Nashville, Tennessee

[EisenYota]

4 of us attended. I had a great time, good to put faces with names. I don't think it would be difficult at all to meet on a weekend.Can't wait to start planning a Overland trip. I know some of the guys are from the Columbia area so next time we could meet half way.

 

[Climber]

Hate I missed it and glad yall had a good turnout. My wife and I just finished the Dave Ramsey financial peace series and tonight was the last meeting. It was a good series but I'm now going to feel guilty purchasing gear for my 4runner! :)

 

[EisenYota]

I felt guilty for about two yrs, then I learned how to justify it. Haven't figured out if that's a good thing...

 

[EisenYota]

Climber, what year 4Runner?

 

[TNDeadHead]

It was a blast guys, Well worth the trip!!! Looking forward to next month

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[Merlin2111]

It was great to meet you guys. We can definitely meet up on a weekend next time if that's better for people. See you next time!

 

[EisenYota]

I have been discussing with TNDeadHead about getting a little trip planned next month. I was thinking about the TN Dirt Devil. Purely because it is a low cost easy ride in the middle of the holidays. I guess my goal would be to get everyone together to jump start our thoughts on a weekend trip in the spring. If anyone has ideas feel free to post. I know I have been itching to get offroad.

 

[Merlin2111]

I have been discussing with TNDeadHead about getting a little trip planned next month. I was thinking about the TN Dirt Devil. Purely because it is a low cost easy ride in the middle of the holidays. I guess my goal would be to get everyone together to jump start our thoughts on a weekend trip in the spring. If anyone has ideas feel free to post. I know I have been itching to get offroad.

Yeah, I am all for that. One thing, that map that you buy can be really hard to follow. There are missing roads and its far far from scale. I have heard that there are GPX coordinates that people put together that makes it a lot easier to make sure you don't miss out on sections. If anyone can find those it would make the day go a lot smoother. I bought the map and I think TNDeadhead did to so I don't feel like we would be disrespecting the man who made the map by getting those somehow.

 

[Jose]

I got the map as well and like you said it is a little hard to follow. But I was able to find the creek that the boys were to swim in and chill for the day. Made some Cuban coffee and of course had to take a power shot. Lol

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[Merlin2111]

Quick video I made of a few of the crossings. They are nothing to be worried about.

 

[Merlin2111]

BTW There is a group going to LBL next Saturday. I am not sure if I will be able to make it yet but there are 6 rigs going already.
https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/land-between-the-lakes-tn-ky-11-11-2017.10721/

 

[GoXplore]

Back in 2013 we started taking small groups of Jeeps through the Dirt Devil map and had a ball. Soon after, other Jeep groups started going and the groups got bigger and bigger and bigger. And with bigger groups of people almost always come some folks who aren't in tune with the concept of "Tread Lightly" or just flagrantly don't care about the rights of property owners, and then the whole thing began to unravel.

There are scores of posts on the 'net about the Dirt Devil now, wherein you'll see that the land owners around there are pretty fed up with the convoys of vehicles and in some cases they have become outright confrontational and hostile toward groups driving those roads. To the point that firearms have been brandished toward and at the vehicles and their occupants. In fact, there was a public meeting not too long ago between the county politicians, law enforcement, land owners and some of the Jeep groups, aimed at either stopping the convoys all together or letting the Jeep folks know that if they trespassed and ruined private property (including the waterways) that they could expect repercussions.

It has started to settle down, as I understand it, but we quit leading groups through there several years ago when drivers in our groups began to disregard the basic courtesies expected of them. The other groups that kept going are the ones that I've read posts about.

Anyway, I say all of that for this point: I'm OK taking my family through most of the Dirt Devil paths by myself or maybe one or two other vehicles, but I'm not going to risk the sort of attention that more than 2-3 vehicles will bring. It's not worth getting shot at.

It sucks that the other groups ruined it.

 

[Merlin2111]

Agreed, while we were there you could see evidence of people driving down creeks rather than across them, sometimes for hundreds of yards. This understandably upset locals. If that Creek was close to my land and you treated it like a highway or theme park I would be pissed too.

With that said, we saw many locals and waved and said hello to all of them and we we're meet with nothing but smiles.

Act respectful and hopefully you will get the same in return.

 

[GoXplore]

Agreed, while we were there you could see evidence of people driving down creeks rather than across them, sometimes for hundreds of yards. This understandably upset locals. If that Creek was close to my land and you treated it like a highway or theme park I would be pissed too.

With that said, we saw many locals and waved and said hello to all of them and we we're meet with nothing but smiles.

Act respectful and hopefully you will get the same in return.

I'm really glad the locals are still friendly to those passing through. I wonder how much of it is that some of the ill-will is starting to subside and how much of it is that you were just one vehicle and not a line of vehicles.

We may have to drive out through there tomorrow and enjoy the Fall colors. We did a bit of driving down the Trace today and had fun.

 

[EisenYota]

Well damn, that could make for an interesting weekend. With that being said, do you have any ideas about a relatively easy going day trip to get Nashville OB members together? Like I said earlier, all ideas are open.

 

[Merlin2111]

My wife and I drove most of the trail (all of it we could find on that map). From our experience, if you drive it like a road and not an off road challenge then I feel like locals would be understanding.

 

[EisenYota]

I am still game. We can treat it as a PR mission if need be. There is a huge difference between OB and some redneck jeep club who do not respect land ownership, nature and the tread lightly motto.

 

[GoXplore]

Yep - I think that a few vehicles with mature drivers wouldn't be looked upon badly at all. We could take some heavy-duty contractor trash bags with us and pick up litter along the way if we really wanted to make a good impression.

 

[EisenYota]

I absolutely agree with you on that that GoXplore. Anything to get the locals to understand that OB is inherently made up of mature adults the better. We all joined this particular club for a common reason. I am not saying we need to go up and down the interstates with trash bags, but I think everyone will agree that the places we play need to be kept up. even if it's not our trash and I know the locals will notice and appreciate it.

 

[Jose]

I went there yesterday again to explore some more and met the owner who takes care of the big creek off Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and like three other properties with lots of acres. The guy was really cool gave me his business card and said he has no problem with us parking on his property instead of on the creek and go at it as long as there is No Alcohol and weed. I agree as well treat the owners and the land with respect and always clean up after yourself or pick up as you go along.


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