Gold Rush - Next Stop Billings Montana

Gold Rush 2008 Billings Montana - July 14th - July 17th 2008

Have questions?  Have answers?

How are the Hotels in Billings?

The two hotels are side by side with a parking lot separating them. Rally activities will be split between the two convention centers operated be each of the hotels. The Billings hotel will be used for Registration and Opening and Closing ceremonies and a few other seminars while the Holiday Inn convention center will hold the vendors indoors and many of the other activities that are held in small break out rooms. These two conventions centers are within an easy walking distance through parking lots.

Billings Hotel is known as a family oriented hotel. It has an indoor pool with water slides, a game room, and a playground in the court yard. The restaurant is small with good prices and friendly service. Guest rooms are roomy and clean. It has a more western decor.

The Holiday Inn Grand Montana is an older hotel getting a $5 million renovation before we get there. I stayed in a newly renovated room that was clean and comfortable. It was in the older section of the hotel that did NOT have an elevator. Anyone on the second floor will be hauling packages and luggage up the steps. The guest room was smaller than the Billings Hotel room - especially the bathroom, but roomy enought to get around. The front of the Holiday Inn appears to be newer that the back half I stayed in. The front has an atrium with rooms around it similar to the Sheraton in Souix Falls. I did not see any of those guest rooms. Our NERDs may have stayed in one. The restaurant is bigger, fancier and higher priced than the Billings Hotel. The Holiday Inn will have a Casino room when remodeling is completed.
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How far is it to Dairy Queen?  Do they have Ice Cream?

Which DQ? There are 4 in town. The closest one is about two miles away. The CVB put together an emergency ice cream finder that will be available in each of the regsitration packets. There were at least 10 ice cream eateries in Billings.

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How is Camping?  How is the KOA?

The KOA is very scenic, tree filled, well paved and easy to find. They will allow two pop up units on one site for the standard fee. The first two people are included in the fee and the others are an additional $5 each. When we toured the campground I saw FIVE dear in the campground. Animals are everywhere so PLEASE be careful when riding. The Yellowstone River borders the back of the campground. Breathtaking view!  Reserve your campsite HERE.

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Has my reservation been received at the Hotel?

I have copies of the reservations made in the GWTA block. Please send me a PM and I will check if your name is on the list for either hotel.

How does the 7 Chance Drawing work?

Everyone heard about the fun we had at the Region C rally with our elimination drawing. Now they want to do it at the national level. There is a twist – more chances to win – SEVEN to be exact.

Here how it works:
There will be ONLY 2500 tickets available at $20 each. They will be available until December 31st or until all 2500 are claimed - whichever comes first.

In January there will be a $500 winner drawn. That winner’s name is thrown back in the drawing. In February another winner of $500 will be drawn and that name will go back in the drawing. This will continue in March, April, May and June. Six winners of $500 each.

Now for the excitiement at Gold Rush - each day people will be eliminated from the drawing. These tickets will be posted and these people are OUT of the running for the $5,000 grand prize. The TEN final remaining names will be called up onto stage at the closing ceremony if they are present. These ten people will be asked if they want to DRAW or SPLIT, if all ten agree to SPLIT then the $5,000 will be divided evenly among the ten people. If one person wants to draw then another name will be pulled from the drawing and eliminated. The remaining nine people will be asked to SPLIT or DRAW. This continues until they all agree to SPLIT or the final name is eliminated leaving one winner of $5,000.

When the ticket is purchased the buyer will be given the option to circle either SPLIT or DRAW on the bottom of the ticket. If they are not present at the closing ceremony their decision to SPLIT or DRAW (as indicated on the ticket) will be honored. If they are at the closing ceremony, they can choose to SPLIT or DRAW with the others who remain in the drawing each round.

Remember the fun we had at the Region C rally? Get in the fun of this SEVEN chance drawing. Tickets are available now. Contact me to request some for your state or chapter or to request one for yourself.

There are some fun and creative ways to give these tickets away.
1. Get together with four of your friends and share the donation cost and the winnings.

2. The chapter can purchase the tickets with chapter funds and add any winnings to the chapter treasury. Treat the whole chapter to a party when you win. The same thing can be done at the state level.

3. Sell 50/50 chances on a stack of 10 tickets. Sell enough chances to cover the $200 donation for all ten tickets and give all ten tickets away to one lucky winner. This can be done for any amount of tickets. Remember seeing how quickly this was done right before the drawing for the new bike at Gold Rush?

4. Christmas is coming - what a great stocking stuffer for someone.

5. Attendance prizes at chapter or state events.

6. Let me know if you have any other creative and fun ways to enjoy SEVEN chances to win in 2008!

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How many days are left until Gold Rush?

This information changes everyday.  Check out the forum ticker or the Region C ticker or the Nebraska Ticker.

What if my question hasn't been answered?

Simply log into the GWTA Region C Forum and ask it.  You can also fill in the feedback form and ask it or check back often for new questions to this article.  Why not bookmark it?

What if I have information about Gold Rush?

Click HERE and tell us about it.

When is the deadline for the Buy-One-Get-One-Free special?

The 2 for 1 registration offer ends Dec. 1st. Get your registration in early and save some money to be used later for BLING! at the vendors.  OFFER EXPIRED!

Do they sell CFS  (Chicken Fried Steak) in Billings?

I found a great little bar and grill near Billings that serves CFS. Ask our NERD all about it. She seemed to be enjoying her meal. She might also fill you in about Mr. NERD and his fear of female entertainers.

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Where is the registration form?

You can get this form from the National WebSite by clicking HERE.

Are there Pictures of Billings handy?

Sure there are!  Click HERE.

What is the schedule of events?

Gold Rush Tentative Schedule

Monday

Opening

First Timers 30 min after opening in same building

Day full of Seminars scheduled at least 15 minutes apart.

Webmaster Seminar at least 1 hr.

(1) Dirty Bingo

Lite Parade

Lite Show

Ice Cream Ride

Tuesday

Living Logo in soccer field close to Hotels

10:00 AM - Great Lakes Drill Team in Holiday Inn Parking lot

Iron Eagle Competition

Accident Management Seminar right after Iron Eagle Competition

Ladies ride & Lunch w/ Barb Johnson (Region C Director)

Amusement Park Activity

Harley cookout?

Dance in evening

Wednesday (SAFETY DAY) (wear Orange Safety Shirt)

8:00 AM - Chapter Directors Seminar

8:00 AM - SRC 2&3 wheel

11:00 AM - On Bike Games

(2) Dirty Bingo

PM - Family Games

5–6 PM - Bike Show set up downtown

6-7 PM - Bike Show Downtown

5-7 PM - Street Party Downtown Depot

7:00PM - Drill Team (Bow Wow Girls)

Thursday

9:00-12:00 AM - SRC 2 & 3 Wheel

Talent Show

Battle of Regions

Closing Ceremonies - Awards ceremony will be combined with closing. ALL trophies

need be given out at each event and posted on marker boards that are to be setup at the

information table. Need HUGE information table banners. Information table needs to be

manned at all times with 50/50 tickets also.

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