|
|
09-09-2012, 08:39 PM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Black Hills South Dakota
Posts: 84
|
SMB Gatherings
Look to me like the last SMB sponsored get together was in 2009. Does anyone know of plans to have another one or why they stopped having them
Doc
__________________
2015 Sprinter 4x4 RB-150
|
|
|
09-10-2012, 01:15 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 200
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
SMB West has been sponsoring the Overlander Expo. As far as I know, this is where they have concentrated the budget and effort for this kind of event. I doubt there will be another SMB rally any time soon, at least on the west coast.
As far as I am concerned, that's to bad. The Overlander Expo is great but 100 SMB owners together in one place can't be beat.
|
|
|
09-10-2012, 08:52 AM
|
#3
|
Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Posts: 1,537
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
Where was the event in 2009?
__________________
Mac McIntire
2003 Ford E250, 5.4L V8,
|
|
|
09-10-2012, 09:57 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,715
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
Come join us in Hungry Valley, Gorman Oct 6th
|
|
|
09-10-2012, 11:22 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Preston, ID
Posts: 1,213
|
SMB Gatherings
Had a great meet up at Valley of Fire just last year.
Z
http://www.tomsinclair.net
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 07:34 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Newark, CA
Posts: 795
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
Doc...
The rallies were initially conceived by Alan Feld as a way to let owners of 4x4 SMBs learn how to get out into the back country and really use their vehicles. But, as popularity of the events grew, the logistics and cost of them also grew. We attended several of them and they were great...we learned a lot from both the "classes" and trail rides. But, with just over 100 vans at each rally, I suspect the planning and cost were getting too much.
For example, we attended the 2002 Rally in Silverton, CO. To put that on, Alan reserved the entire county park at Molas Lake, brought in tents, tables, and chairs for accommodating over the over 200 attendees for a catered breakfast and dinner for 3 days, rented portable toilets and water facilities, obtained Forest Service permits for the trail rides in the area, etc. The Park City event in 2007 was on a private ranch near Park City and catered, etc. but Alan also hired a contractor to create an obstacle course for the event, and ferried several uncompleted 4x4 SMB vans to Park City from Fresno, CA for participants to use on the obstacle course. Participants were divided into teams of around 4 owners each and those teams competed in various events. Each van owner of the winning team received 5 new BFG tires (that is 20 new tires, most likely donated by BFG)...all of these things take a lot of work to plan, organize, and execute without problems. I think 2007 was the last rally.
When I talked to Alan back in 2007 about the future of the rallies, he told me that it was getting harder and harder to find venues for them, especially given their popularity. There were also costly since van owners were only charged around, as I recall, the $50 per person. I doubt that that cost covered the catered meals, camping fees, insurance, and all of the other costs associated with them...
__________________
Jack
'01 Ford EB50p Quigley 4WD
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 07:47 AM
|
#7
|
Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,179
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
Can you imagine the cost of the liability insurance alone? Personally, I find smaller gatherings much more enjoyable.
Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 11:12 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,715
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
Sounds like those rallies were a blast.
Too bad I showed up to the party too late.
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 04:42 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington - Ridgefield
Posts: 4,728
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
Actually, you can pick a time and place to meetup and post it on this forum. we've had some great meetings that were simply arranged by members here:
- Toroweap
- Sample Meadows
- Bolsa Chico
- Valley of Fire
- Death Valley
Just to mention a few. Everyone was a fun time. It is always nice to put a face to a forum handle, and to renew old acquaintances.
Even if you have to shift your schedule to make it to one of these, I highly recommend them. Come one, come all.
Mike
__________________
Alaska to Key West, Labrador and more
Prostate cancer survivor. See Thread Prostate cancer and Sportsmobiles
2015 VW GTI 2020 Fiat 124 Spider
2012 E250 Hitop camper
|
|
|
09-11-2012, 04:57 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,715
|
Re: SMB Gatherings
Mike,
Ate you coming to our oct 6th meet in Gorman?
|
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|