Sierra Nevada Airstreams: Owner's Guide – Participating

Enjoyment of the whispering winds, the zephyrs, the airstreams of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin areas of the United States in a recreational vehicle.

Planning a Rally

About people gathering with a common interest

Rallies are the fundamental experience and activity for the RV association. Caravans are a series of rallies with coordinated travel in between rallies. Rallies are the gatherings to have meetings, enjoy social experiences, and visit places. Going to a rally is also a means keeping the rig ready to roll and exercising all systems so the owner can be confident of its capabilities.

Planning goals

To plan a rally you will need to make arrangements for a place to go that has the facilities you need for the expected attendees and activities. In addition you may need to make arrangements for group visits of other facilities.

A rally planner does not normally plan for how people get to the Rally (although directions are usually a good idea). Where planning starts is when rally-goers arrive. They need to be directed to the proper parking spot and informed about hookups, transportation, events, activities and other matters.

What kind of Rally?

  • Weekend Warrior rallies are usually local affairs held over a weekend so that working stiffs can get to to rally site after work on Friday and enjoy a relaxing weekend doing something different. These are generally informal relaxed gatherings with the emphasis on socializing. Not much attention usually needs to be paid to parking site facilities.

  • Standard rallies are usually about a week long and incorporate structured activities or group visits to local sites. These are usually within a day or two's travel for most participants. Parking site facilities become more important - water and electricity at each site become very convenient and a dump station is usually needed nearby.

  • Caravan rallies are usually two nights and a day at some point during a caravan where caravanners can catch up on laundry or other needs and perhaps share a meal or visit some local site as a group. Parking site facilities needed will depend upon the status of the caravan.

  • Special event rallies are gatherings at some special event primarily for the purpose of attending that event. Examples of such events include the Championship air races, balloon races, and Hot August Nights in the Reno Nevada area or the Sacramento Jazz Festival.

  • Site visit rallies are gatherings at a particular site of interest to learn about a particular site or to see things unique to that site. They are usually like a standard rally but more focused and often of shorter duration.

  • Convention rallies are where larger groups get together and there are many activities and events scheduled for attendees to choose between. These will often have exhibitors and vendors as well.

Event Planning

The core activity of a rally planner is event planning. This is a three party arrangement so that the facility, the rally sponsor, and the rally attendees all share a common understanding and process to achieve the goals of the rally.

Parking Site Survey

Collect the information you need to evaluate a facility's suitability for your Rally.

Meeting Facilities Survey

Collect the information you need to know to determine if a meeting or banquet facility is appropriate for your event.

Tours and Activities Destination Survey

Collect the information you need to plan a group tour or activity at a special site.

Rules Guide

A guide to help you create effective and comprehensive rules and regulations for rally participants.

Staffing Guide

Some of the jobs you need done for a successful rally.

Activities

An organized rally should have a repertoire of group activities to encourage participants to work together and to get to know each other. Some of these activities may become group traditions. Some may be silly. But group activities serve many purposes and can be a path towards building relationships, camaraderie, and group identity and cohesion. Planned group activities are one characteristic of rallies that set them apart from buddy travels.

Sample Rally Documents

From the 1992 10th Anniversary Monterey Bay Unit rally at Hat Creek, CA. These samples include a kaper ("to do") chart, a rally attendance sheet, and commemorative items.

Rally Photo Galleries

Photo Galleries of SNU and other WBCCI Unit rallies

Resources

Please let us know what you think of these links and pass along any suggestions or other links that might be of use to those investigating this site- tourguide@SierraNevadaAirstreams.org

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