Club Profile
Part IIThey sought like-minded people to enjoy 4 wheeling and camping a bit off the beaten path. Having a club meant never having to go alone, something a 4 wheeler should never do. The club has grown over the years to around 40 member families, with vehicles of all types. Drifting from the military into the computer industry, the membership has always been a bit high tech, and love to experiment with new gadgets for the vehicles. The club meets the second Thursday of the month at the Round Table Pizza at 14940 Camden Ave. in San Jose, and guests are always welcome.
With the SUV boom in the late 1980s, the club was alarmed by the bad press for 4 wheel drive vehicles and the damage caused by reckless drivers. Their solution was to start a class in the parking lot of the local Jeep dealer, teaching new vehicle owners how to drive offroad, and to control their vehicles. The class has run at least twice a year since 1989, and is targeted at drivers with little or no 4 wheeling experience, and evolved from the parking lot to a daylong adventure at beautiful Hollister Hills SVRA (State Vehicular Recreation Area). The format was adopted by the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc. as the basis for the state wide Safety Clinic.
Held in May and September, it takes advantage of the park’s facilities, obstacles and terrain to provide thorough instruction in driving off of paved roads. The Clinic teaches how to have fun without harming yourself, your vehicle or the environment. It is a mixture of classroom instruction and one-on-one guidance.
After a vehicle safety check, the day starts in the classroom with Certified Infield Trainers, aided by clear photographs and diagrams, presenting a seminar on basic driving skills. It also covers details about how the vehicles work, and the principles of Tread Lightly! and Leave No Trace for low impact outdoor recreation and camping. The instructors can answer any 4 wheeling question one may have. After the classroom, there is a demonstration of vehicle recovery using lockers, a tow strap, winch, and Hi-Lift Jack, including the safety precautions. The classroom provides the hows and whys, and the rest of the day is spent practicing what was learned.
The students split up into smaller groups and meet with their Trail Leaders. After lunch, the groups head out into the park to practice their new knowledge in their own vehicles. Each group runs two trails and goes through two sets of obstacles. The Clinic is designed for duel drivers; both drivers have a chance to experience all of the obstacles and a trail ride.
The trails are easy to moderate, planned to be passable by any registered vehicle. Part of the trail includes a ravine crossing, with the more adventurous being guided up the ravine by an experienced spotter.
The obstacles include: Tire Placement, Frame Twister, Stair Steps, and the Hill Climb. All the obstacles have one-on-one guidance by experienced instructors, and were designed to provide intensive experience in different skills necessary for 4 wheeling.
Tire placement is critical in rock crawling — a tire an inch or two off can make the difference between getting over an obstacle or not. This course shows you how to tell where your tires are at all times, going backwards and forwards.
The Frame Twister is an exercise in following the guidance of a spotter. It also demonstrates the flexibility of the vehicles.
The Stair Step is a demonstration of throttle and momentum control. The correct balance of throttle and momentum may mean easily climbing an obstacle, where excess of either can mean damage to the vehicle.
The Hill Climb covers how to safely stop on a hill that is too steep for your vehicle to climb, how to restart the vehicle without losing traction, and how to back down without losing control of the vehicle. This area also covers off camber driving.
The biggest surprise for most students is just how capable their vehicles really are. The next biggest surprise is the difference in handling between pavement and dirt. By the end of the day, the drivers have gained confidence in both their vehicles and themselves. They have also gained the knowledge of how to find the wilderness away from the parking lot, and how to enjoy it without leaving a trace.
A vehicle with 4 wheel drive low range is required for registration. Past vehicles have included everything from a Grand Vitara, Porsche Cayennes, and a pair of his and hers Pinzgauers. Yours will fit right in. Free camping is available Friday and Saturday night. Clinic fees are $55 for the first driver, and $45 for the second driver in a vehicle, and an additional $12 for the Saturday night BBQ dinner. Check out www.EspritdeFour.com for more information and a registration form.