so we met on a sunday morning in march 2006.....a few of us had actually met each other on previous occasions but basically we were strangers....some of us had been following the LOST web forum for a few years, some had just discovered the site recently, and some were friends who had little knowledge of the internet club....as you'll see in the pictures, we weren't strictly KJ jeep models....(which was cool - "liberty owners sharing trails")....
"mudtrac" and 'kick-it" were chiefly responsible for getting this organized and we started a trail ride topic that ran for a couple weeks and eventually passed 100 post replys.....a couple names that planned to attend had to bail out at the last minute.....we met at a gas station in a cross-roads community on the southern edge of the ocala national forest in central florida.....while waiting for "dispatchedKJ" from clearwater to show up, we decided to take a short run close by called the railroad grade.....the forest is particularly dry at this time but there was still a little water on this route....(it's usually wetter...)....after reaching the end, the gang enjoyed this unplanned side trip so much, they turned around and ran it backwards while I brought the late arrivals from the gas station....
"mudtrac" was trail boss and had planned a ride with a lunch break.....at that time we gathered to discuss forming a local chapter of LOST....we decided on "downright LOST" with the idea that we could expand to include anyone from the south (and anyone else from across the country).....within a few days, we had a new subforum created on the LOST web site.....we've agreed to abide by philosphies of "tread lightly" and "no hostility" and to wheel what we own, everyone is welcome....
it was a very successful first gathering with stuck jeeps, scratches, cb radio chatter, significant partners and friends included, children playing, and anticipation of meeting again for more of the same.....
please add a thoughtful paragraph or two below.....along with your forum nickname, include your name and the names of the family and friends you invited.....where you live....that kind of stuff will allow us to better remember each other the next time....if you want to migrate over some of your own pictures to this tread that would be cool too....
we're gail and steve from orlando and since these are our pictures, you don't see us in the above....we're both pretty good looking though.....
