Rock Corps 4X4 open invite report
Several had inquired about camping Friday night and although we had only planned a one day event, I decided to open the land up for those who wanted to camp. We had two non club members to brave the cold Friday night. I begin to worry. But I kept telling myself, It's the cold, that's why they aren't here.
Saturday morning, I was up at 5am, stoking the fire, so any early arrivals would have somewhere to warm the buns until trail time. 7, 8, only club members had rolled in. Once again, I begin to worry..."are we gonna take in enough to even pay for the port-a-johns" I asked myself. Then a few trucks with trail rigs trickled in. OK so we can pay for the crappers...."I guess I will get to ride after all" I thought. Rock Corps members were having a meeting to go over last minute details, trail assignments, testing out our radio's and so on,.....And then,......... it started!
The Big Dixie Boggers in their patented style begin to roll in,........and in........till one of them told us that they had 20 plus rigs backed up all the way out to I-40! Imagine the spectacle they produced coming up I-40 in their convoy!, filling up the ramp, the small portion of hwy 221, our long driveway. We had no choice but to wave them all through and let them park! Again, it's hard to describe the magnitude of how they rolled in.
Saying we were please would be an understatement! It was almost as if everyone else was waiting to see if anyone was going to show up, and when BDB rolled in, it didn't stop for a long time. Rock Corps members headed out to our assigned stations and waited. Those of us in the trail system had no clue as to what was going on down below.
Up in the woods is was slow starting. A rig here and there trickled by, then some small groups, then larger groups, and it was jammed! We learned a lot on this day, about what we need to do before the next open invite. And yes, there will be others we hope!
Just to give a small history, Rock Corps 4X4 originated from a small group of guys that had wheeled together over the years. One of the founding members found this piece of land, locally known as "The Flats" and got with the land owner and made a deal. We all pitched in to pay the lease, and buy insurance, and then it begin. Week after week, month after month, we all labored cutting trails, cutting tree's, scouting trails, running equipment and financing it all out of pocket, and with each new membership, spending the money to do more to build what we have today.
Most of us had rode the trails at least once, some more. We had stuff that none of us could make, we had stuff that none of us even wanted anything to do with. But we are mostly driveway built rigs, not the super powerful unbreakable rigs that is visible when you look at a club like the Big Dixie Boggers! We advertise on NC4X4, and by word of mouth only. Did we have enough on both ends of the spectrum? Was there enough for the stockers to mildly built? was there enough there for the Brandon's and Chad's and Kevin's. we got our answer!
Ole Stumpy, Rock Ledge, and The Hill, give everyone who tried a chance to to see what they had, and if it was enough. Several made The Hill, a few made Rock Ledge, No one made Ole Stumpy, the entire day! A many know, we had a bounty on "No Way", and had special consessions for Sky trail as well. No takers! (smarter group than I gave credit for!)
The play Ground, and upper Flats kept many folks busy the entire day, while many more ventured into the trail system to see what was there. They found it! There was carnage! While we have had a good amount of rain the past few months, mother nature smiled on us the past week. For the most part, it wasn't muddy, but this grand Ole slick red clay and decaying leaves leaving as what my friend John Brooks described as potting soil. left traction at a minimum on a lot of the obstacles. I don't think I have ever heard so many rev-limiters doing their thing. Wheel speed was at an all time high. The little that I saw as far as carnage was a broken ego, when Brandon had to pull rope, Tim and his busted steering, Kevin and a busted steering, several flat tires, smoking winches, George on his lid, and then......The most spectacular of all, Brandon attempting Ole Stumpy decided that he was going to go, he would be the first.........I wasn't there but Brandon's roll was described to me as a wheel stand, pirouette, multiple roll that left him in a very awkward position for recovery. But in true Bogger style, there was a spider web of cables, and much direction, he was back on four wheels, only pointed in the wrong direction!
Way back when we started talking about doing this we all knew that with a group of people like this we were going to have to feed them. Face it, wheelin makes you hungry! I contacted my good friend Terry Moorefield about feeding us. At that time Terry with his newly acquired Hot Dog stand had just began his venture of feeding the masses inside the Uwarrie Nation Park. After hashing out some details, and agreeing to bring me my own personal supply of Diet Sundrop, Terry agreed to be our food vendor. Terry "Your Hotdog Guy" with the help of his lovely and much younger(Don't care what you say Terry) wife, and Dylan Wiles of The CTB club, pushed hot dog after hot dog, BBQ sandwich after sandwich, chips, drinks and chocolate bars, on not to forget slim Jim's and baked beans, all day starting at about 11am. Terry soon learned as did we, that this is a hot dog eating crowd. He ran out of Hot dogs, but had a back up of BBQ. If you went hungry, it was because you didn't, or couldn't come out of the trails, or that you didn't know what good food was! To the crew that fed us, Thanks so much, you all were awesome!
Although we had scheduled riding until 8pm, when we planned all of this we didn't take in consideration day light savings time. Not sure how the powers that be figure this, because as I see it, it robbed us of valuable wheeling time. So, at dark:30, everyone started filing out of the trails. We made multiple runs to make sure everyone was out. We had one broken rig still at the upper flats, Brian got his broken part and headed off to weld it back. before 8:00 only a handful of members were left. It was a good, and successful day!
A few notes and thanks
Melissa and daughter, and Leslie who ran the gate all day, you all did a fantastic job. And yes, we do owe you.
Scott, your map you made for us was a hit! So easy for everyone to follow, and get where they wanted to go.
Brian, the gator did a great job getting you all around the property all day, pumping up tires and helping with repairs.
Big Dixie Boggers, for your show of support, great shows, and attendance, you guys are awesome!
We haven't went through yet, to clean up, but with the number of people that were there, the trash that didn't find it's way into a trash barrel was VERY minimal! Thanks all for policing yourselves!
As far as the rules we posted, we as club members had to give out very few reminders. Thanks for being such a great and observant crowd.
I could go on and on about who did what, and how valuable it was to us, but as an old guy my memory fails me often. But I want to thank everyone who came to play, came to work. and came to watch. It took everyone to make this the success it was.
Chip Price, Rock Corps 4X4