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1st Annual Great Plains Gathering

When I put a feeler out there a couple of weeks ago about an event in the Great Plains in 2017, several people responded positively without even knowing any details.  Thanks for all of the responses.  Your responses have encouraged me to plan an event for our LOA friends.

It is now official.  The First Annual Great Plains Gathering will be Sept. 21-24, 2017.  The dog days of summer should be over, the cold of winter will not have started, and if Mother Nature cooperates we will see some of the first colors of fall.  It is, according to some, the most beautiful time of year in Nebraska.  If you are interested in attending, mark your calendars.

I am still not quite sure of the location. as I have 1 possible central Nebraska and 2 possible eastern Nebraska locations.  I am visiting each site to determine which will be the best place for the event.  I will decide on a location in the next couple of weeks to give people an opportunity to make reservations early and ensure we can be clustered together.

I am excited about getting people together from all over, and offer an opportunity for people to see the beauty of an area of the country that many have not yet visited. 

I will post more details as they come available.

Who Is Attending

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Jackalope posted:

Timing was perfect as we're on our way to California from Chicago. Just reserved a site. Below is our info. Looking forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks. 

Campground: Ponca SP

Site: 043

Site Type: STANDARD

Loop: Oak Bluff Sites 37-73

 

Arrival Date: Tue Sep 19 2017

Departure Date: Sun Sep 24 2017

Jackalope,

Please accept my apology for not seeing your post earlier.  I have watched the 1st Annual Great Plains Gathering thread daily, but have forgotten to watch this one.  Most of the activity is on that thread.  Anyway, I am glad you were able to snag that spot, and I'm looking forward to seeing you there.  You may want to read what is on that thread if you have the time.  It is quite lengthy.

Here is a recap of the events and instructions.  It's fairly loosely organized.

Thursday Sept. 21:
Gathering begins!  Ponca State Park is 2 miles north of Ponca NE on Spur 26E.  You have pre-paid the camp fee, but you will need a Nebraska Park Permit if you do not have one.  You can get one at the park office.  After entering the gate go approximately 1/8 mile straight ahead and the office is on your right.  You can also get a map of the park and other materials there.
 If you have already purchased a park permit online you can go straight to your campsite.  To get there turn left and go down the hill immediately after the entry gate.
I am in site 47.  Please stop there and get a name tag so others can identify you.  I am asking a $20 donation per rig to defray the cost of hosting the event.
Thursday meals are on your own.
7:00 pm: Campfire in a central location.  Bring lawn chairs, drinks, and some munchies to share. 
Wanted: a pyromaniac who will build the fire and make sure it is dead out before going to bed.
Friday Sept. 22:
8:00 informal coffee/breakfast.  The coffee will be ready for you.  Please bring a few scones, rolls, etc. to share.
Open visiting/touring day.  You are free to lounge in the campground, golf, tour the area, etc.  Lunch is on your own
5:00 pm: Soups and sides dinner.  Bring your own bowl, plate, eating utensils, drinks, etc. along with a pot of your favorite soup, side dish, etc.   With people coming from all over the country maybe we can get some favorite ethnic foods. 
Evening: campfire: bring your own drinks and chairs, share ideas and swap lies.  If you would like to play an instrument for the group, so much the better.
Saturday Sept. 23:
5:00 pm: Soups and sides dinner.  Bring your own bowl, plate, eating utensils, drinks, etc. along with a pot of your favorite soup, side dish, etc.   With people coming from all over the country maybe we can get some favorite ethnic foods. 
Evening: campfire: bring your own drinks and chairs, share ideas and swap lies.  If you would like to play an instrument for the group, so much the better.
Saturday Sept. 23:
8:00 am: breakfast.  Bring your own plate, coffee cup, and silverware and enjoy a pancake and sausage breakfast.  All of the food will be provided and the coffee will be ready.  We have a couple of pancake flippers lined up to fill your belly with the best kind of camping breakfast.
10:00 am - 12;00 noon: Tour trailers and campers.  Those who want to can show off their trailers and mods. 
Lunch on your own
5:00 pm: Potluck dinner.  In the spirit of football season, let’s think about tailgating.  Bring your choice of meat (grills will be hot and ready) and a side dish or dessert.  Party hearty!
Sunday Sept. 24
8:00 am: Departing coffee/goodbyes.  We may want to share leftover breakfast foods from Friday am.  Anyone wanting to discuss the 2nd Annual Great Plains Gathering (2018) is encouraged to take part in the discussion.
I will need some help returning tables to their original spots and making sure the campground is left as we found it

 

Earthwatcher -

Location of the event is included in the discussion thread and can also be
found at http://outdoornebraska.gov/ponca/
which is the site I used to reserve my spot. It looks like there are quite
a few nice camp grounds along the Missouri River that I also searched on.
I suspect I'll be headed back again to this general area for additional
discoveries.

Jackalope

On Wed, Aug 30, 2017 at 8:56 AM, Lance Owners of America <alerts@hoop.la>
wrote:

Timing was perfect as we're on our way to California from Chicago. Just reserved a site. Below is our info. Looking forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks. 

Campground: Ponca SP

Site: 043

Site Type: STANDARD

Loop: Oak Bluff Sites 37-73

 

Arrival Date: Tue Sep 19 2017

Departure Date: Sun Sep 24 2017

if I may try to help people attend the rally, be advised that the loop is full, and there is no longer a waiting list being held by the organizer.   From this point on, it is up to individuals to act quickly if and when a site comes available because of a cancellation.  

Fortunately, there is a feature on ReserveAmerica where they will notify by email, all who request to be so advised if there is a cancellation.  

ReserveAmerica will email simultaneously, all who have asked for this to happen.  It's up to you to act as soon as you see the notification for you are competing with the rest of the world for the newly available slot.

Below is an illustration with the steps by which you can sign up to be notified if a site comes available.   Realize it is for the specific dates and in the specific loop in which we will gather.  Arriving September 21 and staying for 3 nights afterwards, in Oak Bluff Loop

First, log on to ReserveAmerica's site and find Ponca State Park, Nebraska
Second, go through the process of filling out the boxes 2 through 5, as if you were going to expect one to be available.  You will get a screen that says there are no sites available.

IT IS AT THIS TIME THAT YOU SELECT THE LINK AT #6 on the illustration.  Fill in your email address and if an opening occurs, you (and everyone else) will be sent an email saying there is an available site.
Reserve America Notification instructions   

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  • Reserve America Notification instructions

The response for this gathering has been great!  We now have 26 participants, and we are full.  If there are people who would like to attend but have not yet registered let me know by posting on the discussion thread.  I will start a waiting list, and then if someone who has reserved a space cannot attend for some reason, you can take that party's campsite.  Click HERE to go to the discussion thread.

NEW INFORMATION:

The 1st Annual Great Plains Gathering will meet in the Oak Bluff Campground at Ponca State Park in northeast Nebraska.  This is a beautiful area of rolling hills, forest, and cropland along the Missouri River. 

The Oak Bluff Campground is well shaded and protected from wind.  The sites are relatively close together, so we will be able to go between them easily.  I will try to figure out how to insert a link to Reserve America to make it easy to reserve a site, but in the mean time, if you Google Ponca State Park Campsite Reservation you will get ReserveAmerica. 

I suggest you reserve a site soon if you would like to come, as there are already some sites in the campground reserved for that weekend.  Nancy and I are in site 47.  If you look at the Reserve America map, draw a line along sites 45, 47, 64, and 63, and reserve sites along that line and to the right of it, we will be able to set up a good community area and walk between sites easily.  The shower house and a play ground are in the loop to the left of that on the map.

Added 12/29/16:

The response for this gathering has been great!  We now have 26 participants, and we are full.  If there are people who would like to attend but have not yet registered let me know by posting on the discussion thread.  I will start a waiting list, and then if someone who has reserved a space cannot attend for some reason, you can take that party's campsite.  Click HERE to go to the discussion thread.

 

 

Last edited by Dale L.
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