Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

Women's Offroad Driving Course

Jeep offroad driving AEV Dunes Florence Oregon

  • Please log in to reply
9 replies to this topic

#1 Bad Habit

Bad Habit

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 324 posts

Posted 18 March 2017 - 01:26 AM

Last week we went down to Florence, OR to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area where my wife took a women's offroad riving course.  The event was put on by AEV (American Expedition Vehicles) and TAP (The Adventure Portal).  It was free to any lady with a jeep.  There was openings for up to 10 Jeeps, we ended up with 8 (plus all the instructors) It was an incredible course and really gave my wife a lot of confidence driving offroad in less than ideal conditions.  This was way beyond my expectations of how informative and well done it was,  We were on the sand for about 12 hours, definitely not a simple little seminar.

 

We headed out from Florence at 7:30a and got right into it, the trail to the staging area where they would be doing the "classroom" instruction was a bit flooded..

33366802756_d2f6199cf3_b.jpg

The last Jeep in did get stuck so they had an extraction to do right off the bat.  They used 2 Jeeps just to make it quick and easy

 

33251643482_c31ceb3fb1_b.jpg

 

This being the Oregon coast, as you can imagine, there was some rain and wind.  They had to move Jeeps to both sides of the shelter to block the wind and also so they could tie them down.  Everybody came prepared though, so no problems. 

 

1R4A1035_zpsnqxvrmja.jpg

 

Chris Wood from AEV is a great instructor.  Did a great job of going over safety, how to look out for the people with you, things to watch for because of fatigue, or as in this case, cold and wet.  He explained in simple terms the mechanics of how 4wd works and why.  Things you should carry with you, one of the guys he had there was from Snohomish County Search and Rescue, he talked about getting lost and what happens when they are out searching.  Chris had a lot of good ways to explain concepts and make it simple

1R4A1056_zpsaazlfft8.jpg

 

They went over winching and rigging, obviously not in real depth, but good enough to keep careful people out of trouble.  They had us (as I was her car pool dummy, I got to learn a lot too) practice with the winching signals, working together to work a winch safely

1R4A1106_zpsr9mihxio.jpg

 


  • 0

2012 F350 Super Cab SB, 6.7l diesel, Hallmark K2


#2 Wandering Sagebrush

Wandering Sagebrush

    Free Range Human

  • Site Team
  • 10,532 posts
  • LocationNortheast Oregon

Posted 18 March 2017 - 01:41 AM

That sounds like a great course for all of us. Thanks for sharing.
  • 0

I am haunted by waters


#3 Bad Habit

Bad Habit

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 324 posts

Posted 18 March 2017 - 01:47 AM

So after all the "classroom" work, we started out onto the sand.  As anyone who has driven offroad much will testify, you have to back up a lot.  The very first exercise everyone had to do was to back down a simple trail about 3/4 of a mile using their mirrors.  It was a simple thing, but I think that was one of the best lessons for my wife.  Then out on the dunes they took us over to a bowl where everyone could start getting comfortable with a little bit of off camber driving

1R4A1184_zpsaltgaegz.jpg

 

Everyone had a few passes of that, then doing some various dune climbs, small drop offs, etc

33251652182_23a903d965_b.jpg

Nothing too extreme, but invigorating in places...

 

1R4A1249_zpsxqidxbob.jpg

 

They then taught them about failed hill climbs an dhow to get yourself back down safely

33407181525_271474af1c_b.jpg

 

As the weather had been so lousy, there was nobody on the dunes

32593156243_bb3d2b0076_b.jpg

 

33366817176_136f7b900f_b.jpg

 

Then they had us going off some drop-offs.  When you can't see the bottom as you sit on the edge, it's a little unnerving.  Pictures don't really capture the steepness (of course sitting on the edge with your wife driving this seemed like it was about 500' high...)

32593155023_95784634b6_b.jpg

 

Then we headed back, with the water everywhere and the empty dunes, it was beautiful

 

33366820916_1aa50040ed_b.jpg

 

Ended up getting to drive on the beach on the way back with low tide and a final dune climb (a couple of jeeps had to make a few attempts).  Sorry no pictures

 

What a great time, really appreciate all the the AEV and TAP people did.


  • 0

2012 F350 Super Cab SB, 6.7l diesel, Hallmark K2


#4 takesiteasy

takesiteasy

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 2,588 posts
  • LocationMinnesota

Posted 18 March 2017 - 08:47 PM

That looks like a great event. Thanks for the report.


  • 0
2011 Tacoma AC TRD
ATC Custom Shell

travelswithrockythedog.blogspot.com

#5 DavidGraves

DavidGraves

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 1,263 posts

Posted 19 March 2017 - 03:48 PM

Howdy

 

Looks like an excellent course....and a wonderful write up with the PHOTOS .

 

Can you give some idea of the costs ?

 

I would take it in a minute......sand is a tricky business and it is usually just a few hundred feet that can RUIN your week.

 

David Graves


  • 0

#6 Bad Habit

Bad Habit

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 324 posts

Posted 19 March 2017 - 07:19 PM

Actually there were only 3 criteria, it was for women drivers, had to have a Jeep capable of the environment (i.e a stock Rubicon or modified), register in time.  Oh, and get yourself to Florence, other than that it was free.  It was put on by AEV, they are almost a factory tuner for Jeeps and Dodge Trucks.  You can buy fully factory warrantied, modified to the extent that your pocketbook allows (which can get quite steep) Jeeps and Power Wagons that will be more than capable.

 

They do these training sessions at various times, the Women's sessions are free but limited (there's another one coming up in Moab in April, http://www.theadvent...mens-moab-tour/ . It's the Easter Jeep Safari time, so the whole area will be a zoo).  They had actually been there doing training, etc all week.  They did a photo shoot session on Monday then 2 days of different training for AEV owners (they said the weather on Tuesday was even worse, 40-50 mph winds.  They didn't miss a beat for our session on Thursday).  Then they had a instructor certification session for Friday (one of the things they had to do was rig and extract a vehicle about 30' sideways on the face of a dune, would have loved to watch that)

 

We even got to use some of newly honed skills the next day on the dunes.  Ever try and attach to a Cadillac CTS?

32585578614_a260794660_b.jpg

 

Used our MaxTrax to get him pointed in the right direction, then between us in the Jeep and an F150 we got him out to the firmer sand that he came in on.  The only place to attach a strap was to the rear A-Arm and ran the strap all the way under.


  • 0

2012 F350 Super Cab SB, 6.7l diesel, Hallmark K2


#7 ntsqd

ntsqd

    Custom User Title

  • Members
  • 2,879 posts
  • LocationNorth So.CA

Posted 20 March 2017 - 01:13 AM

It wasn't free, but my wife & a GF both took a course from Tom Severin of Badlands Offroad And I too got to be "Meat in the Seat" for the duration. Recommended. They both now have a much better appreciation for what is involved in driving off-pavement. My approach is that she may have to be the one that gets us out of trouble, so she needs to understand how to do it even if it isn't her first priority. I periodically ask her if she wants to drive so that those skills don't atrophy. She's fine with driving the Toyotas, but thinks the CTD is too big for her. I need to start working it into her skill set.


  • 0
Thom

Where does that road go?

#8 craig333

craig333

    Riley's Human

  • Members
  • 8,000 posts
  • LocationSacramento

Posted 20 March 2017 - 03:18 PM

Many training classes are offered at the Prairie City OHV park near Sacramento. The Capitol City Mountain Goats program is superb or you can just go out and use the training area (designed to mimic real world obstacles) by yourself. http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24068

 

I'm guessing http://cal4wheel.com...en-out-wheeling would be a great resource for anything focused on women only.


  • 0

Craig K6JGV_________________________ 2004 2500 CTD 4X4 FWC HAWK 1960 CJ5


#9 hoyden

hoyden

    Lady Bug

  • Members
  • 1,459 posts
  • LocationCarbondale, IL

Posted 25 March 2017 - 01:57 AM

How cool! That looks like an excellent experience! I'd love to do something like that with my Tacoma/FWC rig!
  • 0

https://no-destination.org/ .:.  https://razorgirls.org/

 

2014 Tacoma DCLB + 2015 FWC Fleet

 

As I get braver I get stronger, and as I get stronger I get braver. It’ a good cycle.

#10 allanb

allanb

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 193 posts
  • LocationPhysical location N.w. Wa. Spiritual location rocky mtn west

Posted 26 March 2017 - 06:33 PM

Great report Mr Habit. Looks like good skills both my wife and I can use. Hope to pick up something similar at expo in flagstaff, and elsewhere.


  • 0





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Jeep, offroad driving, AEV, Dunes, Florence, Oregon

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users