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Two Rivers Tracker
A publication of the Two Rivers Jeep Club, Pittsfield, Illinois
Volume 20 Issue 6 August 2018
Upcoming Events All activities take place or start at the WBBA radio station building otherwise noted.
Trails leave at 9 AM. Always check the website for trails to be run or any last minute changes.
Trails to be run are to be determined. Check the web page and Facebook for updates.
Aug
2018
9 - 11 20th Annual 4x4 Blast (open to the public) 4 PM Thu
25 Member Trail Ride 9:00 AM
Sep
2018
8 Annual General Meeting and Board Elections 8:00 AM
Board Meeting #5 9:00 AM
Trail Ride -- Last of the year 10:00 AM
Oct
2018
13 Road Run 9:00 AM
Board Meeting #6 (2019 Event Planning) 6:00 PM
May 2019 16 - 18 2019 - 18th Annual Illini 4x4 Safari (open to the public)
Aug 2019 8 - 10 2019 - 21st Annual 4x4 Blast (open to the public)
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The Prez Sez
Wheeling season is up and going & after working on my jeep this winter I still have some problems, hope you are doing better than me. Some things are changing around the club. Every organization has people that may be seldom seen, but do a lot of work. Dave Christensen has been one those for the last 25 years. Dave joined the club, and shortly afterwards setup the clubs website. When the club started putting on our open events Dave took on keeping a database of all who had attended in the last 5 years then seeing to it that registration forms were addressed and mailed. Dave had pizza parties at his house to get help to stuff all the envelopes to mail. Dave also started the news letter, which received a national award a few years ago. Last fall Dave turned the news letter over to Bethany Williams and recently Dave has turned over the rest of his duties over to Kathleen Ball who will run the website and Warren DeWolfe will take on registration mailings and database, with help from Kaye Iftner. So it is taking about 4 people to cover all Dave's jobs. So a BIG THANKS to Dave for all his service to TRJC and to his wife Connie for letting him spend so much time on TRJC work. Dave loves wheeling the canyons out west, so if you get to UTAH ,COLORADO or NEW MEXICO wheeling and run on to Dave say hi from TRJC and thank him, we owe him a lot. I would like to go out some day, if I could make my jeep hold together that long. That's all for now, hope to see you on the trail. LEE
Secretary Warren’s Words
It's that time again for another club newsletter, sad to say they are getting scarcer and scarcer. The
club has over 200 members and yet only a few submit an article. One day I sat down and browsed the club
website and looked at the archives of old newsletters, man those things used to be packed with articles
and submissions. My question was what has happened? Being on the board and being able to serve the
club is a great thing and yet, it is a curse. We on the board are volunteering our time monthly to help keep
the club moving forward. Recently especially I have heard many people say that members of the board are
out to make a name for ourselves. Folks, let me tell you that is far from the truth! First of all, we get
nothing other than a free membership to the club. We spend hours each year trying our best to do what is
in the best interests of the landowners and club members. I know over this past year many have had issue
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with the "new" club inspection rules. Folks, this was done for two reasons, to protect the private land
owners as well as protect the individual members, to make events safer, and to help move trails along on
big turnout days. Think about it for a moment, the only change made was if you wanted to go on the 3+
rated trails we took away the locker requirement which can cost upwards of $1000. The board changed
that to a winch requirement $300. This opens up a trail to a whole new group of people. It also saves
someone else's equipment. Because let's be honest here, if you spent all day winching folks out and your
winch burnt out, would you be upset? Would you want a new winch paid for by the same folks who helped
to burn it out? I know I would think about it. I mean I get that we all help each other out but to depend on
one or two people to winch a whole trail along is not the right way to go about things. For 4+ trails, the
board voted to make full cages a requirement, this is for a major safety reason. We have had people come
out and have passengers in the back of a stock jeep with no rear roll protection. Yes, that is how Jeep built
them and yes, I get it worked years ago in the club. Well unfortunately some folks can be a bit too eager to
go after someone in a lawsuit. As well the board added a racing style seat belt/harness. All these things
are for the driver and passenger protection. Now many of you will point out a few roll overs and incidents
that occurred in my family. Everyone was wearing a seatbelt and many things that occurred could have
been prevented and some things were done as a preventative safety measure. As a club member, I stand
by the board's decision on the new requirements. I was sitting around before the last board meeting and
chatting with a few people and this was all brought up and discussed that you can go to an off-road park
and go for the day without all these "rules", you are 100% correct! But you are left to your own devices,
when out there, they can be a bit chaotic with folks going all over the place not paying attention to any sort
of right of way and I have seen many with a total disregard for their safety nor anyone else's. So I'll deal
with a few changes for what I view as the better. Folks all the board meetings are public for club members,
many times while the meetings are going on everyone is outside catching up and visiting. That’s great!
However, don’t cast stones saying many on the board are doing their own thing or making a name for
themselves. We are all trying our best. Stop into a board meeting, share an opinion, listen to what is really
being said not just rumors or hearsay. Sometimes I miss the days when I joined not too long ago when the
meetings were held at the VFW after breakfast and everyone pretty much was sitting there for the meeting
as well. I love this club, I love the friends I have made and have yet to make. I wouldn’t' drive 1000 miles
roundtrip each month and spend my personal time taking notes, sitting in board meetings, answering the
phone or emails or monitoring Facebook if I didn’t. So please come out, participate, and get involved.
Many have also said the way things are going the club won't be around much longer! That statement
makes me sad to think of, but honestly the only way that will happen is if no other members step up and
help out as people leave board or volunteer positions. So as a club member, not a board member, I am
asking that you come out, listen, and help. I get we all have jobs and families, but if this is something you
feel strongly enough to voice an opinion or concern in secret then get up and get involved to try and make
it better and make it last.
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Thanks for reading my rant. I hope everyone has had a great season so far the Blast is 9 days away
as I type this and I am so excited. But sad at the same time as that means the season is almost over.
All the best,
Warren
Blasting into Fall Hi Everyone,
Thank you for all the help and support during this years 2018 4x4 Safari. To all our sponsors that
donated several wonderful products to support our jeeping needs, wants, and oh yeah, I like that.
Our sponsors for this years 2018 Safari; BDS, Zone Off Road, Spiderweb Shade, Husky Liners,
Borgeson, Teraflex, Warn, Steinjager, Rough Country, Lucas Oil, Kaiser Willys, Jegs, Coyotes Enterprise,
Hawgtied Grips, Tub O’ Towels, Cargquest, Matco Tools, Poison Spyder, Smittybilt, Rugged Ridge, Rugged
Radios, Stage 8 Locking, 4 Paws Off-Road, AxleBoy, and Geeding Construction.
Thank you to our local sponsors in the Pike County area; Pike Feeds, Pike County Archery, Country
Financial, Pike County Concrete, Lindsey’s Tavern, Casteel Color Wheel, Flowers N’ More, Pikeland Motors,
Donohoo’s Barbershop, Healing Hands Massage Studio, Illini Hospital, Young Living Essential Oils, County
Market, Watson Hotel, Green Acers Hotel, State Farm, Pike County Farm Bureau, and Subway.
Finally, our member sponsors that always comes through till the end, thank you, Randy’s Auto
Repair (Randy Newport), Full Throttle Parts (Ryan Frederick), Franks 4x4 (Frank Smith), and Eric’s Repair
Shop (Eric Williams). Thank you to anyone else who donated during the Safari.
Starting a new chapter in Two Rivers Jeep Club has by far been an adventure in itself. Having
several new looks towards the club, especially involving the 4x4 Safari and 4x4 Blast has been frustrating
and wonderful all at the same time. The fun part of coming home and packages at the front door with my
name on it, not Jeremy’s/new jeep parts, and ironically, some still being jeep parts, gives you the sense of
accomplishment. Knowing that you were the one that spent hours on the computer researching, emailing,
talking on the phone etc. with big and small companies to take the time and support our origination. I felt
like how the men do when their new jeep parts come in and they finally get to fix their jeep for the 100th time. My frustration, not like what most would think, my frustration was “Where am I going to put these
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heavy large boxes?” Moving them from one room to another or just from the front porch. Thank goodness
I have a strong lifter at the house. ;)
My favorite moment of this whole 4x4 Safari & Blast Event Coordinator process was when the
FedEx man told us that we need to get a different hobby because most all our packages are too heavy.
Sorry to our FedEx man. Unfortunately I do not for see our hobby of jeeping changing anytime soon; if
anything, it will only get worse.
Thank you again to all our 2018 Safari sponsors and everyone who attended this year’s event, I look
forward to seeing you again very soon for the Blast. Be careful in the few months ahead with our scheduled
trail builders and be ready for my next surprise. You never know what the Blast may hold.
Caytlin Cearlock
TRJC Event Coordinator
4x4 Safari & 4x4 Blast
A Hello from your Coordinators Hello from your Friendly Special Events Coordinators! We wanted to take a moment to thank
everyone for helping to make our last few events such great successes! We were so proud to be able to
honor our Veterans in April. We started their morning with donuts and OJ and coffee before heading out
with them on the trails. Then we honored them with a great dinner at the Cardinal Inn and presented
them with a gift of a Veteran wall hanging to hang at the American Legion in addition to individual Veteran
decals. It was an amazing turn-out and we heard a lot of great comments about how appreciated the Vets
all felt! We had a great time celebrating our Fathers Day in June. We had such a great turn-out that we
actually ran out of meat. Let that dead dog lie...you know who you are! Then there was little turn-around
time before we celebrated 4th of July. Special Thanks to Eric and Bethany Williams for hosting our rowdy
crew out at their property!
We are now working towards our next events. We are planning to participate in the Pittsfield Fall
Festival August 30- September 1. We are intending to have a booth during the evening hours Thursday and
Friday in addition to Saturday. We will be representing TRJC in the Parade too! We would love to have a
great turn-out on the day of the Parade. Please keep an eye out for information on Facebook and the Club
website closer to the day!
We are also looking into having a booth at the Barry Car Show October 7th. We are encouraging
those interested in participating in the Car Show to contact Melissa or Tahnee so we have an idea of how
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many Jeeps are looking at being in the Show. We will be planning to set up a booth during the Car Show in
hopes to showcase TRJC and maybe recruit some new blood!
We also had a blast last fall participating in the Trunk or Treat down around the Square and are
hoping to do it again this year. Keep your eyes open for info!!
If you would like more information or would like to help in any way please contact Tahnee Bauer or
Melissa Van Dolah at [email protected].
Tahnee and Melissa
On the Trails Again
Hey! I hope everyone is ready for the blast. As I sit here writing this, I have 3 jeeps in the shop,
including mine, and only a couple days left to get them ready. We have been having some great turnouts at
our club runs and trail builders lately. I want to say a huge thank you to all my guides that have put up with
all my calls begging them to go out so we have different rating options each time. A special thank you goes
out to Melissa and Tahnee, our special events coordinators. They have done a fantastic job. Bethany and I
as many people will tell you enjoy opening up our home to others. It was our pleasure hosting the 4th of
July run dinner at our house and are looking forward to hosting it again next year.
See you all in a few days, if I can stay awake between now and the Blast! :)
Eric
Trail Coordinator
Sights from the Trails
Photo Credits to AJ Lane and Chris Weatherby
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Please always remember that safety is important and things happen in the blink of an
eye!
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Please send any happenings and pictures from the Blast to
Hope to see you all next weekend!
Bethany Williams
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