Nappanee in '23

[windtrader]

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

[buswarrior]

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

[luvrbus]

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.

[windtrader]

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.

[Tedsoldbus]

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

[Jim Blackwood]

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

[luvrbus]

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

[lvmci]

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...

[DoubleEagle]

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.

[buswarrior]

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

[Jim Blackwood]

Is Napanee an FMCA sponsored meet? I wasm't aware of that.

Jim

[dtcerrato]

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.

[Dave5Cs]

BCM magazine has all the rally's on the get together s page also. 

[Jim Blackwood]

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

[RJ]

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