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Embarrassing closing ceremony

dorongrudo

Capt. Grudo
I waited two days but cannot wait much longer. Here goes the closing ceremony was sad and, for me, embarrassing. I am a member for over 20 years and always thought that I am a member of a class act. After all, we ride that bike and not that bike. There is a bit of snobbery (justified in my opinion, till last rally) in belonging to this group. Then came the closing ceremony

The flame throwing cars were a combination of a NASCAR event / Monster car bash / and that brand rally. Very bad and very sad. But it gets worse. When the crowd boooed their displeasure and physical discomfort, we were told that we already paid for it  and it continued. Our leaders forgot that they are chosen and have to do as we desire. But enough was written on that aspect. The worse part of the closing ceremony were us. Yes, us, the elite.

Each tiny pause in the mc narrative was greeted with enthusiastic applause. I estimate that the crowd was applauding every 20-30 seconds. But it still gets worse. The lowest point was when the females amongst us (and some, well men) were screaming. Now, mind you, it was not shouting. It was not applauding. It was a screechy scream worthy of hysterical dim witted teenager at a rock concert, and it went on and on and on and on till I had to leave and find some quiet and intelligent company with my r1200gs.

Reading most of the other postings, I realize that I am in a tiny minority ÔÇô so be it. Most posts are like listening to callers to a talk show. Most call to express their admiration for the host and to declare to all the listening world how much they agree with him and how great he is, but what is the point? WasnÔÇÖt there enough self congratulating in this rally itself?.

Dear vendors, I love you, I really do. I just bought two helmets and a windshield from Revzilla and a big tank bag from Twisted Throttle. Had a great service at BobÔÇÖs when I visited the East coast etc. I also appreciate your gifts to us, but gifts should be just that, ÔÇ£giftsÔÇØ. You remind me of the obnoxious uncle that gave you a picture for your wedding ÔÇô provided you hang it in the living room. If you think that giving a free product to a lucky winner gives you any right whatsoever, especially the right to hold us as captive audience in the most uncomfortable conditions ÔÇô you are right. You are right but only with a subdued and docile audience like our membership. People that will be blasted by 60 feet flames on a 100 degrees days and stay to get more. Most other groups that I am familiar with would have left you alone with your flames.

OK. I feel better now.

BTW. When I asked some of my dear BMW riding friends that were with me in the rally for their opinion, the answer, in different forms, was What? You stayed for the closing ceremony?

Capt. Doron Grudo
Master Mariner (Ret)
Tulsa, OK
 
My own 2 cents worth

I too was embarrassed by the booing. I thought that as a group, we had more class than that. Not to say that i disliked the heat from the flame car's any less. And i agree that after the first pass, they should have just stopped and taken their bow and gone away.

As far as the vendors go... maybe i'm just used to one dealer owner in particular who is known for being long-winded. The other's didn't bother me at all.

Frankly i didn't think that it was necessary to introduce every single person who did something for the rally. Why couldn't they have just add a thank you in the rally program, like a Broadway show does? That alone would have decreased the time that we sat in the 100 degree heat by 1/2 an hour.
 
Beer garden

Hi Scott:
WOW ! From what I have been reading, I think that I was lucky to be running the BG !
See you @ Heath
Jim
 
Not the first time

I know of one donor who no longer gives a prize (it was substantial) because of booing at previous closing ceremonies.
 
Whaaaattt ????

I know of one donor who no longer gives a prize (it was substantial) because of booing at previous closing ceremonies.

Donor not giving a prize? and, OMG, it was a substantial one? What are we? a bunch of beggers? Is it a motorcycle riding meeting or a charity affair? Let me put it in simple terms. We all lack in Honor and Pride (except in commercials). Tell this donor (who, by the way, is a vendor and a for-profit shop) that he can stuff his substantial prize. Trust me that if his sales were suffering he would give two prizes and ask for booing. He is a bussinesman for crying out loud.

Oh, would someone write a nice post praising me, my riding abilities and my clever postings. I will pay $50 to the best post. No, I am not kidding !!! Sound insulting? What would you do for a freebie at the rally? sit in the sun for three hours?

Captain Doron Grudo
Master Mariner (Ret)
Tulsa OK
 
Donor not giving a prize? and, OMG, it was a substantial one? What are we? a bunch of beggers? Is it a motorcycle riding meeting or a charity affair? Let me put it in simple terms. We all lack in Honor and Pride (except in commercials). Tell this donor (who, by the way, is a vendor and a for-profit shop) that he can stuff his substantial prize. Trust me that if his sales were suffering he would give two prizes and ask for booing. He is a bussinesman for crying out loud.

Oh, would someone write a nice post praising me, my riding abilities and my clever postings. I will pay $50 to the best post. No, I am not kidding !!! Sound insulting? What would you do for a freebie at the rally? sit in the sun for three hours?

Captain Doron Grudo
Master Mariner (Ret)
Tulsa OK

Interesting question. Would I sit in the sun for three hours just for the possibility of winning a prize? My wife and I answered it with a resounding No. We went back to the dorm and stayed it out in the AC.
 
Be prepared

I have been to these affairs before.

I was in the Boy Scouts. Be Prepared was our motto.

I took a cooler with plenty of beer and water and an MP3 player.

Of course nothing could protect me from the NASCAR/Harley based demo of flaming retards.
 
Oh, would someone write a nice post praising me, my riding abilities and my clever postings. I will pay $50 to the best post. No, I am not kidding !!! Sound insulting? What would you do for a freebie at the rally? sit in the sun for three hours?


What an incredible post, class act, hit the nail on the head. Obviously written by a person of exquisite sophistication and wit. It only follows that he must be a skilled and talented rider, showing such depth and knowledge of the subject. Posts by dorongruder are the sole reason I renew my MOA subscription.

(and thanks for the shock a couple years ago!) :laugh
 
What an incredible post, class act, hit the nail on the head. Obviously written by a person of exquisite sophistication and wit. It only follows that he must be a skilled and talented rider, showing such depth and knowledge of the subject. Posts by dorongruder are the sole reason I renew my MOA subscription.

(and thanks for the shock a couple years ago!) :laugh
================

So nice hearing from you after such a long time. I am happy that you got good use of the shock. We riders should help each other. Now, as you are the best (and only) candidate, please send me your address and I will mail you the $50.
 
I too was embarrassed. The obnoxious booing was a totally classless act.

I am in totally agreement. What make's the above comment so disheartening is Paul was on the stage area, where he could hear the booing. I was hoping with the wind blowing towards the stands, the stage participants might not hear the disgruntled crowd's displeasure.

Yes it was hot (especially with the cars) and yes with the heat, the closing ceremonies were long. But it must have been very disappointing for people who had worked hard, for possibly two years to bring us this rally, to be treated so shabbily. They deserved better. Without an army of chairpersons and volunteers, our MOA Rallies will never happen. Tolerance, not crowd mentality was needed on the part of the grandstand attendees.
 
My two cents- this was my first rally. I really did appreciate the efforts of the people who put this big event together.

However, I arrived 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony. I was in the first row of seats off the track baking in the sun. We all know how hot it was. The flame cars were a neat idea but given the conditions should have been cancelled. We did not boo the first time they went past. It was on the third or fourth pass that they got booed. After four days in the heat, this was PAINFUL!

Secondly, those who organized the closing ceremonies should have realized that 6 pm was a bad time to hold the ceremonies. The entire grandstand was roasting in the sun. Those on the stage, while hot due to the heat, were not the ones being roasted. Sorry. but the ceremony should have been pushed back one hour. By 7-715pm, the grandstand was in the shade and the conditions tolerable.

Third, I don't mind the acknowledging the efforts of those who make this organization as great is it is. However, given the conditions, many of the speakers should have been cut short. The GS Giant, a great event for the GS riders, was given WAYYYYYYY to much time in relationship to those in attendance. If, for example 600 people participated in someway, that left approx, 6000 people bored out of their minds. The video screens, the points totals, etc were fine but I really didn't need to hear how much roast beef or beer was consumed at a BBQ in April.

Fourth, people who do not like to speak in public should not be forced to do so. One gentleman, who is doing great things for the club, speaks in such a monotone he put many of us to sleep.

As for the Vendors, I think they should have been given their due. They gave the club great prizes. I think they deserved the 3-4 minute commercial to promote their companies. I had no problems with them.

My two cents...
 
If, for example 600 people participated in someway, that left approx, 6000 people bored out of their minds. The video screens, the points totals, etc were fine but I really didn't need to hear how much roast beef or beer was consumed at a BBQ in April.

i guess listening comprehension is hard.

Riders from around the country met up in western PA on Sunday prior to the rally. the bbq was on tuesday night before the rally, the end of the GS Gypsy Tour. the people who did this *loved* the event and had a *great* time.

does it not make *any* sense to you these people would like to share their experience with the rest of the family?

i feel that we should all try to be a little more open to others in our family. if only in the interested of delivering a membership experience that doesn't suck.

my two cents.

ian
 
let your fellow members bore you even MORE!

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ArEaAy2QBXY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
This was my first Rally and I enjoyed all the events and vendors and food. I did not camp but stayed at the University Dorms which was a blessing. On the last day we arrived about 8am then left about 2pm to go shower (again) and get some early dinner to come back for the closing ceremony.

Luckily for us we arrived after 6:30pm or so and missed the flaming cars. I saw photos on the forum and I agree that that was more like something at a Harley rally. The reason we enjoyed the Rally so much is because it was unlike any other motorcycle event we have ever attended. Folks were polite and friendly despite the extreme temps and as two women attending we never felt uncomfortable or threatened in any way.

It's hard to please everybody, but nobody held a gun to your head to make you stay and sit in the bleachers for two hours. Use common sense and get out of the kitchen if you can't stand the heat. We arrived late and it was uncomfortable but we decided to stay because it was our first Rally. The many volunteers scrambled to get water to people throughout the weekend and did the best they could considering the conditions. I thank them for their efforts!

Thanks to all my fellow members who made us feel welcomed and safe!:thumb
 
I was pre-registered, but stayed home because my wife developed a back problem and needed me here.
But having endured two days of insane heat at Lima in 2005, I am grateful that I was spared a 2,000-mile round trip and three days of rallying in brutal heat.
I've been going to BMW MOA rallies since 1986 and have come to dread the closing ceremonies because of the cutesy antics of some of the narcissistic MOA rally organizers who don't have the good sense to know that less is more when it comes to things like this. The closing ceremonies at Midland, Trenton, and Charleston stand out in my memory in this regard.
It sounds to me like the rally organizers decided their show had to go on as planned, regardless of how much the crowd was suffering from heat.
Sadly, we may be in for the same weather next year in Missouri. Let's hope the MOA folks learned something from this year's experience.
 
Here was what I was angry about the GS Giant.

1. I was angry I didn't own a GS, because frankly that whole thing looked like some of the most fun you can have on a motorcycle.
2. I was disappointed there wasn't someone on the sport-touring side willing to think something like this whole thing up for RT riders -- bust their knuckles for months (for free) putting the vision (visian?) down on paper, recruite other selfless folks to come on board and help, and then put all the pieces together successfully to make it all happen.
3. I was a bit peeved that the winner hopped on the bike and ripped up the track a bit to show off the prize. I would much have preferred another 20 minutes of speechifying.
Just awful I tell you.

In all seriousness, no matter what I had a far better time than had I been sitting in my nice, air conditioned office and for that I thanks ALL the folks who worked so hard to make this all happen.
 
Not offended but still coughing

I am surprised that after 20 years of experience you still choose to attend the painstaking ceremony. I, with only 7 years experience, choose to forgo the excruciating pain and had a glass of wine and a scrumptious dinner.
Having had many years of hosting radio, writing and TV announcing, I offered my services three times to help resuscitate the laborious program they call "the closing ceremonies", the only response I heard was "we're fine".

Here's a suggestion: after all the cigar and cigarette smoke I inhaled during this last rally, I think it appropriate to have oxygen next to the H2O stations for the next rally. The stench of a Macanudo under the food tent or the permeating odor of a sweat drenched cigarette, while listening to a performer, won't be high on my request sheet for future rallies.
I do agree, the attention to details and the consideration of the attendees needs revamping.
 
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