NickMaul
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2009
- Location
- Norfolk, VA
I am a little frustrated after leaving Big Dogs Offroad yesterday after the first day of their ICE BREAKER event. The entrance fee was high unfortunately, but going into it I thought I was going to get my money's worth.
With little information about the park I got from youtube videos and high hopes I drove up there for my XJs maiden voyage after a long list of repairs and upgrades since Oct 2015.
I got into the vehicle lineup to get in line with the group ride level difficulty I wanted. They had 1-7 (difficulty getting higher with the number). I get into the group ride for the level 4 ride. All of the guys in our group had capable jeeps even though some had little experience. I begin talking to people in our group about who is the leader and I can be a tail since I have a CB radio. I am told there is already a group leader and a tail.
Our leader and our tail had same modifications as the rest of the group except no CB radios. Basically as soon as we get out on the trails two people split because it was too difficult and one snaps a driveshaft so the group got smaller. As the day goes on the leader often starts booking down the trail then out of sight. This happened often and often the person behind the leader said he would honk and the trail leader still wouldn't stop. Basically the group gets split up after my jeep. There were probably 5 people behind me that got lost. Later when he sees that I am the last person to roll in after he stops he tries to lecture me on how I need to honk or let the group know that there is a hold up.
We divert and eventually get back together but at 2:30 the trail guide says he is calling it a day. The website clearly says that group rides do not end until 5:00pm.
Now it is just my jeep and four others sitting at the staging area wanting to go back out on the trails. We try to find someone that can give us a map so we can go out and not get lost. Turns out no one except the designated trail guides are allowed to have a map.
We figure what the hell let's go out there and get lost and that is what happened. On the trails I spot another trail guide leading a big group of buggies and ask if I can see a map so we can find a good route out while still having a good trail ride back to the staging area. He won't let me see a map but instead tells me where the first trail is to go back down.
In all, it was a bitter taste in my mouth because for the few trails we rode they were awesome. It would have been a whole lot better if we could find more trails to ride instead of getting lost and just turning back. I guess if you have big axles, 40s, and a cage, getting lost there isn't an issue because you can make it through all of the trails but it sucks when you come up with dead ends because your group cannot make it out of a trail that is too hard.
Rant over. Just slightly pissed
With little information about the park I got from youtube videos and high hopes I drove up there for my XJs maiden voyage after a long list of repairs and upgrades since Oct 2015.
I got into the vehicle lineup to get in line with the group ride level difficulty I wanted. They had 1-7 (difficulty getting higher with the number). I get into the group ride for the level 4 ride. All of the guys in our group had capable jeeps even though some had little experience. I begin talking to people in our group about who is the leader and I can be a tail since I have a CB radio. I am told there is already a group leader and a tail.
Our leader and our tail had same modifications as the rest of the group except no CB radios. Basically as soon as we get out on the trails two people split because it was too difficult and one snaps a driveshaft so the group got smaller. As the day goes on the leader often starts booking down the trail then out of sight. This happened often and often the person behind the leader said he would honk and the trail leader still wouldn't stop. Basically the group gets split up after my jeep. There were probably 5 people behind me that got lost. Later when he sees that I am the last person to roll in after he stops he tries to lecture me on how I need to honk or let the group know that there is a hold up.
We divert and eventually get back together but at 2:30 the trail guide says he is calling it a day. The website clearly says that group rides do not end until 5:00pm.
Now it is just my jeep and four others sitting at the staging area wanting to go back out on the trails. We try to find someone that can give us a map so we can go out and not get lost. Turns out no one except the designated trail guides are allowed to have a map.
We figure what the hell let's go out there and get lost and that is what happened. On the trails I spot another trail guide leading a big group of buggies and ask if I can see a map so we can find a good route out while still having a good trail ride back to the staging area. He won't let me see a map but instead tells me where the first trail is to go back down.
In all, it was a bitter taste in my mouth because for the few trails we rode they were awesome. It would have been a whole lot better if we could find more trails to ride instead of getting lost and just turning back. I guess if you have big axles, 40s, and a cage, getting lost there isn't an issue because you can make it through all of the trails but it sucks when you come up with dead ends because your group cannot make it out of a trail that is too hard.
Rant over. Just slightly pissed
