possible rally location change

[mst3kguy]

i think

http://www.dragonsrestcabins.com/

had the nicest cabins by far, had the best layout, and had the largest fire ring.  however, they only have 6 cabins in addition to a 3 b/r ranch house.  they have no shower house for tenters, but said they're fine with the tenters using one of the cabin renter's showers for the add'l cost of what it would be to just add another person to the cabin.  it's perfect, but i don't know that they can accommodate all of us.  and they're in robbinsville, which apparently may be difficult for those pulling large trailers.  they did say they have hookups for rv's, but no concrete pads.

i think the good thing about deep creek is that because it's so big, it's pretty much guaranteed they can accommodate all of us.  also, they don't take reservations until january, so we can even call and book cabins in the same group.

truly i think either one would be great.  if we could reserve the whole campground at dragonsrest, it would be bitchin'.  think of the boone koa, then think of our cabins and tents, and then think of just that section that we use, on the street side of the koa's gravel road, and that's kind of what dragonsrest is like.

[rktmanfj]

Suzanne took some pics of the campground.  Someone volunteer to post them on here and I'll send them to you.

Send 'em over.

[mst3kguy]

done, sent via email.   if they don't show up, check your spam folder, occasionally my gmail goes to people's spam.

[rktmanfj]

Deep Creek

[giantkiller]

Do all the cabins come with a black Bear

[mst3kguy]

i received a reply from

www.dragonsrestcabins.com

again, this site had fewer cabins than deepcreek, but far and away had the best site for our needs---flat, somewhat secluded (but still just outside of robbinsville), very nicely-appointed cabins with their own showers, large firepit, nice pavilion area.  further, the layout is such that we're all around each other.  the house is not with the caibns, but still close and on the site---about the same distance as the two cabins at boone that are furthest away from each other, but still on "our" side of the campground at boone.

________________________

"We do take reservations year round. At this time the week in September
you are inquiring about is open. All 6 cabins and the Creek home are available.

We do have 2 RV hookups. One is located behind cabin #1 The other is located
behind cabin #3.

I understand how it can be difficult organizing a "group". I would suggest making
your reservations early. Every year we get busier and it can be hard to get the entire
place for one specific week.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help, or if you have any more
questions please feel free to contact me.

Below is a summary of what we have to offer and the cost.
It might help when trying to organize a group and where to house everyone.

Cabin # 1 has one queen bed, and one set of bunk beds. Sleeps 3-4.  (potential 3-man cabin, would suggest for non-couples, so as to maximize bed space)
Cabin # 2 has one queen bed only. Sleeps two.       (one-man or couples cabin, would suggest couples, to maximize bed space)
Cabin # 3 has one queen bed only. Sleeps two.       (one-man or couples cabin, would suggest couples, to maximize bed space)
Cabin # 4 has one queen bed only. Sleeps two.       (one-man or couples cabin, would suggest couples, to maximize bed space)
Cabin # 5 has one queen bed, and one set of bunk beds. Sleeps 3-4.   (potential 3-man cabin, would suggest non-couples to maximize bed space)
Cabin # 6 has one queen bed, and one set of bunk beds. Sleeps 3-4.   (potential 3-man cabin, would suggest non-couples to maximize bed space)

(with the above suggestions in parentheses, that could fit 12 of us, give or take)

The cost per cabin for "two people" in the cabin after tax comes to 83.00 per night.
The cost per cabin for "three people" in the cabin after tax comes to 99.61 per night.
The cost per cabin for "four people" in the cabin after tax comes to 116.23 per night.

The Creek home has a total of 4 queen beds, and two twin beds.
There are 3 separate private bedrooms, and two full baths.
There is one queen bed, and two twin beds in a 2nd living room area that
we converted into a sleeping area.

(this would realistically accommodate 6-8 people---one person or couples in each of the three private bedrooms, and three in the converted sleeping room)

The cost for the Creek home includes the rental fee, cleaning fee, and taxes.
We allow up to 8 guest in the Creek home.

It is a 3 night minimum and the cost is as follows.

(3 nights is 575.00<--$192 per night)     (4 nights is 733.48<--$183/nt)    (5 nights is 898.10<--$180/nt)    (6 nights is 1062.72<--$177/nt)

Thanks for stopping by and checking out our place."

________________________________________________

so this could feasibly accommodate roughly 23 of us needing cabins.  of course there are also tent sites and the aforementioned rv sites.  for tenters, you would just need to make arrangements with one of us cabin-ers to use our bathroom/shower, and the owners of the property just charge you for what would be to add another person to the cabin.

if we want this place, i'd suggest we not lag, as once the cabins get reserved by someone else, we're screwed, as we'll likely take up the whole site, which they have no problem with us doing.

i will again say robbinsville had plenty of places for gas, food, bars, etc, as did bryson city, home of deep creek.

now talk amongst yourselves...

[mst3kguy]

oh, and if randy t. will oblige, i'll send him photos of dragonsrestcabins, that he can post up here.

[rktmanfj]

Dragons Rest:

[mst3kguy]

nancy r. found this, which i really like, just because we know what we're getting, for the most part.

http://koa.com/campgrounds/townsend-great-smokies/

it's big, it has plenty of cabins, it's relatively close, and i counted about 7 dining establishments within a couple miles.

[CodyNKR]

Ok, let me throw some other ones in the mix for  ya'll to look at their websites and say aye or nay.
Anything that I look at has to have cabins, tent sites and rv sites and be easily accessible for Jack and Nancy's chateau, plus my horse trailer.

kickstandlodge.com
that one says no pets and I've already emailed them to ask about Blue. Said I could give them references. If it's still no, then that one is out as far as I'm concerned. But it looks small enough we could take over the whole thing. I keep thinking of the Jack/carey store about some trailer up behind tooties that they stayed in one time. this could have been the same place, but definitely looks a little better now.

http://www.punkincentermotorcycleresort.com/
that one looks good. It's before 129 turns twisty. has cabins, has a creek, has rv spots, is on the right side of the cherahala.

NancyK

[mst3kguy]

With regard to the punkincentet, Suzanne and I checked it out on our way home.  It's ok, but there's nowhere nearby for meals.  That's why I didn't even mention it to you.

[CodyNKR]

I have heard from Kickstand Lodge and they will accept pets. They can't be left in the cabins while you are gone is all.

Ok, let me throw some other ones in the mix for  ya'll to look at their websites and say aye or nay.
Anything that I look at has to have cabins, tent sites and rv sites and be easily accessible for Jack and Nancy's chateau, plus my horse trailer.

kickstandlodge.com
that one says no pets and I've already emailed them to ask about Blue. Said I could give them references. If it's still no, then that one is out as far as I'm concerned. But it looks small enough we could take over the whole thing. I keep thinking of the Jack/carey store about some trailer up behind tooties that they stayed in one time. this could have been the same place, but definitely looks a little better now.

http://www.punkincentermotorcycleresort.com/
that one looks good. It's before 129 turns twisty. has cabins, has a creek, has rv spots, is on the right side of the cherahala.

NancyK

[ddlewis]

nancy r. found this, which i really like, just because we know what we're getting, for the most part.

http://koa.com/campgrounds/townsend-great-smokies/

it's big, it has plenty of cabins, it's relatively close, and i counted about 7 dining establishments within a couple miles.

Townsend TN?  Other than being a little closer to get to, I don't see switching to this at all.  Wrong side of the mountain, fairly far from the riding, and KOA - have to bring your own sheets/pillow, walk to bath house, etc.  I'd rather stay with Wayne.

The others look good.  Cabins with bathrooms sound great.  Going outside in the middle of the night in my underwear and peeing off the front porch not fun like it used to be.

[mst3kguy]

okay, i don't think it's _that_ far, from the good roads, but i'm fine with paying a little more for cabins with showers/bathrooms.  so that gets us back to either deepcreek or dragons rest.

[mst3kguy]

so i'd like to hear some feedback on preferences on either of the two campsites we've put up for the fall 2016 rally.

option one is deep creek, located in bryson city.  large site, can most likely accommodate all of us, town has plenty of establishments, and is close to the roads we ride.  drawback is there will likely be many others campers, families and whoever else, sharing the campsite with us.

option two is dragons rest, located in robbinsville.  small site, can possibly accommodate all of us if we act early and reserve the entire property, has nice fire pit, good setup for us to all be together, town has plenty of establishments, and is close to the roads we ride.  drawback is if we wait too long, won't be cabins to hold all of us.

what i don't want is for no one to express an interest, a few of us make an executive decision, and then objectors come out of the woodwork.  no decision will make everyone happy, nature of the beast and all, but the goal is improving from what we have had the past few years, and i think we've found it with one of these two.  so let's hear it.  (or else, hah.)