Sunshine Meet Camping

[Buster]

Going to Sunshine meet next week and I see they will no have camping on site this year, I guess due to covid. Other than Cackleberry Campground across the street, where is a good place nearby to tent camp? Thanks.

[ammorest]

Heard that tent camping is OK at the Volusia County Fairgrounds.
Dave

[exeric]

Just got back home from the Sunshine meet. I was stuck at our spot for most of the day and did get rid of some 'junk'. Looked like a good meet, but vendor, and shuffler action was a bit weak. Always great to see old friends, and shoot the breeze with friendly fellow AMCA members.

[Buster]

I ended up staying at the Cackleberry Campground and it sucked. I noticed several non vendors bought vendor spots at the Sunshine Meet and camped on them with no parts for sale and no intention of selling parts. Which I had known we could do that.

[exeric]

I was going to sleep in my truck, (and sell parts) but after trying to take a nap in the truck I said nuts to that. I don't see any problem with VENDORS sleeping in their vehicle as they have valuable parts, and set-up to contend with. However, I don't think it is fair, or right for a non-vendor to use valuable swap meet space for camping. It's also unfair to shoppers to walk around spots that have nothing to offer. Most meet venues have enough room to set aside a camping area that doesn't interfere with the serious vendors. Needless to say, it's the vendors who make any AMCA, or independent swap meet happen in the first place and their needs have to be first, and foremost.

[Buster]

Exeric, I agree with what you are saying. I just do not understand why the meet allowed non vendors to camp on vendor spots. Other swap meets I have attended require and verify that the vendor is actually selling parts on their vendor site. I was told prior to the meet that I could not camp at the meet site due to covid restrictions. I played by the rules and camped at the Cackleberry. All I am saying is the management of the meet should have enforced the rules on everyone and not allowed the non vendors to camp on vendor sites.

[exeric]

Did you have a good time at the meet, Buster? Curious about your's, and other attendee's impressions. In my case, I thought it was under attended, and not as many vendors as I would have expected. I guess the Chinese plague continues to take it's toll.

[BigLakeBob]

As most meets go vendors usually set up a day early and trading and selling does happen. I know one such individual that sold everything on Wed, so even though he might not have been selling anything during the rest of the meet, he still was a 'qualified' spot paying vendor. Just because you sell out the first day does that mean you are supposed to pack up and move on? Good for the seller, sell everything then sit and enjoy the meet for 2 days. I know this talk is about the abuser, but maybe not all abused the protocol. Just my opinion and another way to look at the situation.

[ammorest]

For what it's worth, I was told by a Sunshine chapter staff member that Volusia County would not issue a permit for tent camping because of lack of adequate sanitary facilities. (Showers, toilets.)
Dave

[PRG]

Howdy Eric,

Curious about your's, and other attendee's impressions.

If still burning vacation whilst working my take would likely be different, but as a doddering old pensioner now with time to burn this was a very pleasant 3 day reacquaintance with old friends who’d been off the radar for the last year. No, the donkey barn will never be Eustis and it’s cool riding environs and old town charm but having attended the sunshine chapter meet for 30 years when it was in some pretty curious locations this one has its pluses.

In any event, not only are the demographics of baby boomer buyers aging out of the determination to add yet another machine/trinket to their extensive herd at eye watering prices but the mere physical demands placed on similar aged vendors to load/haul/unload and sit for hours in the hopes of selling a 50 lb pair of tired rusty cylinders needing attention is not a demand I would make on them now as a pedestrian viewing their wares, having not made any where near the effort to get there and stroll up to their table.

For the effort involved per pound, as an older vendor to reduce the exertion you almost need to bring a card table with squished bird trim at $2500 a set or the increasingly infrequent expensive OP/barn find (like that 46 Chief) to make it worthwhile. Times have changed from the exciting 1,200 vendor Jam On Productions Volusia County Fairgrounds mega swap meet of days gone by but I’ll still always come back to this one.

[D.A.Bagin]

This was the first time in alot of years that I was unable to attend due to a recently suppressed immune system. Whether it was full of vendors or walk-arounds or not would not have mattered to me. The one thing I did hear was the other old bike swap meet moved very close to the AMCA meet and a mile from the sleepy off the beaten track B&B that I stay in. I would have missed riding my Panhead out to it at the old fairgrounds.

[exeric]

I believe if someone only has one part to sell, an antique motorcycle to display, or a service they want to promote, they should be able to park in the vending area. I should have been more clear with my earlier post.

[HDSmitty]

I agree with Eric. whether it's just a few parts for sale and my old bike to display it's OK. ...Smitty

[BigLakeBob]

I'm pretty sure Wauseon won't allow you to sell parts if you are in the camping only section by the turnpike.

[Buster]

I agree that if you have one part or sold all your parts the first day, you certainly should camp at your vendor spot for the length of the meet. If you have a friend who is vending, I believe you should be able to camp on their vending spot. My point is we were officially told there was no on site camping for non vendors and to camp at Cackleberry. The non vendors that I said were renting vendor spots to camp only are people I am familiar with that never vend and had no intension of putting any parts for sale. I rest my case, I did not intend to offend anyone. I always enjoy the Sunshine Meet, I was just trying to play by the rules. If no camping is available on site next year, I will bring one part for sale to put out on the ground and my friends and I will camp on my one part vendor site. Problem solved.