NWS : Steens Mountain Rally - Oregon

[C Johnson]

Hi all ! Here is the lowdown on the sites and reservation info.

I am doing the registration a bit different this time.

You will have to call the Steens Mountain RV park at 1 800 542 3765 and reserve your spot. Talk to Carol and identify yourself as being in the Airstream Rally. Make sure to give her the dates, the 16th to the 20th. She will group us all together. Carol works Monday, Thursday and Friday. It is best to talk to her. Tentatively we have sites 34 to 43. We are either going to be in a straight line or in a big square. This way you can reserve as many days as you want or as few. All the sites are pretty much the same. All pull through.

I can't afford to pay upfront for all the sites, plus it is a logistical night mare. Who is coming when and for how long etc.

If this works well, I may do all my rallies this way from now on.

I haven't planned any activities/dinners.

If anyone wants to plan something for the group feel free to do so.

Cheers, CJ

[Janet H]

OK - I called and spoke with carol and reserved a spot - nice lady. We will be there on the 17th. I asked about cell service she says there are some new towers up and almost every cell provider has some kind of service there now. Looking forward to this.....

[Mike Leary]

That is a nice park, overflow could go to Page Springs BLM dry camp next door. Click on this to see the best site in the park; top of the hill.

[CaddyGrn]

Hello everyone!

We will be arriving on the 17th and stay through the night of the 20th. Made our reservations with Carol. Thanks for the heads up Chris!

Really busy here, but very much looking forward to seeing everyone...

Cheers!

[jordandvm]

Just called to make our reservations today....arriving 17th and leaving 21st. The last time we were there was two years ago when the Idaho and Western Oregon units had a joint rally there. Unfortunately Cheryl got sick with pneumonia and we had to leave after the first day.
There is a lot to see in the area. After traveling that far, I want to maximize my visit to include some sight seeing trips, in addition to the campfire stories and visiting with ur forum friends. I know we've never had a schedule (other than meals) during our rallys, but I think we would all benefit from doing some of these activities while there.


Here's the list of thing I would like to do:

• Drive the Steens Loop drive - takes about three hours roundtrip. Hopefully do this on a sunny day and start in the morning. I would like to carpool with another couple (can hold 5 in our truck easily).
• Josh, the owner of the RV Park is a retired BLM employee and worked out of Burns with the Keiger Wild Horse herd. He is willing to give us a history of the herd and the area around the campfire one evening. He did this with the WBCCI rally group and was very interesting.
• Group dinner at the Diamond Hotel one evening - requires reservations and we would want to schedule that before the rally starts and get a head count. They serve family style dinners and we can see what they are serving when we make the reservation. Again carpool to the Hotel.
• Trip to Diamond Crater and Round Barn. Both in same area. Carpool again.
• Drive through Malheur NWR, approximately 13 miles stopping to see various areas on the drive. Carpool

I did find out that there is a gas station in Frenchglen that will be open.

So we've been to the Steens area twice, once we got snowed out and the other we left early do to illness.......this time I finally want to see it!!

Let me know how you all feel about doing some of these side trips/events.

Jim

[Janets Husband]

Yep!
Jim we're in.
Be there the 17th and we'll leave when we're damn good and ready.
This is the start of a 4 week vacation, sort of retirement on training wheels.

[CaddyGrn]

Jim,
Sounds good to us! Great list! Way to go!

Wow, Gary a retirement on training wheels.... very cool! Best thing we ever did!

Claudia

[sempi2]

I would really like to attend our 1st Rally, and this sounds like it is the one. Not too big and a place we would like to see. If we reserve a spot and are unable to attend what happens? As newbie's what do we do- show up and then? Should we plan on bringing extra food - thinking from other posts - potluck?

[Stefrobrts]

If you reserve a spot and are unable to attend, then whatever the park does about that is really the only thing you have to worry about, but that would be the same anywhere you planned to camp and couldn't make it. So be sure to ask their policy when you make reservations.

These rallys are usually pretty laid back but you can't hardly go wrong with bringing extra food!

Hope you make it, it sounds like a great place for a rally, and the usual NW rally folks showing up are a great bunch. We want to get there someday, but this is just not our year!

[rashton]

wow! we were going to do along weekend from redmond to the steens that weekend and now there are airstreamers too! hope we can join in and look forward to meeting new folk!

[CaddyGrn]

Rashton, I am sure you will be very welcome! This is a super casual rally, no specifics really planned many things wind up being spur of the moment. We very often jump into "hey, let's potluck" or whatever. Usually someone has a campfire and we all migrate there. Very laid back group. Usually great folks, great conversations, and of course, Airstreams!

[sempi2]

RustyRivet and I plan on attending this Rally. It will be our first and would appreciate any tips that would help us fit in and learn from the seasoned airstreamers.

[CaddyGrn]

Hi sempi2,

Just make your reservations, and bring your rig! Extra food (for potential spur of the moment pot lucks) is always a great idea like Steph said. This is an easy going group who enjoy other Airstreamers! Bring a lawn chair or two and your favorite beverage ~ you will fit right in! Be sure and sign up on the rally page!

[JDL]

Made reservations -

Look forward to seeing everybody.

jd

[sempi2]

OK, we did it. Made the reservation from the 16th to20th, signed up on the rally page. Now just wait to load her up and head out. Looking forward to putting faces to the different Avatars.

[jordandvm]

Since no one has proposed a meal schedule for the rally yet, I thought I’d try to organize it and Cheryl and I would volunteer to supply the main course for one night. Hopefully this will help everyone in planning food to bring, since we’ll be a “fur piece” from any supermarkets.

Thursday, Sept 17th – everyone on their own.

Friday, Sept. 18th - Chili dinner – we’ll supply the chili (meat & meatless) and you supply the fixins.
Examples of fixins – onions, cheese, corn muffins & butter, salad, dessert, or anything else you think will go with chili!

Saturday, Sept. 19th - Dinner at the Diamond Hotel - see link to their sample menu http://www.central-oregon.com/hoteldiamond/rates.html. They only serve one combination dinner a night @ $19.00 per person. With our group (up to 21 people) if all decided to go, we could request a main course (ie beef, chicken, etc) We need to know for sure how many would be going by the 10th. Obviously we would carpool, since it’s about 20 miles to the Hotel. I checked with the owner, and he said his Hotel is full, and they would need to be able to serve the extra business, so we need a count of how many want to go.

Sunday, Sept 20th – Bring your own meat and side dish (salad, vegetable, casserole, bread, dessert). We will have a grill or two going.

All breakfasts are on your own.

Possible site-seeing events (group or on your own) require no reservations, but would be more fun as a group. We could discuss when we want to do these after arrival.

• Drive the Steens scenic loop. Minimum of 3 hours, preferably starting in the morning. Requires a high clearance vehicle and carpooling is encouraged.
• Drive to Diamond Crater and Peter French round barn http://www.roundbarn.net/roundbarn.html .
• Drive through Malhuer NWR. 13 miles on gravel road through the middle of the refuge. Opportunity to see lots of migrating waterfowl and other birds.
• Any other activity you think is worthy! I'm game!

What I need from the group is how many people want to eat at the Diamond Hotel on Saturday night by the 10th.

Also would be good to know who will bring what for dinner on Friday & Sunday and how many vegetarians we have in the group for the chili dinner prep.

[Janet H]

That sounds like a great idea. We're in for dinner in town and the rest of it.

For the chili dinner - I can give baking some corn bread a whirl and will bring butter to go with.

We'll also bring a grill and one industrial sized pot and outdoor stove for additional cooking if needed.

Sounds like loads of fun. let me know if we can bring anything else

[sempi2]

Will look through my vast cookbook collection to some up for something for the "chili" feed and will let you know later.

we will attend the Diamond Hotel dinner.

[JDL]

I am up for dinner at the Diamond Hotel!

For Friday and Sat. Night --- Put me down for Pie.

jd

[acgypsy]

count me in, jeff