SFWDA

[redneckengineered]

There was about 10 rigs in our group that rode the 70's Saturday at trailfest. It was nasty but we all a great time. I have been in SFWDA SINCE 98'. I have always enjoyed there events. And no I am not old and yes I have broke some ton axles, Tony Bolton. I will continue to go to Dixie run, I love talking to all the people and we ussually ride every trail twice and rarely have any traffic jams to deal with. One of the biggest concerns I have if SFWDA did not get enough support is that without Dixie Run at Golden Mt I am pretty sure that park would close. That is the big event there that makes that park slot of money. So I will continue to support SFWDA and I will hope that the money that I give them for a couple events I attend is put to good use. HONESTLY, I am not that worried about it, hell I spend so much keeping up my rig, my hauler and my camper to ride a couple hundred dollars a year thrown to a non profit group that supports the hobby that I love can't be a bad thing. I don't get into the bouncer racing and I love to trail ride, their events are my favorite. I hope some of you guys look at it from this point of view. Yes, there are a lot of streetable keeps at there event, but what is wrong with that, I used to own one too.

You sound a lot like me to be honest. The events are fun, you get to see your buddies, and trail ride. What is not to like? But you have to ask yourself, why do we pay SFWDA a PREMIUM to go to these events? Golden Mountain could put on an event called "Dixie Run", tell Southern to pound sand, and accomplish the same thing if not more. The gate fee would be cheaper and you'd probably get more for your money because there are less hands in the pot. Look at the events AOP puts on and the crowds they draw. And 100% of the money goes straight to the park you are supporting. Why do we need Southern again? They are a glorified event planning commission that puts on two rides a year that people still come to because that is how it has always been. Like I said, a relic of the good ole days.

 

[jk101]

You sound a lot like me to be honest. The events are fun, you get to see your buddies, and trail ride. What is not to like? But you have to ask yourself, why do we pay SFWDA a PREMIUM to go to these events? Golden Mountain could put on an event called "Dixie Run", tell Southern to pound sand, and accomplish the same thing if not more. The gate fee would be cheaper and you'd probably get more for your money because there are less hands in the pot. Look at the events AOP puts on and the crowds they draw. And 100% of the money goes straight to the park you are supporting. Why do we need Southern again? They are a glorified event planning commission that puts on two rides a year that people still come to because that is how it has always been. Like I said, a relic of the good ole days.

If the truth was told, they probably pay the park less than normal gate fee would take in.

 

[wizzo]

There was about 10 rigs in our group that rode the 70's Saturday at trailfest. It was nasty but we all a great time. I have been in SFWDA SINCE 98'. I have always enjoyed there events. And no I am not old and yes I have broke some ton axles, Tony Bolton. I will continue to go to Dixie run, I love talking to all the people and we ussually ride every trail twice and rarely have any traffic jams to deal with. One of the biggest concerns I have if SFWDA did not get enough support is that without Dixie Run at Golden Mt I am pretty sure that park would close. That is the big event there that makes that park slot of money. So I will continue to support SFWDA and I will hope that the money that I give them for a couple events I attend is put to good use. HONESTLY, I am not that worried about it, hell I spend so much keeping up my rig, my hauler and my camper to ride a couple hundred dollars a year thrown to a non profit group that supports the hobby that I love can't be a bad thing. I don't get into the bouncer racing and I love to trail ride, their events are my favorite. I hope some of you guys look at it from this point of view. Yes, there are a lot of streetable keeps at there event, but what is wrong with that, I used to own one too.

I have no idea what southern pays golden mountain for the park that weekend. BUT I would gladly pay the same price I pay at dixie run, directly to golden mountain if they did their own event or trail ride. I'd name it, The NOT Dixie Run Ride.

I've been wanting to do a ride at golden mountain with all the folks who tell me the only reason they go to dixie run is to see their friends that they don't normally ride with. Nothing fancy, just a ride. Pick a weekend and plan it well in advance. Seems easy right? LOL

 

[TBItoy]

CCB?


The difference in AOP vs other parks is ownership, management, and promotion. That's really all that needs to be said about that. And it's very apparent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wizzo]

CCB?


The difference in AOP vs other parks is ownership, management, and promotion. That's really all that needs to be said about that. And it's very apparent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd want to do something separate from CCB.

AOP is ran on a next level of involvement. Golden Mountain is like many of the other parks that just plug along.

 

[redneckengineered]

CCB?

Shhhhhhhh!

 

[TBItoy]

BBC?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[adventureoffroadpark]

This is Tom and I would like to add my 2 cents into this thread for what it's worth. When I started in the 4x4 business in 2010 (store) my first encounter with SFWDA was at Dixie Run. I was not impressed. Shortly after that, there was many changes made in leadership and I have personally witnessed a great change in the organization.

In this thread, I have seen many comments about pricing of the events and where the money goes. I can tell you first hand that there is not a lot of money left over out of these events. I have personally seen the numbers and been involved in the Trail Fest planning and budgeting. The park makes much less than normal on these events. The cost involved in everything they offer from the dinner provided, signage, promotion, bands, educational seminars, porta pots, trash dumpsters, they all add up, and they add up big.

What does SFWDA do? It is simple. They simply promote 4x4 recreation on both public and private land. They push education and Tread Lightly better than anyone I have ever seen. They also promote events not their own. The two main events that they host are Trail Fest and Dixie Run and they are their primary fundraisers. They have spent money in several riding areas that I know of first hand. They offer grants to both public and private riding areas. All of this is to promote the one thing that we love….4x4.

What has the SFWDA done for the AOP? The Trail Fest event came to the AOP in 2014 while the park was barely one year old in an effort to revive Trail Fest and make it grow. As anyone that has followed this event it is obvious that it has grown….and amazingly so at the AOP. Over the last several years, every cent the park made from Trail Fest has gone into the park and primarily into Trail 1, which is our main artery into the park. Anyone remember what it was like a few years ago, especially around Area 51? In addition, it has also been my goal to extend Trail 1 into a full loop around the mountain along the area of Trail 50. SFWDA has asked me numerous times to apply for a grant to help. I have not done so yet. WHY? Because I am not in the business of taking someone's money and not delivering. This extension is going to be a monumental task. I have studied the area and brought in engineers to help study it to get a plan together. Will it happen? You can bet it will but only when I know that I can do it.

SFWDA board members. I do not know them all but I do know several of the top leaders of the organization and I know them very well. They receive ZERO salary and put hundreds of hours of their own time into this organization. WHY? In my opinion, it is because of their love of the sport.

Is the SFWDA for everyone? NO. Is the SFWDA going to make everyone happy? NO. Has the SFWDA always had perfect leadership? NO. Could they do more? ABSOLUTELY.

Folks…..this is just my opinion and it probably does not matter to anyone else. I just know that I am glad that we have an organization that helps anyway they can to promote education and getting folks out and introducing them to what we all love.

See you own the trail. And redneckengineered lets out......and his girlfriend can out drive him.....ha

 

[jk101]

The park makes much less than normal on these events.

Exactly my point

And redneckengineered lets out......and his girlfriend can out drive him.....ha

 

[BUG-E J]

BBC?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man this thread turned ugly! Puke

 

[CHASMAN9]

Thank you Tom for educating myself as well as others as to the nature of SFWDA. I know that John G did not throw our money away on this and knew there was a purpose for keeping HLC members of this association. Once again this year, HLC will pay the fee to stay members of the SFWDA and you will only need to register under the name, to become a supporter at NO COST TO YOU. We have always done this in the past and will continue to do this in the future. No hard feelings to the one's that do not believe in the SFWDA is doing the right thing, but we will continue to support as a group. HLC ROCKS!!!




ADMINISTRATOR

 

[J.P.]

Thank you Tom,
I sit on the B.O.D. for SFWDA, I have not always like Southern because of one reason or another, But I have been around since 1995. So at times there are going to be things you don't like over 22 years. With that said. Southern was going through a hard time and looking for a new direction and I knew I could step up and make it better. Yes I ride hard, as hard as I can. No I don't own a rock bouncer but I have the best stuff I can afford and try to be on the front of cutting technology. Many people have many hobbies, being out in the woods with my family is mine. So what Ever I can do to make this happen I will. Tom has a great park and this is a great place for Trailfest. Even with the rain, the trails are 100% ride able. I spent most the night Friday on the left side of the Park on the 50's and 70's and Saturday up 43 into the Free Zone. So yes even the hard trails are do able wet with a little horse power. SFDWA will do what you ask of it as long as you ask, that's why we are here for you. To keep your trails open and encourage new people to get in the sport and educated them how to do it. We all start at the beginning and sometimes we have to remember where we came from. I look forward to many more projects with Southern and will be more than happy to assist any of you with your needs in offroading. Thank you Tom for your support and I look forward to continued work with you in the future.

 

[wizzo]

Thank you Tom,
I sit on the B.O.D. for SFWDA, I have not always like Southern because of one reason or another, But I have been around since 1995. So at times there are going to be things you don't like over 22 years. With that said. Southern was going through a hard time and looking for a new direction and I knew I could step up and make it better. Yes I ride hard, as hard as I can. No I don't own a rock bouncer but I have the best stuff I can afford and try to be on the front of cutting technology. Many people have many hobbies, being out in the woods with my family is mine. So what Ever I can do to make this happen I will. Tom has a great park and this is a great place for Trailfest. Even with the rain, the trails are 100% ride able. I spent most the night Friday on the left side of the Park on the 50's and 70's and Saturday up 43 into the Free Zone. So yes even the hard trails are do able wet with a little horse power. SFDWA will do what you ask of it as long as you ask, that's why we are here for you. To keep your trails open and encourage new people to get in the sport and educated them how to do it. We all start at the beginning and sometimes we have to remember where we came from. I look forward to many more projects with Southern and will be more than happy to assist any of you with your needs in offroading. Thank you Tom for your support and I look forward to continued work with you in the future.

Please don't take this directly but you did sort of step up as SFWDA representative if you will. I think most everyone would like this question answered:
What is SFWDA doing with the money I spend at an event like Dixie Run or Trailfest?

IMO, SFWDA can improve in many ways but here are two.
1 - Be more informative about what they are doing. Whether it's via social media, their own website or forums. Let us know, what you are out there doing for us. Example: We spend X amount on doing this thing for this park or this organization, etc. Because right now it seems like nothing. Please prove me wrong.
2 - Bring more than enough to events. Every year they bring the bare minimum they think they need food and t-shirt specifically. When I pre-register for something that you are offering, I don't want to show up and be offered boiled hot dogs because they ran out of BBQ. Folks plan on this supposed provided meal, luckily I'm keen to SFWDA's cheap ass ways and brought plenty of my own food.

 

[adventureoffroadpark]

Please don't take this directly but you did sort of step up as SFWDA representative if you will. I think most everyone would like this question answered:
What is SFWDA doing with the money I spend at an event like Dixie Run or Trailfest?

IMO, SFWDA can improve in many ways but here are two.
1 - Be more informative about what they are doing. Whether it's via social media, their own website or forums. Let us know, what you are out there doing for us. Example: We spend X amount on doing this thing for this park or this organization, etc. Because right now it seems like nothing. Please prove me wrong.
2 - Bring more than enough to events. Every year they bring the bare minimum they think they need food and t-shirt specifically. When I pre-register for something that you are offering, I don't want to show up and be offered boiled hot dogs because they ran out of BBQ. Folks plan on this supposed provided meal, luckily I'm keen to SFWDA's cheap ass ways and brought plenty of my own food.

Chris. You make great points. I can only answer to the #2 point. We begged food vendors to show up at Trail Fest and got 2 vendors. The food vendor approach was changed a while back to allow the meal ticket to be used at any vendor so they could offer choices instead of only one vendor and one food type. SFWDA doesn't charge anything to the food vendors to set up and this is always a main topic of how to feed the people. I had the same issue at Crawling for Reid this year. I could only get 2 vendors to show up. I did not charge a single dime to them as always because I wanted the people fed. One decided to party all night and couldn't provide a potted meat sandwich on the day of the event. The other worked his tail off and served everyone they possibly could. I promise you the food situation is not from a lack of trying.

 

[J.P.]

Okay I am going to try and answer this the best and shortly as I can.....

Trailfest and Dixie run the question I ask myself while helping is what kind of value is each person getting. That is different for each person. Now as a cost breakdown that information will be given out our next B.O.D. meeting Hardline has a representative that should be on and can be giving that information. It's expensive and complicated. As far as the profits they go to support you the fourwheeler. Putting on an event of this size is a major undertaking and it's unbelievable we can do it with a 100% volunteer staff!

My #1 complaint when I came aboard was communication about what was going on, we tried a form like this, but we did not get much traffic. So we went to Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/SFWDA/ ) and redid our website (https://www.sfwda.org/) . Facebook seams to be our most fluid place of what's going on right now, but the website is way more informative. But we still were not getting the feedback and flow of information that we were looking for so we started Go-to-webinar our attendance rate went way up. Also we started meet and rides with a short information meeting at the start and then go and ride to make new friends...get real word ideas flowing and Networking. Then we started hearing the real issues and getting feedback quicker. Things like Uwharrie needed gravel put in the entrance, Big Creek, the Daniel Boone Byway needed help opening their parks, Slade, KY we helped the Ohio Valley Fourwheelers map and open the park, a pavilion built on Trail 26-27 at Windrock, Beasley Knob getting trails maintained and possibly more opened, Trash cans put in Coppenger cove, Tread lightly training in S.C., We did a YouTube series for beginners https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb4oauSLkSONU_J9TeXDwsQ , One place to check out what we have going on and where the money is going is this link https://www.sfwda.org/message-board. If you would like to get money for you current project or something you would like to do go to this link https://www.sfwda.org/grants/ .There is much more we are doing and projects going on, I know I have forgot a few and butchered some names but this is what I could think of off the top of my head in the past year. Please let us know what you want go and fill out a grant lets get your projects underway. SFWDA is here for us, I have never received a dime for anything I have done. I do it for the love of the sport and for our future generations. SFWDA has no intention of seeing how big we can get our bank account, we want to get the money back out to you and your idea's as quick as possible. Please feel free to come to Windrock June 10th for our next meet and ride. Hopefully get some of your questions answered and a great day of wheeling and friend ship. I hope this helps answer some off your question if not I got an open ear and I am willing to help.

 

[redneckengineered]

One decided to party all night and couldn't provide a potted meat sandwich on the day of the event.

 

[paradisepwoffrd]

Re: Re: SFWDA

Okay I am going to try and answer this the best and shortly as I can.....

Trailfest and Dixie run the question I ask myself while helping is what kind of value is each person getting. That is different for each person. Now as a cost breakdown that information will be given out our next B.O.D. meeting Hardline has a representative that should be on and can be giving that information. It's expensive and complicated. As far as the profits they go to support you the fourwheeler. Putting on an event of this size is a major undertaking and it's unbelievable we can do it with a 100% volunteer staff!

My #1 complaint when I came aboard was communication about what was going on, we tried a form like this, but we did not get much traffic. So we went to Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/SFWDA/ ) and redid our website (https://www.sfwda.org/) . Facebook seams to be our most fluid place of what's going on right now, but the website is way more informative. But we still were not getting the feedback and flow of information that we were looking for so we started Go-to-webinar our attendance rate went way up. Also we started meet and rides with a short information meeting at the start and then go and ride to make new friends...get real word ideas flowing and Networking. Then we started hearing the real issues and getting feedback quicker. Things like Uwharrie needed gravel put in the entrance, Big Creek, the Daniel Boone Byway needed help opening their parks, Slade, KY we helped the Ohio Valley Fourwheelers map and open the park, a pavilion built on Trail 26-27 at Windrock, Beasley Knob getting trails maintained and possibly more opened, Trash cans put in Coppenger cove, Tread lightly training in S.C., We did a YouTube series for beginners https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb4oauSLkSONU_J9TeXDwsQ , One place to check out what we have going on and where the money is going is this link https://www.sfwda.org/message-board. If you would like to get money for you current project or something you would like to do go to this link https://www.sfwda.org/grants/ .There is much more we are doing and projects going on, I know I have forgot a few and butchered some names but this is what I could think of off the top of my head in the past year. Please let us know what you want go and fill out a grant lets get your projects underway. SFWDA is here for us, I have never received a dime for anything I have done. I do it for the love of the sport and for our future generations. SFWDA has no intention of seeing how big we can get our bank account, we want to get the money back out to you and your idea's as quick as possible. Please feel free to come to Windrock June 10th for our next meet and ride. Hopefully get some of your questions answered and a great day of wheeling and friend ship. I hope this helps answer some off your question if not I got an open ear and I am willing to help.

If i had one suggestion, have more rides. As someone who helped manage a private park for a few years i know outta an undertaking to plan an event. What I'm suggesting is partnering with private parks that are already doing something. SFWDA basically puts their name next to it and help promote the event on their site/fb and gives the owner/coordinator direction. I know they do some of that as you mentioned but something that small can get the name of a small/new/struggling park out there and help their business out.

As others say, my group goes to Dixie Run because of the ppl we know will be there and that we love GMP. We typically dont do the dinner or raffle so we can ride more. I can appreciate all they have going on during the weekend as many enjoy it.

 

[Petemier]

As a board member of southern and one of the masterminds behind the new bathroom at aop. I simply ask this what are you doing as an individual or a club to help support our sport? I live in coppinger cove (free public place to ride) and because of sfwda and it's network of people I have trash cans on the trail system I had a trailer donated to haul out trash. I've been able to get people involved in cleanup rides. I am currently working on a grant to setup the trailer to do trail maintenance. All of these things have been made possible because of sfwda

If you are seriously that dissatisfied with what sfwda does for the off road community please contact me and we can discuss all of your complaints concerns suggestions and questions as I have no problem voicing an idea or opinion if it will help better the club or the sport

 

[kdoss54]

Where is all those haters at? I feel like they have gave good answers to your questions I'm not gonna lie they make me want to support them :****:

 

[jellybiscuit]

I called Ray Stanley last fall, he is Pres of SFWDA, and told him about a situation I was having with TWRA not allowing us to ride on their property during hunting season even with the proper permits and licenses. He quickly said SFWDA would gladly assist in trying to resolve the problem I was having. He gave me names of people to contact and was very confident that with the right connections and with a little work we could take care of this situation. When I got off the phone I felt very confident that SFWDA was the real deal. Now, reality, I NEVER FOLLOWED UP, so the situation is the same, but I know SFWDA had my back. I am planning on tackling this problem in the near future and will call on SFWDA to help. For the tiny amount of money that I give them at trailfest and Dixie run, this is a HUGE payback from them. I will continue to support them, and I will also keep you guys updated as I deal with TWRA, which is public land.