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?

Wednesday (SAFETY DAY) (wear Orange Safety Shirt)

Things to see in Sioux Falls area (and then some)

I have the following information compiled (so far) on the Sioux Falls area.  This is an on-going collection of information pulled from flyers received from various encounters with businesses in the area.  If you have anything to add to this list please feel free to forward it to me.  I'll put some contact information down at the bottom.

Please check back as this site will be updated as information is received. 

• Camping
  • South Dakota Camping Guide - Contact me for the 2005-2006 Offical Campground Guide.  I have 5 available that I'll mail out for postage.
  • Motels/Hotels - The GWTA.ORG website has a very nice collection of hotels and motels in the area.  Please refer to their site for more information. 
• Memorials/Museums
  • Battleship South Dakota Memorial - Most decorated battleship of WW II Free admission. 1 flyer left.
  • Old Courthouse Museum - Three floors of regional history exhibits, murals and museum store features Dakota made products. 1 flyer left.
  • Arts in the Falls Park (Horse Barn Arts Center) - open year round http://www.siouxempireartscouncil.com 1 flyer left.
• Entertainment
  • The Outdoor Campus - Butterfly garden, walking trails, outdoor museum, 3,000 gallon aquarium and bird watching in Sioux Falls SD.  http://www.outdoorcampus.org 1 flyer left.
  • Larger than life movies - Wells Fargo CineDome Theater Downtown Sioux Falls http://washingtonpavilion.org 1 flyer left
  • AdventurePark - Go-Karts, Mini Golf, Bumper Boats, Batting Cages and Paintball - http://www.wildwaterwest.com 1 flyer left
  • Family Adventure Park (Black Hills Maze) - Midwest's Largest Permanent Maze (Rapid City) http://www.blackhillsmaze.com 1 flyer left
  • Thunder Road Family Fun Park - Arcades, bumper boats and picnic area - Sioux Falls http://www.thunderroad.info 1 flyer left
  • Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History - Featuring giraffe exhibit, asian cat habitat, flamingo aviary and more Sioux Falls 1 flyer left.
  • Downtown Sioux Falls Dining Guide - (more information later on this)
• Transportation
  • Sioux Falls Trolley - Free rides around town Monday thru Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM - http://www.siouxfalls.org
• En Route
  • Iowa
    • Iowa's Loess Hills - Travelling through Western Iowa?  I have two books for Loess Hills National Scenic Byway.  2 left.
    • Camping En-Route - Onawa Iowa On-Ur-Wa RV Park (from Region C Rally) 3 flyers left.

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 642224 Omaha, Ne 68164

E-mail me by navigating to http://gwta-c.com/feedback.aspx?CID=1

From Barb and Tom (repost)

I am reposting this in the Gold Rush XX area as it pertains to Gold Rush XX.

This message came to me from Barb and Tom

Hi everyone,

Please forward this information to the members and get it onto web sites.

It was brought to my attention that the Sheraton Hotel in Sioux Falls,
SD is completely booked for Gold Rush XX.  I spoke with Valerie at the
Sheraton. They are NOT taking names to put on a waiting list. She
suggested contacting the Holiday Inn (a sister property to the Sheraton)
and make reservations there. Contact number is 605-339-2000. Mention
GWTA for the special rate of $69 per night.

If you are traveling with a family and want to entertain kids, or just
love water, I recommend the Best Western Ramkota Hotel.  It has an
indoor water park!! The rate is $79 per night. Click here to see details
www.ramkota.com/siouxfalls

I am traveling to Sioux Falls this Fall for an operation's meeting. I
will have more details of the area after that.

I want to apologize to everyone that had a terrible experience at the
Velda Rose in Hot Springs. I stayed there last October and had a
wonderful experience. The hotel was under new ownership as of July 1st
and the general  manager walked out Sunday morning when we started
checking in.  While GWTA does all it can to contract with reputable
hotels at an affordable rate we have no control over sales and
management of property one year after we sign contracts. If you feel
very strongly about your experience at the Velda Rose please contact the
Better Business Bureau and  lodge a formal complaint. You can file a
complaint at www.bbb.org Again, GWTA would never contract with an
organization that is so poorly managed.

Plan early and reserve your room for next year. Gold Rush XX - our 20th
birthday party - will be a great time!!!!!!

Ride safe,

Barb Johnson
GWTA Region C Director

A Letter from the Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau

SIOUX FALLS WELCOMES

GOLD RUSH RALLY XX June 15-20, 2007!

Can you hear the Gold Wings a rumblin’ and the ice cream cones a crumblin’...the GOLD RUSH RALLY XX is coming to the largest city in South Dakota, Sioux Falls!  With our commitment to quality and service we will accommodate you with style and spirit!

 
Outdoor Cafe

Sioux Falls is located in the heart of the United States at the junction of Interstates 90 and 29, is easily accessible by major airlines, and has all the offerings of a big city!  Over 4,000 hotel rooms, 560 restaurants including many locally owned, featuring their own unique specialties, a wide variety of entertainment and attractions including golf courses, 65 parks, the best shopping opportunities between Minneapolis and Denver, a vibrant downtown area, arts, theatre, symphony, museums, water parks, a pavilion of arts and science, sporting events and several beautiful motorcycle riding routes to enjoy while you are here.  

We can’t wait for you to arrive next July!  Planning has already begun and the community is excited!  There is always something happening in Sioux Falls….festivals, music, sports, recreation, exciting events, and they will all be waiting for you in 2007!

Special thanks to all of you who welcomed us so warmly in Hot Springs.  We truly enjoyed getting to meet you and being allowed to enjoy many of your activities.  We are anxious to share our city with all of you next summer.

P.S.  The “ice cream alert” is out to everyone in Sioux Falls!!!  Be prepared to eat, eat, eat!!!!!

Falls Park, Our City's Namesake

Falls Park, located in the heart of the city, is home to a captivating triple waterfall, a visitor information center and five-story viewing tower, the NEW Overlook Cafe, historic ruins built from the pink quartzite that you see throughout the park and is visited by people from all over the world, not to mention every state in the nation visited Falls Park this past June and July of 2006.  The Falls of the Big Sioux River have been a focus of life in the region throughout history.  Native American peoples were the first to visit the falls and bring stories of them to European explorers.  They have been the focus of recreation and industry since the founding of the city of Sioux Falls in 1856.  Today the park covers 42 acres.  Each second, an average of 7,400 gallons of water drop 100 feet over the course of the Falls.  

 
Falls Park

Jessica Green

Sales & Marketing Director

Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau

200 North Phillips Ave., Suite 102

Sioux Falls, SD  57104

605-373-2036

Gold Rush XX

When I heard that Gold Rush XX was going to be up in Sioux Falls, SD my first thought was "What in tarnation is so special about Sioux Falls".  Last week we traveled up to Sioux Falls, SD to find out.  While the Sheraton has reported back "All full" on the vacancy status, we found plenty of places to stay around the convention center.  We visited a few of these places and then visited some of the area attractions.  Another thing that amazed me was the fact that anybody we spoke to about coming to town already knew all about it.  They must have had some sort of big announcment locally. 

We met this nice lady named Brittany at a place called Falls Park.  I knew she has had extensive training because as soon as she found out we were from GWTA she rattled off some statistic on how there are over a hunderd and some out of some other number restaurants in Sioux Falls that serve ice cream.  It wasn't long after that and she had me buying $90 is gifts from the shop.  She's pretty good.  I know that now. 

The park is a must see attraction and features a very wide area of rocks and water falling off the rocks.  That must be why they call it Falls Park.  While wandering through the park I noticed a lot of mirrors at various locations.  I also noticed a lot of spot lights.  It was only later that I found out that the park features a light show every night.  How cool is the show?  You'll have to find out for yourself. 

The park also features a tower complete with a gift shop (they're restocking it now) and a very well heated elevator.  Once at the top you can see all around the park.  It was from this point we watched a young couple struggle with one of those goofy two seater four wheeled bikes. 

We visited the park Saturday night until dark and first thing again Sunday morning around 9:30.  Both times Brittany was there to sell us goods and provide ice cream stats.  She must have a bunk in the back room. 

On Sunday Brittany sent us to the Japanese Garden, which as it turns out, is next to the water slide park.  I couldn't make up my mind which way to go (once we finally found it tucked away in a residential neighborhood).  At the water park we found these very interesting slides, or diving boards...I can't decide which at this time.  Maybe they're Sliding Boards.  Anyway, it starts off innocent enough about 10 feet up in the air and then a short time later the thing just ends (must be a budget issue) and you drop into the pool below.  Next to the pool is a sand volley ball court and beyond that is the Japenese Garden (complete with water fall).  All this is a small walk across the street from the Sheraton and then a walk around a lake. 

Anyway, a long story short, I made my lodging reservations on the way out of town for Gold Rush XX at the Super 8. 

All that said...so far...I set up this area for anyone to share information regarding Gold Rush XX next year.  If you have anything you'd like to add, please leave me a note.  In the mean time, I left with two bags stuffed full of information from Sioux Falls and a few memories too.  While I won't be posting it all tonight, I'll try and keep updating this area as much as possible.