Camp Jeep 2007

OK, the time has come for members to take note; many of you have been ridding a while with us, part of our training is to generate good trail guides and spotters. As many of you have learn Camp Jeep in back on our southern back yard, it's a time for Jeep Enthusiasts to get together in the spirit of adventure and teach others about trail ridding, nature's beauty, land preservation, and most of all how to have safe and exciting fun with your SUV. I would love to see many of our membership enter to be trail guides or helpers, believe me there are plenty of things for volunteers to do.

Trail guides are selected from clubs who are members of the UFWDA regional chapters in this case the MAFWDA or the Tidewater Association. Selection is based on a lottery, so there is no favoring one to another, after the main guides are selected; they select alternates, then stand-bys. Almost every year they end up needing more. There are 3 guides per trail: the Lead, Middle and Tail guide, these individuals are responsible for the safety of the Camp Jeep guest, after all it is the main focus of the event and one paid by them. Each trail guide team will run approximately 2 to 3 times in a day for the 3 days the event takes place.

In addition they also need people to man the Jeep Practical Application Course (a realistic off road course designed with all the elements we encounter on the trails, but with out many of the dangers or breakage), these guides are under the same classification as the trail guides and work equally as enthusiastically. There are predetermine winch stations throughout the OAK RIDGE ESTATES trails, these individuals use the winches provided by Camp Jeep, at the end of the event they donate them to the trail guide group for a raffle. Aside that fact, MOPAR along with other vendors also donate to the group which adds to the raffle. In the past there have been many members from the PAJeep Org, B4W, BMJA, and ours provided guides. Are you going this year? The experience is to cherish for a long time, the people you meet and influence are mostly very appreciative of your efforts and hold you in high esteem, the bonding among fellow enthusiasts can’t be matched. It is here that the concept of the Maryland Rock Raiders derived from, and it is here that I would like to give back to the cause as trained guides. It’s a mini working vacation, but first you must attend pre-trials and get your names in. If you are interested, let us know here on this tread. (SORRY THIS OPPORTUNITY IS ONLY FOR PAID ACTIVE CLUB MEMBERS ONLY)

Because they know we travel a great distance, they do reimbursement us for gas, hotel and meals, that amount is determined by both Camp Jeep and the Tidewater Organization in charge of the trail guides. Usually works out to be around what it cost a guest to by into the Camp.

OK, that is an over view of what a trail guide does and how selections are made. I haven’t been to it since 2004, and am looking forward to it again, its fun and rewarding to the sport. Let me know who might be interested….Look for details soon to be posted on the forum about the dates, and the pre-runs.

Camp Jeep is coming back to Oak Ridge Estate in Nelson County, VA for 2007. Chris and Carla Boucher have been asked by Jeep to coordinate the trail rides for Camp Jeep this year. They are volunteers with other jobs just like all of us. We're hoping you, or someone you know, would like to volunteer to be a guide.

Here's what you need to know to volunteer for Camp Jeep 2007.

* Guides must drive a Jeep® brand 4x4.
* Guides must be members of either the Virginia Four Wheel Drive Association or the Middle Atlantic Four Wheel Drive Association AND United Four Wheel Drive Associations.
* Camp Jeep will be held July 26, 27, and 28, 2007 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).
* Trail ride times are still being negotiated, but at a minimum, there will be 3 trail ride times per day.
* Each trail ride will last approximately 2-3 hours.
* The trail rides every day will stage up at a predetermined space at Oak Ridge Estate.
* All trails are located on Oak Ridge Estate.
* We need at least between 150 and 190 trail guides.
* If more people volunteer than we need there will be a lottery to choose the guides. Names will be pulled from a hat and listed as guides and alternates and used in the order in which their names were drawn.
* This lottery system was used in Virginia before and each year every alternate was used due to guides dropping out or not meeting the requirements discussed here. Every single alternate has been used every single year.
* Guides will be assigned approximately 4-5 trail-ride times over the course of the 3-day event as either leader, middle, or tail gunner.
* Guides will get approximately one 1/2 day free to enjoy Camp Jeep.
* Camp Jeep information can be found HERE.
* About 75% of all Camp Jeep participants are new to four wheeling. The job of the guides will be to guide a group of approximately 30 vehicles on a trail ride, including spotting and/or recovery when needed.
* There is a driver's meeting before each trail ride time so the participants know what is expected of them.
* Each guide, lead-middle-tail, will be asked to talk to the participants on their trail about the ride, be friendly, give some advice if asked pertaining to airing down, getting ready, driving, etc. At the staging area before the ride, each guide will ask every participant to engage their vehicle in four wheel drive low range to ensure that all Jeeps are in good working order (well, at least go into and out of four wheel drive), and hand out waivers or other instruction sheets from time to time.
* Guides will be required to attend one pre-run either Saturday, May 19, 2007, or Saturday, July 7, 2007 - you can pick but you must be there for one of them. (You can attend both if you like.)
* Guides will also be required to attend the pre-run the day before Camp Jeep on Wednesday, July 25, 2007.
* Guides will be required to be at Camp Jeep by Wednesday, July 25 by 12:00 p.m. (noon) through Saturday July 27 until 8:00 p.m.
* Guides will receive reimbursement to help cover their expenses each day (we are currently working with Jeep and will post the dollar amount as soon as it becomes available). We have a block of rooms at a hotel in Lynchburg, approximately 25 minutes away from the Camp Jeep site. You do not have to stay in a hotel. You may camp, stay at your house if you live in area, share a hotel room with others, or anything like that. We simply ask that you show up each day clean.
* Guides and their family will receive complimentary entrance passes into Camp Jeep.
* Not all benefits at Camp Jeep available to paid participants are available to guides or their families. PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT ask for attendee packets, this includes guides and it includes family. We are NOT entitled to these goodies and Carla and Chris have been chastised in the past when guides or their families ask for the extras. This includes Camp Jeep flags.
* Vehicle requirements:
1. The following vehicle requirements must be met by your first pre-run!
2. Must be a Jeep vehicle.
3. Must run, drive, and stop safely and consistently.
4. Must have a CB radio that works no matter what the weather. (Hand held CB radios not allowed).
5. Must have a 30' tow strap with looped ends.
6. Must have tow hooks front and rear (properly mounted D rings on bumpers, and 2" rear receivers are o.k. - subject to inspection). ABSOLUTELY NO STRAPPING TO TRAILER HITCHES, TRAILER BALLS OR AROUND BUMPERS WILL BE PERMITTED.

If you are able to commit to attending two pre-runs (either the May 19, 2007 or July 7, 2007 pre-run, AND the July 25, 2007 pre-run) please complete the form below, and answer a few questions for us. Many of the questions will be used to gauge your experience, but will NOT have an impact on your selection as a guide. We realize that this will be a learning experience for those guides who have never done this before, as well as a learning experience for our participants.

Among other information, please have the following ready:
MAKE, MODEL, COLOR, AND TAG # OF YOUR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE JEEP and MAKE, MODEL, COLOR AND TAG # OF YOUR TOW RIG (if you use one) Please ensure the form is completely filled out before you hit the "SEND" button.

The form will go to Chris and Carla Boucher who will use the information to create trail assignments, order t-shirts, organize the guides, and stuff like that.

Also, please make an announcement at your next club meeting so that we can inform as many people as possible about the opportunity to be a trail guide. We don't want to leave anyone out. If any of your club members do NOT have e-mail, please either volunteer to be their contact person or have them give us a call at (757) 482-7019 (Chris and Carla Boucher in Virginia).

Please sign up by April 19, 2007 so we can prepare trail assignments for the first pre-run.

Thanks,
Chris and Carla Boucher – toynrnd@cox.net



ALL INFORMATION AND UPDATES WILL BE POSTED ON THE UFWDA FORUMS.



PLEASE JOIN THE FORUMS http://www.ufwda.org/smf/ AND PLEASE USE YOUR REAL FIRST AND LAST NAME (NO SCREEN NAMES).



ALL CAMP JEEP INFORMATION AND UPDATES CAN BE FOUND AT http://www.ufwda.org/smf/index.php?board=51.0



CLICK http://members.aol.com/firstcolonial/guestbk.htm FOR THE CAMP JEEP VOLUNTEER TRAIL GUIDE REGISTRATION.

Thank you Bobbi for adding to it with the most up to date info. I was going by memory. I guess is still pretty good, eh!

I was just going to post a message about Camp Jeep and Jeep Jamboree.
I am interested in attending as a newbie and wondered if anyone else was going and if they thought it would be a good experience for me as a beginner.
Just looking for your thoughts.
I think I am too "green" to volunteer or I would.
-Jessie

Camp Jeep is a fun time for the whole family. Lots to do besides trail riding. I think Camp Jeep is about $250 per vehicle, some food included.

Jamboree, is basically trail riding. Guides are good and helpful, food is provided for most Jamborees. Jambore is about $250 per person.

Both are really good experiences. I have been to quite a few Jamborees, so if you decide to go that route, I can tell you what I liked and didn't like about the ones I have attended.

Funny story is my wife got the jeep jamboree/camp for my for my birthday. I picked Catskills in the fall. I stumbled across this group while looking for info on how to get my jeep ready for it. So Jeep camp was going to be my learning experience and MDRR ended up taking the reins there. So by the time I go to jeep camp these guys should have me seriously on track.

I've been to the Catskills Jamboree twice. It is one of my favorite Jamborees. The food is awesome, catered my a local restaurant which closes down to the public for the Jamboree weekend. The guides are superb.

Might want to stay away from Devil's Tombstone as a trail ride unless you are looking for carnage! They definitely have great trail rides there for all levels of experience.

Jessica wrote:

I was just going to post a message about Camp Jeep and Jeep Jamboree.
I am interested in attending as a newbie and wondered if anyone else was going and if they thought it would be a good experience for me as a beginner.
Just looking for your thoughts.
I think I am too "green" to volunteer or I would.
-Jessie

Jessica I think you and your family would enjoy the experience. You get to meet poeple from all the States and share stories, ideas, besides, it is also a great place for bigginers. Infact, for the Maryland RR club, it's where is all began; one summer in 2001, thats when I took a frined of mind to it and since we both got hooked and the rest as they say is history. I trail guided camp jeep back in 2003, in charge of the titer tater table, I even made it to that years Jeep magazine (OK I am a ham for pictures) Just 1/4 of my face showed but my rig can be seen in the back drop. None the less, I had a great time. Follow your heart, it never fails your judgement. Have fun.

Yippee!
I am going to Camp Jeep.
Registered today.
If any of you are going to be there, let me know so we can meet up.
I am totally psyched!
-Jessie