Yup...and I might even be able to take a side trip to my olde school (U. S. Naval Academy); only been there a couple of times since I graduated. Wouldn't mind another home game for the Academy football team...although I'm probably not ready to deal with the fact that many of today's Mids are my classmates' grandchildren...heck, the Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen (A Navy Captain) could be a classmate's kid.

As of this writing, there has been 810 views and 45 responses. Most of the responses have been by a handful of people. Now, I know that you are all planning two get togethers for this year, but what about next year? What if we can get something solid NOW so plans can be made by a multitude of Barth owners? Well, what we need NOW is input. Good, bad, ugly or indifferent...WE NEED TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK! So, don't just read through. Tell us what YOU think about a 2009 East Coast Barth Gathering in a centrally located site, possibly in our nations capital. By looking at the map of Barths on this website, I would think that if we get it together before the holidays roll in, we could and should have committments for 20+ Barths to show. But the sooner we try to make arrangements the more flexible we can be.... Can 'ya hear me calling???
Bruce

Hi Bruce and Kathleen,

If you guys would like head this up, I suggest you locate a campground and set a few target dates.

I spent a lot of time posting for our first "Get Together", but people didn't get really serious until I set it up.

Georgene and I would try to make this one.

Bill G

quote:

Originally posted by Bill G:
Hi Bruce and Kathleen,

If you guys would like head this up, I suggest you locate a campground and set a few target dates.

I spent a lot of time posting for our first "Get Together", but people didn't get really serious until I set it up.

Georgene and I would try to make this one.

Bill G

I can only second and agree with Bill G.'s post. The Choo-Choo GTG couldn't get pass the talking stage until we just said we are going to TN and this is the date. Donna and I will also try to make this one.

Nick

Here's a subjective update from my end if we want to consider a 2009 Nation's Capital GTG.......

Cherry Hill Campground The biggest and most elaborate RV facility in the DC area. Full hookups, pools, game rooms, playgrounds, yada yada. City bus service at front door, shuttles to MetroRail station, Gray Line sightseeing pick-up point. Easy access from Interstate system. Busy, busy, busy place, highway noise, etc. Since none of us have slides, trespassing on neighbor's site won't be an issue. Sites are $55-$65/day for two people + $5/day additional folks.
If full hook-ups are a requirement, this is the ONLY game in town within reasonable distance.


Greenbelt Park Closest camping to downtown (12 mi). A NPS facility. No hookups, but random water access & reasonable shower facilities, also dump station. $16/night....
Main problem is that no reservations are taken after Labor Day. 174 sites - never fill up off-season, but no guarantees either. Rangers seem unable or unwilling to consider taking reservations for GTG after Labor Day.

Watkins Regional Park East side of city, 10-15 minutes to MetroRail, another 20 minutes to the Mall. No hookups, random water access, shaded sites, clean & modern showers. At last month's family weekend, we used 5 sites....other 35+ sites were vacant. (It's been that way for past four years)






Possible Option - College Park Airport
College Park Airport (World's oldest) will be having a 100th anniversary airshow on September 26th, 2009...(Thunderbirds plus other bigtime performers, maybe a Prez visit, etc.) We will be installing a rather extensive temporary infrastructure for the show, i.e. 50amp ground cable network for food vendors, temporary water lines, large tent, etc. If our GTG were to happen the following week, it's possible all of this could be left in-place for GTG use. We've got plenty of flat open grass areas to set-up. Airport has MetroRail stop one block away, getting folks to/from Mall in 20 minutes. Since 9/11/01, restrictions have devastated flight ops so noise wouldn't be an issue. Cost would be negligable. Within 3 minute walk: indoor/outdoor tennis, pool, ice skating rink, access to 40 mile paved bike trail system, fishing lake, Smithsonian associated aviation museum, U. of MD campus, disk golf course, etc.

Anyway.....food for thought.......

Lee, thanks for the legwork and info. This is high on our priority list for next year, so I'm paying attention to all posts. From what you say, I would rank my vote as follows.
1 Airport [if available]
2 Cherry Hill
3 Watkins
4 Greenbelt
My thinking is Cherry Hill would be worth the high price simply for the availability of transportation. I really don't care how close we are to the mall if I don't have a way to get there. We want at least 1 full day for the Smithsonion, I'm sure it should be more, and a day or so to see the memorials and the Wall.

Our son is stationed in Washington so I won't have trouble talking Deb into this.

Count us in.

ED.

P.S.
Danny

Like your choices.

I vote to go ahead and bite the bullet and stay at the expensive Cherry Hill. For a five night stay you are looking at $200.00 additional cost. We should be able to save back some of that by not running the generator and transportation to all the sights. And the full hook ups have got to save dumping tanks and etc.

I don't like spending the money either but I figure the difference is worth it.

Also how about scheduling it when the air show is in town. One more thing to see.

Nick

I'd go with:

1. Airport
2. Cherry Hill

The expense of Cherry Hill is no big deal, but it's right alongside two of the busiest sections of Interstate in the country.

Someone-who-should-know mentioned to me yesterday that Cherry Hill has provisions to accommodate organized RV rallies.....i.e.: dedicated area, pavillion use, special package pricing, etc.
I'll check it out in the next couple days and report back.....Other than road noise, this might negate some of the negatives.....

quote:

Also how about scheduling it when the air show is in town.

Please don't! From a purely selfish standpoint, we'll be working 24/7 during that time and I'd miss out on a great GTG!

We are new to this site and are looking forward to all the events, rallies, etc. New email is apachelee38@aol.com. We have a fully restored 82 euro glassnose 27 ft, with 8.2 Detroit Diesel. It took 2.5 years to retore in and out and we are 98% done. Final touches curtains etc. Are interested in rally in DC but will have to see because fuel cost from Arizona. Hope to hear from you.
Richard & Lee

Time for me to get back into this cause and leave my 2 cents worth...I mentioned Cherry Hill Park because of the ability to get full hook ups and the ease of available transportation options to get into D.C. to tour. Add to that, you can leave your toads at home for this one, therefore improving fuel milage. We cannot do anything about the cost of fuel but hope that an opportunity to gather Barths in a "central" east coast location with lots to see and do seems like a winner to me. It seems that the biggest drawback is the possible highway noise because of its location. I believe that is a small price to pay for all the other benefits. And by time we get back from our fruitful days of touring to gather for the evening with fellow Barth owners, it may be late enough into the evening by time we go to bed that the moise is not a real issue...
Lee...hate to put you through the ropes, but since you are close by I would not have a problem working with you to try to put this together. I appreciate your efforts already and if we can confirm that Cherry Hill will work with us, I say we go forward and set up a couple of possible dates. I do believe that dates after school opens up in the fall of 2009 would be a good time to schedule our gathering. For those of you with children, don't you think an educational trip to our nations capital is worth pulling the kids out of school for a couple of days? I bet the school administrators would think so. So maybe something in mid to late September or even early October?
Bruce

Oh, and a p.s. on the prior message....first of all it's supposed to say "noise", not "moise". Second, another reason to schedule after school opens up in 2009---if we schedule after Labor Day next year the park may not be as "busy", therefore helping us all the way around. I have never stayed there but do know quite a few that have and it always gets good reviews from them.
Bruce

Bruce & Kathleen, and anyone else who didn't know. On the bottom right corner of each post you'll see 2 icons, except your own posts which have 3. The middle one is "edit", which brings your post back to the page you wrote it on so you can correct any errors. I know because I've used it often!
On the second part, I agree about later in the fall. Talledega will be on November 1st next year, so that's the only weekend we wouldn't make it. [Assuming we are in a position to make it at all]

quote:

Originally posted by Danny Z:
On the bottom right corner of each post you'll see 2 icons, except your own posts which have 3. The middle one is "edit", which brings your post back to the page you wrote it on so you can correct any errors.

A picture is worth a...



This is what Danny is talking about. Thanks for the educational message Danny!!!