What I've found so far came from Paul, a Velocette kinda guy.

The Velocette O/C used the Evergreen Lodge just outside of Yosemite Nat'l Park for its rally last summer; there's camping for about 50 people, but lots of ground surrounding the area, and it has excellent facilities for banquet and meeting hall. It's a little expensive though.

I think the campground at Dadanelle will hold 150 people easily. They have cabins too, although they're a little funky, but Sonora pass is just 20 miles up the road, on the best set of twisties around. your meeting might have to be outdoors - we had an outdoor meeting/bbq for 100 people on the large grass area behind their restaurant. The Velo oc is always looking for something similar to your needs, and it's not always easy to find.

We've also used a lodge/campground in Redway (just outside Garberville), which is right on the Eel river and very close to the redwoods/coast roads, and some gnarly inland stuffeast of G'ville. I believe they had enough campgrounds for 150, plus cabins, pool, etc, and we again had an outdoor meeting /bbq, very nice actually.

And from Chuck B:

Borrego Springs Resort in Borrego Springs,Ca. would be an ideal place for your group. It is remote and not too far from the Mexico border.

I found a place in Fortuna that has camping for about 100 people, 2 restraunts including a brewery, 2 motels, and a hall designed for meeting etc all withing walking distance. All these are about 2 miles from the Hwy 36 turn off. I submitted info to Grant to see if it is suitable, available etc.

If these do not work out, there are so many campgrounds in the area I can not even list them between the state pars, private, BLM, Forest Service, and National park. Oh yea, Redwood Natioanl Park is about an hour from Fortuna.

Here is a link to them

http://www.nps.gov/redw/

John's location looks pretty good. Facilities are certainly of a high standard.

Caveats/buts:

The camping price is STEEP at $25 / 2 people / night! (less 20% for groups, and we could probably squeeze more people into one site and get a better rate too.) And perhaps the place is a little too "organised / homogenized / rv-ish". I don't know for sure - their pics aren't great, but that's the feel I get - which may be what they're trying for! :)

The lodge conference rooms are pricey too, $350-605 per day.

If we had enough people we could pay for the room, but it adds to the costs for all.

Better is a more laid-back, wilderness venue that is happy to give us the room if they serve the food and drink.

Not to say this place won't work, because it could, just not ideal. But let's (you and others:) ) keep looking for the moment.

We have another month or so before we have to decide for sure for this year.

thanks for your efforts everyone!

Grant

I meant to choose "I'd help organize" in the poll, but blew that. I can't figure out how to change my response.

I just called Song Dog.

http://www.songdog.com/ranch/index.html

Song Dog got in trouble for live music, so they work "unofficially" at their property which has a large camping site. It's in New Cuyama. That's "Santa Barbara County Located west of the 'Grapevine' area on Hwy. 166; along the Cuyama River & next to the Sierra Madre Mtns."

An ideal donation would be $5/person per night for camping or $30 for camping, all you can eat tri-top and chicken bbq, breakfast, drinks and whatever else they can rustle up.

150 people is pushing it, but they're checking to see if it could happen. They hosted a 3-day party a few years ago that got out of control (Burning Man type of thing) and pissed off a neighbor. After 20 years, The Man came down.

Song Dog is a roughing it type place, but I don't think that'd be a problem. They have an outhouse and would have to rent some portapotties for this.

Other places people sent, that I haven't contacted are:

http://www.santabarbara.com/activities/camping/liveoak/

http://www.britishconnection.org/events.htm

http://www.vintagenet.com/sdamc/cachuma.html

I don't know if people want NoCal or SoCal. It's 2 different beasts.

--Dave

I think everyone on this thread is from Nocal or nearby, I wonder how many in Socal would be interested?

I'd be more interested in NoCal myself. SoCal is close enough to Me-hee-co and that meet is happening.

I wonder if I could fit 150 people in my 2 bedroom apartment?

--Dave

How about a meeting at a existing rally like The Autumn Beemer Bash.
http://www.ccbr.org/bash.htm
That would be in 2007
Grant has had semimars at other rallies and they have the meeting rooms and facilities.

Here are some photos from the area.

Man, those pictures make me homesick!

I am far less likely to support the idea of "combining" our meeting with someone else's, though. I have been to some other motorcycle club functions in the state and while I have enjoyed them, none of these compared to the HU meeting I went to in Revelstoke, B.C. Something about the people, I guess! I would prefer a HU only function...

I agree, a HU meet only would be the way to go. I haven't made it to one yet but hope to. If they had it here it would be a little easier for me to go.

Agreed - combining with a BMWMOA event is not good, it's just not the same!

So it's up to you guys to find that perfect location - I'm game, :D and I'll be there :) :scooter:

That is the county campground you are reffering to I believe. I will check on it. It may take a couple of days. I just got out of the hospital after 3 nights there after complications from a surgery. I think I posted a link to the county campground here someplace.

No real lodging in petrolia other than a samll B&B for 1-2 couples at most. I was also looking at pamplin grove. It is on Hwy 36 near carlotta and holds up to 150 people I believe. In the redwoods as well and along the van duzen river. Having never been to a HU meeting yet it is hard to judge exactly what is needed. As for some adventure roads, there are several in the area as well. More forest service roads than I can count as well as 36 and the more well known roads. Cost is expensive during the weekends, I believe $325 per night Fri sat or sun, but $100 a night during the week. Split between the whole group this may be reasonable, again I am not sure.

Sounds like there are a number of options - I'll leave it to you guys to figure out where - I've got three HU Meetings in 4 weeks, so my flight schedule is nasty - London Atlanta London Colorado London - needless to say, between flights and meetings and making sure the site keeps running, I have to be pretty focused on all that.

Thanks for all the help and interest guys, I'm looking forward to meeting you all in California...somewhere!

HELLO - Hello - hello.

Is anyone

THERE - There - there ?

Has anybody found the right place yet, or a date ?

I am still thinking about it.

John