'04 MOA Rally

[dstone]

Why bother? The venders were excellent, the seminars were great; it was a good trade show. Without the community of one location you are no longer talking rally, it's a motorcycle trade show. I hope lessons have been learned and we don't repeat Charlston again.

[RPG]

Does anyone know where in Spokane the rally is going to be?

County Fairgrounds, etc?

thanks, rpg

[Unregistered]

I agree the rally was rather disappointing. The city in my opinion was not condusive to a gathering of friends....

Charleston is a beautiful city and one I would re visit and suggest to others, but a good rally location it is not.

It was almost impossible to stumble upon old friends and new for that matter as there really was no central meeting area. A central camping area or ground zero is an important part to these rallys in my mind. In Canada I saw so many people because for the most part well could all congregate there.

Just my 2 cents which isn't worth much....

I will commend MOA on the vendor show....very well done.

[Unregistered]

No official or unofficial GS ride was lame.

Was really one of the only reason I traveled. That and to see friends I never saw either...

Viva Spokane!

[beemerron]

As explained in ealier postings, no one volunteered to lead a GS ride so the staff arranged for a an off road touring outfit to do so. Considering the weather, I expect the conditions were pretty awful

[fiordmann]

:

Considering that the national was held in Redmond, OR two years ago, the announcement that the 04' rally would be held in Spokane, WA was a disappointment. The rally selection comittee tells us that there are several criteria that must be met for a future rally site. When the 04' Rally Chairwoman announced that the rally would be in her "hometown" of Spokane, WA it became obvious that those involved with BMWMOA on the national level make the rally decision based on personal preferences (i.e. my hometown). Why not let the membershop of BMWMOA have a direct impact on the rally site by being able to vote on a region of the country for upcoming rally sites?

[fiordmann]

:

Considering that the national was held in Redmond, OR two years ago, the announcement that the 04' rally would be held in Spokane, WA was a disappointment. The rally selection comittee tells us that there are several criteria that must be met for a future rally site. When the 04' Rally Chairwoman announced that the rally would be in her "hometown" of Spokane, WA it became obvious that those involved with BMWMOA on the national level make the rally decision based on personal preferences (i.e. my hometown). Why not let the membership of BMWMOA have a direct impact on the rally site by being able to vote on a region of the country for upcoming rally sites?

[MarkF]

Originally posted by Fiordmann
Considering that the national was held in Redmond, OR two years ago, the announcement that the 04' rally would be held in Spokane, WA was a disappointment. The rally selection comittee tells us that there are several criteria that must be met for a future rally site. When the 04' Rally Chairwoman announced that the rally would be in her "hometown" of Spokane, WA it became obvious that those involved with BMWMOA on the national level make the rally decision based on personal preferences (i.e. my hometown).

I think those that volunteer tend to volunteer to do it close to home. Makes sense to me. How do you pull it all together hundreds if not thousands of miles away? But, perhaps a system ought to be in place to rotate the area of selection. Northeast, Midwest, West then South or something like that. Another idea, although it's most likely unpopular is to run a Fall mini-national on the opposite coast from the national each year. That gives more options for those that can't travel in the summer, are on the wrong coast and for locales too hot to host a summer rally.

MarkF

[chasman]

The Presidents column in the August issue of the BMW Owners News will explain how the International Rally sites are researched and selected. It also covers the basic site requirements that must be met before BMWMOA will consider a venue. Almost all of sites of past International Rallies have been suggested by our regular members, not the board members. The reason for this is that with over 37,700 members we have a lot of eyes looking for the perfect locations for future rallies. Yes, the Spokane rally chair is from Spokane. Who could be better at planning and coordinating our rally but someone from the area?

If anyone thinks they know of a potential site we can consider for a future International Rally you need to let me know. You can e-mail me at cmanley@bmwmoa.org or call me at 1-309-825-8445 and I'll be happy to discuss the site requirements.

Ride safe and see you down the road...

Chuck Manley #12106
Director, BMWMOA
Chairman, Rally Site Search Team
Director, Dinky Dozen BMW Riders, Inc. #84
2002 K1200RS

[indygt]

Count me in the "pro-Spokane" camp, even though I live in Indiana. All of the national rallies I remember most fondly - Laguna Seca, Rapid City, Durango, Missoula, Redmond - were in the West. I like it because the roads are less congested and the scenery is magnificent.
Besides, I have a son in Porland who is my excuse for a three-week ride every summer, so I can dovetail the rally with my annual visit.
Looking forward to next July...

[eljeffe]

Yeah, that's all I need. Another reason to ride US 12 from Lolo to Clarkston TWICE!!!

Yeehaw!

[indygt]

That's a popular sign. Here it is as a backdrop for Tim (brother of Gator) Balough's PD.

[montana]

2004 BMW MOA National Rally, Spokane, WA
Chapter One - Getting There

Members of BMW MOA living to the West of Spokane know all about the great roads and rides on their way. These include the Rattlesnake in OR and on to Lewiston, Hwy 12, Hwy 2 through Leavenworth (a cute Bavarian town), and Hwy 20 through Twisp, Winthrop, and past the Grand Coulee Dam (an engineering marvel and proof there isnÔÇÖt anything we canÔÇÖt tame).

However, more members live to the East side of Spokane; some of you, way over there to the right and a lot to the south. Since my home State of Montana is in the way for many of you (or on the way, if you like, as is the Idaho panhandle), hereÔÇÖs a little travelogue.

I had already planned a few days of riding from Missoula, Montana, over to Spokane and through the Idaho panhandle, when the 2004 rally site selection of Spokane was announced. I offered to provide notes so you can read what one out-of-the-area motorcyclist has to say about Spokane. In fact, Missoulians often go to Spokane. ItÔÇÖs the nearest big city (approximately 200,000 population in the urban area) and is definitely a ÔÇ£date placeÔÇØ with great restaurants and theater.

In my mind I tend to think of pine trees and volcanoes when I think of Washington. I tend to forget how much of Washington is agricultural. Approaching Spokane from the West and especially from the South takes you through miles of fields and waves of grain. Walla Walla onions are amazing and the Columbia River system provides irrigation for fruit available at roadside stands from Wenatchee to Yakima. Riding along the gorge is something to experience, and crossing the Bridge of the Gods (near the OR border) on a windy day (and there arenÔÇÖt many calm days in the gorge) will definitely get your attention.

Coming from the East is a different story. Spokane lies just to the West of the Rocky Mountains, 20 miles from the Idaho border. The townsite is along the Spokane River. At Riverfront Park, a remnant of the 1974 Expo, you can ride little gondola cable cars and get a great view over the falls. ThereÔÇÖs also an IMAX and a carrousel at the park.

Along the cityÔÇÖs eastern fringe is an area of rail yard, truck distribution warehouses and light industrial that developed to support the growing city. IÔÇÖm sure when the fairgrounds were first built it was a great location on the outskirts of town. Now the City of Spokane Valley creates a suburban feel to this end of the sprawl and the Interstate Fairgrounds and Spokane Expo Center is smack in the middle, right by the concrete pre-mix yard. Felts Field municipal airport is a busy little place, too, just north of the fairgrounds along the river.

While not too many rally locations can live up to the experience of Redmond OR, where the site was out of the town of Bend in sort of a campus-like setting, Spokane has what looks like a large, self-contained facility that should allow for a centralized event. I couldnÔÇÖt walk the grounds but I saw a variety of buildings and lots of open space. The parking lot was being used for a car sales event the day I was there.

Coming from the East, the underpass/overpass section of I-90 where you would be exiting is a section that I swear has been under construction for twenty years. IÔÇÖve never once gone through there without seeing cones and closed lanes. I took the exit (286) marked for the fairgrounds and was immediately stuck in surface street traffic at a light. A long truck hadnÔÇÖt been able to make a hard right and an immediate left into his stop without blocking two lanes while waiting for the signal. This route also required me to make two left turns (one at a corner, one mid-block) to get into the fairgrounds parking area. My recommendation is to ignore the signs and take exit 285 or 284. Coming from the West take exit 283B.

[Jim Shaw]

[With tongue firmly lodged in cheek]

I think all of the nationals I have been to suck, and each for good reasons.

I never meet half of the people I know in the Club. That can't be their fault; we need an infinitely large beer tent which is intimate for the 7100 attendees. Quiet bands, except when I want to dance - then nice and loud.

If it rains, it makes me uncomfortable, and that can't be my fault.

If it's too hot, the siting committee should have realized that.

If it's someplace too far, we should have put it to a popular vote - one month before the rally.

If it is someplace too close, I should resign my membership in protest.

If I like motels, and wanna bring the family, they put the event in a fairgrounds right after a huge horse show, and I gotta sleep in manure. Or my nearest hotel is 12 miles southwest of the fairground, and I miss the beer tent or ride home drunk.

If I like camping, it is too far to walk to the vendors. Also, see if it's too hot, above.

The vendors are always wrong - too many or too few. Don't you hate it when they cow-tow to vendors!

Forget Canada; I can't pack my 9mm, and I won't go anywhere without it, so I can't go.

I have a really good memory of the fun time I had in "ought six" in Dismal Seepage, Wisconsin. No matter what the current rally is like, I will be sure to remind everybody that this rally just can't measure up to good old Dismal Seepage. Actually, I can't remember Dismal Seepage at all, because I was drunk all the time.

Let's face it, my brother, we're paying $35 a year to belong to the Club, and another $35 to go to a rally for four nights. For that kinda dough, it oughta be perfect. Especially for me, personally. My preferences are absolutely identical to the smartest and best looking members, I'm sure.

After all, we're paying those siting committee people enough to expect them to get it right. Not to mention the rally chairs.

Oh... they're not paid? Nothing at all? No wonder they can't please me! We should hire somebody to do this... pay them big bucks. Then, we could fire them every year if anybody isn't pleased with every aspect of the rally.

Now, I feel much better. See you in Spokane, I hope.

Don't fall off,
Jim Shaw

[kbasa]

I was going to make a comparison between the cost of the rally ($35) and what Tina and I paid to go to the movies the other day ($18) but I think Jim's done a better job.



dave