Rally in Texas or area.

[jimtoo]

Hi all.
Are there any plans in the works for a rally or get to gather in Texas, or this area, for next spring?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Where is "this area"?

 

[jimtoo]

I guess I was to general.  This area?  I will call it Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Lousiana.  Spring?  March, April, or May.

 

[Ron from Big D]

We've tried before, but the Forum people tend to go east or west.  I'd like to see us revive the Centermost Rally.

There is a large group in the west that don't travel far and there is the group in the east that typically don't travel far (related to rallies, that is)  and the rest of us in the middle have to go 1000 miles in both directions to participate.

 

[Ron]

The Quartzsite rally is coming up in Jan near QZ, Az , there will be new years allies at Lake Alamo and Lake Pleasant, AZ as will as Laughin, Nv.  Then there is the Moab Rally last of Apr-first week of May.  Then there are the spring and Fall rallies in the East.

 

[jimtoo]

If anyone is interested, there is a rally in February (15-18) at Kerrville, Texas.  It is the Kerrville Sweetheart V Rally , the oldest RV.NET rally going.  There are still some sites open and I am sure you will have good time.  Check out our web page and also the page for Buckhorn Lake RV Resort .

 

[rhmahoney]

I did a ralley at Buckhorn Lake RV Resort  in Oct. Excellect place, highly reccomended.

 

[Daisy]

We've tried before, but the Forum people tend to go east or west.  I'd like to see us revive the Centermost Rally.

Ron, all you have to do is step up to the plate and pick a time and a place and they will come.  Try it, it may work out for you guys in the middle.....

Daisy

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Start up an annual  RV Forum "Middie" rally, Ron.  All it takes is somebody to pick a place and time and talk it up a bit.  After awhile, people will start asking you when the next one is scheduled.

 

[Bob Buchanan]

We've tried before, but the Forum people tend to go east or west.  I'd like to see us revive the Centermost Rally.

There is a large group in the west that don't travel far and there is the group in the east that typically don't travel far (related to rallies, that is)  and the rest of us in the middle have to go 1000 miles in both directions to participate.

A centermost at Estes Park was OK for a couple of years -- but even "it" was not really in the Center. Also, it was nice, but not a spot for an annual affair - for me. If I recall, the biggest problem after that was that the true Center of the US was not the greatest place to have a rally -- at least from the opinions posted. Also, if you go South such as Texas, or to Fargo, those locations diagonally from the 4 corners of the US (such as Florida to Fargo or Washington State to Texas -- one might be traveling farther than, say, Georgia to QZ. Anyway, the idea of a Centermost went down the tubes after that, if I recall.

The other problem was "time of year". If coming to Texas, for example -- summer is not the best time. And with Moab becoming another of the traditional Spring spots -- not too many would want a third rally in that short time frame.

My Sister lives in Austin and for the past several years after QZ -- I have traveled the 2,000 mile (it appeared to be that long  ) road from El Paso to Austin. So a Texas Rally would be OK with me around that time of year. CJ Allen has put together a Nov/Dec rally for her Singles Web group at Lake Buchanan that seems to be going over very well.

I really want to get back to Kentucky -- so a rally at the Kentucky Horse farm would probably prompt me to finally do that as well. But would also like to finally attend one of Gary's rallies, wherever.

 

[Tom and Margi]

The very first RV Forum rally was held in the Dallas area in 1994 (?).  That's where the banana split tradition was born (may it please rest in peace!).  That tradition carried over to the second rally in the Gold Country of California in September 1995.  The ingredients were frightfully expensive and I don't think there are may among us who can afford the caolories any longer.    At that rally we had particants from Maine (hi Fred and Daisy!), Georgia, Washington State and Southern California.  The best part of that legacy is that we're still having rallies in various places eleven years later and embracing and enjoying new forum members as we treasure the old memories.

If my memory serves me, Ron and Sam Ruward are the only currently participating forum members who attended that rally.  Again, my memory is not great, but I recall the attendees as Ron and Sam Ruward, Ken and Kathy Rasure, C. J. Allan, Harlan Smith, the Frosts, Bill Stone, Ed and Jo Juge, and someone whose name I can't dredge up who worked for Microsoft and was in a Newell. 

I also remember they made a trip to Camping World after (during?) the rally.  Help me out here, Ron and Sam. 

Margi

 

[Bob Buchanan]

The very first RV Forum rally was held in the Dallas area in 1994 (?).

Wasn't that about the same time that we had the Sacramento Peppermill breakfast before going to the CalExpo RV Show?

That was when we wondered and worried a bit how well a group of 20 some folk who had never met each other before would get along together -- and were so pleasantly surprised that we all talked each other heads off for several hours. We decided after that that RV Forum rally's would make a lot of sense -- and they have ever since.

Do you still have the group picture you took that AM?

 

[Ron]

My memory is probably not any better than yours Margi but here goes.

The first RV Forum rally came about when CJ mentioned on the forum that there seemed to be several members in the Dallas area and suggested getting together at Lubys.  As it developed it was suggested that the State park at Lewisville Lake.  Attendees that either stayed or visited the lake included:  Joe Lacy, C.J. Allen, Bill Scott, Harlan Smith, The Frosts, and the Rasures, and Sam & I.  The Rasures and C.J had not yet gotten their RV yet.  Sam & I were the last to arrive.  We suggested going to Camping World but several had already visited Camping World and weren't interested in going again.  However Bill Scott and the Rasures joined us and off to CW we went.  On the way back we stopped in a Brauns Ice Cream place and we all had Banana Splits thus starting the Banana Split tradition.

The next day we had a lunch at Rubys and as I recall there were many more that attended than the ones mentioned.  One couple that had a older Winnebago (I don't recall their names) gave us a demonstration using GPS and a map program on a laptop. Several of us were riding around the parking lot in the Winnie watching the GPS tracking our course.  As I recall there were at least twice as many at Rubys as the folks mentioned above.

Sam & I have enjoyed every RV Forum rally that we have had the privilege to attend.

 

[Jim Dick]

Bob,

As I recall, Barb Barbera was the instigator of that rally. Oh, how I loved that woman!!!! She wanted a rally in the most central location in the lower 48 so nobody had to drive further than anyone else. Well, the most central part of the U.S. is somewhere in Kansas. NOBODY wanted to go to Kansas in the summer! We eventually settled on Estes Park, CO. It was a great location but most people wanted to move after 3 years so we went to Moab. I think it will be some time before they drop that one. So much to see and do in the area.

 

[Tom and Margi]

Do you still have the group picture you took that AM?
[/quote]

I'm sure I do, but it's probably in storage in Redding.  That was pre-digital camera days.  I think the Peppermill breakfast was after the Dallas deal and before the Plymouth rally, but wouldn't swear to it.  If we had only known how spotty our memories would become, we would have appointed a forum historian. 

Margi

 

[Tom]

Margi,

The Peppermill breakfast was held prior to the Plymouth rally (a number of us turned up in our "gold hats" so we could recognize each other) and the Cal Expo RV show was going on at the same time. Several of us went from the Peppermill to the show.

BTW did you see the photos of the Plymouth rally in our photo gallery? Just click the Photos button above and select the 'Plymouth 1995 rally' album. These were scans I previously ran from print photos. I was hoping others might have photos &/or scans to add, but nobody answered my prior requests.