2006 Heartland Rally Planning

[jbeletti]

Hi all,

With the departure of Jeff (this forum's founder) and me being busy with camping, I have let the Rally slip through the cracks a bit. As Jeff kept pointing out, early planning is key.

Step one and two in this planning is setting the location and the dates. Since I am coordinating the first rally and based also on a lot of feedback we received to Dave's post, I am making the decision to select the Elkhart area.

In fact, I just visited the Elkhart County Fairgrounds and I'm pretty much set on this location as the venue for the rally. So step one - almost done.

Step two, the date for the 2006 Heartland Owners Rally has not yet been set. That said, I met with Tonya Swihart at the fairgrounds office and reviewed the 2006 calendar of remaining spring/summer dates. What is left is the first two weekends in June and the first two weekends in August. At this time, I am favoring the early June dates. From your early feedback far, early June was popular. I want to discuss the dates with Scott Tuttle at Heartland to see if these dates work for the factory as their input, involvment, support and coordination will be welcomed and needed.

Step three will be to get input from Heartland owners on what they would like to do, see etc. during the rally.

Let's discuss via this forum.

I have also created a web page at this link to post the progress of the rally planning.

Looking forward to your input.

Thanks,

Jim

2006 Rally date set for June 1-4, 2006 - see post #6 below​

 

[J-W&E]

The rally sounds like fun and the Elkhart Fairground looks like a nice place to have it.

Probably the June date would be better than August because August in Indiana can be very hot.

 

[Paul & Nan]

June seems to be a more reasonable time frame due to weather. How many days are you looking at? I would think more than a weekend? Factory tour is always good, of course, any vendors who could come, eg Tupperware, RV suppliers, AWeigh We Go(they weight your axels and tell you if you are overloaded). Perhaps a craft event--Check out, if possible, the types of things groups like Holiday Rambler does with thier rallies. We used to belong to that group and though they have a lot of experience they do a great job and some ideas could be gotten.

Paul and Nan
Bighorn 3600RL
03 Silverado 2500 Duramax

 

[cdbMidland]

I favor the early June date as well and the Elkhart location and like the comments from Paul & Nan. I am willing to help, but not sure in doing what, so let me know what needs to be done.

Chuck

 

[elwaller39]

I would be in favor of an early June date at Elkhart. I hope that it would be more than just two days also. I think it would bw nice to have a few days just to get to know all the Hartland RV owners and see all the new ideas that Hartland may have at that time that may work in our own coaches. Keep us all posted!! Evans & Lana Waller

 

[jbeletti]

2006 Heartland Owners Rally Date Set

Hi all,

I confirmed with the factory that the early June date that most everyone felt comfortable with, was good with them. So we are set.

The 2006 Heartland Owners Rally will be held from Thursday, June 1 through Sunday, June 4 at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen, Indiana.

Keep current with Rally planning by visiting the page at this link.

Please continue to PM me, email me or post via Reply with any rally ideas you have.

Thus far, I have heard:

- Factory Tour
- A real Amish dinner (not at a restaurant)
- Factory clinics
- Campfire
- Heartland vendor/supplier seminars/table top displays
- Owner led seminars
- Breakfast together
- Potluck dinner

Thanks,

Jim

 

[phranc]

Jim .. Alas and alack...out voted .. Gotta nag wife to see if she can play hooky during that week... BTW , I noticed that the 2006 rodeo was also on june 2 & 3. Will that interfere with us or perhaps limit the amount of spaces we can have ?? Might give us some evening entertainment...

 

[jbeletti]

phranc,

The Rodeo will not crowd us out. We have 30 spaces reserved (held really - none paid for) at this point. I have no real sense of how many Heartlanders we'll get but as time draws near, I know I can do some adjusting to the reservation.

My contact at the fairgrounds told me that she can reserve rodeo tickets for us if we want. One of the things on my list to feel folks out on. Never been to one myself. May be interesting. Tickets will be in the $10 range I am told.

Hope you can make it to the rally!

Jim

 

[cruisin condominimum]

2006 Rally

We own Golden Gate #008 and will certainly hope we can be at the rally. We have 2 weeks scheduled at Lake of the Ozarks and I can't remember the exact dates but hopefully we'll make both events! We would certainly enjoy meeting everyone and taking another tour of the factory!

 

[Cheryl]

That's near the end of the school year(work) for me - our last day scheduled is June 5th, if we have any snow days, they will extend it to June 9th. So, unfortunately we won't make it. When you can't leave until after 4:00pm on friday, Indiana is just too far away to make a weekend trip. Hope everyone has a great time!

 

[sharmulst]

Heartland Rally

Glad to hear the date for sure. We will certainly plan to be there.
We like the suggestions for things to happen during the rally. The rodeo might be a great thing. Being from Montana originally that is a big happening there in the summertime. See you in Goshen in June.

 

[bowtorc]

Rally

Sounds like a great time! Count us in for the rally and rodeo.


Roger and Deb

 

[Rick]

I know I haven't posted in awhile, been busy and just haven't had much to say. I am glad the rally is back on track and am in process of working out the details with the wife. Anyway early june sounds good to us, hope we can make it. Rick & Sandi TIN CAN TOURISTS)

 

[Paul & Nan]

I have already requested time off from work to attend. Sure hope more than 30 would make it. Looking forward to it.

Paul and Nan
2006 Bighorn 3500RL #275
2003 2500 HD Silverado

 

[mrcomer]

Ready for the Rally

Just took delivery of our 2006 Bighorn 3500RL on 9-28-2005 and we are very anxious to come to the Rally. This will be our first so I do not really know what to expect. What I would like is the factory tour of course,vendors like Camping World,and maybe vendors from the suppliers for Heartland like A&E awnings,Dometic,Lippert etc.. Hopefully there will be door prizes! Looking forward to seeing all the other owners and their rigs. Food would also be good. When will reservations start?

 

[magic larry21]

outcasts

Will non-heartland owners be welcome? We will be purchasing a Mt. Rushmore in he near future but are still l looking at options, price and competition. We feel talking to real life owners would be the best of all worlds. We could even camp close by if necessary. . We will be full timing and need not make any costly mistakes. Thanks-- Larry & Judi

 

[Paul & Nan]

Just wondering if there is anything new with the proposed rally? We are planning to attend, we work, so can't be much help in planning, but will be glad to do anything we are able to. Have been to a couple of Holiday Rambler rallies, so have at least seen what they are about.

Paul & Nan
06 3500RL Bighorn
03 Silverado 2500HD Duramax

 

[jbeletti]

Hi Paul, Nan and all,

The Rally is full steam ahead. I am still down here in trailer-country on business. I stopped into the Fairgrounds to take more pictures, look over the building we've rented and to revisit the RV sites. I also spent time with the Heartland factory on rally planning.

I will be getting out early registration documents on this site in the next 2 weeks. Not having any idea how many rigs we might have come to the rally, I have 30 spaces reserved. If we have interest beyond that our first year, we can go into overflow which will put rigs beyond 30 in a different area of the fairgrounds.

Once I post all the rally documentation, I will send out a mass email to forum members with a URL to the page with the registration form etc.

Thanks and see you all in June!

Jim
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