"In August of 2000 I took the Let's Go Jeepin course in Attica, IN. The biggest reason for taking this course wasn't because I wanted to test my vehicle or learn about 4-wheeling. It was to find something new to do with my son on our annual "manly man" trip. Every year we leave mom behind and go do "manly" things. I thought I knew a lot about off-roading and mechanics but I was in for a surprise.

    I own a 1995 Jeep Wrangler with a 4-inch Pro-Comp lift and a lot of other goodies, (which I put on myself). I have received training in the Marine Corps on the Hummer course and played in the mud a few times with friends, that was fun, but this was better.

    The first day started out with some classroom instruction. During which I learned a lot but I couldn't wait to hit the dirt. After lunch, we hit the test course. The test course, to the blind eye, looks tame but the hole in the middle is bigger than it looks and was a lot of fun. Only two of us tried the hole (I was one of them, thank you very much). The first trail ride was a blast. None of the other "Jeepers" got stuck; much to Dora's surprise. That night we went to a local restaurant and talked for hours about ourselves and our first day on the trails.

    My son and I were the only campers that night. After dinner we got to take a special night time off-road trip back to the campsite with Dora. (What a blast!!!) The campsite was great. It is in the middle of nowhere so to get to it is an off-road adventure in itself. On the next day the trail ride was even more fun. A lot of mud, sand, rocks and streams.

    I could go on for pages about the trails and the school. Simply put, anyone who wants to have more fun than ought to be legal, take the course. I promise traffic on the drive home won't wipe the permanent smile from your face. The one lesson that still rings true is, the best upgrade you can make to your vehicle is to smarten up the driver. A good off-road driver can get a Geo Tracker to places that a lesser driver couldn't get a Land Rover."

    "The RAV4 Does Proud

    It was not without some trepidation that I made reservations for a weekend of 4-wheel drive instruction with Dora Fang of Let's Go Jeepin. The off-the-asphalt world is dominated by Jeeps piloted by males, and I am a female owner of a Toyota RAV4. My husband and I had taken our RAV off the road a few times on backcountry vacations, but this was probably going to push our vehicle to its limits. The final words of a recent article I'd read about the RAV4's capabilities echoed in my head: "Not for serious off-roading." This utterly urban secretary from downtown Chicago got even more nervous when we pulled into the Badlands Off-Road Park that Saturday morning. Not a non-Jeep in sight, and the exceptionally high male population density meant I could count the other women present with a few fingers of one hand. Were we going to spend the whole weekend being towed out of the mud? Would I leave a trail of auto parts behind me? Would my husband be taking the bus to work for a month? I could almost hear the blond jokes circulating...

    After several hours of classroom instruction, airing down our tires and some practice on the obstacle course, we headed out into the park. The air was as thick with testosterone as it was with dust. However, some coaching over the two-way radio from Dora, along with encouragement from the husband and a friend who came with us, gave me the help I needed to keep up with the other vehicles. It was a good two days for the fairer sex and for the Toyota Motor Corporation. I was completely amazed at what my seemingly tame RAV4 was capable of. I coaxed it up hills, through pea gravel, and around steeply banked turns without difficulty. Even slogging through the mud and the up-to-the-bumper water level of the local creek were all within my reach. Of course, I didn't take on everything. I elected to skirt a hole that screamed BODY DAMAGE, and a couple of the more vertical hills proved just too much for the clutch, even with the limited slip differential engaged. Probably the most triumphant moment was successfully surging up a mountain of sand, to the open-mouthed amazement of a gathered crowd of ATVers. My husband, sitting nearby in another party's Jeep, overheard such remarks as "hey, that's a RAV4!" "what's THAT doing here?" and "there's a WOMAN driving it!" The instructors were pleasantly surprised, too, and told me my vehicle had managed most of the course more easily than many other students' larger and more powerful SUVs. Dora's tow straps never got used once, and the winch cables stayed wound all weekend! Not getting stuck gave me more time to play on some of the more challenging parts of the course.

    An upcoming trip to Colorado is going to be all the more enjoyable now that I better understand what my RAV4 can-and cannot-do, and I know more about how to handle it safely. With a little more practice, we'll be ready to tackle Botswana and Namibia when the bank account and vacation time permit. Thank you, Dora!"

    "In April 2000, my son and I went to the Badlands Off-Road Park in Attica, Indiana with Let's Go Jeepin. This was the first time we had been to the Badlands or on a major outing in our '99 TJ, and I was hoping this would be a good group to explore new territory with - I was not disappointed.

    The best aspect of the program was the small size of the friendly group. This alone helped eliminate most apprehension. I had envisioned a lot of macho daring and hard romping through mud holes like many clubs condone. Dora Fang runs her organization differently. She stresses learning your particular vehicle's capabilities, your own comfort level and "Tread Lightly" philosophies.

    The classroom sessions were a bit basic for me, but they were well thought out, and presented a lot of useful information. After the classroom, we headed out to a small obstacle course laid out in an open area. This helped all the drivers get warmed up (which can be difficult in Indiana in April,) as well as allowing Dora to size up the capabilities of the vehicles and drivers on hand.

    Once we headed out to the trails the real fun started. The easy pace and encouragement did wonders for my confidence and by Sunday I was trying and overcoming obstacles I thought would be impossible with my Jeep the day before. I heartily recommend Let's Go Jeepin to anyone who wants to learn the capabilities of their 4x4. It is a first class organization well worth the modest price of admission and the Badlands in Attica is a wonderful playground to learn in."

    "I highly recommend Let's Go Jeepin. Prior to attending Let's Go Jeepin, I had attended two Jeep Jamboree USA events and one other large Jeep event. While I had a great time and did well at these previous events, I learned a lot from the personalized instruction I received from Let's Go Jeepin. I have a list of enhancements I have made or will be making to my Jeep to improve its off pavement capabilities. I see my Let's Go Jeepin experience as an upgrade to my Jeep's driver."

    "I didn't do too much research before I bought my TJ. Sure, I had read some things here and there, but I was basically clueless on the actual mechanics of the vehicle. I knew I was going to need some help. I also knew nothing about off-highway driving and was worried that my completely stock TJ wouldn't be able to keep up.

    The instructional part of Dora's class was great. She went over a good deal of the mechanics of four wheel drive as well as driving techniques and safety. She put great emphasis on learning to use what you had, not what you could do with more.

    At first, on her training course, I was nervous. Her assistant, Dan, hopped in my passenger side and guided me through it, teaching me all the way. After the training course, Dora led us out for our first trail run. Sure, they were green trails, but they were far from easy. At each new area we went to, she had us practice the skills we had just learned. By the end of the first day, I was amazed at what my Jeep and I had accomplished.

    On the second day, we quickly ran through the same course as the day before, but this time we were all able to handle it better. After this "refresher," she led us through a creek bed as well as some pretty good sized hills. Using the skills I learned the day before, I found these new obstacles challenging, but not dangerous in any way.

    I was impressed by the personal level that Dora dealt with me. Before the trip, Dora was determined to talk to me on the phone. She tried to call me several times at home before she actually got a hold of me. Out on the trails, her goal was to make sure nobody's Jeep gets damaged. Dora is the only Jeeper I trust to give me an honest answer to "Do you think I can make this?" She also understands my situation as a college student and assures me that driving skills are much more important than any modifications I could do."

    "I spent two months researching Jeep before purchasing my vehicle. Within that time I learned which motor/transmission/transfer case combinations work best for on and off-highway use, what size tire and suspension lift were reasonable but not excessive, and which rollcage offered the most protection and why. Most importantly, I learned I was going to need some real experience to keep myself safe, that's when I found out about "Let's Go Jeepin, Inc.". The only off-highway driving experience I had consisted of consisted of "muddin'" in the swamps of southern Florida and I knew this wasn't much preparation for the type of driving I kept reading more and more about.

    By the time I found my Jeep, a built-up 1983 CJ-7, the cost of a class with Let's Go Jeepin had already been calculated into my budget. I admit I was a bit hesitant, I had learned a lot about all aspects of "four-wheeling" on my own accord. Did I really need a class? Well, when my brother and I got our first boat my mom promptly enrolled the family in the United States Power Squadron's safe boating course, as simple as it is to operate a forklift, I'm still required to have OSHA safety certification, and certainly nobody would attempt to fly an airplane without proper instruction. I'd rationalized, I'd budgeted, and now I headed to Attica anxiously wondering if I was really up to it.

    Once I met Dora and Dan, my instructors for day one I was sure I'd made the right decision. Granted, I knew some of the things we were taught in class, but there were a lot of things I didn't know, really important things. As I tackled the obstacles on the practice course it made even more sense why I had come this far, I was now learning how to operate my vehicle. (The one I had spent so much time and effort searching for!) I was challenged by the standards I had set for myself and my instructors were willing and able to help me meet them. The obstacles that I was less proficient at I repeated until I was comfortable with my results with no pressure whatsoever from either Dora or Dan. By the time we hit the trail I noticed how at ease I was, how the lessons of the day were merely a framework in the back of my head adjusting my decision making on the fly as each situation was presented to me.

    Day two began with a lesson about recovery techniques. With the emphasis on safety Dora and Bill explained the specifics of proper techniques and equipment as well as the results of improper usage. This was particularly helpful since I have a winch and know I will need to use it correctly. We again hit the trail, initially covering some of the same ground we had tackled on day one. I was surprised how much easier it was and how comfortable I was with things that had been slightly unnerving just a day before. We then proceeded to tackle obstacles that were a bit harder, again the skills I had honed less than 24 hours before became the infrastructure for my judgment. By the end of the day I had accomplished so much that I could barely speak with all of the events and challenges now culminating into a solidifying foundation for future endeavors off-highway.

    Overall I expected the weekend to be fun, but I never expected it to be that fun! I am even more pleased with the vehicular choices I made than I was the day I bought the Jeep. I have more confidence in my Jeep's abilities as well as my own abilities to operate it wisely. I'm not only pleased I'm proud, and in the back of my head I think that is the ultimate goal of the folks at Let's Go Jeepin, to share the moments that spark a lifetime of off-highway enjoyment. I would recommend this course to anyone. Especially those willing to purchase or that have purchased an SUV, without it you may never understand it's specialties and the unique abilities you possess driving it."

    "After owning my 97 Jeep Cherokee for over 2 years without any experience in off -highway driving, Let's Go Jeepin gave me a great opportunity to learn about my vehicle and the basics of how to take my Jeep on the trails in a safe and controlled manner. The combination of class room exercises and on trail experience was a very complete and thorough introduction into the sport of off-highway driving. Sure, you could hit the trail and try to learn from experienced drivers. However, I found it was very reassuring to learn with others who were new to the sport by participating in a class with a structured and well planned curriculum. In no time at all I found myself driving on trails that I would never have thought my stock Cherokee could handle. I left the Badlands off road park smiling from ear to ear!"

    "If you are looking to learn the art of off-highway driving, Dora can help you. I have wheeled with her in Attica, IN at the Badlands park. I was amazed at what she could do in a stock Jeep Cherokee. This woman is amazing. I have seen her drive out of a creek, up onto a steep bank, then watch the guy behind her have to be pulled over (strapped) by another Jeep to make it out of the creek. So, if you are looking for a person with a great, positive, upbeat attitude to help you experience the fun of jeepin, Dora is the one."

    "In August of '99 I went for my first off-roading adventure at The Badlands in Attica, IN with Let's Go Jeepin. LGJ is a company out of Chicago, IL, that teaches off-roading skills. They are awesome. Not only did I learn more about my Jeep in two days than I had learned in two months, but also I learned about driving off-road and found myself tackling - and conquering - obstacles that had me going, "You want me to do what again?" the day before. Now I just have to figure out when I can go back!"

    "Well, after going to the Badlands in Attica, IN with Let's Go Jeepin, Inc. I feel totally comfortable driving my boyfriend's 1990 Jeep Cherokee. Before, I was always scared...I've always driven a passenger car..no 4 wheel drive, ground clearance...nothing. It was really interesting to learn about "Jeepin" and being able to go out and do it myself.

    I have to admit that I was pretty scared the first time Dora told me to shift into 4-low/1st gear and just let the engine brake as I went down a hill. My gut instinct was to keep my foot on the brake...I was so scared to just go over the hill...I didn't know what was going to happen. But Dora hopped in the Jeep with me, and I went over...the engine slowed the Jeep down. Whew! That was a relief! The 4 low/1st gear trick was only the tip of the iceberg though. I learned a lot from Dora and Let's Go Jeepin, and I see how a lot of it could help me in everyday driving, as well as out four-wheeling. Now I'm going to be fighting my boyfriend for the driver's seat on our next trip with Lets Go Jeepin, Inc.!"

    "I had an absolute blast (and I hope I wasn't too much of a nuisance to you "old hands"...), and am excited for Tony - if he's a beginner like I am and is taking the course to learn what he can do and how to do it, he's in for a treat. I almost wish I could tag along...."

    "I feel like I know 10,000 times more about how my 4x4 works and why!"

    "Saturday's trails were a good way to start and Sunday's felt challenging and fun."

    "This weekend was great! I'm much more confident and excited now. I can't wait to go jeepin again. You did a great job with teaching driving technique to build confidence and comfort. What a great weekend"

    If you have any questions, call us at 773-395-8462, send e-mail to list@letsgojeepin.com, or write to us at: