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Lodging??

apopj

New member
Hey guys,

I must be doing something wrong. I went to Expedia.com and checked on rooms for the rally in Gillette. A 1 1/2 star motel was $220 a night. Did I read it wrong or was the decimal point put in the wrong spot? I really really want to go to the rally, but to pay almost $1000 for a room for several days seems rather severe. So, what did I do wrong? Thanks for the help and see you in Gillette (Maybe!!!)..... Jeff:wave
 
The rate is probably right, unfortunately. Try Sherpa Mayberry's camping service, if you don't mind tenting it. Comes out to not much more than that for the whole rally, and he makes very good coffee!

Cheryl
 
I am going to cut back severely on my rally going because of this very reason...Rooms...gas and food are just getting to be too much...I have already cancelled Daytona next spring and Gillette wy also is not on my list..I simply just don't want to spend that kind of money...:nono
 
Just A Thought

I too am undecided if I will include Gillette in my riding plans when I 'Iron Butt' it out west next July to visit my daughter in Castle Rock, CO., which is nearly 400 miles from the rally site.

However, though I have never camped while motorcycling, I did look into the logistics, and you might be surprised.

I took a walk thru the sporting goods section of the local Wal-Mart and here is what I noticed:

3-man quality, waterproof tent: $27
Ground Cloth: $8
Sleeping Bag (Good to 35 degrees): $20
Over-size Tent Stakes (For WY winds!): $5
Tent Stake Hammer & Remover: $6
8" Thick Twin-size Air Mattress: $12
Battery-operated Air Pump: $10

Total for what I consider the minimum to 'spend a few nights in camp' at Gillette comes to only $88!

For that investment, you could spend 'X' number of days at the rally, throw everything away before you head home (though I wouldn't) and still have spent less than even one night at a local motel during the OFF season. Food, showers, etc. are provided on the rally grounds - in other words, you don't have to pack for an expedition to the Himalaya's just to flop for a night or two somewhere.

All the items I looked at pack down quite small and could easily be included with everything else I load on the R1200RT for long-distance travel. Just something to consider???
 
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Check out this link for Ted Mayberry

Looks like an easy way to go.
Ted is taking reservations now.

Then ...
SouthwestPlane.png
 
From the Camplex MOA page.
-Ray

GILLETTE,WYOMING
Hotel Name Phone Number
Best Value Inn 682-9341
Best Western Towers West 686-2210
Budget Inn Express 686-1989
Comfort Inn 685-2223
Days Inn 682-3999
Fairfield Inn 686-2210 - (Nichole)
Hampton Inn 686-2000
Holiday Inn Express 686-9576
Howard Johnson Inn 682-2616
Motel 6 686-8600
National 9 682-5111
Super 8 Motel 682-8078
Wingate Inn 685-2700


MOORCROFT, WYOMING - 30 miles from CAM-PLEX

Cozy Motel
756-3411

Moorcourt Motel
756-3411

BUFFALO, WYOMING - 63 miles from CAM-PLEX
Arrowhead Motel 684-9453
Best Western Cross Roads 684-2256
Big Horn Motel 684-7822
Blue Gables Motel 684-2574
Canyon Motel 684-2957
Comfort Inn 684-9564
Rhodeway Inn 800-424-6423
Holiday Inn Express 686-2210
Mansion House Inn 684-2218
Motel 6 684-7000
Mountain View 684-2881
Occidental Hotel 684-0451
Super 8 Motel 684-2531
Wyoming Motel 684-5505
Z-Bar Motel 684-5535


SUNDANCE, WYOMING- 63 miles from CAM-PLEX
Arrowhead Hotel 283-3307
Bear Lodge Motel 283-1611
Best Western 283-2800
Sundance Mountain Inn 283-3737

NEWCASTLE, WYOMING- 75 miles from CAM-PLEX
Fountain Inn 746-4426
Four Corners Inn 746-4776
Hilltop Motel 746-4494
Morgan Motel 746-2715
Pines Motel 746-4334
Sage Motel 746-2724


HULETT, WYOMING - 70 miles from CAM-PLEX
Best Western Inn 467-5747
 
Lodging...

Well, I called to see about prices. Yep, the price Expedia gave me were correct. Guess I am spoiled by living in the real world. I can get a 5 star room here in Akron, Ohio for $99 a night. I can get a 2 star for $38 a night. Why in the world would I pay $220 a night for a 1 1/2 star just to attend a rally? I agree I had fun at the Charleston, WVa rally a few years ago, and found the $19 a night dorm room very nice (especially when the weather got terrible), but not enough fun to justify the cost of these rooms, plus food, fuel, and maybe spend the remaining 50 cents on gear.
Sorry MOA, but I will attend 20 local rallys for that kind of money. HAve more fun, meet more people, and see more of the country I want to see. It seems as though these "FUN" rallys have gone the way of Bike Week.... gimmie, gimmie, gimmie..... surely you could use some pressure to maintain reasonable prices for the rallys. Or, maybe go somewhere else that actually wants us and not JUST OUR MONEY....
As much as I wanted to go, it isn't going to happen this year. I will just ride to Alaska or Mexico and save the rest of my money....:dunno
By the way, I do 40 to 50 nights a year motorcycle camping so I have all the equipment, but still it is too expensive to attend...

Jeff
 
By the way, I do 40 to 50 nights a year motorcycle camping so I have all the equipment, but still it is too expensive to attend...


:scratch I don't understand, if you like to camp and have all the equipment, why is it still too expensive to attend? :scratch
 
lodging??

Well,

My fiance will be with me and she wants a hotel room. I always think of the MOA as a family group, not a solo camping experience. She doesn't mind camping after a short ride, but when its two hard days for her, she wants some comfort. But the problem isn't that it is out of my price range, it's that it's in a ridiculous price range. I mean really, $220 for a 1 1/2 star motel???? At least the guys I used to arrest wore a mask when they robbed people....

Jeff:laugh
 
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More lodging ideas

Hey I know the motel rates are outragious in Gillette. I live in Rapid City SD. and work over there quite often. But feel lucky if you get one at all on short notice!
Here is an idea. How about staying in Spearfish SD. and making the trip over to Gillette for the programs? :thumb
 
Hey I know the motel rates are outragious in Gillette. I live in Rapid City SD. and work over there quite often. But feel lucky if you get one at all on short notice!
Here is an idea. How about staying in Spearfish SD. and making the trip over to Gillette for the programs? :thumb

Prolly a good idea if you are going to hotel-it. Spearfish is a nice mid-sized town and would be a good center of operations if you planned to do some riding through the Black Hills during the National.
 
Well, I called to see about prices. Yep, the price Expedia gave me were correct. Guess I am spoiled by living in the real world. I can get a 5 star room here in Akron, Ohio for $99 a night. I can get a 2 star for $38 a night. Why in the world would I pay $220 a night for a 1 1/2 star just to attend a rally? I agree I had fun at the Charleston, WVa rally a few years ago,
Jeff

When you called the hotels, did you ask for the BMW MOA block of rooms. There should still be some cheaper than the 220.00. Haven't checked to see if the blocks are gone, but there should be some left.
 
I went down to the Hills for some riding at the beginning of July. I decided to stay 2 nights and elected to stay in a motel instead of camping. Deadwood and the rest were fully booked but the Super 8 in Sturgis took me. The lady at the desk apologized profusely because the last room they had available was the deluxe with a large jacuzzi tub. She said she was really really sorry but it was $109 a night. Sounded like a good deal to me.

It's not 5 star but soaking in the jacuzzi after sweating buckets in the 110 heat of the grasslands was a treat. And breakfast was included.
 
Spearfish to Gillette is about 90 minutes if I recall right. Are there towns a mite closer that neighbor folks might recommend?
 
Well,

My wife will be with me and she wants a hotel room. I always think of the MOA as a family group, not a solo camping experience. She doesn't mind camping after a short ride, but when its two hard days for her, she wants some comfort.

I hear ya.

On one hand, my setup is quite comfy, includes a 9" Coleman air mattress, and I'm on site for the duration to top off those slow leakers (happens after a few days of use). Many folks tell me it's the best night of sleep they've had in a long time.

On the other hand, I can certainly understand the privacy, own bathroom, real bed, having a dresser to unpack, being able to stand up and change clothes, etc. that a hotel room provides. If that's the kind of comfort the wife is demanding, Sherpa isn't an option.

The rate is probably right, unfortunately. Try Sherpa Mayberry's camping service, if you don't mind tenting it. Comes out to not much more than that for the whole rally, and he makes very good coffee!

Cheryl

Indeed. My current rate (with sales tax added) for a double tent setup is only $5 more than that single night. With sales tax (I'm guessing the $220 doesn't include sales tax), my current rate is $237.60 and covers the duration of the rally. Single tent is lower, naturally.

Rates will increase as the rally draws closer. I offer a lower price at first so that past customers can book early and save $'s. I'll also send out a mass emailing to last year's customers early Jan to provide similar heads up.

I'll have 200 tent capacity in '08. I bought a propane coffee pot that holds 12 gallons of coffee. That plus a couple 101 cup units *should* allow me to keep up with the drastic demand!
 
3-man quality, waterproof tent: $27
Ground Cloth: $8
Sleeping Bag (Good to 35 degrees): $20
Over-size Tent Stakes (For WY winds!): $5
Tent Stake Hammer & Remover: $6
8" Thick Twin-size Air Mattress: $12
Battery-operated Air Pump: $10

Waterproof tent, pretty cheap, but oughta work fine for the weekend.

I personally do not bother with ground cloths. The Coleman tents I use have a very good bath-tub like waterproof floor. I don't have issues with water seeping through the bottom. Even if the tent gets damp inside, the air mattress keeps the sleeping bag dry.

My experience with air mattresses is about 10% right out of the box leak (Coleman, no less. Other camping services use lesser brand and have a higher failure rate). 90% chance it'll work ok, consider little lower odds as I'm guessing $12 isn't necessarily a quality brand. I'd pack a couple, but probably bad advice when considering how much to pack on a bike (they aren't light). Then again, topping off to fall asleep and waking up on the ground might be a suitable risk for many. Been there, done that myself many times.

Air pump, definitely nice to have, but when I was bicycle touring, I didn't want to carry one around. I sat in my chair and breathed into my air mattress for about a half hour while reading a book. Looked odd, but the job got done.

Over sized tent stakes, absolutely. The little ones that come with the tent do not hold up well in wind. Don't ask me why I know that.

Don't forget a chair (Kermit?)...
 
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I booked my tent with SherpaMayberry, so I guess I'm commited now.

I like camping, but 2-up camping is a pain. But I like being at the ralley site, so we will motel on the way to and from the rally, and have a nice comfy tent on the grounds when we get there.

Sounds like the best of both worlds to me.

Wife will be happy too.

See ya there, Don :dance
 
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