This page will answer any question you could ever have about OAC.
Please read through it before you email us with questions!
NOT GETTING OUR EMAILS, BUT WANT TO:
KEEPING IN TOUCH:
There's lots of different ways to get in touch with us and keep up-to-date with what we're doing!
JOIN OUR DISCORD!!! https://discord.gg/2YNvxATpGg
(This is our main form of communications outside of our weekly emails)
JOIN OUR DISCORD!!! https://discord.gg/2YNvxATpGg
(This is our main form of communications outside of our weekly emails)
GENERAL INFO:
These are the things that don't change from trip to trip and are some of our most frequently asked questions.
WHERE AND WHEN WE TYPICALLY MEET:
While we like to be spontaneous, where and when we meet rarely change. Information is sent out in weekly emails and in trip acceptance emails.
MEMBERSHIP/DUES:
The Outdoor Adventure Club has no official membership, which means that there are no dues or membership fees (woo!).
The only time you pay up is when you’re going on a crazy adventure with us. That being said...
The only time you pay up is when you’re going on a crazy adventure with us. That being said...
SIGNING UP FOR TRIPS:
- Before each trip, we send out an email with all of the trip details included. Read the entire email thoroughly. There are usually google form in the emails that need to be filled out by everyone who wants to attend.
- Be awesome.
Trip fees cover the costs associated with you attending our trip. This includes but it not limited to:
- Fee due to the outfitter for the activity you want to participate in (if applicable)
- Camping fees (if applicable)
- Backcountry permits (if applicable)
- Replacement gear for the club to use on future trips
PAYING THE TRIP FEE:
All of our money collection is done through the Venmo or cash.
You can pay your trip fee at any point up until the end of the pay period on Venmo or in-person to an OAC exec member.
Our Venmo name is OutdoorAdventure-Club
All trip fees will be due by a certain date and time that will be included in the trip email/google form. If you do not pay by that time, you will not be able to go on the trip.
You can pay your trip fee at any point up until the end of the pay period on Venmo or in-person to an OAC exec member.
Our Venmo name is OutdoorAdventure-Club
All trip fees will be due by a certain date and time that will be included in the trip email/google form. If you do not pay by that time, you will not be able to go on the trip.
GETTING THERE:
We always arrange carpools, so trying to arrange transportation for yourself is not necessary. That being said if you have a car and want to go, please offer to drive! The number of people that can go is limited by the number of drivers that go!
- GOOD NEWS: IF YOU DRIVE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR GAS! Gas will be split between all of the passengers of your car!
- BAD NEWS: We unfortunately have to cut people that we do not have car space for. If there is a payment involved, we make cuts based on the timestamp of your payment. If there is no payment involved, we make cuts by the timestamp on your google doc submission. SIGN UP/PAY EARLY! You'll be more likely to get a spot if you do!
WHAT TO BRING ON A TRIP:
You can get by on most trips with things that you already have. Sometimes, specific gear is required that you may not have. These things can be purchased cheaply at Champaign Outdoors/Rugged Outdoors, Walmart, Target, or any hardware store if you don't already have it and can't borrow it from someone else who isn't coming with us. We can't stress enough to get things on the cheap and keep them for future trips! Expensive gear is nice but is not necessary, you just want your gear to work. Also, PLEASE BRING EVERYTHING WE TELL YOU TO BRING! We wouldn't tell you to bring it if it was not important!
RENTING GEAR FROM US:
We have some gear available to rent. It is all listed on the 'GEAR RENTAL' page above. If you're interested in renting gear from us, please follow all of the directions on that page.
THE FOOD SITUATION:
We usually never provide food because everyone has different tastes and dietary restrictions.
Food for trips is either:
A.) on your own
B.) arranged with the people in your car the day of departure. Many club members usually stop at the nearest grocery store and go in on things together!
Keep in mind that while camping, we have limited cooking spaces available. You can almost always cook over a campfire, provided that you bring the tools necessary to do so. If you want to boil water, we suggest bringing a camping stove and fuel with you. Some campsites have grills, others don't - so don't depend on there being a grill available. We suggest to buy food that doesn't require a lot of prep/cooking time because of the amount of people who need to cook things/limited cooking spaces. Also, if you want to be civilized, save the planet and bring washable/reusable utensils!
Food for trips is either:
A.) on your own
B.) arranged with the people in your car the day of departure. Many club members usually stop at the nearest grocery store and go in on things together!
Keep in mind that while camping, we have limited cooking spaces available. You can almost always cook over a campfire, provided that you bring the tools necessary to do so. If you want to boil water, we suggest bringing a camping stove and fuel with you. Some campsites have grills, others don't - so don't depend on there being a grill available. We suggest to buy food that doesn't require a lot of prep/cooking time because of the amount of people who need to cook things/limited cooking spaces. Also, if you want to be civilized, save the planet and bring washable/reusable utensils!
ALWAYS BRING EXTRA CASH:
Make sure you always bring cash for while your are on the trip! You have to pay your driver for gas (unless you're driving) and they're not an ATM, so make sure you bring small denominations ($1's, $5's, and $10's) so they can make change for you if they have to. Also, we're always pretty far away from the nearest bank/ATM so, again, ALWAYS HAVE CASH ON YOU AT ALL TIMES just incase!
IF YOU CAN NO LONGER ATTEND A TRIP:
If you cannot attend you have to let us know before the end of the pay period. If you tell us after that time (in the email), your absence will not be excused and you will not be refunded if there was a fee involved.
ARRIVING LATE ON DEPARTURE DAY:
If you come late to the Grainger parking lot, we will leave without you unless you email us at [email protected] by 5:00 PM on the night before the trip. So be on time! We all want to be out of Champaign as quickly as humanly possible because it sucks here!
REFUNDS:
There are three different reasons that you may think you deserve a refund:
- If you can no longer attend but have already paid your trip fee, we will refund you if you tell us before the end of the pay period listed in the email/google doc. Usually, we only collect fees if we have to book things in advance (like campsites and activities through third-party outfitters). If we have already paid the outfitter you will not get a refund, even if it is before the pay period is over.
- If you arrive late on departure day and we have to leave without you, you will not get a refund.
- If we have to cut you due to a lack of space in cars, you will get a refund!
SIGNED UP FOR EMAILS BUT AREN'T GETTING THEM:
Know you've signed up for our email but still aren't receiving them? Check your promotions/spam folder! Because of the high volume of emails we send, sometimes the emails get put into those folders. Add us as a contact in your address book to prevent this from happening in the future.