New club & forum

[broncocraigellis]

CLUB INFORMATION
There's an all new club and forum for guys and girls in North Mississippi. Appropriately, the club is called North Mississippi Off Road and joining the message board is free. Becoming a member is easy too, just come to a meeting and a ride with the club sometime and pay the annual dues, which are currently $50. Dues include a one-year membership in United Four Wheel Drive Association, a club decal, and a t-shirt. Part of membership dues go toward membership in UFWDA (http://ufwda.org), and dues in the next membership year will likely go toward membership in Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (http://sfwda.org/). Membership in SFWDA also means membership in United, so members get a two for one deal. Club members will vote on this issue pending more information from SFWDA.

PHILANTHROPY
The remainder of a member's dues goes into a club bank account to be used for donations to charity or a yearly member celebration/party/cookout. This year money from the general fund will likely go toward adopting angels from the Salvation Army's Angel Giving Tree program, and, in future years, a Toys-for-Tots charity ride may become a reality with the help of the local off-roading community.

CONTACTING THE CLUB
Check out the forum:

northmsoffroad.proboards52.com

The forum is brand new so expect it to slowly get better as participation increases. The club logo will be posted soon, and the logo is available printed on high quality vinyl decals, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and on whatever else it can be printed.

CLUB HISTORY
NMOR was formed by a small group of four wheel drive enthusiasts last year as a way to gain a voice in the off road community and to provide a more formal means for off roading fellowship among friends, old and new.

VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS
Member's vehicles range in tire sizes between 31" and 44". The club does not discriminate based on tire size, engine size, or ego size, but members are expected to adhere to general guidelines while trail riding as outlined by the venue. Come prepared with necessary tools, spare parts, and knowledge/ingenuity to fix at least the most basic problems encountered on the trail: plugging flat tires, replacing axle/drive shaft u-joints, swapping out broken locking hubs, etc...

The club does have minimum vehicle and safety requirements which follow the basics as outlined by SFWDA:

"If you have been 4-wheeling for some time, you'll be experienced enough to know your vehicle's condition and the equipment you should be carrying. Because you will be on the trail with other people who may depend on you or you may depend on them, we list the following requirements for vehicles attending our events:

4-wheel-drive vehicle (obviously!) with mud tires (sorry, all-terrains just don't cut it in the south).
Factory hard top, roll bar or roll cage (depending on trail).
Functioning brakes (check them before you arrive).
Snatch strap (Loops on ends. NO metal hooks on ends).
Spare tire, jack, and lug wrench.
First aid kit.
Fire Extinguisher, secured near driver.
Seat belts for all passengers!
Tow hooks front and rear.
Battery bolted down (no bungee cords).
Legal exhaust system.
CB radio.
Flash light.
Leather gloves.
Food and water (alcohol is not allowed for anyone).
Tools and spare parts as appropriate.
Appropriate clothes, including for overnight.
All interior items must be tied down or secured."

[MyNameIsMud]

I guess this is an endeavor of yours, Craig? Did you think GTJC excluded too many folks? The name NMOR just doesn't do if for me. Are you planning on restricting access to your new forums based on whether or not someone has paid the fifty bucks?

[broncocraigellis]

No, not a sole endeavor at all. Rusty Harris, Terry Brooks, and I have been talking about forming a club in the Tupelo area for a long time, so we finally did it. I just took the liberty to construct a new forum for us to talk. We have several people in the Tupelo area who do not frequent the GTJC page just because they feel it really isn't in their area, and they don't know anyone. GTJC doesn't exclude anyone, but it isn't tightly organized either. I wanted to be part of an organization that supported SFWDA and UFWDA because those two associations do much to keep trails open. The forums will not be restricted. It will work the opposite way GTJC works...you sign up here and you are a member. Sign up on NMOR and you are only a member of the website, not of the club. So what things are member exclusive? Anything with a NMOR logo, membership in SFWDA and UFWDA under the club's name, and the option of being part of club meetings, rides, and get togethers. The name is not our first choice, but we voted on it in a club meeting about a year ago. Rusty has a much better name and an equally cool logo, but I don't know if it will be changed.

[bcjeep]

I'm in . I have had the chance to ride with these guys and they are great people .

[JWP]

Having a club in North MS will be hard because there is really not very many people that trail ride and there are no trails in North MS. But it is a good idea if you form a club that supports SFWDA. They do tremendous work to keep trails open and fight for offroading. I would make sure that it is at the forefront of the club that most of the funds go to them. I have been involved in other clubs and the main trouble that came up was the funds and what came from them.

Perhaps attaching the club to the site in Fulton would help grow the club as well

Now, after giving my 2 cents, I want to join if you guys have any scheduled rides that I can go on.

[rsmith]

You know I am for whomever wants to ride and enjoy this sport. I do want to become a member of the organizations. Let me know the specifics of how to become a member - address and such.

It is really hard to organize something regionally, especially in a college town when the ones interested tend to only be in this area for a short period of time. I think that is one reason why things are kind of up and down with the GTJC. There is never much consistency in those who will carry the torch. I am not saying that this board or organization should be abolished, rather strengthen our regional area by supporting a larger effort. Having the backbone of membership with the national organizations is a great idea.

[rccolacc]

Good thing you started a new club Craig. No one ever liked you here anyway.

Jk.

I think it's a good idea to start a more organized club. I've never belonged to any before coming to MSU, so I have nothing to compare to, but I think it's a good idea to belong to the other FWD associations. It makes sense. Rob's right though-- it's hard to have consistency when all the club members are only in the area temporarily with school.
-RC

[broncocraigellis]

As we have found over the last year and a few months, there are more people who ride and want to ride than most realize. Members of NMOR have made contact with, conservatively, ten people who ride in that time and mostly before the club has been solidifying.

All but about 20% of the dues goes to national organizations, IIRC. The other money buys a t-shirt and decal, with something like $5 per person left to go into a club bank account. These numbers are approximate because Terry Brooks set up the club bank account and has been handling accounting duties.

Since the club is essentially based out of Tupelo, we should have a fairly steady membership base. We have considered having a Toys For Tots ride in Fulton similar to what C.A.O.S. does at Gray Rock each year.

Rob has it right - the main purpose of NMOR is to support the organizations that help us most, like SFWDA and UFWDA. Club dues are the only way to do that, and, like Rob said, having consistency is hard to do in a college town with a fairly steady turnover. The Golden Triangle will contribute a few members, but most will come from the Tupelo area and farther north. We know a few guys in Oxford who ride, and there are, no doubt, many in the Southaven/Hernando area who ride. We just needed a way to become visible more so than simply by word of mouth.

RC, I know - I've always felt unwelcome. I'm about to go sign the bill of sale.