I can't attend '08; where is the '09 Rally please??

[kbasa]

I have nothing against camping or against saving nickels but those aren't the only considerations, or are they?

Um.

I like to camp quite a bit but can readily afford nice hotels, if we so choose.

[osbornk]

Looks good as the Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City area has a fair number of hotel rooms and it appears that the rally will not be held when the Speedway is active. It will be hot and humid though.

I wonder if East Tennessee State University will make dorm rooms and the cafeteria available to rallyists?

The Tri-Cities area handles 160,000 race fans twice a year so our little group should not be a big problem.

Hot and humid is relative. I live about 60 miles from Gray and find the summer weather very comfortable. The average tempeatures for the rally days is 85 high and 64 low. In the last four years, the temperature got over 90 only in 2006 and in 05 there was a high of 80 for the days of the rally.

A few of us have been suggesting the area for many months but I suspect it might have been in the works prior to that time.

Since I live very close and am retired (as are two of by other riding buddies), we will be glad to help out with whatever needs to be done locally before the rally. Just let me know.

Ken Osborne

[sibud]

Heh heh.

Hmmmmmmm......................

[GREGFEELER]

A few of us have been suggesting the area for many months but I suspect it might have been in the works prior to that time.

Since I live very close and am retired (as are two of by other riding buddies), we will be glad to help out with whatever needs to be done locally before the rally. Just let me know.

Ken Osborne

Rally site selection takes several years to put together, but keep the good suggestions coming!

[terham]

July 16-19 you say? Hmmm...

That's actually not too far away as the Beemer flies.

[osbornk]

If you like great roads to ride on, you need to make sure you come the this rally next year. If you're like me, once you ride my favorite roads, you will wonder what is special about Deals Gap. Two of my all time favorite rides are within an hour or so of the rally location. Both of the rides are between 200 and 250 miles and each go through three or four states.

One ride is to Breaks Interstate Park on the Virginia/Kentucky border. http://www.breakspark.com/ I ride over there every year for lunch and ride some very smooth and crooked roads. The road there is http://www.motorcycleroads.us/roads/va80.html and the return is through Ky, WV, VA & back to TN. They charge $1.00 admission but they will take it off your bill if you have lunch in their restaurant. Lunch is cheap and usually good.

Another favorite ride is through Shady Valley Tennessee on Rt 421 http://www.shadyvalleycountrystore.com/ . My ride includes parts of Tn, NC and VA. Nice lunch about half way.

You are also within a couple of hours of Asheville, NC with the Biltmore and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

You are close to Dollywood and the Smoky Mountains but I prefer the roads less traveled and patroled.

Ken Osborne

[R1100rtP]

Heh heh.

Didn't say you WERE wrong.......just that you MAY be wrong again.
How's that for evasion

[osbornk]

Didn't say you WERE wrong.......just that you MAY be wrong again.
How's that for evasion

You gave it away. We knew we were close when the answers on guesses went from no to maybe.

[HankPfister]

All,
The 2009 BMW MOA International Rally will be held at the Appalachian Fair, in Gray, TN, July 16th~19th. Gray is about 11 miles NE of Johnson City, TN off of I-26, and is located in the heart of the some of the best riding country the south eastern United States has to offer. Deals Gap is just about 125 miles to the south west, and the Blue Ride Parkway lies to the east.

Here's a link to the Fair's web site, however many of it's pages are still under construction: www.appalachianfair.com.

DANG, Greg, you just cancelled my Alaska trip for next summer, and possibly postponed my retirement for a year. But maybe thats a good thing! I don't think I'd miss a rally in that area, and that close to home.
Hey Ken Osborne, lets get together soon and ride over there and check it out!
Greg, I'll see you in Gillette, and see what I can do to help next year.

[barryg]

I appreciate all those who seconded my opinion of Hot Springs, Ar. for a rally site. One of these years Ar. will be the site of the national and the talk will be why we havn't done it sooner. Maybe the RA will choose it one of these years, they have looked at it. Congrats to east Tn., I'm sure I'll be there and I'm already looking forward to it. I'm still hoping to make Gillette. Barry

[henitsl]

Heard from a reliable source next year's rally will be in Gray, TN.

[cjack]

You gave it away. We knew we were close when the answers on guesses went from no to maybe.

Or you could have been led to the wrong conclusion by a maybe...

[ben721364]

Um.

I like to camp quite a bit but can readily afford nice hotels, if we so choose.

I did a very poor job expressing myself, apparently. When I read the rally site selection guidelines, I recall that the minimum amount of camping space is specified but that there are no stipulations with respect to hotel accomodations. That was the reason for my question. Sorry for the confusion...

[GREGFEELER]

I did a very poor job expressing myself, apparently. When I read the rally site selection guidelines, I recall that the minimum amount of camping space is specified but that there are no stipulations with respect to hotel accomodations. That was the reason for my question. Sorry for the confusion...

The site selection form on our web site does not state a minimum number of hotel/motel rooms, but working from memory I that number is 2,500 within 10 miles or less. Approximately 40% of the attendees stay in hotels, so a 7,000 person rally needs 2,800 rooms.

[ben721364]

The site selection form on our web site does not state a minimum number of hotel/motel rooms, but working from memory I that number is 2,500 within 10 miles or less. Approximately 40% of the attendees stay in hotels, so a 7,000 person rally needs 2,800 rooms.

I made reservations in January and could get no closer than Buffalo (60 miles +/-_) I'm not complaining, just saying... The tri-cities should be much more 'accomodating.'

One of the things I heard from several hotels in Gillette is that the town is booming. If so, the room inventory may not be indicative of availability. BTW. My gross room inventory count within 10 miles was more like 1400 within 10 miles, per the Chamber of Commerce web site.