Guys, I'll just be honest about this. I would like to shake things up this coming year. I want to have a driving adventure in my truck for a change. Truckstock here at my place is very fun, but we were busting at the seams this past September with regards to sleeping accommodations. Unless somebody has a way to get 20 or 30 rental campers to my place for that weekend, we might have a problem. I've discovered that not many people are willing to sleep outside in a tent, and I don't blame them. I've changed jobs, and my schedule can be pretty chaotic at times. Preparation for TS takes a lot of my time. Plus we just don't have quality hotels, motels, and restaurants within shouting distance of my farm. The closest motel is about 12 miles away, and the nearest interstate is almost 100 miles away. Last winter, I did a lot of searching down in Northeast Tennessee, and we couldn't find the ideal place. The search for a neutral type location fizzled out. As a result, we did TS again here at my place. I can fine tune the food situation (way too much landed on the shoulders of my wife and the women-folk this past September), but I can't build a hotel or a dozen cabins in my front yard.

An ideal location would be a private state park type place with lots of small cabins within eyesight of each other and a common gathering area. Or a private location like mine with those accomodations and a shop for repairs, hanging out, etc. would be even better. How about a neutral site in the Midwest. I think something near the Mississippi river basin between central Illinois down to maybe northern Arkansas would be an ideal location to attract the most members. I also think the first half of September seems to be the best time for our event with regards to the weather. Who wants to step up to the plate and do this in 2014? I know it's just January, but the discussion needs to be started so that we can plan and not get into a hurry. Surely somebody has the "itch" to do this. I'll help you plan the whole thing if you want. Maybe Rob is willing to do Truckfest in the Fall, or somebody else is willing to host an event? What do you guys think?

 

I stayed at this park for my daughter cross country camp this past summer. They have a "great room" and individual cabins

Raccoon Creek State Park 3000 SR 18 Hookstown , PA 15050

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/statepar...reek/index.htm



I think its exactly what you are wanting, just the other direction

 

First of all, once again Shane, THANK YOU for all the hard work you and your family put towards the last TS. Events such as this always take so much time/money/planning. As fun as it is for us to impose on your hospitality, I am sure as a group of truck crazies we could come up with alternatives that would work. I do think one of the biggest issues that this or any gathering must deal with is the number of people that pledge to be there and then don't show up. That makes planning very difficult. I for one wasn't able to attend the first TS because of a debris to truck incident. Things do happen, but having a harder number on who is coming helps a lot.

Personally, I would love to host something in southern Michigan. Lord knows half the junk you guys drive was built in my backyard of Michigan. Sadly, this year hasn't started off well for me with the broken leg and doesn't promise to get any better. I am gone on business travels most of July, August and September, so I wouldn't be able to host. Maybe in the future though. We have a lot of nice campgrounds/state parks here in West Michigan along the Lake.

If someone like Rob was willing to host again (BIG HINT THERE), I would be happy to show up a couple of days early to help get stuff ready. As I promised you Shane, I am always willing to provide a mobile bbq/food work station to help with the food issues. We built a mobile bbq a few years back for a customer that never paid for it so we use it for our church events, etc. It cooks up to 30 full chickens on the grill and has prep tables, etc. It's self contained on a trailer.

Maybe we could do a show of hands of how many are interested in traveling to a TS this year and what part of the country they are willing to drive to?

 

That IS a great place, camped there a couple of times. Sadly every time I think of PA, I think of tollways and rough roads. lol

 

I found this place, southwestern IN, a little too far north for my taste, but otherwise looks interesting. My concern would be it would be pretty far for some of the TS "regulars" (Ray, DR, et al), but an easier drive for Chris to trailer Bob's truck.....

French Lick Cabins at Patoka Lake Village

 

That is indeed a great setup for us. I like the cabin location map. Very good proximity of each other. But, like you said, maybe the wrong direction for a lot of the guys. I also like the fact that you two guys have actually seen it in person.

 

Another good layout for our needs. Keep em coming.

 

There were some remote places around Dale Hollow with cabins also Norris Lake - These are in Tennessee

 

Anyone know places around Kentucky Lakes? Geographically, it would be nearly ideal.

Nothing to say there can't be multiple events, one more like PA - OH, one IL - IN - WI - MI, one TN -KY - SE. Part of Doc's message seems to be that we may have outgrown a single event. I'm hoping to set up a "Rocky Mountain Truckstock" mid-summer at this place:
Monument Lake Resort

Doesn't mean I wouldn't be interested in other events, tho!

 

I'll throw this out there and see what you all think. During the week of 8/18 through 8/22 the Early Ford V8 Club is holding their Central National Meet here in Springfield. It'll be held at the Crown Plaza hotel which is about five or seven miles from me. The week before that, 8/7 through 8/17, is the State Fair which generally eats up motel rooms city wide. But during the week of the EFV8 meet the other motels shouldn't be booked. I'd be willing to host a get together, probably toward the end of the week - say 8/21 through 8/23 - to piggy back on the EFV8 meet. I'm out in the country on 3 acres but close to town. I have a motor home that maybe a half dozen guys could sleep in if needed. Plenty of room to cook out and have a bonfire. You could bring your families and also take in the Lincoln sites. So, there's my offer. Stu

 

I've been kicking around the idea of hosting an event up here in SE WI but there are many things I am throwing back and forth in my mind and haven't been able to nail them down.

First, I would like to hold something in the upper part of the country so our more northern brethren can attend, also some farther to the west like IA an MN. The problems I have been thinking about is where I could host this event. I live on a 100 acre active dairy farm. We would have the room to host about the same sized group as Doc and Rob have the last couple of years. We also have many conveniently located hotels within a five mile drive that are easily gotten to with straight, flat roads. I also have an idea for a great cruise to take in the scenery of the Kettle Moraine area that is a few miles to the west. I would be able to handle RVs and tent campers on or property but our house is quite small, it's the original log farm house my wife's great grandparents built when they settled the farm in the late 1800s so I couldn't be a gracious as the McDougal family and offer sleeping accommodations in our house but with the supply of nearby high quality hotels I think that wouldn't be much of a problem.

The problem I see is because I live on an active dairy farm and it is what it is. Our farm is a very tidy and well run farm but we're still a farm with the animals, cows and chickens, that have their own aromas. I'm used to the smells but they may be offensive to some and also individuals with sensitivities to animals might have allergy problems.

I could also check into renting a local park a few miles away that has facilities for large groups but that would add to the expense of holding the event. It would also limit our activities when it comes to night time activities. I would assume there would be a time limit as to how long into the night we could occupy the park. It's not like we have had drunken debauchery at the FTE related events but the party tended to quietly go beyond 10 pm with a camp fire and friendly conversation. If we hosted it in a public park it also wouldn't have the controlled privacy as when held on private property.

I also really would like Doc and his family to attend the event if I hosted it up here. I really appreciated all he and his family has done for us and I'd like him to be the recipient of the good time instead of doing the work. I talked to him last fall at TS '13 and he said his schedule best allowed him to possibly be able to attend in the fall, the same time he held his two meets. This would be the best time to host a meet up here because of many environmental considerations. I felt if I did broach the idea of holding an event up here at that time I'd be crucified by the other attendees of TS, or at very least burned in effigy. With this posting by Doc I feel a little better about bringing it up now. I personally think one or two of these meets should be the limit to have to put on for a person, and their families, at least in consecutive years. There should be some time to rest. I also think it would be awesome for other members, like Rob did last spring, and pick up the torch and host a meet in different parts of the country. I also think there could be multiple events held at the same time with possibly a video connection between the different meets.

My questions to everyone is, is there any interest in attending a meet in the fall in SE WI, about ten miles north of Milwaukee? Would the farm factor hold you back? I'd enjoy hearing feed back via email or PMs or here on the board.

 

I have a toy hauler that can sleep 6-8 people. I was planning on pulling it with my 56 f600 to doc s but I will go where ever the next get together is. PS if I take off Bobs bumpers I could probably haul his truck on the flat bed of my 56 lol

 

You can leave my bumpers alone, thank you very much!!

 

Just wondering how far I would trust my 48 F-3 to go, mine is restored to original with the 226 6 cylinder, 4 speed. Otherwise interested in a nice long trip
Ed
near Philadelphia

 

I drove my stock F-2 with 226,4 speed 1600 mkles round trip to Doc's year before last. I couldn't take the interstate, stayed on the back road which took almost twice as long. It was great and I'd do it again. Last year I didn't have the time so I trailered my truck with Chris. That was also a fun time.

Just have make sure you plan for the extra time and bring.along an emergency road repair kit with tools and a few extra part that would be hard to find on the road. With towing insurance and cell phones a long trip isn't as scary as it might have been 20 years ago.