Saturday, September 29, 2012

I've Got an Idea Simmering...

Come Tuesday morning or so I'll load the Raider on the truck, hitch up the fiver and we'll start our fall migration toward the NASCAR Races in Avondale and our Arizona desert winter camp.

This year we've got a bit different plans for the winter. We're hopin' to make some progress with our plan to arrange some sort of more permanent winter camp / RV Home Base.

It promises to be a bit of a challenge since I am apparently genetically predisposed to operating without the finances that would allow most to walk with the demeanor of high optimism.

To confuse our thinking... Floating around within the dust cloud of my scheming is an idea that I've had for some time. So, I'm puttin' it out there as sort of a Market Research question;

I'm wonderin' if there'd be much demand or market in North Central Arizona... likely somewhere between somewhere SW of Prescott and on up to Ash Fork... for a nice Biker Camp of sorts? I'm thinking of something that would be able to offer pretty much year round service.

My idea is for a camp that has a few mini sleeping cabins along the lines of KOA, a small tent ground, a pair of Forest Service type outhouses ~ "Chicks and Dudes", (maybe only "commercial event" porta-johns to get started), a shower setup of some variety, a community cooking Ramada (stoves and misc hardware), a fire pit, and a motorcycle maintenance area (tools and such you could use at your own risk!) 

The "Vision" is for a rustic log and rock kind of place... maybe even include some sort of Industrial Moto Rustic design using shipping containers for the core of the cabins! ??? ;)

If anyone has an opinion I'd be interested to hear it. I'd like to see if there's any interest at all 'fore I really started investing much of my limited remaining intellect into the project. :)

I haven't really hammered out a solid idea for what I'd need to charge for the place. I know my goal is to build it with an idea toward keeping it targeted on the more low cost / frugal sort of rider and considerably below the sort of rates KOA and such places other places collect. A guy still needs to turn a profit to keep the thing operating... but... My idea of the profit I need is to put beans on my table and gas in the tank of my Raider.

That said I'm guessing I'm lookin' at $10 bucks or so for the tent ground and maybe somewhere around $25 for one of the sleeping cabins (depending on their absolute cost of construction).

What's your mind? Is there a call for such a setup down there... and what kind of "Rates" and facilities do you look for when you search up a camp?

Is there an Arizona market for this or am I flailing in the wind?

Many Thanks for your input.

Grab Your Handles and Ride
Brian



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great idea! A 20' container could have garage parking for two bikes, a full size bunk bed with a shower and toilet. A gravel patio with a picnic table and a couple of chairs would've nice. I'd say easy $50 per night. Tent area would need a raised pad for water runoff, easy staking the tent (can't put a stake in a rock!) a picnic table and lantern stand. $25 a night for two tents maybe $15 per night for singles. Clean toilets, segregated showers (peace of mind for the women folks) add a socializing fire pit, a desert sky viewing area and a small convenience store for the campground. I'd sure make a trip out at least once a year or so! Great plan!
Bill Strong

Anonymous said...

Follow up... The rent a shop with tools... Good idea, two bike lifts a basic set of tools for each lift. Stock a few common oil filters and several types of oils. $20-25 per hour or per lift seems reasonable. Just have to test what the market would stand on the rates but a great idea!
Bill

Brian said...

Thanks for the feedback Bill! You've given me a couple more GOOD ideas to put into the mix/planning.

Hopefully I can get something going 'fore I'm so stove up and old I can only watch OTHER riders come and go! ;)

Learning to Golf said...

Been to a couple of Bike specific campgrounds in my travels and they seem to work. For me it seems word of mouth is the best advertisement a Brother can get and it needs to be up and running for that. But, the area has many miles of bike friendly roads and I think even locals would make weekends out of a place like that. I know I would.