[SMCARA] Xenia (formerly Dayton) Hamvention

[Tom]

I agree, JD!  For the first time in a new venue, I am impressed that 
they got it all together as well as they did.  I was in the flea (Mud!) 
market most of the time tending my "boatanchor" pile, so  only got a 
short run through the indoor exhibits and only saw about 10 percent of 
the flea market.  I am not sure what the answer is to the mud issue, 
other than wear boots and grin and bear it! Springtime in Ohio means 
rain and thunderbumpers, so that's life.  Paving the infield would help, 
but it is a horse track so that is not an option.

More shady areas to eat and better lighting and air conditioning in the 
halls would help.  Food was definitely a big improvement over Hara.

Friday was a train wreck as far as inbound traffic goes, but the 
committee put their heads together with the local constabulary (sheriff 
and state troops), and had it sorted by Saturday morning with no major 
delays. Scooters are still an issue with blocking the aisles while 
gabbing with friends or just looking at stuff. The few that ventured 
into the flea market wound up mired up to their axles , but fortunately 
there were  some 4 wheel drive "Gators" around to pull the hapless 
scooters onto dry land!

Xenia is a lovely town and the locals went all out to welcome us 
"hamsters"! I think DARA will probably survive the issues and 2018 will 
be better than ever. I'll be back, but not with a truck full of 
stuff-I'm going to "cruise" the flea market and the exhibits next time.  
Those Brats looked and smelled pretty good too!

73 Tom/W4OKW


On 6/2/2017 4:43 AM, JD Delancy wrote:
>
> We took the 5th wheel RV and went on two week "round robin" trip. One 
> of the stops was Dayton, OH were we went to the annual Hamvention, 
> 19-21May17.  The Hamvention is no longer hosted, after 52 years, in 
> the Hara Arena, which has closed(I think it's being razed).  The 
> Hamvention is now at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Event Cent*er* 
> ** in Xenia, OH. Xenia is about 16 miles east of Dayton's center off 
> US Route-35
>
> The Dayton club did a fantastic job putting this on in a new venue. 
> Like anything new, there will be kinks to work out but they did it. 
> The support staff they had moving people with golf carts, farm 
> tractors-trailers and buses did a fantastic job getting people from 
> parking areas to the grounds entrance under what could be classified 
> very trying conditions; they worked they're "buns" off! The other 
> support folks, such as those directing traffic, the gate keepers and 
> information booth also did a excellent job. The availability of food 
> was excellent, many different varieties and all prepared on site. For 
> an event the size of Xenia (formerly Dayton) Hamvention to have the 
> "dress rehearsal" be the opening day at a new, untested venue, 
> reflects greatly on the organization's planning, problem solving, 
> professionalism and dedication. Mother nature didn't cooperate, thou, 
> with several heavy rain storms coming thru; probably the only major 
> bad thing of the Hamvention 2017
>
> Here are random pictures I took from the Hamvention: 
> http://www.rudas.us/goinrv/hamvention2017/
>
>      jd
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