People are asking about next years rally, so it's time to discuss this. We are at a potentially pivotal stage in the evolution of the IDI Weekend. Attendance at the rallies have been going down steadily for the last 2 years. Partly due to location, but also partly due to the inability or lack of desire by regular attendees to travel. The IDI Weekend branded rally is the longest running diesel related meet and has been going on for the last 14 years.
This year, there were only 4 campsites fully subscribed, and we managed to eek out 10 trucks over the course of the event, 4 of which were brought by two families. And it is such a shame. In some years we used to get 30+ trucks at this event, and close to 60-80 people. Things do go in stages, and much like life, I have spent a few brain cycles on what the meaning of all this is.
One probable reason for the drop off in attendance is the family unit. Both my wife and I raised our kids at these rallies. Every year, they would look forward to seeing all the other kids being raised by other families at rallies. Now all those kids are grown and moved on to college or beyond. Many of us are looking at each other like "where did those years go and gee, now it's just us alone again." While going camping is still fun, it's not the epic vacation it once was. To get to and from this rally, my wife and I each drove our trucks, and kept each other company on the ham radio. We budget for this trip each year, so there is not fuel sticker shock when the credit card bill comes, but I know not everybody does that.
Another reason is that other rallies have sprung up. There is a rally in Michigan each year for the last decade, and this has provided an outlet for a lot of people who don't want to travel that far in the midwest. There has also been the BOOB rally for the last couple of years, and a gathering each winter.
Couple that, with the fact that times are always tight, and even though fuel prices are low right now (comparatively), nobody is in the mood to spend a lot of money on diesel.
So the question becomes, what does the community want to do? And this is a sticky question, because we have a lot of armchair rallyites. What that means is there are people who will vocally support a rally, and then turn around and not go. You really REALLY need to think about that question and be willing to make a commitment, and not just say "oh I think this is a grand idea, I'd love to go."
This year was the first year EVER, that we did not have a rally bid from someone. The rule has always been, you have to have attended an IDI Weekend rally in order to be able to host one. We loosened that rule up from you had to have attended TWO IDI Weekends a few years back. Now we have lost the yeast for making a another batch. I believe that in order for another one to succeed, that it is going to have to be hosted by one of us that have already hosted before. Who that may be, and if they are willing, is hard to say.
There are about 10 people that have hosted in the past. We consider this group the IDI Weekend elders. I'd like to invite all the elders to a group discussion to be held at a time mutually agreeable to discuss what can be done to keep this rally going and let's see what emerges. Continued fragmentation in a bunch of different little rallies is going to result in a loss of critical mass that has held this group together once a year for so long. If we cannot come to an agreement or there is no interest, then quite simply the IDI Weekend is toast.
Other members are welcome to comment, and your comments will be taken into consideration. If you care to voice why you don't come or don't support it, or don't care, feel free.
This year, there were only 4 campsites fully subscribed, and we managed to eek out 10 trucks over the course of the event, 4 of which were brought by two families. And it is such a shame. In some years we used to get 30+ trucks at this event, and close to 60-80 people. Things do go in stages, and much like life, I have spent a few brain cycles on what the meaning of all this is.
One probable reason for the drop off in attendance is the family unit. Both my wife and I raised our kids at these rallies. Every year, they would look forward to seeing all the other kids being raised by other families at rallies. Now all those kids are grown and moved on to college or beyond. Many of us are looking at each other like "where did those years go and gee, now it's just us alone again." While going camping is still fun, it's not the epic vacation it once was. To get to and from this rally, my wife and I each drove our trucks, and kept each other company on the ham radio. We budget for this trip each year, so there is not fuel sticker shock when the credit card bill comes, but I know not everybody does that.
Another reason is that other rallies have sprung up. There is a rally in Michigan each year for the last decade, and this has provided an outlet for a lot of people who don't want to travel that far in the midwest. There has also been the BOOB rally for the last couple of years, and a gathering each winter.
Couple that, with the fact that times are always tight, and even though fuel prices are low right now (comparatively), nobody is in the mood to spend a lot of money on diesel.
So the question becomes, what does the community want to do? And this is a sticky question, because we have a lot of armchair rallyites. What that means is there are people who will vocally support a rally, and then turn around and not go. You really REALLY need to think about that question and be willing to make a commitment, and not just say "oh I think this is a grand idea, I'd love to go."
This year was the first year EVER, that we did not have a rally bid from someone. The rule has always been, you have to have attended an IDI Weekend rally in order to be able to host one. We loosened that rule up from you had to have attended TWO IDI Weekends a few years back. Now we have lost the yeast for making a another batch. I believe that in order for another one to succeed, that it is going to have to be hosted by one of us that have already hosted before. Who that may be, and if they are willing, is hard to say.
There are about 10 people that have hosted in the past. We consider this group the IDI Weekend elders. I'd like to invite all the elders to a group discussion to be held at a time mutually agreeable to discuss what can be done to keep this rally going and let's see what emerges. Continued fragmentation in a bunch of different little rallies is going to result in a loss of critical mass that has held this group together once a year for so long. If we cannot come to an agreement or there is no interest, then quite simply the IDI Weekend is toast.
Other members are welcome to comment, and your comments will be taken into consideration. If you care to voice why you don't come or don't support it, or don't care, feel free.
