Wed May 10 22:19:05 2000
From: Dan Starc 

Subject: Hard core 4x4
 Signs that you're a hardcore Fourwheeler:

 - You find that you need a new house because you've
 outgrown your garage and the neighbors are threatening
 violence if you park one more vehicle on the street
 or in the front yard.

 - The requirements you give your real estate agent
         are (in order of importance):
 1) 8 car climate controlled garage with an attached shop, 8' high doors.
 2) Outside parking for 6 cars, a motorhome, a crew
       cab dualie, a 28'enclosed trailer and a 34' 5th wheel.
 3) 3 phase 220V outlets in the garage for your welder.
 4) A grease pit.
 5) Convenient to a hazardous waste disposal site.
 6) Deaf neighbors.
 7) Across the street from a paint and body shop.
 8) Some sort of house with a working toilet and
       shower on the property somewhere -or- hookups
       for the motorhome

 -Your email address refers to your truck rather than to you.
 - You buy new parts because you don't know where you put the spares.
 - You're looking for a tow vehicle and still haven't bought furniture for your house!
 - You measure all family acquisitions in terms of the number of parts 
	 that could have been purchased.
 - You look at the purchase of tools as a long term investment.
- Your garage holds more vehicles than your house has bedrooms.
- You have enough spare parts to build another truck.
- You have truck parts in your cubicle at work.
- Your Christmas list begins with another set of BFG
     MTs and E-Z Locker and your 'significant other' knows what they are
 - After your answer to "What did you do this weekend?" the 
		next question is always: "And you do this for fun? Right?"
 - You have a separate drawer for 'garage clothes'.
 - People know you by your "off"s". "Oh, you are the
          one stuck in the mud at Fishing Creek last weekend!"
 - You talk to other cars on the road, calling them by the manufacturer's name.
 - Your criteria for selecting a significant other include auto repair skills. 
	Air tools optional.
 - You plan your wedding around the club schedule.
 - You astound the clerk at Sears by bringing in a snapped breaker 
		bar every other week or so.
 - You give out 4wheel Parts Wholesalers number when a friend asks for 
               the best hardware store.
 - You hate long distance driving, but you will gladly drive 800 miles to the trail.
 - You save broken car parts as " momentos".
 - You know the exact story behind every one! (see above)
 - You would choose a rollbar over air conditioning if it were an option.
 - Your idea of a good time is sitting around figuring out gear ratios 
	 and the ideal crawl ratio for given situations.
 - When someone refers to "The Good Book", you think of "The Jeep Owners Bible"
 - You own five Trucks and only one of them is street legal.
- There's a poster of Moab up on the wall next to the family portraits.
 - Your video collection contains more wheelin videos then regular videos.
 - Your friends call to tell you they found another way into the woods 
		rather than to see how your doing.
 - You refer to "Friends" by the type of truck they drive rather than names.
 - You filled out the Top Truck Challenge Voting card but threw away the Census 2000 forms.
 - 90% of you work e-mail is wheelin related
 - You keep trying to coerce your significant other to allow you to 
	    remove the doors on the minivan.
 - You refer to the local construction site as "The testing ground".
 - You can remember how to get to every trail you've been on but get lost going to your in-laws.
 - "The Big Question" refers to Bogger or TSL.
 - When someone says someone is Biased you immediately think of tires.
 - Your truck no longer fits in the garage.
 - Your truck has gone to supermodel status and doesn't leave the garage for 
	 any trail less than a 4+.
 - Your daily driver is considered a mild trail rig.
 - Drivers behind you can see the car in front of you, under the truck.
- The term "Open with Attitude" is tattooed on you, or you're thinking about it.
 - You base your next vehicle purchase on it's crawl ratio and whats 
	  available for it in the aftermarket.
- People see pictures of your truck flexed out and ask "Is it broken?".
 - You stopped washing your truck cause it shows off the scratches.
 - Your boss asks you not to bring the truck to work anymore because it won't 
      fit in the parking garage without the antenna scraping the ceiling.
 - You've actually replaced a flourecent light in the parking garage cause your antenna hit it.
 - Your club web site is your homepage.
 - You are in search of a house that borders state forest and refuse to buy 
		anything that's not even remotely close to it.
 - You'll drop a couple grand on new axles but the kitchen sink still leaks.
 - The vacation pictures are all off-road.
 - You ALLWAYS have your drinks on the rocks!
 - You look at an open are in the woods and can determine the best line.
- You base your social class on your recent RTI score rather than how much money you make.
 - Working on your truck is considered relaxation.
 - Everytime you see a lowered truck you wanna get out and slap the driver silly.
 - You look at other cars and think to yourself "I can crawl over that".
 - You consider Rubicon as the holy land.
 - Tellico no longer scares you.
 - You carry more parts to the trail than home.
 - You've installed or though about installing a lift on the lawn mower.
 - You consider anything without 4wd-Useless.
 - Your ideal vehicle is a Unimog.
 - Your truck cost as much as an italian sports car.
 - When someone mentions "Xtreme" your eyes light up!
 - Motivation invloves someone saying "you can't make it".

   And the #1 Sign you're a hardcore wheeler:
   
It's not considered a good trail ride if nothing breaks!