Frank, I'll try to answer what I can - but some of your questions are better addressed by the Ranger -Sandy Jones. Please email her at
[email protected] for some of the technical details about food prep locations and such.
Right now we are thinking incoming on Friday, bigger group on Saturday, some stuff and departing on Sunday.
For all - this is the first GTG for this area/location, so it will be somewhat rough. We'll have glitches and issues that can be worked out for next year after we see how it goes. I suggest trying to be as self sufficient as possible this time through. Once we have one GTG under our belt, we can form groups and address the cooking, lodging, etc. for a possibly bigger follow-on event.
The basics are:
50 unit campground with tables, fire rings, tent sites and parking spurs that will take up to 24 ft motor home or pick-up and big camper. There are few that might take a bit more, but maneuvering around the loop road will lead to limb rubs on a bigger machine.
The Campground has two combo restrooms with hot showers ($.25 timers - a dollar will probably get you clean). There are faucets located around the campground loop. There are also 4 Walk-in Sites where you park in small common lot and walk into your tent site - probably 50 yds max.
There is one Group Camp area for family reunion sized bunches all camping together. It can accommodate 30 people with tents (bring them) and park about 10 cars. Group Camp is on reservation year round, so it is through Reserve America service.
There is separate Day Use Area which is probably 3 to 5 acres is located lower in the park and parallel to Highway 29. Has one combo restroom and lots of pic-nic tables with Belson stoves (charcoal or wood). For this even, we are planning to park larger motor homes in the Day Use Area overnight. We can handle maybe 5 or 6 bigger rigs... In this area is where we will be having whatever events we want like antique show, test running gear, doing maintenance demos, etc.
There is a roofed over area with a sink and cooking space called the "Ramada". The Ranger has held this facility for the GTG. This is where I'd suggest cooking for a larger group if we want to have a "Chuck Wagon" for the GTG participants.
We also have a outdoor AV area with a screen and benches nearby. It'll be OK in the evening for showing slides or maybe video with a projector?
I will look into a PayPal account to receive funds and help reserve spaces and such. that is a very good suggestion. I just asked and we don't have one set up for stuff like this yet. Maybe in a few weeks ...
We will likely advertize this "event" in the local small town papers as we need to let the general visiting public know that there is a larger group event happening at the Park so they don't show up and get surprised when all they wanted to do was go for a hike or something. Once we do that, we'll have some local show for the GTG, so the day use crowd may expand to the order of 100 or so.
OBTW - for any of you planning to help organize this, Ranger Jones has called a planning meeting for 2:00PM on Sunday on August 26th to start working out the wrinkles and details. Please keep the ideas coming and let us know if you can help with the organizing?
