relax, i am a yankee transplant. i got a card here somewhere.....Originally Posted by nplenzick
Statements such as this will not bode well for you at the boarder crossing (Mason Dixon Line) next year!
relax, i am a yankee transplant. i got a card here somewhere.....Statements such as this will not bode well for you at the boarder crossing (Mason Dixon Line) next year!
Hmmm. I just knew it. Well, I guess you can stay...a little while longer anyway
Vance Harrelson
MOA Ambassador/ Director
09 Rally Chair (Retired)
R1200GSA - G450X - G650GS Sertao
i've been in the south now for 50 years and have come to learn what good manners mean.
i could, however, be sent back into enemy territory as a spy.....
Sure you could.i've been in the south now for 50 years and have come to learn what good manners mean.
i could, however, be sent back into enemy territory as a spy.....
Just don't talk to anyone.
+1 on Lewisburg, WV as a potential rally site. I have ridden in this area of WV twice, using Lewisburg as a base. The stretch of Rt 219 between Lewisburg and Marlinton compares with any riding I have done in western NC, TN, or GA.
For those who prefer indoor accomodations to camping, the Fairfield Inn in Lewisburg is an excellent hotel. There is also a Hampton Inn right next to it. Of course, the folks with extra disposable income could stay at the Greenbrier. I don't know of any other hotels in Lewisburg, but Roanoke, VA is close enough that you could stay there and make the ride to the Rally site on the most excellent Rt 311.
Bill
Last edited by fastdogs2; 11-22-2010 at 12:51 AM.
BMW R1200R
Alpine White
The chain motels and hotels have sprouted up along that stretch of I-64 from Covington to Lewisburg like mushrooms after a rainstorm - there are now Holiday Inn Expresses, Hampton Inns, Marriotts, Super-8s, along with all the independent ones that have been there for a while.
Originally I suggested the site back in the late 90's when I was on the board, it was dismissed because of a lack of Motel/Hotel rooms. Things have changed in that area and I would think there would now be easily twice the number of rooms needed to pas muster for further review.
I think it would be fantastic if an intrepid group of folks would get together and present a proposal to the board.
I'd suggest a fall event geared to a few thousand people. A mini national if you will.
Set your break even point low (600?) and you have a potential budget of around 20k. I'd try to keep it simple so you don't need a ton of volunteers to show up the previous weekend.
This could even become a roving event or the platform for an Texas / AZ event in the winter. I guess one issue is making sure any new events don't stomp on any chartered club's established rally.
I think it could be a huge success. For us Yankees the Georgia Mountain Rally is an incredlble ride but it's just a little too far for a "quick" trip plus it rains in May. Something like this during the fall would be wicked. What's it like in early November?
You've been there twice and with roads like Rt's 63 or 3 or 12, 39 or 56
the best you've come up with is 219??
Next time drop me a PM and I'll meet you at the General Lewis Inn and take you on some really fun ( and sometimes a bit knarly) roads as in my little adventure from last year in the ride reports called Mr. Toads Wild Ride (in five seperate threads).
RM
"A man isn't totally drunk if he can lie on the floor without hanging on!" Joe Louis; comedian
"I'll make a deal with you, I won't bore with my Science if you don't bore me with your Politics!" Lionel Barrymore from the 1929 film "The Mysterious Island"
it's awesome... best time of the year, imo.
As I read the thread, it occurred to me that a case can be made to have the Rally 'move' in time (between April to October), from year to year; as it 'moves' it's location today, from year to year. Would that work?
Then one can hold Rally in the south on some occaisions.
November is great if you live in the banana belt and never have to go over a pass. For those of us at altitude or who would have to cross a pass, November is a crapshoot at best. The Corps of Discovery got an early September snow in the Bitterroots.
November is OK for localized events.
If you want to include the entire club it has to be around the summer solstice.
While nothing stops anyone from trailering to an event...
I, as most others would rather ride.
"Stupidity, if left untreated, is self-correcting."
Rocketman,You've been there twice and with roads like Rt's 63 or 3 or 12, 39 or 56
the best you've come up with is 219??
Next time drop me a PM and I'll meet you at the General Lewis Inn and take you on some really fun ( and sometimes a bit knarly) roads as in my little adventure from last year in the ride reports called Mr. Toads Wild Ride (in five seperate threads).
RM
I have been on all of those roads you mentioned, plus a trip on 250 to Wheeling.
I just noted that particular stretch of 219 because it was memorable. I took 219 to 39 to 92 and cut off on Anthony Springs Road for a trek through the National Forest.
Bill
BMW R1200R
Alpine White
I often don't know when to keep my mouth shut, so why start now?
First, regarding Charleston in 2003. The original plan was to have the Civic Center as the main focal point, with plenty of motel space downtown within easy walking distance, and the camping to be located at the college campus, college athletic fields and the adjacent business park. That plan also involved the use of ALL available city buses and union drivers for establishing a shuttle bus service between the Civic Ceenter and the camping area. There were also dorm rooms at the college and the beer tent was scheduled to be located there.
A good solid workable plan, even if it were a little different from the "traditional" MOA fairgrounds rally. Support from the Charleston governmental agencies, police.
business and civic groups was strong and deeply involved.
A couple of weeks before opening day, the college withdrew their offer of the use of the athletic fields which caused the business park to also withdraw their offer leaving us with insufficient room for the amount of campers we were expecting.
It was too late to relocate the Rally, and cancelling the event was not an option. Last minute talks with the Charleston Convention bureau, the Mayors office and local business personnel resulted in the City of Charleston closing the city park on the river to their local citizens for our exclusive use, at no cost to the MOA, and a local businessman also donated the use of some undeveloped land at a business park to the MOA at no cost. We now had sufficent acreage for camping, but it was spread out to the extent that the available shuttle busses could not cover the demand. BTW, the City practically gave us those busses for free. We could not add to the fleet due to driver rest requirements and local restrictions prevented us from hiring any additional school buses to augment the city bus service.
It was not an ideal situation, but it was the best that could be done given the situation. Had the original plan been able to be enacted; a single main focal poiint for the vendors, activities and seminars with sufficient motel space within walking distance and a nearby single camping point with shuttle bus service, there would have been far less complaints...although it would not be a MOA rally if somebody didn't get their shorts in a wad and complain loudly about something.
It was what it was. Nothing could be done about the windstorm that blew down the beer tent. People remember that! What people forget is that within a few hours the beer garden was back up in operation, now located inside the college athletic facility with the full cooperation of the college and all concerned governmental agencies. The world class entertainment never missed a beat. That in itself was quite a feat! The vendors had the best site they have ever had, over 100,000 square feet of indoor air conditioned space, all in one building. There was plenty of indoor air conditioned space for all our seminars and also a rest area with food in that space to hang out in if you got tired of walking through the seminars or vendors. Don't forget the indoor air conditioned arena that seated 14,000 for our closing ceremony that was a part of the Civic Center. People also forget that the 2003 Rally also broke an attendance record and it still remains the most profitable Rally the MOA has ever had, by far!
Sorry for those who were disappointed by the camping situation. Believe me when I say you weren't as disappointed as I was with the situation, but we did the best we could to salvage the Rally. It is too bad that had to scare the MOA away from looking at other alternatives such as college campuses, towns or resorts.
As for Lewisville, WVa, that was my first choice for the 2003 Rally site. It had everything we needed...except for lodging. In 2003 there were less than 500 rooms within a 20 mile radius of the site. If there is now a sufficient supply of lodging I would heartily support the location as a future rally site..... along with considering a return to the Rhinebeck, NY site at some point in the future.
Friedle
Ride fast safely
With riders spreading off of the rally site and into surrounding hotels, the rally already has crept off the grounds. Off site events like a bike show or meeting with the local Boy Scouts (show them how moto camping is a lot like backpacking or something) would be the kind of activities that might really help complete linkage with the community, IMHO.
Dave Swider
Marin County, CA
Some bikes. Some with motors, some without.
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