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Date:         Sat, 28 Jan 2006 12:17:20 -0800
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon List Meet/Campout Version 1.? (long)
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

What the hell, why not just make it in August, I've always wanted to go to Sturgis... (even tho I ride a BMW...)

Just as an example for argument/debate, I think my family's realistic range (at this time) for a 2-3 day event is at most 8 hours drive one way (ok- 8 hours in a 'normal' vehicle... maybe ten in the van)... which would get us as far east as Flagstaff, or as far north as San Francisco, for instance. (While on that note, I'm not sure how well suited a coastal city would be for this, unless it had value as affording people a trip to the beach/ocean for people that otherwise wouldn't be able to go...)

No need to get into boxed in thinking mode on this... the point about different 'climates' for camping in different places/times of the year was a good one- Just about anybody would enjoy Death Valley in late winter/early spring, especially if the flowers are blooming (sort of a once-in-a-lifetime trip for most), but hardly anybody would enjoy it the rest of the year.

So, it could be something like one yearly event at one location; one yearly event at a rotating location (these during a time when it's warm just about everywhere and when the kids are out of school- we call that 'summer' around here); either one of those options with regional 'satellite' events, perhaps in spring and fall (or even winter, some of you are into that) to take advantage of different types of camping in different weather/different holidays... My personal inclination would be for the rotating yearly event with the seasonal/regional satellite events- 'Boxes on Wheels (or whatever) at Sturgis '06', at Burning Man '07... you get the idea, if folks wanted to 'attach' it to some other event. For the satellite events you could attach to 'Busses by the (insert irrelevant object here)' events, or music festivals, or local festivals or whatever. I remember growing up in Tennessee we used to go to a bluegrass/'country living' festival where you could see examples of nineteenth century living and skills, something which I'd recommend to anybody... I think now it's attached to a BBQ competition (mmm, BBQ). See, there are lots of possibilities.

Something occurred to me about the camping- many of you have Westys of course, we have a passenger van and a buttload of camping equipment. Some folks have neither, and might not be inclined to get some but might still like to attend an event like this, so perhaps the organizer(s) could keep in mind and gauge interest in finding a site that offers cabins or some suitable alternative in order to maximize attendance.

I was trying to think of some regional inland cities off the top of my head (as reference points), but people that live in or around regional centers would have a much better idea of what and where than others would so perhaps that should be left up to folks that live in respective areas (maybe vendors could take a hand in their 'local' meet?). Likewise with events and times of year- I sort of pay attention to these things when they come up on the list but since we've yet to go to any I never bothered to really ingest any of it.

Also, there might be things that would be part of each event, like parts swaps/sales and repair parties- I know people already do this, but aside from all this other stuff I have this idea in the back of my head that these vans and possibly these communities are on the wane and perhaps some greater effort should be made to preserve what's left out of the junkyards and whatever.

And what would we call it?

Just some thoughts to keep the flow going.

Cya, Robert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Clint Kolda" <clint_kolda@YAHOO.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 8:08 AM Subject: Re: Vanagon List Meet/Campout Version 1.?

> Maybe I'm biased a bit based on my location, but I agree a centrally > located place is the best. Nebraska is central and there are some nice > plcaes there, but I think the Black Hills of South Dakota would be the > ideal spot. It is absolutely beautiful and there are plenty of sights to > see. If tens of thousands of Harleys can make it in August, a few busses > should be able to make it in June. > > > Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 19:42:39 -0800 > From: Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM> > Subject: Re: Vanagon List Meet/Campout Version 1.? > > I could picture a single event that would rotate to different regional > locations in a cycle that would repeat say every six years, or, several > regional events under the same name and at the same time. > A 'centrally located' event, considering the majority makeup of this > list > would be in northern Nebraska somewhere. Long way for me to drive > (SoCal); > tho I wouldn't mind making the trip necessarily it just wouldn't be a > possibility for us. > Attaching 'lists events' to other major events (like Burning Man, or > music > festivals or the like) might be an interesting avenue. > I like the idea but logistically it's a tough nut I think. > > Cya, > Robert


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