MVCC Sit-Rep - Plymouth NOTE: APRIL 2020 MEET CANCELLED DUE TO VIRUS

[Greg Lalonde]

i agree with chuck.i know we have a place for members with trailers to park.but people wanting to look around and potentially buy things need to have a place to park,whether it be on the main road,or in the front of the fair grounds,get a pass to access the fairgrounds( walk in of course)and if needed, be able to drive in and out to get their stuff.that would cut down on civilian traffic. i saw a guy with a water truck driving around.maybe if he could,use it to water down,if needed,the roads around the camping areas.just a thought.

[Kurt Lesser]

Chuck, A readdress of the entire parking issue is one of the top items on our list of activities for next years (and possibly Fall)meet. We realize that we didn't do a good job of managing the parking but without some volunteers to help us those of us who do the planning are somewhat powerless at times. We could use help at the check in location and out in the parking field. We will have signs for speed limits and restricting access to campers only within the fairgrounds but JoAnn and I get locked into our tasks and could use some additional help. We did have a few members step up for which we are very grateful but we could sure use a few more.

[tractor12]

I had the first spot coming into the fairgrounds and can tell you Joann and Kurt where there the whole time didn’t seem like they got to see the show. The two biggest complaints I heard was the dust and shower/ bathroom situation as there was only one sink and two showers for everyone to share. I did see wait times on it but I think the show was a great success and that I almost like the location better than tower. Only things are as stated above

[John Neuenburg]

The Hagerty Tent Sector sites were a little narrow but there were a lot of them. I don't know how many were not rented, but it would not be good to make them bigger and then not have enough spaces if we grow that half of the meet. This meet was bigger than all other Spring meets in terms of sites rented and visitors. But the positive word of mouth could easily lead to more growth. Some 2019 RVers might choose to tent or truck camp in 2020 to be in an all hobbyist area. Some who tent camped might choose to buy or rent a travel trailer or RV and move to the 49er in 2020 to get shade and no dirt. We won't know the trend until rates are known and folks start making reservations.

Seems to me the dry sites at $25 per night were affordable enough so multiples could be rented for guys sharing or to park vehicles and even a trailer. But there was a trailer storage area, and folks can always move their civvy truck or car to the parking lot a 90 second walk away.

[superdave]

I am putting my 2 cents in on this meet and I thought it was great, I traveled almost 4000 miles to drive down and back (I am in Canada) and have done so for around 8 years except last year as I went to the 1st Petaluma but I would have not returned if it would have stayed there. As for a 1st time new location I thought things went pretty smooth from my perspective and everyone I talked with thought the new location was great as well. I hope this will be the new site for years to come and I am sure that it will only get better with the positive feedback from the group and I commend the volunteers for all there good effort in putting this on.


Dave

[Kurt Lesser]

When we first visited the fairgrounds to see what we had to deal with they had just finished the county fair and the spaces were marked accordingly at roughly 20 x 30. Because of the number of campers expected we needed to shrink the size of the spaced and ended up around 15 x 25. This does put a cramp on campers who need to have their vehicles in their space with them. Next time we set up we're going to ask people to park their cars and trucks outside the fence in the public parking area. There's plenty of room if we manage it better than we did this go round. This does two things, one it gives campers more space to setup and secondly it makes the camp look more military. We're also going to be asking people not to park along the fences and definitely not in the fire lanes. We had some issues with drivers in larger rigs that couldn't make the corners and the fire department reminded us of the necessity to keep the fire lanes accessible for safety. All transport trailers will need to be outside the camping area during the event. There was plenty of space in the swamp area that can be used for trailers too.

We welcome all suggestions for improving this event and you can send them to JoAnn at mvcccampmistress.com

[Chuck Lutz]

Oh yeah...one more thing....did the volunteers wear anything to identify them as "staff"? How about some of those very inexpensive yellow or orange vests they sell at Harbor Freight? That would help the wandering, lost campers find what they needed. I would print out and put into a plastic sleeve a map of the 49er and of the Fairgrounds numbered sites & aisles for them.

Also, If anyone had a few a-frames that SIGNAGE could be attached to, that might be a big help as well. They could have maps with the usual "YOU ARE HERE" on them also.

Last thing...with the blockage of the aisles by vehicles somewhat of an issue, maybe individual aisles could be indicated as ONE WAY TRAFFIC ONLY.

I wish we had a member who worked at/owned a signage shop and could print on large cardboard like 24" x 36", any needed signage for us.

I just think Plymouth was a really good "First Date" experience and we only need to fine-tune it a bit. I don't want to be critical of the fantastic job I think the club leadership did to find Plymouth, secure the Fairgrounds and make the meet an overall great meet for the most part!

[John Neuenburg]

Lots of good feedback. For those who don't know, Chuck is a former pro event production guy and knows how details large and small affect the success of an event.

Chuck, you mentioned your group early in the thread. How many of them brought a MV? How many typically brought one to Tower or Petaluma but not this meet? Why? Think any of them will bring one next year?

For most attendees this was their first time seeing the 49er Village and the fairgrounds layout. A learning process. One important difference compared to Tower Park before all the pull-throughs were created and cabins installed is the old Tower sites were generally wider. 38 to 40 feet. Also there was no buried sprinkler piping so parking on the grass was OK. 49er, like Petaluma KOA, doesn't want parking on the lawns because of sprinklers and to keep them looking good. I don't know if that rule can be softened in the future for light vehicles like jeeps but that would be a great improvement if possible. Maybe a decision made when they know how soft the turf will be? Wishful thinking probably...???

Wife and I have been using cabins for a couple years and the parking doesn't work for us. We have always brought 1-3 MVs and a pickup. 49er studio cabins come with only one parking spot, as did all Petaluma KOA cabins. Larger 49er cabins can take two vehicles. So we rented the RV site next to our studio. To us it's a vacation expense but this is not for everybody. I'll bet more people will do that next time and if it results in them bringing their MV or display or extra sales goods, that is good for the event. We didn't consume all the sites in our 49er block and I don't know how many will be in our 2020 block but probably we won't lack RV sites. One side benefit to us consuming more sites is it will get us closer to filling our block so when Jo-Ann returns unreserved ones to 49er there are fewer available to "civilians." Those folks will be steered to the 49er block. Our area becomes more "ours."

On the fairgrounds side, I wonder if more people will rent two tent sites next time to get more space? That's fairly affordable. Will we have enough spaces? The event could grow. One wonders if they were made wider, people won't have to rent two just to make room for a pickup, jeep, and tent. That shrinks the total available but maybe it would work?

[Greg Lalonde]

im curious if the person with the drone,is going to share with us on utube or on face book.also some nite footage he took on saturday nite? or some video of the convoy to sutter creek.also it is always mentioned about wanting our membership to grow.growth is good,just as long as we dont out grow our ability to have a successful event, instead of an over crowded event where your neighbor is ten feet away,.this event was perfect.just the right amount of people.or did we have room for more. P.S. i had a great time.

[Chuck Lutz]

John....with our group, not all could attend for the duration. Matt came between work commitments so his Dodge or his jeep stayed at home. I've been in a selling parts mode now so my jeep stayed at home and I loaded up my Bantam behind my F-250. Ernie rented an RV instead of driving his pickup with a jeep or Dodge on a trailer because we wanted to camp as a group and the 49er did not allow tents and that seemed to him to be a much better option than the fairgrounds so we could all hang together. Mike S. was facing mudslides and road closures from Oregon to CA so he did not tow a trailer with his jeep on it. Don rode with Ernie for the same reasons, as he couldn't tent camp in the 49er.

Dave decided not to tow his jeep on a trailer as he was tour-guiding Atle from Norway around. Gary came up for a day so he didn't bring his jeep which was, as we speak in the middle of the Atlantic on the way to Normandy 75th along with Ernie's jeep. Mitch sold his jeep years ago. Major Mike couldn't come from Kansas as he is relocating right now. Michael O. couldn't get a work schedule to work this time around. Mark Tombleson was up in the NW and too far for him. Mac McCluskey passed away recently (RIP Mac!) so he did not bring a jeep.

Paulie towed his jeep behind his camper van so we did have one MV in our sites.

Here's hoping we can retain our "rights" to the spaces we had in the 49er we had for the future jeep meets!

[Greg Lalonde]

here"s hoping we can retain our"rights" to our camp sites we had at the fair grounds this year.and next year.

[Mark Tombleson]

I wasn't too far(Selah, WA)... just personal issues and now my wife, Anita, is very sick.

I hope to be there next year as now I tow the MZ-1 around in a 20' trailer.





Not sure how I will stay, cabin or tent or hotel?

[tractor12]

Mark you were missed. None of us Mz owners brought our jeeps to the showcase

[John Neuenburg]

I miss his dog more than Mark. And his jeep.

Kidding, sort of.

Besides a MV show and a swap meet, these meets are social events for many. The buying and selling attracts people from afar, and that means more friends and acquaintances show up. Maybe that's the most important thing and the rest is gravy.

I heard that anybody who rented a campsite or cabin has the rights to it next Spring. If that person will not be there he can turn it over to Jo-Ann so someone else can use it for one time only. The original renter keeps the rights to it unless he chooses to give it up. This is how the two big meets have worked for years. FYI if the Fall meet is at the same venue it is a different reservation process. Your Spring site isn't necessarily your Fall site.

Assuming Jo-Ann will again be Wagonmistress and the system is the same, she will let us know when we should contact 49er to put our deposit down. They won't take reservations until they and we know our 2020 prices. 49er won't reserve a different site for you unless this is what Jo-Ann's lists says. To request a site change, contact her at MVCCCampmistress@yahoo.com

Pretty sure Jo-Ann has a wait list for all cabins. For a hotel or B&B option, when the dates are announced it would be good to make a reservation. MVCC officers especially Dave Porter have a hotel list.

One of our folks rented an RV and it was priced similar to a one or two bedroom cabin. It was a $200 fee for drop off and pick up by the vendor, $100 per night, plus his RV site reservation. So around $800 for 4 nights. Advantage over a cabin is camping wherever there is an available campsite.

Probably reservations in the Tent Sector will run the same as this year with the MVCC doing the renting which covered the rental of our portion of the fairgrounds.

The Fall meet is not at Tower Park. If the MVCC announces a Fall meet elsewhere, you can see the advantage of reserving a site the first year to get the rights to it in future years, assuming this feature carries on.

[timsresort]

Overall, very pleased with the event, the layout, the RV resort, and the organizers. Our Dodge Boys area at the entrance was a little congested, but we had a bunch of MV's, and parking was tight, but it worked. In the first 2 cabins we had 3 command cars, a MB, a mule, a Ben Hur and an MBT. I was kind of hoping the resort would let us park in some of their spots across from the office, but no. I was glad we rented the RV spot behind the cabins for selling and display. Since we were in view of the office window, I figure if we got out of this meet without the staff having a problem with everything, I mean something we did, we're in good shape.