1st time rally attendee

[iRene]

[hijack]
oh cool. do you mean, at the front gate, when I arrived, on wednesday for the first time?
[/hijack]

Yessir! One of those cosmic coincidences.

[Kiltmeister]

So much for the beer chip, when I tried to redeem it for a beer, I was told by the beer vendor that I needed TWO tokens to get a beer.
This was my first rally
This was my last rally.

I am sorry that you feel that way about coming to the International Rally, I will say though there was some confusion about the beer token. The reason for the confusion was the fact that the token was for a can of beer and not the mico brew. Next year we will eliminate the confusion.
We must be somewhat flexible in this since this was the first year such an undertaking was tried and next year will be better.

[bensonhurst]

I am sorry that you feel that way about coming to the International Rally, I will say though there was some confusion about the beer token. The reason for the confusion was the fact that the token was for a can of beer and not the mico brew. Next year we will eliminate the confusion.
We must be somewhat flexible in this since this was the first year such an undertaking was tried and next year will be better.

The people giving out the tokens STATED, ABSOLUTELY, a token was good for a drink (one of ANYTHING) being served in the beer tent.

[DMR]

I think we got the message. Someone made a mistake and gave you incorrect information.

Asked before and gone unanswered, but where are the "better" rallys you have attended? I would very much like to go (if I haven't already)

[kbasa]

The people giving out the tokens STATED, ABSOLUTELY, a token was good for a drink (one of ANYTHING) being served in the beer tent.

Easy, tiger. One of the volunteers wasn't clear, apparently. They probably got their five minutes of instruction and some of it didn't sink in. It's a completely volunteer run event and these things happen sometimes. They're on vacation too.

Did you redeem the token for a canned beer?

[bensonhurst]

I think we got the message. Someone made a mistake and gave you incorrect information.

Asked before and gone unanswered, but where are the "better" rallys you have attended? I would very much like to go (if I haven't already)

Stafford UK every April
All European rally in Maryland every year on the Sunday between mothers day and Memorial day.

[bensonhurst]

Easy, tiger. One of the volunteers wasn't clear, apparently. They probably got their five minutes of instruction and some of it didn't sink in. It's a completely volunteer run event and these things happen sometimes. They're on vacation too.

Did you redeem the token for a canned beer?

After I was denied a beer, I again asked at the token tent (the next day) and was told the same thing (1 token good for 1 drink of any kind).
Tried again, denied again, so I gave the token to someone standing in line and wished him better luck, a beer isn't that important to me.
Nobody in the beer tent told me I could redeem one token for one canned beer.
Poor communication all around.

[cjack]

I would complain being hanged with ANY rope.
There were NO bargains there. I took $3000.00, in cash, thinking there would be things too good to pass up, but everything there could be had for less elsewhere, I didn't spend a nickel.
I guess the vendors thought BMW = lots of money, I was very disappointed.
I've been to LOTS of rallies, shows and swap meets, in the USA and Europe, and this was the most disappointing.

I've been going to a lot of swap meets over the decades, ham radio, BMW, etc. and I would say that the internet and particularly the EBAY thing has changed all the rallies, swap meets and the like. The big market is on the world wide internet and I doubt that there will be much change in that form this time on. I'm not saying I like it, but just that I noticed it. We got what we wished for, some of us, but somehow it doesn't feel so good.

[Kiltmeister]

After I was denied a beer, I again asked at the token tent (the next day) and was told the same thing (1 token good for 1 drink of any kind).
Tried again, denied again, so I gave the token to someone standing in line and wished him better luck, a beer isn't that important to me.
Nobody in the beer tent told me I could redeem one token for one canned beer.
Poor communication all around.

As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate situation where I did not give everyone in the Ambassador tent complete instruction on what the beer token covered. When I found out what was going on in the beer tent with the micro brew I corrected the situation and the can of beer statement came into being.
I must thank you for your input on this matter and I will take your suggestion to heart and it will be corrected for next year. This will allow me to have better communication with the volunteer team in the Beer Garden.

[bensonhurst]

As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate situation where I did not give everyone in the Ambassador tent complete instruction on what the beer token covered. When I found out what was going on in the beer tent with the micro brew I corrected the situation and the can of beer statement came into being.
I must thank you for your input on this matter and I will take your suggestion to heart and it will be corrected for next year. This will allow me to have better communication with the volunteer team in the Beer Garden.

Thank you for your candor ItÔÇÖs refreshing to have feedback from someone who realizes that there was indeed a problem.

[rspink]

Hey!
You actually tried to redeem that token?
Geez, that was the best souvineer I brought home from the rally!
I consumed my share of beer, both micro brew and canned and never considered trading that token once!

At A buck a can for major brands how can you go wrong?
Where I live in Massachusetts, a six pack will cost you at least $6.30 with the deposit and I don't get to drink it with some of the coolest most interesting people, like I have met at the rally.

I hope I get to meet you at the next rally and I'll try to make it up to you with a beer of your choice , just be prepared to tell me where you have ridden lately!

Cheers!

Bob

[Kiltmeister]

Hey!
You actually tried to redeem that token?
Geez, that was the best souvineer I brought home from the rally!
I consumed my share of beer, both micro brew and canned and never considered trading that token once!

At A buck a can for major brands how can you go wrong?
Where I live in Massachusetts, a six pack will cost you at least $6.30 with the deposit and I don't get to drink it with some of the coolest most interesting people, like I have met at the rally.

I hope I get to meet you at the next rally and I'll try to make it up to you with a beer of your choice , just be prepared to tell me where you have ridden lately!

Cheers!

Bob

I was overwhelmed by the response to the thought of having so many people that had never attended a BMW MOA International before. The other part of this is the fact that so many of the attendees were young people, I mean under 30. When an "Old Man" like me thinks of young I think of my youngest son and he is 36, so when I see them under 30 I get real excited.
We will do this again next year and will be better prepared.
Maybe the "Newbies" that attended this year can help me in the Ambassador tent next year. Let me know.

[ITSBOB]

It was my first National Rally. I loved it. I attended about twelve seminars and learned something new from each one. I found the vendor items (that I was interested in) to be cheaper than back home in Canada. People were very willing to talk to about their bikes and modifications. I prefer travelling alone but conversations with total strangers were so easy to either initiate by either of us. My bike remained parked at the rally as I had ridden two weeks through eastern Canada and the northeastern states before arriving. Vermont I explored before and after the rally. Shower facilities were fine (if youÔÇÖre an old man who always wakes up early). Food on site could possibly had a few more healthier choices but I never went hungry. I only missed out on being asked if I was a newbie and therefore did not receive any newbie package. An ambassador did give me a token for a brew on the last day. Noisy campers? There were a few but none to prevent me from drifting off to sleep. Actually the first night I went to bed around 8:30 p.m. The group talking around my tent were French Canadians. My french is so rusty that I was not distracted by listening to the words. It was more like a lullaby that help me drift off.

Next year? You bet IÔÇÖm going, only rather than planning a trip before it as this year, with the rally near the end of the trip, Wisconsin will be first stop with a two or three week trip to follow through the north western states and returning east via the western provinces. As well, I will volunteer next year. I am really looking forward to the next one.

Seminars?? There were Seminars?? Did they have Beer??

[Rod Sheridan]

Unfortunately, we seem too spend too much time and effort on the forum, complaining about negative experiences. Perhaps it's a phenomenon of the internet in general.

I am not a first time rallyist, however I was very pleased to learn that new attendees received a red mug to distinguish themselves from the repeat rallyists. Kiltmeister, it was a stroke of brilliance on your part, I made an effort to speak to as many people with a red mug as I could. Most were pleased that they were noticed and welcomed, this is what makes BMW rallies the best.

The confusion about the beer token is unfortunate, however I agree with one of the posts, I also would have kept the token as a souvenir of the rally. I find it hard to fathom why someone who would carry $3,000 in cash would complain so voiciferously over a problem with a $1 gift. What happened to saying THANK YOU when someone gives you something?

As one of the many volunteers, I enjoyed working the rally, and everyone I dealt with was pleasant, and positive. The rally was a great sucess, and as Don pointed out, mistakes were made and will be rectified next year.

Hope to see you next year at the 2007 National.......Rod.