My family and I communicated with Ellen with intentions to camp in Area 5 with the club but due to Covid, reasons we had to camp on our own in Hollister's Lower Ranch.
I want to share a little about our camping experience in case it could help future Safety Clinic students looking to camp. Hollister offers 2 camping options at a cost of $10 per vehicle and 6 persons per site:
Option 1:
Camp at the Lower Ranch on a 1st come 1st serve basis and the Lower Ranch does have flushing toilets, running water, and garbage bins
Option 2:
Camp at the Hudner Ranch on a reservation basis however, Hudner Ranch has only drop toilets and no running water. The part described Hudner Ranch as an attractive campsite for those looking for the private and secluded camping experience
What worked for my family was the park told us to book Hudner Ranch so we could have a guaranteed campsite but if spacing is available at the Lower Ranch when we check-in, we could then camp at the Lower ranch. So was exactly what we did.
My group was mainly 7 family members 5 adults, 2 kids, and 1 family friend. 3 of 4 rigs from our group participated in the clinic. The picture attached were taken at the Safety Clinic and taken Sat morning just as we were leaving camp to head over to Area 5.
My - White 1996 ZJ Grand Cherokee,(small lift, 32" tires, no lockers)
My cousin, Tri Nguyen's - Gunmetal Gray 2005 Nissan Frontier (small lift, 31" tires, factory rear locker)
My friend, Thy Nguyen's - Cement Gray 2019 Tacoma TDR Sport (4" lift, 33" tires, factory rear locker)
My other cousin with the Red FJ Cruiser was suffering from a major case of FOMO because he failed to register for the clinic
We all agreed our favorite parts were, the obstacle course, camping, and learning about all the safety practices. We could have used a bit more training on camping wildlife safety because coincidentally, our campsite was invaded by a skunk that night before. Luckily nothing bad happened, other than we all lost 2 hours of sleep trying to patiently usher the skunk away from our camp, but minor wildlife training information could have been handy for us that night and for future trips. And perhaps a little segment about bring in bring out best practices could help folks with their trip survival planning.. especially when it comes to spare parts, tools fluids etc.
My personal favorite was the stair climb and the hill climb. I was amazed to discover my limited equipped Jeep was able to get thru those obstacles. I also realized a need more practice maintaining eye focus with my spotter and more practice with tire placement.
Thank you so much for hosting one of the most pleasant, educational, and entertaining experiences my family has ever been on.
I look forward to contributing, getting to know, and learning from club members.
David Tran