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Reproduced with permission of JeepWire, Original Publication may be found here. By: Randy Halvorsen - 8/2000
Think back to the first time you ventured off-road. Think about all the things that you didn't know then, but do know now. Did you make any 'dumb' mistakes? Did you get into trouble, without knowing how to extricate yourself? Did you tear-up some fragile terrain, without giving it a second thought? I know I have done these things, but as I became more educated, my mistakes began to diminish in frequency, and my enjoyment of the sport increased. Let's Go Jeepin is about education. In 2 days time, Dora Fang and the staff of LGJ will take the greenest new recruit, and teach him or her, how to 'wheel in a safe and responsible manner. And you don't have to be new to four wheeling to benefit from the Let's Go Jeepin curriculum, the material covered is advanced enough, so that even seasoned off-roaders will learn valuable methods and strategies, which will enhance their four wheeling adventures.
The school is conducted at the Badlands Off Road Park, Attica, Indiana. This is about 2 hours south of Chicago, Illinois. Classes are held over a weekend, with both in-class study, and hands-on off roading. Typically, the class room portion of the course is held in the morning, and the seat-of-the-pants experience in the afternoon. Follow along as we show you the Let's Go Jeepin way to learn off-roading. Day One The first morning begins with introductions all around. Levels of experience are discussed, as well as the types of vehicles that each party is driving for the weekend. Dora then steers the conversation around to 4x4 basics. She tries to determine the extent of each participants knowledge of four wheeling, which in most cases, is pretty basic.
The pros and cons of each type of four wheel drive systems are discussed, along with the terms 'open differential' and 'lockers'. The students are led through the terms 'gear ratio', 'wheelbase', 'approach angle', departures angle', and 'breakover angle'. Dora spends time discussing why some vehicles will outperform others in some situations, but will concede in others. The staff of Let's Go Jeepin believes that each participant should be fully educated in the world of off roading, so they spend time discussing modifications to vehicles. This includes armor and recovery equipment, as well as the assortment of lifts, tires, lockers and other modifications that those in the 'know' are so conversant in. As the first morning continues, trail safety and etiquette are discussed, along with the philosophy of the Tread Lightly program. The staff of Let's Go Jeepin is deeply committed to the mandates set forth by this organization, and passes this commitment on to each student who goes through the weekend course.
After this, the 'fun' stuff begins. Each class participant brings their respective vehicle to the RTI ramp, and establishes a 'base' index. Then, the students are shown how to disconnect their anti-sway bars, and told to try the ramp again. In some cases, the increase in travel can be dramatic. The balance of the day is spent traveling a specially-marked course which the staff of Let's Go Jeepin has set out, that offers increasingly challenging obstacles. The students are shown how to climb up and down hills, cross sand and pea gravel, and are even given a chance at some mud. The day comes to a close with an optional group dinner at a diner in town. Day Two
After the time-honored tradition of disconnecting and airing down, Dora instructs the class members in the art of 4x4 driver technique, strategies and vehicle recovery.. Types of obstacles are discussed, along with the strategy for surmounting each one. Different recoveries are covered, whether it be with a snatch strap, winch, or self-recovery. The staff wants to be assured that after the class sessions are concluded, that the students will be capable of not only helping themselves out of tenuous situations, but also able to help others in need. Conclusion If you are new to off-road driving, or feel the need to increase your performance under the skilled direction of experts, then this class is for you. So many people who go off-road have only learned by the school of hard-knocks, and sometimes we get knocked harder than need be. This class offers a means to ease into the sometimes mysterious world of off-road driving, without getting too far in over your head. There is so much material to be covered, that I would suggest Let's Go Jeepin consider adding a third day, or possibly covering the material in two weekends, instead of just the one. When the students have never been off-road before, the whole experience is completely foreign to them. It just takes a certain amount of time for all the new things, which they are learning, to sink in. I have already recommended this course to a personal friend, and will do so again. If you are interested in learning how to drive your 4-wheel drive vehicle off-road, and live in the Midwest, then this is the best way to do it.
Dora Fang, the owner of Let's Go Jeepin, is a Chief Instructor for the United Four Wheel Drive Associations in the MidWest, and has received First Aid and CPR training from the American Red Cross. She is a member of numerous organizations including Tread Lightly!, Illinois Four Wheel Drive Association, Indiana Four Wheel Drive Association, and many of the four wheel drive clubs around the MidWest.
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