choosingtangent
New member
Here in North Georgia we are fortunate enough to have the Appalachian Mountains, National and State forests... That means hundreds of miles if FS roads to explore and enjoy. You often hear people complaining that it is just not "technical" enough for them and their rig. It always makes me laugh, because there is very little real technical wheeling in this area outside of a few private parks and some SMALL ORV areas (Beasley Knob comes to mind) around here. I have been wheeling since before I could legally drive and in my mind it is as much about getting out and exploring as it is about hammering a rig through muddy holes (which I am no fan of), off camber ruts and picking the correct line over / through an obstacle.
Search North GA wheeling and you will see plenty of mentions/videos of Bell Mountain, Charlie's Creek, Dodd and Sheep's Wallow (just a mud hole really). All those trails are:
1. Disappointingly short... Driving for a couple of hours +/- to ride a 15-30 minute trail and then driving pavement for 30 or 40 minutes to the next 20 minute trail is not my idea of an exciting day out. Yesterday I left the pavement at 10 AM and did not see it again until around 5 PM.
2. Crowded. A good example is the side trail at Charlie's Creek before the second crossing (if you can call it that). It is can be a busy, it is a one way through the ruts, with little visibility down the trail to see oncoming traffic, and few seem to run a radio. If they do have a working 2 way, they could be on ANY channel. Why can't people use 4? It is the common channel... 4X4, get it?
Again, yesterday, I didn't see another soul for the first 5 hours after I got on the trail!
3. (IMHO) extremely overrated for difficulty. Not putting down anyone who has a stock rig, I respect all Jeeps, but if a stock rig can do it, well, it might not be all that difficult... 'nuff said on that
Look, every ride does not have to be the equivalent of the Rubicon to make it a good ride.
Get out and enjoy ALL off road access RESPONSIBLY. Stop throwing your trash around, defacing things (see the rocks at the top of Bell Mountain), pick up the parts you tear off, stay on the trails and off posted property... and... be prepared. I have a winch, recovery gear, tools, rain gear, trash bags, a first aid kit, fire extinguishers, an air supply, water, snacks/food/ice, radio, GPS, chargers for my electronics, spare parts etc, etc... All to get me out of a jam. SO unless someone says to you... "Hey man let's go out in the woods and don't worry about bringing anything, I've got you covered"..., make sure you are prepared. That is not to say that I would not give it all to help someone out of a jam, because I would. It just means that after I help you, I will very pointedly ask you why in the hell were you so unprepared for the situation. Don't act like I owe it to you to winch you out when I happen upon you and you are really stuck. I will do my best to get you out, but keep in mind that I probably just saved you hundreds of dollars on a 4X4 wrecker. Don't be a dick about it when I ask what you were thinking.
Above all, get out and be part of the off road community, be an ambassador, not a problem.
Search North GA wheeling and you will see plenty of mentions/videos of Bell Mountain, Charlie's Creek, Dodd and Sheep's Wallow (just a mud hole really). All those trails are:
1. Disappointingly short... Driving for a couple of hours +/- to ride a 15-30 minute trail and then driving pavement for 30 or 40 minutes to the next 20 minute trail is not my idea of an exciting day out. Yesterday I left the pavement at 10 AM and did not see it again until around 5 PM.
2. Crowded. A good example is the side trail at Charlie's Creek before the second crossing (if you can call it that). It is can be a busy, it is a one way through the ruts, with little visibility down the trail to see oncoming traffic, and few seem to run a radio. If they do have a working 2 way, they could be on ANY channel. Why can't people use 4? It is the common channel... 4X4, get it?
Again, yesterday, I didn't see another soul for the first 5 hours after I got on the trail!
3. (IMHO) extremely overrated for difficulty. Not putting down anyone who has a stock rig, I respect all Jeeps, but if a stock rig can do it, well, it might not be all that difficult... 'nuff said on that
Look, every ride does not have to be the equivalent of the Rubicon to make it a good ride.
Get out and enjoy ALL off road access RESPONSIBLY. Stop throwing your trash around, defacing things (see the rocks at the top of Bell Mountain), pick up the parts you tear off, stay on the trails and off posted property... and... be prepared. I have a winch, recovery gear, tools, rain gear, trash bags, a first aid kit, fire extinguishers, an air supply, water, snacks/food/ice, radio, GPS, chargers for my electronics, spare parts etc, etc... All to get me out of a jam. SO unless someone says to you... "Hey man let's go out in the woods and don't worry about bringing anything, I've got you covered"..., make sure you are prepared. That is not to say that I would not give it all to help someone out of a jam, because I would. It just means that after I help you, I will very pointedly ask you why in the hell were you so unprepared for the situation. Don't act like I owe it to you to winch you out when I happen upon you and you are really stuck. I will do my best to get you out, but keep in mind that I probably just saved you hundreds of dollars on a 4X4 wrecker. Don't be a dick about it when I ask what you were thinking.
Above all, get out and be part of the off road community, be an ambassador, not a problem.
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