What could be better than a camping trip with 100 of your friends?
That’s what it’s like attending a nuCamp Rally hosted by Mandy Lea and Kendrick! At the end of October, nuCamp owners gathered in Terlingua, Texas near the Mexico border for one of four new rallies. Two nuCamp team members — Jason, a sales rep, and Greg, a member of our R&D team, — traveled more than 1,600 miles from Ohio to Texas to join in on the fun.
Though it’s called the Terlingua TAB Rally, the rally is open to all nuCamp owners. This year, the inaugural event took place Oct. 28 through Nov. 1 at Big Bend Resort and Adventures. The campground is pretty remote and well off the beaten path, our team members tell us. The landscape and night sky can’t be beaten! The campground is a whopping three miles from the entrance to Big Bend National Park! It’s also close to its sister location, Big Bend Ranch State Park.
“There really is a place like no other and will make you question everything you thought you knew about Texas!” Mandy Lea said.
nuCamp team members Greg and Jason took time to explore Big Bend National Park while visiting Terlingua for the Terlingua TAB Rally.
A few quick facts about Big Bend National Park if you haven’t visited:
- It’s the 15th largest national park in the United States.
- It’s home to more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, 11 amphibians, and 75 mammals such as javelinas, black bears, and coyotes.
- Big Bend is part of the Chihuahuan desert, so you’ll get some spectacular views of this interesting landscape.
- Santa Elena Canyon is a cool natural boundary between the U.S. and Mexico, so be sure to take a hike there if you’ve got the time!
There isn’t much for civilization in the area (if the idea of no cell service and limited WiFi connection freaks you out, Terlingua isn’t for you). But you will find plenty of awesome hikes and amazing views in Terlingua. Jason and Greg did several hikes during their three-night stay in Texas including the Lost Mine Trail, Santa Elena Canyon, and Emory Peak — a more than a 10-mile round trip that climbs 2,500+ feet.
The Terlingua TAB Rally was Greg’s first rally experience. Greg is a newcomer and joined the nuCamp team at the end of August. He’s no stranger to the beauty of Big Bend, however, and previously visited the area in December 2020.
What Greg really took away from the Terlingua rally was the sense of community among our owners. The tight-knit community feel reflected the work environment at nuCamp, Greg said. Since joining nuCamp, he’s found team members and owners alike to be welcoming and friendly. Attendees were enthusiastic about their campers and the modifications they’ve made to them and were eager to share their knowledge with new RV owners. He gave a special shout-out to a couple who had their teardrop decked out in Star Wars décor.
Jason was surprised at how many people already knew each other — whether from meeting at a previous nuCamp gathering or through the online forums. It was cool to see friendships form in person after they had been communicating online for months, he said. Jason usually works with our network of dealers as a sales rep, so it was interesting to interact with nuCamp owners for a change!
Throughout the rally, campers enjoyed community-building activities like campfires, a potluck, morning coffee together, a corn hole tournament, and a teardrop trailers tour.
And if you do visit Terlingua, both of our team members said you have to take time to stargaze. Because Terlingua is so remote and has such as small population — 110 residents! — there’s very little light pollution, giving you a breathtaking view of the night sky.
Upcoming nuCamp Rallies
Sixty teardrop trailers were at the Terlingua TAB Rally with nearly 100 attendees. Mandy and Kendrick are looking forward to the upcoming 2022 rallies — TABazona, Smoky Mountain TAB Rally, TABorado, and then the second annual Terlingua TAB Rally.
“All of the rallies we offer are in locations that we felt offer lots for attendees to explore,” Mandy said.
TABazona is near Grand Canyon National Park, Sedona, and Flagstaff. The Smoky Mountain TAB Rally is at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee. TABorado is near the scenic town of Palisade, the Grand Mesa, and the Colorado National Monument. Three of our team members attended the inaugural TABorado rally and loved exploring the area!
If you want to attend TABazona or the Smoky Mountain TAB Rally for 2022, you’ll have to join the waitlist. Registration for TABorado hasn’t started, but you can sign up to receive updates at tabrallies.com. You can also join the TAB Rallies Facebook group!
Dates for the second annual Terlingua TAB Rally haven’t been picked yet, so stay tuned for updates on that! Mandy Lea said they are exploring different dates between November and January due to the Texas heat.
Not sure what to expect at one of our rallies? Check out Mandy Lea’s video on Terlingua TAB Rally 2021 featuring a parody song written to the tune of “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson. Ginger Hatfield rewrote the song to be about traveling in her TAB!
And of course, if we’re talking rallies, we can’t forget uCamp! This year, uCamp will be held June 13-17th at Winklepleck Grove in Sugarcreek, Ohio — just minutes from our manufacturing facility. Registration opens to the public on Feb. 1 though we are giving our Canadian friends who weren’t able to attend uCamp21 the opportunity to register early on Jan. 26-27. Sign up at nucamprv.com/ucamp22 to receive reminders and updates!
One of the best things about working at nuCamp is the community. It’s thanks to our wonderful owners that nuCamp has such a strong sense of community. If you haven’t attended a rally, we encourage you to register for one and experience the fun and comradery yourself!
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