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Dureedesign · 09-23-2007, 05:15 PM

HI EVERYBODY..here is a time where power of the people might make a difference....There is a great campground here in Manitou Springs CO. called GARDEN OF THE GODS CAMPGROUNDS. That until recently changing hands, used to host AS rallies on occasion. Now, they have new owners (the old one's are rolling over in their graves) and these new owners have decided that any RV's or trailers over the age of 15 years are not welcome (allowed) to stay in their campground. This is an outrage! If anybody else feels this way, please direct your sentiments to these foolish people! Their email address is camp@coloradocampground.com. Let them know all of your thoughts. As new owners of a vintage "66 my husband and I were really looking forward to coming down and staying there and meeting some of you.

Thanks for your help!

**azflycaster** · 09-23-2007, 05:21 PM

Sadly more and more campgrounds are going to an age limit. If you look at most 15 year old sob's you can understand why. I have heard of some campgrounds that exclude older sob's, but allow Airstreams of all ages.

Since most people can not tell the age of an Airstream, yours is now a 1995. Enjoy your stay.

Goin camping · 09-23-2007, 05:26 PM

If you own an Airstream you can pick its age. Few people know the difference between a '66 and a '96. Another one of the Airstream advantages.

Lumatic · 09-23-2007, 05:44 PM

I sent mine 2 weeks ago. Don't expect to get a reply.

Remember Alice's Restaurant! One email is a nut. 2 emails are a couple of *******. 3 emails is a movement. And that's what it is folks it's the Garden of the Gods Anti Vintage Snobbery Movement.

I may be trailer trash but I'm dang proud of it.

By the way they had a WBCCI rally there a few years ago with a bunch of vintage alumuminum.

Keep them emails comin

eubank · 09-23-2007, 05:48 PM

I guess they didn't like hosting the Airstream rallies.

My parents have an older 5th wheel that has a year painted in small letters on the side. Once the rig reached the almighty 10-year limit of some campgrounds, they simply repainted a new year on it.

Lynn

Dureedesign · 09-23-2007, 05:52 PM

You all are a kick! I actually mentioned that to somewhere that we were staying, lying and said she was an '87, was still told she was too old. But you are right and will do that to conform. HOWEVER, they used to welcome the AS rallies, so your registered comments would and could determine their future policy. So DO complain! Lastly, this place doesn't always ask ahea of time, nor is it on their on-line registration and my hubby (working locally) knows of at least 3 situations where AS folks were turned away, with no alternative. Go figure..w/ reservations!

CanoeStream · 09-23-2007, 06:08 PM

I'm sure there are other threads, but nothing new under the sun:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f48/...arks-5823.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...lace-8298.html

Don't tell them. Show up. Let them judge for themselves that you aren't a piece of junk. They can't tell a '68 from a '98!

I'm a boondocker & state-parker at heart. Nevah affected me...

overlander63 · 09-23-2007, 06:16 PM

I've run into the "age thing" a couple of times. Both times, the conversation went like this:
(them on phone) "What year is your RV?"
(me) "It's an Airstream."
(them on phone) "Oh, okay. How long will you be staying with us?"

thecatsandi · 09-23-2007, 06:16 PM

That does happen. That is thier perogative for a private campground. They are basing it on the condition of 15yr old SOBs. Airstreams are an expection. No suprise there. If you want to stay at one of these tell them you have an airstream and offer to send a picture. Most will accept it.
If they don't give your business to someone else.

Dureedesign · 09-23-2007, 06:33 PM

Ya know, I'm the husband of DuRee, I'm an aging hippie (no pony tail any more, but I do have all of my hair) I love the Alice's Restaurant analogy. I also like the power to the people, let's let the GOG CG know we don't like this policy. Hey, does the Marriott not let old people stay in their hotels because they may have a heart attack and drop dead in one of their rooms?

please email these folks, nothing to loose!

Lumatic · 09-23-2007, 08:02 PM

The guy at the Manitou Springs Visitors Center is who tipped me about this policy he's got a 64 or so.

Funny thing is Garden of the Gods is open to tents. Tent vs. RV, how do you figure!

I can understand a campground not wanting a real junker but a minimum condition standard would make a lot more sense.

I don't know if it's age. It could be a class thing. Could GOG want to attract a certain high end class of camper.

I have been doing this for 40+ years and have never heard of a policy like this. Guess I just missed it. Come on, GOG, for gosh darn sakes. It's only camping!

On the other hand after both my wing windows blew out on the way to Manitou Springs it would not of suprised me if I got turned away with my duct tape windows no matter how shiney the Aluminum was.

Lee Pace · 09-23-2007, 08:13 PM

When we registered at a campground in Florida, they asked us the age of our Airstream and we told them it was a 1996. At the time we were in our 69 Overlander. As we had just put on a bottle cover, they looked and said "what a nice trailer."

We laughed all the way home! Such snobbery is really the pits considering that most people know what a great trailer an Airstream is.

Gloria Pace
WBCCI 7287
72 Sovereign
Greenville, Tx

InsideOut · 09-23-2007, 08:39 PM

Wow, that is disappointing! The RMVAC rally was held ther in 2004 & 2005...I knew they changed hands are were going after the more elite "bus" campers, but...hmpf!

Shari

volvophile · 09-23-2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Funny thing is Garden of the Gods is open to tents.

Sure if you count setting up a tent in the parking lot in front of the shower house under the light of a Revcon MoHo as tent camping

My folks would bring thier 28Ft Dolphin up here from Florida and stay there for a month in the summers of 2004, 2005 & 2006 so we got to know the place fairly well.

2004 was under the old owners and it was a nice park with a homey atmosphere and a rotation of pretty decent local vendors bringing in dinner. BBQ night rocked.

By the summer of 2006 the clubhouse became a lounge, prices went up, and unused open space was converted to unused picknick areas. You got the impression that LL Bean kahki shorts where tollerated, but cut-offs where simply not permitted.
Theres a Jimmy Buffet song in there somewhere, but BBQ night still rocked.

Mom & Dad where unimpressed enough to drive up this summer in their Buick and get a condo.
They ended up buying the condo, which is a good thing because their Dolphin is a '89

BTW, if anyone knows who parks thier P1800 rifleback there, PM me. Our '69 145 is about as fixed as its going to get and Im thinking about trading up

safari57 · 09-24-2007, 02:41 AM

As much as I dislike the age discrimination that is being implemented at various CG's, as Michelle noted it is their prerogative to do so. I'm sure they feel this will generate clientèle willing to pay more and help them recover their investment sooner. I have seen some pretty rugged SOB's on the road and quite a few of those were newer than 10 years.

I guess it's up to us to make sure we include a photo of our rig when requesting a camping spot just as a regular component of any reservation we make. We are making very few reservations via phone now preferring the audit trail of email requests/confirmations anyways so adding a photo is not an issue. I suspect when they see the picture of your trailer it will cause them to reconsider on a case by case point their age limit. Just don't even mention the age.

Barry

klattu · 09-24-2007, 06:37 AM

Camping a'int what it used to be...sadly

RUSSELL · 09-24-2007, 10:01 AM

I just flat do not tell them what year mine is. All I say it is an Airsteam and it seems to satisfy most camp ground. The camp grounds feel that if you own an AS you will take care of it more than some other type of trailer.
Regards from Russell in sunny Tucson Az.

Coloradobus · 09-24-2007, 01:29 PM

Okay, now All Y'all calm down. I called the GOTG after reading this. They currently have a "Vixen" rally going on. These rigs haven't been made for over 20 years. They are trying to weed out the junk that is out there that is not being maintained. You know the type, 30 year old converted gas grills that would make Jed Clampett blush. Airstreams of all styles and ages will be OK. Especially, the vintage ones. And the age limit is 15 years for shabby units if they are to be turned away that obviously have had no maintenance since new.

Boondocker · 09-24-2007, 02:13 PM

But will they let you in if you forgot your tux at home?

**hides**

wheel interested · 09-24-2007, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coloradobus

Okay, now All Y'all calm down. I called the GOTG after reading this. They currently have a "Vixen" rally going on. These rigs haven't been made for over 20 years. They are trying to weed out the junk that is out there that is not being maintained. You know the type, 30 year old converted gas grills that would make Jed Clampett blush. Airstreams of all styles and ages will be OK. Especially, the vintage ones. And the age limit is 15 years for shabby units if they are to be turned away that obviously have had no maintenance since new.

Well it would seem easier for management to have a rule on the books and then to exercise or waive the rules rather than argue with someone that they think their rig's a sight. I often think many campground rules about no alcohol are in place for the occassion they need to remove someone and do not need to argue about tolerences.