2013 SoCal Mountain Rendezvous

Please vote in this poll to RSVP for MRV - Limit 110 vehicles

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BWidget said:
It's not fair when you pick the prize after you see who has the winning ticket, which is what it looked like to me on a few draws.
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Thanks for clarifying your statement. I can see your position and how you and others might perceive things. Let me add some perspective if you will.

I run this site on my own time and my own dime. For the last three years I have run the Rendezvous events on my own time and on my own dime, working about 6 months each year behind the scenes just to deliver the actual FREE events that you see.

Every event is different. Last MRV for example I, and the AAV staff, had been out on the trail doing a recovery all day. We came back and without skipping a beat commenced to feeding the entire camp. Then an entire team of staffers helped me do the raffle. At the last DRV, after a long couple of days I again had an entire team of staffers helping with the draw. I take the raffle very seriously. I'm also a free thinker. Which means if I have a pile of prizes there, and I see you with the winning ticket and know that you already have "widget A" (I actually know a lot of the folks here), I am going to shift fire and give you "widget B" to keep it fun. That's my prerogative. This may have been what you perceived as being unfair, I dont know.

That said, I, and we here at AAV, are not perfect. But I do know that our ethics, or processes, and our execution here at AAV and at the Rendezvous events, are airtight. Whenever prizes or money are involved I have several (staff and non-staff) members engaged in the process so as to ensure 100% accountability. I challenge ANYONE who thinks otherwise - Bring It.

I've said everything I need to on this topic.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for listening to mine.
 
Well said Dave! Also thank you for all those who support us.

Let me add my .02 as well. Dave and the rest of the AAV/Renezvous staff are volunteers and donate our time, resources and many times money to put these events on. We do everything we can to keep them free/low cost as we can. Countless hours are spent on logistics and trying to make sure the masses have the best experience we can give them. At the same time we are all human and have a limited mount of time and energy. Many times things behind the scenes do not go as planned and we do our best to have backup plans. Sometimes things our out of our control and we have to roll with whatever is handed to us. All of the staff do the best we can, given the circumstances we have to deal with but we are not 100% perfect. Anyone who is 100% perfect, cast the first stone.

As a final note, anyone who feels they have been wronged by attending one of these events, you are quite welcome to not attend. No one is forcing you to attend. If you think you can do better, by all means please put together your own event and let us know how it turns out. I think you'll find it's not so easy.

Thanks to all.
 
More of a critique than anything, the timing of the last DRV raffle wasn't good for those of us that were cooking for the pot luck, and weren't camped in the central area.

I'll take part ownership of that because I chose to camp away from the central area, didn't hear any announcements, didn't pay close enough attention to the itinerary. It wasn't that big of a deal from me, I never win anything at raffles anyway :(, there was some grumbling heard here and there about it.

How do you fit 20 hours of events into a 24 hour day and keep everyone happy...that's for you organizers to figure out!:p
 
Myself and the wife are looking forward to a great time with like-minded people!!!! Thanks Dave et all for putting this together!!!!

Charlie Mike!!!!
 
Yeah, that is, again, why I wanted everyone cooking in a central area at the DRV.

But it really is like herding cats. And of course the timing thing you mentioned.

Saturday runs out of time fast, between Breakfast, talking to the people you haven't seen in awhile, going on the trail run you wanted to, getting back in time to start cooking before the competition, trying to take part in the raffle while cooking, dealing with your EZ-UP that now looks like a dead spider on its back with it's legs all curled up, getting your dish over to the competition...

Yeah... Now add in the organization tasks if you're running key portions of the Rendezvous.

At least this year, the dutch ovens will be more centrally located due to fire restrictions.
 
I've helped organize similar events in the past, I am all too familiar with the hula hoops that the organizers have to jump through.

I suppose the MRV's area little easier because it's private property and the BLM isn't involved. The DRV's on the other hand...convincing the BLM that you're going to put 1000 RESPONSIBLE people in one place and the only evidence that we were there would be some tire tracks...and less litter than when we got there...is an exercise in anger management. Once those hula hoops are jumped through, they have to figure out how to keep those 1000 people happy.

I can't keep my grandson happy for more than a couple of hours at a time!:D

Dave, Mitch and the rest of you, you know where to find me if you need help with anything.

Thanks for all of your efforts, looking forward to it as usual. My son was with me last year (he's 30), he had an idea of what adventure travelers do, but was amazed at the variety of people and vehicles that were there. He had a great time, sadly, I didn't bring the Jeep, he had to ride co-dog in a Subaru with Marc on the trails!
 
Mitch said:
Saturday runs out of time fast, between Breakfast, talking to the people you haven't seen in awhile, going on the trail run you wanted to, getting back in time to start cooking before the competition, trying to take part in the raffle while cooking, dealing with your EZ-UP that now looks like a dead spider on its back with it's legs all curled up, getting your dish over to the competition...
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The raffle could always be held on Sunday to free up more time on Saturday. Maybe?
 
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Down side to that is some people only come up for the day. Also for the more long distance people, they get out of camp fairly early Sunday to make it home in time to get ready for work Monday.
 
Ursa Minor Vehicles

A big THANK YOU to John at Ursa Minor Vehicles for sponsoring the SoCal Mountain Rendezvous... Again! Check out their site and give them a LIKE on FB!

URSAMINORVEHICLES.jpg


http://www.ursaminorvehicles.com/

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Hi all, not gonna make this one. Been out of the 'corps for a couple years, back in college, and I've got an IRR muster on Saturday the 26th. Thanks, USMC.
 
A big truck came by...

... And dropped off some love from our friends up in Portland at Snow Peak USA... :box
 

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When American Adventurist says Dutch Oven competition with cool prizes, we mean it!!!
 
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