TABAZONA 2018 - Save the DATE(S)!

cbarnhill

I know what you're thinking: "Didn't we just conclude Tabazona 2017 a few months ago?" Yes, we did. And it was a big success, so we have been working diligently to get ready for next years'.  Here's the plans...

Location: Usery Mountain Regional Park, Mesa, AZ
Dates: January 25-28 2018
IMPORTANT DATE: JULY 1. This is the first date that sites can be booked.  Do not dilly dally, people. This campground fills up quickly and we want to fill it with tabbers, taggers, silver shadows, tadas and the like.  The sites are $30 a night, are spacious and include electric, water, fire pit and BBQ. There is a dump station located at the entrance to the campground.  We have also reserved a dry camping group area which provides us with a great meeting place and is walkable from the main camp ground. 

Usery mountain is is a great park located on 3600 acres and offers camping, archery, 29 miles of multi-use hiking trails including a wind tunnel cave, and an outdoor gym. It is easily reached by a major freeway and has shopping nearby. 

We're excited about Tabazona 2018 and hope you can join us! More info about the rally will be coming....

RollingBnB

Wrote July 1 in our calendar.

dinzzy

Awesome.  Thanks so much for planning and coordinating this for everyone.  Did you also order "NO" 60 mph winds?

HappyCamperWives

Ahhh we so wish we could be there but we'll be up in Alaska> Hope to see everyone next, next year!

Dalehelman

HappyCamperWives said:

Ahhh we so wish we could be there but we'll be up in Alaska> Hope to see everyone next, next year!

Who goes to Alaska in January?

ericnliz

@HappyCamperWives, silly!

dmerzbac

I'm planning on being there! This will be my first chance to meet so many of you wonderful folks. Can't wait!

dmerzbac

Does this campground have good dark skies? I would love to bring my telescope.

jcanderson330

Usery Mountain Park is on the edge of the Phoenix/Mesa metro area and has a fair amount of light pollution.  I'm not a star gazer, but I don't think it would be the great in the park. You might find decent places not too far away though.

cbarnhill

Dinzzy: yes, I put in a request for no 60 mph winds. The park has been pretty accommodating, so, we'll see

cbarnhill

Hmmm. My post above was cutoff? I think it's because I got cutsey and inserted an emoji. Won't do that again. Here's the rest..

dmerzbac: glad you're joining us. I agree with JC the park isn't far from Mesa, but bring your scope anyway. 

happycamperwives: sorry you can't make it. Alaska is a pretty good excuse. 

Its 106 in Phoenix today! Nothing to do with tabazona..just sayin..

RollingBnB

Any particular part of the park too head to? It's pretty big or just trying to fill the whole thing.

larrygon

Wouldn't miss it!

jcanderson330

One of the reasons we bought our T@B was for the journey between Ohio to Mesa as snowbirds.   We plan to attend Tabazona 2018, especially since our Az. home is not far from Usery and it's one of out favorite places to hike.  This is our first year with the T@B and we are looking forward to meeting others.
To dmerzbac..  I agree with cbarnhill  bring your telescope.  If it's not too good at Usery, I'm sure you can find acceptable places not too far away.

cbarnhill

Hey everybody; below is the map of Usery Park.  On July 1st, when you book your campsite, please note the only walking access to the group site, is indicated below in blue.  In addition to the main campground (Sites 5 through 75), we will have approximately 20 dry camping sites at the Group Campground (in brown below).  Dry camping sites are $15 per night (no water or electric) compared to the main campground of $30 per night (with electric and water at the site).  Details regarding group reservations will be provided later.  We are planning our best T@Bazona ever and hope you will join us in January!

cbarnhill

Just to clarify the post above: it is the responsibility of each attendee to book their own site directly with the park. The exception to this is those that want to stay in the group site. We will be handling the group site ourselves and the details of that are c

Carol805

Hi - we are new-ish T@B owners and are excited to join the event in January! 

Dalehelman

Welcome 

clinck

I'm in too..even though I live in Scottsdale..still a good time camping with birds of the same feather.

Honutab

HonuT@B is in!  We'll be trying to make reservations starting June 30th and on so we can get the sweet camp spot site number *** {didn't think I'd give it away did you?}  Anyone have any recommendations for one night stays in Idaho and then Utah?  We would be coming from Washington and would like suggestions so we can make reservations.

Dalehelman

Honutab said:

Hanu T@B is in!  We'll be trying to make reservation starting June 30th and on so we can get the sweet camp spot site number *** {didn't think I give it away did you?}  Anyone have any recommendations for one night stays in Idaho and then Utah?  We would be coming from Washington and would like suggestions so we can make reservations.

What part of Washington are you coming from?

Honutab

Very much north western, about 30 miles north of Olympia on the Sound.

Dalehelman

Honutab said:

Hanu T@B is in!  We'll be trying to make reservation starting June 30th and on so we can get the sweet camp spot site number *** {didn't think I give it away did you?}  Anyone have any recommendations for one night stays in Idaho and then Utah?  We would be coming from Washington and would like suggestions so we can make reservations.

Sounds like I-5 to I-84 to I-15 south a long cold and sometimes icy trip in January. Might be hard to make reservations because travel times could very unpredictable. 

Honutab

Dalehelman said:

Honutab said:

Hanu T@B is in!  We'll be trying to make reservation starting June 30th and on so we can get the sweet camp spot site number *** {didn't think I give it away did you?}  Anyone have any recommendations for one night stays in Idaho and then Utah?  We would be coming from Washington and would like suggestions so we can make reservations.

What part of Washington are you coming from?

@Dalehelman, from Gig Harbor.

phulishcat

Just a reminder reservations at the camp ground open July 1st. They fill up fast!

dsatwork

I have July 1st at 12:01 AM on our calendar to make the reservations but January 25-28 2018 include a birthday for @Sandiegogal and she makes the plans for that week. We loved Lake Pleasant Campground and hope that Usery Mountain Regional Park, Mesa, AZ is nice too. 

Verna

@skwhee......

larrygon

I am not sure if this is fair or not so that is why I am throwing this out. You can google map the area and even drive around the camp in google. I have found the site that I would like to book. Can we pin the sites we want so that others can pick other sites and if there are two who want the same site, they can work out the details?
This is just a thought and would make it easier for people to work out where they would like to be and make alternate plans for other sites.

Tabaz

Larry - these sites go VERY fast and are controlled by the park people. No time to pin any site.

larrygon

Tabaz said:

Larry - these sites go VERY fast and are controlled by the park people. No time to pin any site.

I understand that. What I am trying to say is that I have surveyed the camp area and know the site I want to "try" and get at 12 am July 1st. If everyone knows the sites they are trying to reserve and see someone else trying to get the same site, they can try for another instead of just entering random sites until one is available. 

cbarnhill

Larry-I'm not sure I understand.  Once the map becomes available, it indicates which sites are open and you select the one you want.  If you think others may be going for the same site, then the fastest clicker wins. May the force be with you.