2009 Rocky Mountain Rendezvous

[Keith in CO]

Rumor has it that there will be a Rocky Mountain Power Wagon Rendezvous, beginning the day after Labor Day ‘09 from September 8 – 13, 2009 at Nathrop, Colorado. The RM Rendezvous is all about driving vintage Dodge trucks on high mountain trails in Colorado. Like the mountain men rendezvous of old, there will be no sponsors, no formal organization, and no reservations. Just show up with your Dodge, be self sufficient or bring your mother and her mechanic, and enjoy. If you bring a J**p you will be expected to cook dinner for the attendees. September in Colorado is cool and clear, with the Aspens starting to turn. The tourists are mostly gone and the hunters haven’t yet arrived en masse.

Be prepared for sunny days, snow is always possible above timberline, mosquitos, and nights in the low 40s'. If everyone brings a Family Radio Service (FRS) radio, it will be much easier to communicate among trucks during trail rides.

For those wanting to camp out, the Chalk Lake Camp Ground should have plenty of spaces at $15/night. See: http://www.recreation.gov/campground...O&parkId=70043
Just up the road is Cascade Camp Ground, and just down the road is the Mt. Princeton Camp Ground (http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Mo...ex=CampingSpot ).
Mt. Princeton Hot Springs has fuel, hotel rooms, and the pools are open to the public. See: http://www.mtprinceton.com/
The Chalk Creek Camp Ground is a full service RV resort. http://www.chalkcreek-campground.com/
Other accommodations may be the Deer Valley Guest Ranch ( http://www.deervalleyranch.com/ ), and the Chalk Cliffs Hot Springs (http://www.chalkcliffshotspring.com/ ).

There are plenty of trails for both stock and modified trucks. See Area 3 in Charles Wells’ Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails (not the northern edition.) http://www.funtreks.com/index.php?ma...a7b02cfd60b22e

Link to pictures of past RMRs:
http://imageevent.com/luckys/2004rmr...1&m=24&w=0&p=0

http://imageevent.com/luckys/2003rmr...tdd892.tiger_s



If you decide to go, post below.

[Cheyenne Dave]

And so it begins...

C.D.

[76w200]

Hmmm,

Sounds like fun... However, I have to finish the Power Wagon first, as she is currently in boxes, and various stages of restoration! Deadline is June so it should be running by then! Provided there's no hiccups... (which we all know never happens)

I'm game, I'll be there so long as she is running! It's reasonably close for a gas guzzler as well. Thanks!

[JReed]

I'm also trying to get my power wagon restoration up and running. Hopefully I'll have it rollin' by August. If so i'll definitely plan on being there.

[Keith in CO]

Rendezvous camp ground reservations

The CG reservations are filling up fast so now would be a good time to log on to the site posted above and reserve your spot in the woods. You will only be able to reserve through Thursday, 9/10 or so, but the CG vendor has agreed to keep Chalk Lake open through the weekend for the Dodgers.

Mt. Princeton CG was open last year through the 20th or so. You can only reserve 180 days in advance.

[Cheyenne Dave]

All booked!

Site 17...there is an additional $5.00 fee for a second vehicle. Keith tells me that trailer accommodations should not be an issue.

See yall there!

C.D.

[Cheyenne Dave]

Has anyone else scheduled to join us in September? Just wondering what kind of numbers are thinking of coming...

C.D.

[JReed]

i'd like to but I can't really commit yet. I'm still workin' on the restoration. should be close...

[Cheyenne Dave]

i'd like to but I can't really commit yet. I'm still workin' on the restoration. should be close...

Keep up the good work...we'll leave a light on for ya!

C.D.

[Paul Cook]

"Rumor has it..."

I was one of four Texas Power Wagons at the Arizona Power Wagon Rally in Williams, AZ, August 5 - 6, 2006. This rally was coordinated with the City of Williams and the local Chamber of Commerce. The event organizer even solicited some door prizes. The event organizer never showed up. We Texans are so nuts about Power Wagons that we joined the two Power Wagons from Arizona and admitted the joke was on us - and went on and had a good time.

The Arizona rally announcement brought us all together at the Chamber of Commerce office in downtown Williams. When several Power Wagons are in near proximity, they find each other.

Now, here's another rally announcement. "Rumor has it that there will be a Rocky Mountain Power Wagon Rendezvous, beginning the day after Labor Day ‘09 from September 8 – 13, 2009 at Lathrop, Colorado."

Now it's "Shame on you... Shame on me..." time. Before I ever make any plans to attend another event, I need to have more credibility than "Rumor has it...".

Unlike the Arizona situation that brought us close to each other in the center of town, we have been told to go to one of several Colorado campgrounds on the chance that the event will be headquartered there. None of those campgrounds is anywhere near Lathrop, Colorado. In fact, the campgrounds are near Nathrop, Colorado, 140 miles away.

I attended a Rocky Mountain Power Wagon event in July 1999. The instructions were clear. Go to Lake City. Take the specified road to the campground/event headquarters. There were signs shaped like a Power Wagon that directed you right to the event headquarters.

The Army has just moved my son and his family to Fort Carson. That's between Lathrop and Nathrop. I could combine attending the Rocky Mountain event with a visit to see my grandkids. Planning this trip would include dropping my wife off at Fort Carson while I attended the rally, so planning is required. The timing is not the best for her job situation, but the Power Wagon event is a strong point in justifying the trip.

Here I am wondering if this "Rumor has it..." event is for real. Where is it? General area...? Event headquarters...?

It would make a great story for future generations of Power Wagon guys who actually had directions to an event and were sitting around the campfire telling of the one Texas guy out there somewhere driving forever from campground to campground asking if anyone has seen another Power Wagon.

[Keith in CO]

09 RMPWR in Nathrop, Colo

Good catch Paul - many people who know where Nathrop is have read this, including myself, and never saw the typo. As soon as I can figure out the editing function again I will fix that - it should read Nathrop, not Lathrop. Substitute in Nathrop, and most of your questions will be answered. My bad.

You could be elected to be Editor in Chief by the Event Committee, except there is no committee. Here is the concept: some Dodge truck fans want to get together and wheel their trucks in Colorado in September. There is no chamber of commerce involvement, no event organizer, no door prizes (unless you want to bring some), no event headquarters, no liability insurance, no liability releases to be signed (remember those too?), and no one to bi*ch at if someone's accomodations are sub par or expectations are not met.

If you think about it, what happened to the Texicans in Arizona can't happen here with this deal. If you show up, its because you want to, not because someone is luring you with promises of a grand event. If that lacks credibility, so be it. Still, I hope you can make it, and I give you credit for no one showing up at Lathrop - that wouldn't have been any fun at all.

I was one of four Texas Power Wagons at the Arizona Power Wagon Rally in Williams, AZ, August 5 - 6, 2006. This rally was coordinated with the City of Williams and the local Chamber of Commerce. The event organizer even solicited some door prizes. The event organizer never showed up. We Texans are so nuts about Power Wagons that we joined the two Power Wagons from Arizona and admitted the joke was on us - and went on and had a good time.

The Arizona rally announcement brought us all together at the Chamber of Commerce office in downtown Williams. When several Power Wagons are in near proximity, they find each other.

Now, here's another rally announcement. "Rumor has it that there will be a Rocky Mountain Power Wagon Rendezvous, beginning the day after Labor Day ‘09 from September 8 – 13, 2009 at Lathrop, Colorado."

Now it's "Shame on you... Shame on me..." time. Before I ever make any plans to attend another event, I need to have more credibility than "Rumor has it...".

Unlike the Arizona situation that brought us close to each other in the center of town, we have been told to go to one of several Colorado campgrounds on the chance that the event will be headquartered there. None of those campgrounds is anywhere near Lathrop, Colorado. In fact, the campgrounds are near Nathrop, Colorado, 140 miles away.

I attended a Rocky Mountain Power Wagon event in July 1999. The instructions were clear. Go to Lake City. Take the specified road to the campground/event headquarters. There were signs shaped like a Power Wagon that directed you right to the event headquarters.

The Army has just moved my son and his family to Fort Carson. That's between Lathrop and Nathrop. I could combine attending the Rocky Mountain event with a visit to see my grandkids. Planning this trip would include dropping my wife off at Fort Carson while I attended the rally, so planning is required. The timing is not the best for her job situation, but the Power Wagon event is a strong point in justifying the trip.

Here I am wondering if this "Rumor has it..." event is for real. Where is it? General area...? Event headquarters...?

It would make a great story for future generations of Power Wagon guys who actually had directions to an event and were sitting around the campfire telling of the one Texas guy out there somewhere driving forever from campground to campground asking if anyone has seen another Power Wagon.

[Paul Cook]

So...???

You still won't tell where "some Dodge truck fans want to get together and wheel their trucks in Colorado in September."

And I am still destined to be "the one Texas guy out there somewhere driving forever from campground to campground asking if anyone has seen another Power Wagon."

One time you don't tell where to meet, SHAME ON YOU. Twice I have to ask, SHAME ON ME.

Oh. yes. I'm a Texian, not a Texican.

[Keith in CO]

Rmpwr 2009

There is no shame Paul - but there are some available camp sites.

I thought I'd cleared up the "where" question: Nathrop, Colorado. Looks like Dave will be in site 17 at Chalk Lake and I will be in site 10. If you want more specificity, maybe some others will chime in to tell you exactly in which site they are parking their Dodge trucks.

Or, I refer you to Google Earth. You can zoom in on site 17 and visualize a bird's-eye view of Dave's gray FFPW "Gus" parked right there - has a spare tire hovering over the cab - looks like a dirty black halo. In site 10 you can imagine my suede green M37 with a faded white star on the hood - sort of like an X marking the spot for you.

But then, I don't suppose this info will keep any Texans from driving from camp ground to camp ground . . .

You still won't tell where "some Dodge truck fans want to get together and wheel their trucks in Colorado in September."

And I am still destined to be "the one Texas guy out there somewhere driving forever from campground to campground asking if anyone has seen another Power Wagon."

One time you don't tell where to meet, SHAME ON YOU. Twice I have to ask, SHAME ON ME.

Oh. yes. I'm a Texian, not a Texican.

[712edf]

But then, I don't suppose this info will keep any Texans from driving from camp ground to camp ground . . .

We do that mainly to avoid the game wardens!

[Cheyenne Dave]

Dirty Halo?! That's a fine howdy-do...That's my Hillybilly Satalite Dish!

I thnk you've been pretty clear on the whole deal here, Keith! You've corrected your typo, told everyone where we'll be headquartered and where the alternative accomodations are located. The only thing you may have left out is that this is a casual, mostly unstructured driving event where we will be driving on various trails, of varying difficulty, in varied size groups and that there will be NO HAND HOLDING/CODLING of WHINNERS! If you can't find Nathrup, which coincidentally is right smack-dab in the miidle of all the aforementioned acomodations, it's a wonder you can find yer way out of Texas!

You're a swell guy an all Paul, but give poor Keith a break! No need for bunched undies...when we find out how many are coming, we can all decide where a morning meeting will take place and take it from there. That's just how we roll...

C.D.

There is no shame Paul - but there are some available camp sites.

I thought I'd cleared up the "where" question: Nathrop, Colorado. Looks like Dave will be in site 17 at Chalk Lake and I will be in site 10. If you want more specificity, maybe some others will chime in to tell you exactly in which site they are parking their Dodge trucks.

Or, I refer you to Google Earth. You can zoom in on site 17 and visualize a bird's-eye view of Dave's gray FFPW "Gus" parked right there - has a spare tire hovering over the cab - looks like a dirty black halo. In site 10 you can imagine my suede green M37 with a faded white star on the hood - sort of like an X marking the spot for you.

But then, I don't suppose this info will keep any Texans from driving from camp ground to camp ground . . .