Rally Around

There’s a certain type of party designed for RVers. It’s called a Rally.  People get together with their rigs and trailers to park in the most inhospitable places, like fields or parking lots, without water hookups and often without electricity. But party they do. Friendships are made or renewed, drinks are imbibed. Organizers will have seminars or discussions on many topics important to life on the road. Food is available if not supplied. There is always some kind of entertainment.  Local tours are optional, and if the rally is big enough there will be vendors selling specialized RV items.

We decided to attend a few.  

Our first experience with this type of get together was a year and a half ago, for the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena.  At that time we were parked at the Pomona Fairgrounds on pavement with full services provided (i.e.  electricity, water, and sewer). It was not a large group, less than 30 trailers. It was obviously a destination rally, the destination being the Rose Bowl Parade, and it was costly but well worth it even if just for the preparations involved in seeing the parade.

Having someone with prior knowledge picking out and reserving the best spot along the route to sit, being able to sit in a comfortable bus while in the massive traffic getting to and from the parade, and having people with experience looking after you and your needs in that situation was priceless.

The rally fee also included free tours on each of the five days we were together, including a bus trip to Hollywood and into the Kodak Theatre. We had evening entertainment twice, and all meals supplied. They even gave us a New Year's Eve party. We were herded, and coddled, and catered to. This was a rally “deluxe style”. We haven’t seen, or paid for, the same since.

More recently, we attended a rally exclusive to Airstream owners. We didn’t have far to go as they were setting up in the campgrounds where we spend the shoulder months of the Snowbird camping season. It is a lovely campground in Kingston that has the rare quality of being open and operational all year round, so we can stay there before our pre-selected seasonal site opens up in the spring and after Thanksgiving as well. Since we were already in the campgrounds we just had to relocate from our favourite site with full services and privacy to the “rally field”.  A field, indeed, but at least we were parked on level gravel sites and had water and electricity. No sewer.

 This was not a destination rally, but a business rally. While they did have entertainment on one of the three evenings we were there, they also had committee, executive, and general meetings. Not to say that anyone should have been bored.  Tours of local attractions were planned for an extra fee, and happy hour was always celebrated in either one large group, or more intimate pre-planned groups to encourage social mixing.

But by far the most interesting thing about this rally was seeing the rigs. Who knew that Airstream had not just trailers, but motorhomes, too.  These high brow RVs, called “Land Yachts” aren’t as commonly recognized as the iconic silver trailers. But even among the trailers there were surprises. We got to see our first ever square Airstream. I guess they only built a few of them as the boxed shape just doesn’t pull as well. But the owner was as proud as punch about it, even having his specialized truck license plate read “SQ STREAM”.

Our most recent party trip was down to Syracuse. This rally was put on by the US retail giant Camping World. The entertainment was designed to draw in large crowds, and it succeeded. Star performer Reba McIntire dazzled us on Saturday evening. Other headliners were Wayne Newton and the oldies band The Vogues. The rally planners knew their target audience. Grey was the dominant hair colour and we fit right in.

The organizers did an exceptional job, and it would have gone off without a hitch (excuse the pun) if it wasn’t for the rain. A massive amount of rain. Fields that had been preselected for trailer parking were flooded out. Secondary parking areas became flooded after trailers were settled in. Somehow they managed to arrange emergency weekend parking in shopping mall lots for the final onslaught of partiers. I wouldn’t have minded being in a mall parking lot.  Buses had already been scheduled to run loops between the rally and parking sites, so they merely expanded their routes.

Unfortunately for us, we were directed to park in a field across the highway from the venue. We paid extra to be supplied with electricity, but that was all they offered. Turns out, access to water wasn't a problem. It just wasn't potable. When the deluge started the next day, the field became muddy, and then turned into a lake. Water was up to our bottom step, and with all my shoes, I didn’t have one pair of rainboots. Umbrellas only work on the stuff coming from above. Food could be purchased on site, but the only offerings available were of the greasy fast food variety, so we spelunked back to the trailer for our meal breaks. The evening entertainment was in an outdoor venue, so everyone was grateful that the weather cleared after that one full day of rain.

Despite the glimpse of sunshine, I became very concerned about our four day stay.  Or the end of our stay, to be exact. Trucks driving in and out of our parking area created huge muddy ruts directly in front of us. With trailers parked tightly beside and behind us, the only way to leave on Sunday morning would be right through the mud pit. This might not end well.

We didn’t get much time to worry.  As many as 30 seminars a day were sponsored by the rally, educating us on maintenance, travel, and lifestyles. We decided on the divide and conquer method. For example, hubby attended the course on batteries while I sat in on the navigation one. In between, we could shop in a large building that held around 150 vendors. They sold everything from specialized brooms to satellite systems. Items were demonstrated and samples were offered. Contests and free draws could be entered. It was a very busy place, indeed, as the ribbon of grey hair shuffled its way around the room. I can only imagine the amount of money spent there. We certainly did our share. We came home with stuff to keep hubby busy – roof vents and an antennae to install, and a new water system to play with.

When it was time to go home, the grounds had dried up enough that our valiant truck plowed through the ruts with little trouble, trailer and all. It was quite a few miles before the tires stopped leaving a trail of clods on the road, but we always did like to leave our mark.

Our next rally adventure is of a different kind altogether. A caravan is a rally on the move. We are to start in Delaware and travel with our group down the eastern coast to Georgia. I understand that it’s a slow, leisurely trip down the coast, learning about the history of the area. And that it includes lots of seafood! I sure hope it is a "deluxe style" of rally.

W