# Greatest Exit from a Timeshare – ever!



## Steamboat Bill (Mar 20, 2008)

The Greatest Entry to and Exit from a Timeshare Resort…Ever!

I know some people will find this post hard to believe and think I am making this up, but I will assure you that everything I post here is 100% true (at least the way I saw it happen).

For the past several months I have been planning a trip to the Westgate River Ranch (The Worlds’ Largest Dude Ranch that also has a very nice timeshare located there) for some of the dads and kids at my kid’s elementary school. I was the group leader and was responsible for organizing the trip, making a schedule, selecting the activities, etc. We had 57 rooms (thus 57 dads and about 75 kids) reserved at the Hotel next to the Saloon as the timeshare villas could not accommodate all of our room requests. 

As a side note, the timeshare cabins are very nice and I will post a separate review on them and the entire Westgate River Ranch resort soon. I will simply tell you that this place was a lot of fun and the kids really loved it there and want to return next year.

Our club is called “The Father’s Club” and we are a social club designed for fun and social interaction among the dads and kids that attend the same school.  In other words, no Moms are invited into our club as most of the mothers don’t work and are already very active with the school and activities with their kids. The ages of the kids range from PreK to 5th grade and most of the dads are pretty well off financially.

The trip from the school to the River Ranch was about 140 miles and many of us left in a caravan when school let out on Friday at 3:15pm. It was a nice drive on the Turnpike and I-60 and most of us made it by 6pm in time for the first pizza party at The Lodge.

Several of the dads in our club own their own personal airplanes and have flown to different trips in the past, but this was the first time one of the dads decided to fly his own personal jet to the event. This jet is not a charter, NetJet, Marquis card jet program, or a fractional ownership….it is really his own Gulfstream G III Jet. In addition, he has his own full-time personal pilot, co-pilot, and stewardess that came along for the trip. However, I am not sure what a stewardess does on a trip that lasted only 15 minutes.

 As another side note, the Westgate River Ranch is located in the middle of nowhere (it really is 30 minutes away from even a gas station) and has its own airport, but is really designed for small 2-4 passenger single prop planes. Well, at about 6pm everyone in the entire resort hears this loud jet engine noise of a G3 landing at the ranch. This is a strange sound as nobody has ever seen a jet land there in the past 12 years (according to the people I spoke with) and all the locals decided to drive out to see this strange sight. Then the jet taxied to the end of the runway and parked it there so everyone who drove into the main entrance of the resort could easily see the jet as they drove into the resort. This too was a very strange sight as this place is very western.

I later found out that the timeshare sales department was going ballistic with joy as they began to take pictures of the jet (during the two days we were there) and wanted to know who this person was. Someone even thought it was King David Siegel himself, until someone pointed out that his own plane was not as large as the one that just landed there. I personally saw some employees stage photos of some of the horses and rodeo personnel in front of the jet with the Westgate flag in the background. I am sure these will show up in a sales brochure soon. Imagine the pitch….”See even some of our owners fly their Jets to visit us.”

After a fun filled Friday and Saturday and after the Rodeo, my friend and some of the other dads and kids decided to fly home after the Saturday night rodeo. That was when the street party happens by the saloon and the place is really jumping. Once the jet fired its engines and began to get ready for takeoff, dozens of people went out to the airport to see the jet take off. The even funnier thing was that 3-5 dozen people were now camped out in tents and campers directly past the end of the runway and was about to get a loud awakening. The jet taxies down the runway, turned around, and then fired up, took off and flew over the campsite, skeet range, church and Buzzed the Saloon and street party. There was no possible way to miss this sight and sound. The rest of our group stayed until Sunday afternoon and laughed at how strange this sight was at a timeshare dude ranch resort.


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## Htoo0 (Mar 20, 2008)

My brother once helped a friend drill holes through the floor of a Pinto hatchback just behind the wheelwells. Funnels were placed in the holes and my brother hid in the back and poured black paint from two quart cans into the funnels which emptied just behind the rear tires as his friend raced from the school parking lot. This was so his friend could show everyone how his little car could 'lay rubber' with the best of them. Some people just get their kicks showing off! :whoopie:


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 20, 2008)

Htoo0 said:


> My brother once helped a friend drill holes through the floor of a Pinto hatchback just behind the wheelwells. Funnels were placed in the holes and my brother hid in the back and poured black paint from two quart cans into the funnels which emptied just behind the rear tires as his friend raced from the school parking lot. This was so his friend could show everyone how his little car could 'lay rubber' with the best of them. Some people just get their kicks showing off! :whoopie:



I have never heard that one and it is quite amusing. He just needed to record tires screetching on a tape and play his radio super loud.


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## naudette (Mar 20, 2008)

I just had my first ride in a private, corporate jet yesterday.  I sure could get used to that!  What luxury.  They cater to what ever you want.  I live not too far from the Scottsdale, AZ Airpark.  I see planes taking off and landing there every day.  Never did I imagine I would do that too!  

We own at a very luxurious resort in Mexico, now if I could have the money to be able to fly there in my own (or leased) jet, how cool would that be?


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 21, 2008)

A friend of mine took a photo of the jet with his cell phone camera and I will try to get a copy of it so I can upload it here.


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## JLB (Mar 21, 2008)

"_*Someone even thought it was King David Siegel himself*_"

That was my thought, that he was arriving for a grope session or some sort of perverted outing with Mrs. S.  

Mr. S's version of Fantasy Island! 

Like, why would he buy a place in the middle of nowhere? . . . 
. . . .
Just slip out the back, Jack.
Make a new plan, Stan.
You don't need to be coy, Roy.
Hop on the bus, Gus.
Just drop off the key, Lee.

And get yourself free.  




Steamboat Bill said:


> Westgate River Ranch (The Worlds’ Largest Nude Ranch that also has a very nice timeshare located there)


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## Carl D (Mar 21, 2008)

Steamboat Bill said:


> A friend of mine took a photo of the jet with his cell phone camera and I will try to get a copy of it so I can upload it here.


=
Well, perhaps you want of the the EXACT jet, but a G-3 is easy enough to find a picture of..


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## Carl D (Mar 21, 2008)

The Gulfsteam 3 is actually a major dinasaur by todays corporate jet standards.


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## johnmfaeth (Mar 21, 2008)

Bet his wife won't do the windows either  

Sorry Bill, couldn't resist....


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## Passepartout (Mar 22, 2008)

Every summer a group of heavy hitters descend on Sun Valley, Idaho about 75 miles up the road. There are far more than the usual G-3's, 4's and 5's and junky ol' Citations, Lears and Challengers. We were up there for a concert and going past the airport, the jets were parked out in the dirt and a Piaggio Avanti had the parking spot of honor in front of the executive terminal. Of course there are a couple who have to leave their BBJ's here (weight restrictions at Sun Valley) and take their helicopters to the 'cabin!' Must be tough.

Jim Ricks


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## Carl D (Mar 22, 2008)

Passepartout said:


> Every summer a group of heavy hitters descend on Sun Valley, Idaho about 75 miles up the road. There are far more than the usual G-3's, 4's and 5's and junky ol' Citations, Lears and Challengers. We were up there for a concert and going past the airport, the jets were parked out in the dirt and a Piaggio Avanti had the parking spot of honor in front of the executive terminal. Of course there are a couple who have to leave their BBJ's here (weight restrictions at Sun Valley) and take their helicopters to the 'cabin!' Must be tough.
> 
> Jim Ricks


Laughing my butt off!!! 
Citation (Cessna) makes some of THEE most modern aircraft in existence. In addition, they make the fastest civilian jet in existence today.

G-4's and 5's are FAR from "usual".


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## Carl D (Mar 22, 2008)

Passepartout said:


> We were up there for a concert and going past the airport, the jets were parked out in the dirt and a Piaggio Avanti had the parking spot of honor in front of the executive terminal.


Let me get this straight.. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding.

You think a "turbo-prop" is top of the line????????


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 22, 2008)

I am no private jet expert, but the plane is a G3 with major updates and is in extremely nice condition.

Here is a pic of the actual plane at the Westgate River Ranch.

You can see the green roof of the golf/airport combo pro shop. You can also see the perspective of how much larger it is than the golf cart next to it. There were a few single prop planes near it, but seemed incredibly small in comparison.

This cameraphone pic was taken looking towards the main entrance of the resort which is located a few feet to the left of the golf/airport pro shop.

.


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## Passepartout (Mar 22, 2008)

Carl D said:


> Let me get this straight.. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding.
> 
> You think a "turbo-prop" is top of the line????????



No, Carl, I wasn't doing the thinking here. Just a comment on where the turboprop was parked when many of the jets were in the dirt beside a remote taxiway.  

All the iron at Friedman looks pretty deluxe beside the 35 year-old Cherokee I most recently flew.

Jim


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## JLB (Mar 22, 2008)

These are problems I have to deal with constantly, what to do with the ---- jet when we wanna go somewhere.  

That and gittin the windows cleaned.


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## Carl D (Mar 22, 2008)

Steamboat Bill said:


> I am no private jet expert, but the plane is a G3 with major updates and is in extremely nice condition.


I have no doubt that the G3 is very nice. I certainly wasn't trying to minimize the airplane. I'm sure it had the latest and geatest when it was designed. All I'm saying is that modern day aircraft avionics have advanced soooo much since that aircraft was built, it really is ancient. Of course the airframe and interior doesn't change much. 
As far as upgrades, yes there are some things that were likely upgraded, but it *probably* doesn't compare to a new jet with the latest bells and whistles.
Those thiner looking engines are one sign of age. Those are LOUD, and not fuel efficient. The wider looking turbo-fan engines are what is used now.
It's a little hard to see, but if you look at my pic, under the tail is what appears to be a G5. It's the same basic airframe, but it's truly state of the art.


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## Carl D (Mar 22, 2008)

Passepartout said:


> No, Carl, I wasn't doing the thinking here. Just a comment on where the turboprop was parked when many of the jets were in the dirt beside a remote taxiway.
> 
> All the iron at Friedman looks pretty deluxe beside the 35 year-old Cherokee I most recently flew.
> 
> Jim


I see, thanks for clarifying.

Glad to see another fellow aviator on the board!


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 22, 2008)

Carl D said:


> As far as upgrades, yes there are some things that were likely upgraded, but it *probably* doesn't compare to a new jet with the latest bells and whistles.



I guess my friend wanted to save $30m or more by buying a used G3 for under $10m vs buying a new G5 for $40m.

Fuel is expensive but $30m will buy a lot of it.


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## Carl D (Mar 22, 2008)

Steamboat Bill said:


> I guess my friend wanted to save $30m or more by buying a used G3 for under $10m vs buying a new G5 for $40m.
> 
> Fuel is expensive but $30m will buy a lot of it.


On that note we agree.  

Actually, $40m for a G5 may be a little low. I've never really shopped for one, but I know about 12 years ago a G4 was roughly $38m.


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## Passepartout (Mar 22, 2008)

There's a 2005 G550 on www.ASO.com with 850 hours for 59,900,000 and a 1982 G III for 6,500,000. I bet it even has clean windows.

Jim Ricks


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 22, 2008)

Passepartout said:


> There's a 2005 G550 on www.ASO.com with 850 hours for 59,900,000 and a 1982 G III for 6,500,000. I bet it even has clean windows.
> 
> Jim Ricks



ok....then there is only a $53,400,000 difference between a GIII and a G550.


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## JLB (Mar 23, 2008)

Another thing that keeps me awake at night is how much I should tip those jet valets.  I know all they do is park it for me, but five bucks just doesn't seem right.


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