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2020 Gateway to the Gorge National Rally ..... Vancouver, WA CANCELLED

Sadly, I can tell you that Jorge and I won't be able to make it to this one.  :'(

Irene
 
funsize said:
Sadly, I can tell you that Jorge and I won't be able to make it to this one.  :'(

Irene

Don't let our epic mountain and river canyon roads scare you off.  ;)
 
Irene, this would be an epic trip for the Beast! (We're currently considering OUR logistics.) You KNOW you want to do this.
 
I just wanted to be sure that I'm understanding the COG rates correctly at the 2020 venue. If I want a complimentary breakfast and wireless internet in my room....I need to shell out the extra money for the Business reservation ($149+approx 11.5% tax =  approx. $166 per night)????.....or are they not even going to check for the breakfast cards like they didn't in Williamsport..and is everyone going to have the wireless password anyway for $139+ per night? You can call me cheap I don't care, but I don't want to spend an extra $50+ dollars if I don't have to, to get what others are getting for free.
 
fartymarty said:
I just wanted to be sure that I'm understanding the COG rates correctly at the 2020 venue. If I want a complimentary breakfast and wireless internet in my room....I need to shell out the extra money for the Business reservation ($149+approx 11.5% tax =  approx. $166 per night)????.....or are they not even going to check for the breakfast cards like they didn't in Williamsport..and is everyone going to have the wireless password anyway for $139+ per night? You can call me cheap I don't care, but I don't want to spend an extra $50+ dollars if I don't have to, to get what others are getting for free.

Marty,

There is wireless internet throughout the entire hotel. The high speed ethernet connection in business class is for the major geeks like me who have to upload a 2GB file over their VPN for work. :truce:

All business class rooms are on the fourth floor and they have a dedicated room for the complimentary continental breakfast and evening receptions (free beer and wine Monday-Thursday). When you check in for a business class room they give you a little voucher that you have to show every time you go in for breakfast or beer.

There will be at least two breakfasts put on by COG and there is a Shari's, IHOP, Elmer's, Starbuck's, and a few other breakfast joints within 5 minutes of the hotel.

Hope that helps,

 
G-Mazz called and told me he tried to book a double bed room on the business level and the hotel told him we they did not have any of those in our block. I called the hotel and they told me the doubles rooms in our block had already been booked. ;D I had them trade out Kings for more doubles so there are now more available doubles on all floors.

If anybody has any questions or issues with anything call, email, or post up. I am here to help make this the best Nat you've been to yet.
:great: 2020 IS COMING :great:

                                                GATEWAY TO THE GORGE

 
Gumby said:
fartymarty said:
I just wanted to be sure that I'm understanding the COG rates correctly at the 2020 venue. If I want a complimentary breakfast and wireless internet in my room....I need to shell out the extra money for the Business reservation ($149+approx 11.5% tax =  approx. $166 per night)????.....or are they not even going to check for the breakfast cards like they didn't in Williamsport..and is everyone going to have the wireless password anyway for $139+ per night? You can call me cheap I don't care, but I don't want to spend an extra $50+ dollars if I don't have to, to get what others are getting for free.

Marty,

There is wireless internet throughout the entire hotel. The high speed ethernet connection in business class is for the major geeks like me who have to upload a 2GB file over their VPN for work. :truce:

All business class rooms are on the fourth floor and they have a dedicated room for the complimentary continental breakfast and evening receptions (free beer and wine Monday-Thursday). When you check in for a business class room they give you a little voucher that you have to show every time you go in for breakfast or beer.

There will be at least two breakfasts put on by COG and there is a Shari's, IHOP, Elmer's, Starbuck's, and a few other breakfast joints within 5 minutes of the hotel.

Hope that helps,

This is what the hotel told me. Breakfast is basic continental, coffee, juice, bagels & cinnamon rolls. Drinks are served 5:00 -7:30 pm in the reception room & can't be taken out. This is the time slot most will be out to dinner anyway, so not much free (prepaid) drinking.

Our reservations are made!  :beerchug:
 
Room reserved and email confirmation received!  :great:

It took two calls as the first guy couldn't find our negotiated rates. He was supposed to call me back but didn't.
After a couple of hours I called back and the second guy (Chris?) had no problem finding it.
With tax and fees 5 nights in a room with 2 queen beds will be approx $777.28.
 
ron203 said:
Time to trade?
Absolutely not. For what the payment would be on something new or not as old I can put lot of gas in the tank. Of course I could pay cash for make a good size dent in my retirement account. But never say never.

On TDY at TWoS.
 
SteveJ. said:
ron203 said:
Time to trade?
Absolutely not. For what the payment would be on something new or not as old I can put lot of gas in the tank. Of course I could pay cash for make a good size dent in my retirement account. But never say never.

On TDY at TWoS.

Roger that. I look at the TH and think about another set up and then go... "Nope, paid for."
 
Would this be the appropriate place for this ?  Plan on arriving Sunday - Saturday  Would anyone want to share a room. I have references  ::) :beerchug:  I have not booked as of yet
 
Well, well, well...the yearly family camping trip that was precluding my attendance to the national has been shifted!

So now I can plan a couple of day attendance!! Have family 5 miles away from rally central so that is all good.

Win
 
OK, got registered and have already received the email confirmation for my hotel room.

All there is left to do is decide which guitar to take with me and which vehicle to drive. Leaning towards the convertible. It's gonna need tires before I go, however. 

I'll be spending some time with three of my four siblings on this trip. (Two in Portland and one in Seattle)

Should be epic! Can't wait!  :great:

:beerchug:
 
This will be our longest trip to a National. Blaise and I both were able to get 3 weeks off to go! We'll be taking our Class C and trailering the bikes.

Maps are saying 43+ hours. We'll have to figure a place to put the RV when we get there because we will be staying at the hotel. If anyone in the area has any ideas on where we can stash it please let me know.

 
kathybrj said:
This will be our longest trip to a National. Blaise and I both were able to get 3 weeks off to go! We'll be taking our Class C and trailering the bikes.

Maps are saying 43+ hours. We'll have to figure a place to put the RV when we get there because we will be staying at the hotel. If anyone in the area has any ideas on where we can stash it please let me know.

Awesome!!!
 
kathybrj said:
We'll have to figure a place to put the RV when we get there because we will be staying at the hotel. If anyone in the area has any ideas on where we can stash it please let me know.
The hotel has set aside space for trailers and/or motorhomes for our group. It will be first come first serve. You must have a room at the hotel to park your motorhome in their lot, YOU CANNOT STAY IN YOUR MOTORHOME OR TOY HAULER IN THEIR PARKING LOT.

The hotel has offered to work with the Vancouver Mall to accommodate us with overflow parking. Vancouver Mall is within walking distance to the hotel. I will update this sentence when they get back to me.

Please take my poll so I can get an idea of people trailering to the rally.
 
Thanks Tom! I really appreciate you getting this info! It's one less thing we'll need to worry about after 5+ days on the road.
 
Gumby said:
kathybrj said:
We'll have to figure a place to put the RV when we get there because we will be staying at the hotel. If anyone in the area has any ideas on where we can stash it please let me know.
The hotel has set aside space for trailers and/or motorhomes for our group. It will be first come first serve. You must have a room at the hotel to park your motorhome in their lot, YOU CANNOT STAY IN YOUR MOTORHOME OR TOY HAULER IN THEIR PARKING LOT.

The hotel has offered to work with the Vancouver Mall to accommodate us with overflow parking. Vancouver Mall is within walking distance to the hotel. I will update this sentence when they get back to me.

Please take my poll so I can get an idea of people trailering to the rally.

This is the latest on motorhome and trailer space at Rally Central. Still cannot camp in the parking lot.

Quote from the Catering & Convention Service Manager:

"I looked at the other groups we will have in house when you are with us and there isn’t a lot going on for right now 6 trailers/motorhomes will be fine in our parking lot. I will keep an eye on the events during that week and if it starts to look like the parking lot will fill up I will contact the mall across the street.

Happy Valentine’s Day!"

:great:
 
I am working on the site for rally apparel, I'd say it is a week or two out.

What else would y'all like to be able to purchase besides, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, hats?

It can put a logo on just about anything, but I don't want to clutter the site with stuff nobody will ever buy.

Thanks,
 
This decision has been weighing heavy on me, but I think it is finally time to call it quits. I wanted to hold on, hoping things would change for the better and go our way. The straw that broke the camel’s back was reading the Oregonian last night and seeing that Vancouver cancelled its Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular.
:'(

Will it get pushed to 2021? I live in the Southwest now and am no longer a board member so that decision is out of my hands. If the BoD says “yes”, we are doing Gateway to the Gorge II. I will help, but I will not be the Rally Meister next year.

For those of you that have registered, Nancy will send you a full refund.
 
I feel for ya Tom, that was a tough call I know.  :'( However it was probably for the best.

I think the turnout would have been extremely low, 50 - 75 maybe not that much. Many would be afraid to attend, probably many out of work & can't attend due to financial hardship, then I guess there's the possibility some traded vacation time for paycheck because they were out of work.

You had to do what you had to do.

 
I really appreciate the effort the organizing committee did in trying to pull this off.  I totally understand cancelling it. 

If we're out of lockdown later, a few of us locals can try out some of the rides we had planned to make sure all goes well next year.

Chris
 
Gumby said:
This decision has been weighing heavy on me, but I think it is finally time to call it quits. I wanted to hold on, hoping things would change for the better and go our way. The straw that broke the camel’s back was reading the Oregonian last night and seeing that Vancouver cancelled its Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular.
:'(

Will it get pushed to 2021? I live in the Southwest now and am no longer a board member so that decision is out of my hands. If the BoD says “yes”, we are doing Gateway to the Gorge II. I will help, but I will not be the Rally Meister next year.

For those of you that have registered, Nancy will send you a full refund.


You made the tough call Tom and you have my 100% support. This was an unforseen. no win situation. Thank You for all your hard work in putting together this years rally. I look forward to seeing you at next years rally!
 
Tough call Tom (and Jamie) but I'll see you next year! Thank you for all your hard work.

Ron
 
ron203 said:
Tough call Tom (and Jamie) but I'll see you next year! Thank you for all your hard work.

Ditto, thanks for that you did for this event Tom (and Jamie)!  :bravo_2:
 
:(
Sad for all the hosts, worker bees, vendors, sponsors and attendees.

It would have been amazing.

Sorry T&J - thanks for your work and making the really hard choice.
 
Battle Ground Lake State Park WA.- Reservation Cancellations :

I contacted reservations at 1-888-226-7688.
As of today (4/10/20) there is a 50% cancellation fee for Campsites and Cabins.
Yes, this is excessive and it is in the guidelines when the reservations were made.
Currently any reservations made for camping until April 30th and 100% refunded.
I was told to call back at the end of April to see if their timelines have changed for refunds.
Stay safe!
 
Thank you to the organizers for cancelling this as early as you reasonably could.  It helps with adjusting vacation plans.
 
Tough Call that had to be made. Good onya during these unprecedented times. You have mine and the Counterweights full support for whatever you may need. Thanks to the organization team. You folks were on top of it!  :beerchug:
 
Thanks. A tough decision to make, no doubt.

A quick question, for those of us that have made hotel reservations, will we have to call the hotel and cancel, or will they assume that everyone won't be coming since the rally was cancelled? (Or was this covered in an email that I haven't read yet?) 
 
I called the hotel.  That way I know for sure they got the information. Besides, some may choose to go "vacation" there anyway.
 
Jerry_Layman_NE said:
A quick question, for those of us that have made hotel reservations, will we have to call the hotel and cancel, or will they assume that everyone won't be coming since the rally was cancelled?
Cancel your reservation if you are not planning on making this trip. Some may still decide to go, I have not cancelled my PTO with my company yet. :017:
 
Thanks for taking the leadership to not only plan this event, but to make the call to postpone it to next year. Now you've added 12 months to my anticipation for attending a national! It better be awesome because I'm going to really building up expectations.  :great:

You folks are making the right call. I'm hoping we'll be able to get back to being able to have some small state or regional rides this summer, but I think you're reading the tea leaves right in predicting that large rally with folks from all corners of the country won't be happening in 2020.

On to 2021!
 
Gumby, I know it was a hard decision and you feel bad.
So, (to make you feel better) I'll take back 1/2 the nasty things I ever sed about you..  :great:

PS: I know this is unimportant now,, but, I opened the Rally Site and {the Computer Illiterate/Me} realized that it sez;
      June 15-19 "2018", Vancouver Washington

http://concours.org/national/2020-national-rally 

Ride safe, Ted
 
The hotel called me yesterday to ask about all of the open reservations. I told her there are probably some people that still plan on making the trip and staying at the hotel. If that is the case, can those of you that plan on staying at the Heathman Lodge in June please call and confirm your reservation? If you do not confirm they will cancel your reservation so if you are not going there is no need to do anything else, but I feel it is common courtesy to call and cancel your reservation.

Thank you,
 
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