ABERDEEN 2012 ( Only 192 days away)

[MidNightRider]

This was our first time attending this event. I had drove by this event back in 1995 while I was stationed at APG, but did not stop. I signed up on here because I have been bitten by the bug, hard to believe it has taken this long, I retired back in 2006 after 24 years! while we were at the event today we did notice there were some holes here and there and was told that Thursday was the best day to attend, but for my soon to be wife and I, we enjoyed it. she has already told me to start looking for my next project truck . yeap, M37. she thought that the duce's looked nice, she wondered what it would be like to ride in one. I told her they are fun! so now the search is on. but on a sad note, we went to APG, I wanted to show her the museum. wow, closed, now I had heard allot of display pieces were move to Va, but wow, the rest of the display stuff is just rusting away. and what is not rusting away has weeds growing out of them! I know budget cuts, but that is so sad and makes the Post Commander look bad for not maintaining historical artifacts.

 

[DieselBob]

Welcome to the green iron addiction MidNightRider. Happy hunting for your MV.

 

[DieselBob]

Rick, I guess YOU will just have to come to the 12SSGAR in Oct. to see a real rally and where EVERYBODY is GREAT

Might have to make a trip there. The wife and myself are always looking for a great trip with the travel trailer. I see they have full hookups. Got to have that hot shower...

 

[gimpyrobb]

You will not be sorry you made the trip.

 

[atankersdad]

Spent 4 days there and it was great to see everyone. I think there was less partying than other years, and it in fact makes the GA rally makes Aberdeen look like an AA meeting, but I do not go to AA meetings. Cabell did great. As always and it was good meeting new friends with old ones. I spent Friday with the son of one of my best friends who passed away 3 weeks ago and it made my event helping him hunt down parts for his 900 series he bought last year. Spent 4 days talking with Hawk who is a wealth of info for the CUCV restoration guys on the site and even the manufacturing experts out there who build nothing but like to argue. We had 40+ less vendors this year and I will get back to everyione after our club meets to see the finances. Guys remember, it takes a lot to do an event like this. Nothing is perfect and the moaners of the world just drive people away from events and then they just dry up and blow away. Fuel prices kept most home. Use the ballot box to address that, not the soap box. Like always it was a gift from God to spend time with my sons who I share this hobby and good friends. Another way of looking at this is I sold 23 out of 24 spots. Last year it was 19 out of 20. I am shooting for 30 spots for the Mason/Dixon MD /PA SS members for 2013. Our group grew and that is the bottom line for me. Our Sat breakfasts meetings continue, thanks to Robert and his wife, we have a spring and fall club gatherings at the Appel compound and these are good things. As an organization we are bringing in the younger and new guyslsince old farts like me and RickF are falling apart. Now to GA. I will be down again this year. You have a rally that provides on-site trail rides and massive all nite bon-fires and moonshine cocktails with Gimp. . You lack the dealers and the deals but I love both events. ATD has put in his Aberdeen 2012 report. Now its time to pull weeds and plant tomatoes. Thanks to alll who went. Dudley

 

[Recovry4x4]

The event looks as I remember from the years past that I have attended. Comparing the 2 events (SSGR vs Aberdeen) is like comparing apples to oranges. The 2 things in common are MVs and about half the crowd. Aberdeen is a more structured show and swap meet whereas SSGR is a Rally/Get together with trail rides and vending added in. Remember, most of these Rallys started as a cookout somewhere. I will have to admit though, the vending at SSGR has expanded exponentially in the last 2 years and might even surprise us this year. For those that can make it, you need to attend one of the shows at either MTA, Gilbert, Aberdeen or Findlay.

Dudley, thanks for all you do to make this event what it should be regarded as and also a personal thanks for including SSGR in the conversation. I'm glad that you will be returning to the deep south (although considerably north of me) again.

 

[emmado22]

I made it home OK, had a trailer tire blow out, but all the tools to change it onhand and accessable, and was back on the road within 15 minutes.

As for the show, way too many open spaces from vendors who didnt show up. I dont buy the "fuel costs prevented many from coming" as the Sussex show held 2 weeks ago was a complete sell out, with lots of new vendors. I heard from many different vendors how their spaces were all screwed up, (some vendors double booked for spaces) The lack of garbage cans sucked, especially for the 2 poor ladies I saw chasing garbage blowing down the parking lot. I asked why there wasnt more cans, they told me "we didnt have money to buy them"!!!!!! wow.... Overall the show was ehhhh... The lack of vendors from previous years was obvious. Heard lots of talk of a splinter group's "new show" to compete with Aberdeen or a different location.

 

[maddawg308]

I do buy the line that fuel costs contributed to the lack of attendance. Not so much the missing spaces, not sure why someone would pay $60 a space on a weekend with great weather to miss a show, but it does explain the lack of people who just show up to buy and cruise the show. I see this phenomenon everywhere, at car shows, hamfest, flea markets. People just don't have the spending money to blow on a huge travel bill to a show where they can't buy much anyways. The only exception is the gun show circuit which is selling out nationwide, and you can figure out why yourself.

I always have a great time though - heck I had a great time even in years when the rain poured and a third of the vendors showed up. As always, I met a lot of great folks, friends from the past, drooled over MVs which I can't own at the present time, but that's okay. Meeting friends and staying in the hobby is the big thing. Many thanks to those who helped me out at my spot, and the free brews/cigars/chicken dinner, etc. Cabell did a great job on the dinner again, the crew from NC is always a hoot.

Dudley, thanks for getting the spots set up and all your hard work.

See everyone next time!

 

[misterbill64]

This is the first time I have been to this show and I thought it was wonderfull .
I was able to find most of the parts I wanted at reasonable prices and never heard an unkind word from anyone I talked to. Matter of fact the two that stand out to me ( POWERSTROKEN and CRUZINZ28 *) were more than happy to show and tell me about there trucks. It seams this is a great hobby to be involved in and I hope this show continues to be as good *as it seamed to me and I will be back next year.

 

[m816]

Aberdeen

Only about four months to Gilbert, Get ready.

 

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I thought everyone was nice that I met but it did stick out in my mind how 1 guy selling uniform accessories and de-milled or replica weapons was using the "F" word every other word, very loudly, and I heard him one time saying how much he wanted to kill the head honcho in Washington.

I'm 23 years old, and I work in a machine shop, so that language is fine in the correct time and place, but there were women and kids walking around, so that guy looked and sounded like a jack wagon, and I was instantly not interested in anything he was selling.

Really not a good image for the military vehicle/surplus scene.

Also I heard some old timers under a tent in the middle of the show having a good time and carrying on and using the "F" word frequently and loudly as families with little kids walking by.

Also not very impressive.

 

[PA GasPasser]

I just want to thank the couple of guys from Gypsy Company and JTONKA for answering a few (OK--a lot) of questions. I tried to look for more folks that might be from this site but after the 3rd time of asking if any one was from the SS forum and getting sideways glances, I have to admit I quit asking. I did see some deuces that I know I've seen pictured on here, but I didn't manage to track down the owners. Hopefully, I'll be able to pick this back up in fall when I get back from downrange. Not sure how much time I'll have to devote to this before I leave, but that just gives me more time to research and ask questions.

It was well worth the trip--I couldn't think of a better way to spend a day before a 24hr shift at work!

 

[SteveKuhn]

"... I tried to look for more folks that might be from this site but after the 3rd time of asking if any one was from the SS forum and getting sideways glances, I have to admit I quit asking..."

Oh, never do that! I had the same experience at Gilbert last fall but continued to embarass myself until I found Carnac, Emmando, Jatonka, Doghead, Art, Maddawg ... Gotta admit, however, it helped a lot to find SRJeeper and go from there.

Steve

 

[gimpyrobb]

In the past, there had been a SS banner displayed. Maybe we should try to get those going again.

 

[Tankjeepman]

Great show, tons of military surplus and parts. I got most of the stuff I was looking for and some I didn't know it needed.

 

[CGarbee]

I had a great time and wish to thank those such as Dudley and Ian who I know are on this forum and work hard to put this event together, and to those whom I know who aren't on this forum but who also put in the long hours... Puttting on an event is really hard work...

I'll admit that I didn't drive a MV this year, partly due to fuel prices (the Suburban gets three times the milleage as the XM813), partly due to the fact that the guys I convoyed with also drove civilian vehicles (they usually are in dueces...), partly due to having to do some serious wrenching on any of the MV's that I would have normally taken (I know that this is true also for one of my cohorts...).

I didn't sell near as much stuff as in the past. A lot of folks that I talked to, including a bunch of vendors, are selling way more stuff (radios and truck parts) on the internet and it seemed that what they and I sold at the show was more militaria (clothes, books, non truck/radio parts) to the general public that came out. So I'll adjust my offerings next year, and will continue to enjoy seeing folks and cooking...

I'll toss in a shameless plug now: The VA Rally, aka Graves Mountain MV Trailrides and Rally, will be held in Syria, VA (22743) on August 30-September 4, 2012. On-site trailrides, camping, cabins, food, drink, and hot showers... Not many vendors yet, but that comes with time... Go to www.gravesmountaintrailrides.com for more info...


Oh, I don't fly a banner at any of the shows saying that I'm from Steelsoldiers, G503, G838, G741, etc... but my login on all the sites is my name...and that was on my vendor tag pinned to my hat...

I'm already making plans for next year...

 

[Whitey]

I had a great time as usual. This was also the first event I've brought a MV; my CUCV 1009. Only eventful thing was driving home. Apparetntly I was going 75 mph when I thought I was going 65 mph. I found this out from my father who was trying to keep up with me on 95, 695, and 70.

I to notice the empty spots. Didn't like to see that. Thanks to HAWK for his advice and conversation. Hope to see some of you at Findley!

-Whitey