Camping at Gillette

[czechmate]

Let's stop all the whining about motel rates and try camping for a change. The rates are cheap and the camaraderie is worth a lot more. Most of my travels during the year I stay in motels but I make a few exceptions of which the international rally is one. Where else can you meet people from all over the world, have a couple of beers and even smoke a stoggie under the stars. Besides, if you over indulge, you don't have that long ride back to the motel.

[Rapid_Roy]

It is because a guy that is from that area says it's really hot in summer and they have giant rainstorms every night. Funny, if you had asked me about Wisconsin in July before West Bend, I would have said almost the exact same thing. It's too hot and there are too many mosquitos! Oddly enough, it was very cool and there were no mosquitos. I'll take my chances in Gillette, we'll be in the Loud section. :thumb

[PAULBACH]

Make it simple - reserve a Sherpa tent!

[BernieEcht]

I think the rally is in July. It was hot in Spokane, Ohio, Vermont. That is why it is summer. Get a fan from coleman.

[vetbmwrider]

At the last BOD meeting one of the local people that live in Gillette, stated that if you advertise in the local newspaper your name and phone number and that you would like to rent a trailer or RV. The people that live in Gillette will rent their RV or Trailer out for this event and set up the RV or Trailer on rally grounds. This does require some negotiation between you and that individual

[Rharrod]

This is from another post that I put up, but may help some of you looking here! Good Luck:wave ------------------------------- Why don't you just try the locals! It's been don before. If the nationals High school rodeo Kids can, can't YOU? Out at Cam-Plex they have lots of spot for all these trailers and campers and motor homes that are parked all year. Except for hunting! What the rodeo kids do, (from all over the nation) is put in ads in the local newspaper and ask to rent a camper for that week that they are here. The locals take the campers out to Cam-Plex and set them up with/for you to rent. You just need to get with Cam-Plex and the local and just DO IT!!!!!!!! The local paper is the Gillette News-Record (307) 682-9306 web page www.gillettenewsrecord.com . With the BOOM that Gillette has wright now, all the workers have most all the room that they are living in. So YES price is up. No one on this MOA boad saw this coming.. So, If you need to stay somewhere els. Take a look at a map! Look at Moorcroft,WY only 30 miles to the East. Also look at Wright, WY 37 miles South has one motel. Look West 68 miles is Buffalo,WY at the base of the Big Horn Mt's. Lot of nice places s to stay! Just North of there is Story,WY. Also try Upton,Devils Tower,Sundance, and Newcastle,WY. I hope this helps!

[SherpaMayberry]

Make it simple - reserve a Sherpa tent!

Actually, looks like there will be two camping service vendors this year. Because of the locality, I'll be joined by a Colorado based outfit, Sherpa Packers. He also normally provides services for the Top of the Rockies rally.

Between my growth to 200 tents and 200 tents that the Sherpa Packers can bring, there will be service for up to 400 tents in '08.

The crystal ball suggests I may be able to open reservations in a few weeks....

[tourunigo]

Actually, looks like there will be two camping service vendors this year. Because of the locality, I'll be joined by a Colorado based outfit, Sherpa Packers. He also normally provides services for the Top of the Rockies rally.

Between my growth to 200 tents and 200 tents that the Sherpa Packers can bring, there will be service for up to 400 tents in '08.

The crystal ball suggests I may be able to open reservations in a few weeks....


... for the first time, we too will take advantage of this service as soon as it is available. Knowing this has helped lighten our extended journey a great deal and will provide an effortless arrival and departure plan. (Thanks to PaulBach for pitching [not an intended pun] the idea to us so convincingly). -Bob

[kenk]

This is from another post that I put up, but may help some of you looking here! Good Luck:wave ------------------------------- Why don't you just try the locals! It's been don before. If the nationals High school rodeo Kids can, can't YOU? Out at Cam-Plex they have lots of spot for all these trailers and campers and motor homes that are parked all year. Except for hunting! What the rodeo kids do, (from all over the nation) is put in ads in the local newspaper and ask to rent a camper for that week that they are here. The locals take the campers out to Cam-Plex and set them up with/for you to rent. You just need to get with Cam-Plex and the local and just DO IT!!!!!!!! The local paper is the Gillette News-Record (307) 682-9306 web page www.gillettenewsrecord.com . With the BOOM that Gillette has wright now, all the workers have most all the room that they are living in. So YES price is up. No one on this MOA boad saw this coming.. So, If you need to stay somewhere els. Take a look at a map! Look at Moorcroft,WY only 30 miles to the East. Also look at Wright, WY 37 miles South has one motel. Look West 68 miles is Buffalo,WY at the base of the Big Horn Mt's. Lot of nice places s to stay! Just North of there is Story,WY. Also try Upton,Devils Tower,Sundance, and Newcastle,WY. I hope this helps!

Lovely....rent a local camper for $200 a night! No one of the MOA boad (sp) saw the coming? Power plants take years to plan and Gillette was very aware of this conflict. Gillette just continently failed to mention this little problem to the committee. Strain on the hotels --- high costs. What about the limited restaurant facilities? Is Gillette going to expect us to believe these transient workers don't eat. Plenty of tourist PASSING THROUGH Gillette this time of year. They probably also don't eat. It sounds like camping and fair food to me. Make sure to pack your fibercon!

[tourunigo]

Lovely....rent a local camper for $200 a night! No one of the MOA boad (sp) saw the coming? Power plants take years to plan and Gillette was very aware of this conflict. Gillette just continently failed to mention this little problem to the committee. Strain on the hotels --- high costs. What about the limited restaurant facilities? Is Gillette going to expect us to believe these transient workers don't eat. Plenty of tourist PASSING THROUGH Gillette this time of year. They probably also don't eat. It sounds like camping and fair food to me. Make sure to pack your fibercon!


... my experience is that most vendors are pricey and serve gut-rot. We'll bring a simple cook stove and buy at grocery store. Cheaper and healthier. Doing the Sherpa thing will give us lots more room for nutrition. -Bob

[SherpaMayberry]

It is because a guy that is from that area says it's really hot in summer and they have giant rainstorms every night.

This confuses me quite a bit. I had posted graphs of average temps in that other 25+ page thread, but a month's worth of posts disappeared which included my graphic (which took time to pull together).

This time I'll provide averages directly from the weather.com web page for July:

Day Sunrise Sunset....Avg...Avg..Mean Record..........Record
................................High...Low........ ...High .............Low
17 5:34 AM 8:42 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 102°F (1957) 41°F (1982)
18 5:35 AM 8:41 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 102°F (1977) 42°F (1972)
19 5:36 AM 8:40 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 102°F (1960) 43°F (1972)
20 5:37 AM 8:39 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 103°F (1960) 42°F (1972)

Record highs in the low 100's, with low humidity. Many other places in the country are higher.

Record high for West Bend in July is 107. Burlington 100, Lima 109. These areas are likely to feel worse as the humidity tends to be a lot higher.

[SherpaMayberry]

I'll give the chart a second shot. A little warmer on average over West Bend (4 degrees ), a little cooler on average (6 degrees) as well. Rainfall is significantly less as well (2.64" for Gillette, 3.99" for West Bend).

Red is Gillette, blue is West Bend.

There may be personal reasons for not wanting to go, but I don't understand how one can blame weather.

[Rapid_Roy]

This confuses me quite a bit. I had posted graphs of average temps in that other 25+ page thread, but a month's worth of posts disappeared which included my graphic (which took time to pull together).

This time I'll provide averages directly from the weather.com web page for July:

Day Sunrise Sunset....Avg...Avg..Mean Record..........Record
................................High...Low........ ...High .............Low
17 5:34 AM 8:42 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 102°F (1957) 41°F (1982)
18 5:35 AM 8:41 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 102°F (1977) 42°F (1972)
19 5:36 AM 8:40 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 102°F (1960) 43°F (1972)
20 5:37 AM 8:39 PM 85°F 55°F 70°F 103°F (1960) 42°F (1972)

It didn't confuse me, I just wondered if saying it was hot was relevant. One can blame many things on the BMWMOA, but weather is not one of them. Your chart backs up what redclfco said. :thumb

[Rharrod]

Lovely....rent a local camper for $200 a night! No one of the MOA boad (sp) saw the coming? :blah I don't think any of the LOCALs are renting campers for $200 a night!! I did not see YOUR AD in the Gillette News-Record at all!! So what is the locals name? I would like to call him/her! Or what is this just more B.S. from YOU???????? :nono I hope Gillette will have food. We don't have trouble unless I-90 and Highway 59 is closed for days, from ICE and SNOW. :D YOU say it's going to be hot, So the food wagon should make it to Gillette. That is if the horse don't droop a shoe. :rofl I here in July they may have to get one more wagon thou. Maybe it will look like the old Borax wagon train.:D Don't stress out man, you will get to eat and have a place to stay! If you give this rally a chance. I think that when you get here to Gillette, you will have a good time. I will get you a beer on me! Gillette is a good town, with good prod people living here. I have been here over 25 years now! We have raised our three kids here. My wife will not leave! I tried to head back down south for warmer winters. (but No):heart We work hard and long hours, but here in Gillette the hospitality is the best in the west!!!!The ones putting this thing on are not from here. But they are working hard for YOU, to make this rally a good one. My hats off to them.:rocker I'm planing to help out at the rally site, to help making this a good one. How about you?:scratch Are you one of the members, that will be helping to make this a good rally?:dunno Richard

[Rharrod]

There are two local campgrounds in Gillette. 1 High Plains Camground just across from Cam-Plex (307) 687-7339. 2. Green tree's Grazy Woman Camp Ground in downtown Gillette (307) 683-3665. I think there is some camping down at Wrght,WY 37 miles just South of town on HW 59. There are two KOA's in the Area. 1. 68 miles to the West at Buffalo,WY. 2. At Devils Tower (307) 467-5395 ONLY 58 miles. Also more camping at Devils Tower Fort (307) 5655 Still 58 Miles. You can also camp at Sundance,WY at Mountain View Campground (307) 283-2270 at 61 miles. More camping at Keyhole State Park only 40 miles :bliss Richard

[kenk]

There are two local campgrounds in Gillette. 1 High Plains Camground just across from Cam-Plex (307) 687-7339. 2. Green tree's Grazy Woman Camp Ground in downtown Gillette (307) 683-3665. I think there is some camping down at Wrght,WY 37 miles just South of town on HW 59. There are two KOA's in the Area. 1. 68 miles to the West at Buffalo,WY. 2. At Devils Tower (307) 467-5395 ONLY 58 miles. Also more camping at Devils Tower Fort (307) 5655 Still 58 Miles. You can also camp at Sundance,WY at Mountain View Campground (307) 283-2270 at 61 miles. More camping at Keyhole State Park only 40 miles :bliss Richard

From Rally Co-Chairs post in another thread.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wouldn't recommend using the local campgrounds. There's really only one that allows tents, Crazy Woman CG (no......not Deb and I). I read the reviews when I went there in July, and ended up staying in the Sturgis area.
FYI - What they meant by "workers" was the contractors that are building the power plants in the area.
FWIW-we had signed the contract long before we heard about the 2 power plants that would be constructed in the area.
We do, however, have PLENTY of camping space, and we DEFINITELY will define an area for quiet camping. I think the party folks will decide to camp closer to the "action". Even if they choose to utilize the more "remote" area (only defined as "remote", because it's a longer walk, but definitely "walkable") it's large enough to clearly define a quiet area.

Our editorial staff has already planned the article schedule for the rally, and we'll have plenty of coverage regarding riding to and from the rally, during the rally, things to see, and a lot of info about the Cam-Plex facilities and where to camp!

Karol Patzer
2008 Rally Co-Chair
Last edited by k75karol : 10-08-2007 at 01:12 PM. Reason: No longer in Gillette :^)
Report Post Reply With Quote