POG Rally Hearthside Grove July 29-August 3, 2011

[Jim Skiff]

We are pleased to announce the dates of our summer rally at Hearthside Grove (http://www.hearthsidegrove.com) in Petosky,Michigan.
The rally will be held July 29-August 3rd, 2011! The Rose family has put together a great agenda for us and will be handling all reservations and payments. Attached is a rally flyer giving you all of the information to sign up for this exciting event.

Note:
* There are many private owners at Hearthside so we will be spread out throughout the park but a private meeting area (tent) will be set up for us.
* We expect to add our usual potluck on the first night after appetizers are served.
* If you plan on attending the 2011 EAA AirVenture in OshKosh prior to the rally, please contact
Truk4U (truk4u@windstream.net) for more information.

* $449 for a single, $149 for any additional adults 18+ over the 2 included and kids 10 and up $99, under 10 free.

[hobobimmer]

Is this our POG National Rally, like our Kerrville, TX rally in October 2010? I thought the dates for the National Rally were August 11 - 17, 2011.

Eric Faires
Huntsville, TN

[Jim Skiff]

Eric,

We hemmed and hawed over the set up at Hearthside as folks will be parked amongst private owners. We worked to find a solution in the area but were very disappointed with the response from Signature Resorts. We decided to go back to Hearthside as the Rose family insured us that they would do everything to make this a great rally. So we are back to Hearthside and excited about being in the area and the itinerary they have set up for us. The dates were moved up closer to the EAA Osh Kosh AirVenture as some of our members will also be attending that.

So it won't be set up like Kerrville but it will be our big rally of the year.

As our group grows it is getting harder and harder to find a central location for our rallies.

[merle&louise]

Jim,

Will there be a charity auction? No big deal if not, just wanted to ask.

[Jim Skiff]

Tuga,

I certainly hope so. Do you need to select new auction organizers? You guys put so much work into it last time you may want to pass the baton.

Jim

[Jim Skiff]

Seems like Dan and Jo win the sign up first award again this year.......unless someone can tell me something different. When Craig Rose told me a Mr. Smith had signed up, I knew just who he was talking about.;)

[merle&louise]

Tuga,

I certainly hope so. Do you need to select new auction organizers? You guys put so much work into it last time you may want to pass the baton.

Jim

Jim,

We will be glad to do the auction again, we had fun doing it and we have an excel spreadsheet that really works well.

We are going to check our schedules and hope we can make it to the rally.

[Reagan Sirmons]

Skiffer,
I may be wrong about this but holding the rally so very far North seems to create a disproportionate travel time for every one out West, South and Southeast of the location. How many members live North of the location to offset this? We are middle of the country but far South and the maps show this to be a 22 hour run. No luck looking in the Colorado or midcontinent areas? My understanding from last year was that the Michigan rally would be one of two to be held. Very best,
Pres

[Coloradobus]

What better excuse for a roadtrp, " you know these busses are made for rollin'", than to head to Northern Michigan for cool night air and bright sunny days. Plus, we have never been to Mackinaw Island
We will be hot off the road from Alaska, but will see if we can make it and cathc a day of two of EAA. We should have 90,000 miles on the bus by then. '-)))

[GDeen]

For those unfamiliar with Northern Lower MI, this is a spectacular place in the summer. Jennifer and I lived 3 summers (and 2 winters) in Traverse City, just south of Petosky. For a couple of Okies, it was quite a change to move up there and we really enjoyed our time. Excellent golf, fishing, boating, scenery, food, wine, and on and on. The location is not very central for most folks, but it is well worth the drive.

The dates fall on the end of our 3 week trip to the Canadian Rockies. If we can figure out a way for our niece to be taken care of for another week, we may just make the 2k mile detour east for the big campout.

[Charles Spera]

The rally falls just at the end of a Yellowstone/Black Hills tour for us and, even though we live in SE Michigan, we will simply make an addition/detour and be there for sure. Gordon is right. If you've never visited northern Michigan in the summer you're in for a treat.

[rahangman]

I must opine, just a trip out to the wineries from Traverse City, either before or after the campout would make the trip worth the drive. Been there several times, and a trip over to Mackinac is never to be forgotten.

[Jamie Bradford]

I can GUARANTEE you that you will be extremely happy that you made arrangements to visit Northern Michigan and Hearthside Grove!!!!

Debbie & I plan to host a cookout during the POG event this summer. If anyone has any questions concerning Hearthside or the area please feel free to email me at Jbradford1205@gmail.com or call me at 423-321-2380.


See you this summer..............

Jamie

[truk4u]

Skiffer,

You just found your "go to" guy at Hearthside (Jamie) and he's volunteered to be the liaison for the summer Rally.:cool:

[aggies09]

I took the whole family up to this area a couple of summers ago and was extremely impressed with Michigan in this time of the year. I am looking forward to touring different sites than I saw a couple of years ago. Pres, as is always the case there are going to be some that have to drive further regardless of location and with a growing group facilities that can handle us will be fewer and fewer. Think of it as an average, you only had to drive 4 hours to Kerrville last year....................There are several ways to get to Michigan from Texas and we spent time in both St. Louis and Chicago as went up last time and thoroughly enjoyed our trip. St. Louis is a gem of a city to use as a stopover point for a couple of days.................Hope to see you there.

[Mark3101]

We made our reservations today. The dates are looking good for us this time!

[charlesebrownjr]

Northern Michigan is wonderful that time of year. Flowers ever where, cool nights and mild days are great! Travers City and across the bay to Harbor Springs and to Charlevoix are great day trips. Spent 2wks. there this past August. Loved it. Also the drive north of Harbou Springs along the shoreline is a must see, you come out close to the Mackinaw bridge.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

I am so excited that I am getting to go to somwhere else in Michigan other than Detroit!!:rolleyes:
Ed and I are going to Hearthside Grove!! YEA!! Count us in with the POG Family!! Check is in the mail, Skiffer.

[phorner]

OK, we're in!

Reservations made today. We're looking forward to seeing our POG friends this summer.

See ya there!

[bonhall41]

Just made our reservations for this rally also. Sounds like a fun time! Hope a lot of you can make it.

Bonnie

[Coloradobus]

How many days are planned to stay at Oshkosh followed by the drive to Petoskey. Is the travel time to Petoskey all in one day. Truk, can we bring an airstream friend to stay with us with the group at Oshkosh?.

[truk4u]

Hey guys.... We usually get there on Saturday and leave Wednesday and no reason why an Airstream can't join in, as long as the aluminum is polished!:p I don't remember the miles from Osh to MI, but you have two days to get there. I have you on the list as tentative, so keep me posted.

[BoaterAl]

Hey Tom, just going over some travel plans and after Mary Ellen saw the wine event at Hearthside in Petoskey ....well that sealed the deal. Sign us up
AL

[Coloradobus]

Great Truk, Yes the Davis' 1956 22ft airstream is polished to mirror finish. Rob and Shari spent 3 year restoring, and last summer won Best in Show and Platinum level in our Vintage concour in Gillette. A clean sweep for a trailer that had not been in an event.
They tow it with a 1963 restored suburban. they have a small black tank, so may opt for full hookups inside the EAA grounds.

We will leave Friday the 22 nd and there on sunday. Then its off to Petoskey for sure.
We will have 4 1/2 days at home to put out any fires that started in the office while we were in Alaska.

[truk4u]

Al,

Good news, we finally get a chance to meet. You have to deal with Hearthside direct, since this is a mini rally, reservations are being handled by the resort.

[Coloradobus]

Hmmm, I thought the Hearthside Rally was Skiffy's National once a year rally. So, going to Michigan wil be like the mini rally we came home from in Palm springs?

[truk4u]

Yep, it's a mini or you can call it a summer rally.

[Charles Spera]

Hold on now. I haven't kept up on all of this thread but how did the Hearthside rally start as the big annual event and become something else? Is the big annual rally still in the works?

[Coloradobus]

OH boy!! Going to OSH and then MI, then a National rally. We will need to plan our time accordingly since we have Beaver Ambassador Club BAC rally to attend in Sept in Branson. Then we have business, airstream business in Sedalia Mo. Home is going to become a stranger after all this and Alaska for 6weeks. whew:D

[Mark3101]

At the start of this thread, Jim said that this is the big rally for the year....has this changed??

[BrianE]

Eric,

The dates were moved up closer to the EAA Osh Kosh AirVenture as some of our members will also be attending that.

So it won't be set up like Kerrville but it will be our big rally of the year.

As our group grows it is getting harder and harder to find a central location for our rallies.

Tom, Jim, Need some clarification here. Is this the annual rally or not?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I may be speaking out of turn here, but I may have a possible explaination. At Kerrville the owners of Hearthside got us all pumped up and did a nice presentation. So that was chosen for the 2011 national rally. However when we got down to the details we all realized it could not happen.

First, Hearthside has owned sites. They could not assure us or anyone they could accomodate the typical POG rally numbers. For us to have sufficient spaces a lot of lot owners would have to be elsewhere, not using their lots and there was no way of guaranteeing that. There were other issues such as a meeting place and how the POG coaches would be spaced out, but the real issue was no assurance we would have 80 or so spaces.

I believe that is when it got shifted to coincide with the OSH dates and changed to a mini rally. The problem was in the communications and it should have been made clear what was going on.

There are plans for a national rally that are going to be announced.

[michaeldterry]

Could Bella Terra be a candidate for the national rally if the upcoming Oysterfest is the success I think it will be?

[Coloradobus]

Has anyone considered using a fairgrounds with or without hookups? AFterall, we are self-contained. A fairgrounds could accomodate much larger groups in some cases.

[charlesebrownjr]

This looks like a great plan. Any help I can be to the guys planning the events, let me know. Also as Al has stated about the 11 people signed up for Hearthside, they hit my card in Feb for 500.00 dollars. Don't mind a deposit at all, but $500.00 for 6 months seems like a strech unless there is something I am not aware of. My 2 cents worth, if that much!

[Coloradobus]

We agree with Charles Brown about the amount Hearrthside wants as a deposit. I called today to make our resrevation, but when told the entire fee is required, it stopped me dead. For this being only March, there are too many variables that can pop up. So until our schedule is firm and we know exactly when we are going to get back after the Alaska trip, we will hold off on making a resrervation so far in advance.

[BoaterAl]

I also agree with Charles and Jim on why the need for the total 5 months out. Soooooo ......I called and asked about if I had been billed for the entire rally fee ?
Nancy was very nice and will now offer PLAN B....$100.00 to hold a spot with the balance due 30 days to rally date.
Just give her a call so they can handle it either way.

AL

[charlesebrownjr]

Got a call from HG today and they are very graciously refunding all but $100.00 of my deposit and will bill the balance 30 days prior to event. Thanks for those that had the same feeling.

[Bill Dator]

Sent in our deposit, looking forward to the trip.

[dmatz]

Jim

We are trying to attend the gathering, the cost is for the coach and 2 folks. What is the addition of 2, my two boys, and whom do we pay. I want to call for our reservation as soon as I get my schedule clear.

[BoaterAl]

Doug...See post #1 on the addition of 2 boys. I made reservations direct with Hearthside.
AL

[dmatz]

Al

Thank you

[Jim Skiff]

Hearthside Grove List

<TABLE dir=ltr border=1 cellSpacing=1 borderColor=#afb487 cellPadding=2 width=404><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Simpson, Bob & pam Williams

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Owners going to activities $149 each

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Circo, Miles & Laura

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Roberts, Tom & Mary Carroll

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Horner, Paul & Janice

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Wellman, Mike & Colleen

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Brown, Charles

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Hermann, Al

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Esler, Brian

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Monson, Mark

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">
</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Dator, William & Linda

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Warren, Richard

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Kohn, Beverly

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">Simmons, Jean

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">alacarte

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">DeSilva, Richard

</TD><TD bgColor=#f0ebdc height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=14 width="50%">

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[jonnie]

Jim,

You can add John and Nancy Knollmaier to that list as well as Dennis and Judy Foley.

Regards
John

[Gary Carmichael]

Well I guess I will have to wait another year to meet you guys, unless this is indeed a "mini" and the big rally later .I already signed up for the Wild Bunch rally starting in Boothbay Maine Aug 9-12 then on to St Andrews NB Aug13-14 and then to PEI Aug17-20 Is any one going to this rally from Hearthside Grove? I sort of thought the big rally was later in the year.

[billbunch47]

Add Bill Bunch & Rita Creel to the list made the reservasion a couple weeks ago. Gary, we are planning on going with the Wild Bunch after the Heartside rally.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Gary, Our BIG rally is later in the year. It is October 3-7, 2011 in Austin, TX. It will be POG X.
Sandy

[Gary Carmichael]

Good! on two counts I will see some of you at gathering of the " wild bunch clan" and the others at POG10 thanks Gary

[bonhall41]

We're going to cancel our Hearthside reservations. We have a lot of other things going on and would rather go to Austin if we have to make a choice. We still hope to visit that part of the country sometime soon.

Bonnie

[Coloradobus]

Chris and I will be participating at the gathering in Oshkosh EAA, but we can't do Petoskey (Hearthside) and Austin( POG10) both. So, we have elected to head to Texas in October for POG 10.

[Mark3101]

Jim: can you give us an update on how many have made reservations for the Hearthside Grove mini rally? We are trying to decide if we are going to cancel in favor of Austin in October, or try to do both.

Thanks!

[jonnie]

Good Morning,
Anyone interested in shooting clay targets while at Heartsgrove on Saturday or Sunday, please let me know. I will be glad to put this together for the group.

[jonnie]

Sorry, I mean't Heartside Grove.

[truk4u]

Hearthside is full and no more space available for the POG mini Rally. Andrea said there will be a waiting list if anyone else calls.

This is one reason why Hearthside wasn't in the running for POG 10.

[truk4u]

Yesterday, Boater Al was told there is now space available at Hearthside for those still wanting to attend.

[Orren Zook]

Maybe you could use the Signature Resort or KOA in Petoskey for overflow....... both are less than 10 miles from Hearthside.

[Mark3101]

So, does anyone know how many have actually made reservations?

[BoaterAl]

Hi Mark,

When I talked to Nancy on Tuesday the count was ....19.... with deposits or paid in full.

AL

[Mark3101]

Thanks Al, we just were wondering how many there were. I think we are still going to try to do both.

[BoaterAl]

Petosky Rally currently at ...22..... reservations. Room still available, per Nancy

[phorner]

We are going to have to cancel our plans to attend the POG mini rally.

Our reservations were from 7/25 to 8/4, so there should be a good spot available during that time frame for a POGger wanting to attend.

Unfortunately, we are headed back south.

Man, I hate it when that happens!

Hopefully, we'll see you in the Great State of Texas in the fall....

[BoaterAl]

Petoskey Rally at.... 23,....call with your food choice

Nancy@ 1-231-487-1196

[Jim Skiff]

84678466846584648463846284618460845984588457845684 55845484538452845184508449844884478446844584448443 84428441844084398438843784368435843484338432843184 30842984288427842684258424842384228421842084198418 84178416841584148413841284118410840984088407840684 0584048403Things are going great up here in Michigan. Hera are some early pictures.

8402

[Jim Skiff]

84968495849484938492849184908489848884878486848584 84848384708482848184808479847884778476847584748473 8472More Pictures

8471

[Jim Skiff]

85708569856885678566856585648563856285618560855985 58855785568555855485538552855185508549854885478546 85458544854385428541854085398538853785368535Pictur es from our trip to Macinac Island. It was awesome!

8534

[GDeen]

Thanks for the pics Jim. Looks like you guys are having a great time and great weather to go along with it. I see some of the Maine crew of last summer is there.

Beautiful country up there isn't it?

[Jim Skiff]

BoaterAl and I finally settled our differences!

8571

[truk4u]

What Skiffer didn't know, Al was a Golden Glove Fighter in Kansas City and his name was "Animal Al."

I took the picture and Al whispered to me, "I won't hurt him he's just a kid from Cow Shit Corner!"

[BoaterAl]

Meeting Skiffer was one of the many highlights at Petoskey. Yes, we have settled our Marathon differences for good.

I hope you folks began to treat him with more kindness and respect as he really is a nice guy.

His offer of waiving the rally fee at Austin was just over the top in appreciation of my driving 700 miles to meet him.