[Stlhotrod]

Ok I am a newbie, so can someone explain to me and hopefully help others understand what happens at the rallies? Is it just a get together and a car show type setting or what? I asked in the international rally post because it is not far from me but did not get any answers as to what goes on. I am used to going to Hot Rod events like the Good Guys car shows and other races but this is new to me, so just wanting to know more of the event happenings. Thanks

 

[Dr Who]

Gee, I guess I guess I get to go first. I guess I will try to explain how I see an SSR Rally. First, understand that SSRs are not very common. How many SSRs in your town? How many Corvettes? Most of us are connected by common interest and this forum. We deal in knowledge and friendship. A Rally is an opportunity to come together as friends, meet people we have only talked to, see different SSRs, help each other solve problems, get ideas for our Rs, and hang out with those that share a common interest.....plus have a hell of a lot of fun. Can you imagine seeing a 120 SSRs going around the Daytona Speedway? That's what a Rally is about.

 

[xoxoxoBruce]

Rally= place and time for SSR owners to gather. There will be some planned happenings, all of which are optional.
Watch Marlon Brando in The Wild One and you'll get the picture.

Just kidding, no raping or pillaging.

Usually a tech session which can be highly informative, maybe a swap meet, but mostly socializing. Making life long friends.

 

[cancam]

A Rally

A Bunch of SSR owners drive in to a designated area from all over the country for a meet and greet then get rested to get up and drive someplace for lunch. Then be back in time to get parked in the designated lot to bring out the lawn chairs and swap SSR stories or have a nap. After supper Drive around with a group of SSR's to find an Ice Cream joint then a much need rest
Repeat at least one more day or two. Most times there are planned events and fellowship and some include libations !
Only rule is you pay ahead of time for some events and book your own room. You are responsible for showing up !
Have Fun and Learn more about your SSR would be the short version !
Look forward to seeing you
Cam

 

[Texasbaehr]

Rallys are organized events that may include some or all of the following : hotel discount blocks, opening social meet and greet, long and short drives to choose from that may or may not include lunches or dinners or visits to some historical or cultural site(s)etc., a car show, a swap meet, spouse events, a tech session, silent auction, raffles and an evening banquet on the last day. Lots of activities you can choose to participate or not. Best part is the camaraderie and socializing with others of like interests.
Greg

 

[SSReplay]

Damn hard to explain -- kind of like explaining what ice cream tastes like - can't do it - but if you will just try it I know you will like it. If you like SSRs and you like being around great people , you will enjoy a rally.
arty:cheers:blur:

 

[BLUMnM]

name tags

A rally includes everything the others have said. It's lots of fun with folks you may only see once a year but you connect and find ways to keep in touch.

Also when you go you will see folks wearing name tags. They are helpful keeping names and places straight.
Some chapters have their own type some use these. http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/f33/name-tags-magnetic-ssr-logo-56765/

The best part is you have no membership dues but are part of one of the best car clubs around. Your participation is strictly up to you.

Welcome from Alabama!

 

[jackatg450]

Also for the wives...........

It is a great excuse for them to go on a 5 day SHOPPING SPREE! because she cannot be seen in one stitch of clothes that were worn to a previous Rally, even if it was 5 years ago. Apparently women have an elephant's memory for who wore what blouse three years ago. Hell I don't remember what she wore day before yesterday. And of course since the last rally was in Florida, one of her favorites,so it required shopping in Mississippi=Picayune, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, in Louisiana= Slidell, Metarie, Covington, Mandeville, and in Alabama = Foley.,

Jack

 

[xoxoxoBruce]

There's a good reason for that Jack...

 

[jackatg450]

My nothing box.

My nothing box is getting bigger!

Jack

 

[turnheadz]

There's a good reason for that Jack...

:glol :glol that explains soooo much. But I'll probably still find myself asking "what is he thinking?". Now I know; nothing. It really is the answer after all :glol

 

[turnheadz]

Oh, back to the subject at hand; we never asked about rallies, we just drove to one --- Our first; 20 hour drive in 2 days, for a 1 day rally, then 20 hour drive in 2 days to get home. We were hooked after that :wub:

 

[HUAW]

I think "Cruising" together is also a very cool part of a Rally! Every Rally I have attended as had numerous destinations where we cruise to a particular location. Example; At Maggie Valley we cruised the Blue Ridge Parkway in the beautiful Smoky mountains to a lookout point and had lunch there. Imagine 80 SSR's following one another! At Daytona they cruised the "Loop" together and to a Light House destination.
Hope this helps!

 

[SoonerRed]

Here are some links to the typical agendas if that helps answer the "what"
http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/f39/daytona-rally-april-8-11-2018-a-218561/#post3664177
http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/f26/maggie-valley-2018-a-225714/#post3788714

As for the "why", it's the camaraderie of the brother/sisterhood of the SSR family. Plus, unless you're talking to a fellow owner it's kinda like this:

 

[MLCrisisSSR]

It is everything that has been stated in previous post and then add then add that you are in multiple episodes of "How Did They Do That" for SSRs.

Greg
:yellow: :cheers

 

[LKMURKY]

StlHotRod:
The others are right, although I like the Ice Cream explanation the best.
You already own a unique ride, and you had to be a little bit out of the ordinary to make that choice.
I knew I wanted an SSR from the first time I saw one, could not explain it. After I got one, I started to try and learn more about it. It was pretty special to me, and I wanted it to be that way for as long as I could make it last. Friends, coworkers, and Family don't understand. At some point you realize that you need the information, tech support and camaraderie to keep the SSR alive in your heart and your garage.
The Chevy Dealer might not be able to help you, they are really unlikely to have parts when the need arises. Good chance they might break something anyway, I needed a different source. I asked my local mechanic's opinion who has been taking care of the family cars for more than 50 years, and got a blank stare then a bad answer.

So I headed off to Maggie Valley in search of some answers and information, We weren't expecting much, and the wife just went along to humor me, I think she thought she was at the wrong end of that For Better or Worse promise she made.
We got a heck of a lot more than we bargained for.
I essentially had nothing in common with all those people except my strange :yellow: truck. I met a bunch of passionate people from widely diverse backgrounds, who were essentially instant friends. They'd all been through the same thing, and found the same thing. We are all a bunch of fun loving folks who like to travel and share our lives and experiences. There is no pressure do do anything unless you want to, but you pretty much show up because it is fun, and its more fun every time. I think one day there is gonna be a funsplosion and they are going to be picking up pieces of someone's Permagrin from all over the room.

4 years later, I have 2 SSR's, & I'm going to Maggie for the 4th time, My lovely wife is excited. We just got back from Daytona, where I got to drive on the Daytona Speedway. She got to drive Savannah Speedway last year, and I get to Drive Atlanta Motor Speedway this fall. Perfect little chance to flex a little SSR muscle, and play a little , tell some bad jokes, have a margarita with my old friends who were my new friends not so very long ago.
Take a chance; live a little, you might just go down a path in life you never knew was there and have a great time.
If you don't like it, it's all good, but leave me the keys to your truck if you don't mind, I know your truck wants to be there too.

Cary & Jeri Palmer
Lake Murray South Carolina
04 :yellow:
06 :blur:

 

[Firetruck]

StlHotRod:
The others are right, although I like the Ice Cream explanation the best.
You already own a unique ride, and you had to be a little bit out of the ordinary to make that choice.
I knew I wanted an SSR from the first time I saw one, could not explain it. After I got one, I started to try and learn more about it. It was pretty special to me, and I wanted it to be that way for as long as I could make it last. Friends, coworkers, and Family don't understand. At some point you realize that you need the information, tech support and camaraderie to keep the SSR alive in your heart and your garage.
The Chevy Dealer might not be able to help you, they are really unlikely to have parts when the need arises. Good chance they might break something anyway, I needed a different source. I asked my local mechanic's opinion who has been taking care of the family cars for more than 50 years, and got a blank stare then a bad answer.

So I headed off to Maggie Valley in search of some answers and information, We weren't expecting much, and the wife just went along to humor me, I think she thought she was at the wrong end of that For Better or Worse promise she made.
We got a heck of a lot more than we bargained for.
I essentially had nothing in common with all those people except my strange

truck. I met a bunch of passionate people from widely diverse backgrounds, who were essentially instant friends. They'd all been through the same thing, and found the same thing. We are all a bunch of fun loving folks who like to travel and share our lives and experiences. There is no pressure do do anything unless you want to, but you pretty much show up because it is fun, and its more fun every time. I think one day there is gonna be a funsplosion and they are going to be picking up pieces of someone's Permagrin from all over the room.

4 years later, I have 2 SSR's, & I'm going to Maggie for the 4th time, My lovely wife is excited. We just got back from Daytona, where I got to drive on the Daytona Speedway. She got to drive Savannah Speedway last year, and I get to Drive Atlanta Motor Speedway this fall. Perfect little chance to flex a little SSR muscle, and play a little , tell some bad jokes, have a margarita with my old friends who were my new friends not so very long ago.
Take a chance; live a little, you might just go down a path in life you never knew was there and have a great time.
If you don't like it, it's all good, but leave me the keys to your truck if you don't mind, I know your truck wants to be there too.

Cary & Jeri Palmer
Lake Murray South Carolina
04

06

Well said....this website gives me a chance be passionate about my R. If given the chance, I tend to go on and on and on and drive the wife nuts! She's very understanding but I know she doesn't quite understand. So it's back to the website for all the camaraderie and understanding that I desire. So that being said, the rally gives me chance to put faces to nicknames. (Oh and nothing beats the looks you get with 80 SSR's in a row!) Permagrinin!

 

[Lee]

We went to our first one last September at Denison, TX. It was a hoot, tremendous, over the top fun experience! Somewhere on this site there is or was a collection of photos showing the event. There is a recent one for the Daytona Rally, just held. Cruise through one or both both of those threads and you’ll get an idea of what all goes on. We are unable to get to far away from the “ranch” or we’d go to a more distant rallys too. Already have hotel reserved for Branson.

 

[Mike in AZ]

A different view

After being connected to this group for about 12 years, Debbie and I look at Rallies a little differently than you might think. For us, a rally is an opportunity to get together with people you have bonded with. Kinda like a short reunion with extended family members. Most of us have bonded to several other couples or individuals in a manner similar to a like-minded cousin. We share the same values and outlook on life. Most share the same age group and have similar issues with kids and grandkids. The owner of the SSR seems to form bonds more easily, as we have the passion for the little truck in common. Copilots seem to bond better doing things away from the vehicles.

Across the fleet, you will find that most of us grew up watching Superman and the Lone Ranger on Saturday mornings. There were a lot of other things that we all seemed to do, like Scout meetings. All of us seem to have the same “pay it forward” attitude as well. This all makes the group unique. Come to a gathering and find out how well you are received. You will quickly find someone who has the same value set as you.

Debbie and I love the people in this group. It is so much more than just a group that gets together at car shows. It is a family. Every time we go to an event, we find more family members.... they are supportive and like-minded in life experiences.

All my best,

Mike

 

[BIG JIM]

Yep!

Faster than a Speeding Bullet.....High Ho Silver.......what he said!:laugh: