Vintage trailer rallies are a fun and unique way to unite people with a passion for nostalgia and travel. These events often take place in parks and campgrounds and involve people showing off their vintage trailers, socializing, and enjoying the outdoors. While many factors can influence the success of a vintage trailer rally, three things cannot be changed: the weather, the people, and the park employees.
Firstly, the weather is a major factor that can impact the success of a vintage trailer rally. These events typically occur outdoors, so the weather conditions heavily influence them. Rain, wind, and extreme temperatures can make it difficult for attendees to enjoy themselves, leading to safety concerns. Unfortunately, there is no way to control the weather, so it is important for organizers and attendees to plan accordingly. This means that bringing extra supplies to deal with inclement weather is necessary. Ultimately, the weather can be unpredictable, and Rallies are rain or shine! With proper planning and preparation, it is possible to have a successful vintage trailer rally still.
Secondly, the people who attend a vintage trailer rally are another factor that cannot be changed. Individuals passionate about vintage trailers often attend these events, so they are typically friendly and enthusiastic. However, it is also possible that attendees may have differing opinions or personalities, which can lead to conflicts or disagreements. In some cases, some individuals may be disruptive or unpleasant to be around. While it is impossible to control the behavior of others, organizers can take steps to ensure that everyone is respectful and courteous towards one another. This might mean setting ground rules for behavior or removing individuals causing problems. Ultimately, the people who attend a vintage trailer rally play a big role in shaping the event’s atmosphere, so fostering a sense of community and respect among attendees is important.
Finally, the park employees who oversee the vintage trailer rally are also an important factor that cannot be changed. These individuals ensure the event runs smoothly and address any issues. They may be responsible for setting up campsites, providing information to attendees, or even enforcing rules and regulations. While it is important for park employees to be helpful and supportive, it is also possible that there may be misunderstandings or conflicts that arise between employees and attendees. In these cases, it is important for everyone to remain calm and respectful and to work together to find a solution. Ultimately, park employees are an important part of the vintage trailer rally experience, and it is important for attendees to treat them with respect and appreciation.
In conclusion, vintage trailer rallies are a fun and unique way to bring people together, and many factors can influence their success. By acknowledging these factors and taking steps to plan for them, organizers and attendees can work together to create a successful and enjoyable vintage trailer rally experience. www.vintagetrailerrallies.com
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Are you contemplating turning your vintage trailer hobby into a business? Do you have a vintage trailer restoration business you'd like to grow? Learn the ins and outs from a business owner with a thriving west coast vintage trailer restoration business. Two NEW Boot Camp Workshops
Denny Stone – Bio Denny is the owner and chief designer at So Cal Vintage Trailer. With a style that merges mid-mod with tech and a bit of old school, Denny and the So Cal team has have been designing and building some of the country’s most sophisticated vintage trailers for nearly 15 years. So Cal Vintage has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Business Daily Insider, Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine and on numerous industry podcasts. Denny grew up in a family of builders and designers, studied art and business, and spent a long career in business development and marketing. With a life-long love of modern furniture and architecture, Denny and the So Cal team of experienced craftsmen have built a business and brand that helps clients find, design and build their vintage trailer dream. One of Denny's goals for client projects is to create a look and feel that could have come out of a New York or Milan design studio in the ’50s or ’60s embedded with stealthy tech, materials, safety, and efficiency upgrades to support modern lifestyles and sensibilities. Denny will be presenting these Boot Camp Workshops at the CampNation Expo August 11 and 12, 2023. CampNation Expo is a learning experience for camping and road trip travel enthusiasts to camp and connect with hundreds of fellow outdoor lovers. The weekend includes guest speakers, workshops, Q & A panels, demonstrations, food, and an expo featuring vendors of camping gear, parts, and services for your recreation and tow vehicles.
(CampNation Expo is Boot Camp-Reimagined) Are you interested in restoring a vintage trailer? Maybe you have already started and feel like you are in over your head. Do you need to jumpstart your project, meet similar people and get motivated to go camping? If you want to learn from the pros-you don't want to miss this event! Even if you have attended the VCT Boot Camp in the past, you won't recognize it in 2023. In 2015 the interest in vintage trailers was growing. There was a demand for an event to teach people how to restore their trailers correctly. We developed the Boot Camp Learning Experience. Boot Camp was a weekend of workshops presented by professionals willing to share their craft. Each year, Boot Camp sold out, but the workshops were only available to 150 participants a year due to the format. Boot Camp had to expand to be accessible to more people. We reimagined Boot Camp as the CampNation Expo. CampNation Expo is for all campers regardless of their camping style. RVs, vintage and newer trailers, teardrops, fun runners, motorcycles, pop-ups, tents, fifth wheels, boondockers, expedition, earth roamers, stealth campers, adventure vans, buses, overlanders, and anything else you camp with are welcome to join the CampNation. CampNation Expo is an experience for camping and road trip travel enthusiasts to camp and connect with hundreds of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. The weekend includes guest speakers, workshops, Q & A panels, demonstrations, and an expo featuring vendors of camping gear, parts, and services for your recreation and tow vehicles. Have camping items or vintage trailer parts to recycle? Sell them swap meet style at your site. Choose how you attend or participate. Camp with us for the expo and build relationships throughout the weekend or check us out on Friday or Saturday with a general admission pass. The expo will feature various speakers, panels, workshops, vendors, and demonstrations of how to restore and maintain your camping vehicle. Many free events and booths, or attend our Boot Camp Workshops. See camping-related gear and related products and speak directly with innovators, manufacturers, and distributors.
"CampNation Expo builds on the incredible success of our Boot Camp Learning Experience by making the experience more accessible and affordable." -Paul Lacitinola, CampNation Expo's Producer Earlier this year, we threw out some ideas to save fuel as prices were going up. Fuel prices have not stopped rising, and inflation, in general, may be impacting your family. We surveyed RV’ers to find out how their travel plans may be impacted in the upcoming months. As a follow-up to that survey, we asked about the habits of vintage trailerites as their travel relates to rallies. Here is what we found… Most rally participants are typically getting out of town to attend a rally. Hitting the road and camping with friends can still be an affordable way to take a break from your day-to-day responsibilities. Towing a trailer is more complicated than just running down the freeway in your commuter car. Being alert of other drivers and road conditions can be exhausting. Over 60% of vintage trailers tuggers say 5-7 hours is about enough in one day. Only 8% are willing to push it much beyond the 8 hour a day mark. What is the farhest you have traveled to a rally? Almost 70% travel less than 300 mile max. Have something to add to the conversation? Let us know in the comments.
By Paul Lacitinola, The Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine The increased price of fuel will certainly affect your travel budget. Coupled with inflation across all sectors it may be enough of an increase to cause you to rethink your travel plans. Before you do anything drastic, consider these 6 fuel-saving tips and take our 3-question survey to give us an insight into how vintage trailerites are dealing with the rising cost of camping. CHEAP GAS Starting with the obvious. Shop for inexpensive fuel. We use the GasBuddy app, Good Sam Club/Flying J discount card, and Costco to pay the lowest price per gallon. We don’t drive too far out of our way to save pennies because the extra miles just consume more fuel. We also see value in the amenities and easy entrance/exit that a large truck stop offers. Small, cheap, dirty gas stations with stinky or non-working restrooms and no coffee are not worth whatever I am going to save on fuel. DROP SOME WEIGHT Size matters. Many of us have more than one vintage trailer. A smaller, lighter, more aerodynamic trailer may be a better choice if you are making a longer road trip. Do not overpack. Don’t travel with full freshwater or wastewater tanks. PLAN YOUR ROUTE There are multiple online apps and maps that will help you plan your route. You may be staying closer to home or traveling to another state but either way, you want to get the most bang for your buck. Getting lost or backtracking can add to your fuel costs so make sure you know in advance where you are headed. BOONDOCKING You can save a substantial amount of money on your next trip by overnighting for free. Find a Walmart, join Harvest Hosts, or pull off into the wilderness. We broke down on a recent trip and pulled into a church parking lot for the night. If you just need a shower a major truck stop is a good place to freshen up without having to rent a campsite. SAVE MONEY ON CAMPSITES Discount cards like Good Sam, AAA, and Passport America all offer savings on lodging. Passport America is the "Original" & World's Largest 50% Discount Camping Club! Apps like The Dyrt can direct you to money-saving options and Campground Views can take you on a tour of the campground before you book your site. KEEP YOUR TOW VEHICLE IN TOP CONDITION (Also applies to RVs)
Share your money saving ideas and feedback or questions in the comments. In a personal history sort of way, the Trail Along to Pismo rally most likely began to formulate in June of 1963. We spent our honeymoon camping in an “umbrella” tent in Sequoia National Park for a week. In those days, most regular folks did not go far from home for their wedding celebrations like they do today. We continued camping in a tent until we purchased our first new truck and camper in 1967. We joined a camper group and belonged to it on and off for about 40 years (became secretary-publisher of the newsletter/flyer for a few years) and eventually had a couple of different sized motorhomes while we raised our four children. Members of the club took turns planning these just camping (and dune buggy) type rallies. We still belonged to the club until just after buying our first vintage trailer in 1999, and then — there was no going back. We attended the Newport Dunes Rally a couple of years before I voluntarily assisted with publishing its newsletter and events for the wagonmaster, Craig Dorsey. The following year, when it appeared it would not be happening, I asked the wagonmaster if I could do it, and it was a yes. Altho’ it regularly had 100 vintage trailers, we could only obtain 75 sites at such late notice. The staff at Newport Dunes was very helpful. We began attending small rallies mostly in northern California, a couple in southern California and Arizona enjoying and exploring the vintage trailer world with the old-timers and the newcomers. We kept seeing Bob and Cindy Ross at many of the rallies throughout this time. One day I received a call from Cindy Ross asking me to join her and Bob and one other in planning and organizing an unnamed event at Pismo Coast Village. Cindy found Pismo Coast Village Resort on the internet and felt it was an excellent location to bring northern and southern Californian trailerites together in one place. We were used to hosting many teams, birthday, school, work, graduation parties, and receptions in our backyard. I replied with a yes since I often organized events at my place(s) of work before retirement. Even though Chuck Miltenberger was not listed as a wagonmaster, he was always present, supporting and assisting with all aspects of the rally. Bob and Cindy were, and still are the canned ham specialists. It seemed everyone either owned a restored trailer or had one worked on by them. Their specialty at Pismo was the number of trailer folks they knew which was essential in getting the first word out on Pismo. They were and still are highly respected and popular amongst trailerites. Planning began in 2007, and it took 3 or 4 months to fill the spaces. Later on, it took less than 24 hours. We went by postmark as we accepted checks by snail mail. We also did not charge any registration fee. We decided it would be the party we gave. The waiting list grew longer every year. The most challenging part was putting names on a waiting list, recognizing how badly they wanted to join the Pismo experience, and we wanted to share it with them, too. Little did we realize at the time how this rally would take on a life of its own and grow and grow and grow. Cindy and I were concerned and anxious if we would even be able to fill the 100 sites we had. We ended up adding sites and think we had 125 sites that year. The following year it grew to 160. Then I think we had a year of maybe 225 trailers. Pismo notified us that they were giving 300 of their 400 sites to us; we had this number of sites for at least the last two years of the event. In retrospect, I think Pismo’s key to success was founded on Communication * Respect * Patience * Commitment * Common Interests Eventually, Pismo took up a whole bedroom in my home filled with packets, mementos, and an assortment of items we would bring with us. I initially began with 5 or 6 lists of everything to check and double-check all the lists and activities. I knew if you over-planned an event, it would happen, maybe not in all the ways expected. Still, it would happen and hopefully be acceptable. I’d try to maintain a sense of humor and be flexible to roll with unexpected happenings. Planning and follow-up was a “big” part-time job. It was a double-edged sword; I loved it, but it was almost all-time consuming because we cared so much, but we chose to do it because we wanted to do it. Trailer rally and show organizers can attest to the extra time it takes to pay attention to extra phone calls and emails, but if someone has a question, you can be sure others probably have the same one. The first year we offered nachos, and a couple of other folks brought some finger food. After that, we made it a finger food potluck and everyone attending trailer trash night contributed. We did not have a dinner potluck due to the size of the area because there was no place to seat everyone if they all chose to attend at one time. We put together a small Welcome to “Trail Along to Pismo” booklet each year. It contained a Table of Contents which included happenings and activities such as kite flying (hosted by Charlie Wallace and Sherry Trochta), movie night (Chris Hart & Phil Noyes), Pismo vintage bowling (Karinne & Rod Olsen), Best Breakfast (Lynn & Larrie Follstad), door prize and gift exchange (Bob & Cindy), vintage trailer swap meet (rally participants), public walk-about/open house, trailer trash happy hour and finger food potluck (Chuck & Toni’s family & friends), occasional after-parties at various sites, and the Tumble Weed Sunday get-together (Andy Broomhead & Mary Bourke) for those remaining an extra day. Brad Boyajian would supply his 1935 Helm’s truck that we drove around the resort. Steve Hingtgen of Vintage Trailer Supply provided a variety of gifts for the campers each year. We listed each trailerite, their site number, trailer yer/model, in the booklet. In addition, we tried to include an educational, historical page with an excerpt from a vintage book or article in each edition. In 2011, we even published a 4th annual Trail Along to Pismo yearbook. I made amateur videos of attending vintage trailers which were given to those who contributed a picture for four of the years.
After we retired from the Pismo Rally, we assisted Cindy in putting on the Cindy Ross Chula Vista Rally its first year. Then Cindy’s mother took it over until the Chula Vista Resort temporarily closed. Even though it was time-consuming, it was a pleasure to hear the comments and to see the smiles on everyone’s face during and after the event. Those happy faces were encouraging and motivating to us to endeavor to bring it back each year to make “Trail Along to Pismo” the event that it became; but, “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em — Know when to fold ‘em — Know when to walk away” . . . and so, it was time to retire and to pass the baton to other wonderful trailerites who continue to plan, organize and create wonderful rallies available for those who share our commitment to each other and our trailers. With thanks, love, hugs, & smiles, Toni Miltenberger Companies work to increase exposure for campgrounds and RV Parks PRESS RELEASE: Laramie, WY October 14, 2021 – CampgroundViews.com has partnered with Vintage Camper Trailers to provide campgrounds and RV parks with a targeted avenue to reach camping enthusiasts. The companies will share information on campgrounds that utilize CampgroundViews.com’s new Campground Virtual Tour technology with the experience made available on PeriodEvents.com website. “This is a fun partnership as it brings our cutting edge technology together with old school cool in the vintage camper community,” said Mark Koep, Founder and CEO of CampgroundViews.com. “We are constantly seeking ways to help our client parks expand their reach and this is a perfect way to make it happen.” CampgroundViews.com has over 550 virtual tours for campgrounds across the United States. As part of this partnership any park that pays for a Campground Virtual Tour will automatically be added to the PeriodEvents.com website. Period Events is a source for people that like to play in the past. Find all of the vintage trailer rallies and other events that celebrate America's past. “The vintage camper community is made up of die hard campers who enjoy the lifestyle and the history of our iconic industry,” added Paul Lacitinola, the owner and publisher of The Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine. “We focus our efforts on helping this community enjoy their vintage campers and through PeriodEvents.com share information on upcoming rallies, events and great places to visit.” The Campground Virtual Tours allow campers to more easily identify and pick their perfect campsite. Using 360 video with information “hotspots” campers can see the campgrounds, see the sites and click the sites for more information. About CampgroundViews.com: Accessible at https://www.campgroundviews.com/. The company has reinvented the way travelers find, see, click and book their perfect campsite. Campground Virtual Tours are an exclusive members only tool with more information and working demo available here: https://www.campgroundviews.com/best-camping-tool-ever/ About Vintage Camper Trailers: A resource for vintage trailer collectors, restorers, admirers and dreamers. A print and digital magazine that also hosts several vintage trailer rallies and The Boot Camp restoration learning experience. You have found your people. https://www.vintagecampertrailers.com. For information contact Mark Koep at 805-341-3828 or email mark@campgroundviews.com. Women that are vintage trailering and running with their passions at work and at play. NAME: Hannah Weber TITLE: Owner/Boss Lady COMPANY NAME: Hannah's Granny Crafts YEARS IN BUSINESS: 4 years officially - However, I started selling in the 3rd grade WEBSITE URL: hannahsgrannycrafts.com Tell us about your business. My business is centered around handmade crochet products. I focus on baby items and home decor. My target audience is the busy woman looking to gift high-quality, handcrafted products effortlessly. What does being a business owner means to you and why you became an entrepreneur in the first place? Being a business owner means the absolute world to me. It means I can build a life of my dreams. A life of financial independence, flexibility to make my own schedule, and the ability to make my own rules. It means I will be able to stay home with my future children while also running a business. What or who has been your most significant influence in business and why? My mom is the most amazing influence in my business. A considerable part of the reason I was so willing to jump into the life of entrepreneurship is that my mom owns several businesses in our small hometown, and I have grown up right in the heart of those businesses. I have seen the pros and cons of being a businesswoman, and I know that, for me, the pros outshine the cons in SO many ways. From a very young age, I have known that I wanted to be my own boss, and my mom has played a huge role in helping me achieve that goal - for instance, allowing me to sell some of my products in her gift shop starting in just the 3rd grade. Another huge influence in my life is my grandma - "Grammy." Both women have overcome considerable obstacles in life and have used hard work and perseverance to overcome these obstacles. Grammy is such a massive influence in my life I based the branding of my business around her. What is the best advice you can pass on to others? If you are looking to start a business, just feel like it isn't the right time or just aren't "ready enough" - JUST START. Start anywhere. Even the most minor steps can make a HUGE difference. It will never be a perfect time, and I hate to break it to you; you will never feel prepared. This feeling never goes away in the journey of business owning, but it is worth every moment of uncertainty. This might sound stupid, but my greatest accomplishment is simply starting the business. It is scary and overwhelming, and it's a huge accomplishment to put your whole heart and soul out to the world. Even those not interested in business owning, remember to SHOP SMALL! What have been the most effective marketing initiatives or programs you have used to promote your business? Showing up. Simple as that. I mostly use Instagram and Facebook to market my business. Consistency is key. Show up for your audience - in stories, posts, everywhere possible. It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be planned - just show up. What one thing have you learned as a small business owner that has served you well over the years? It sounds cliche, but your failures are not as detrimental as they seem "in the moment." You will move on from them, and some of your greatest successes will come out of your biggest failures. I have come to love failure (ok, not LOVE it, but appreciate it) because it only helps me improve in the long run. Do you have any new projects coming up? I don't have any huge projects coming up at the moment. I am focusing more on perfecting some of the smaller "behind the scenes" mechanics of my business to get things running just a little smoother :) What do you do for fun/relaxation? We are lucky enough to live in the center of Montana, surrounded by mountains. My favorite way to spend the weekends is in the mountains in my camper, my boyfriend and the dogs. I can crochet and take in the fresh mountain air - nothing better! I also love to hunt, which is so accessible to us because of where we live. We are truly blessed! What is the number one business goal you plan to accomplish over the next year? My number one goal for 2021 is expanding the amount of in-store places Hannah's Granny Crafts items are sold around the state and possibly beyond! What would your book be about if you were to write one? The adventures you can find in small-town Montana while running a business from it. I live in a town of 300-ish people, and I think many people think it's "boring." It is the farthest thing from that, and I wouldn't change it for the world. What is the best way to connect with you? I am most active on my Instagram account - @hannahsgrannycrafts. I am also on Facebook as Hannah's Granny Crafts, and you can check out my website hannahsgrannycrafts.com to find out more and look at items to purchase! So with that, I'll leave you with "Good Going" - a phrase Grammy says to me often. It means, "good luck, I'm in your corner rooting for you."
One cold but sunny April day, I just needed some sun. I wanted to layout, but there was still snow on the ground! I found an old sleeping bag, wrapped myself up in it, and went and laid outside – it was freezing! I was feeling what old-timers called “cabin fever.” Many of us have never had to deal with those feelings until the recent quarantine. I know my vintage trailer friends are a breed of doers. We are not used to staying put, and this quarantine is challenging us. We are also a group that is kind, inventive. We have the willpower to do whatever it takes to accomplish our goal of protecting our community so we can camp together soon.
Wednesday morning, we had a meeting with business owners, builders, suppliers, etc., all connected to the Vintage Camper Trailer world. We are all trying to figure out how to help each other weather this storm so we can all restart again when the quarantine is lifted. Many great ideas were shared, and our community leaders are strong and innovative. If you are able, support our people. They are working hard to stay in business to support our hobby. We had received a Zoom invite text to a virtual trailer rally from a random phone number. The invite said it was BYOB, so I replied and asked who I was going to be drinking with on Wednesday night. Turns out, that it was quite the group of trailer riff-raff! What a great way to check-in and connect with some of our trailer buddies! I miss them desperately but love them too much to see them in person. We had some good laughs, and it was nice to see everyone was in good spirits and adapting. Cabin fever does pass as the sun sticks around and melts the snow. I am feeling a need to see my friends and go camping, but I know it is not yet the right time. So, I am sending you all my love and prayers and lots of long-distance hugs. -Caroline The Coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine may be the most significant negative impact to the American economy in history. Many people are out of work for an undetermined amount of time, making the future unsure. A government stimulus may help those that are eligible. As time goes on, some families may need to liquidate assets to make ends meet. Fortunately, vintage trailers have been appreciating in value should it become necessary for you to sell yours. For most of us, the thought of HAVING to sell our vintage trailer is something we may not want to think about. If selling your vintage trailer or tow vehicle becomes a necessity, we want to help. www.buyvintagetrailers.com utilizes the social media following of the Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine to notify the community every time a new trailer becomes available. Your ad is posted to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Standard and Featured ads include targeted boosted posts on Facebook and Instagram. Your ad is seen by even more potential buyers in your region. Buyers can use tools on the website to search for specific types of trailers or to search within a particular region of the country. Buyers are notified on one of several social media platforms when a new ad is placed. Your ad shows up in the feed of their choice. We don’t wait for buyers to come to the site, we go to them. If you are selling a vintage trailer or classic tow vehicle, we have over 700,000 contacts waiting to see what you've got. FREE Ads
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