Out of place.

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Permalink Reply by potatomutato on November 9, 2009 at 9:07pm

Cindy, i'm sorry you felt that way and i'm sure that was not the image anyone wanted to put forward. the fact of the matter is, we had a couple planning sessions in advance to discuss the layout of the campsite and where the tents would go, etc. however, even with that much planning, everyone was free to plant their tent wherever they wanted and the tent "city" essentially morphed into what it was. also, the area was not reserved, so that literally meant you could set up anywhere you pleased.

also, there was no set plan to do anything. Surf N Turf is unlike any other trail run. most, if not all, of the dune runs were impromptu. the only scheduled events were set up by the organizers. these events included things such as the Poker Run, the Sand Chef Competition and the unofficial Jump Competition.

i do recall the one time you asked if anyone wanted to go jumping in the dunes, but at that time some folks had just returned from the dunes and others just wanted to relax at camp. also, not everyone wants to jump their rig and it definitely is not recommended if it was your first time on the dunes.

you state: "When we got there "YEA! set your tent anywhere." wasn't cool cause you know a mother and a child alone is not a very good idea. There's no man to protect us and I knew we was with you guys." this is a contradictory statement. if it was not a good idea, then perhaps the situation should have been re-visited before making the trip in the first place. if you felt you knew us, then you should have felt safer. i don't think anyone wanted to make others feel uncomfortable at this event and, again, i apologize if you felt that way.

as for "YEA! set your tent anywhere" that is essentially what we told everyone when they showed up. we do not designate where people camp because everyone has their own preferences.

once again, there was no schedule other than, perhaps, the group photo but even that was pretty impromptu. will we create an "official" dune run schedule in the future? highly doubtful. it is not that kind of event.

as for looking for a leader, i guess i would be the one to blame here. unfortunately, i was not always at the camping area. however, i don't think i would have said anything differently than i did when all the others arrived, which is essentially, "we've got a couple open areas to set up your tent...pick one that you feel comfortable with and have at it." a lot of folks looked for others they knew and set up next to them while others plotted wherever they found space. there were plenty of other new members or first time SnTers at this event and many PMed me and/or other members with their questions or joined in on the chat sessions to have their questions addressed. but i will take your suggestions into account for next year and will state even more details regarding the non-schedule approach to the event in the original post. at the same time, if any member wants to create their own official dune run schedule, they are more than welcome to.

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Permalink Reply by Bz on November 9, 2009 at 9:52pm

Cindy It was good to see you there. there is a certain dis-organization to the whole "non-event" on purpose to make it more laid back, my 1st year was sorta discombobulated too. don't give up on it yet we have a great time

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Permalink Reply by manoweb on November 9, 2009 at 9:42pm

Yes I also had a problem setting up my tent, a drunk guy sent me away and I had to find another place to stay. I do not know what others think but - yeah, I also feel camping on the beach was not as safe as when we were on the Sierra.
It is a matter of personal preference maybe, but the best campsite so far has been Slickrock, where there are no cars moving around in the middle of the night etc

This said, it was a big group and everybody is supposed to be fairly independent to some extent.

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Permalink Reply by DivnGirl on November 9, 2009 at 10:03pm

Hey Cindy's FJ, as a female who made this trip solo, I can see where you are coming from. But, you got it spot on when you said you felt pretty safe coming with your son from your online impression of the folks here.

NorCal FJ's and (now that I've met a bunch of them) SoCal FJ's are amazing groups of folks who just love their trucks. I too LOVE my truck. I don't know much about it but am learning. Here's what I did and will continue to do (for the sake of learning and becoming a safer driver...on road and off:

I just kicked it...chilled out near the fire...listen in to the side conversations taking place about various mods, trails, and overland trips that others were planning or had done in the past (which is the key to my FJC education), introducing myself, getting to know others and so on. Absorb the information. Granted I'd met a few of the guys previously at a meet and greet and happy hour..but most of the folks I hadn't met.

Same thing went with the trips out to the dunes. Just chilaxing at or near the fire pit area was what I did. When someone yelled 'night run' or 'who wants to check out the jump competition?' my butt was out of my chair and I was ready to either grab my keys or find someone to ride along with.

Hopefully you'll continue to learn more about your truck, but just taking it out without prior research is probably not wise. There's information online about the minimum suggested equipment and recovery gear for taking your truck off-roading. Read all you can in this forum's technical and trail report sections. Also, check out the blue room at www.fjcruisersforum.com. Any time I was thinking of doing a mod or wanted to learn about my trucks capabilities, I read up on it first. Even when my AC died, rather than trust the dealer, I checked up on it online to get an idea of the possible causes, ran them by a few friends and was able to avoid being scammed for part I didn't need. Usually, the information is out there...ya just gotta look for it.

I'm still pretty green and may not know a whole lot about my truck, but what I do know is that I am grateful for this group's existence.

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Permalink Reply by Bz on November 9, 2009 at 10:09pm

Nice post!

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Permalink Reply by DivnGirl on November 9, 2009 at 10:13pm

Gracias, O Jumping God!

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Permalink Reply by cypilk on November 10, 2009 at 8:29pm

Sorry you felt that way Cindy. I heard that you were stuck on Saturday and I went out there to look for ya, but didn't find any FJs stuck on the side. The next day you came to the base camp while I was packing up to leave and your son wanted to see some jumps, but honestly, I felt pretty satisfied and did not want to go out again to the dunes. I know you were late, but if you could have made it a little earlier, I know you would not feel out of place -- not with this group.

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