• Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

    We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides. Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?

    Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

  • NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

SALEM, Sweet :)

Polarbear

Polarbear
A Capitol City too, as Oregon's Capitol City. Oregon's largest(Beautiful Rose City) Portland, less than an hour. Columbia River Gorge is same hour awayand the waterfalls are amazing along there(Oregon Side). The Pacific Coast is to die for, with arguably the best the West Coast has to offer and an hour away:). The US Coast Guard does its best and trains its hero's in the surf near the Columbia River/Pacific Ocean meeting place. The Light Tower in Arcadia is SOOOO cool a place to visit and climb to the top for an amazing view of the Columbia River....The Cascade Mountains are rider heaven to the Canadian Border, beginning in Oregon. The Famned Mt.St.Helens, a two hour ride is so well worth the trip to see. Man, all this is so very closeby the rally grounds this coming year. Too many more to list. Been riding the NW for decades on my Beemers and I don't live there, but am West Coast based a tad South. Even though a recent rally in Redmond took place, Oregon has to be one of the MOAs best ever states for a rally and the Salem area has a much different aura about its locale vs. Redmond. Both are bound to be on the best ever rally lists. See ya'll there. BRING your appetite for GREAT NW SEAFOOD too, yum:) Love my Halibut and Chips. Many more choices. Randy:usa:thumb
 
A Capitol City too, as Oregon's Capitol City. Oregon's largest(Beautiful Rose City) Portland, less than an hour. Columbia River Gorge is same hour awayand the waterfalls are amazing along there(Oregon Side). The Pacific Coast is to die for, with arguably the best the West Coast has to offer and an hour away:). The US Coast Guard does its best and trains its hero's in the surf near the Columbia River/Pacific Ocean meeting place. The Light Tower in Arcadia is SOOOO cool a place to visit and climb to the top for an amazing view of the Columbia River....The Cascade Mountains are rider heaven to the Canadian Border, beginning in Oregon. The Famned Mt.St.Helens, a two hour ride is so well worth the trip to see. Man, all this is so very closeby the rally grounds this coming year. Too many more to list. Been riding the NW for decades on my Beemers and I don't live there, but am West Coast based a tad South. Even though a recent rally in Redmond took place, Oregon has to be one of the MOAs best ever states for a rally and the Salem area has a much different aura about its locale vs. Redmond. Both are bound to be on the best ever rally lists. See ya'll there. BRING your appetite for GREAT NW SEAFOOD too, yum:) Love my Halibut and Chips. Many more choices. Randy:usa:thumb

I believe he meant to type Astoria, not Arcadia. And so correct - MANY various types of rides available out of Salem.
 
Everything Polarbear wrote I agree with totally. Oregon is a very beautiful place with great riding. Also, if you get the chance, go and see the sweet little town of Astoria (remember the movie "Kindergarten Cop"?)... beautiful place!
 
I am in full agreement. I have camped and fished Oregon almost every year for the past 30 years. It is a beautiful State. Try to put Silver Falls State Park on your to do list. I camped there about 2 months ago and enjoyed hiking to the 10 falls in the Douglas Fir rain forest. It is about a 1 1/2 hour ride from Salem. I made my trip via Truck Camper, but a motorcycle is well suited for the mountain drive.
I made my hotel reservation last week for the rally. Many firsts for me on this trip.
1st rally. 1st ride out of State, and the longest distance I have traveled by motorcycle. Looking forward to it all.
 
This rally will be Barley's Opus, the last major journey before he goes into semi-retirement. We have 23 days to make it from Vermont to Oregon and back. The challenge will be avoiding distractions along the way (Amish country of PA and OH, the Badlands and Black Hills of SD, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons of WY, the Sawtooth Range of ID, the redwoods of Northern Cal and Crater Lake coming up from the south) so we arrive with enough time to explore the region.

It's good to hear that St Helens and Rainier are within a day's ride from the rally site; that gives us the option of not having to swing that far north on our journey home. :thumb

4-1.jpg
 
My career in road and bridge construction has been increasingly busy the last few years as we shed staff and not hire anyone. It is reaching a crescendo...I haven't had much chance to do road trips on the bike these past 2 years.

I will retire before next construction season, and a trip out to Salem is feasible. Hopefully the stars will align and I can get out there. I have an aunt in Astoria and a brother in Kent, Washington, so I'd have some people to visit besides the BMW folks at the rally.

I've got some bucket list rides between home and Salem, another reason to go.

Harry
 
In agreement...

Oregon will once again be very popular. I still dont know how folks do much riding
(exploring the region/long day rides) during the rally? When I'm riding thousands
to the left coast for the rally site, I like resting up & rallying! I do enjoy extensive
touring into & away from the event, where I have time to explore the region before
arriving Tuesday & as I depart Sunday; sometimes not many miles on those days.
But to go see Mt St Helens & especially Mt Rainier out & back from Salem, not me.
Now, is there halibut & chip over at Pacific City or Oceanside? I'm in!

Travel'in John... Into from the south, out via the north with some coast on each!
.........:dance
 
I'd never make it to the rally, would be hopelessly detoured & diverted in the mountains on the way there.
 
flyhi2cfar:

I lived in Burlington, Kentucky many years ago. I was an engineer on that road job that built the divided highway from Florence to Burlington. That was something like 35 years ago...

Harry
 
Well...

Harry; I dont know if you were recognized for your outstanding work on one of the
few straight stretch's in the whole dam state, but I've had enough performance awards
on that road to have paid your salary 35 yr ago! Tom; focus on the goal... Salem!
And leave home just after 4th July! .:laugh
 
Tom; focus on the goal... Salem!
And leave home just after 4th July! .:laugh

I'm afraid my only rally goal next year is in Nova Scotia, John. Hope to see you (AND Dara) again then. If I do have the fortune to head west this summer, it will be to visit my sister, nephews, and their offspring in Boise. I expect to spend a couple of weeks in the Black Hills and Yellowstone.

And Utah -- my first cross-country trip was 1970. The interstate system was FAR from complete in the west and those old pre-I roads made a lifelong impression on me. I MUST go back before I die. Two Lane Blacktop - To Live For.
 
I was born and raised there and you are all correct, it is a beautiful place with everything from beach to mountains to the high desert. You can see it all in just a day if you ride hard. The whole state is great save all the ill informed, pot smoking, zealot types in some parts of the state.

I am here in Colorado thinking hard about using some of this vacation and taking the bike up there. My dad lives up there just outside of Salem in Aumsville (10 min ride) so I could stay up there, ride and see the family too.

If anyone is potentially interested in an adventurous ride out to the rally let me know. I am beginning to think it would be an epic road trip and something to remember for many years to come.
 
Astoria and MT.Rainier.

Messed up, sorry Astoria folks:(. I started out with Arcadia, brain fa**. Mentioned too by a few is Mt.Rainier and it just got a HUGE snowfall of 10 feet, one storm a week ago. Such an incredible sight to see this mountain up close, so add it to your bucket list someday:). Maybe this trip. Its about a three hour ride from rally in Salem. I will bring treats for the dog:). Nice boy, looks happy, bet he is. Thats on my bucket list, sidecar'in someday and maybe a dog too. Already have the dog, just need the bike setup. Aussie Heeler, loves to go everywhere, no matter how he gets there. Don't forget the seafood is quite remarkably GREAT out here too and you'll not be disappointed with NW Seafood:). Its VERY green and lush in western Oregon, so be WET prepared and bring your best camping/riding gear along. Temps can range a LOT too, from warm to cold, riding coast to mountains and so on. July tends to be dryer most of the time:). The LARGE ELK population of the region too makes great photo's and you'll see'em between the mid state and coast, feeding in pastures all about. Quite a sight. Tillimook,ORE has some world class cheese and a factory to tour and taste. Ore. has its wine(s) too:)....Some of my favorite Oregon stuff to see in the past and future. The"Goose"(Museum) also lives nearby, by Howard Hughes. Like I said, too much fun. Randy:thumb:usa
 
Thanks Bob! I ordered a hard copy for the trip/bike. Anyone looking at
a few of the photos of the coast highway or the Columbia River / Dalles
(maybe the BEST approach to the coast) will want to be there for this rally.

Travel'in John....
04R1150R
 
Try both the oregon and the washington side of The River {columbia}rides you will not be disappointed. I know at out my back door.:clap:)
 
I just moved to Oregon a few months ago! I will put the Salem Rally on my calendar!:D

You are surrounded by the best riding in the state.
Powers to Agness, Galice to Gold Beach, Galice to Wolf Creek, Obrian to Happy Camp are all fantastic rides, and those are just some of the rides west of I-5.
See you in July
 
Back
Top