I had a choice between Paonia and National and chose the former because the idea of Central Missouri in July...Yowzer.
I watched the weather reports during the weekend of the rally...While Sedalia was enjoying 104-106, Colorado and NM were in the 80's.
Steve in Santa Fe
1980 R100RT
2005 DR 650
Heck! I just hope I'm still alive and able to go where ever it!
Jack Watson
BMWMOA #125089
2011 R1200RT
1974 R90/6
I paid & packed to go, headed first towards OSU for an event with my son. I checked the weather when we finished up in Columbus. I had two choices, Sedalia @104F or the Smokies @ 80F. No brainer, headed to the Mountains.
Not enough time for me to get there was the primary reason. But the heat would have kept me away too.
Salty Fog Rally 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012
-Tom (KA1TOX)
This is a no brainer. I did not attend the rally in Bloomsburg, PA and Sedalia, MO because of the heat and I'll never pre register again. I'm in relatively good shape and I can ride trough any condition heat or cold but it's a misery and not fun. Attending rallies and riding my motorcycle should be enjoyable not the opposite.
I can bet anyone that 2013 Rally will be much better attended because of the weather and location.
2009 R1200GS LE
I thought about skipping the rally, but I didn't.
The first day I rode 900 miles in the 105F heat and I kind of liked zipping in through 4 states before resting in a Days-inn at MT Vernon IL at 10PM.
The heat made me tired, but I took a break every 60-90 minutes. And, I drank a few gallons of water.
However, after taking all rural roads from MT Vernon, IL, I promptly forgot about the heat. I also slept in a tent. The only hot evening for me was Wednesday. When it was 93F outside. After that, I really enjoyed the Rally. I lost 5-7 lbs during the rally and the riding.
I figure global warming is not going to make the heat any better, so I am conditioning my body and brain to get used to it. :P
Why not make date be location dependent? We hold the rally each year in a different area of the country, why not be flexible on the date as well? If we are holding it in the North, we could have it in July or August. If in the South, maybe Spring or Fall?
the question i have is why won't the board address this issue as it seems to be a topic that every member has an opinion on. i know the board does not discuss business on the forum but we have gotten to the point where this issue needs to be formally addressed.
And with all due respect...Why do you think that it has NOT been addressed??
MAD DOG
Beer Chair
And with all due respect...Why do you think that it has NOT been addressed??
i honestly have never seen an official statement from the board as to why the rally can't be changed to a different time frame. i have "heard" various reasons from various members but nothing officially from the board.
now it is possibly that they have addressed this issue in the past, either online, in the owners news or in some other way and i just missed it.
since we have had this debate after last years rally and again this year maybe it is time for the board to inform the membership as to why the dates can't be changed. it wouldn't take much on there part and it would show the members that they listen and are responding to members concerns.
Last edited by nytrashman; 07-28-2012 at 10:34 PM.
Maybe if all the air conditioners were turned off, energy would be saved, it would help our impact on global warming, and our bodies would again acclimate to the outside world. Just a thought as I sit here on my porch, just rained, cooled down from 89 to 70, the air is clean and fresh, and I am enjoying white wine and green olives. Oh yea, I had a blast in Sedalia. There was a breeze all day and the sleeping under the stars was cool enough I had to use the sleeping bag. Sorry a lot of you missed out.
" if you got a Black List, I wanna be on it " Billy Bragg
i am sorry i had to miss the rally again this year, but i get no joy out of riding/sleeping in 95 + temps with high humidity.Sorry a lot of you missed out
i love going to the rallies but to me it shouldn't be a survivial contest. if you are fine with that, great, go and enjoy yourselves. for me, i will either be home in the AC/pool or on the road else ware where the temps won't bake me alive.
Please let's keep this thread civil!
I know, having had life threatening heat stroke twice, that different people handle temperature extremes differently. By being careful, I can handle heat but not humidity. In winter I can comfortably ride into the single digits farenheit. Others' tolerance levels vary at either end of the spectrum and we need to respect that.
But casting aspersions on those with differing points of view really isn't advancing the discussion. The MOA learned from Bloomburg and took steps to lessen the blow this year, but obviously didn't please everybody.
'07 R1200GS for solo rides
'10 R1200GSA with Hannigan dual sport sidecar for rides with Barley
My thanks to whoever cancelled their reservation at the Sedalia Super 7 Wednesday afternoon, I got your room
The rally was great, the fairgounds was one of the best locations we've had.