By Vance Harrelson, 2009 Rally Chair

            Now is the time to be thinking about the upcoming 2009 BMW MOA International Rally! Your rally team has been hard at work for months planning for what we expect could well be the largest BMW MOA rally ever. The event is scheduled for July 16-19, 2009 and will be held at the Appalachian Fair located in the town of Gray very close to Johnson City in upper east Tennessee. Together with the BMW MOA staff we have assembled a talented and dedicated team to facilitate this event.

(The GPS Coordinates for the 2009 Rally are  N36'25.065,  W082'28.702)

            Given the location of the rally site, you will be close to some of the best riding in the country as well as some great attractions. For those who have not visited the area, from the rally site you can ride the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Cherohala Skyway, the infamous Deal's Gap and more curvy roads than you can imagine to connect all these exciting places. Other places to visit within a reasonable ride include the quaint town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, The Great Smokey Mountain National Park and Cherokee or Boone, North Carolina to name a few. When you consider all the local attractions and others such as Pigeon Forge and Dollywood, you have the perfect destination for the whole family.

            The rally site is a typical county style fairground facility with a mountain home feel while providing for great camping, vendor space and all the amenities we need to host a great rally. After a day of riding, you will be glad to return to a facility where you can eat, relax and listen to some great music while sharing stories about the adventures of the day. For those who prefer to stay offsite, there are motel rooms available-lots of them-and at reasonable rates, too.

            There will be much more information forthcoming both here and on the Web site about the rally and all the details that will come together to make this a rider's rally to remember. Yep, it may be winter time now but that just gives you time plan. So consider this your personal invitation to join us next summer to experience for yourself what we call "Mountain Magic ... Southern Style"! On behalf of your entire rally team, we look forward to seeing you and are convinced you will be glad you came.

See you there!

Vance Harrelson, 2009 Rally Chair,

Connie Reaves, 2009 Rally Co-Chair,