EVENT: Heartland Owners Camp-Out: VA, Williamsburg - 11/8/2013 to 11/10/2013
- Thread starter Flying Dutchman
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boatto5er
Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
To quote Tom Burdette, "We'll leave the lights on for ya".
We r in sunny Kissimmee Florida right now. Tentative plans to be home in Norge on Nov. 8 and to drive our car the long two miles over to spend some time with our Heartland friends on Sat. 8th. We can bring firewood for sure. Will confirm u need it before we come and also find out the dinner plans. Look forward to seeing old and new friends.
Nancy and I can't make this camp-out but we do plan to be in Williamsburg this week as follows:
We're in site 49. We'll be pulling out Thursday morning. We hope to meet up with some early arriving attendees there!
- Monday - travel day
- Tuesday - day trip to Urbanna to meet with Bethpage to doing some advance work on the 2014 North American Heartland Owners Rally
- Wednesday - Spend time downtown Williamsburg - maybe lunch or dinner at a Tavern
We're in site 49. We'll be pulling out Thursday morning. We hope to meet up with some early arriving attendees there!
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Flying Dutchman
Virginia Chapter Leaders - Retired
Getting close to our camp-out with some arriving early so they can clean and sweep off the sites, and then grade our parking and set-up skills. 
If you haven't checked this post lately, I have placed a proposed activities guide in Post #1. One new addition I have is that Pam and Jerry Tims are hosting a wine and cheese social at their campsite (#48) on Saturday at 3:00pm. Pam asks that you bring your social drink and a light snack (chairs may also add to your comfort), and Jerry will provide the music for your listening pleasure.
Plan on a breakfast Saturday morning. I will do waffles. What can you contribute? Also be thinking about plans for Saturday evening dinner, potluck, ... eat out ...just sit together ... ?? Then weather permitting (and a supply of wood) we will ask our "fire master" John to give us a nice campfire. Bring wood if you have any.
All travel safe and we will see you soon.
If you haven't checked this post lately, I have placed a proposed activities guide in Post #1. One new addition I have is that Pam and Jerry Tims are hosting a wine and cheese social at their campsite (#48) on Saturday at 3:00pm. Pam asks that you bring your social drink and a light snack (chairs may also add to your comfort), and Jerry will provide the music for your listening pleasure.
Plan on a breakfast Saturday morning. I will do waffles. What can you contribute? Also be thinking about plans for Saturday evening dinner, potluck, ... eat out ...just sit together ... ?? Then weather permitting (and a supply of wood) we will ask our "fire master" John to give us a nice campfire. Bring wood if you have any.
All travel safe and we will see you soon.
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
The campground has apparently let one camper that was already here stay an extra night on a site one of our folks was supposed to be on
Seems to me like the campground is doing you a disservice but it is their campground.
Flying Dutchman
Virginia Chapter Leaders - Retired
I had a long phone discussion with the campground manager yesterday. Seems all is not well, and she now claims that nobody should have been given a site number when making their reservation. She claims that they (campground staff) has authority/ability to place people as they need to. Perfect example as Gus mentioned above, an existing camper decides to extend their stay, even though a new camper is coming in. The new camper is given a different site.
I am not sure I agree with the campground's procedures. The manager said several times that she and her staff do not assign a site when making reservation. Yet she could not/would not answer my question as to how most of us were given a site number. To make things worse, I made the arrangements for the camp-out and my own reservations back in August, yet talking with the manager yesterday, I found out that I was not even included in the group!
I know that we have had quite a few Heartland rallies and camp-outs at American Heritage, but I seriously question if I would make any more in the future. We have brought a lot of business to this campground, and their lack of willingness to satisfy, even the level of impatience displayed by the manager yesterday, needs a lot of improvement.
Enough ranting, let us just have fun together this weekend and enjoy each others company. We should be pulling in by lunchtime on Thursday.
I am not sure I agree with the campground's procedures. The manager said several times that she and her staff do not assign a site when making reservation. Yet she could not/would not answer my question as to how most of us were given a site number. To make things worse, I made the arrangements for the camp-out and my own reservations back in August, yet talking with the manager yesterday, I found out that I was not even included in the group!
I know that we have had quite a few Heartland rallies and camp-outs at American Heritage, but I seriously question if I would make any more in the future. We have brought a lot of business to this campground, and their lack of willingness to satisfy, even the level of impatience displayed by the manager yesterday, needs a lot of improvement.
Enough ranting, let us just have fun together this weekend and enjoy each others company. We should be pulling in by lunchtime on Thursday.
Funny how most of us were able to get a site number during our reservations! I for one had no problem getting it! Thought that section was reserved for the Heartland folks which makes me wonder why they would let someone add to their reservation knowing we are coming in...
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
Betcha if the Campground Owner knew what the Manager was pulling there would be a serious discussion as Rallies bring the campground and local area valuable dollars. There are too many Campgrounds that will bend over backwards to accommodate rallies. You might remind the Manager that they are not the only campground in Virginia. Good Luck and happy rally.
We had a great "short stay" here in Williamsburg this week.
Yesterday (Tuesday), I ran up to Urbanna to meet with Bethpage to work on more detail for our 2014 rally there. Last night, Nancy and I, Gus/Deb and John/Deb went to Captain George's Seafood Restaurant. Wow! Later, I joined John and Deb over at Gus and Deb's and we chatted shop for a while. Fun time!
Today was our "final day" here Nancy and Deb went shopping this morning while Gus and I worked in our respective mobile offices Today for lunch, Nancy and I, Gus/Deb and Don/Cindy got together for an impromptu lunch at our place. The afternoon weather was great and we ate lunch at our picnic table.
Tonight, since Nancy and I must leave in the morning, we along with John/Deb went into Colonial Williamsburg. We had a nice time strolling around the shops and such. We ended the evening with dinner at Shield's Tavern. Great as always!
Sorry we can't stay for the camp-out but we have to get home in 2-days, rest up a day or two, then head out on another trip to scout a location for the 2016 rally.
Eric - for what it's worth, Sheri took our reservation. I asked for site 49 and was assigned it in advance. I agree that campgrounds need to always have the right to move people around as needed, but sounds like the front office is running a bit rogue. You may want to share these experiences with the owner and ask them to rationalize our business relationship. You and Gus have brought a lot of business to this place. It would be their loss to lose future revenue over bungled reservations.
Wishing all camp-out attendees the best this weekend. Have a great time!
Yesterday (Tuesday), I ran up to Urbanna to meet with Bethpage to work on more detail for our 2014 rally there. Last night, Nancy and I, Gus/Deb and John/Deb went to Captain George's Seafood Restaurant. Wow! Later, I joined John and Deb over at Gus and Deb's and we chatted shop for a while. Fun time!
Today was our "final day" here
Nancy and Deb went shopping this morning while Gus and I worked in our respective mobile offices Today for lunch, Nancy and I, Gus/Deb and Don/Cindy got together for an impromptu lunch at our place. The afternoon weather was great and we ate lunch at our picnic table.Tonight, since Nancy and I must leave in the morning, we along with John/Deb went into Colonial Williamsburg. We had a nice time strolling around the shops and such. We ended the evening with dinner at Shield's Tavern. Great as always!
Sorry we can't stay for the camp-out but we have to get home in 2-days, rest up a day or two, then head out on another trip to scout a location for the 2016 rally.
Eric - for what it's worth, Sheri took our reservation. I asked for site 49 and was assigned it in advance. I agree that campgrounds need to always have the right to move people around as needed, but sounds like the front office is running a bit rogue. You may want to share these experiences with the owner and ask them to rationalize our business relationship. You and Gus have brought a lot of business to this place. It would be their loss to lose future revenue over bungled reservations.
Wishing all camp-out attendees the best this weekend. Have a great time!
dbylinski
NE Reg Dir Retired
Jim and Nancy we had a great time walking through Colonial Williamsburg last night. Thanks for a good time and a great dinner at Shields Tavern! Thanks also for the meeting, compliments and for listening to our concerns and ideas related to the club. Travel safely home today and we'll see you down the road.
Jim & Nancy,
so sorry that we were not home in Norge to visit with you. We can walk to American Heritage from our house as we are that close by in Norge! Glad to hear y'all had a good visit.
we r heading home today from a great campout at Huntington Beach State Park in SC with fellow HOC member friends, Chris & Dave. Plan to come hang out on Saturday with our Heartland friends at their campout at American Heritage.
so sorry that we were not home in Norge to visit with you. We can walk to American Heritage from our house as we are that close by in Norge! Glad to hear y'all had a good visit.
we r heading home today from a great campout at Huntington Beach State Park in SC with fellow HOC member friends, Chris & Dave. Plan to come hang out on Saturday with our Heartland friends at their campout at American Heritage.
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