First let me start by saying anyone can go look on the official Daytona site or the ABATE site and get this info. We read where it said you can stay at the ABATE camp grounds at Deland for $15,00 a night or $90.00 for the full week. So we talked to our local ABATE and ask them if this was true. Two of us and out girl friends were going. They told us two could stay for $15.00 a night. So we drove to Deland and walked up to the stand where we pay. A very rude lady ask us what we wanted. We told her we were camping for three nights. She said $120 . I said wait ! Its me and her for three nights. She said I HEARD YOU ! It's $120. I said , you must have mis figured She said do you want them or not ? It's $15.00 pr person and a sur charge of $20.00 .
I decided to pay cause it was raining. WE got into the park and found a place where their were a lot of other tents. That night we were bedded down when a freakin golfcart caught the side of our tent line and pulled the tent over and almost drug us. The cart never stopped. Now remember that this park has roads all over it. But the ABATE members took it upon there selves to make new roads.
The next morning we were woke up from all the campers pulling their vehicles right up to our tent so they didn't have to walk to the bath rooms. One truck actually pulled on one tent. So they called ABATE to come over to handle the situation and here comes the golf carts again. They look at all the parked cars and said, well move your tent then. We were like WHAT ? We took a walk around and noticed all the beer cans thrown around. They were everywhere. I looked to my friend and said, Aren't ABATER's supposed to advocate NOT drinking and riding and safety ? He said , I thought so.

So the next night about six of us moved our tents to a spot we thought was safe. About 11:PM here comes that freakin golf cart again. Back and forth. The next morning when we got up there were tracks all around our tenting area. We walked up to the ABATE trailer and while we were walking we noticed all the beer cans again. It looked like a beer can garden. I shot you not. It looked horrible We got to the trailer and knocked on the door. A guy walked up to us and ask us what we wanted. We told Him about the golfcart situation. He looked at us and said , If you don't like it here. Maybe you should go try somewhere else where they steel your bikes. We were like. WTF ? We found the owner of the property and told them what was going on and they said they already had complaints on ABATE and was planning on doing something about it.

In closing , Every time I've ever had any dealings with ABATE , it seems the upmost in stupidity abounded. The very establishment that supposed to stand for safety just about ran us over and couldn't run a camping site if they had to. I saw more drinking in the ABATE camp site than out. In fact, most the ABATE group here are alcoholics. They have poker runs all the time to their favorite bars. What a joke. Im ashamed I even joined ABATE, but you can bet I will never give them one dime of my money again. To me, their the laughing stock of the motorcycle community .

 

Hell, ya coulda camped in the infield of the speedway for $35/person for three nights. Clean bathrooms and hot showers and security guards.

 

Man, that sucks. I remember someone else posting similar experiences at Daytona this year.

 

ABATE does not have a corner on the stupidity market.

Which ABATE chapter was running the campground? Complain to them, and then to national.

Golf carts, ATVs, trucks, and cars are the bane of any camper when the operator has an "it's all about me" attitude. See the same thing happen at state HOG rallys, Sturgis campgrounds, state campgrounds, etc.

People are selfish and have no consideration of others. It seems to almost be a universal sickness.

 

$35/night for camping?

Are yopu kidding me?

I can get a hotel room for that.

Next time, just pull over to the side of the road, chain your bike to a tree and nap.

 

I had just moved back to Texas and was riding around on a Saturday morning when I was motioned into a parking lot that had a lot of bikes on it. ABATE was having a ride and I guess the guy thought I was wanting to participate. So I talked to him and he told me they were going to be having a ride, but he couldn't tell me where they were going and he said that I ought to come along. About then a CMA member walked up to take over the gate while the first guy went in and got some breakfast. In talking the the CMA guy, I found out he was a member of a sister church (I'm a pastor) and we had some friends in common. He said that the CMA like to have a presence at different rides as part of theri mission. He invited me to come along and I thought, what the heck. Nothing else to do, so I went. The first three stops were to bars (the third was the ABATE meeting place.) At each stop, most of the folks were tanking up and it wasn't even noon yet. We go to another stop, not even five miles away, and it was another bar. At that point, three of us went back on our own. I didn't even go to the BBQ I had paid for with the cost of the ride.

Now having said that I am a pastor, don't think that this is just some Bible-thumping anti-alcohol guy bashing drinking. I enjoy a good, cold one occassionally. I don't belong to a denomination that condemns all drinking. But I do not drink while I am on the bike, and I am not comfortable riding around folks who have been drinking. As a matter of fact, one of the road captains dropped his bike as we were leaving one bar. Don't know if it was just something that happened or if he had been kicking back a few. But this was my first, and my last encounter with ABATE. Your post kind of clinches it for me.

 

Good job on keeping your cool man!

Best way to ruin a otherwise perfectly good trip is to lose your cool and end up in jail!

 

Hook us all up with one of these 35 bucks a night Daytona Bike Week motels. We'll have one heck of a meet and greet.

 

I ain't from Missouri, but you'll have to show me a$35 motel room in Daytona.

 

I stayed at a hotel right outside Atlantic City NJ for $8 once. About 10 yrs ago. I slept with one eye open. It was a dump, lol.
I was a dumb kid.