2020 Rally in September? Toyota Trails shows date

[Hulk]

Even things I suggested like having a pre approved budget for this event, like the snow & pizza run every year, were never implemented. It makes it like pulling teeth to get anything done, and you end up fronting a bunch of money on the assumption that you will get paid back (which you do, but there is always a risk).

This is something that could be addressed, but...

...the club is too small to have multiple adopted trails & multiple annual runs/events & still expect this to be a great success (and then we adopted another trail instead). I still believe that. We're not even in summer yet & I bet it will be hard to find a free weekend to set this up on, and even then someone will want to split out members by doing a separate trail run & campout that weekend, etc....

<snip>

...Done properly I still think it is an awesome event & a fun day. But otherwise the club swap is probably almost as good & a whole lot easier.

This is the crux of the matter. We have 90 people who are paid members of the club + a bunch of forum regulars. Yet the same dozen people are the ones who organize Cruise Moab, serve in club leadership roles, organize & participate in our adopted trail runs, and organize other events like the Rally. To be clear, I am not complaining — I am just stating a fact.

Being a part of the club is supposed to be fun. This is what I do with a substantial portion of my free time. It's one of my main hobbies. It's important that we don't "bite off more than we can chew" as individual members and as a club.

2022 has seen a renewed focus on our adopted trails. That may be all we are capable of doing without turning our fun hobby into too many obligations.

@rckhound: If you want to take on the leadership for organizing the Rally, I am sure you will get some help doing so. But otherwise, we will probably have a "swap meet night" for one of our monthly meetings.

 

[gr8fulabe]

This is something that could be addressed, but...




This is the crux of the matter. We have 90 people who are paid members of the club + a bunch of forum regulars. Yet the same dozen people are the ones who organize Cruise Moab, serve in club leadership roles, organize & participate in our adopted trail runs, and organize other events like the Rally. To be clear, I am not complaining — I am just stating a fact.

Being a part of the club is supposed to be fun. This is what I do with a substantial portion of my free time. It's one of my main hobbies. It's important that we don't "bite off more than we can chew" as individual members and as a club.

2022 has seen a renewed focus on our adopted trails. That may be all we are capable of doing without turning our fun hobby into too many obligations.

@rckhound: If you want to take on the leadership for organizing the Rally, I am sure you will get some help doing so. But otherwise, we will probably have a "swap meet night" for one of our monthly meetings.

I've said it before, & I'll say it again. We should dump one of the three adopted trails. It isn't just three trails/runs a year. It is two group trail pre-runs & camp outs before, then a run for the actual work the weekend of, etc... It is just too much time sunk onto three trails. If you call summer roughly 12-15 weekends, anywhere from 4 to 8 of those end up with adopted trail runs. Yes, you can schedule other things those same weekends, but we are basically diluting the pool doing so.

Vastly larger clubs have died from burnout & lack of motivation. I know that this will be met with refusals & denials, but it's definitely my point of view at any rate.

 

[simps80]

I have helped set up and tear down and run the “sales booth”, printed and distributed flyers etc. (someone with more skill i.e. Mike D made them and Hulk designed shirts) In the past

Not saying that needs to happen this year been a long time since people cared about printed flyers but I digress

I will certainly volunteer to do that this year if the club wants to have this event.

I am not smart enough to figure out food or insurance but am down to show up early and leave late and staff the booth for the day like previously if the club wants to have it.

We have done a good business with cruise Moab leftovers etc in the past here, and from a nostalgic point of view this was the first ever Rising Sun Event I ever attended back when Ige and Mike D were running it maybe like 2006?

Anyway I am down to be a workhorse the day of if it’s something we want to pursue

I also acknowledge that a small group of people make this club run, me not among them…
I think 2 adopted trails was good and three is too many.
I used to be able to make a Jenny creek and an Argentine run every year and hope to get back to that cadence…but three seems really aggressive

 

[gr8fulabe]

Actually I just looked at the club calendar and presently there is nothing scheduled in September or early October.

I've always liked it as a two day event with trail ride/camping added since it gives people that are coming from far away more bang for their buck.

That either makes a rally sat, with heading up to camp & then a run on Sunday, or a run/camping on Saturday, coming out of the hills for the rally on Sunday.

So, do people like this format, or is it too much? If we scheduled & started planning, would the club commit to not double booking that weekend? And would the club vote on, and commit to up to $600 for the rally up front, ASAP? I don't think it ever cost that much, but I remember thinking it would at one point, and then coming in under that. But good to have it just in case.

I think having some of those things locked down up front make it easier to get it all in place.

 

[simps80]

Saturday with camp and trail ride Sunday

Jeff always works Saturday and wanted a trail ride Sunday

I dunno I don’t want to speak on anyone behalf

We could shorten rally from 9 to 1 or so in later September then camp and trail ride Sunday or similar (?)

 

[3rdGen4R]

have you guys been to a meeting in the summer that we had in golden outside?

 

[MountainGoat]

I've said it before, & I'll say it again. We should dump one of the three adopted trails. It isn't just three trails/runs a year. It is two group trail pre-runs & camp outs before, then a run for the actual work the weekend of, etc... It is just too much time sunk onto three trails. If you call summer roughly 12-15 weekends, anywhere from 4 to 8 of those end up with adopted trail runs. Yes, you can schedule other things those same weekends, but we are basically diluting the pool doing so.

Vastly larger clubs have died from burnout & lack of motivation. I know that this will be met with refusals & denials, but it's definitely my point of view at any rate.

Rant on.

I disagree with dumping any of our adopted trails. As time goes on, keeping trails open becomes more critical. The anti access groups are throwing a lot of money at shutting things down. I am reasonably certain that Jenny Creek would be closed by now, if not for our hard work and dedication and willingness to work with the USFS.

These BS seasonal closures on so many trails (Slaughterhouse and China Wall for example) are the results of anti access lawsuits where the USFS compromised and settled with them and not in public's (read that land owners') best interests. We don't have hundred of thousands of dollars to sink into the fight but we do have time and energy and willingness. It does make a difference. Somebody has to stand up and say. "No, it is not okay to take away access to our land."

Rant off.

I love the Rally and think we should do it. Is it easy? No. Is it worth doing? Hell yes. Would I help? Absolutely.

 

[HDavis]

I would be happy to volunteer my time to design a flyer and shirt as well as promote it on social media. I will say from a newbee perspective that i only found out about the rally from being on the forum and think that there would be better turnout at the rally if it was promoted at meets such as Rigs and Coffee, RSG, TRU ,MTN Yota's, Toy Tec, and Running for Tacos.

 

[gr8fulabe]

Rant on.

I disagree with dumping any of our adopted trails. As time goes on, keeping trails open becomes more critical. The anti access groups are throwing a lot of money at shutting things down. I am reasonably certain that Jenny Creek would be closed by now, if not for our hard work and dedication and willingness to work with the USFS.

These BS seasonal closures on so many trails (Slaughterhouse and China Wall for example) are the results of anti access lawsuits where the USFS compromised and settled with them and not in public's (read that land owners') best interests. We don't have hundred of thousands of dollars to sink into the fight but we do have time and energy and willingness. It does make a difference. Somebody has to stand up and say. "No, it is not okay to take away access to our land."

Rant off.

I love the Rally and think we should do it. Is it easy? No. Is it worth doing? Hell yes. Would I help? Absolutely.

Yeah, I know most in the club support the trails. That is why we adopted them all. I support the seasonal closures so we are on different sides of the issue more or less. But I guess I'll posit the question, then why not all trails? Why aren't we doing 10x more? Or 20x more?

The answer is simply that we don't have the ability to do that. And my opinion is that the club doesn't have the ability to do three trails well & all the other things we claim to want, either. Honestly, this discussion is basically a result of that shortage as we speak. The club can't do it all, and I think we do more than we reasonably can already. Unless we want that to be our only priority, which is fine with me, but I honestly will just go back to being a forum attendant rather than a club member in that scenario. That isn't a threat or any sort of, "taking my ball & going home" type of thing. It just wouldn't be something I'd be interested in club wise.

Anyway, I don't expect us to ever un-adopt a trail. Too many people support it. it's just my opinion.

 

[3rdGen4R]

I would be happy to volunteer my time to design a flyer and shirt as well as promote it on social media. I will say from a newbee perspective that i only found out about the rally from being on the forum and think that there would be better turnout at the rally if it was promoted at meets such as Rigs and Coffee, RSG, TRU ,MTN Yota's, Toy Tec, and Running for Tacos.

To be clear I made fliers that were professionally designed. I went to RSG, SLEE, and lots of others for the event for the last one we had. I brought them to the meeting the month before and so on. What I don’t understand, is what is the difference between a rally which cost money and a Wednesday club meet up that happened last year?

 

[simps80]

@3rdGen4R

Regional attendance for an event that is formalized on a weekend i.e. not front range metro on a Wednesday that also happens to have a significant history

I don’t claim to have a voice here just answering the question

If it’s not a club priority it’s cool
It’s just a stand-alone event with a lot of history is all

 

[gr8fulabe]

To be clear I made fliers that were professionally designed. I went to RSG, SLEE, and lots of others for the event for the last one we had. I brought them to the meeting the month before and so on. What I don’t understand, is what is the difference between a rally which cost money and a Wednesday club meet up that happened last year?

Yeah, like Philip says we do fliers every year & do reach a lot of people that way We also post a lot of social media, but you can't reach everyone so sometimes people just learn by word of mouth & such. Also Philip, I haven't made it to the Rooney Sports Complex yet, but I've been meaning to get there.

For me the difference is multiple. 1. generally the number of people at the rally far exceeds any meeting, and to my knowledge we've paid for & made a little money on every rally so it doesn't technically cost. 2. people travel from long distances for the rally & swap. They won't do that for a club meeting, and honestly I'm going to drag a bunch of stuff to a club swap that I've failed to sell by listing here & I"m not going to expect to find much that wasn't already listed here either. But obviously that might not be true. 3. I see the rally as a great intro opportunity for new potential members to get a taste of the club. Lots of people will say it was their first interaction with the group.

But again, like you said if we aren't going to support it well, it probably isn't worth all the efforts.

 

[3rdGen4R]

yup. We did flyers and online promotion. We did the swap last year at Rooney and I think it worked great. People do travel to that may not come to a club meeting, I’ll concede that.

As the fact that I’m in charge of insurance for TLCA that won’t be a issue to figure out really quickly for the club.

As far as a introduction to the club, I think that would be true if we did something besides just park our trucks and talk with people. But that would take the effort I couldn’t seem to find when I did the rally and it will take peoples effort and it can’t just be a few of the same people.

 

[HDavis]

To be clear I made fliers that were professionally designed. I went to RSG, SLEE, and lots of others for the event for the last one we had. I brought them to the meeting the month before and so on. What I don’t understand, is what is the difference between a rally which cost money and a Wednesday club meet up that happened last year?

I'm not discounting anything you've done in the past. Just offering up my time and skills (which I've never personally done for the club) and offering a suggestion to promote at other events and in specialized Toyota 4x4 groups on social media that I am also active in.

To follow up what Mike and Abe are saying. Weekday evenings never work for me and the rally in 2019 was my first ever exposure to the club outside of the forum because it was held on a weekend. This exposure certainly led to me being more engaged and wanting to participate more.

I'm saying that I am happy to help given that I haven't before and really appreciate this community.

 

[gr8fulabe]

Oh, other Ideas I had for presentations or events were:

Fly fishing or something similar (things we do once we get where our trucks take us basically)
first aid, hopefully by outer limits
RC obstacle course to play on, but then an actual race with a prize of some sort, either only kids, or everyone & just deal with it kids.... (this was around the idea that it is hard to actually off road at the rally)

Basically things happening on a schedule all day long so that people stay longer & also keep engaged & have more fun.

 

[HDavis]

Oh, other Ideas I had for presentations or events were:

Fly fishing or something similar (things we do once we get where our trucks take us basically)
first aid, hopefully by outer limits
RC obstacle course to play on, but then an actual race with a prize of some sort, either only kids, or everyone & just deal with it kids.... (this was around the idea that it is hard to actually off road at the rally)

Basically things happening on a schedule all day long so that people stay longer & also keep engaged & have more fun.

I for one would like to know your tips and tricks for finding and importing vehicles.

 

[gr8fulabe]

I for one would like to know your tips and tricks for finding and importing vehicles.

I've always thought about doing a Split rim demo at the rally, since most people have never seen them, and figured they might be interested in seeing how they work anyway. But yeah I'd be happy to talk about importing & titling/licensing. If there was interest, I could do something at a meeting too one time if people wanted to learn more. The only caveat is that I have a bit of a public speaking fear, so if I sound super nervous in the beginning, people need to accept that it is the public talking, and not lack of knowledge that has me going!

 

[Doughboy]

I can volunteer my time for set up, and teardown, pack mule, if the rally happens.

Cheers,
Angelo

 

[Rzeppa]

Wow

Interesting thread

I just got off the phone with Mark Sobczak. A few weeks ago I was helping him assemble a 2F for one of his 40s. There is still work to be done there, but on-topic we talked about how he had created and hosted the first couple of Rallys back in the 1990s.

In the mid 2000s, Ige and Mike (treeroot) reimagined and pulled off this tradition but within the auspices of Rising Sun. A combination swap meet and show and shine. they worked their tales off promoting it with paper fliers at every 4WD business and Toyota dealership before the internet was widespread, and these events were well attended. The first several years we we at the parking lot of Jeffco Stadium at Kipling and 6th.

During the mid to late 2000s, while I was on the CM committee I stepped up and also ran the Rally. Compared to Cruise Moab, it was a super easy job for one person compared to putting on Cruise Moab. Get the venue, promote the event, call a bunch of vendors, recruit a half dozen volunteers, put it out there for the club and boom! Hundreds of people show up. One of my main things about running it was making sure the club didn't lose money. We charged $5 per vehicle to get in.

During those years we got tons of new TLCA members and new Rising Sun members. A huge success in the recruitment department, plus making new friends and contacts. One of the guys I met is a guy who has one of the most coolest 40s I have ever seen, painted to match the Denver and Rio Grand Railroad. The guys name is John Hanly and he is 91. But still drives his 40 every day. After meeting him at those rallys, I still go see him and he comes to see me. The Risng Sun rallys are incomparable ways to meet Toyota 4x4 enthusiasts you wouldn't possible meet otherwise.

Point is, we really, really really really should continue our rally now that the pandemic is over.

In recent years we have had the rally in the Jeffco human services parking lot near the Taj Majal. This seemed to work fine and I have enjoyed them there. The Jeffco Stadium wanted expensive insurance in recent years as I recall. My whole thing running the rally was to not lose money. We'd sell leftover Cruise Moab shirts and stuff, and charge $5 per rig and hopefully at least break even from renting the space.

On timing, the weekend before Labor Day has always been good. I have always enjoyed leading a club run up Bill Moore Lake Trail on the Sunday following the Saturday rally. And if the Rally is as typical on a Saturday, like 10-4 or so, I can attend in the morning and still go to work at noon.

In years past we have often had multiple trail runs the following day, Bill Moore (easy), Spring Creek (hard), etc.

 

[Coyote]

I’ve traveled from NW Colorado to the annual swap on a couple occasions. I realize I’m an outlier and a large % of RS folks are closer, but the weekend timing for the rally is the only reason I‘m able to make it happen. I’d probably be a paying & active contributing RS member if I could attend the monthly weekday meetings but the chance of that happening is slim-to-none since I live so far away. Just a couple pennies from me — I’d love to see the Rally back in full effect And credit to Steve @rckhound for bringing this up, good dialogue here!