By Randy "Polar Bear" Owens, GS Events Chair

Welcome to Redmond, GS riders! The Rally this year is in a wonderful part of North America that lends itself to our style of off-road adventure. Of course, this is a return for the BMW MOA to a familiar Rally site, but I could not think of a better one to repeat.

            It's been nine years and Oregon has gotten better with age. I am your Volunteer Chairman for the GS Events and want to welcome all of you, to what will no doubt become one of our best Rallies. We've certainly had many, many great ones and Redmond will make the list indeed.

            I just want to welcome all my BMW family and especially the GS riders to my homeland out West and insure you all that I will do my best to bring some spirit and fun to this National Rally, for all GS Riders and spectators to enjoy.

            This will be our third year having GS Events. We started in Gillette, Wyoming, and it grew in Tennessee. I would love to see it even grow more in Redmond. BMW Motorrad has gone to great measures to promote the GS line and even has schools now, for those with the grit to get there and participate around the country. It's been a wonderful life for me and dirt riding, and I am very pleased to volunteer for this event at Redmond. It will be a blast as always, so please come along and ride with me on some trails, with the GS and even some friendly competition at the Rally site itself. I will set an off-road trials course for just this purpose, within very close proximity of the Rally grounds, so stay tuned. My R1200GS Adventure and I are always ready to get dirty.