[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (5/15/20)

Trip Report: Spring Safety Clinic – May 15, 2021

Before arriving at this event, I had a gut feeling that my stock vehicle could handle most everything thrown at it. Upon arrival and seeing some heavily modded vehicles made me wonder if perhaps I had gotten in over my head!? It was reassuring to see many other participants with stock vehicles, and at the end of the day I learned that my Jeep is very capable, as long as I drive it with intention and using proper technique...

I arrived at the Upper Ranch area 5 in my 2020 Wrangler Rubicon at around 7:40am. It was chilly with just the slightest hint of drizzle.

Registration was quick and easy as was vehicle inspection and air-down. Wandering around a bit talking to club members I was impressed at how things were so well organized.

I was assigned to the yellow group where we had ~11 student vehicles (mostly Jeeps plus two pickups) plus three club members running lead/mid/tail: Daryl, Chris and Joanna. A very friendly and lively group, everyone seemed to be excited for what the day held in store.

The day's activity was split into a classroom section in the morning and then hands-on driving skills sections in the afternoon.

Morning session: Classroom

CJ, Jason and Kelly supported the prerequisite video training with lots of good info on:

• Knowing your vehicle's limits (clearance, approach and departure angles, etc.)

• Practical advice with an emphasis on safety

• Useful gear to have (recovery, jacks, fire extinguisher, etc.) Yellow Group assembling at Area 5

• Things to be aware of and to sometimes avoid

• Special situations, such as the risks of water crossings

• Some clues about dealing with obstacles (e.g. momentum)

• The importance of setting the correct tire pressure for conditions

• Plus helpful Q & A Important tip: JEEP stands for "Just Empty Every Pocket" 😄

Afternoon Session

After a quick lunch break the afternoon session consisted of a number of hands-on skills sections.

1. Tire Placement

Getting the driver's side placed correctly was pretty straightforward. The passenger side (especially rear) not so much! It was clear that being accurate here would help navigate some of the future obstacles. I need to practice this some more. Also a very practical reminder to ask for a spotter when needed.

2. Driving the Red Trail

This was a nice drive through some of the Upper Ranch area with varied terrain to get comfortable on. Daryl, Chris and Joanna used the radio to inform us and keep the group banded together. Poison oak was everywhere! Also, while there there few a side-by-sides zipping around pretty fast which was a bit unnerving, all drivers on the trail were courteous. A few times we got out of our vehicles to walk ahead to learn what the best line would be. Daryl helped us out by demonstrating how to take a certain line or navigate a particular obstacle.

3. Obstacle Course

Here we started with the stair steps. The advice to use just a little momentum paid off and everyone did really well. Big confidence booster!

The frame twister section was well explained by the crew manning it, and we had enough time left for everyone to run through it twice.

4. Driving the Blue Trail

This was another chance to get more practice and see more of the park. We got to test ourselves on a couple of three-point turns in narrow spots.

The ravine was a fun obstacle with helpful tips such as don't be concerned about letting your tires ride on the sidewalls a bit.

Finally we came upon a short but steep hill climb where we needed to stay far to driver's side on dirt while the passenger side went up over a rocky area... a little intimidating due to the lack of visibility, but in the end no big deal.

5. Hill Stop and Reverse

This was a very different exercise. Accurately backing down the hill around a corner and on an angle was an odd experience. I was glad to be able to repeat it to really understand the correct technique. After the hill obstacle we all aired-up and assembled for a group photo before heading out of the park at about 5:30pm.

Take-aways:

• The driving skills sessions were invaluable. Lots of wisdom/guidance along with plenty of support was offered generously!

• Learning to trust my spotters was not difficult, as all staff were very supportive and helpful— they boosted my confidence

• A felt a real sense of camaraderie among the club members and students

Looking forward to more off-road experiences with the club!

Jim Stratton, prospective member

[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Fun Run (11/21/20)

This fun run was my first time wheeling, besides the September Safety Clinic which I
attended. I had a great time out on the trails and watching those who took on the harder
obstacles. Thanks to all who helped organize this!

I arrived at Hollister just before 8 am, to make sure I could get in and have enough time
to air down. I saw a couple ED4 members in line, including Daryl in the Samurai in front
of me and CJ in the line further back.

With the help of Gaia GPS, I found my way to the meeting point at the oak tree with
plenty of time to air down and introduce myself to the members present. Others slowly
trickled in over the next half hour.

I realized my truck (a double cab long bed) was pretty much the longest vehicle anyone
had brought for the trails (see comparison picture at Hector Heights below). This meant
I needed to do a few 3 and 4 point turns at some places on the trails.

Daryl volunteered to lead the newbies and those looking for a more relaxed experience through the park (thank you!). We first went up to Hector Heights, successfully beating the lunch crowd. On the way back down, there were quite a few rigs coming the opposite way, and it took some time and careful maneuvering on both sides to pass.

We next headed to the granite pit area. I did bottom out once, which reminded me I need real skid plates and some rock sliders. Seems I got away without breaking anything this time though, and I’ll plan to install some protection before future runs.

Next up was the ravine. I parked and watched some of the others skillfully navigate it. It was great inspiration for when I have more skills and a more capable rig.

We drove on some more trails after this, passing by the rock garden. I bypassed it, but watched some of the others driving through. My truck could have made it through, but I was wary due to already having scraped the underside and not having proper skid plates etc so I took the bypass. I also bypassed the tunnel.

I wanted to record a track of where we went, so I had Gaia GPS set to record, but I must have forgotten to grant it permission to get my location in the background, because nothing ended up being recorded. I’ll keep that in mind for next time. I also didn’t have my ham license at the time of the fun run, so I used an FRS radio I brought.

I had also brought recovery/safety gear like a snatch strap and soft shackles, a tire patch kit, fire extinguisher, first aid kit etc, but luckily did not end up needing it this time.

We eventually returned to the old obstacle course and went through the frame twister. We decided to call it a day shortly after this. I aired back up using a portable compressor I brought, and we left the park. It was a fun day, and I am looking forward to future runs with the club!

-Dishaan Ahuja (Prospective)
2019 Toyota Double-Cab/Long-Bed TRD