# Outbacker Support Rally



## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

We, as Outbackers, enjoy a great rally. Its a chance to get together and develop and kindle friendships. We all have watched these rallies develop from a few ideas - to a full blown multi-family rally - packed with lots of activities, great food, and great companionship - all from ideas from our group. The great part about these events is that although they have been not within our geographical area, we enjoyed that experience via shared posts from those that participated in the rallies.

Rallies are a GREAT way of bringing people together.

Whether you have attended a rally or not - here is your chance to participate. Its simple - please share a memorable experience that you have experienced in an Outbacker rally with us. It's OK if you have not attended a rally, please share with us what you really enjoy about being a member on Outbackers.com.

Ok, I'll start - For me, the largest rally that I have participated in was the Gettysburg Rally @ Drummer Boy Campground. This was my first rally with Outbackers. My most memorable experience was actually being part of the rally group and meeting everyone that we had worked with months on planning the event. The rally was a true example of teamwork - with everyone willing to help - from activities - to planning the pot luck supper. The friendships had developed from the rally that provided for lots of time to connect again with other Outbackers.

So, c'mon everyone, join in the Rally - share with us an Outbacker experience - and what Outbackers really means to you!

Rick


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## 'Ohana (May 20, 2007)

We've been to several rallies with the first one being in Luray. We certainly enjoyed meeting folks that we had an online relationship with. At that time (around 2006) most Outbacks had the rear slide and we have pictures of a long row of Outbacks with their rear slides out. It just looked so cool. Best food that I remember was excellent pork at the Spring Gulch rallies and butternut squash soup at that rally also. Good times...


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

Oh Gosh! ONE? I can't! EVERY rally has brought laughter, closeness, too much eating, more learning, shared mods, new info on camping and best of all , always always always talk of the next get together and often plans put into place then and there! Rally's Rock! Without Oubackers, our camping experiences since getting our Outback would have been minimal as we like to camp WITH others, not alone. How could we have done that without Outbackers? We have attended several Casual Get Togethers as well, all because of Outbackers. Ya gotta love when Tom and Sue post "hey! we are going here on these dates, join us!" and other do just that! Woo Hoo!


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

and besides, what about all the







I have met and been kissed by???


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Please remember - this isn't just about the rallies - its about WHAT you VALUE about Outbackers.com! Yes, its a RALLY to show your SUPPORT!


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

what I value is that it's a place I can come to and always have a friend, make a friend, get an answer, get advice, share a laugh, share a tear, leave smiling. It's a place I WANT to come to, ENJOY coming too, look FOWARD coming to, and walk away with something. It's more than a forum............it's a family.

We have shared all of the above AND shared sickness, many health issues, loss of loved ones, and always always there is support for each other. We have lost Outbackers and at least one Outbacker I know of has lost a child tragically and we come here to share and get support and get Outbacker hugs and support.

Friends, answers,advice laughs,tears,smiles, enjoyment,sickness, death and occasional fights .........sure sounds like a family to me


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## jnk36jnk (Mar 9, 2004)

Since we got our OB in 2005 we have not missed one rally here in the PNW. They have been small gatherings or big events but we have always been there. In fact, we spearheaded the first PNW rally at Memaloose. They have all been fun and we have met some of the nicest people, a lot of whom have become very good and dear friends. Many thanks to OB.com for giving us the venue to make those friendships happen. D&J


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

If it wasn't for joining this site, we probably would have never known about rallies!

This site is a WEALTH OF INFORMATION!


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## Matthew (Oct 22, 2008)

Ours would be Thanksgiving '09 Rally in Cannon Beach. This showed me how great fellow outbackers are. As we were pulling into the campground my truck just up and quit. Wife runs over and contacts fellow outbackers who came to the rescue! Had two trucks come over, one pull my trailer over for me and the other tow my truck in, no questions, no hesitation just friends there to help. The rest of the weekend I was stressed with the truck but still had great company and help from everyone there! Its a group of friend, scratch that, family that will not be forgotten. This year with my work schedual we couldn't go to any rallies but if we can in the future we are there! This site is wonderful and the friends you meet or just talk to on the forums are the best!


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

What is Outbackers?

It's a site where I can get info on an OB, or any other TT.
I can also get suggestions of where to camp or how to get ther, but it's also:
A place where I can share the good or the bad with others who do the same.
It's somewhere I can "visit" with people who I've laughed with, cried with, and shared too many hours with...without ever meeting most of them (though I hope to one day).

No, it's more than a website, and especially more than a place for outback owners. That's the reason I have been coming back ever since I first joined.


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## mikenkristipa (May 11, 2008)

Outbackers was the first camping forum that I found after buying our Outback TT 3 years ago. I stumbled upon it thru Ohana (Outbackin Jack at the time). He saw our OB and our two Jack Russell's and came right over to talk. Of course, in that conversation he asked if we ever heard of the OBer's website and encouraged me to check it out. It was a choice that I will never regret. The folks that I have met thru this forum are like a whole other family.

Now, almost all of our camping trips are rally's. Very seldom do we head to a campground alone. The two official "Rally's" that we have attended have both been very rewarding. The first one really stands out at Gettysburg because that is where we met most of the people in our area that we camp with several times a year. rdvholtwood and I figured it out one time, I think at the Gettysburg Rally we had 40+ families from 9 different states. (PA, DE, MD, MI, NH, NJ, OH, NY, VA) When he and I first put up that post for a 'Gettysburg Rally' we NEVER expected that kind of turnout. Last year, the rally included many of the same folks including a new arrival from the state of Oregon.

I am not attending the 'Rally at Raystown' this year because of my work schedule, but I would if I could. Fortunatly, I will see most of my OB family throughout the summer at one time or another.

I don't limit myself to just this site, but I would be sad if it went away. The other camping forum's I frequent, I know about because of this site. The folks I have met, I have met because of this site. Thank you to Doug and the Moderators for all the work you do to keep it going and I hope it stays online.


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

I don't have any ONE memory of what made this special to me....so I'll go with our first rally. Pulled in, introduced myself to a few new Texas Outbackers who were already there, and they jumped in and helped me set up. Even torqued my lug nuts for me. I only had to furnish a couple beers! What a helpful bunch. That was just the first of what has become an annual (and sometimes even more than that) gathering.

We have met so many wonderful people on this forum. And some of those, we haven't even eye-balled yet!

This is a great community!

Mark


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## 5th Time Around (Jul 8, 2008)

Outbackers has changed the way our family goes camping. Before this site our typical camping trip were just our family, none of our friends have campers or tent camp. Now we camp with our Outbacker friends quite a bit. Had it not been for Outbackers we would have never met some of the nicest people there are! Not just the friends that we get to meet but even the ones that we talk to online. There are so many people we can count on to give us advice, share our camping experiences with, and even share our mods with. Outbackers is a family not just a forum.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

5th Time Around said:


> Outbackers has changed the way our family goes camping. Before this site our typical camping trip were just our family, none of our friends have campers or tent camp. Now we camp with our Outbacker friends quite a bit. Had it not been for Outbackers we would have never met some of the nicest people there are! Not just the friends that we get to meet but even the ones that we talk to online. There are so many people we can count on to give us advice, share our camping experiences with, and even share our mods with. Outbackers is a family not just a forum.


Yes...exactly! We have met lots of new friends via this site and still continue to camp with these Outbacker friends.


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## 4 Outbackers (Mar 5, 2008)

I posted this previously on another topic, but I think it fits better here.
In the begining I visted several camping websites but I could never find another one such as this. All though I have never had the pleasure of meeting any of you, I have centainly enjoyed being part of your community. This site has a "family camping" feel to it like no other. This has been the only site I have visted for quite sometime due to it`s laid back, friendly atmosphere and it has become something positve to look forward to reading after a long day at work, just as going camping is when the weekend approaches.
I certainly hope this site remains, and thanks again to all of you for the great advise and converstations over the years.


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## SLO Outbacker (Jan 30, 2009)

I have not made it to a rally yet, but hope to some day. I like this site for two main reasons.

First, the wealth of information shared about Outbacks, mods, maintenance, and other experience. The ideas and experience shared has been very valuable. I have shared a little of my own, but mainly benefiting from others.

Second, and as important is the spirit and attitude of the membership. The tone is friendly and helpful. People have fun and enjoy sharing their ideas and experiences. That is why I would enjoy making it to a rally so I could meet some of you face to face.

I have to admit one tough part of this site for me is that several of the more prolific posters are Oregon State or Oregon fans







. As a USC Trojan alum and fan I have to look past all the "Beaver" and "Duck" stuff and realize that these are good people. (Maybe I will need to add some "Trojan" influence to my profile!







).

I do hope this site lives on!


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

For those of you that are still considering to post - we'd love to hear from you. Lets get those Outbacker positive vibes flowing - so we can keep Outbackers.com going!


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## socialstudiesmom (Nov 1, 2005)

We attended three Michigan rallies (Orchard Beach Spring Rally, Ft. Custer Fall Rally and a larger rally at Kibby Creek near Ludington). We met amazing campers, shared some delicious potlucks and a great deal of stories and laughs around campfires. Whenever I'm on a larger group site, such as RV.net, I am forever referring people considering the purchase of an Outback to this site. More than once, I've had feedback that this site sealed the deal on an Outback purchase. People love the sense of community here. Now that my children are older and we're camping a bit less (big sigh), I don't get on here as often. I'm not even sure my signature reflects that we traded in our SOB for our second Outback, our beloved Sydney 210BHS? I guess I'll see when I hit "add reply." Happy Camping!


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

First rally was Cooperstown, NY. I have been to many rallies and even was part of organizing one or two. My most memorable trip was cross country. I drove over two hundred miles out of my way to meet MsWalt at a rally that never really took off but for me it was worth every mile to meet a friend and surprise him. He had no idea I was showing up and the campground let me know he was there and parked me next to him. One week later I met the group at the Zion Rally. It was hot (115) but I was so glad to be part of the west coast group for 5 nights.

I have missed the rallies but to be honest they just stopped being fun on the east coast, so its been a while since the last one. I have not checked in for quite a while and some habits are hard to stop. I just had to post. You never forget the friends you make on Outbackers and sometimes life changes and time passes but I can tell you, everytime I look at the Outback in the yard.....I smile for my friends.

John

O C, really, over 16,000...lol


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