HAYDAYS CLOSED!!!!!!!!!

[Qreiff]

Sounds like the Sno Barons better get someone here on Snowest who can calm the mass' and do a little (or maybe alot ) of damage control.

I've never been but would like to go but, after reading this.........ouch! Not sure when I'll go.

I have to agree though with the prior post suggesting a professional company take over the show. If 50K+ are showing up.......this ain't yer garden variety snow show! Time to take it to the top level. Our sport really needs it in a time where every greenie out there is trying to shut us down.

 

[MD1]

From the South

Take exit at Stacy. Or Cty Rd 8 just north of Forest LAke.

Cut across to Lindstrom.

Take Cty 20 north. It will turn east.

Take Oriole north til you get to parking.

Not quite the way I went cuz I sat in traffic for awhile - I cut over to Oriole at 360th St.

Love the iPhone and Google maps.

 

[ezra]

just got done reading some local news reports.a sno Barron spokes person said that the rain ruined allot of there 6 to 7 thousand parking spots .then 1 paragraph down the same guy goes on to talk about how they only expected 20 thousand people a day .WHAT THE **** IS THE PROB HERE so if only the 20thousand showed up and were averaged 2 per car where the **** were the other 3.5 thousand cars and truck with trailers going to park and what about the extra 30k that showed up.dumb asses the oriel advice is the best I have seen I left that way because I saw that road was moving when I was 1/2 mi away getting baked out of my mind just to try to Handel the frustration for hours.but now the secret is out no point in trying that one next yr

 

[TurboM700]

well we are getting up at 6am and trying to be there by 7 will see what happens.

THe funny things is I really dont need anything but for some reason I want to go.

If you see a Red Super Duty off roading thru corn felds I more then likely got pissed and decide to take the way the crow flies.

Mike

 

[95RXL]

Liked the show once I got there. Nicer layout than the old site IMO but 3 hours in traffic and 3 miles of walking in really makes you wonder if it's worth it. Tough to wanna buy anything and have to carry it out. Thanks to those that let us ride on their tailgate getting out!

 

[Headrush]

For those of you who didn't get to experience the failure...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgHYN51ygMk

 

[firecatguy]

I haven't been out here in 8 or 9 years. I'm blown away at how mountain-oriented the show now is. All the major companies from the West are here, lots of play on the mtn sleds in the OEM booths... Still a hillbilly swap meet (says the Idaho trailer trash guy...) but very impressed. I'd say it's like the SEMA Show of snowmobiling, but that's a stretch. I'm sure the girls in the tire and wheel booths at SEMA would take offense to being compared to good ol' midwest girls.

I agree said that yesterday!!!sure hope they can recover from this as it was turning into a good show!!!!

 

[firecatguy]

Take exit at Stacy. Or Cty Rd 8 just north of Forest LAke.

Cut across to Lindstrom.

Take Cty 20 north. It will turn east.

Take Oriole north til you get to parking.

Not quite the way I went cuz I sat in traffic for awhile - I cut over to Oriole at 360th St.

Love the iPhone and Google maps.

thats the way we cam but 20 from lindstrom and we got 3 miles from track and sat!!!!

 

[firecatguy]

just got done reading some local news reports.a sno Barron spokes person said that the rain ruined allot of there 6 to 7 thousand parking spots .then 1 paragraph down the same guy goes on to talk about how they only expected 20 thousand people a day .WHAT THE **** IS THE PROB HERE so if only the 20thousand showed up and were averaged 2 per car where the **** were the other 3.5 thousand cars and truck with trailers going to park and what about the extra 30k that showed up.dumb asses the oriel advice is the best I have seen I left that way because I saw that road was moving when I was 1/2 mi away getting baked out of my mind just to try to Handel the frustration for hours.but now the secret is out no point in trying that one next yr

ezra this is funny to read as I was told they only have permit for 20,000 I ask the lady what she was thinking.....she smiled and did not say a word....snow barons do not care they have there shiny new club house and land to call home they could care less if everyone gets in or not...but i dont belive they thought the cops would shut it down like they did!!!I will also say this my friend who is a snobarron said the permits and red tape was huge to overcome BUT wtf you did not see this all coming!!!!

 

[Itsflathere]

Sounds like the Sno Barons better get someone here on Snowest who can calm the mass' and do a little (or maybe alot ) of damage control.

I've never been but would like to go but, after reading this.........ouch! Not sure when I'll go.

I have to agree though with the prior post suggesting a professional company take over the show. If 50K+ are showing up.......this ain't yer garden variety snow show! Time to take it to the top level. Our sport really needs it in a time where every greenie out there is trying to shut us down.

There isn't much that a Sno Baron could say on here that could calm this crowd. I'd be pissed if I waited that long too. Good thing I decided to skip it this year. My friends walked miles also. It boils down to not enough parking and everyone deciding to take the same way to the show. The haydays website did give directions and a perfered route through Stacy from the south and said that if you decide to take 95 through North Branch to be ready for delays and be patient. I guess not enough people took that advise. It didn't help that the Mn DOT has been working on the 95 overpass for nearly 3 years and that is only 2 lanes in both directions. Remember the old location only had a 2 lane road going north and south too and there was never problems like this. They need more parking and maybe have shuttle busses. Did I mention more parking? It seems like an easy problem to fix. It's not like the show sucked. No one has said there were issues there, in fact most people I've heard from said it was better than in previous years.

As far as a professional company putting on haydays who do you guys suggest that has put on shows like this for 44 years like the Sno Barons?They do need to get better at customer service, clear up issues with the way the swap was handled, the pre sale stuff worked last year, and obviously work on parking. Those are all issues that can be handled.

 

[firecatguy]

There isn't much that a Sno Baron could say on here that could calm this crowd. I'd be pissed if I waited that long too. Good thing I decided to skip it this year. My friends walked miles also. It boils down to not enough parking and everyone deciding to take the same way to the show. The haydays website did give directions and a perfered route through Stacy from the south and said that if you decide to take 95 through North Branch to be ready for delays and be patient. I guess not enough people took that advise. It didn't help that the Mn DOT has been working on the 95 overpass for nearly 3 years and that is only 2 lanes in both directions. Remember the old location only had a 2 lane road going north and south too and there was never problems like this. They need more parking and maybe have shuttle busses. Did I mention more parking? It seems like an easy problem to fix. It's not like the show sucked. No one has said there were issues there, in fact most people I've heard from said it was better than in previous years.

As far as a professional company putting on haydays who do you guys suggest that has put on shows like this for 44 years like the Sno Barons?They do need to get better at customer service, clear up issues with the way the swap was handled, the pre sale stuff worked last year, and obviously work on parking. Those are all issues that can be handled.

um we did take back roads from lindstrom and we got within 3 miles of track and waited!!!!!!!

 

[Hill09]

Well, after i was about halfway done with my 4.5 mile walk(verified by google earth) after sitting in traffic from 9 to 12, I was told by one of the sheriffs that the sno barons were turning away walkers at the gate. I decided to keep going and I got into the event no problem. So F**K YOU PIGS!! They were obviously pissed they had to work a weekend. Did anyone actually get turned away by the barons? Obviously there were problems that need to be addressed and parking is THE obvious problem. It did make me feel better after our group talked to a few organizers who said improvements will need to be made. I mean they are volunteers guys. Once I got in it was a really good show. I'll be back next year with a cup of coffee at 5am.

 

[mymaro]

We went up yesterday left at 4:30 am got their by 6:15 sat in traffic for about 15 minutes got a parking spot about minute walk from the gate walked through the vendors till about 11 then walked the swap meet till 5 then gave the vendors a quick walkthrough was impressed with the amount of vendors this year the swap meet was cleaned out alot better then last year. did not like the layout as much as the old field vendor area was a little disorganized. left at 6 pm waited on 95 for about 20 minutes took a gravel road to the right went up a couple miles went over a couple miles then hit 35 took about 15 minutes off the wait.

 

[Burr]

I agree with erocket. Move it to the State Fair Grounds. I did not go this year because all signs pointed to the problems they are having. There were things that i wanted to buy but who wants to walk miles with what you get. UPS will put them in my house!!! With as many people that go they need to go to the next level and get it to an area with more rooms and parking. Feel bad for the people who had bad luck getting there.Im sure the show helped you feel better after you calmed down for a bit.Shame on the people who dont care about the folks comeing to the show.

 

[ezra]

There isn't much that a Sno Baron could say on here that could calm this crowd. I'd be pissed if I waited that long too. Good thing I decided to skip it this year. My friends walked miles also. It boils down to not enough parking and everyone deciding to take the same way to the show. The haydays website did give directions and a perfered route through Stacy from the south and said that if you decide to take 95 through North Branch to be ready for delays and be patient. I guess not enough people took that advise. It didn't help that the Mn DOT has been working on the 95 overpass for nearly 3 years and that is only 2 lanes in both directions. Remember the old location only had a 2 lane road going north and south too and there was never problems like this. They need more parking and maybe have shuttle busses. Did I mention more parking? It seems like an easy problem to fix. It's not like the show sucked. No one has said there were issues there, in fact most people I've heard from said it was better than in previous years.

As far as a professional company putting on haydays who do you guys suggest that has put on shows like this for 44 years like the Sno Barons?They do need to get better at customer service, clear up issues with the way the swap was handled, the pre sale stuff worked last year, and obviously work on parking. Those are all issues that can be handled.

B.S. we left at 5am 4 trucks from with in 5 min of each other well all talked on the phone about what way were were going to try to get in before we knew what kind of cluster it was going to be thought we were planning for next yr.4 trucks 4 routs 2 not on the site earliest in 10am next 10 15 next 10 45 worst 12 15 so that is that

 

[ezra]

Well, after i was about halfway done with my 4.5 mile walk(verified by google earth) after sitting in traffic from 9 to 12, I was told by one of the sheriffs that the sno barons were turning away walkers at the gate. I decided to keep going and I got into the event no problem. So F**K YOU PIGS!! They were obviously pissed they had to work a weekend. Did anyone actually get turned away by the barons? Obviously there were problems that need to be addressed and parking is THE obvious problem. It did make me feel better after our group talked to a few organizers who said improvements will need to be made. I mean they are volunteers guys. Once I got in it was a really good show. I'll be back next year with a cup of coffee at 5am.

not to be a a hole but they have had over 5 yrs to plan this thing they had plenty of time to build a new club house but no time to build parking lots on hay field on more than 1 road no time to lay some gravel base for the main roads so trucks did not have to be pulled out with a d9?and if they did not think there would be probs why would you have a D9 ready to pull big rigs out of the mud.I am fully aware of how snowmobile club bureaucracy works but come on even the so called state of the art track was a POS mud pit for 500ft wtf

 

[locknload]

This was my first time at the haydays, I had heard horror stories of traffic jams in the past, so coming from North Dakota I decided to get there early. We got in at 1:30 am no traffic, no problems parking, no line waiting at the gate etc. Had a good time and got some good buys, nice layout for vendors and swap. Still must have walked 20miles going thru all the stuff.

 

[Borderstaff]

I left White Bear at 5:45 am. Took the route through Stacy that the Sno-Barons recommended in the HayDays flier that I got in Minnesota Snowmobiling (MnUSA member so I get the magazine). I was parked by 8:10 AM and was only 100 yards from Gate 2 and 3 rows from the south fence). I waited about 1 1/2 hours in line. I wasn't happy until I got parked - and then once I got in the gate I forgot all about the hassle of getting there and proceeded to spend money and drink beer - thanks to the guys willing to sell parts and include a beer (or four) with them!!! I love haggling!

 

[95RXL]

There isn't much that a Sno Baron could say on here that could calm this crowd. I'd be pissed if I waited that long too. Good thing I decided to skip it this year. My friends walked miles also. It boils down to not enough parking and everyone deciding to take the same way to the show. The haydays website did give directions and a perfered route through Stacy from the south and said that if you decide to take 95 through North Branch to be ready for delays and be patient. I guess not enough people took that advise. It didn't help that the Mn DOT has been working on the 95 overpass for nearly 3 years and that is only 2 lanes in both directions. Remember the old location only had a 2 lane road going north and south too and there was never problems like this. They need more parking and maybe have shuttle busses. Did I mention more parking? It seems like an easy problem to fix. It's not like the show sucked. No one has said there were issues there, in fact most people I've heard from said it was better than in previous years.

As far as a professional company putting on haydays who do you guys suggest that has put on shows like this for 44 years like the Sno Barons?They do need to get better at customer service, clear up issues with the way the swap was handled, the pre sale stuff worked last year, and obviously work on parking. Those are all issues that can be handled.

We took the recommended route through Stacy and it was backed up about 8 miles maybe more. Sat from about 10 to 1:30 in traffic. It was a mess no matter what way you came in unless you took gravel back roads.

 

[BIG C]

well we pulled in at 5:00 am not one stop front row parking. watched 90% of people for 1-2 hours with 4 wheel drive, slip slide spin get stuck! they were in 2 wheel drive!!!!!!!!!!! it was so funny but sad they trashed the road and drove like they never seen mud before! wtf we are from minn? i'm sorry for the people stuck in traffic,walking ect. but i have to say thanks to the guys and gals that made this the best haydays i've seen yet!!!!!!!lots to see lots to do and lots to buy and sell!!!!!!!!!!!! i don't care if the vendors are all over the place! the beer was cold and the people were having a blast in there!!!! they hauled my genII mod sled in to my buds spot. i had 2000 obo on the hood and i sold it for 2100 no motor!!!!!! that rocks! they will fix the parking,this will keep growing every year!!!!!! thanks for all the hard work guys! we will be back every year!! what a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! stay at home more for us to buy!