Hi,

Since I see so many people posting that have families, I thought I'd ask for some general thoughts about taking my wife and 2 kids over the Rubicon this Spring.

They have been wheeling before, and are getting used to the idea of bouncing around. We have some trucks that are safe and pretty set up, so I'm not too worried about that.

I have friends who are very familiar with the Rubicon trail and they are trying to talk me into taking my family (ages 3 and 6).

Any thoughts? Opinions? Should we take the canoe and fishing poles???

Thanks!

Michael

I'd say hell yeah! Just go on an off weekend or during the week. Heck I wish my parents had taken me wheeling when I was 3-6!

Kev

its great out there. every kid should be so lucky. its also a great place to relax with the wife.:D

Take the kids, they and you will love it... Not too hardcore, but great scenery...

One of our members brought his wife and kids (6 and 13) along this year, and they had a great time! And do bring the canoe! Spider Lake and Buck Island Lake are both beautiful places to go paddle around on. And the fishing's pretty decent at Spider. :cool:

My take on this...

ANY wheeling trip is appropriate for a family trip.

My wife and I trade off driving, and our 8 year old loves it, he wants to get a beater and build it up with me as a hardcore rig.

Thereby giving him the experience needed to build and have a rig for him once he turns 16.

We dig being able to go out and enjoy nature, and the outdoors. Along with the challenges of wheelin together as a family.

It is a great trip. If you can. plan to do a whole week. Then you can set up camp and hike around and relax for 2 days. then wheel a day. Make it a vacation. Easy pace and take your time. I would also say. If you can sport a canoe. Go For IT! Spider in the morning is epic. nothing like padding on glass. There are so many little coves and fishing is good. Buck is nice too.

I was wondering the same thing, my 3 year old loves wheeling, so maybe I will bring him when I go next summer. Thanks for the input guys...

i take my wife and three kids about everywhere. they have been all over. we went to clayton oklahoma twice last year. went to south west colorado they had a blast. then went to moab and did pritchettt, gold bar, golden spike and a bit more. it is some of the best family time we have ever had. and we usally take the harded trails, they have been in my rig twice when i flopped it. just do it, the family will love it. my kids are 10,8,6 now and we have been wheeling together for 3 years

Kodak, that was great on the con this summer when you dumped your rig and your son woke up and like asked you to try and stop bouncing around so much. That was great man. Have you gotten your junk all back together since that trip man?
-Nate

It doesn't get any better for family fun. Beautiful scenery, camping. fishing, swimming, and 4 wheelin"..... :cool:

I'm taking my 3 yr old next weekend to the snow. It'll be his second trip, and he loves it. :D We go over the rules before we leave camp each morning and he understands dad is not playing about the rules. I was a little weary the first time but he did great and was not scared in the least. I'd recommend going with other families makes it easier.

Joe

I take my wife and 4 daughters. Ages are 3,4 9,11. and this is a year later. They can hardly wait to get going this year. Bought another jeep, for the Mrs. she turned out to be quite the wheeling fanatic. The 3 year old, 2 at the time of her first trip was yelling at me to stop. She was having such a good time that she could not stop laughing. She needed a break.
Beside all that, My kids and most kids in general just love the whole idea of camping and being outdoors.

Originally posted by Johncm
I take my wife and 4 daughters. Ages are 3,4 9,11.

:eek: :eek: Damn dude, I have two daughters a four year old and a newborn. You must have some serious gray hair, or has it all fallen out allready? Got shotgun? :D

I started taking my son when he was 2.5 and if I went with out him now (he's 8) he'd kill me! My daughter is 3 and she went for her first time this year and had a blast. The toughest part of going all the way through with the family is fitting all of the $hit in the rig. You have to bring everything including water, so pack carefully. It is really beautiful, and there are lots of things to do.

Originally posted by notcrazyjustNuTz


:eek: :eek: Damn dude, I have two daughters a four year old and a newborn. You must have some serious gray hair, or has it all fallen out allready? Got shotgun? :D

Fell out, falling out and now starting to gray. And yes, I have multiple shot guns. Hell I'm even thinking of changing the door bell to the sound of a shot gun cycling

Man- you have to bring the family, they'll have a great time:bounce: We have been taking our 2 daughters since they were 4 months old and they are 17 and 15 now. They have learned a lot and met many great people on the trail. Beware, they may like it too much! My oldest has an 82 Toy that she has driven on the 'Con 5 times and my youngest wants a Jeep. Good old Dad's pockets are gettin pretty empty:( Oh well, it's only money!

Let's us know when you're going to be there. Someone from the board will be there and maybe you can hook up.

Have fun!

Its a great family gig... Our 3mo old is a little too young for the bouncing on the trail, but Brandon (my soon-to-be 4yr old) loves to wheel. I'm taking him up to Clayton in Feb and March in preparation for Moab in May...

Of course I have to be on my best behaviour back at camp, because I don't want him picking up any bad "campfire" habits... :D

This is my youngest last year on Carnage on the con. we were on the trail less than 20 min. and look at that face!

http://home.off-road.com/~dkf/ConC/DCP_1458.JPG

Well, my kids (two boys) are pretty good with wheeling. Being able to sit in the front was always better. They are 17 and 14 now and both have driven a bit. 17 year old even put a nice dent in the door first time out. 14 year old was a little apprehensive his first time. However, my wife is another story! Any slight tip and she is gripping the door/and-or screaming. We did a trip to the southwest through CO, four corners, Utah and back a couple years ago and we camped in Arch Canyon two days. When on an obstacle going up the rim near the entrance, she wasn't even in the rig and let out an ear splitting scream when we went over a steep drop off. She must have thought I was rolling and the kids were going to die! Then we spent two days in Moab and she stayed in the motel and walked around town. She didn't like the desert environment either. Really, she won't even go with anymore. I'm glad all your spouses are better sports. Sure, I've let her drive and she doesn't like that either. I was talking of going to California this summer for a loop through the Sierra's and she did want to go, but not four wheeling and not driving cross country in my death trap of a Cherokee. Our mini van is so much more comfortable...but a 3" mound will stop it! :( Jeff

Funny how you talk about the wife screaming over little off-camber stuff. I was doing a little urban wheeling (i.e. posing for the camera) and my girlfriend was yelling at me to stop when I had the rear wheel about 3' up on the 'ramp'. I still had 4 tires planted even! She likes wheelin though. I just think shes more nervous than I am.

Go for it! One of the major reasons I got into wheeling was to create some family time :D My two sons, now 12 & 7, have been on every major wheeling I've been on. The usual response after a hard obsticle is "Can we do that again?" They also like the breakdown time when they can roam a little. And of course the campground is like any kid is in a campground :D

We have had some discussions about when you see people doing inappropriate things, but in my opinion thats a great opportunity to talk about it with them and let them know your values out in the real world rather than preaching to them at home.

I took my first trip over the Rubicon in a baby seat, and have now been driving for 10 yrs. Do it man:usa: