2021 National HDT Rally

[NeverEasy]

Deb and I are on our way.  Departed VA on Wednesday.  Stayed at Wytheville, VA that night. Now at Clarksville TN RV park.  Will be at Springfield, MO KOA tomorrow night and then on to Hutch on Saturday.  See you soon!

Chet

[sdixon747]

3 hours ago, lappir said:

My hope is to still attend as much as I can, but my truck was on the back of a tow truck today and I won't know before the first part of next week what it will need. 

Have a good time and stay safe. 

Rod

So sorry to hear that Rod. Hope it doesn't turn out to be anything too serious. See ya when you get here.

[lappir]

Got a reminder of where I had hoped to be a little bit ago. Was finishing up my test for ACLS. 

Maybe if I had done it last weekend Tuesday would have turned out different and the truck would have started and all would be good. That's the thing about procrastination, by the time you realize you almost waited too long. Something comes up to reinforce it. 

Have a good Rally. I will be there soon as I can. 

 

Rod 

[lappir]

I heard my name was mentioned during Opening Ceremonies. I am Honored. 

I believe it was about an earlier offer to Steve and Gail to organize a "Salt Mine Tour" again for this years Rally. 

I had every intention of doing such, but it did not come to fruition. I accept all the blame and will do better in the future if I ever offer to provide something for the HDT Rally. I am Sorry. 

The lack of ability may have been a sign I should have better interpreted, since I am still sitting in North Dakota when I planned to be in Kansas today. I am in hope the parts needed to repair my truck arrive this morning as planned and I can get on the road by Wednesday. Wish me luck. 

I have always wanted to visit the Mine and will someday. I have heard good things from most of the people who visited. Some didn't like the cold and others the sensation of being that far under the ground. I don't think either will cause me concern. 

Here's to a enjoyable Monday at the 2021 HDT Rally. 

 

Rod

[lappir]

Arrived last night in time for the BBQ dinner. Very good as usual. 

The park was nearly full when I arrived and there is another "Group" enjoying the western part it seems. I thought I stopped at a "Happy Hour" location in the Jeep after unloading it, but it was a group of Winnebago owners having dinner. Wondered why I didn't recognize a single face. 

For those who don't know about the "Loading Dock" on the West end, I have used it a lot. Almost every visit. Sure is easier to back up to it than drag out the ramps  and wonder if they are placed exactly right. Anyway, back to the Rally. 

Walked into a full house at the meal. Not sure what time it was, but there still was a line for the food. I snuck behind the table to find Steve to make sure I had in fact paid for the rally. (It was a long time ago.) Gail came up and said I couldn't eat if I didn't have my Lanyard on, but Jack and the Springfield's served me anyway.  Talk about missing a year or two seeing some teenagers, they grow up way too fast. 

I think I heard there were 90 trucks all lined up earlier yesterday for the group photo. Hope someone post's it here someday. I had planned to have both my truck and Jeep this year in the photo, but I guess it will have to wait till some other year. There are a gaggle of jeeps it seems. 

Many new faces this year and a good portion of new Trucks sitting around. There are still a few LGT's. 

 

Today is the New Horizions, Spacecraft and I hear DRV and maybe Sport Chassis too. Saw Greg, but no Spacecraft trailer. Not sure if they don't have a "Show Model" ready this year or not. Not sure if I will have the time to stop by on my way through next week to see what's going on at the factory. 

I'm rested now after the 600+ miles yesterday and looking forward to seeing everyone I missed last night today. 

I missed a few seminars I had planned to attend, but it looks like there are still some I will have fun with and maybe learn a thing or two. 

 

Rod

Maybe some photos later. Too late, too dark and too tired last night. 

[lappir]

Arrived last night in time for the BBQ dinner. Very good as usual. 

The park was nearly full when I arrived and there is another "Group" enjoying the western part it seems. I thought I stopped at a "Happy Hour" location in the Jeep after unloading it, but it was a group of Winnebago owners having dinner. Wondered why I didn't recognize a single face. 

For those who don't know about the "Loading Dock" on the West end, I have used it a lot. Almost every visit. Sure is easier to back up to it than drag out the ramps  and wonder if they are placed exactly right. Anyway, back to the Rally. 

Walked into a full house at the meal. Not sure what time it was, but there still was a line for the food. I snuck behind the table to find Steve to make sure I had in fact paid for the rally. (It was a long time ago.) Gail came up and said I couldn't eat if I didn't have my Lanyard on, but Jack and the Springfield's served me anyway.  Talk about missing a year or two seeing some teenagers, they grow up way too fast. 

I think I heard there were 90 trucks all lined up earlier yesterday for the group photo. Hope someone post's it here someday. I had planned to have both my truck and Jeep this year in the photo, but I guess it will have to wait till some other year. There are a gaggle of jeeps it seems. 

Many new faces this year and a good portion of new Trucks sitting around. There are still a few LGT's. 

 

Today is the New Horizions, Spacecraft and I hear DRV and maybe Sport Chassis too. Saw Greg, but no Spacecraft trailer. Not sure if they don't have a "Show Model" ready this year or not. Not sure if I will have the time to stop by on my way through next week to see what's going on at the factory. 

I'm rested now after the 600+ miles yesterday and looking forward to seeing everyone I missed last night today. 

I missed a few seminars I had planned to attend, but it looks like there are still some I will have fun with and maybe learn a thing or two. 

 

Rod

Maybe some photos later. Too late, too dark and too tired last night. 

[lappir]

Apparently the post I wrote yesterday morning failed to send before my phone was out of range for the WIFI. ++

 

It's 0630 something on Friday now and I had a very enjoyable day at the Rally yesterday. 

It was the day for vendors to arrive with their new Show Models and the tours of some of the newest homes on wheels. 

Someone from "Sport Chassis" was supposed to be here, but cancelled at the last minute on Wednesday. 

Greg from Spacecraft was present and was well prepared for his talk and was entertaining for the most part. There were a few comments that I might of thought uncalled for, but it did not seem to phase the person or persons they were directed at. Unfortunately there was not a new Spacecraft Show Model for 2021. 

Cole came up next from New Horizions. I have heard him speak multiple times and it was sort of sounding the same. I had some other things to do so I slipped out the back during his talk. He did bring a nice trailer for viewing and a "Sport Chassis type" of International MDT that had a for sale sign on it. All the prior years of coming they always had a F3, 4  or 550 Ford, so that was also new this year. 

Alicia from  Rolling Retreats representing DRV was up next. I didn't make it back to the building until she was finishing up so I didn't find out why they didn't stay with the trailer they brought for after the presentation. All I know is I didn't see a trailer in the lineup and then saw one with a dealer plate in front of me as I was heading out to the grocery store. 

I got back in time to join the walking tour of trailers and boy what a tour it was. There were several opened up by some very gracious owners. Way too many for me to visit all of them and I don't have a list of the owners names. I toured a Spacecraft or two that I have wanted to see for a while. I visited a couple Luxe models and several DRV's. I saw the outside of an interesting SpaceCraft or two, but didn't venture inside. They were toy haulers and I didn't want to get any ideas of wanting to think about trading after Greg says there are no openings in the build schedule for over a year. Two are already scheduled for 2023, but one of those has sort of a rolling start depending on the availability of a new tow vehicle. I'm certainly interested in that possibility, but I'll never be able to afford one unless they flood the market with used ones right away. Won't happen in my lifetime I'm afraid. 

Well this has turned out to be a pretty long post. It's time to submit it and start getting ready for breakfast. 

Rod 

[lappir]

So I just noticed the post I thought I submitted was in fact submitted 23 hours prior. Sorry for the double post. When I opened the forum this morning my post was sitting there with the Submit reply sitting right there. I assumed the button hadn't been pushed.  Maybe I edited something, but don't remember what. I might read them both later. 

I did take a couple photos yesterday, but have yet to upload them into the computer. 

Rod

[Jaydrvr]

Thank you for the updates. They're much appreciated, as we once again were forced to cancel at the last minute. Hopefully some day we can actually attend in person. Jay

[lappir]

Still a good number of rigs and RV's at the Campground Sunday when I got back after dark and still the same number the next morning when I left before daylight. I was 30 minutes late for my appointment, so even though I got up and started an hour before my alarm was set. I still didn't allow enough time. I had planned to be back before sunset Sunday, but got caught up with yard work and stuff at my daughters.  It was worth it and the staff cut me  a break and actually got me in and out in time for the second appointment. 

Rod