2012 F.R.O.G International Rally in Goshen, IN

[Itsthetwoofus]

It's 11:30 and all is quite here in Goshen, portable camp fire out and the day before the rally starts finds us tired and ready for the official start day tomorrow. We volunteer parking guys parked around 180 units today and got to meet a whole bunch of new FROG friends. The registration girls got them all registered by dinner time, except for one couple who got in about dinner time, They joined us all for dinner and was taken care of after. It was a busy day but I think it was a good day for all.
Bobfidy (Bob) had his camera clicking away at the dinner so I'm sure he'll be posting some pictures soon.

[F.R.O.G.]

And so it begins…

For the past few days we’ve been in Goshen, preparing for the impending FROG stampede. We’ve been out in the blowing rain setting up a display of beautiful new Forest River RVs, pontoon boats, and utility trailers. We’ve met with vendors and made sure that they have what they need. We’ve spoken with caterers and “tweaked” the numbers, and have worked with sound and display artists to ensure a beautiful stage setting. We’ve been making a list and checking it twice … no, wait, that’s something else.

And then, we thought, we’ll sit back a little and wait. Remember what they say about the best laid plans?

Our first arrival (other than the couple who arrived a week early) came on Friday. They were scheduled for Monday, but got away from Canada a little early. Welcome to our new Canadian friends. The small trickle that we thought might come in on Saturday, mostly in the form of volunteers (God love ‘em, more on that later). By the end of the day there were about forty units on hand. We set up shop, picked up registration and door prize, and goody-bag and other materials from Middlebury and got them delivered. (Bob, Ron, Michel, I’m really sorry about that trailer key thing!)

Saturday was a dinner with some of the volunteers. More have stepped forward, and many thanks are due them as well.

Saturday night was another work night, including volunteers who have already done much more that we can thank them for. In assembly line fashion, a hard-working crew filled the FROG canvas bags with an array of gifts, prizes, and welcome items. In the meantime, the parking crew scouted out the parking areas, cussed and discussed some of the smaller spaces, and agreed on a plan of attack.

And then, we waited, but not for long ……

[2Susan]

Originally Posted by mike54

park in the gander mountain parking lot

I agree! We were there last summer and in no time at all the CW lot is so jammed you're stuck!

[F.R.O.G.]

This morning dawned cool and mostly sunny -- what my Dad used to say was "a great day to be starting on a trip somewhere." It seems though, that many FROGs had started on a trip a day or two earlier, making this a great day to arrive somewhere. And arrive they did.

It was a trickle at first, a few here and there. The parking crew started in on a routine (which was occasionally not quite routine) of greeting them on arrival, having someone check for the assigned parking spot, and having a guide lead them via golf cart to there site. It was a good plan and it generally worked well.

And it's good that it did. Throughout the day FROGs arrived from all corners of North America, both Canada and the United States. They arrived with miles under them and genuine smiles on their faces. The few issues that arose -- most involving large RVs and smaller sites -- were quickly resolved.

Arriving at registration, new arrivals were greeted with friendly smiles and warm welcomes. Registration kits, name badges (on FROG lanyards, of course), "goody bags" quickly materialized, as another intrepid band of volunteers made things go smoothly.

New friendships were being forged all over the fairground by the time we assembled for dinner. A background slide show reflected some of the origins of the organization, which pretty much bubbled up from someone of the forum simply tossing out an idea -- anyone ever thought about getting together as a group of Forest River owners? The resulting Branson Rally -- OK, it's time to admit that there was a Canadian there, truly making it the first FROG International Rally -- got the ball rolling. Also included were the entries in the first Forest River photo contest. (First?)

Dinner included roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, baby glazed carrots, tossed salad, rolls, cookies, iced tea, and lemonade. Some folks were moving a little more slowly going out than coming in.

Into the evening, groups could be found all over the fairgrounds, some renewing friendships, some creating them. Walkers and bikers roamed the fairgrounds, especially admiring the landscaping of Heritage Park, the central focus of the facility. Into the evening one could find the glow of campfires, hear laughter, and generally enjoy the atmosphere.

It was a very good day all around.

Tomorrow we'll be gearing up for more arrivals -- still about 40 or so to go. Seminars will be underway, and the vendors will be open for business. Beautiful RVs will be open for inspection -- in fact, we learned that, if you ask, you can actually buy one -- really!

Dinner tomorrow will be a special event, as Forest River President Pete Liegl hosts what promises to be a "WOW" event.

But for now, "today" has already faded into early tomorrow, and it's time to forge ahead. More to come......

[Oakman]

We left Imperial, Missouri Saturday morning and stopped for the evening at the Hollywood Casino Campground in Joliet, Illinois. The campground is good for an overnight stop but I was surprised how short each site was, it worked for us though. Fortunately when we departed for Goshen on Sunday morning we hadn’t left too much money behind at the casino.

We arrived at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds and were escorted to our site by one of the FROG volunteers. Our site is at the back of the fairgrounds and we have a beautiful view from our back window of a small creek and YIKES, railroad tracks…very active railroad tracks.

Many thanks to those FROGs that volunteered to work the rally registering the attendees as they arrived and those who helped to guide everyone to their sites. They worked their tails off as so many rigs have come in a day early. Kudos to Bob and Cindy for their hard work in setting up this rally.

It was great to meet up again some of the FROGs from the original International FROG Rally in Branson last year. Iggy if you’re reading this, we’ve already been talking about you and wishing you could have attended this year. Many thanks to Itsthetwoofus (George) for providing us with a campfire last night and the S‘mores.

The catered Roast Beef dinner last night was excellent. It is amazing how many FROGs are already here since today is the first official day of the rally.

FROGS going through the food line.


Many seminars are scheduled for today and Forest River has an RV and boat display here with some very interesting rigs. We will get over to the vendors area today and I’m sure my DW Petunia (Joyce) will spread some of our money around.

[campnqueen]

WOW! It has been so nice to meet folks and have a face to go with handles. We are having a fabulous time! Great food! Great folks! Lots of rigs... so fun and exciting! Sure hope that there is ANOTHER rally next year!

[BOBFIDY]

And yes Virginia.....THERE IS A BOB BYRNE.....and CINDY too.

Pictures to follow as soon as we can find a fast enough connectionn.

[Itsthetwoofus]

Originally Posted by BOBFIDY

And yes Virginia.....THERE IS A BOB BYRNE.....and CINDY too.

Pictures to follow as soon as we can find a fast enough connectionn.

Bob, come see me..We can get you on. Oh one more thing, we have enough rain, shut it off!!

[BOBFIDY]

Originally Posted by Itsthetwoofus

Bob, come see me..We can get you on. Oh one more thing, we have enough rain, shut it off!!

In the morning sir.....I might melt coming next door as hard as it is raining right now.....lol

[BOBFIDY]

Bob and Cindy Byrne at FROG RALLY Goshen, IN. 2012

[BOBFIDY]

Originally Posted by BOBFIDY

Bob and Cindy Byrne at FROG RALLY Goshen, IN. 2012

Well.....that did not work.....more in the morning.

[F.R.O.G.]

Monday marked the official start of the FROG International Rally! I was up, dressed, and snapping on the leash to walk the dog. Looking out the windshield, I just KNEW that wasn’t really a unit cruising the camping area looking for a parking space. Rubbing my eyes just confirmed both that I was really awake and that we really had our first arrival of the day. Managed to get over and welcome the newest folks and escort them to a site, and it was “game on.”

During the morning the amazing parking volunteers kept traffic moving with friendly greetings, efficient parking, and an overall welcoming environment. The registration team continued the welcome when attendees got settled in.
SkyMed sponsored coffee and donuts, and their rep told me that he didn’t know why he’d bought so many donuts. Well, it turns out that FROGs can eat LOTS of donuts. He didn’t have to worry about leftovers.

An array of seminars filled much of the morning and early afternoon, with many of them filled nearly to overflowing. Vendors reported lots of traffic and good sales of a wide array of products. The display of beautiful new Forest River products drew a tremendous amount of interest.

Then came the rain. FROGs are amphibians, and didn’t let a little rain slow them down. Seminars continued to generate interest, and business remained good for vendors.

One of the most appreciated offerings on Monday, though was the technical service. Attendees were invited to request service on a variety of issues. Leo Akins, head of Forest River’s Pre-Delivery Inspection division, coordinated the efforts along with Pat Stratton, who manages the Goshen Service Center. A small army of techs, both from the factories and from component manufacturers, fanned out across the fairground to address service issues. Attendees were thrilled with minor adjustments and more significant repairs, accomplished on site at no charge. In some cases, owners were referred to the service center, and returned later in the day with the service adjustments done. I eventually lost count of the members who told me, one even in tears, how happy they were and how much the appreciated the work of the entire Forest River tech team.

And then, it was time for a party.

Forest River President Pete Liegl had said that he wanted to sponsor a dinner that would be a “WOW” event, and “WOW” didn’t seem to cover it. Over 500 FROGs and Forest River staff entered a dining room set with tablecloths, china, stemware, salads, and rolls. Before starting dinner, though, it was time for a stroll over to the cheese mountain with crackers, and to the specialty coffee center. After about a half hour of light snacking it was time to get serious – grilled steaks, wild rice, green beans almondine, and an amazing lemon chiffon dessert.

Introduced by a brief corporate video, Pete then took the stage for a short time. He said I’d told him he could say “a few words,” and that he looked up what “few” means. Looking for guidance on what to say, he turned to his wife for advice, and was told that he should croak. Returning to the dictionary, he checked out the meaning of “croak,” and decided that he hoped his wife of 45 years wanted him to make a frog noise, which he did to the delight of the crowd.

Then turning serious, Pete briefly described how Forest River exists to serve the company by providing great products and helping owners to enjoy them. He emphasized that, while problems can occur, it’s the company’s policy and intent to make sure that every customer is a satisfied customer who can enjoy his or her RV, boat, or other Forest River product fully.

Rounding out the evening, FROGs enjoyed a magic and comedy performance by B. J. Mallen, bringing a delightful evening to an enjoyable close.

And then, after scurrying back to their units, the FROGs settled in to the sound of rain on the roof.

More to come……

[mike54]

Marsha and I are having a great time The seminars were good I learned a few things, spent some money at the vendor booths and saw a fifth wheel I would like to have. Monday's night dinner was great & met some very nice FROGS.

[Oakman]

BTW, Oakman and Petunia (Bob and Joyce) are in site 308 at the back of the fairgrounds by the creek and the train tracks.

After returning from Elkhart with our end table, we looked at the new RVs on display here at the rally. Those Trilogy’s are absolutely beautiful. After drooling over the new models, Joyce and I visited the vendors and bought a few items.

The dinner, which was on CEO Peter Liegl’s dime, really had that “WOW” factor. The specialty coffee bar and the available gourmet cheeses were a class act and the lines for them were long.

The menu.



The steak dinner was delicious and the ribeye steaks were large.



As Bob Byrne mentioned in his post, Peter Liegl was gracious enough to address the FROGs. Here’s a photo of him right before he “croaked.”



The magician, B. J. Mallen was good with magic and a hilarious comedian. Here’s a photo of him doing a very “dangerous” trick with his assistant from our audience. He made sure his assistant wore protective gear.



After the show was over many of the FROGs signed up for the factory tours today. We signed up to tour the Cedar Creek facility.

It was a great day despite a little bit of rain.

[tentcamper1]

Good morning!!
The DW and I would like to thank Bob and Cindy for having us at the dinner last night. What an awesome meal and show. It was also great to meet others from the forum- have a great time this week!!

[BOBFIDY]

One more try.....

Yes Virginia.....There is a BOB BYRNE.....and a CINDY BYRNE.....and the President of Forest River PETE LIEGL.

[Bob Fields]

Attending my second FROG Rally (First was Branson for a day or two). Anyone having questions about their entertainment systems can either meet me in the Vendor area (and check out the Bluetooth enabled systems we have) or I am also happy to visit your unit for any questions you may have.

[Oakman]

Our new travel companion, Forest Jump, decided to check out the quality control of a RV under construction when he toured the Cedar Creek factory today with the other FROGs. He told me he was very impressed.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by F.R.O.G.

Monday marked the official start of the FROG International Rally! I was up, dressed, and snapping on the leash to walk the dog. Looking out the windshield, I just KNEW that wasn’t really a unit cruising the camping area looking for a parking space. Rubbing my eyes just confirmed both that I was really awake and that we really had our first arrival of the day. Managed to get over and welcome the newest folks and escort them to a site, and it was “game on.”

During the morning the amazing parking volunteers kept traffic moving with friendly greetings, efficient parking, and an overall welcoming environment. The registration team continued the welcome when attendees got settled in.
SkyMed sponsored coffee and donuts, and their rep told me that he didn’t know why he’d bought so many donuts. Well, it turns out that FROGs can eat LOTS of donuts. He didn’t have to worry about leftovers.

An array of seminars filled much of the morning and early afternoon, with many of them filled nearly to overflowing. Vendors reported lots of traffic and good sales of a wide array of products. The display of beautiful new Forest River products drew a tremendous amount of interest.

Then came the rain. FROGs are amphibians, and didn’t let a little rain slow them down. Seminars continued to generate interest, and business remained good for vendors.

One of the most appreciated offerings on Monday, though was the technical service. Attendees were invited to request service on a variety of issues. Leo Akins, head of Forest River’s Pre-Delivery Inspection division, coordinated the efforts along with Pat Stratton, who manages the Goshen Service Center. A small army of techs, both from the factories and from component manufacturers, fanned out across the fairground to address service issues. Attendees were thrilled with minor adjustments and more significant repairs, accomplished on site at no charge. In some cases, owners were referred to the service center, and returned later in the day with the service adjustments done. I eventually lost count of the members who told me, one even in tears, how happy they were and how much the appreciated the work of the entire Forest River tech team.

And then, it was time for a party.

Forest River President Pete Liegl had said that he wanted to sponsor a dinner that would be a “WOW” event, and “WOW” didn’t seem to cover it. Over 500 FROGs and Forest River staff entered a dining room set with tablecloths, china, stemware, salads, and rolls. Before starting dinner, though, it was time for a stroll over to the cheese mountain with crackers, and to the specialty coffee center. After about a half hour of light snacking it was time to get serious – grilled steaks, wild rice, green beans almondine, and an amazing lemon chiffon dessert.

Introduced by a brief corporate video, Pete then took the stage for a short time. He said I’d told him he could say “a few words,” and that he looked up what “few” means. Looking for guidance on what to say, he turned to his wife for advice, and was told that he should croak. Returning to the dictionary, he checked out the meaning of “croak,” and decided that he hoped his wife of 45 years wanted him to make a frog noise, which he did to the delight of the crowd.

Then turning serious, Pete briefly described how Forest River exists to serve the company by providing great products and helping owners to enjoy them. He emphasized that, while problems can occur, it’s the company’s policy and intent to make sure that every customer is a satisfied customer who can enjoy his or her RV, boat, or other Forest River product fully.

Rounding out the evening, FROGs enjoyed a magic and comedy performance by B. J. Mallen, bringing a delightful evening to an enjoyable close.

And then, after scurrying back to their units, the FROGs settled in to the sound of rain on the roof.

More to come……

Great write up Bob! Now I want to attend one of these rallies even more than before!! Just got to get the scheduling and location to work out for me and I'll be there.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by Oakman

Our new travel companion, Forest Jump, decided to check out the quality control of a RV under construction when he toured the Cedar Creek factory today with the other FROGs. He told me he was very impressed.

Maybe he can Hook-up with (Linda Leep). Youroo!!