# Rallies what not and what TO do!



## ezzy66 (Mar 31, 2009)

hi there all seasoned ralliers!

we have camped, caravanned and now motorhomed our way through the last 25 years both in the uk and europe and USA/Canada BUT we have never attended a meet or rally before - we have wild camped and stayed off EHU so that side does not worry us but we just wondered what etiquette is, unwritten 'rules', any things that people swear by having with them to help the trip work etc (excluding crates of alcohol - that's always in the garage!lol!)just basically anything to do with attending a rally and making it more enjoyable, practical etc

as ever thanks for all your help and contributions in advance

ezzy


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

That's a very difficult question to answer because it really depends on who you rally with. :? 
Some groups will expect you to be very formal and obey their long list of rules to the letter. They'll insist on a precise spacing, facing the correct way and will regard you as "common" if you're not in bed by 11pm or drink out of the bottle instead of using a glass. (Well maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean. :wink: )

Some will expect you to join in their party games and take a turn in making the tea whilst others might think you're antisocial if you go to bed sober before 3am.

MHF tend to be very casual with a minimum of rules - join in if you want but no-one will take offense if you want to lock yourselves in the van with a bottle and a DVD. The main thing we insist on is that you don't cause any nuisance to anyone else, be it by partying too late, running a generator all day and night or not offering the marshals a drink. :wink: 

You get out of rallying whatever you want, if you want to get involved and make new friends you have to make a bit of an effort to socialise but if it's just a cheap weekend away you fancy that's your choice, no-one will take you to task for it.


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## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

Gaspod said it all.
We have attended small rallies,the rules used to be park up as you arrive,.so you could have different neighbours each rally,thats dropped off now,if people were sitting around in a group near a unit,you could pull up a chair and a cup of tea would be offered,American suppers,where you would take what you would have eaten for that meal,and put it on a central table then when it was meal time,you could go and take anything that was on the table for a meal that night,this is a good way to sample dishes you would not have normaly,and last but not least the...............Quiz. For this you need a hidden laptop,a member of the team that smokes,(To go and get the answers from the hidden laptop) and the ability to stand up at 22.30 hrs and argue over the half a point loss,that meant not winning
Fergy...NO not her,John!!and i,(something to do with a tractor in his youth),suffer from "Stella Artois" induced brain fatigue,we never even count up our score,and have inherited the team name Dumb and Dumber,the thing is,we really enjoy our rallies,and apologise next morning. 
Do not base all rallies on your first if it is a bad one,there are great friendships to be made,places to visit at little cost and you do escape into the great outdoors. Try it,you may just like it.
Ted.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

We love to Rally as you make a lot of good friends.
We make sure we have food in the fridge and booze in the cupboards with nibbles in case we don't get to shops.
A solar panel even a suitcase one is needed for long Rallies but we can survive a weekend on the leisure battery.
Water in the tank but there is a tap on site.
Make sure you have enough Gas as bet you bottom dollar there wont be a supplier nearby.

MHFacts rallies are as Gaspode says more relaxed than the MCC and C&CC ones who park you up and give you a programme of events that are timed.
Coffee mornings and afternoon teas and entertainment (sometimes professional) in the evening which mean the weekends can cost £20.00 and more and you need to go home and have a rest. :wink: 

You have to try them and see what suits you.
I love the freedom of choosing where to go- which Rally is in somewhere different and that means we are out every weekend.


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

We do a rally of some sort nearly every weekend apart from holidays in Europe. 

As other have said no two rallies are the same, they have different stewards and they choose what happens over that weekend. Many don't have anything going on apart from what is in the area, most of ours C &CC have a coffee morning on Sunday not obliged to attend but we like to in order to thank the stewards and find out about other rallies and of course get a chance to gleam ideas from other rallier's. 

We always go filled with water as quite a few taps on rally fields are not easy to reach, full of gas and batteries/solar all in order. We take plenty of food and nibbles for sitting around relaxing and playing games. We always carry a raffle prize as many we attend will hold a small raffle and as we go with many different DA's we like to help out with their section as we know not all of them are well off for funds. 

Our 10 year old is at the moment on a rally with South Lincs DA in Maplethorpe with a family we met at one of their rallies and a friendship blossomed, we took their daughter away with us last weekend to a rally in Fraisthorpe , Yorkshire. So friendships can be made for both old and young alike.  

I know alot don't attend rallies at the thought of having to join in something they don't want to. There have been many rallies where the only people we have spoken to is the stewards on arrival , no ill feelings by anyone just busy or wanted a quiet weekend, other campers seem to understand this and are fine about it. 

Mandy


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## ezzy66 (Mar 31, 2009)

*rallies what not and what TO do!*

hi mandy -thanks for your post - that would be lovely if my 7 year old could meet a new friend and swap hols like that - it would be excellent as we live so rurally friends are thin on the ground esp boys! there are 10 in his school class and only 2 are boys he being one of them! :wink:  lucky you - you have had very positive experiences of rallies i hope we will too

to all - my personal concerns re rallies are not whether we will or won't join in something - i am strong willed enough to say no - thank you, if need be (kindly obviously!) but it is more if you are not on a rally for a reason either to meet up, socialise, laugh or play games or for a special occasion (model aircraft, gold, show etc) then why not wild camp or stay on a small CS/CL on your own - i am not judging anyone as i have not been to a rally yet have i! i just think company is nice maybe as i travel alone in my age range that is a deciding factor or maybe its the need to meet like minded people with trips and info to share, perhaps i could pockle a glass of vina collapso too :lol:

also what if everyone is of a certain age and i am no,t will i fit in? will i have the only child? my image would be of freedom and relaxation in an ideal really!MHF is what appealed to me - i have joined our CC&C DA but yet to go to a meet ... i will try not to prejudge but i do have expectations!

i too like the variety sound of it all and would like to be away more often at weekends - thanks for the advice locovan - any tips on finding them within friday work travelling time/distance i finish proper work at 2pm!i would like to try a few to see and also for experience even if they are not all to our liking as you so rightly say everyone is looking for something different! its a wonder we all ever get satisfied :roll: :lol:

Jented/Ted have you been to one our quiznights?lol it certainly sounds like it - have been known to nip to the loo with mobile on silent for help from knowledgable friends and lawyer son ( have learned to text v v v fast!!)- but don't tell anyone will you pleath!(confession - we still have a fergy tractor on the farm it doesn't have any doors or windows other half calls it old fashioned air con! :roll: :lol: ) i know technically its cheating but if you saw us lot we need all the help we can get so we're no threat to anyone! alcohol just impairs us further and the cheating becomes less subversive and more obvious and we get louder and louder as we think we may have a chance of winning oh how the alcohol can delude!still they're happy to keep taking our money - i did once overhear c'andy and children' but not sure what they were on about!... :? i take your point re keep trying if at first you don't succeed there are many rallies out there - will do - won't give up that easily

hopeflea i will get to meet some of you at a rally near me sometime soon - promise to be well behaved (can't vouch for the dog tho he is a weimy lol!)

[keep posting ideas and thoughts though still keen to hear from one n all ]


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Hi again, 

As long as the child doesn't scream too often or the dog bark more than necessary you will be fine. 

You could find you have the only child on the rally , we have done a couple this year that have been like that but we went on it because we liked the area for cycling and it didn't really make alot of difference to her. 

Sometimes having too many children there for them to play with can actually be a disadvantage as they don't want to leave the site when you have all sorts of things planned for the day  

Don't worry about age doesn't seem to matter really, many over 60's but lots of families now making the most of a cheap but fun weekend away. 

Go to C&CC site on internet , click members only then find Our and About live. Click on the calendar the day you want to leave and all the rallies in the country will come up for you to choose from, including the Temporary Holiday sites. Really excellent facility and saves you trailing through the magazine trying to see what is available for the weekend you want. Gives you much more choice of DA's you will find one DA that you really enjoy going with (this happened to us with S. Lincs) and you will find you will fit in more and more, but don't stick to just one DA as it ends up a limiting. 

Hope this helps a bit more
Mandy


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

The MCC is a good for weekend rallies as well as the C&CC out and about.
http://motorcaravanners.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=298&Itemid=87
They are spread out all over the Country.

Also MHFacts rallies
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Rallies


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## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi ezzy66.
There are allways people of all ages on rallies,some join in,others catch up with their thoughts,children and dogs,some well behaved,some not so,(whats new) . Themed rallies,we attended a Lincolnshire centre rally at RAF Waddington air show,and were made most welcome,like one of the gang,Farm parks,Stately homes,sea side,Yorkshire Dales, all rallies with like minded people,go on,enjoy it.
Re" Fergy", he spent his childhood in the Northern territories of darkest Derbyshire,hunting wild boar and Grizzly bear,then a chance visit to the Bakewell Agri/show,saw him bonding for life with a grey Ferguson tractor,(Oh to be young again).He IS!! married,with grandchildren,but has taken being a Luddite to degree level,despite having a state of the art Honda 4x4,(new!),he arrives on site at rallies in his tRUSTY,Ford4x4,had he taken advantage of the car scrappage scheme,he would have got£2000 more for it than what its worth. As regards our friendship,how can i put this..." I could not soar like an Eagle,if there were no Turkeys like him". He REALLY is a good mate,when we went shark fishing,i used him as bait.LOL..JOKE!!!
Gearjammer.


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## LPDrifter (Aug 17, 2005)

*Re: rallies what not and what TO do!*



ezzy66 said:


> hi there all seasoned ralliers!
> 
> we have camped, caravanned and now motorhomed our way through the last 25 years both in the uk and europe and USA/Canada BUT we have never attended a meet or rally before - we have wild camped and stayed off EHU so that side does not worry us but we just wondered what etiquette is, unwritten 'rules', any things that people swear by having with them to help the trip work etc (excluding crates of alcohol - that's always in the garage!lol!)just basically anything to do with attending a rally and making it more enjoyable, practical etc
> 
> ...


Interesting responses. We have only been to one Rally or Meet.

That was in Amboise back in 2008. We had a thoroughly enjoyable time.
Gaspode and Clianthus (aka Jenny) were hosting / co-coordinating things

Like you, we were wondering if there were any special "rules"
There were none that I could see just common sense.

Once we booked in at the campsite office we trundled up through 
the campsite looking for what looked like the group. I think there
was a MHF flag there.

Jenny was there to give a warm welcome any new arrivals and show them
suggested parking spots.

Once we got parked and sorted out she wandered over
again and gave us run down on any plans for the evening / weekend.
Generally a friendly first introduction to MH meets.

She also started to introduce us other people already 
there to help us get going.

During the evenings - if you wanted to - you could join up in
a cleared area to have a drink or wine/beer or whatever, chat away with
other members there. We found everyone to be very welcoming
and friendly.

I suspect that any experienced Rally marshal or co-ordinator will
be looking out for first timers to help them with friendly
advice and try to involve them with the more experience rally goers.
Certainly Ken & Jenny did a great job (Thank you again)

We would go to a lot more rallies if we lived a little closer and didn't
have to take a ferry to get there. However we do plan to 
get to one eventually.

So my advice would be just go to the Rally with an open mind
and you will have great time.


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## lins (Sep 29, 2008)

Hi ezzy i am sure that you would enjoy rallys,as others have said they are all different.We camp with our da and i am taking my 5 year old grandson away this weekend for 3 nights on our own.I do as little or as much as i want.We have been on a couple of cc&c rallys that the marshall has been a bit over the top,parking in staight lines etc,buy thankfully most are really ok.Of course i am a little biased in saying that i really enjoy the mhf rallys as we are more relaxed.The ones i have helped out with or attended we have usaully get together cakes and tea or simalar.Its a chance to meet up with friends old and new catch up and also to get any tips or advice,and hopefully offer any in return.
It is a great way to have a cheaper weekend or longer trip,so give it a try.lin.


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## CatherineandSteve (Dec 20, 2005)

Hi Ezzy,

We like to think a MHF rally our for people who don,t do rallies :?   

Cheers Steve


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## Yorkshirefreckles (Jul 22, 2010)

As one very new to rallying, having only attended one MHF rally, there's only one word I have to say - FLAG!! This was the very FIRST thing OH had to have on arrival at the rally and beleive me when I say, a very great deal of expense and hard work has gone into finding a means of permanently fixing a flagpole holder to our MH since.

So whyever you attend a rally, wherever you attend a rally and whenever you attend a rally, enjoy it by all means, but don't forget your FLAG!! When you've got one of those, you've really arrived. Just ask Techno100!!


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## ezzy66 (Mar 31, 2009)

*rallies*

thank you everyone so far

it seems i am sensing MHF is more informal than others! grrrreat!
phew no worries about parallel parking then! :lol:

loving the regular mentions of socialising, learning, tips, sites info and WINE - did i mention WINE phew - 2 ticks so far ...

my son doesn't scream he got over that phase about 6 years ago!! even when theres a spider in the shower room!  soooo proud  he hasn't at least learnt my bad ways as an example :wink: so just as a warning to others if you hear any screams from my unit its meeeeee! and i've found a spider ... :roll:

the dog is sort of well behaved as any dog is prone to be - much like children- good days and bad days - haven't yet sussed with the dog what causes either :? 7 years of teaching and 22 years of motherhood have taught me to recognise tiredness, grumpyness, over excitement, showing off etc in kids, the dog i'm not sure who he's trying to impress if anyone, often he seems hell bent on trying my patience  but then that is a weimy, he means well has no malice is like a bottle of pop all shook up on a lead! :x he will heel and but is an amnaesic retriever :roll: hence 2 balls or more when going 'walkies' but best of all he loves me unconditionally and thinks i am the best thing since sliced bread (dogs aren't the brightest :lol: ) and if i go out of the mh for 5mins or 5 hours he greets me in just the same manic 'i missed u like crazy mode'!!!!

now the autumn is approaching dare i say it (!) i will be out and about more and will start searching for more rallies/meets to go to at weekends - hope that there are still going to be some for us hardened mhers - would love to come up to brean after shepton had already spotted that as so near and is a lurvly walks area but work beckons ( n thanks to maggie, blair, brown and the banks i am nowhere near retiring yet - one day ... perhaps i might try and pop up for 2 of the days? is that allowed or do you miss out on the flow of things?

'flag' is that those big things i saw in april or do you mean a small flag? the ones i saw were really coooerrrll - pirates, simpsons, twirly spinning ones etc - can i ask without offending are these to identify pitches in case you get lost or for after the vino to avoid disturbing the wrong wife/husband when weaving the way back to ones unit? 8O ok techno100 spill the beans you've got me and praps some others guessing .... put us out of our misery ...

jented i envy you the airshow rally my boy would love that and i would - we are near yeovil and yet never seem to be free that weekend yet (!) or fairford - will do it one day i sincerely hope. lucky you tho - shame fergy couldnt meet up with my OH they could have hours and hours of conversation ZZZZzzzz!!! don't get him on old/vintage (nakerd IMHO!) machinery - well i think it takes one to know one :lol: :wink:

really looking forward to it now and to meeting some of you

see you soon if not shepton somewhere else - will feed back on any i go to

thanks to those who give up their time to organise them well done to you all


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## Yorkshirefreckles (Jul 22, 2010)

*Re: rallies*



ezzy66 said:


> 'flag' is that those big things i saw in april or do you mean a small flag? the ones i saw were really coooerrrll - pirates, simpsons, twirly spinning ones etc - can i ask without offending are these to identify pitches in case you get lost or for after the vino to avoid disturbing the wrong wife/husband when weaving the way back to ones unit? 8O ok techno100 spill the beans you've got me and praps some others guessing .... put us out of our misery ...


Correctamundo!! Ours is an MHF flag; no doubt others may be added later. Our flagpole is 6m long and as for the fixing on the van, that's for Techno100 himself to share! Happy rallying.


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## LadyJ (May 9, 2005)

Hi Ezzy

Unfortunately we do have to be a bit regimental at show rallys as we never seem to have enough room :roll: so you might find its a case of going where your put :lol: but we do try to accommodate folks as best we can.

Re Warren Farm Brean yes you can come just for the weekend and there will still be plenty of vans there to socialise with. We also have the Country & Western Rally at the same place so you have a choice of which weekend to come. If you are coming it would be appreciated if you could add your self to either rally list a.s.a.p.

This is our Flag you can purchase one at Shepton off either Clianthus or myself, price £8.50.

Re dogs mine are the terrorists, that is they bark and show off so we are used to dogs :roll: :lol: 

Re kids most of the little horrors, upps sorry darlings seem to migrate to each other on our rallies and it might be a case of trying to find which van they have ended up in, we do try to park all the ones with kids reasonably near to each other though.

Look forward to seeing you at Shepton



Jacquie


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