Search feature and possible Michigan get together

[rgrugg]

Previously there was a discussion about a possible Michigan get together. The search feature produced several hundred posts. I didn't go through over 500 of them, most that I saw had nothing to do with a Michigan gathering. In fact, I didn't find any. I'm wondering if there has been anything more about having one.

[Roy in TO]

I don't think there has been anything more this year posted. What I and others have done in the past is communicate with a few other campers about timing and location. We then picked something that had a numbew of sites available in the same area, made our reservations well in advance and posted it in the Rallies ... (upcoming) forum.

Here is a link to how I posted one in 2010:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post216423

Post it and they will come. (PM'ing everyone you know that lives in the area helps).

We will be in MI in June, but our schedule does not allow for a meet. Maybe later in the year ... like the end of August or early September?

[john warren]

was trying to come up with something, and we had several good ideas. but everyone always had someplace else they had to be or something critical they had to do at what ever time and place we picked.
i think what has to happen is we all have to simply say,,ok heres where i will be. eventualy two or more folks will show up at the same place. and we can start building an annual tradition.
the only other way to get something like this going would be to have "state chapters" with someone in charge of setting things up.
thats how we do it in tearjerkers. but that also assumes you want to get together with the same folks 2 or 3 or more times a year.

most folks,,,after camping with me and eating my bacon wrapped, cheese and smokeylink stuffed halapenia peppers,,,,beg off on a second trip.

[Mike Magee]

It's impossible to get a large group to agree on anything. So don't even try.

If you just get 1 or 2 others who say along with you, "Let's do it at this time and place," and post the event, it will get the ball rolling. Some more people may show up... or not. You have people sitting back waiting for a date and place, and they'll look at what is posted and decide if it fits into their lives. But without a date and place being established, nothing happens.

Don't worry about small beginnings. In future years it probably will grow.

[john warren]

thats true, and why i post every trip we make. if someone wants to show up it would be great.
if i see someone post a trip i may just say, heck i have the time and that looks like fun and take that trip too.

if a few hook up like that and report back , enough might get interested in jumping on board when a trip is posted.

[RogerDat]

We are in Mich. (Lansing area) and might attend a rally if the date was free.

If you wanted to have the campers to be in the same area you need a campground that will work with you on reservations, would think that would mean private or maybe "off day" camping if in a state park. Week days many of the parks are lightly used so one might get a FGRV row just by agreement to pick a spot in a numbered range.

Helps if you know the park you pick to have the rally at, probably critical. Have been to some that were only good in the brochure, others have really nice sites in some areas, really crummy ones in other areas of same park.

A lot depend on if one has to drive a long way, for me what I arrive at becomes a little more important if I have to drive 8 hours or more to get there. If there are optional "activites" in the area for those that like that sort of thing all the better.

Someplace on the west side of Mich. might be good. Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana have decent access, sort of Muskegon on down is not too long a drive from those states. Lake Michigan is unique enough to be worth the trip and there are places of interest and activities along the coast.

My own preference is for just kicking back in a campground with decent shade and doing some reading, visiting, grilling and maybe a little Euchre (card game for you non-natives).

And of course cold beverage of choice.

[ericw]

I would be interested in a MI rally if the dates worked. I agree you are going to have to just pick dates and go. West MI and August/September work best for us also.

State parks are going to be difficult until after labor day unless you choose a large one like Interlochen that only fills up during the holidays. I'll trust that decision to the organizers.

[Roy in TO]

We didn't have a problem getting 6 sites close together at Waterloo on a few weeks notice.

[john warren]

ok,,,,heres a date and a place. sept. 1,2,3 at algonac state park. on the st claire river.
camp right on the river and watch the freighters go by.
its a nice clean open park with quite a few things to do and interesting little towns to explore.

i am willing to compile a list of names that want to go and even willing to arrainge for reservations if needed.

this should be a good time as it won't be too cold yet, but bugs should be about done. its before hunting season so that shouldn't conflict and its three days so if you can't make one of the days you still get two .

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by john warren

ok,,,,heres a date and a place. sept. 1,2,3 at algonac state park. on the st claire river.

John, that is Labour day weekend. If you were thinking of camping on Friday night, then you will have to bump up the date a bit. There is a good chance we can combine this trip and a visit to our friends up on the thumb.

[john warren]

would be an easy one to get to,, cross bluewater and head straight south.

yes i know it labor day weekend. i figure if i get anyone truely interested we can wiggle the details a bit. also might have to get going on reservations for that weekend, i'll check.

[rgrugg]

For several years now we've made it a practice NOT to go camping on a holiday weekend, especially at state parks. Our experience has been that they're very crowded, noisy, and the restroom/shower facilities have not been very well maintained. Other weekends not so bad.

[RogerDat]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

For several years now we've made it a practice NOT to go camping on a holiday weekend, especially at state parks.....

We also tend to avoid holiday weekend travel. I think we have done it three times in about 10 years, twice the traffic was awful, once we drove 15 miles of back roads down to waterloo so traffic ok but park was jam packed. Going to be hard if not impossible sell my wife on Labor day weekend camping trip.

Do think the consideration of bugs and temp that went into the date are good thinking.

How many have kids in school as a factor? Ours are all grown.

[ericw]

We still have kids who love to camp and would prefer the dates include a weekend.

[Pam Garlow]

I'm interested, but am another one that stays home on the holiday weekends. Algonac sounds great

[john warren]

there is the problem,,,no matter what day is picked, or place, thats the response we get. so you just have to announce your intentions to be somewhere, and if folks show up and you have fun, next time a few more may show up. unless we start a michigan "chapter" so we can have set events, it will be iffy at best.

[Roy in TO]

These things sort of evolve John.

Essentially any meet can be held on weekdays, weekends, long weekends or a combination of one running into the other. The feedback others have given you on the initial dates makes a lot of sense. Long weekends and State Parks are something one may want to avoid. Might you suggest another date?

For me that location works if it was earlier in the week. I could then visit friends in MI while the parks are at capacity.

Over here, there has been a trend for people to start booking long weekends a day or two earlier, going to the park and setting up camp then coming home before the weekend starts. Just so they don't have to fight the crowds and theirs sites are ready to go when they first arrive.

If you look at the dates for many meets they are either before or after a long weekend.

[john warren]

ok, how about the 8th and 9th, saturday and sunday. arrive friday evening the 7th for set up. the weather should be a bit cooler then an august weekend.

[Pam Garlow]

John, you are saying September 8/9, correct? (that's saturday/sunday). And we're talking about Algonac? If so, I'm in!

[john warren]

yes pam . ok lets do this,,,, we have two campers now,,,lol.

sept, 8,9 with arrival on the evening 7th for setting up algonac state park.

we now have a date and a place. i will put a few things together and start a new posting to try to catch the eye of those that have stopped following this particular thread. should have it up this morning some time.