Could I get a spot on your forum to post happenings and conditions at Gulches

skip

skip

Gulches ORV Park Waterloo SC
Joined
Aug 16, 2010
Location
greenville sc
There are things that go on at Gulches that I really don't think should be placed under Events. I was wondering if I could get a spot for our park under the URE spot to list conditions groups that are coming in new trails and minor events. For example:
The Forward Support Co. of the 122 Engineer Battalion of Edgefield SC Army National Guard is being deployed overseas to you know where and have asked to use Gulches as a driver training ground on Friday November 2nd. This is a support unit which will make long distant convoys over very rough terrain. We were told many of the drivers of these vehicles have never driven them off road with little experience over rocks, up steep hills and off camber. So we have decided to help prepare them the best we can by reviewing off road techniques and spotting them though some of our trails. We are also going to open the park early. If you would like to come out and see 30 to 40 soldiers with 5 or 6 Humvees and support vehicles come in and practice we will open at noon. Cost to off roaders is the same as Saturday $25.00 and at 3pm back to Friday admissions of $15.00. We are , of course not charging the National Guard anything and we are proud to be of service to help in anyway we can. So cut work, bring you kids, this will be very interesting to see. Once again this will be weather permitting. (No we are not going to wreck Humvees on skull and cross bone trails we want them to come in and leave in the same shape.)

Thanks for your consideration
Skip Owner and Master of Crappy Jobs
 
Skip,

I really think something like this can go in Chit Chat. Or Events. I'm not sure what other types of things you have in mind, that wouldn't go under Events. Feel free to send me a PM.
 
I'll just post under chit chat You events section is for special events I post every week on over 30 forums on park conditions, weather, new trails, and large groups coming in.
 
Skip
The events section is not for special events, it's for all events, some of which that are posted are not even fourwheelin related. So for those of us who want to schedule something, it's a good place to go to, to do our best to NOT schedule a ride here, when something else the wheelin crowd may want to attend is going on somewhere else. Same goes for you, if you want to schedule a ride, it's a great place to see what else is going on somewhere else. If you want a good turnout, then it's best to not schedule something at The Gulches, when a ride or event is going on somewhere else.
 
Yes, skip, please do post in upcoming events... it also ends up on our calendar that way, great for people to plan! If you want to post a 'trail and weather conditions' thread in chit chat and update/edit it weekly, that would also be ok.
 
Plus it would be great if you were a vendor since you are making money off this site and its infrastructure which isnt free.
But then again mooching is getting more and more popular in this country...
 
Not wanting to be a mooch I won't post anymore. I have a problem with forums charging any off road parks. Without places legal to go(and we are losing them left and right-Mountainside, river rock tellico to name a few) there is no need for local forums, clubs and parts vendors. I post to over 30 different boards just to let folks know conditions and news at the park so in many cases a trip is not wasted. 90% of the folks who come into our park are not affiliated with any club or forum and after an enjoyable time at the park we steer them to local clubs in their area. I also believe that Gulches is responsible for more 4x4 parts sales than anything other one entity in the state of SC. From junk yard sales to tires to bolt on parts to complete buggy builds. Over 500 folks in the upstate are in this hobby because of our park. And they now support clubs forums and vendors. When parks and ORV areas close we lose those folks that called that area their home park. So do the clubs and vendors in that area. Just my perspective.
 
I agree that posting about the park is a public service more than advertising. On the other hand a basic membership to support the site would be appropriate.
 
I have a problem with any forum charging anybody. I don't think you should charge any vendors or members. Now remember this is my opinion and like the saying goes they are like...... We all have them. But I look at forums and clubs as the tail end of the hobby. They are a result of the hobby. 7 years ago my site and forum had over 600,000 hits a month for quite a long time. There were just a couple of forums anyone paid attention to: Pirate, US Jeeps and Gulches. Now there are hundreds which has diluted the hits any one forum gets and they have specialized. That is good for the hobby. But, 4x4 manufacturers, parts companies both retail and distributors, local 4x4 shops and off highway areas make it possible for clubs and forums. My point is without them there is no need for forums. You need these companies to keep the hobby alive and they feed into your club and your forums. Ask yourself did you buy a 4x4 because of a forum or club or did you buy the 4x4 and then find a club and forum. Once again my perspective.
 
Skip,
This site gets more hits per month than yours ever has. I do not own the site.
This site costs its owners hundreds of dollars a month just to keep online. They ask for $5/year for members and $25/year for vendors. if you ever get 1 person to your park as a result of this site, then the site has made back what it would cost you to advertise.
Your park is a business you hope to profit from.
NC4 is a business that its owners hope to profit from as well.

But since we are all friends it will be fine of the forum owners just ride for free at your park, right?
 
Whether the egg came out of the front or the back of the chicken is largely irrelevant. We don't require 4x4 parks to be vendors, more or less for the reasons that are listed above. If you want to post upcoming events at the park, there's a forum for that. If you want to post news about the park, there's a forum for that. If you want your own forum where you can exclusively advertise your business, details are posted here.
 
skip said:
I have a problem with any forum charging anybody. I don't think you should charge any vendors or members. Now remember this is my opinion and like the saying goes they are like...... We all have them. But I look at forums and clubs as the tail end of the hobby. They are a result of the hobby. 7 years ago my site and forum had over 600,000 hits a month for quite a long time. There were just a couple of forums anyone paid attention to: Pirate, US Jeeps and Gulches. Now there are hundreds which has diluted the hits any one forum gets and they have specialized. That is good for the hobby. But, 4x4 manufacturers, parts companies both retail and distributors, local 4x4 shops and off highway areas make it possible for clubs and forums. My point is without them there is no need for forums. You need these companies to keep the hobby alive and they feed into your club and your forums. Ask yourself did you buy a 4x4 because of a forum or club or did you buy the 4x4 and then find a club and forum. Once again my perspective.
Click to expand...

I have a problem with any offroad park charging anybody. I don't think you should charge any vendors or members. Now remember this is my opinion and like the saying goes they are like...... We all have them. But I look at offroad parks as a result of the popularity forums and big money have brought to the hobby. 10 years ago, there was basically only Pirate and JeepsUnlimited, and then NC4x4 for us local guys. I know because I was active on all 3. Because of the growing wealth of information and sense of community given by the forums, the sport really exploded, bringing a lot more traffic and money. Now there are many private parks that did not exist back then. That is good for the hobby. But, 4x4 manufacturers, parts companies both retail and distributors, local 4x4 shops and clubs and forums make it possible for the offroad parks. My point is without them there is no need private parks. You need these forums to keep the hobby alive and they feed into your parks. Ask yourself did you buy a 4x4 because of a offroad park or did you buy the 4x4 because your buddies told you about how cool it was and you saw cool pictures and tons of info on the forum. Once again my perspective.

Now that I've got that out of the way, I agree that offroad parks are critical to the sport, but don't belittle the importance of the forums. I'm a young man, but I've been involved in this sport since 1999, and have spent a lot of time on the forums, learning, sharing my knowledge with others, and keeping up with whats going on. Were it not for NC4x4, I would have never heard of Gulches. I wish you the best of luck, I'm glad you post up about events on here, and I'm glad the moderators allow you to do it free of charge.
 
Skip,
I'm going to throw in my perspective too. I've ridden your park once and broke an axle and went home. It cost me about $300.00 for the repairs. Is that what you mean when you said "I also believe that Gulches is responsible for more 4x4 parts sales than anything other one entity in the state of SC."? Maybe you should ask all parts houses to be a paying member of Gulches? Maybe you could then afford to make your parking lot a little more user friendly in case of rain.
Many members from my club came that day, I paid the entrance fees for me, my wife, and son, also bought a shirt for my wife.
Not one of us would have been there were it not for NC4X4.
Honestly I think it's cheap for the general population to use NC4x4 and not pay the $5 per year and they get no monetary reward for using the forum. ANY company or park should gladly give a few bucks to help support a forum whose members support their "for profit" business. Just ask 4Wheel Parts.
I strongly disagree with your views and will bring this up at our next club meeting Monday night.
 
I get the feeling that I am mooching so I will not post anymore. And if anyone thinks that anyone opens a off road park to make a profit they are vastly mistaken. We have not made a profit except for one year. I have never paid myself more than $300.00 a week and this year not quite $5000.00. I'm not complaining I would do it again. I do not charge anyone to be on my forum. I allow clubs to come in at a discount. I have been in this hobby for 25 years before any forums were around and yes they have there place and they offer information we never had before that's why I post on them. I agree that I get a benefit from these boards but I think members get just as much benefit by being updated as to events and happenings here. I am just providing info as to what is going on and park and weather conditions. Charging your members to be on a board or to be premium members with special benefits or to keep a club going is one thing. Charging vendors I think is wrong. Why not let any vendor be on your forum so members have a larger base of products to choose from. I think it would be better for the industry, the hobby and board members. I wish we did not have to pay to ride anywhere. I wish there was no Gulches Off Road Vehicle Park. Because if there were places to ride in this state all over like in the west then there would be no Gulches. I would have a regular job with a paycheck and not go in the hole each year by thousands of dollars.

This all I have to say about this. Many of you have no idea why I have done what I have done. Many have no idea why anyone would open an off road park or have the wrong idea.
my last post.
Skip
 
Skip, don't cut your nose off to spite your face. Word from head quarters is you do not have to be a member or even a vendor to post.
The comment you find offensive is from a member, much like myself, not an owner as he stated. Being a paid member gives you a little larger base to discuss this and that. Being a vendor gives you more still with advertisement. If you were a vendor, and not saying you have to be or should be, just saying if you were, you could pimp your shirts, coozies or anything else you sell. You can also run an ad with each and every post you make with important information such as park hours, admission, directions or address. Doing this is helpful to get the word out to us folks, so we don't have to search the forum for the info we need. That's the benefit of being a vendor. I too am involved in an "off road park" so to speak. But ours is not a business, it's a club with property, that we allow people to come wheel from time to time. Shawn has never asked us for a penny.
As far as the $5.50 a year, members pay this to help out on the cost more so than the added benefit. I have been a member here for a long time, and let me tell ya, I love this board. I have made many friends, learned a lot, and found many places to wheel that I didn't know of before it came into existence for me.
I for one like to visit Gulches. I like to know when you have events scheduled. I need to know when you do, so that I can help schedule our events to Not run at the same time as yours. It Will help us both, both Gulches and Rock Corps. As well as Gulches and ECORS, Gulches and SWFDA, or any other group who needs to schedule an event, and want to most folks in attendance.
Please post up, and also research before you do, to be able to get the most folks there to optimize your ride/event.
 
Problem solved. I just paid for Skip to be a yellow star vendor.
Got to support your local ORV parks or Gulches will be become another lost cause like Callalante.
Later Paul...
 
Might I offer an idea here.

What about a forum similar to the ECORS forum, but for all or any offroad park to post such things as conditions, trail reports, work in progress, park updates, etc.

Keep upcoming events in the upcoming events forum.
 
ol'Jeeps said:
Might I offer an idea here.

What about a forum similar to the ECORS forum, but for all or any offroad park to post such things as conditions, trail reports, work in progress, park updates, etc.

Keep upcoming events in the upcoming events forum.
Click to expand...
I agree.
 
ol'Jeeps said:
Might I offer an idea here.

What about a forum similar to the ECORS forum, but for all or any offroad park to post such things as conditions, trail reports, work in progress, park updates, etc.

Keep upcoming events in the upcoming events forum.
Click to expand...

I think that's a great idea and would be much more useful than 1,000 club forums for every group of 4 high school kids that play in mud :lol:
 
ol'Jeeps said:
Might I offer an idea here.

What about a forum similar to the ECORS forum, but for all or any offroad park to post such things as conditions, trail reports, work in progress, park updates, etc.

Keep upcoming events in the upcoming events forum.
Click to expand...
redneckcj5guy said:
I agree.
Click to expand...
cj777 said:
I think that's a great idea and would be much more useful than 1,000 club forums for every group of 4 high school kids that play in mud :lol:
Click to expand...


Which is exactly what I offered in the my first reply.
That forum is provided to ECORS at a price on top of our annual sponsor contribution.
 
or if price was the problem for that idea, would a sticky thread in the general chit chat be cheaper?
 
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