Camping: OK BMWMOA, I Can Take a Hint...

[Kenny2]

I personally think it was well planned for a bunch of volunteers. Suggest those who can do better volunteer to select a site and chair a future rally.

Cheers!

I arrived 9am on Thursday and tented by the fire station. I wanted high ground for the possible rain. I had NO problems sleeping, even when the FD ran the engines. I had NO problem showering, even used the trailer at the south end of the Rally.

[JRD]

- Best Riding Buddy of All Time and I arrived on Thursday at 3:00 pm, surprised at the number of campers, but still managed to find two great albeit crowded tent sites under the trees near the pond. Met an old friend near by and some new and very generous ones next door ("help yourself to anything in the cooler") and we're off to a good start.

- Surprised by the rain, a wet tent, and WalMart lights on Thursday night, but oh well. Thankful that my wife didn't come with me, she would have hated it. Not me -- I'm glad to be there and glad to be warm in the wet. Best of all, we're at the RALLY!

- We don't need no steenkin' shower. We found a nice city park with a swimming lake about 5-10 minutes from the fairgrounds and got clean while coolin off.

- Vendors, seminars, beer barn, etc., etc. - all good!

- We found a curve in the road and rode the piss out of it! Just kidding -- the roads were midwest flat, my only complaint and I'm from Ohio.

- All in all, it was a great rally experience. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make it happen. We'll do our best to get to VT next year.

- Hope to see you at the RA national rally in Shelbyville, TN on October 6-9.

Salud! Joe D

[Kenny2]

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- We don't need no steenkin' shower. We found a nice city park with a swimming lake about 5-10 minutes from the fairgrounds and got clean while coolin off.

Salud! Joe D

That isn't the one late Sunday they (Ohio Health Dept) was looking for people who used to get their shot?????!!!!!

[RNOWELL]

Thanks to all the wonderfull people who made this rally possible. It was my
trip of a lifetime. My brother and I travelled from central Fla and bonded
during our 3- day trip. I was very impressed with the quality of the directory,
the patch and all the friendly people. I'll never forget my trip to BMW heaven.
Paul's '91 R100 and myR1200CL ran perfectly, and we stayed at a friend's
home 1-mile from the fairgrounds. This was the first rally ever for both of us.
We both had a great time, thanks again!

[TheSlashFiveTourer]

In reply to some of the arguments in defense of BMWMOA and "advice"

". . . .they typically rented a nearby high school. . .athletic facility mostly for access to the showers."

Missoula in '98 was a perfect example. Those high school showers right next door to the rally site were a life-saver for a lot of overheated campers. Cold water or not! NICE!!

. . .lights and noise will ruin a good nights sleep.

Anybody remember Redmond in 2001 when, late Thursday night, a few "campers" who had forgotten where they had pitched their tents and were not smart enough to carry flashlights at a campground asked rally administrators to turn on the huge BRIGHT lights in the rear parking lot behind the arena so these few individuals could find their tent area? Instant BRIGHT daylight for over an hour at 11:00 PM! Actually woke up a lot of campers in that area who'd already turned in for the evening. Please - Don't do that to us again!

Suggestion/recommendation:- If you're going to a camping rally, bring a damn flashlight so you can find your way home from the Beer Tent.