'04 MOA Rally

[beemerron]

If your talking the week of and prior to, I'm all for it.

[184480]

FYI, The Top O The Rockies rally in Paonia Colorado will be from July 9-12 2004. The weekend before the National. And the closing events (where they give a bike away) will be on Sunday July 11th.

See you in Spokane!!!

[beemerron]

Doesn't get any better than that!

[Hacksaw]

Are there dates for the 04 MOA yet?

[TheSuperScoot]

Are there dates for the 04 MOA yet?


__________________
Jeff
Southeast Texas
98 R1100GSA (RED)
http://www.pbase.com/hacksa
BMWMOA #108002

Jeff, I have a date already, but thanks for asking.

terry

[Unregistered]

July 15-18 2004

[Unregistered]

Hello:

Never posted here before, but I thought this was as good a time as any. In the 80s, my job transferred me to Spokane. I was there for 8 years, before being transferred again. I LOVED IT!! Spokane is a GREAT place - certainly one of the nicest I've ever lived in!! The roads are great, the scenery is great and the people are great. Friends used to tell me that Spokane was one of the Northwest's best kept secrets. Unfortunately, I think the secret's now out, because migration to the area has really taken off, and the area has really expanded.

It's still a super place, and job permitting, I hope to be there.

Ride safe and hope to meet you next year!


Mike Rapp
021150RT
Garden Grove, CA

[animby]

I too was disappointed to learn that next year's rally will be in
Spokane, Washington. I was hoping for California-- somewhere
near the 49er site. I couldn't help but notice that 2 of the complaints

posted so far were from Conneticut & Florida. I guess we could have
a permanent spot at the geographical center of the U.S.-- somewhere
South of Trenton, near Lawrence, Kansas. The mileage award could be
retired to the member that comes from Key West.
I have been a member since 1984, and it has always been a given
that the rally site alternated between the two coasts. The selections
of Trenton / Charleston seems to have thrown a monkey wrench in the
system. This year's rally site SHOULD have been out West.
I have been to Missoula twice, Laguna Seca, & Redmond. I scouted
the grounds at Redmond 9 months in advance, and thought the site
was stupendous! The reason that I am disappointed, is that I live
about 1340 ft outside Spokane's city limit. I have lived here by choice,
since 1968, and longer that I have been here, the more I have taken
this place for granted- compared to the rest of the country. For those
that are geographically impaired-- Spokane is nowhere NEAR Seattle.
Spokane is the 2nd? largest city in the state, and is the 'hub'
of the Inland Empire from which goods & services flow in all directions
for over 100 miles. Spokane is the 'go to' place for all of the smaller
communities. What Spokane doesn't have is humidity, congestion,
or gridlock. It is entirely possible to not see a cloud in the sky for the
entire length of the rally. Spokane is a 'working' town, with a constant
high unemployment that gets by on about $8.00/hr.
The Spokane County Fairgounds at the East city limits (Havanna St.)
in an industrial area. The good news is that the stockyards are all
gone years ago. The bad news is that Spokane has plenty of potholes
& red light runners. Drivers in cages tend not to signal, & when they
want to change lanes, they just 'wedge' in if they get more than a
fender length ahead of you. I am familiar with the Fairgrounds layout,
and in spite of several new buildings in the last few years--- I am
not aware of ANY shower facilities. The motels closest to the site
are either older, or truckers only-- none that I would want to stay at.
There is plenty of shaded grass at the Fairgrounds for tenting, with
security fencing & control gates around the entire facility. There are
enough large buildings to house ALL of the vendors & their trucks!
Since I will only have to drive about 10 miles, I plan on driving
my V10 Dodge. That way I won't be limited by size & weight of all
the BMW goodies I'll be buying from BOB'S & Kermit, & Helen 2Wheels'
& all of the rest of my Visa card family.

Ride safe #32686

[MarkF]

Originally posted by animby
I couldn't help but notice that 2 of the complaints
posted so far were from Conneticut & Florida.

I hope you didn't think any of my comments were complaints.

Spokane is as good a location as any other. My only preference is for venue type and I was only offering suggestions.

I probably won't attend next year but it's due to vac time available, July is generally bad and I hate HUGE crowds.

MarkF

[171374]

Montana,
keep up the good work this is interesting stuff for us that have never been too foar west of the Mississippi . I have started printing your chapters out for reference when I get there.

[Unregistered]

Hey, Im completely new to your site, but will be joining soon. I have lived in Spokane for 28 years and just bought my first BMW two weeks ago. An 04 GS Adventure! So please excuse my giddy like attitude about my new machine.

I read most of the replies and comments about Spokane. Whomever said the roads are great, has never actually been to Spokane. The roads SUCK, but are bearable still. Driver are pretty much idiots, althogh most car drivers are when it comes to bikes. (Or so Ive found) I should say that I have been riding for ten yearrs, so Im not new to motorcycles completely. The traffic is light generally, the fairgrounds are roomy and nice and fairly updated. Correct there are no showers that I know of or have heard about. Hotels is easy since the freeway runs right past the Fairgrounds and there are a slew of nice places to stay on the freeway exits. All of them less than 10 min from the Fairgrounds via the freeway. The weather is varied, but usually nice and tempered.
I would love to help with your rally and become a member of this association. Please feel free to use me as a liason or ask me questions about Spokane.
Aaron Rollins

Rollque@aol.com

make sure and put non junk mail titles on any emails you send me, since they will be from addresses Im not familiar with.

Thanks,
looking forward to the event,
Aaron

[TJSCHAFF]

I am only disappointed that I will not have far to travel to the rally this year - since I live in Spokane. But sign me up as a volunteer.

[Zellamsee]

In the final ceremonies why not give the statistics while you wait for a prize winner to come down to the mike. What happend to a lot of the stats. i/e how many BMW's, brand x, planes etc. Check the sound system, many could not hear. Get an announcer that is used to speaking in puplic and does not incite such a bad reaction from BMW riders. I have been to most Nationals in the last 12 years and this was the worst one by far. However, the people of West Virginia were wonderful to us.

[Jim Shaw]

Thanks for the suggestions. Come to Spokane, and see if we don't do better!

Jim Shaw

[Unregistered]

The city is great. Any opportunity to ride US 12 is worth a lot, but have you seen the grounds that the '04 rally will be held???



Ick! Might as well have it in the middle of the stock yards. Was gonna camp, but I guess a 'decent' hotel 10 miles away is going to be the smart choice.

Who on the rally site selection committee really thought this site would be a good choice??? 104 degrees in the shade during July in Spokane, and not a decent shade tree in sight.

PLEASE find an alternate location in the area before it gets too late.