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Petit Jean 2018 ... The RV Gathering is ON!

BillSchlatterer

Well Known Member
UPDATE 10/12/18 in post #17 /// Petit Jean 2018 ... 106 Registered

UPDATE .... 10/12/18 7 days out and we have 106 RV's registered. As of 10/3/18 5:00 PM CST There are 4 rooms open and a 3 bedroom house at Cedar Falls for the weekend. The 3 br is nice, several of us will be staying there Thursday. All rooms at the RCC are full but moving daily, Mather is full, but some left at Cedar Falls. We're got a great venue this year and some new flying events that should be very entertaining. Bring a friend and come to the Mountain. Plenty of camping still available! See you on the Mountain!

Please be sure to use the online registration. Links below in this post!

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Petit Jean 2018 ?The RV Gathering on the Mountain is on On ON! :) October 19, 20, and 21. We?re in full prep mode and the Petit Jean Indians are hard at work planning the most RV Easy, spouse friendly, fun flying weekend you will ever have ? ever :eek: It?s ALL RV and it?s all about the folks that fly them. Mark your calendar and plan to join us on the Mountain. For one weekend, Petit Jean Mountain airport will be the busiest small airport in the south ? (this is Arkansas :rolleyes: !

What? ? You don?t know what Petit Jean is all about! :) Well, turn up the sound and watch this short video by Kent & Lana Officer.
Petit Jean Magic ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMcD20sDe1w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMcD20sDe1w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMcD20sDe1w Count the smiles and guess the miles they flew to get here. Over 18 states represented, 75% couples, kids, dads, moms, sons & daughters, and thousands of smiles ? that?s what the Petit Jean RV family is all about!

Based on the current registration traffic, we expect a record turnout with over 100 RV?s and 200+ RV?ators on the ramp by dinner time Friday. No fuss, no vendors, no paid help,? just a volunteer effort from folks that love RVs and RV people trying to pay it forward.

This picture won "Best Petit Jean RV Grin in 2017" award! Angela "Scrubs" Palmer... and yes, that is HER RV3!

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As usual, we will have crews parking, crews cooking, crews playing around  and Air Boss Bob will be in the tower, directing and welcoming you to the Mountain. Remember everything has to be hauled to the mountain, and we have to have good head counts, plane counts, and meal counts to make it all RV Easy! It really helps and we really appreciate it! That also makes sure you are on the email update list which is very important to you as well as us. Your registration is your personal invite?. If you register, we?ll be looking for you!

We ask all participants to please complete the Online Participants Registration at least 30 days out: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PJ_2018_Registration


For more pictures, videos, and information, check out our website www.PetitJeanFlyIn.com or our FaceBook group PetitJeanFlyInGroup https://www.facebook.com/groups/PetitJeanRVFLyInGroup/

What?s the lodging situation ?? CAMPERS are no issue? we have plenty of great camping right at the airport, literally under your wing. At this point, the Rockefeller Conference Center is booked full (501) 727-5435 ?. The group number is # 78840 and required to register but it is booked full at the moment. The RCC cannot hold a wait list but we do! Please email me with names, tail number, cell number and nights and we?ll work hard to get you on the Mountain.

At this time, there are several rooms still available at Cedar Falls Motel (501) 727-5636. It?s a very laid back place, a little retro 60?s style circle court. Located about a mile from the airport and on our transport route so no problems there. Please understand there are less than 90 rooms available on the whole mountain. We do what we can to accommodate lodgers but the absolute room count is something over which we have no control. If you?re a camper, we?ll always make room for another tent!

See you on the Mountain :)
The Petit Jean Indians !


Sponsored, aided, abetted, or just helped by EAA165, The MidSouth RVators, Bulldog Formation Team, many others ? and all of the great folks at the Rockefeller Conference Center!


The Rockefeller Conference Center
http://livethelegacy.org/


2017 Petit Jean ?. Paul Brown and Sara Works ... Ramp & Dinner Pictures
https://kvisit.com/aiMAg

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2017 Pictures by Dan Valovich ?. Great flying shots!
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNroY_sAGmdEvAmyYAFkRYRLqPloFw4D1zUYAW0TlhEWSqLFEKLMlomBmSrIjkuVw?key=OUhkcUZpdTVKeWRNQ0NTRDZTV1EyR25KUFEzOGNn

More pictures ...
https://kvisit.com/aiMAg
 
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Kelli and I will be there with KELLI GIRL...wouldn?t miss it! Let?s hope the clouds stay away.
 
I've been trying to find time for the last two years...maybe this is the year.

I have a place on Spring River about 40 flight minutes away near 42M if anyone needs a place to layover....might stay there myself too and and run to to Petit in the AM.
 
Rooms on the Mountain!

Just a note about lodging/camping for the PJ FlyIn. Camping is always wide open, it's easy and it's a lot of fun! :) Lodging is a little more problematic because room capacity on the mountain is very limited. The Rockefeller Conference Center is currently booked full (74 rooms committed as of 8/18/18) and yes there are always last minute cancellations but that doesn't guarantee you a room. :( BUT the good news is that if you want to lock something down, there are still about 5-6 rooms available at the Cedar Falls Motel which is about 200 yards from the Rockefeller Antique Auto Museum.

It is close to the airport! Vic says it will be on our transport schedule and getting to and from the airport won't be a problem. If Vic says it's not a problem, it won't be a problem ;)

The Cedar Falls Motel is kind of a retro 60's circle court. :cool: They have a "Cottage" available which I think is a two bedroom, a nice 3 br house "Hide-Away" which is already rented to some of our participants. One of the last pictures in the album below is a flyer which shows the various rooms, the cottage, and the Hide-Away.

Then they have a group of 15 rooms which vary from singles to "family style" with bunk beds. Pricing is VERY reasonable.

Cedar Falls is a pretty laid back place. Patrick and Maria will take good care of you and I think most folks would enjoy the adventure. :) All of the rooms are being held for Petit Jean participants and all of the rooms booked now are held by folks flying in Thursday or Friday.

img_2017_09_01_172940_49-80405992.jpg


I went by last year and took pictures so you could see for yourself. They get good reviews on Facebook but it isn't your normal Holiday Inn. Check out this link : https://kvisit.com/a4Lcg

You can call them at 501-272-5636 and tell them you are with the FlyIn group. They may not answer if they are having dinner :) or cutting the grass but Patrick and Maria are good about returning calls. Just leave them a message and return call number.

Hope this helps... we're looking forward to another great weekend at The RV Gathering on Petit Jean Mountain. Hope you can make it! See www.PetitJeanFlyIn.com/videos for more details and check out the PJ Magic Video by Kent and Lana Officer.

See you on the Mountain!
Bill

Call or email anytime!
 
Count me in!

Pending any weather issues, I plan on coming in Thursday. I'd like to arrive early enough to help as needed. Looking forward to another great weekend on the mountain!
 
Help :--)

Help as needed .... man is that music to our ears :) We're planning another really casual dinner gathering over at Mather Thursday night for the worker bees after a hard days grind! AND here is the gooood news! Even though Mather is a state park run restaurant, they have added COLD BEER and wine to the menu! :D

It's going to be a great weekend on the Mountain! :)

Bill
 
Bummed work?s not gonna allow even a short PJ for me and a kiddo this year :(.

On the other hand, if cleanup lasts into Mon/Tues I may be able to be one of the Indians on the backside. Let me know!
 
Room Update!

UPDATE .... 10/3/18 3 weeks out and we have over 80 RV's registered. As of 10/3/18 5:00 PM CST There are 4 rooms open and a 3 bedroom house at Cedar Falls for the weekend. The 3 br is nice, several of us will be staying there Thursday. All rooms at the RCC are full, Mather is full, but some left at Cedar Falls. We're got a great venue this year and some new flying events that should be very entertaining. Bring a friend and come to the Mountain. Plenty of camping still available! See you at Petit Jean!

Please be sure to use the online registration. Links below!

img_2018_10_03_200707_01-21652333.png


We ask all participants to please complete the Online Participants Registration at least 30 days out:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PJ_2018_Registration
 
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10 Days Out ... WX is looking good!

IT’s… Petit Jean Time and the RV Gathering is ON ! 10 days out! :)  We’re counting down the days and final preparations are in full swing. The 10 day forecast below under “Smiles” is AWESOME! The grass is almost cut, the menus are almost complete, the campground is almost perfect, and the Petit Jean Indians are all over prepping for the best RV Gathering ever! Based on our registrations, it’s going to be a full full house. The RCC is full, Cedar Falls has three rooms and a three bedroom left, and Mather is full as well. What is open is the CAMPGROUND and what a great place to be. We currently have 20+ registered to camp and that means it will be a pretty special place to be when the stars come out. That count could double with the right weather forecast and what a party.

If you haven’t spent a few minutes lying in the middle of the runway checking out the stars ….. well, you’ve missed something. It’s an awesome experience to share with your friends. The tarmac is warm, the sky is clear, the lights are … well there aren’t any lights so it all stars and more stars. And then the things you hear from folks talking and laughing while laying on a runway is just a hoot! Laying on the white line …. flat on your back … laughing till your face breaks …. I’m not kidding :--)

This time next week, we expect 180+ folks will be packing bags, topping off the gas tanks, washing off the bugs, topping off the oil, and updating the GPS. KMPJ is where the RV Happening is happening! The south end of the airport is looking like a golf course and when I say cut like a golf course…..well… those are golf balls in the picture. By now, you have been to the website, understand the arrival, know the shuttle schedules, have your hiking trails picked out, decided on which horseback ride to take, maybe even thinking about canoeing on Lake Bailey! Canoes are about 200 feet from the campsites? Anyone interested?

And to top it all off…. A NEW EVENT ! :cool: If you have been before, you know that Saturday afternoon is full of ramp games, fun flying, formation flights, RV Acro and now a new event! If the winds are calm, there will be a very well planned and executed aerial massacre of helium filled balloons by some dashing, skilled, brave, probably not so good looking, yet to be determined champions from your local area. Anyone can participate, you can be your group hero! We are hoping to have representatives from the four corners… Texas, OK, North and East … Petit Jean of course being the center of the world! Pick your champion and cheer them on! There is a traveling trophy, a cash prize, and best of all …. GLORY to the hero aviator! :--) . We plan to put 6-7 planes into a 14 mile racetrack at 2 mile intervals and give each three shots at busting a 2 foot wide rising helium filled balloon right in front of the ramp. The Petit Jean Gun Run …. constant airspeed of 120 MPH and balloons a minimum of 300 feet AGL. Open mic radio! The whole event should take 18 minutes per heat! Think of this as a shootout with the Best Balloon Killer on the RV Mountain….sitting on the ramp, drinking your cool-aid, and cheering them on. The perfect viewing spot, pick the winner and split the whole pot! It meets our three minimum criteria for a PJ event… it’s safe, it’s fun, and it’s RV Easy! Many, many, many, details to follow….but pick your champion and get ready!

THE THURSDAY BEFORE …. (Oct 18) We have had a number of folks volunteer to come in on Thursday the 18th to help or hang out and occasionally beat the weather. The PJ Indians will be there about 9:00 AM Thursday to get it all cranked up, set up, and put the finishing touches on the airport. Last year we had a surprise arrival dinner at Mather for 40 and the best surprise this year is that they are now serving beer and wine :--) along with dinner. IF you are coming in Thursday, please let me know for sure so that we can be sure we can put a roof over your head and a biscuit on your plate :--) Tell me again because I have part-timers most times. :--) Thursday has turned into a completely unplanned and tons of fun day getting ready for the crowd on Friday. Everyone is welcome to push a lawnmower, set up lighting, pick up sticks, mark off taxiways, and then have a cold one on the ramp with us as the sun goes down. All in all a really nice day with PJ friends.

As always, the only thing that we want you to do for absolutely sure is to please register online NOW so that we can be prepared THEN. If you register, you are guaranteed a parking place :--) and we understand WX cancellations.

Online Registration Please Click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PJ_2018_Registration

Lodging wait lists …. Yes we have one and yes we expect to find a room for anyone that wants to come…. Probably :--) But hey, how will you know if you don’t let us know ?? If you think you are on the wait list and haven’t been contacted by Friday, please please let me know. Again, I think Cedar Falls Motel still has a room or two. If you want on the list, contact me now. Campers …. All you need to do is register online and file your flight plan. We always have room for campers.


So that’s the fifth update
See you on the Mountain! :)


As always, sponsored by local EAA Chapter 165 KORK North Little Rock! Your RV buddies, the Rockefeller Conference Center, and a host of other helpers!


For more info email or call anytime
[email protected]
Cell 501 590 9646 Anytime


FaceBook … post anything you want that is RV & PJ related to the group page. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/PetitJeanRVFLyInGroup/

Petit Jean Magic Video… … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMcD20sDe1w

Petit Jean Fly In Website
www.PetitJeanFlyIn.com

The Rockefeller Conference Center
http://livethelegacy.org/

Cedar Falls Motel (501- 727-5636 Patrick or Maria) a very laid back, 60’s style circle court motel. It’s fun, clean, reasonable and on our transport route. Way better than missing the FlyIn.
 
RV count is at 104

Registrations now at 104 with a good weather forecast. :). Come on campers ... register and start packing. ;). We understand we may have representatives from Vans again this year. Some fun new events and lots of formation and acro on Saturday. Plenty of fun flying. :cool: Trails will be great and the food and RV fellowship are always outstanding!

Bill

registration link in post #17

Www.petitjeanflyin.com
[email protected]
 
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RV Count 106 Registered

Tonight we are at 106 registered but we are expecting several room cancellations from the areas hit by Michael. So far all have been OK but airports are in bad shape and power outages everywhere. Cleanup is all consuming. Praying for our RV buddies and families.

See'ya on the Mountain!

Bill
 
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