Ok, I don't know where to start.
I sincerely appreciate all of you showing up. I know it takes a long time and a lot of money to fill these things up and get anywhere, so for 85+ trucks, dozens of trailers, tons of gear, hundreds of people and dozens of civvy vehicles to show up is absolutely amazing to me.
I hope that everyone has an amazing time at the rally. When I started doing it, my goal was to build a rally that would appeal to the broadest cross section of the hobby.
Of course, epic thanks to D-town for bending over backwards to accomodate us. They gave us the field, bushhogged it, provided 6 porta potties all free of charge and then opened up a lot of off limits trails to us.
I thank Carnac, Recovry4x4, JW4x4 & Mike for manning the front gate and getting new arrivals oriented to the field and badged with nifty nametags. Brian really liked his, he whimpered when we took it off.
I thank the amazing efforts of our MKT team, headed up by Wreckerman and SCSG-G4 and assisted by a platoon of fearless assistants for keeping hundreds of people fed for 4 days.
Much thanks to Wreckerman for organizing the hardball convoy.
I thank our trail leaders, Squirt-truck and Dumpster, along with a few others for keeping us safe, not lost in the woods and amused for 4 days.
We all thank BlythewoodJoe for his generator and lights that helped people move around the field int he dark.
I thank Streamline Graphics for the outstanding banners and signs they provided. Zout also provided a banner, it is sincerely appreciated as well.
Thanks to Drew (can't remember your username) for the neato tank barricade display at the gate.
Much thanks to all the people who volunteer and those who are asked and agree to help in so many ways, from running errands, moving gear around, delivering messages, etc.
Thank you to dhwife for giving me a ride home one night so we could bring two of our deuces and thanks to my friends David (owner of the '68 USAF power wagon) and Jason for helping us load up Saturday evening and thanks to Jason for driving clintogf's winch deuce home so we didn't have to make two trips.
Thanks to clintogf for letting me get her prized winch truck dirty.
Thanks to squirt truck and 1958 M274 for helping me get the mule back on dry land and running after I tried to turn it into a GPA.
In closing, I am flattered by all the compliments, but I do little of the hard work. The hard work, the real effort that makes the rally a success is that of the people listed above and many more like them, whose efforts go unnoticed by the mass of attendees. Without the Ga Rally staff of volunteers, it wouldn't be as big, fun or successful as it is. To those of you who step up, you have my endless gratitude.
I enjoy seeing all of you every year, and I look forward to seeing you again and meeting new members next October.
Thank you all.
Now, a few pictures and later, the story of how we found out that Mule seat cushions will double as flotation devices.