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Future Rally Plans

TomBarnhart

New member
Einstein's definition of stupid: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

The Rally Committee for the 2012 event should read all the criticisms of the 2011 Rally and glean out the most common complaints (excluding weather). The common threads are Closing Ceremonies, Bad (or non-appropriate) Entertainment, and most of all, the physical facilities. These should be addressed rather than be dismissed as "bitching". I see these same complaints year after year, and yet they are never addressed. Before anyone accepts the position of Rally Chair, they should be made to sign a pledge to correct these problems.
 
I agree with you about the closing ceremonies but the other issues are more difficult. The entertainment is a more personal thing. If I chose the entertainment, about 90% of the membership would hate my choices and I would hate most of what what most of the membership would choose.

Finding a facility with air conditioned facilities on a level field that can accomodate 10,000 people at the same time is difficult if not impossible. Even if you find a facility, what about the riding and other desirable things in the area. Good riding isn't in flat country. Hot summers is more an issue of elevation than whether it is in the North or South.

My favorite rally was the one in Johnson City a couple of years ago. If you have mountains to ride in, you will not find much level land or a great deal of air conditioned facilities. We slept at an angle but the nights were cool and we had great riding with good local food.
 
Fyi

One of the Rally organizers told us that they had a lot more air conditioned buildings lined up when they booked the fairground... and when they showed up at the beginning of the week to start setting up, the fairground was like "Oh, sorry, those buildings are closed." No idea why the fairground did that, and the organizers scrambled to relocate things and make the best of the situation, but at least some of the physical facility issues were out of the hands of the organizers.
 
Need to look at the Sierra's in Calif. Good summertime weather and plenty of great roads!!

There's just the matter of a few thousand miles of hot flat riding for much of the membership to get there. I have three friends who have gone to every rally for many years who have said they are not going to cross the Mississippi for future rallys.
 
An Anecdote

Many years ago, the MOA held their national rally in Flagstaff Arizona in July. Being a northern girl, I was disappointed that the BMW MOA Board would be so short-sighted, choosing a site that would require riding through the "desert" to get there. But I went anyway.

Imagine my delight and surprise to learn that Flagstaff is at such a high elevation that we were comfortable during the days, and cold during the evenings.

Ever since then, I have allowed my club to tell me where I will be going on vacation next year. I've seen some amazing parts of this country that I never would have considered riding through, if I weren't on my way to a location not-chosen by myself.

I haven't missed a rally in 24 years. Good Lord willing, I hope I don't miss any for a long time to come.

:dance
 
There's just the matter of a few thousand miles of hot flat riding for much of the membership to get there. I have three friends who have gone to every rally for many years who have said they are not going to cross the Mississippi for future rallys.

This is why MOA moves the rally around the nation.

This gives those of us who can't handle long rides a chance to make a National. I made the Vermont rally with my brother, me from Connecticut and my brother from Pennsylvania.

I live in Georgia now and accept the fact that I am not going to make the next National probably until it comes around to the south. But if it comes to the south, July isn't going to be good. I wouldn't even think about it.

I don't think everyone is going to try and make every rally every year. That's is a reality. And it is smart to move the rally around but maybe a little flexibility with the date or season. But as many have stated every rally has its chance of bad weather.
 
One of the Rally organizers told us that they had a lot more air conditioned buildings lined up when they booked the fairground... and when they showed up at the beginning of the week to start setting up, the fairground was like "Oh, sorry, those buildings are closed." No idea why the fairground did that, and the organizers scrambled to relocate things and make the best of the situation, but at least some of the physical facility issues were out of the hands of the organizers.


HMMM. not to doubt your words, but if this is true,
it blows my mind that someplace that is RENTING their [hopefully complete] facility to an organization would close off any portion of said facility to use by said renting organization. ESPECIALLY in light of the conditions we faced at this particular rally...
which was pretty accurately predicted by NOAA the week prior.
 
HMMM. not to doubt your words, but if this is true,
it blows my mind that someplace that is RENTING their [hopefully complete] facility to an organization would close off any portion of said facility to use by said renting organization. ESPECIALLY in light of the conditions we faced at this particular rally...
which was pretty accurately predicted by NOAA the week prior.

It is true.
 
I have been to 5 of the last 6 nationals. Only skipped Gillette because I was there the year before. The only place I liked was Burlington Vermont. If your going for the facility you will almost always be upset. Go for the people, riding, entertainment (which I enjoyed this year) and the adventure. We will never find a perfect place or time of year for a National. That's what the smaller rallies are for, I prefer them much more. Being from Pennsylvania I apologize for the horrible heat, we ordered better weather but it didn't happen, Sorry:(
 
I have been to 5 of the last 6 nationals. Only skipped Gillette because I was there the year before. The only place I liked was Burlington Vermont. If your going for the facility you will almost always be upset. Go for the people, riding, entertainment (which I enjoyed this year) and the adventure. We will never find a perfect place or time of year for a National. That's what the smaller rallies are for, I prefer them much more. Being from Pennsylvania I apologize for the horrible heat, we ordered better weather but it didn't happen, Sorry:(

right on. :thumb

the one small rally i went to (Finger Lakes) was fantastic. an event the size of the national isn't going to go just anywhere, so you takes what you gets. given the sheer size of this thing. it was amazingly seamless and well wrought. that doesn't happen by accident. and not one person gets paid to put it together. (as far as i know)
 
Einstein's definition of stupid: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

The Rally Committee for the 2012 event should read all the criticisms of the 2011 Rally and glean out the most common complaints (excluding weather). The common threads are Closing Ceremonies, Bad (or non-appropriate) Entertainment, and most of all, the physical facilities. These should be addressed rather than be dismissed as "bitching". I see these same complaints year after year, and yet they are never addressed. Before anyone accepts the position of Rally Chair, they should be made to sign a pledge to correct these problems.

easy to say, harder to do.

i challenge you to find a rally site that fits our needs *perfectly*.... or at least to the point that no one bitches about them and that we can afford them.

i challenge you to get the level of grand prizes we have and still keep the donors to a brief 30 seconds (this is actually possible, imo... what are YOUR ideas?)

and last, i challenge you to find appropriate entertainment that again *no one bitches about* and that also fits our budget.

you have your work cut out for you. when do you start volunteering? :ear

ian

ps => stop calling good volunteers stupid. it's f***ing rude, man.
 
For better or worse, I believe July is the best time for a National. July is a good month to get sufficient time off from work (yes, some of us still work) and the kids are out of school (yes, some of us still have school aged children).
Hold it in June or September and you might as well get a sponsorship from the AARP.
my 2?ó
 
I have attended four rallies, with the resulting weather:

Lima, OH - hot and one violent thunderstorm
Burlington, VT - cool, but one day of rain
Johnson City, TN - hot
Bloomsburg, PA - hot

In July, in most places in the US, it is going to be hot. It is mid summer and it is supposed to be hot. Tourists flock to the beaches here in NC in July and August and don't seem to complain about the heat. Most of them spend very little time in the water, preferring to bake themselves on the beach.

If the comments about the AARP are aimed at BMWMOA members who are older than 65, I think you are speaking to the wrong crowd.

I am 67 and I am not an AARP member and do not intend to become one. I am still gainfully employed. I don't drive a Buick, Mercury Marquis or a Lincoln Town Car(preferred AARP automobiles). I drive a twin turbo BMW 535 xit and I ride a BMW motorcycle.

Bill
 
internet

lets face it, this is all Al Gore's fault. before he invented the internet, we didn't have to see all the adults whine...

The Rally is great, if you dont want to go, stay home. If you can find a better location, get on that commitee please. I have never been to a rally with free water. NEVER.

I cant wait to get to MO. Should be fun! remember the less people that come, the more chance i have to win the bike.
 
Finding a facility with air conditioned facilities on a level field that can accommodate 10,000 people at the same time is difficult if not impossible. Even if you find a facility, what about the riding and other desirable things in the area. Good riding isn't in flat country. Hot summers is more an issue of elevation than whether it is in the North or South.

I'm a big proponent of the July date, however it is the MOA's responsibility to have the inside vending area's and seminar area's with proper A/C. There are large portable commercial units that can be rented. These are not cheap and if the rally fee has to go up a few bucks to cover the cost so be it. If people have a place to escape the heat for a few hours I think you would have far less complaints. I hope someone near next years rally site has the time to check out the fairgrounds and can observe how well their AC units work when it's hot out.
I also hope if there was a final payment due to the fairgrounds at Bloomsburg that it would be with held due to the lack of cooperation with the MOA. I arrived on Sunday and I saw first hand that there were promises made that were not going to be kept. The more experience volunteers picked up on this right away and did all they could to try solve these.
I have no idea how the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds handle 100k in attendance for 10 days during their fair. It really must be a nightmare behind the scenes!
 
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