Don't miss it....
Registration starts in April... Start saving fuel $$$. It's the greatest show on earth.
Quote from: Tedsoldbus on March 07, 2023, 05:03:02 AM
Don't miss it....
Registration starts in April... Start saving fuel $$$. It's the greatest show on earth.
What Ted said
Gee Wizz
Lots of views but no comments on a great upcoming 2023 Napannee rally. Just a thought I'd like to share...
I (as in solo driving) into the states from over five months of Canada & Alaska - I thought the going home part wasn't part of that adventure road trip itinerary until we drove into the 2022 Napannee rally - it was a four day blast just 1-1/2 days drive from home sweet home returning from Alaska. It was great meeting Chessie & wife in Tok twice! - on their way in & on their way out... :^
I met Tedsoldbus on this forum and met Ted in person at the 2022 Napannee rally, in fact we were the 1st two to arrive, Ted was there with a Gary, Misty, & family (Rally team) to greet me into the states! And other busnuts between the Canadian border and the Nappanee 2022 rally in northern IN offering me pit stop on the way to the rally. Ted & I have no investment in the rally other than to try and convey the great time we had there with many bus nuts and other great Random Acts Of Camping units. Hope to see some busnuts on this forum there as it may surprise you what a great rally it is in Amish territory including their surrounding venues and antique engines of yesteryear! Rant over, carry on...
Oh & I forgot to mention the live entertainment and largest campfire I have ever felt the warmth from.
That's my story & I'm stickin' toit... :^
During the 80'90's and into 2000's we went to 3 or more rallies a year and enjoyed the rallies,we don't go to rallies anymore last one we went to was Tom's and Van's damn rally and that been a few years back ,We did go to the GM's rally in Verde Valley 2 years ago ,We didn't go last year I didn't want to drive 10 miles lol
I can testify that it is a great gathering of busnuts of all kinds. I was there last year without a bus, and I got to meet Dan and Ted and see three Scenicruisers, and a lot of other interesting conversions. I plan to take one of my Eagles there this year, and I hope I won't be the only one. The campfire is more like a bonfire that lasts a long time. It's an event that will grow and last, I do believe. Even Cliff might come, it's only about 1500 miles. I think the fees could be waived in his case.
Heck I'd start a go fund me to meet Cliff! :)
But don't hold me to that...
Busnuts who attend rallys w/o their bus(es) are a special breed IMHO. :^
WTH! Where is the busnuts out here west? It seems on this board, nearly all desire to meet up is elsewhere. I can assure you that the Sierra Nevada mountains can indeed be crossed safely. Let's get a west coast nuts gathering.
Quote from: windtrader on March 10, 2023, 11:12:19 AM
WTH! Where is the busnuts out here west? It seems on this board, nearly all desire to meet up is elsewhere. I can assure you that the Sierra Nevada mountains can indeed be crossed safely. Let's get a west coast nuts gathering.
Don the Northwestern Bus Nuts have several rallies a year in your part of the word look them on the net,they usually have a large turn out with all types of buses but mostly Prevost,it is a FMCA club but you can still go without belonging to FMCA.Sad the Bus'n USA went away that was a good rally every year in OR
Think about coming. Life is not a Rehearsal....
Cliff, I will pay half if you can come. I mean it.
Clickable link to register? Where do we find the details ;)
Quote from: Tedsoldbus on March 10, 2023, 04:43:22 PM
Think about coming. Life is not a Rehearsal....
Cliff, I will pay half if you can come. I mean it.
Thanks for the kind offer Ted ,the plate is too full here at the present time for us to make it,I do like putting faces to names though.If I came I may let you buy me cold one lol but 1/2 the expense is not going to happen :^
Cliff, the Eastern half of the US and Canada are just as appreciative of all the help you have offered over the years, just like the Western half. We would be remiss if we did not offer you a chance to rub elbows with us. I don't doubt that you are busy, so we understand, but we sure would like to be visited by the Great One.
Quote from: luvrbus on March 10, 2023, 06:17:16 PM
Thanks for the kind offer Ted ,the plate is too full here at the present time for us to make it,I do like putting faces to names though.If I came I may let you buy me cold one lol but 1/2 the expense is not going to happen :^
If you came I'd buy you both a cold one! and Walter too! :^
Quote from: Van on March 10, 2023, 05:28:41 PM
Clickable link to register? Where do we find the details ;)
Registration starts April 1, they'll be a link with instructions then. Dates for the rally is Sept 21 thru 24. :^
Like DT said it opens in April. I don't have facebook, tik doodle, or eyebrow chat so I just printed the registration form and mailed them a check. Cliff, you have helped me and so many over the years. DT has beer. Don't make us come get you.....
But seriously would love to meet you sometime.
My best regards.
Here is Jim Blackwood relaxing between my bus and Dan's. He told ME about the meet but his bus was not ready. I twisted his arm and he came up in a car and spent a night on my sofa. He fixed the throttle on my Honda Trail 70! He was a Honda mechanic for a spell. Did it with his fingers! Dan and I fed him a steak.
You don't need a bus to come. Fun had by all.
Quote from: luvrbus on March 10, 2023, 02:05:12 PM
Don the Northwestern Bus Nuts have several rallies a year in your part of the word look them on the net,they usually have a large turn out with all types of buses but mostly Prevost,it is a FMCA club but you can still go without belonging to FMCA.Sad the Bus'n USA went away that was a good rally every year in OR
What I don't understand is why there is no mention or chitter chatter about west coast gatherings on this forum? I can not recollect a single one where any of us met out here. I'm pretty sure we take as many showers. lol
The posters on here are of a certain demographic, meaning years of being a practicing busnut...
For many, rally come and go, personalities have a huge impact, worrying about who is profiting from this, quality/content/accuracy of the available programming, workshop attendees whose only motivation to attend is to put the presenter off the rails, another potential food poisoning pot luck, bitchin about costs of everything, gossip and waiting to head north, gossip and waiting to head south, and so on.
Been there, done that, there is no novelty anymore?
Instead, small quiet gatherings of the handful of people we like to spend time with happen, without fanfare or public spectacle via the internet. Put that #$#$^$% camera down, or it goes into the porta potty...
But, rally are a fun thing until they aren't, by all means get out there and soak it all up, heck, start one!
For things that are happening, social media is where the stuff gets posted up. The schoolie crowd seem well motivated to gather. Younger and less curmudgeon?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
At one time there was place here to post rallies and was never used,the larger rallies are FMCA charter club rallies, so people read about those in the FMCA magazine there 50 rallies in the FMCA magazine now up till MAY,The state of CA has never been used much for rallies while the weather is great. the fees for camp grounds, fuel prices and traffic, rallies avoid the state.
Quote from: luvrbus on March 11, 2023, 10:50:04 AM
At one time there was place here to post rallies and was never used,the larger rallies are FMCA charter club rallies, so people read about those in the FMCA magazine there 50 rallies in the FMCA magazine now up till MAY,The state of CA has never been used much for rallies while the weather is great. the fees for camp grounds, fuel prices and traffic, rallies avoid the state.
What the hell does one get for being in FMCA? A list of rallies and a 10% discount at camping world? lolIf I have to join, I guess I will. So far have avoided it.
@BW - I'm not talking about any sort of formal rally. What would be cool is just set a date and location where busnuts can meet up and kick tires and have a beer or two. There are plenty of places during off season where spaces are avaiable and no need to block them off or reserve anything or make meal arrangements.
I'm thinking since it's a good idea to get buses out every month or two, why not make it more like any club meeting. 3rd weekend of the month, show up here if you can. seems doable and I know there are enough in the area to be within a couple hours drive.
I think Nappanee went well for several reasons. We were all in the boo hoo canoe about fuel prices and bottled up because of Covid. Gary and Misty went out on a limb and thought maybe everyone was ready to get out in the wind and clean some bugs off their bus. They were right. Fuel is still high and no small factor for many with limited budget for same.
But...we didn't get a bus to stare at it. Or at least I didn't. Gary and Misty (on BGM) put out a flyer and wanted a gathering of everyone. There were mostly buses, but really well done skoolie and other campers and pull behinds. It was very well planned and hosted but purposely low key. Not like FMCA with tours, ice cream social, ladies luncheon bla bla bla. and not as expensive. People wandered around and visited, great campfire, and just great to be out after Covid. I am new at this but it was sure fun to see people that knew each other from the web, meet and shake hands. Also very cool to see Scenicruisers and GM and silverside and Flxible drive into the site. I felt like a little kid watching Christmas parade.
Great setting and except for DT who came from Alaska to be there, it is pretty central for most to get there, at least from the eastern half of the US and southern Canada. I have heard guys out west say "Come out here, you can get over the Sierras". Well... I lived in Colorado and there is another little hump to go over...
Would love to meet more BCM and BGM guys from out west but they seem to do their own thing out there. Again fuel is not a minor consideration anymore for driving from California or Oregon to Indiana.
Anyhow, hope that answers some of the questions and if you are feeling bottled up, please join us. You have 6 months to save some fuel money. If you get two or three of you to travel together like some of us are planning for this gig, the journey should be half the fun!
Best regards and safe travels.
Ted
Sorry I didn't post on this thread earlier, been out of town a few days and otherwise tied up with stuff unrelated to buses, but I very much enjoyed the Napanee meet and plan to go again this year, hopefully with the bus this time. I'm not too far from being trip worthy. Have mainly to make waste tank bladders and do some plumbing. But hey, Ted didn't even have a refrigerator when he got there so you know, we can always find a work-around. A good variety of buses showed up, and Ted serenaded us at the campfire, pretty hard to beat that.I mostly hung out with him and Dan but we also got around a bit and looked at the other buses, took the tour etc, met some 2nd generation busnuts and so on. It was a good time.
Jim
Quote from: windtrader on March 11, 2023, 12:18:40 PM
What the hell does one get for being in FMCA? A list of rallies and a 10% discount at camping world? lolIf I have to join, I guess I will. So far have avoided it.
@BW - I'm not talking about any sort of formal rally. What would be cool is just set a date and location where busnuts can meet up and kick tires and have a beer or two. There are plenty of places during off season where spaces are avaiable and no need to block them off or reserve anything or make meal arrangements.
I'm thinking since it's a good idea to get buses out every month or two, why not make it more like any club meeting. 3rd weekend of the month, show up here if you can. seems doable and I know there are enough in the area to be within a couple hours drive.
I have belonged to FMCA for years you don't get much anymore but for 50 bucks a year,the tab they picked up on Sonja's helicopter to Vegas I got a lot of yearly dues back $29.850.00 to be exact,they have a tire program too that is not bad I will stay with FMCA I cannot buy Medical flight insurance for 50 bucks a year or get my RV home if something happens to me so it is worth the price
A NON Rally Gathering or NRG is what Van and I created with That Dam Rally, nearby Hoover Dam. Just a group of busnuts that wanted to get together for some bus time. Nothing formal, no fees, nothing to vote on, everyone made their own reservations, everyone brought some food for the main meal one day. Worked great for several years...
Quote from: luvrbus on March 11, 2023, 02:52:24 PM
I have belonged to FMCA for years you don't get much anymore but for 50 bucks a year,the tab they picked up on Sonja's helicopter to Vegas I got a lot of yearly dues back $29.850.00 to be exact,they have a tire program too that is not bad I will stay with FMCA I cannot buy Medical flight insurance for 50 bucks a year or get my RV home if something happens to me so it is worth the price
That Medical Insurance might be the only worthwhile benefit left. I had their roadside insurance for years, and the only time I used it was when I ran out of diesel in my dually pickup because the fuel gauge decided to stick. I was on I70 just before Columbus, Ohio, and maybe an hour away from their headquarters in Cincinnati, but they could not find anyone to bring me a few gallons of diesel. The let me sit there for hours with truck traffic whizzing by, and all they could say was they had contacted an outfit in Michigan to come out. It was absolutely crazy that they contacted someone in Michigan 200 miles away to bring fuel when I was close to a large city.
They never responded that day or any other. One of my sons came out with fuel after getting off work. I called FMCA headquarters the next day to report the situation, and they never replyed. I got an automated email asking me to review my recent road service, I think level 1 was the lowest I could go, but that was not low enough. They assumed that I was taken care of when I had not been at all. I just keep FMCA so that I can pay dues to Eagles International, and all I have gotten so far is two name badges that are misspelled. I must be crazy, maybe that will justify a helicopter ride.
I was under the impression that FMCA insurance covers chapter gatherings?
That's huge, if it still works that way, no insurance, even fewer rallys.
Otherwise, same here, belonging gets the medical/recovery.
The magazine content is an endless source of frustration.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Is Napanee an FMCA sponsored meet? I wasm't aware of that.
Jim
Quote from: Jim Blackwood on March 12, 2023, 08:31:00 AM
Is Napanee an FMCA sponsored meet? I wasm't aware of that.
Jim
I don't think so Jim.
The Nappanee Rally & the recent small spontaneous "Florida Rally" at the recent February Florida Flywheelers Show are a couple events that there's a lot of chat about on the BGM Forum. We (Ted & I) bring info about these events to this and other forums to get word out in case anyone is interested. We - here on the east coast when we're in FL like to hear of the Quartzite (spelling?) & other west coast rallys. Spreading words of any kind of busnut get together anywhere to me is like standing at the shore of any body of water - pond, lake, or bay throwing bread across the water seeing activity come to the surface, a step above smoke signals if you will. Just saying...
Heck just think of it as a ploy to keep it alive not to mention the comoradery between people to have yet to meet, if that could happen.
BCM magazine has all the rally's on the get together s page also. :^
Oh, OK. I was just wondering about the string of FMCA posts on the Napanee thread, it seemed a little off topic. But then again, I'm not the only old codger who ever posted on the wrong thread so I can't complain.
I agree it makes a lot of sense to promote the meets, and the more we can do to get the guys together from time to time the better. With the recent bubble in RV sales maybe we'll see a little resurgence in activity. Having once owned a school bus I can see the attraction and some of those guys are really sharp. Done right a schoolie can make a very nice RV, certainly miles ahead of what was once possible with even the best OTR setup. Those are a very solid platform if somewhat lacking in amenities like basement storage. There's also the very real chance that they will move up to a proper rig in time. Not to say a schoolie isn't proper but there aren't that many diesel pushers, and let's face it, it'll always show it's roots. But they are very solid and there's a lot to like about them. For the money they can't be beat.
Anyway it's always great to see what guys have built and I love giving them a chance to show off their skills. It's also always a pleasure to add to the extended family.
Jim
Quote from: windtrader on March 11, 2023, 12:18:40 PM
What would be cool is just set a date and location where busnuts can meet up and kick tires and have a beer or two.
Don -It may not be exactly what you have in mind, but there's going to be a rather large bus event coming up April 21-23 at the Rocha Ranch in Escalon - which isn't that far from you!
Send me a PM if you're interested, and I'll share the contact info.
RJ
Quote from: RJ on March 19, 2023, 05:05:14 AM
Don -
It may not be exactly what you have in mind, but there's going to be a rather large bus event coming up April 21-23 at the Rocha Ranch in Escalon - which isn't that far from you!
Send me a PM if you're interested, and I'll share the contact info.
RJ
Hey RJ,I'm interested to get details on this one as it is pretty close. Just curious if this is posted/advertised? thanks don
Quote from: windtrader on March 20, 2023, 09:39:29 PM
Hey RJ,I'm interested to get details on this one as it is pretty close. Just curious if this is posted/advertised? thanks don
Don -I sent you a PM with all the details.
I picked up on this from an antique vehicle forum I read from time to time.
Suggest you go, it will be different, but I think you'll find it fascinating.
RJ
A great time.
IT WAS A GREAT TIME! It was great to see OLD friends again an meet NEW ones too!
Gary you should really put it on your calendar for next year!
As should the rest of you! We can make it the new "Pre-Arcadia" gathering (although Arcadia is a thing of the past now too!)
See Y'all at RAOC 2024 Nappanee, IN!
:D BK :D