Hello all! Better late than never, right??
My earliest memory of 4x4 was trying to take one of my grandfather's old farm trucks across the bed of a dried up fish pond. I sunk it to the frame! I was probably about 12.
I've had various 4WD vehicles over the years, but got serious into Jeeps about 20 years ago when I lived in my home state of AL. I heavily modified a CJ and spent a lot of time in NC/TN rockcrawling and 'overlanding' (but I probably didn't know the term at the time). I even dragged that Jeep all the way to Moab in 2003. Upper Helldorado (BFE) and Pritchett Canyon are two of the harder trails I remember doing.
On my first trip out west in 2002 I rented a stock Isuzu Trooper in Grand Junction and had a blast in Moab with a quick jaunt through Ouray and Silverton. (My wife is terrified of shelf roads.) That's the only time I've done Top of the World in Moab. I understand it's much harder now.
In 2005 some buddies and I drove our daily drivers out to Ouray and enjoyed the famous trails such as Engineer and Imogene, etc.
Later that year my wife and I moved to Pueblo West, CO with nothing more than some furniture, our cars, and a hotel reservation. We had never even visited the front range and we had no jobs. Soon after I picked up a built 2005 Rubicon Unlimited and again enjoyed parts of UT and CO.
I ultimately downsized due to being semi-retired. My overlanding rig is now my Chevrolet Avalanche that I bought new in late 2001. It's surprisingly capable with the sway bars disconnected. Having the mid-gate functionality makes for a great sleeping area between the cab and truck bed. It has had its share of fun in UT, CO and AZ as well.
My lifestyle has changed since I decided to spend less time working and more time enjoying life. As a result, I approach most things including this hobby with a minimalist approach. My goal is to do more with less.
I recently accepted the position of OB Member Representative for SouthEast CO. Our goal is to establish a regular monthly meetup with overnight trips at least quarterly.
As of today, Colorado has these two events scheduled:
Colorado Front Range Camp out Meetup
Rocks n Rockies
If you have an idea for a fun trip, please don't hesitate to share it with me and/or the forum! Presently I'm seeking feedback for this trip idea:
COLORADO FRONT RANGERS: Any interest in a trip to Hermit, Hayden and Medano Passes (Great Sand Dunes)?
My Member Rep area of responsibility is:
We'd like to have a regular meetup on the 2nd Tuesdays of the month, 6 - 8 PM. The goal is to get to know one another, show off our rigs, discuss trip ideas and ultimately have some training programs. There are a few of us in Pueblo County and beyond but the bulk of the SECO membership is in El Paso County. I would appreciate any suggestions for outdoor meeting areas while the weather is nice. Perhaps around Fountain, maybe?
Also, I am heavily involved in amateur radio. I will promote this idea more later, but for now know that if I can help anyone get licensed please let me know!
I look forward to meeting you all. Please let me hear from you with your ideas. Thanks!