Information for a Tentative Moab 2011 Rally

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ArdraF

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Ken and Sheila arrived early today and went to every campground in Moab from the north end of town to the south end.  Their opinion is that the only RV park that would be suitable for the RV Forum is Portal RV Resort.  The Passport America park at the south end of town is definitely not suitable and Sheila said she would not stay there even though they're members.

A rally at Portal would be easy because each person would make their own reservation.  This means we would not receive the group discount.  This is because Portal's cancellation policy is, if you have a group discount and you cancel your credit card will be charged for all the days of the rally.  On the other hand any individual who makes a reservation has the option of a minimum 48-hour notice on a reservation in order not to be charged.  Also, they have a zero cancellation policy for major holidays, special events or large group bookings of three or more RV sites.  The credit card on file will be charged for the entire reservation if you cancel, except for individual reservations for a single site where you have the 48-hour cancellation policy.

That being the policy, each person coming to the rally will have to manage their own reservation and you will not receive a group discount.  The sites cost $35/night for full hookups on the old gravel area and $45/night for full hookups in the new premium area with cement pads.

The best timing is as follows.  At the end of April they are very full because of Jeep Week and the old car show.  During the week of May 1-7, 2011 the FMCA has booked the entire park so that is not an option.  We suggest that we have our rally starting Sunday May 8 or Monday May 9, 2011 for 7-10 days.  Remember, people will not be calling and saying they are with the RV Forum because we will NOT be booking a group event.  Each person will just be making a reservation for themselves.

The Portal RV Park has wi-fi that seems to be working pretty well, most sites have 50-amp electric, all sites have sewer and water, and the premium sites have access to the pool and sauna.

JerryF and ArdraF
 
So is there no HSJ rally next year? It's back to Moab?

Did I read correctly that only the folks in the Premium sites have access to the pool and spa?

Wendy
 
Hi, everybody! This is Salty Adventurer (Susan) replying for OldEdit (Don)...sounds good to me. We were in Moab today, too, seeking warmer weather as we headed north from Blanding, Utah (snow, hail sleet along the way, of course!) on our way to somewhere near Grand Junction. Moab and environs are so gorgeous....it was indeed warmer, and though other parks are splendid, Moab and Arches and Canyonlands and even just the public lands outside the parks are breathtaking. Altitude is lower so that late winter (i.e., spring) storms aren't quite as chilly as we've had in the last 2 weeks in southern Utah. Let's go for it!
 
Wendy,

That is what I thought I was told but I'll recheck it.

JerryF
 
ArdraF said:
A rally at Portal would be easy because each person would make their own reservation.  This means we would not receive the group discount.  This is because Portal's cancellation policy is, if you have a group discount and you cancel your credit card will be charged for all the days of the rally.

Am going to try to do Moab again in 2011, Ardra and Jerry. Sure enjoyed it last time.

On that trip I stayed in a Water/Electric only site for $5.00 less per day -- and from their website Rate page, it appears those are still available. The site doesn't mention any date restrictions on W/E only. They had a dump station that I only used once, and at that time there was no fee involved.

From their site I see that the South section (which was a vacant lot when I was there) is their "lots for sale" area -- so imagine that is why the constraints on the pool and other amenities. Folk in that area own their lots, or sub lease them. The website seems to imply that North side renters cannot even visit in the South side - but I may have read that wrong. If that is the case, would it affect evening getogethers and such?

Jerry, have attached one of my favorite images of you. I took this at Spire <sp> rock in 2002. I am a bit fearful of heights whereas you are fearless in where you and your Panasonic will go to get that perfect shot.  :)
 

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As Jerry and Ardra said, Sheila and I drove through or by every park in town. Those few we didn't actually drive through could be eliminated easily by looking from the road. I also read the reviews of all the parks on the RV Parks Review website. In my opinion the nicest big rig park is Spanish Trails, but they were eliminated because of too many trees that block satellite views. Others were eliminated for trees, sites too small or roads to tight, old, rundown, too small etc.

Because OK RV Park has been mentioned as a possibility I will say that it is a tired - dirty looking park. There are not enough large sites for our group. Also they were full - maybe because they did have a group but also at $29.00 they are the cheapest in town. Note the passport America rate is NOT good in April or May. Even if we wanted to go there I don't think many could get reservations unless they did so long in advance.

So, if it is Moab, I think it has to be Portal. Based on Jerry?s information about space availability the rally would begin May 8th. I think Moab is good for at least a 7 day rally, but as in the past some people chose a shorter stay and some a longer stay.

Since we will not be attending next year, I hope this is an unbiased review.
(Yes Terry, we WILL be on the East Coast next spring).

Ken & Sheila
 
So Ken,

Since you two will not be attending the Moab rally, who do you think will be the Event coordinator.  You  know to post the particulars of how to sign up, the dates etc?  I have already had my turn at leadership in rallies so I await someone else to step up.  When that happens I will sign up for a rally beginning  May *8,  2010???

Betty
 
Does Spanish Trails have good park wi-fi so that the pesky trees wouldn't be a problem?

Is Archview too far north of town? I know there are no pesky trees in the way there but it is pretty far out of town.

 
Wendy,

Spanish Trails has WIFI, but the only why to know if it is any good is to use it at a "peak" use time when the park is nearly full. Both Virgin River and Torrey had WIFI but they were barely usable or not usable at peak times. My guess would be Not enough capacity for the demand. I don't know how to test this without being in the park when it is nearly full. Per Trailer life their 2009 rates were $30 to $43. Portal is $35 for 50AMP full HU regular site. I think the 30AMP W/E sites are $30. Premium sites are $40 and $45.


I have stayed at Archview in one of their "pull-thru" sites and had to unhook and back out of the site. Way too tight to pull out. In addition it is far out of town.

ken
 
Attached is a site map of the Portal RV Resort.  The phone is (435) 259-6108 and their web site is http://www.portalrvresort.com.  The address is 1261 N Hwy 191, Moab, UT  84532.  For your GPS this is the Lat & Long of the Portal RV Resort itself and your GPS will turn you right into the property.  N38 35.367  W109 34.130  Elevation 3,926 feet

All $40 premium sites (M-13 to M-34 and R-45 to R-71) have good satellite access no matter whether your dish is a front, middle, or rear mounted one except for R-56, 57, and 58 which require a rear mounted dish.  These sites have a very wide and very long cement slabs (full hookups with 50 amps) with swimming pool and sauna access.

All $35 sites 1-25 (good gravel, full hookups with 50 amps) have good satellite access (front, middle or rear mount) except 21 and 22 which require a rear mounted dish.  No pool or sauna access.

All $30 sites 26-36 (good gravel, water, 30 amp, and NO sewer) have good satellite access.  No pool or sauna access.

By the way, they will not absolutely guarantee a site until the date gets closer because they do have to move folks around to fit everybody in.  This is not new; it has always been their policy.

Remember this is NOT a group event.  Everybody will make their reservation in their own name and forget about mentioning the RV Forum.  Read the first post if you wonder why.

JerryF & ArdraF
 

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From their website, it looks like the south-side (premium) sites go as high as $55. And the dog area on the south side is for people on that side only. Also, they do have that "nothing over 10-years-old" rule for the south side sites. Any problem reserving the pavilion? Not complaining, just saying.

Wendy

 
Bummer

When I heard we were returning to Moab next year, I was all set to call for reservations until I saw the later dates than in the past. Since we have an FMCA International Area rally we need to attend in Goshen, IN starting 5/11, we'll have to pass. Wish it could have been a week or two earlier.
 
As I remember from what I was told $55 is only for sites M-26,27, and 28.  M-28 is probably already gone next year to a really nice guy from Texas who usually takes it every year for a couple of months. 

The prior couple of weeks before our TENTATIVE Moab rally are already taken.  We will have to ask about and reserve the pavilion during the time we are here if and when we decide we want to use it.  As I envision it, this is going to be our first NO specific leader and a NO preplanned events rally.

May I suggest that anyone who even thinks that they MAY be interested in coming to Moab next year, make some reservations immediately, if not sooner, because Moab is really busy during April and May.  Remember, starting in June it starts to get quite warm in Moab.

Bob Buchanan...I love that photo of me up high on a rock hill,  Thanks Jerry
 
Here are some further miscellaneous comments about the Moab parks.

Re:  Portal's new premium vs. old regular sites.  There's nothing to prevent anyone from going back and forth between the two areas.  In other words, it's not like there's a gate or anything.  It's a non-issue.  We and Sherows took premium sites while the Kuchs and Weimerts took regular sites.  This is giving us a very good comparison that we discussed over dinner.  The pretty pond with flowers and path is in the new section.  I watched several families walk down from the old area so their children could see the pond.  Others have gone to the fenced-in dog walk.  As far as we can tell the only restriction is the keypad for access to the pool and sauna area.  The old area still has a pond where we occasionally saw kids and/or dogs swimming in the "old" days.  There is still the area where tenters stay as well as the lean-to sites for tenters.  The pavilion is unchanged.  The only real change is the nicer premium sites with cement pads and the pool.  I'm guessing sales of the premium sites haven't been as good as they had hoped because the economy slid just as they got the sales function up and running.

Someone asked about Archview.  It's still there but I can't figure out what's happening at the nearby water reclamation ponds (or whatever they are) that were nearby.  There's a lot of construction activity (big yellow Cats) there but it's not clear what's happening.  I can't see the water from rte 191 so maybe they've been drained.  Just don't know.  But it would be noisy and probably dusty until they finish whatever is happening.  One possibility (only in my imagination until told otherwise) is they've been drained and something else will be built there.

The Riverside Oasis next to where they have the Canyonlands By Night boat ride was a zoo.  (1) The bridge over the Colorado River is being modified in some way and there's construction equipment in and around the river.  The noise and traffic would not be conducive to a pleasant experience.  Their access road has been moved but it might be temporary.  (2) They're STILL working on the toxic (radiation from uranium mine tailings) cleanup site to the west of the Riverside toward Potash Road so you'd have that construction noise and dust.  (3) The primary access road into and out of the Moab valley (rte 191) is right beside the park with it's increased noise, fumes, and dust.  (4) Yesterday the place was full of young people in tents.  Like 80-100 tents - way more than RVs!  You couldn't pay me enough to stay there right now.  The bridge is a longterm project that was just being started last year when we were here.  The good news is the pedestrian bridge over the river a bit to the east is finished and it looks REALLY nice - probably cost a fortune.

The Sunset Grill and the Red Cliffs Lodge both still have good food and views.  Love this place!

ArdraF
 
Well, Bernie, you can blame FMCA for at least the first week of May.  It must be a regional group.  But, as Jerry said they've reserved the entire park!

ArdraF
 
May I suggest that anyone who even thinks that they MAY be interested in coming to Moab next year, make some reservations immediately, if not sooner, because Moab is really busy during April and May.  Remember, starting in June it starts to get quite warm in Moab.

I'm interested but I'd want to know for sure what the dates of a rally are going to be before I made reservations. And Gordon's up for it so long as he can still go swimming in the back pond !

I think the FMCA Rally there is the 4WD Chapter of FMCA.

Wendy
 
While we hope to be on the East Coast next year we have made reservations here at Portal for the week beginning May 8th. If the weather on the East Coast is like this year or if training my replacement delays our departure - we will come to Moab. While we encouraged the break from Moab with HSJ for the past two years, we think it is time to come back to Moab.

ken & sheila


 
ArdraF said:
Well, Bernie, you can blame FMCA for at least the first week of May.  It must be a regional group.  But, as Jerry said they've reserved the entire park!


Ardra

Actually, we can't blame FMCA for the conflict, it doesn't have any rallies scheduled for that period. However, there are always a number of local chapter rallies just about every week of the year throughout the country. As Wendy indicated, it is probably the 4-Wheelers chapter, it isn't on the 2011 calendar yet but that was the week they had their 2010 rally in Moab. I guess they moved into our slot when we started doing the HSJ.

Unfortunate conflict, but being an officer in the INTO area, I do need to attend the INTO rally.
 
There now is a thread for you folks to sign up for a Moab Rally.  The rally is scheduled to start on May 8th, 2011 and last for 7 days.  To see this thread go to:

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=31848.0
 
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