I like to play on 4x4 trails and tracks, and can never find any to play on, 'cepting the occasional forestry offering, that is usually closed for no good reason. Because of this, I am toying with the idea of turning about 40 acres into a 4x4 track, of sorts.

I have a back hoe/loader, and imagination, so it is going to happen sometime next year, probably by June. What I would like to know, is... Would any of you guys want to use such a facility, and how often? There would be no fee, but there would be a necessary disclaimer signed, before using it, so if you kill yourself, or your truck, that is your problem, not mine. I think I can make a pretty interesting track, provided I can find gravel or rock for the surface of some of it. The rest will be dirt, or mud, with hollows, ridges and other interesting obstacles. I will probably have some primative camping facilities done some time too, which will be fee based (to cover the cost of running it.. Probably $10 a night - no hookups.I will be putting in a commercial size septic system for the camp, so there will be a toilet, at least. That may take a while though - permits are never easy to get.

So, what do you think. Is such a thing something that the Chapter would like to have made available for members, or should I keep it all to myself, and just have fun....

As I said elsewhere, my ranch is 2.5 miles west of Hwy 85, south of Redig, SD.

Theo

 

In this day and age, if you can jump through all the environmental hoops, you'll be lucky to be able to make one. A number of years back, I and my brother thought about the same idea, but the worries about being sued out weighed any action. It may differ from state to state, but the rumor we kept hearing was that even if someone signs a statement freeing you...a lawyer can tear it apart and you may still end up liable. I hope you can verbally prove me wrong, because I think it's a GREAT idea! The woods are mostly shut down, except for a select few main roads...and if you leave them, "they'll" own your first born and their first born. So all of us are severly limited in our off road adventures anymore.

As for me travelling down there to play..it's pretty unlikely. I can barely afford to get lost. But you are situated in a pretty central location and the idea of having a 4 state meet at your location would be something to strongly think about. It could even be an annual thing.. a competition course, invite the public (ahem...the Ford public), mud racing, obstacle course, show n shine.... the whole nine yards.

The Kansas chapter has their annual Fordtoberfest, that has grown consistantly for the last three years. We could have our annual Ford-Mud-N-Romp ( or whatever snazzy name we decide). Between all the chapters, we could have events all over the country...different ones...swamp racing in the south, muddin on the plains, show-n-shine in Kansas...etc.

OK...Now that I've taken this train of thought.... lets all put in our ideas, Theo included (since it's his place and all). Oh ...also tell theo if you'd use such a facility in the remaining parts of the year.

( How 'bout that for hijacking a thread?? )

Dick

 

From my advised knowledge....

If I do not charge for usage, and if the users sign a form displaying knowledge of the dangers involved in driving on private land, there is nothing any lawyer can do to apportion blame onto anyone, other than his client. For the camp ground, my multi million dollar umberella policy will cover my nether regions, but for the track, I should be ok. I have a question into the company legal eagle, so should have more info soon. For a small amount, which I would pass on to users, I could increase the umberella policy to cover anyone on the track, which with the users own insurance, should cover us all.

Having a regular meet on the place, provided I don't get too much rubbish, broken fences and drunken behaviour, would be a possibility. I intend to improve the road in - it is a passable dirt road just now, with potential - It could be a two lane highway, with adequate injection of cash..... lol

I will have to remember which land I intend to use for this.. I don't think my neighbors in Indiana would like a few hundred Fords arriving on the lawn..

Theo

 

There was a deal a while back where someone was sueing a racetrack after having signed the disclaimer. I don't know how it came out, but the defense cost remains. It may be that it was fee based, but definitely check out the legal side. As for the neighbors there, if it isn't too close to their house, and doesn't interfere with them, I doubt you'll have too much trouble. Depends who your neighbors are though, get some of the city types that move out there and bring their city ideas with them.

 

In SD I don't have any neighbors... In Indiana I have 2 real close...

 

When you're in the right part, it works out that way. Wish I could have said that with my place in Iroquios, but I was as close to it as you can get and stay in town... I had a farm place that I rented that the closest neighbor was a mile and a half away, and my landlord was a farmer. Had to give it up because I got laid off when the plant closed and no work was in the area, so I had to move. Still miss it, but I'm back on the farm, but it just isn't the same as the prairie.

 

I think it would be cool. Have you seen how popular Moab is? There is a place outside of Rapid City that they hold the Dakota Territories Challenege, and thats the only spot I've really seen.

 

I had a nice ranch in Southern Colorado for a time.. It was a neat place - used to be a stage coach station on the old Sante Fe run - the original stage adobe stage house was still there, but in very bad repair with one end fallen down. I had high hopes of restoring the place, as a museum, but it never happened. I miss that place too. The South Dakota land is going to be fun - I have just bought the place, and haven't done anything with it, or even figured out the logistics of building on it yet.. but time is cheap enough. I will get to it next year, when the snow goes, and spend the most of the summer getting it how I want it.. Then, until the house is built, I will spend the winters in Indiana.

At present I am kind of between anything - I am waiting to close on the house in Indiana - the loan is approved, the deposit secured, just timing.. so I am in a packed up house I am leaving soon, typing on a computer at a desk that is alone in the corner, all the rest of my old office in boxes, waiting in the attic to be loaded into the box trailer sitting outside.. At least I have enough Fords to pull everything up to Indiana. I am not going to miss the humidity and insects of Tennessee though. That and the amazing rain that has fallen here, in the 4 years I have lived here. I never got round to putting the gutters ommitted by the original owners up, so rain really makes a mess here.

The house in Indiana has good gutters, and a unique drainage system, that goes through the walls round the patio. This waiting to move is probably the most frustrating part of hte whole thing - I have picked the house, gotten everything sorted, all the details worked out, and then I have to wait for the closing, then, horror upon horror, I have to wait another two weeks, for the seller to move out. I suppose that is only reasonable - though I would leave here in 3 days, if this place would only sell. Been on the market for weeks, and no bites. oh well, it will sell eventually - it is a nice place, with 2,000 trees.. someone must like that kind of thing.

Theo

 

So Do you have enough drivers for everything? I actually am in a good place to help you, adn could use a little favor in return if you are making a return trip to Indiana... I have some vehicles out to Huron area I need to get hauled back here, just having the cash to get out there for a two way run is my biggest problem. I would want to haul back from there to at least Eastern iowa, my parents or friends house, near I-80.

 

I have enough drivers, that is no problem.. I have more trailers than trucks, so I will be doing a fair bit of running between Tennessee, Indiana and South Dakota in the next few weeks, And one trip to Nevada, to pick up my back hoe / loader... so, at some time, an empty 30 ft flatbed trailer will be going from TN, to IN, and from IN to NV. so hauling something for you may be possible.. send me an email, which I have now turned on, (not knowing it was turned off...) detailing the situation, and I will see if I can help you..

Theo

 

Theo, it's nice to see you around again. Surprised to find you're in Indiana tho, thought you were headed out this way? What part of Indiana are you currently in? I spent 10 years in the Elkhart area and figure Indiana is a great place to be FROM.

Humidity is 'bout as bad as TN, right?

Anyway, welcome back. The track in SD sounds like a blast!

 

I drove through Indiana once, it smelled kinda funny, so I didn't stay long, its not like you could ever get off that toll road anyway....

 

That's why I bought the ranch in South Dakota... Indiana is ok for a while - I got things to do there for a year or two, so having a house there is better than hotels. I will be spending most of next summer in South Dakota, and then most of my time there in a couple of years time. Humidity in Indiana is similar to TN, but the temperature is quite a bit cooler at night. It gets less rain too, so it is an improvement. Haven't been on the toll road yet, and don't intend to - there are enough highways to miss out the pay one and nobody takes any notice of the speed limit, even in front of cops.. Strange place.

We are in Polaski county, nr Winamac.... not sure where that is in relation to Elkhart - we were in Elkhart last weekend, but we were everywhere else too, so I have no clue where anywhere is.

 

there are some "4x4" trails west of kalispell, up here in montana, but i've taken my 2wd f-250 up there, and never had a problem on them...other than the off-trail hill-climbs and stuff like that....but there's lots of areas up there to drive around and try to get lost....lol...

Michael