different focus opened up. I am not suggesting that people would have to be restricted to either or, just maybe they could each be run with a different emphasis. They could be run symbiotically rather than parasitically. I suspect that Koon's Toyota might be open to some meetings if they had the space. And if there was a formal request from a group, they would probably be open to it. They seem to love when I drop off mine there for anything. Conversations between employees and customers often center around how reliable Toyotas are. That cannot hurt them.

Anyway, if the format was more comprehensive or maybe try 2 meetings a month. One in Alexandria that covers all the administrative stuff and one in the Bethesda/Tyson's area for things like tech days or something like that. This might also give more people an opportunity to get to meetings.

Just my nickel.

 

[UncleJesse]

Blue pin in Alexandria. I have yet to attend a club meeting because there never seems to be much chatter or interest in the meetings online. For the past couple of months I have checked on the forum the week of the meeting to see what was planned and who was attending. There never seems to be much going on, so I figure why waste my time. With that being said, I live right down the road from the current meeting location and would love to have an excuse to go talk trucks with y'all. But if folks aren't going, I'll just wait until events like CMCC where I can get the 80 (sorry Bob - Lexus) dirty, help folks with unexpected repairs and sit around a campfire drinking PBR or whatever BK has been brewing.

 

[chaka]

red pin, SE DC. I tend to work hours that don't really allow me to get to meetings as they are now. Also, the tech days are what I look forward to most. I really enjoy having the resources to ask questions... as my 40 has needed (and still needs) various levels of work.

 

[Thornton]

Jesse, that avatar is great