Ladies Ride

Last fall during the Women's Wheeling Day at Rausch Creek Off Road Park, I meet some folks from the Northeast Offroad Adventures. They shared with me about having one of their training classes down at Rausch Creek. So... I decided to check them out this past Saturday for their Ladies Day 101 Class. 

Northeast Off-Road Adventures (NORA) operates a low speed, off road driving school in the Catskill Mountains near Ellenville, NY. They help you learn to drive your Jeep or other street legal 4x4 vehicles. They have certified I4WETA 4WD trainers. 

I know I am not an off road beginner,

but a person can always learn 

new tips and techniques.  

I highly advise anyone new to off-roading to take a few classes. This class is a great way to get yourself introduced to your rig on the trails. There are so many great tips and techniques to be learned. 

The day started with a two hour "classroom" style learning with focus on technique, vehicle preservation, and safety. Then it was time to hit the trails. 



For most of the ladies this was their first time off road in their vehicles. So we stayed on the green trails. This allowed them to get to know their vehicles, get a feel for what they could do, and gain confidence in their driving skills. 

For me, it was a chance to hone

my "See a rock put a wheel on it" skills. 

It was an amazing day to be on the mountain with some great people, and have some fun in my Jeep. And you know what ~~ even though I am not a beginner, and I have wheeled several times, I still learned new things. The certified trainers at NORA 4x4 shared so many great driving techniques. 

Here's just a sneak peak of part of the 101 Ladies Day 

On the Trails with NORA 4x4 Video   

• Always leave your keys in the ignition when you get out to check out the other Jeepers climbing over obstacles. 

• Leave an extra set of keys in your center console. You never know when you will lose your keys in the woods while your watching the other Jeepers climb obstacles. 

• When you are off camber keep your back in the seat. Don't try to lean so your are straight. Lean with the Jeep. That way you will get used to being off camber, and you won't have a false sense of how off camber your Jeep is or isn't.

• If you use wheel locks make sure you have the key. Also you should remove them, and put on the the OEM lug nuts before you hit the trails. If you need to replace your tire, and in the process drop your wheel lock key in the rocks you won't be spending hours searching for it. Or getting bit by a snake that lives in the rocks. 

• Always do a 360 inspection before and after your trip. I have never done this before. But now I know what to look for ~~ brake line leaks and branches in places they shouldn't be.

• For those sticky situations where your wheel just spins and spins, don't let those tires keep spinning. And before you use those lockers try this technique out first. Stop and try turning the tires in a different direction. Or back up and change your approach. 

I can't wait to hook up with the NORA 4x4 guys again. There is so much more for me to learn. I think next time I will make the trek to their facilities in the Catskill mountains!