Ridin' "round" the Rally

OK, another experiment designed to test the sheer limits of inanity.

In the process of researching The Triple Nickel ride article, I came across an interesting site that listed all the covered bridges and round barns in Ohio.


Photo by Mike MacCarter

Seeing as the site's owner had done almost everything necessary to provide an interesting and bizarre theme for riding 'round the Rally (that being photos, GPS coordinates and descriptions on how to find these cool barns) I saw an opportunity to leverage some of the local knowlege here on the Forum to round out the work by providing some information about good roads to ride between the Rally site and the barns.

So, if you feel the need to take a ride outside the madness that is Lima, over the coming weeks you can check in to see the progress on whatever happens.

This information could become an article suitable for publishing in the BMW ON or on our Rally Website.

Or, it could become information that appears at the Hospitality and Tours booth at the Rally.

Or it could become an on-line ride guide like the one that Weeble did for the Charleston Rally.

Or all of these. Or none, if I don't get off my butt and start working on the barns near the rally site that I've found already.

So... Mike in Lima and others with local knowledge... got your ears on?

Ian

Greetings!! I'm a bit behind on a number of tasks I want to tackle here! Anyway, I'll try to help as I can. Some of these route things take a bit more time/travel/research/thought/internet time than I currently have.
I am also working behind the scenes quite a bit with Sue, helping to get the music stuff together. Live music is kinda my expertise (i.e. see one of my websites www.rallyinthesquare.com ) and Sue has committed to really have some great entertainment at the Rally. It'll be a highlight, believe me.
Anyway, I like the idea and I'll try to have some input as soon as I can check into it a bit more.

Several of those are nearby; I work about 3 blocks from the first one pictured.
The red one, of course, is dang near the nicest one of all, and has been profiled in print and on TV. It is only about a 20 minute ride from the Rally, on some nice roads. Hell, maybe more like 15 minutes for you guys!
Anyway, I know where it is, but it sits way back off the road, and I have no idea what the access is; whether the owner encourages/allows it or not. It is quite the specimen, isn't it?? I've seen quite a few of the ones pictured. There are a bunch to the south of the Rally site that you list, and then quite a few that are a several hour ride.
If I recall, the concept was to allow the farmer to work more efficiently in his daily tasks, primarily with regards to the animals.

Mike_In_Lima said:

Several of those are nearby; I work about 3 blocks from the first one pictured.
The red one, of course, is dang near the nicest one of all, and has been profiled in print and on TV. It is only about a 20 minute ride from the Rally, on some nice roads. Hell, maybe more like 15 minutes for you guys!
Anyway, I know where it is, but it sits way back off the road, and I have no idea what the access is; whether the owner encourages/allows it or not.

...ship

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Hey Mike... great to hear from you... and thanks for taking a moment to take a look.

The point you make about access is an important one... the website's owners mentioned that, too. I plan to attempt to contact those people to see what they think about beemer pilots dropping in to say hello.

Please don't feel like you need to go test everything out... I am keeping myself busy with the map software, and may ping you with some thoughts for roads to get your input. Sue has got a couple of other people local who are going to help a bit, too.

Glad to hear you're helping with music! Local knowledge is allways good when it comes to tunes. The background music on your site is cool... hope they'll be playing in Lima.

Stay warm... and good to hear from you.

Ian

I think it is fair to say that Sue and Brian (her husband, the entertainment chair) are looking to have every night rockin' with one sort of band or another!

BTW, that isn't a band on my website; those are MIDI clips from the Yamaha Clavinova keyboard site!! (except for the page with the Sun Messengers)

Barns-a-plenty... and Covered Bridges

The ice-storm in Atlanta yesterday kept me inside and busy findin' all the round barns in Ohio... and a note from Old Salt tells me that he's got all the locations of covered bridges throughout the state.

Over the next couple months, we'll be working to lay out some day rides from the rally that include these points of interest... I wonder how many of each a sane human bean could find as they ride to, around and from the rally.

Ian

Mike & Visian - Just dropped in on your thread & I gotta say that I LOVE this idea. I've ridden through the NW corner of Ohio several times, all on backroads, and my memory is that it is well suited for tilling with a nice big horizon. This would add interest to riding in the "Land of Lima Beings".

I could even see it as a scavanger hunt event - most barns photographed on saturday - that sort of thing.

I will collect any round barn info I run across for possible inclusion in your effort.

Steve

BTW - You may have already done this, but I just googled 'round barns'. Lots of sites detailing architecture & history.

Any details on the Amish settlements in the area? Not the tourist traps, but real ones. We have several around here, and would like to see the difference. Small furniture shops, general stores, BAKERIES, and the like. If it has a huge sign claiming to have Amish made items I would most likely pass on it.
Mark

steve-o said:

I could even see it as a scavanger hunt event - most barns photographed on saturday - that sort of thing.

... snip

BTW - You may have already done this, but I just googled 'round barns'. Lots of sites detailing architecture & history.

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Hey Steve... we're thinking along the same lines. If this Rally were held in the Alps, you'd be baggin' passes on the way.

Since this is Ohio, how 'bout baggin' barns and bridges?

Stay tuned to see what develops.

Ian

Mark11LT said:

Any details on the Amish settlements in the area?

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Hey Mark... interesting question. I was watching this DVD called The Ohio Ride Guide and they made mention of the Amish in the area. They said watch out for the road apples! Guess those are the same everywhere. So give them wide berth!

I've been researching Amish construction techniques because my wife and I are building a timberframe home, and this is one of their specialties.

The Amish areas are mostly in eastern Ohio, I believe... I've seen them out and about every time I go to Mid-Ohio. But that's about all I know about them.

Ian

Interested in the Amish

Mark, if you are interested in the Amish, Ohio has the largest settlement in the US. They are located in the eastern portion of Ohio. Once you arrive at the rally stop by the Hospitality and Information Booth and we will show you where they are located and what is available.

One of the posts indicated they had seen them when attending Mid Ohio. Lexington Ohio, where Mid Ohio is located is just west of where the Amish areas begin.

Have a great ride in and if you need a reccomended stop on the way in or if you are one of the lucky ones that will be attanding Vintage Days the weekend before at Mid Ohio and need a nice ride for 2 or 3 days before arriving at Beemerville we can help you with that as well.

Looking Forward to seeing you at Beemerville

Fred Turner
Co Chairman
Hospitality and Information
2005 rally

All,
No matter where you go, there you are! We'll be riding around all the way to Lima and back...mostly 2-lanes...and mostly off the beaten path. Can hardly wait for Beemerville USA because then it's on to new places. Just like every rally/ride, every time...on to this one ...then on to the next one! See you all there, then see you all down the road. Visian, looking forward to seeing at Georgia Mtn.!

Riding Like the Wind (where ever the mighty K12RS takes us)...

CHASMAN
Black K12RS

F Turner said:

Mark, if you are interested in the Amish, Ohio has the largest settlement in the US. They are located in the eastern portion of Ohio. Once you arrive at the rally stop by the Hospitality and Information Booth and we will show you where they are located and what is available.

One of the posts indicated they had seen them when attending Mid Ohio. Lexington Ohio, where Mid Ohio is located is just west of where the Amish areas begin.

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Actually, Fred, there is a sizable Amish population in the Kenton, Ohio area (30 minutes due east of the Rally site on Rt. 309) Their farms and buggies are quite evident in the that area.

Mike_In_Lima said:

Actually, Fred, there is a sizable Amish population in the Kenton, Ohio area (30 minutes due east of the Rally site on Rt. 309) Their farms and buggies are quite evident in the that area.

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I think now that Harley is over 100 years old the Amish can ride them,
but not the injected ones or the belt drive.

widebmw said:

I think now that Harley is over 100 years old the Amish can ride them,
but not the injected ones or the belt drive.

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Thanks for the visual.

Do they have to ride with those day-glo triangles on the back of their Hogs?

Do all Hog riders have to have those day-glo triangles??? EMWTK!

Ian

Amish

You know how to tell if your Amish teenager is going bad?

1. He starts wearing his broad-brimmed hat on backwards.

2. You find a pair of colored socks in his sock drawer.

LR

Amish

Martinsburg and Millersburg is the heart of the Amish area. Also SR 541 is a great road going through Martinsburg. I ride that area all of the time and there are bunches of great roads(and road apples).

Watch out for the buggies, becuase you come up on them pretty quick. There are quite a few accidents with people rear ending buggies, especially as they come over a small hill.

Biff

Biff's R said:

Martinsburg and Millersburg is the heart of the Amish area. Also SR 541 is a great road going through Martinsburg. I ride that area all of the time and there are bunches of great roads(and road apples).

Watch out for the buggies, becuase you come up on them pretty quick. There are quite a few accidents with people rear ending buggies, especially as they come over a small hill.

Biff

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Watch out for the road apples. Not only are they slick when fresh it really sucks having to clean the bike afterwards. I know from experience.

What are Amish under 16 known as?
Amlettes.

Did you know if you hit the triangle on the back of the buggy with a softball, it dunks whoever is riding in it.
Youwill see mostly strips of white reflective material on the backs of them here where I live. Guess they got tired of the dunkings.

OK, you guys gotta clean it up and look respectable. An article for the BMW ON was just submitted and "normal" members may be stopping by here in a couple months to download the waypoint and route files that are in development.

We gotta at least look a little normal, OK?

Ian