1 (edited by smallfence 2021-10-31 04:12 PM)

Topic: Newb questions about the social goin'-ons around a Lemons rally.

Thinking about doing the Retreat this year

I would guess that it's really worth it to attend stay at the recommended hotels and attend the pre-event car show, so to have more opportunities to bribe the judges and revel in other competitor cars?

If we don't stay with the herd are we missing out on a lot? Or do participants mostly go their own ways most of the time anyway?

Just trying to figure out much of the overall experience we would miss if we didn't do all the above. I'm asking because we are local to the starting point and not sure if we should spend the money on the first couple nights of hotel, or save that cash for junkyard parts?

Also, for those teams that wear costumes, when do they wear them? Or do they wear them for the whole trip?

Re: Newb questions about the social goin'-ons around a Lemons rally.

You can hang out at the places where the others are, then sneak off to your high class hotel after the party in the parking lot is over. Or you can get in real late because you drove a really crappy car, and everyone else is already asleep, so it doesn't matter. Staying at the recommended place is convenient, if you can swing it. I'm kind of planning to not do so for both overnights on the upcoming Hell on Wheels, only because I have friends/relatives in the area that I'll probably visit/crash at their places. You can just make an appearance, too.

Costumes....if you're hardcore, you become the persona, and you aren't "wearing a costume". If you have some sense, then you don't worry about it too much. Having sense is discouraged, of course.

Hang out at check points for a while, much of the fun happens there.

I Survived Hell on Wheels, Car Weeeak, Route Sucky Suck, etc.

Re: Newb questions about the social goin'-ons around a Lemons rally.

Excellent, thanks for the advice squirrel!

Re: Newb questions about the social goin'-ons around a Lemons rally.

I'm also doing RFM this year, and I live outside of Pottsville.  I'll be coming up for the car show, and probably find some low-budget motel to crash at since it's not worth me coming back down here and then going back up there in the morning.  I'm not bothering with any of the recommended hotels, since I'll be driving towards the following day's first check point and just looking for a warm bed somewhere along the way.  May even just sleep in the car one night.  I'm personally not going to hang around the check points too much, since doing so during the Rust Belt Ramble ended up preventing us from even making it to later check points.  Once I know I have plenty of time left in the day, I may start lingering here or there, but I'll save most of the socializing for the end-of-rally party at Road Atlanta.  Since they're doing a race there that weekend, I'm gonna guess Friday evening is gonna be a pretty good time.  I'll be doing a theme with my car (based, obviously, on the model name), and so I'll be doing the whole rally wearing a Baja hoodie and a Sombrero.  The car itself will also be liveried appropriately.

Re: Newb questions about the social goin'-ons around a Lemons rally.

Thanks for the feedback, puttcharlie. We look forward to checking out the Baja!