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Observation of a First Timer

Rundel

New member
Sedalia was my first international rally. I've been to Potosi (FAlling Leaf) once and the Missouri State Rally several years and even been the rally chair in the past, so it wasn't my first rally, just my first international. Here are my observations:

Sedalia was my first rally because its the first time its been close enough for me to get to easily. I'm self employed, if I'm not working, I'm not making money. Vacations costs me double - what I pay and what I'm not making. The idea of a rotational selection means there's hope sometime in the future it will be close enough to minimize my time out of office.

Sedalia was hot. Yeah, so is the whole country. As a native Missourian I can say we lucked out. Normally our humidity is much higher. We had shade and we had a breeze and if that wasn't enough, we had air conditioning. I notice that most negative posts are from people complaining about heat and refusing to show up. I understand summer vacations, my wife was a school librarian so until she retired and our children were grown all our vacations, short as they may have been, were done in the summer. If we want families and younger attendees, that's the option.

Attendance was down. I've noticed a decrease in attendance in our Missouri State Rally almost every year. This seems to be a trend everywhere. It may be heat, it may be fuel costs, it may be the age of membership, it may be the economy. Let me know what the MOA controls and maybe it can be fixed.

Am I glad I went, yes. Fun to look at vendor stuff. Beer Tent, Music. I didn't win anything but it was fun hoping. But what makes it worth it are the people, beer flowed yet no fights. Stuff was everywhere but no rumors of theft. Just good people having a good time. Old bikes are appreciated as much as new bikes are admired. Old friends are seen and new friend are made.

Mark
 
Thanks Mark;

My 30th of these. I am glad you made this one, as I too enjoyed the Sedalia area and the fairgrounds rocked. A very nice facility, imo. My appreciation is always the people I meet and all the bikes to see and google over. Vendors too in mass. With so much time in for me now, attending these(and volunteering), I only get more jazzed preparing for next year. It is very addicting. I met a very nice couple from SW Mo., I could easily call lifelong friends into my future. Mark and Vicki of Greenfield,Mo..Its this kind of experience that makes the day(s) so valuable. Heat? Who cares:), I really enjoyed the times had there. Randy
 
It was my first rally too. I have spent my life in this area, let me tell you that it can be more miserable at 90 with 90% humidity than it was this year. I will also say if there was another international rally held there next year, during another heat wave I would be there. In a tent. And I would have fun. Again Only 3 things I would do different.

1. Never eat an ice cream cone on your way to the beer tent. Not a good reaction.

2. Never use the porta johns for #2, lets just say it can splash. The most disgusting experience I have ever had. Thank you for the close proximity of the shower trailers.

3. I can't remember the third one, I know I had one, I must have had too much fun.

I hope they use Sedalia again. Next time we just need to name it the hotter than hell national, or something along that theme.

I woke up Friday morning, and went by one disgusted man packing up and bitchin about the heat. He missed Friday, that was the cool day. His loss.

Rod
 
It was my first rally too.

I hope they use Sedalia again. Next time we just need to name it the hotter than hell national, or something along that theme.

I woke up Friday morning, and went by one disgusted man packing up and bitchin about the heat. He missed Friday, that was the cool day. His loss.

Rod

Yes, it was his loss and everyone else's who stayed away due to the heat. AC was plentiful in the buildings and there was a nice breeze.

I think Bloomsburg takes the title tho.
 
It was my first national rally also. I will say it was HOT but the fellowship with other riders and the rally site and those who worked hard to make this rally happen made up for the heat. I really enjoyed myself and will definetly attend other rallies. I camped in the heat but just stayed up late talking to other campers until it cooled down. :clap
 
rally

I agree with Polarbear , the point :doh to a rally either state or national is to ENJOY YOURSELF. Amen.
 
I understand the fact of different needs for different folks, the only real disconnect is somebody having unusual needs and expecting the MOA to handle that, and/or showing scorn those who don't. We are all different, if if the heat was too much and you want to leave, best wishes. have a safe ride home. We all can't be measured on the same scale we use for ourselves, just as we all do not ride the same bikes.

The only National I was ever unprepared for was the first one. I learned what they had and I know what I need, I bring it. Now, we have the forum which helps even more, and the internet. There is no excuse to show up there and say you were not prepared for it with such info at your fingertips and you have access.
I stayed home from Bloomsburg last year because of the heat and went this year in spite of it.:ha

I can't help but see the humor in "only" 5000+ attending, when my hometown had a population of 6000 people when I was young, lasted more than a week, over a much larger area.:ha Every year, things seem to go smoother at these as long as I have been attending, with better amenities, in spite of larger crowds. I am also certain these rallies are not for everybody, but you need to attend one to find out, and more than one would be a more realistic sampling. Every one has been different for me.

Oh yeah, this years was different, but I still had a good time. :clap
 
Re: Mark

Nice post Mark.....it was warm....but that'summer...get over it.....as we say on the Gulf Coast......at least it's a wet heat!!!:D
 
Fist time

I loved it, but yes it was hot, but that's what is expected in July. Texas is just as bad, but the added humidity was not much help. The vendors were great, my discussions were fun and I learned a few thing about some new products. I did lose a hat with my fits pin, but that my dam fault. The beer was great, the food was good, the AC inside buildings was a plus. I didn't stay in a tent, but I was glad to see many did... but I loved the hotels near by. The presentations were out standing, I just had problems finding things, I was hoping to take a driving/training class but I could not find any info as to were to registered, maybe next time. My first time experiences was a 9.5 out of 10. Looking forward to the next one...:wave
 
Ya'll campers!

I just did 18 nights straight in my tent:). The rally was super fine and my tip to those who try to camp? One or two nights is, or can be no measure of camping well. YOU may, as I do, find it much easier as you become aclimated to the climates and staying out in it longer makes you better at it. I slept really fine, most every night and it got very good after a few days out from home:). Thats my record at 18, before was 15(1989Escanaba) and this years dryness about everywhere I went helped. LOL at your porta potty stop, ya must pic the lesser used ones:). Me too on the Ice Cream. Rocky Road was nice, BUT I "wore" a lot of it before it got in me:(. NEVER camp too near the potty's, as the doors are revolving(slamming) all night! An OLDER generation, I suppose. Randy:thumb
 
Me too on the Ice Cream. Rocky Road was nice, BUT I "wore" a lot of it before it got in me:(. NEVER camp too near the potty's, as the doors are revolving(slamming) all night! An OLDER generation, I suppose. Randy:thumb

I got the "upside down" ice cream cone, and it melted in the dish..:brad
 
pic the lesser used ones:). Me too on the Ice Cream. Rocky Road was nice, BUT I "wore" a lot of it before it got in me

In that heat it took my wife about 10 seconds to figure out a cone was not the way to go. After that, we both asked for cups and they always gave us a large cup with three times the amount of ice cream for the same price of a cone.
This put a smile on my wife's face each day :)
 
A GREAT Time!!!

As a first timer, I want to say that I had a GREAT time. I really appreciate the hard work that went into everything. And the locals in Sedalia were charming and bubbling over with hospitality.

I personally wish that I had more time available to do better planning for the Rally. I was not very organized, and had the pressures of my job not been so great, I would not have been so rushed just to make it there. As a result, there were a lot of things I would have done that would have maximized the experience.

But even given that, there was so much to do. Even with good planning you cannot come close to doing half of what there is to do. I had so much fun. And everyone really experiences the Brotherhood of Motorcycling and being on a BMW.

I can't wait for the next one.
 
It was my first time too.. I quciky made some friends in the camping area with some rally veterians and they made a good rally a great rally... !!!

The fair grounds were awesom.. did not have to wait in line to shower and the showers were hot everytime.. Might need some new shower curtians.. Ill put it on my list of thing to bring next time..

Vendors were good... foood good...beer good... entertainment good... locals good... friends made....................priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:groovy
 
It's sort of like my dysfunctional family reunion, I gotta go.
Hot?
Yes.
But man that venue was sweet, wasn't it?
Missed Gillette . . . . and Bloomsburg.
*looking down*
I'm sorry.
 
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