TDIFest 2007

[VW Derf]

Besides Colorado there is another group that is working on finishing some stuff off. As stated above. If you want it in your backyard, follow the instructions and get your plans and proposal together. Then get it to me by the deadline.

 

[BKmetz]

Since you asked, I respectfully answer with a clear: NO.

The 2005 fest was in Lake Mills WI (pop. ~4800) which is VERY rural, quite Mayberry-ish. Yet with all the lack of things to incorporate the fest was a success. People come for the company and cars. The Philly fest was the rain fest. You couldn't do anything Friday or Saturday but hang out at the hotel. Did that stop anyone from having a great time, HELL NO! People came for the company and cars.

Most people will never leave the hotel or the central location. Where the cars are is where the action is and where the people are hanging out. If the area has a nice restaurant & bar, the guys are happy. A local mom & pop place will do. The wives and kids only need a park with a playground. People will find their own entertainment. Big cities are no guarantee of a successful fest. Just my opinion.

 

[TeDeEye1]

I'll second that

The 2005 fest was in Lake Mills WI (pop. ~4800) which is VERY rural, quite Mayberry-ish. Yet with all the lack of things to incorporate the fest was a success. People come for the company and cars. The Philly fest was the rain fest. You couldn't do anything Friday or Saturday but hang out at the hotel. Did that stop anyone from having a great time, HELL NO! People came for the company and cars.

Most people will never leave the hotel or the central location. Where the cars are is where the action is and where the people are hanging out. If the area has a nice restaurant & bar, the guys are happy. A local mom & pop place will do. The wives and kids only need a park with a playground. People will find their own entertainment. Big cities are no guarantee of a successful fest. Just my opinion.

I'll second that

 

[WPB TDI FRED]

If he gets no proposal, I assume that means there will be no fest..........
I understand the FL bid went bust,so that's out......
I would be bummed also, I have been to all of them but 1!but the fest is a large undertaking and it takes a dedicated group of committed people to pull it off !! go to any of the previous organizers and ask....They will tell you

Mr. Tomo:
What is the factual basis for your understanding that the "FL bid went bust" ?? I don't understand that at all. It's my impression, from reading the various posting relating to the bid process for the 07 Fest, that the Florida gentleman working on a Florida proposal is doing quite well, and the proposal is well coordinated.

 

[WPB TDI FRED]

The 2005 fest was in Lake Mills WI (pop. ~4800) which is VERY rural, quite Mayberry-ish. Yet with all the lack of things to incorporate the fest was a success. People come for the company and cars. The Philly fest was the rain fest. You couldn't do anything Friday or Saturday but hang out at the hotel. Did that stop anyone from having a great time, HELL NO! People came for the company and cars.

Most people will never leave the hotel or the central location. Where the cars are is where the action is and where the people are hanging out. If the area has a nice restaurant & bar, the guys are happy. A local mom & pop place will do. The wives and kids only need a park with a playground. People will find their own entertainment. Big cities are no guarantee of a successful fest. Just my opinion.

I respect your opinion, and I do agree that a big city is not a guarantee to anything. However, some of the attendees may choose to do something other than to stay in the hotel 24hrs a day for 3-4 consecutive days without exploring the area. I can't honesty say that the King of Prussia / Philadelphia was a "rain fest" or a waste. There was plenty to do and see around the hotel area, the historical surroundings, and in the city. And who could drive to Philly and not have a cheesesteak sandwich at Jim's Steaks or Pat's Steaks?

Every area has something unique to offer, but the location should have significant choices to offer the attendees in order for them to "find their own entertainment" to supplement Fest activities. Who in their right mind would like the choices to be limited to either going in the woods to hunt for bears or stay in the campground and get bitten by a rattlesnake. ???

 

[bikeprof]

'07 GTG in Florida ?

So here "we" are...
Get bitten by rattlesnakes or croccodiles and/or falling into a swamp,
take your pick!

I cannot see going so far away from my home to see so many desolate miles on my odometer... and a week behind the wheel!

Maybe somewhere in the middle, like Kansas or Missouri & Chicago itz, OK!

PS. I still like Pagosa...

 

[BKmetz]

I respect your opinion, and I do agree that a big city is not a guarantee to anything. However, some of the attendees may choose to do something other than to stay in the hotel 24hrs a day for 3-4 consecutive days without exploring the area. I can't honesty say that the King of Prussia / Philadelphia was a "rain fest" or a waste. There was plenty to do and see around the hotel area, the historical surroundings, and in the city. And who could drive to Philly and not have a cheesesteak sandwich at Jim's Steaks or Pat's Steaks?

Every area has something unique to offer, but the location should have significant choices to offer the attendees in order for them to "find their own entertainment" to supplement Fest activities. Who in their right mind would like the choices to be limited to either going in the woods to hunt for bears or stay in the campground and get bitten by a rattlesnake. ???

I'm of the mindset that you have expectations that no organizer is ever going to meet.

You state that you are undecided if the Philly fest was a success or not. That is a very telling statement. The simple truth is that it was an overwhelming success! The organizers pulled it off. It did happen as it was planned to. There was record attendance. The auction raised a respectable amount of money. Vendors sold products & services. Cars were worked on. Sunday it cleared up and the "Show & Shine" was held along with the rally. The majority of attendees refused to let the rain dampen their spirits, dismissed the adversity, moved on and had fun.

Monday Fred, TDIinRI, another guy ( I forgot your name, sorry), and I did venture into Philly and went to the Mutter Museum and hit Jim's for the real-deal Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. It was great but getting downtown and parking was not easy to negotiate even on a holiday.

I've been to 5 out of 7 fests now and I have never been disappointed. I kept my expectations simple and that was the key. Every fest has had something go wrong despite the best intentions of the organizers.

If you are undecided that the Philly fest is a waste or not, then you would have hated the Lake Mills fest. Lake Mills was a hard-core wrenching fest. You would have had to invent your own entertainment pretty much all of the time.

Who in their right mind would like the choices to be limited to either going in the woods to hunt for bears or stay in the campground and get bitten by a rattlesnake. ???

With this statement I don't know what you are saying except showing your contempt for someone's fest idea with unwarranted sarcasm. You still have your trump card to play. Submit your proposal for a FL fest. This is your baby. Make it the biggest most successful fest ever! Show all those other fest organizer slackers that their efforts were lame, sub-par, inferior, etc. Raise the bar! This is your moment. Carpe diem!

 

[WPB TDI FRED]

You state that you are undecided if the Philly fest was a success or not.

Hey Brian: I'm sure I did not say that. The posting speaks for itself. On the contrary, I think the King / Philly was very much a success. And, in addition to the Fest activities, there were many other local attractions.

ANYWAY, I've used up my penny on this issue, and I'm a nickle over.
Bottom line is that Anywhere, USA or Canada will have their own particular merits, positives and negatives.

ps. If you're a Florida GATOR, you don't have to worry about being gator bait.

 

[paramedick]

To tell the truth, I enjoyed Lake Mills best of the three fests I have attended. Nice simple motel with great rates and free internet. Friendly local folks (except for the tax collector scam). Wrenching as needed. I worked my butt off, and enjoyed every minute of it!

Nice small town restaurants. A TDI caravan to the local tasty freeze for ice cream. What could be more fun? Of course, I'm a small town boy.

 

[tomo366]

Lol

 

[turkeyssr]

Go West!

Well, I for one would be interested in some place in or around California; OR would be wonderful. Unfortunately for me, I can't/don't always keep up with the process of how the locations are choosen. (I have too many processes at work to think about)

 

[bikeprof]

NO MATTER WHAT... let's have a FEST !

I still think that the IDEA of having a GTG in CENTRAL USA would be the best !

Think of the larger number of attendee's because of location
Imagine getting to a small town, "taking over" and being asked to come BACK the next year!, that would be SUPER.

thoughts...
1. Centrally located
2. Small town/city
3. Lower fuel cost pumps
4. Maybe(?) change the weekend date? for one that's not so busy?

DEFINITELY, LET'S MAKE IT A GTG

 

[lancellotto]

Any interest in having a biodiesel homebrewing class at TDIFest 07? I'll bet we could get Mark Alovert (www.girlmark.com) to do one at the Fest. If any of you are from the SE and would be interested in hosting TDIFest 07 in Atlanta, there's a hot little biodiesel community here (www.vegenergy.com), too.

 

[WPB TDI FRED]

I still think that the IDEA of having a GTG in CENTRAL USA would be the best ! ...DEFINITELY, LET'S MAKE IT A GTG

How about Kansas City, MO ???

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

I was in KC, MO recently myself and I thought it would be a great place for a Fest! I am out of the volunteering biz, but I'll have plenty of encouragement for the organizers--wherever it may be!

 

[imperium]

Is Fest always going to fall on Labor Day weekend?

 

[251]

Is Fest always going to fall on Labor Day weekend?

Not necessarily but that has been the tradition so far.

 

[DannyRay]

I am in H2OTuning club in Alabama and we are kicking around an idea for a GTG in Helen, GA a German Town in Northern Georgia with lots of twisty roads. We have nothing nailed down yet, but I thought a combined event with TDIFest 2007 and maybe our club can sponsor? What are your thoughts?

www.H2OTuning.com

 

[mrchill]

OOH! More planning ! This should be good no matter where it is! I'll have to plan a week off if we do Central or West though......unless I get on a plane....

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Although the Lake Mills fest was pretty wrench-heavy, there were things to see and do. TDIinRI, BeetleGo, and I went to Madison and New Glarus (a sort of Swiss village) on Sunday and had a great time. We also saw Tornado damage, which, as an easterner, I'd never seen. Scary. Wherever you are there are things to do and see if you're willing to take a chance.

And the weather for 2005 was nothing short of spectacular. That helped.

 

[Lug_Nut]

Eye opener

We also saw Tornado damage, which, as an easterner, I'd never seen. Scary.

http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/matorn.htm
http://www.tornadoproject.com/toptens/topten1.htm

 

[vikingrob]

Although the Lake Mills fest was pretty wrench-heavy, there were things to see and do. TDIinRI, BeetleGo, and I went to Madison and New Glarus (a sort of Swiss village) on Sunday and had a great time. We also saw Tornado damage, which, as an easterner, I'd never seen. Scary. Wherever you are there are things to do and see if you're willing to take a chance.

And the weather for 2005 was nothing short of spectacular. That helped.

And some of the damage was to the sign in the Culver's just across from the hotel in Fort Atkinson. (Also, their phone line was down, forcing me to resort to a fax to modify my reservation.) Once I got there, the weather was indeed spectacular.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

OK, I do remember seeing some damage out by Pittsfield in the early 70s, but not like this.

 

[mrchill]

Is Fest always going to fall on Labor Day weekend?

We thought about Dec 25th, but between all the wise guys around here trying to pass themselves off as wise men, and the cold weather bringing out St. Iggy and his Krupnik, we decided that there would be far too much tom foolery! Hey, wait a minute......isnt that just a typcal NE gtg?

 

[savd4one]

was the deadline for the 07 fest yesterday 10/31/06? just curious as to when and where the fest is going to be/announced.

 

[Hamsterdiesel]

I still think that the IDEA of having a GTG in CENTRAL USA would be the best !

There is a huge problem with anyone referring to our Annual TDIFest as a GTG. Planning and running a GTG is NOTHING like planning and running TDIFest. At GTG's, people generally all pitch in and bring food, tools, beer and everyone has a good time - am I right? I speak as a Fest organizer AND as an organizer of some very large East Coast GTGs.

The big difference between the two is that the Fest is a fundraiser. We charge a registration fee, plus fees for other activities based on their cost to the club. People paying to attend the Fest expect something for their money. This is why it takes a year of hard work and planning by a dedicated Fest staff to plan and run a Fest. This is why no staff = NO FEST.

A previous Fest organizer has said that when a group submits a proposal (and it is accepted by Fred), that it is "just this side of a solemn oath" to Fred that your group WILL do everything it takes to pull off a fun, successful event. I couldn't agree more. Your group is promising Fred that they will put forth the time and energy necessary to bring the Fest from proposal to reality. These are not just words! The reality is: the smaller your group, the more your family and life in general gets put on hold until after Labor Day. It takes time. It takes commitment. It doesn't take 2 months of deciding a location to have a good Fest.

You have to come down to earth, people - it's crunch time.

Stop the 'Wouldn't it be cool to have the Fest here' posts. They are a waste of time. Start talking to your local TDIers instead. Get to know others in your area. See if you have a local group that can commit the amount of time and energy necessary to plan and run a successful event. Then, and only then can you begin to consider locale.

In truth, it doesn't matter where the Fest is held, so long as there is parking for 100-200 cars.

If you build the Fest, they will come...

 

[bikeprof]

Kansas City, Missouri

In the middle of the country AND there are those that are interested in getting the FEST organized, WHAT ELSE DO WE WANT?
Since my bid was not accepted, I vote for:

KANSAS CITY GTG!

 

[VW Derf]

Since my bid was not accepted

I never received an official bid from you. If this went missing, please let me know ASAP. If you are referring to where you would like to have it, perhaps it might be worth seeing what could be done for TDIFEST 2008. While it is still a long time a way, some preliminary work could be done so that next year at this time the work to put a official bid together would be easier and quicker.
That said I should have an announcement to make in regards to TDIFest 2007 in the coming days.
Fred

 

[bikeprof]

No problem...'DERF.
I will be planning a FEST for 2008 here in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Unless we can all decide that the time is here for it to be here... in '07

There are PLENTY of activities around the town, some away in Durango(60 miles).

Hot minerals waters (some of THE BEST)!
Hiking, biking
Sightseeing, artifact hunting, ie: Mesa Verde National park...
Small community and big hearts
Mountain driving, did I say... mountain driving, with curves????
Lots of fishing, canoeing/rafting
Great WEATHER!!!!!
Local Brewery !

Yes, it should be a week long event! Four days to get there/here, three to be here...

 

[VW Derf]

bikeprof.... Get people together and a plan to pull this off. Without a plan and extra people to pull it off it won't happen. Once you have this submit a proposal.... The deadline for 2007 has passed, so 2008 is your next chance.