One of the things that I learned in film school was that you should always keep a "director's notebook" with you, and jot down interesting ideas, unusual stories, shot concepts, and good contacts of resources. The bit about resources is so often overlooked. You never know when, some time in the future, you might need to pick the brain or solicit assistance from a unique personality or organization. Such as.... a Jeep club.
Desert Wranglers (www.desertwranglers.club) is a good example. Serving the Las Vegas, Henderson, and Southern Nevada regions -- Desert Wranglers is an all volunteer group of Jeep off-roaders.
They are a family-oriented off-road group which focuses on trail rides in the nearby national parks, monuments, and recreation areas. The trails they ride on vary from mild to wild. Many of the trails can easily be driven with stock Wranglers, although 4WD may be required on occasion. The club also conducts a lot of education & training sessions for people new to off-roading.
So why network with them? You never know. Maybe you need access to some remote desert or mountainous terrain, and can't afford a helicopter. Or you're looking for some cool topics to make some great YouTube videos. Or maybe you just want to get away for the weekend.
That's the thing about Director's Notebooks. You don't have to have a specific need at the time; but who knows what situations may crop up in the future.
