RE: Why join a club
I'm a control line flier. I now live in Austin, TX. I belong to a club in St. Louis. I flew with them for many years and make a trip up to visit and go to one of our contests every September. I know most every one and it is going home for me. I also belong to a club in Dallas. I go up there for two or three contests a year. Again, I know most of those folks. I enjoy getting the club newsletters from both clubs. Both clubs have several members, like me, who live some distance away and thus don't come to club meetings very often. At the moment most of my non-contest flying is done with friends at a private airport 49 miles away.
If you travel and compete, at even a modest level, you get to know a lot of people who share your interests.