Frustrade, but had a great week non the less....

[Bucky67]

I hate to say this Andy, but your complaints have been valid complaints each and every single year. My first tour was in 2010 and locals always had first dibs on all the parking. If anyone remembers getting into Mobile, it was a freak'n nightmare!! You say that Karma will come back around, but I would have to disagree..... Family Events know what the issues are, every single year people bitch, gripe, and complain..... But yet, the Power Tour just keeps getting bigger and bigger. For every single person that says "they'll never do it again", or "they won't be back".... Family Events will get 10 more to take your place. It's the sad truth, but at the end of the day, Family Events doesn't give two shits about the Long Haulers. They make their money off of the people that buy one day passes, because they outnumber the Longer Haulers greatly! It's all about the Money....

So, with that being said, I'd have to agree that there are other Tours out there.... Year One puts on their own specific tour that happens in September every year. Bearphoto now does the Western Scenic Tour, then you have a New England/East Coast Tour, Cruise'n the Coast down in Mississippi, and now Ford, AMSOIL, AEROMOTIVE along with a bunch of other Sponsors (I think it's Street Rodder Magazine) has started their own tours that start in multiple cities. You do have other options.

Just my two cents.

[bishir]

Yep, been going off/on since 01 and at this point I have zero hope it will change. So it's time to either suck it up and continue or move on to other things...

[Andy4639]

Perry glad you and John enjoyed the truck. I have some stuff I will be sending you along with a nice picture of the truck for John. I just think they need to remember we are humans and it's not OK to treat us as though we aren't. Being nice is just the right thing to do, has nothing to do with money. The people who parked us had no clue as to where and how to park people. You don't fill a parking lot from the rear to the front as they did.

[Andy4639]

Perry glad you and John enjoyed the truck. I have some stuff I will be sending you along with a nice picture of the truck for John. I just think they need to remember we are humans and it's not OK to treat us as though we aren't. Being nice is just the right thing to do, has nothing to do with money. The people who parked us had no clue as to where and how to park people. You don't fill a parking lot from the rear to the front as they did.

[cletus3]

Hi guys, my father and I just finished our first HRPT as Longhaulers. We had an amazing time and think it was a really great event. However, I also echo the concerns about the logistics at many venues. While no large event is easy to put together it is unfortunate after reading thread it looks like more of the same and that concerns are not even taken constructively. Hopefully we will find out some details on 2015 soon.

[Mustang02]

Hi guys, my father and I just finished our first HRPT as Longhaulers. We had an amazing time and think it was a really great event. However, I also echo the concerns about the logistics at many venues. While no large event is easy to put together it is unfortunate after reading thread it looks like more of the same and that concerns are not even taken constructively. Hopefully we will find out some details on 2015 soon.

It was my first long haul as well. I'd like to mention the parking attendants/staff/rent a cops whatever you want to call them need to be replaced. I was watching them direct traffic out of Bettendorf. One told the drive to go up the ramp the other guy told them to go straight. It wasn't until an actual traffic cop showed up that traffic started moving.

[ogre]

lots of continued complaints about the long lines/traffic jams getting into the venues......it's clear that something needs to change.........ideas?

as big as the power tour has gotten... break it into 2 events.
hrpt 'classic' with a 25 yr cutoff and hrpt for everything else.

i go to car lots to see new cars

[corvettedad]

Ouch! I'll be sure and bring my 69 camaro or my 71 Vette. LOL. Nice meeting you in Mooresville, John liked your truck too

[htrdharley]

Andy,

A logistics position was discussed with HR and FE on Friday night. Hopefully this happens. It would be a big help to a problem that has been present for years.

These guys do a decent job of putting things together, however, the last word they rely on are mayors and city officials saying that they can get the job done. No one is happy with The Dells, vendors included.

My gripe is late model guys ( I happen to like the late model muscle) not letting some of us with older big engined, big cam, stick shift trannies, no a/c cars into traffic lines because they want to be with there club or group. I could go on about that, but won't.

[silver_bullet]

Andy,

A logistics position was discussed with HR and FE on Friday night. Hopefully this happens. It would be a big help to a problem that has been present for years.

These guys do a decent job of putting things together, however, the last word they rely on are mayors and city officials saying that they can get the job done. No one is happy with The Dells, vendors included.

My gripe is late model guys ( I happen to like the late model muscle) not letting some of us with older big engined, big cam, stick shift trannies, no a/c cars into traffic lines because they want to be with there club or group. I could go on about that, but won't.

I agree Lars, There are those that do not give an inch, we respect everyone's choice to drive and build what you may, but, everyone needs to buy in to the respect part... the old school guys need to understand that all of our cars were new once, and, as long as it has been modified to meet the owners tastes, it's cool... we can not exclude by age of vehicle or driver, or we are as bad as the NSRA... since when is a retro car with all parts newer that 2010, any more of a hot rod than a modified 2005 car? you can buy a "new" 1932 ford street rod if you have the scratch, but, is that going to work for the working stiff trying to support his family and hobby building what he can afford? I say built not bought should be considered rather than age of the vehicle... anybody can take out a loan or write a check... how else are the younger rodders going to learn?

[danford1]

I agree with others about the parking attendants and mostly the lack of attendants.
The Fair grounds were a complete disaster. No, zero, none, Nada attendants. A maze of roads all filled with cars going every which way and no where to park. People trying to park and getting stuck in mud etc. Extremely poor planning.
Charleston was a joke. When I finally made it there The street parking was full, no where to park. I looked around and found a place then started walking. I found a registration booth. The guy in there said the time clock and main stage were 2.9 miles from him!!! No joke. I would have to walk almost 6 miles to get my long hauler ticket stamped. Luckily he signed it for me so I didn't have to walk 6 miles.
The only good venues in my mind are huge places like race tracks and drag strips etc. They have the parking room and experience for thousands of cars.
You think the Power Tour planners would have sense enough to only go to big venue areas? No chance, they aren't that smart. Having a Tour on a down town main street is ridiculous.
The Dells was the worse. It took us 2 hours and 15 minuted to crawl the last 5 miles, then to be herded onto a golf course? I'm sure the course owner loved having thousands of cars mess up his course.
The Long Hauler ceremony was a another disaster. No organization as to where people should go. Everyone milled around by the water park building, then the thousands of people herded by the tables and waited, then they were told to go down a hill and wait some more. Who the frick thinks of this stuff?
Thousands of people standing on the side of a hill, nice comfortable and safe conditions for sure....
The ceremony started late of course. I got out as quick as I got my sign only to return to the poor parking where they boxed us in so you couldn't leave easily. I wish some of the Tour people road along with the masses so they could see first hand how screwed up things are once you get to the venue. Perhaps then somethings might change. No one of responsibility cares what goes on. They must think all is well as long as they get their money.
What would be Very helpful would be some simple signs. At some venues, once you did get parked you had no friggin idea where the main stage is. Some signs pointing the way would be nice. Same with the Long Haul ceremony, have some signs saying where to go and wait... Also start the thing on time.
Aside from all of these complaints I had a good trip. Most everything was fine until you got where you were going.
Oh, I just remembered something else. Who thinks left turns in small towns are a good idea? Thousands of cars, stop signs and traffic lights are bad enough. Why pick a route with left turns at traffic lights? It would be better to go around and bypass the town in my opinion.
Danford1
(My opinions only, your opinions may be different)

[Andy4639]

I sent family events a e-mail and got a some what of a answer but nothing that seem to really help. Thy said they where looking into the matter and that if the parking attendant had know about John they would have delt with it differantly. They did know, Perry told them. So I don't have any faith in the tour changing much over the next 12 months.

[ogre]

Perry asked if they would let him park closer since he had his son John with him who is handy capped and they told him no! That is wrong,

as some of you know, i have mobility issues. this is where i use my ogre stealth mode. eyeball the event, pull in where fe tells me to and then use my ogre stealth to move up to the stage area. coming over the bridge at bettendorf fe wanted everyone to turn left. i faked left and went right, much to the chagrin of the fe guy. i faked my way into gold star parking in knoxville and in norwalk was parked next to the tremec trailer once i get out and grab my cane the fe guys forget the issue.

zmax


crown point


bettendorf

[moparjim71]

Same issues experienced here. Despite that we enjoyed the trip again. I do hope they make the no- brainer changes.

[corvettedad]

I've used your Ogre stealth mode before. On a positive note the folks at Lane were more than helpful. Me and john can usually do ok the Dells was just a bad situation (hard to push a wheel chair in grass and dirt ) and more people saw what happened and I appreciate their passion about it. Perhaps some good will come out this there are people that have worse disabilities and mobility issues.