Help clear up WBCCI Ntnl Rally questions

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

2009 is Wisconsin. We plan on attending. I think 2010 has been slated but I haven't looked ahead that far.

Where exactly do you know? Are they not listed anywhere? I checked over at wbcci.org but only have this years listed....

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by GT1963

Where exactly do you know? Are they not listed anywhere? I checked over at wbcci.org but only have this years listed....

2009 - Madison, Wisconsin
2010 - Gillette, Wyoming

The kick-off is always at the International Rally previous and the location for the following year is usually announced there as well.

Shari

[05ModPod]

Thanks Shari & Carol....

Must commit at least one to my Calendar...

We were thinking of Bozeman - but at 1980 miles one way - we just don't have the vacation time to fit it in....

[Airboss]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

The dog and I have headed over to the wrong Airstream in the light of day even at smaller rallies! It was funny watching Orie try to find the door when we spent the night at the Airstream dealer's...this one, this one...lol (He's not much of a bloodhound, is he? And I am not very unique!)

Yeah but Carol, Recipe may have been involved too...

[wheel interested]

Actually since Louapalooza Lou-zers are so very different from one another, I haven't gotten lost there yet Ralph, but no thanks to you and the bottomless 12 ounce red cups or are they 16? LOL They do pack a whallop!

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

The dog and I have headed over to the wrong Airstream in the light of day even at smaller rallies! It was funny watching Orie try to find the door when we spent the night at the Airstream dealer's...this one, this one...lol (He's not much of a bloodhound, is he? And I am not very unique!)

Thats what the red numbers are for.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by DKDarrow

... having visited the Georgia Rally last year for a day thought we would go to the one in Bozeman this year................this is a lot of money to be spending in order to be with like minded folks.............when the only like mind is that we share our love of A/S............Not much else....

hi dk'

these are keen observations and merit some though.

the event in georgia utilized more typical rv camping facilities, than usual.

most internationals DO NOT happen in rv parks.

typically (like bozeman) they are make-shift city/camps, set up in CROWDED open space near some 'convention like' facility...

for meetings and card playing and vendor displays.

MOST of the folks who need to be there are away from there 'streams during the day, in buildings and meeting places.

it is essentially boondocking with 'trickle hookups'.

and yep, it is significantly extra for 30 amp electricity...

because YOUR 6 days added juice costs help cover the electricity used by the 500 volunteers.

some of whom will have been on site for 3-5 WEEKS+ before the event, but paid the same fee u will for just a few days.

NO THEY DON'T FEED YOU. in fact almost NO ONE even sets of a grill or eats out of doors...

they do schedule 'breakfasts' at local restaurants for units, intraclubs and officers.

and they offer morning card playing or group knitting and evening music or beauty contests.

the bozeman site is reported to have a MAX capacity of 1000, which in wb' spacing means the grounds are better suited for 1/2 that.

for new comers, the MOST IMPORTANT BIT OF INFORMATION in this thread is right here...

Originally Posted by Leipper

You will be attending the annual conference of an international organization....

this is NOT a camping event. it is an annual legislative conference.

they toss in some happy hours, displays and vendors, and entertainment...

just of break up the routine schedule of MEETINGS...

IF you are an elected deligate, officer, past officer or some other sort of bobble head...

bozeman is THE venue.

if you are looking for camping, campfires, cookouts, vacation amenities, and typical rv fun, think again...

this IS NOT like a good sam rally or fmca rally or small local campout.

IT IS A BUSINESS/CLUB CONVENTION, similar to the vfw or any trade convention, or a political convention held in large cities...

instead of sleeping in motels/hotels the attendees sleep in rvs...

most of the field trips, and small group fun stuff happens weeks before the OFFICAL INTERNATIONAL kicks off.

by the time the lowly regular members show up, most of the excorts and volunteers are played out.

montana is a wonderful place to vacation, rv and summer camp.

but i sure would NOT waste precious vacation time, fuel money and free wheeling liberty...

just to PARK with other a/s owners, like sardines....

think about it and READ the first timers guide.

and ask THIS QUESTION...

would a CAMPING trip really need a first timers guide?

and the 500$+ rally fees can buy lots of good nights in nearby rv park, with amenities...

for MOST a one day field trip INTO the international rally compound is plenty.

cheers
2air'

[DKDarrow]

Thanks to ALL for the responses.......

As much as I really enjoy my A/S, I find that perhaps for me, the socialization factor is not what it is played up to be.............

2Air............I want to thank you for your PM and factual between the lines information. Not being a "joiner" or follower I am finding that the organized events are perhaps not for me.

I have been riding BMW motorcycles since 1968. As such, have been to countless rallies and social events for BMW and other M/Cs. For those not into motorcycles, BMW is very much like the A/S in the RV world. A mechanical device that just goes and goes. The old ones can be repaired by most anyone with simple tools and common mechanical sense. The newer ones are plagued with technical aspects that are beyond the scope of even a lot of dealers.
That said...........BMW Rallies are no longer friends and comrades that have weathered the trials and troubles to get together. More like a trade convention with owners patting themselves on the back because they own a BMW and the brand labeled accessories. For an old timer this is not enjoyable.

I suppose I am finding the same in the A/S world. A national rally, trade show, and local rallies that are for folks sampling which imported cheese or micro brew is the supreme. Going to their thread here in this wonderful forum to ask about sights at their rally and how obstructed they are by trees, boulders, etc gets an answer in return about how they will get someone who specializes in guiding you INTO hazards to help you park. haha Arent we cute.........Then back immediately into discussion of Porsches, SUVs, and brie......

So I stay away.

I find much the same here, and on the BMWMOA forums............I bite my tongue here, because I, at the same time find some wonderful people that are helpful, gracious, and kind..........

It's kinda like going through the bucket where I keep my old nuts, washers, bolts, screws, and fastners that I inherited from my grandfather...........Ya have to look and look. It's there, what you want, but takes a lot of scrounging to find the nut that works.

So, where is this early AM essay going? Honestly, I do not know. Perhaps just a confirmation of thoughts from an ol guy who has learned that there are way to many agravations in life to overcome as it is. Why spend good money, time, and energy to go looking for more. The payoff isn't worth it...........So........what to do?

Write this, possibly post it, and go where I please. Find fellowship with like minded folks that are in any campground that I have ever pulled into. Discover that little known high country ntnl forest campground and fish to my hearts content. Visit with the spirits of the Anasazi throughout 4 corners. Spend time parking the trailer in front of my friends/relatives suburban home doing the cousin Eddy thing.

To each his own...........I really hope this hasn't been offensive; but marchin to my drum is more important to me than just showing up to be part of. Finding like minded people is all about belonging to that particular herd. If I need to be with a herd...........I go down to the pasture and watch my kid goats frolic...........LOTS MORE FUN...............God Bless.......Dennis

[wkerfoot]

I agree with Leo completely. The International Rally is what you make it. We attended our first in Salem in 2006 and we will attend our second this year in Bozeman. We went to Salem to see 1,000 Airstreams in one place and to meet all of the friends we made in the various internet groups. We will attend in Bozeman for two reasons 1) to visit all of our internet friends again, who we have no face time except for the International and 2) to attend the VAC meetings.

We will visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone NP on the way up and hopefully Glacier NP on the way home. It is a good use of two weeks vacation, although a little expensive in Bozeman.

Bill

[overlander64]

The tradition of the International Rally was one of the things that motivated my Airstream purchase. The original owners of my coach had introduced me to RVing when the Overlander was new and I was five years old -- they were active members of the WBCCI and their example influenced me to join. Since purchasing my Overlander, I have missed very few International Rallys. As several others have posted, I have found the International to be an experience that is what you want to make it -- in fact, I have found the Rally to be more enjoyable as I have gotten more involved with various activities.

There is nearly always a neighbor at an International Rally who is willing, if not anxious, to become a "mentor" for a first-timer. I know that one of my dearest friends in the WBCCI is the member who was my "mentor" at my first International Rally. That first International Rally can be an overwhelming experience but it can also be greatly enjoyed as well. My suggestions to a first-timer would be:

1. Carefully check the pre-rally publicity for any special preparations that may be needed in the way of special or specific items that will need to be available in your coach.
   1. My experience has been that the bare minimum is two 75' 5/8" inch potable water hoses -- this may be more important in the Vintage section where there usually are more members who are still working and may have to leave early due to work responsibilities.
   2. A 30-AMP extension cord may be necessary if you are parked in the 30-AMP section particularly if your coach has an unusually short shore power line -- or if your coach is one of the shorter models.
   3. An extra dump valve cap with the wash water hose connection can be quite valuable along with a blue "tote-tank" to handle wash water during the Rally (these are indispensible if you are traveling in a Vintage coach that doesn't have a wash water tank).
2. Be sure that you have devised some method for displaying your membership numbers. These numbers provide emergency personnel with a quick means of identifying your coach -- in addition these numbers will also help your fiends both old and new find your coach among the sea of Airstreams. Essential your section color, row number, and membership number become your address -- for instance you might be in Green Section, Row 9, and your membership number is your street address in row 9.
3. As a first-timer, be open to offers of assistance from members familiar with the International Rally experience -- that person (mentor) may become one of your dearest friends over time, and their experience may help you to have an enjoyable and memorable experience.
4. Check your Rally program book early in the Rally to get an idea of what seminars and other presentations will be available. Partake of those that are of most interest, but don't forget to allow time to just relax and enjoy your Airstream and conversing with your fellow Airstreamers.
5. Check-out the Intra-Clubs. Most of the Intra-Clubs are active at the International Rally. As a member of three Intra-Clubs, I can attest to being able to be busy with Intra-Clubs during most of the Rally. Most of the Intra-Clubs will have regularly scheduled social times in the afternoon. Many of these Intra-Clubs will also offer the opportunity to meet at a pre-determined location and caravan into the International Rally together thus permitting parking together.
6. Don't forget to check-out your local unit activities. There will often be at least one catered meal -- and with some units a pot-luck as well. Some units will also offer Caravans to the International Rally -- I know that I will be caravanning in with members of my unit this year to the Vintage Pre-Rally location and then into the International with the Vintage parade.

As with any big organization, and any event managed committee style, there will be a variety of personality types involved in the operation. There are those who are there to enjoy the experience while others emphasize "by the rules". We often get a chuckle out of an experience that I had at my first International Rally in 1998 (Boise, ID). I didn't like heights, and had applied my WBCCI numbers with my eyes closed -- the dead giveaway was something that I didn't notice until my arrival at the International -- and then I don't think it would have noticed had it not been brought to my attention by one of the volunteers who came by to register newly parked coaches -- my number is 6359 and I had managed to apply the 3 backwards so it looked more like 6E59. I was scolded for an improperly applied number and the problem that it would cause if emergency personnel were to need to find my coach. One of my neighbors overheard the conversation and immediately came over to reassure me that it wasn't such a big problem and advised me to relax and enjoy the Rally. In the ten years that I have been attending International Rallys, I can say that I have met many people who have become my closest friends and are what can best be described as my extended family.

The 30-AMP cost can seem quite high, but after spending a VERY hot (and extremely humid) International Rally in Dayton, OH as well as Rapid City and Sioux Falls where the discomfort wasn't as great due to the lower humidity, I have been happy to pay the fee for the additional comfort. There seemes to be some kind of unwritten rule that says that wherever the WBCCI International Rally is held it will be during a record or near record heat wave. I can remember filling the tub in my Overlander so that my Chihuahuas could swim in the cool water at both the Sioux Falls and Rapid City International Rallys.

My experience has been that the International Rally can be quite enjoyable. I always approach the event with the idea that I am going to enjoy the experience, and I haven't been disappointed. Something that I have learned along the route is that some of the great frustrations of the day become some of the most memorable events that can become quite humorous a few years later. As an example, the experience of arriving back at my coach in Dayton, OH to discover the bathtub in my Overlander nearly ready to overflow with wash water -- we were on a "daisy-chained" wash water system that while well-intentioned resulted in a number of problems -- the drain tile into which our row's wash water was to be drained wasn't at the correct angle and that caused the wash water to back up in the system -- my bathtub was one of the low points and became a retention pond -- I had to pull the wash water connection on my coach to prevent the tub from over-flowing which caused a cascade of wash water down the hill below my coach (we were parked on a blacktop parking lot -- it was old and nearly covered with grass). The two coaches parked below mine also escaped interior damage from the backup (their coaches were close to overflows in the bathrooms as well). It was an unpleasant event at the time, but now it causes me to chuckle when I think about the frantic scene that an observer may have witnessed on that day!

Kevin

[DKDarrow]

S5GT, Bill, and Kevin...............Thanks for the thoughts, concerns, and insights..............Perhaps in the early mornings I should refrain from sharing my thoughts and concerns until at least the sun comes up...........All really good food for thought.............Thanks and God bless........Dennis

[pcasa]

Since my Caravel is not ready to travel yet - is there an open visitor's day where I could mill around?? Is there a way to register without a trailer?
thanks, paula

[wkerfoot]

Originally Posted by pcasa

Since my Caravel is not ready to travel yet - is there an open visitor's day where I could mill around?? Is there a way to register without a trailer?
thanks, paula

Paula,

You don't have to bring a trailer (or motorhome) to register. There are several motels in town and you can rent a dorm room for $26 single and $21 double occupancy (I think, the prices are in the latest Blue Beret). If you register, you have full access to all events. If you just want to wander around, I think you can do that, but you may have to answer many questions about where is your attendance ribbon, make sure you wear your name badge. The VAC open house in on Sunday, June 29 and you are welcome to visit.

Bill

[pcasa]

Thanks Bill! that's just what I needed to know - I have sent in my dues and am just waiting for my "number". I will register then.

[SierraBreeze]

Thanks Leo, Bill and Kevin. You posts on this thread are great reading, especially for those planning to attend their first I'rally. I have passed along the link to this thread to some of our members who plan to attend for the first time. I think the tips and info will help them get the most out of the experience.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by 65GT

I even had a great dinner one night with some great people at 1am of all times. That was a busy meeting day for me, but not for most. Dinner at 1am was fantastic!

Aw shucks...thanks! It was fun...you gotta eat!

Shari

[Airboss]

Originally Posted by clancy_boy

Remember, it should be an unobstructed Y to allow the free flow of water. The kind sold in the garden section of your local WallyWorld will not do, the valve portion necks down the diameter of the pipe and bunches of these greatly effects the flow of the water. Go to Home Depot (or your favorite box store) and go to the plummbing isle. There are nice brass Y's there that are full inside diameter and have no valves. A little high in price - about $10, but eveyone will be happier.

I found the ones at H.D. and Lowes dont have valves attached so I bought brass valves too. I should be all set for the daisey chain...