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RV rallies. They’re such a weird thing.
It’s like summer camp all over again. Only you get to sleep in the same tent with boys!
James and I just rolled out of “BNR”, the rally I’ve been coordinating for the past many months of my life.
I’m now in this transition phase from being super busy planning the rally…. to attending the rally… to having nothing to do.
I suppose that’s how it goes with life. We jump from one chapter to the next. Out with the chapter titled “BNR” and in with the new one, “Parky & the National Parks”!!!
I had two buddies who helped me coordinate, so I’ve got them to thank for keeping it from being a hot mess. Thanks Jenny and Terri… forever my A-team!
BNR lasted for 4 days and we even had vendors on-site:
Like Aluminess, who makes custom bumpers, storage solutions, and off-roading accessories!
And also like ZippNada! This family-run company was started by their sweet daughter and focuses on products that promote green living and making zero waste.
Besides the vendors, the rally was also jam-packed with fun events like night photography class!
Clearly I need some work on mine…
Plus nightly happy hours and sponsored food trucks for both dinner and morning coffees!
We had a couple group bike rides:
I led morning workout classes each morning:
There were van-related seminars going on all day long:
We had a Friday night stargazing party hosted by Zamp:
About 10 scopes from Phoenix Astronomical Society getting set up!!!
Plus there was a “Modfest” where mod tours were happening and people got to vote on their favorite mods.
Dennis here was one of the Modfest winners for taking out one of the twin beds and turning it into a dinette that converted back into a bed. (Remember our Das Bus?!?! Like that!!!)
So yep, lots of things happening at the rally, but besides all that… the best part of any rally is the chance to co-mingle and connect with other fellow van lovers.
It’s hard to describe the allure of RV rallies, but there’s something special that happens there. I’d almost say magical. And when it’s time to disperse and scatter in our separate ways, it never fails, I always find myself in this emotional place… missing the camaraderie and bonds. It’s sort of the same feeling as when you drive away from seeing your long distance family. Because in some weird way these strangers become family.
These are my people, right here.
So, next time you’re reading a post here and I tell you to sign up for a rally I’m hosting; JUST DO IT!
I’m pretty sure the BNR attendees will back me up here! Hey any attendees reading this, sound off below and let’s hear your take on BNR!!!
xoxo,
Stef
What fun we had! Learned a lot, ate well, met new friends and Facebook friends, hiked, photographed, gazed and worked on vans. We’ll be back for sure!!
I would definitely encourage any doubtful reader to consider attending a rally or meet up – especially if one of these fine women were on the organizing team. I had such a wonderful time, learning more about our Travato and seeing all the neat mods. I tend to be a little overwhelmed by large groups, and I want to assure people that if you feel a little hesitant about meeting new people, it is easy at a meetup to decide how social you want to be and when you want some alone time. Most people are very friendly so it’s easy to talk to new people. You already have so much in common! We especially liked the star gazing party. Thank you again for organizing this.
I first met the Winnie Bees at the WIT Grand Rally last year with my Travato of 2 weeks and found this group to be the friendliest and most fun people ever. My unfortunate accident derailed my T travels for 5 months so it was great seeing everyone again and getting back into the Winnie Bee group. Thanks for all your effort putting this excellent rally together. It was a great success! Can’t wait to do it again.
We never thought we were the kind to ever want to go to a van rally. We were so wrong. We made connections with the greatest people and received such great advice! Don’t miss this next year, I think we can fit 300 vans in that lot!
As first time RV owners, we’ve owned our Winnebago Paseo for 9 months. We loved the rally. All the credit to the organizers for putting together a great rally in a beautiful location that was universally appealing to all Winnebago Class B owners. The vendor support was awesome, the presentations were interesting the food was great, and there were multiple opportunities for exercise in the form of hiking, biking and group fitness classes with Stefany. It was also a very pet-friendly event. We left with new friendships (four-legged and two-legged) and great ideas for mods on our Paseo. Great experience!
First rally in the books. BOOYAH!
I can’t express how much fun I had. Meeting fellow Winnie B’s, learning about mods, and getting a rockin’ workout with Stef when she taught me how to use my TRX. Saying good bye to new friends who feel more like family is so bittersweet. I already can’t wait for the next meetup. I ❤️ my T Family.
Seriously, if you are on the fence JUMP! So much fun and what a wonderful learning experience.
Thumbs up…well done to All who organized, planned and delivered a great rally.
We have owned a Travato (1st rv ever) for about 38 days when we arrived And we met good, good people who welcomed us easily.
We learned a ton and appreciate the warm welcome by so many..
BNR was fantastic. So much happening. So many fun people— reconnecting with folks I’ve met along the way and making lots of new friends. Even though I’ve been full time on the road in my Travato for 31 months, I learned new things about my RV and picked up new tips for life on the road. Thanks for an awesome job of organizing this great event!!!
Terrific event! First time to any van gathering other than Quartzite which is not like a rally. First time to mingle with soooo many Travatos. First time to dry camp for 3 days. Such a valuable experience for all. Won’t be the last time!
This rally had it ALL! Good times, great food, education and fun! Loved meeting so many FB friends. Thanks to you guys for all the hard work.
BNR was absolutely the BEST rally/get-together/meet-up of ANY kind that we’ve ever been to. The organizers and sponsors were outstanding! But, the participants…. the openness, the kindness, the inclusiveness…. that’s what really made everything “gel”. We’re not sure this can be repeated, but we’re hopeful. We’ll be first in line to sign up for the next one (maybe behind Sue V.). We’re very glad we were able to participate in this inaugural BNR rally. Thanks to everyone!
BNR was ridiculously awesome —super fun crowd! You all did an amazing job with the planning & organization to make the weekend run flawlessly. Thanks so much for setting it up! Can’t wait for the next one!!!
As a newbie owner, the BNR was amazing. I learned so much from other owners and the vendors. Met some amazing people!
I cannot say enough about the event planning and organization for this event. There were lots of choices for schedules discussions/education, but all of the extra curricular activities – cycling, hiking, night photography, star gazing, kayaking. The days were packed with so many options. And did I mention how organized things were!
I loved every minute! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!