VA | 2023, Oct 18-22, Hungry Mother Rally

[WaltP]

The 2023 rally will be a week earlier than in the past. It will still be in the window of best fall color weeks.

We are working with park staff to get a block of sites set aside for the rally and hope to report on that soon. We've requested sites 23 to 52 which will include both sites with and without sewer All sites have water and electric hookups.

Registration at Hungry Mother starts 11 months prior to the first date requested, which is coming up soon.
https://reservevaparks.com/web/Facil...vailabity.aspx

There is also a facebook page for the rally at https://www.facebook.com/groups/469939948028622

[nanylou61]

Any updates for booking. Who do we call to book?
Its 11 months out and I would like to go ahead and snag my site! Thanks

[Jon Vermilye]

You need to make your reservation through the park (276 781 7400) (although I got a call back on 276 781 7404) not the Virginia Reserve America 800 number. The first time I tried the park I was referred to the 800 number so you may need to let the individual at the park know you are part of the fiberglass trailer rally booking sites on hold under Walt & find someone that understands the hold & how to book them.

I will be in site 34 and my friends the Guido's in 33 Wednesday and leaving Monday.

[WaltP]

I finally have the information on how to register for the rally.
They have blocked off 30 sites for our rally, sites 23 to 52, that includes both full hookup sites and water/electric sites.
They have a new registration system which unfortunately does not handle blocked sites.
To register, place a call to the park office, 276-781-7400. Ask for Ann Shelton. If she is not available, leave a message and she will get back to you. That's the only way to access a blocked site
Personally I'm not happy with this process, but it is what it is.
There does not seem to be a way to tell which sites are still open other than asking Ann.
While the concept of having a block of sites set aside for us was very appealing, I'm not sure it's worth dealing with this awkward registration process.
We'll probably have to re-evaluate for the following year.
I have registered for site 43, the same as this year.
I suggest you go to the park website and bring up the map for Burson before you call.

Walt

[Steve Hague]

We have reserved site #46, arriving Thursday and departing Monday. Looking forward to our first Hungry Mother Rally.
Steve and Beth Hague
1978 Trillium 4500

[WaltP]

Originally Posted by Steve Hague

We have reserved site #46, arriving Thursday and departing Monday. Looking forward to our first Hungry Mother Rally.
Steve and Beth Hague
1978 Trillium 4500

And in one of my favorite early FG trailers.
Welcome Steve and Beth.
Walt

[LarryB.]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

You need to make your reservation through the park (276 781 7400) (although I got a call back on 276 781 7404) not the Virginia Reserve America 800 number... let the individual at the park know you are part of the fiberglass trailer rally booking sites on hold

I called the park office this morning and the person who answered the phone wasn’t quite familiar with the process to reserve a blocked site but he quickly found out about it. Ann Shelton was busy at the time so he took a message and Ann called me later in the afternoon. With Ann, the verbal process went quite smoothly: I picked a site and she took my credit card info and emailed me a confirmation receipt.

A couple of hints:

• The blocked sites (23 – 52) were originally blocked 10/19 – 10/22
• I notice that the site I chose (#37) is now blocked 19/19 – 10/22 since I am leaving on Sunday 10/23, so if a site between 23 – 52 is open on Sunday, that’s a sure sign that one of us has reserved the site
• Before calling, look at the site map online and develop your “site pick list” before contacting Ann

Notes:

• sites 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 43, 45, 47, 49. 51 are pull thru
• sites 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 are full hookup

I forgot to ask about the “customer membership program” and whether I might qualify for a “promotion”.

[Mike Meyer]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

You need to make your reservation through the park (276 781 7400) (although I got a call back on 276 781 7404) not the Virginia Reserve America 800 number. The first time I tried the park I was referred to the 800 number so you may need to let the individual at the park know you are part of the fiberglass trailer rally booking sites on hold under Walt & find someone that understands the hold & how to book them.

I will be in site 34 and my friends the Guido's in 33 Wednesday and leaving Monday.

We booked 39 today, Ann was very helpful. 18-22. 1984 UHaul VT.

[WaltP]

I called the park today for an update. Currently of our 30 dedicated sites, 20 are taken. There are still both full hookup and water/electric sites available. Better hurry, there are only 9 months to go. ��

[Lorraine H]

Originally Posted by WaltP

The 2023 rally will be a week earlier than in the past. It will still be in the window of best fall color weeks.

We are working with park staff to get a block of sites set aside for the rally and hope to report on that soon. We've requested sites 23 to 52 which will include both sites with and without sewer All sites have water and electric hookups.

Registration at Hungry Mother starts 11 months prior to the first date requested, which is coming up soon.
https://reservevaparks.com/web/Facil...vailabity.aspx

There is also a facebook page for the rally at https://www.facebook.com/groups/469939948028622

Hi Walt,

Haven't seen any updates, so wondering if the rally is still on. Enjoyed meeting y'all in 2021. Missed 2022 as I was on the way to Sumas to pick up my 5.0. Hoping to come with my trailer this year.

Thanks!

Edit: Sorry for this nonsense post. At first, just Walt's original post came up without any of the follow-on posts. Then, after I posted this & went back, all of the newer posts were there - weird.

[Lorraine H]

Hi All,

I just called the park to see if there are any sites left in the block. She told me that they had "sent that block over to reservations." The folks at the VA state parks reservations center said that nothing is blocked off at this point. On the reservations website, I snagged a site for the nights of the 16th-19th & another site for the nights of the 21st-22nd. All sites are booked for the Friday night, however, there is a "notify me" feature that will send an email should a site open up for that night.

Thought that this info might be helpful to others.

Looking forward to Oct,
Lorraine

[jwcolby123]

The only thing I am seeing is "a week earlier than last year". I have no idea when it was last year. I could make it this year but don't want to reserve the wrong dates.


It sure feels like this park is too small for our group. 6 months in advance I can't get in.

[Jon Vermilye]

The dates are in the Title block of the first post - October 18 - 22nd, which includes a couple of days before the weekend.

[WaltP]

Popular fiberglass rallies often get booked full well in advance. In our case Burson has 52 sites and we had 30 set aside. In addition to Hungry Mother being a very nice, very popular park, it's one of the few VA state parks offering year-round camping and we have chosen peak Fall color season, so it's not surprising that the whole campground is booked that weekend.

[Jim with Scamp]

We made our reservations (3/7/23) at the Creekside campsite @ Hungry Mother. Nothing available with the reserved main group (per person via phone call)

Arriving Wednesday and leave Sunday.


First time for us.


Jim & Ruth Newell



Jim & Ruth Newell

[WaltP]

Hi Jim. Welcome to you both. And I'll say the same to you as others. I recommend you check occasionally for the inevitable cancellations at Burson. The small penalty for changing should not be a deterrent.
I look forward to meeting you in October.

Walt

[jwcolby123]

I tried earlier and all the days for that time were taken. I am sitting in Hungry Mother as I write this, and I decided to go back in to look. I got site 8, which is not in the sites for the fiberglass eggs but hey, at least I can be here.

[WaltP]

You're good. Several others will be in sites outside our block and there's really no difference, next year I'll talk to the park manager about expanding our block. Actually this is the first year they offered to set aside a block for us. Seems we're starting to be noticed. LOL

Walt

[Mjol]

Hi,
I’m coming to the Hungry Mother rally, but sadly I’ll be in a tent. I’m interested in buying a ‘ready to camp’ U-Haul camper, if anyone is selling one. Please contact me if you have something available. Thanks.

[Mjol]

Hi again, . Just wanted to add to my post that I’m interested in buying small fiberglass camper in good shape. Not just the U-Haul. 😀 See you at the rally! Thanks.