Graves Mountain Rally (Virginia), Labor Day Weekend 2022

[CGarbee]

Our next trail preview/work weekend will be on July 23/24 (I hope to be on-site July 22...).
It coincides with Peach Day at Graves Mountain so we can do some riding and cutting and then enjoy the festivities during the midday break on Saturday...

Send me a PM or make a post if you can assist to that I can plan...

Thanks!

 

[CGarbee]

Cleanup days on July 23 and 24...

PLEASE let me know if you plan to assist by sending me a PM or by commenting so that I will know to be on the lookout for you.

We will be meeting at 9AM each day next to the Graves Trout Pond (it's located in the field behind the overflow camping field with access both to the camping field and Route 643 . We will swing back to the trout pond around noon or 12:30 each day to regroup.

Whatever tools you'd like to bring will be good. We have areas that have smaller brush and branches that need to be cut back and some areas where we have overhanging branches, some spots with brambles that likely will be best attacked with a hedge trimmer or weed wacker...

We will be using FRS radios on the mountain since cell phone reception is non-existent, using Channel 4.

 

[CGarbee]

Big shoutout to Chris Jenkins, Rob White and his son, and to Marshall, Bri, and Esrey Shelts, who came up for Peach Day at Graves and helped clear some more trails and replaced the picnic table up on top of the mountain.

 

[CGarbee]

The shirts have been ordered. Exact prices will be determined when I pick them up from the folks doing them... Hopefully, we will be able to provide them at the same price as last year. The design features artwork from a longtime friend and MV owner, Meghan Beckman...

 

[CGarbee]

Since we are getting close...
Remember that we don't have cell reception unless you are top of the mountain or go down the road five or ten miles (depending on direction).
We do have decent WIFI around the buildings on the property so you can access the internet (and place calls if you have set up your phone to use WIFI...). Chuck will have the password.

Chuck will have frequencies and channels posted for CB, FRS, and Ham.... Steve likes to use CB on the trails, Chuck likes to use FRS when calling the volunteers. One year we might have enough folks with military radios to make use of them... Bring your choice and we'll figure out how to keep in touch.

The nearest gas station is in Madison...about twelve miles away...
Please gas up on your way in (aka, get gas before you leave the four lane).

I expect to be on-site Monday afternoon.
Feel free to arrive early, but if you do so before the official start of the Rally, I may ask you for assistance in setting up the event field...

Looking forward to seeing everyone next week!!

 

[Big Tom]

Since we are getting close...
Remember that we don't have cell reception unless you are top of the mountain or go down the road five or ten miles (depending on direction).
We do have decent WIFI around the buildings on the property so you can access the internet (and place calls if you have set up your phone to use WIFI...). Chuck will have the password.

Chuck will have frequencies and channels posted for CB, FRS, and Ham.... Steve likes to use CB on the trails, Chuck likes to use FRS when calling the volunteers. One year we might have enough folks with military radios to make use of them... Bring your choice and we'll figure out how to keep in touch.

The nearest gas station is in Madison...about twelve miles away...
Please gas up on your way in (aka, get gas before you leave the four lane).

I expect to be on-site Monday afternoon.
Feel free to arrive early, but if you do so before the official start of the Rally, I may ask you for assistance in setting up the event field...

Looking forward to seeing everyone next week!!

Looking forward to a good time I’ll be out there Wednesday afternoon be glade to help out !!!
Big Tom

 

[SCSG-G4]

JP expects us to be at the Peon Palace before Supper on Wednesday.

 

[Bulldogger]

We expect to arrive Friday mid-day or so. Looking forward to seeing everyone. I plan to bring my manpack VHF, so we can try for some HAM activity on 40.00Mhz this year. Maybe I'll even make time to get the coax run to use my otherwise ornamental fender antenna finally!
See you all soon,
BDGR

 

[CGarbee]

It's too late to mail your registration to me....but you can still pay Chuck at the HQ tent upon arrival.
If you're on the fence about attending for the whole weekend, come up for a day or two... (just see Chuck when you arrive...).

 

[Ned81]

I’m coming up Sunday for a morning trail ride with my lmtv. Will it be obvious where to go? I’m hoping to have a cb hooked up by then. What channel?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[maddawg308]

There should be signs on the roads around Graves pointing the way to where the main rally field is. It is in the field across the main road from the lodge.

The race is on to get some final issues ironed out with the CUCV, it's in the shop now with some stalling issues that I don't have time to figure out myself before the rally. Crossing my fingers that I will get a chance to bring my first MV in a while to the gathering!

 

[CGarbee]

Technically, we are actually in the field behind the one across the road from the Lodge (used as the year round camping field).
We enter via the Trout Pond gate across from Bohannon Road.. Just follow the 'Buema Shave' signs and you will be fine.

In the past the frequencies for the rally have been:
CB: 4
VHF: 40.00MHz
GMRS: 15,0 (no privacy)


FWIW: I should mention that we have a multi-level loading dock on the property very near the event field that can be used for unloading/loading Mules, Jeeps, and other items, from the back of cargo trucks and trailers...

 

[SCSG-G4]

Coming in from US 29, the "Burma Shave" signs will usually be on the left hand side just before the store in Syria, and that's where you turn right, next set of signs will be on the right side just before the left hand turn into the trout pond field. HTH.

 

[SCSG-G4]

For those who are too young for the "Burma Shave" reference, there will be a series of three or four signs before the last two turns. The first sign will have "MV" on it, the next sign will have "RALLY", then the next sign will have "TURN" and the last sign will have an Arrow in the direction of your turn. The last two are the important ones, the others are just a 'heads up and be aware'. You should be about stopped when you pass the arrow signs. If you need more visuals, use Google Maps to navigate to 38.488046, -78.326314 which is the first turn at the store.

 

[CGarbee]

Matt and I put the frame for the HQ tent together today before a brief afternoon rain shower. We'll put the vinyl on it in the morning.
Got half the field bushhoged and the Porta John's delivered....

 

[Big Tom]

Got truck and trailer ready to go heading out at 3:00 am see you around 9:00 ish tomorrow

 

[Bulldogger]

My son and I will be there Friday mid-day or thereabouts.
Bulldogger

 

[CGarbee]

Wednesday pre event arrivals and site prep...

 

[71DeuceAK]

Looking forward to it!

 

[CGarbee]

Some photos from today...
First photo is of the Burma Shave signs for the turn by the Syria Store...