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Attendance?

Blue Ridge

THAT'S what I've been saying!
Makes perfect sense since I believe the MOA has to be sensitive to the July temperatures since prior to this one the past couple of rallies were uncomfortable. I'd think twice before considering anything south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Unless it is on the Blue Ridge. I have left my home near Wilmington, NC in 100 degree heat and had to put on a jacket when I hit the Blue ridge Parkway.

The problem is all the riders who refuse to attend if they have no real bed to sleep in.
 
The problem is all the riders who refuse to attend if they have no real bed to sleep in.

Why is that a problem? That has never kept me from going. I was always able to get a hotel room, even if it was further away. In West Bend, we were 60 miles from the rally site. Made for some good riding.
 
All together, now!
2013 - Salem, OR - 5100
2012 - Sedalia, MO - 5295
2011 - Bloomsburg, PA - 7330
2010 - Redmond, OR - 6109
2009 - Johnson City, TN - 8972
2008 - Gillette, WY - 5103
2007 - West Bend, WI - 7684
2006 - Essex Junction, VT - 9200+
2005 - Lima, OH - 8300
2004 - Spokane, WA - 6187
2003 - Charleston, WV - 7198
2002 - Trenton, Ontario, Canada - 5682
2001 - Redmond, OR - 6677
2000 - Midland, MI - 6188
1999 - Rhinebeck, NY - 6440
1998 - Missoula, MT - 6050
1997 - Fredericksburg, TX - 3826
1996 - Morganton, NC - 5904
1995 - Durango, CO - 6137
1994 - Moodus, CT - 5627

If attendance is the yardstick for a successful Rally, we would have every Rally in Vermont and never have one in Texas. But somehow I don't think that is the correct measure or even the point of the Rallies.


Fun and variety are higher priority than attendance numbers.



:dance:dance:dance
 
I am not a rally rat but I must admit I am jealous.

For all the moaning and groaning about location, time of year and every minute detail making up a rally, swings in composition and numbers of MOA membership; the consistent attendance - event staying power - and overall satisfaction is amazing to me. If I had accomplished the same in my businesses over the past twenty years I would be retired and riding none stop instead of going to work tomorrow morning.
 
Hotel Rooms at Rallies

Why is that a problem? That has never kept me from going. I was always able to get a hotel room, even if it was further away. In West Bend, we were 60 miles from the rally site. Made for some good riding.

+1

I am one of those "problem riders" who can't camp and I have never thought it was an inconvenience to stay some distance from the rally site. At Sedalia, my riding buddies and I stayed at a cabin on Truman Lake about 50 miles south of the fairgrounds. At other rallies, I have been some distance away, but always enjoyed the ride to/from the rally.

Bill
 
I couldn't agree more with the hot flat nothing.

And those of us that live here are happy you feel that way, as we'd just as soon you didn't move here.

IIRC eastern OR is pretty hot and flat, too. And who wants some teenager required to pump gas for you?

I'm not going to MN either.
 
Riding in the west is different. Wide open spaces. Long distances between towns. Gas early and often. The lack of a feeling of the security of a convenience store every few miles. This actually scares some riders used to riding in more confined and congested areas.

But the west has prairies, woodlands, forests, and mountains. And of course the Pacific coast. Temperatures on a given day can range from triple digits to the 30s at various places, and can easily swing by 40 degrees at a single location.

The long vistas, higher speed roadways, and variable topograpy can be appealing to many riders. But it certainly can put other riders way outside of their comfort zone. Speaking purely of the weather it is no different than other places. Florida has more tornadoes than Kansas, it gets hot in Alabama too, it gets cold in Vermont too, it rains in New Jersey too, and no western Interstate outside of southern California comes close to rivaling the Pennsylvania Turnpike or I-95 for inflicting pure misery on a motorcyclist.

Some folks like riding long distances. Some don't. Some riders have enough vacation or free time to ride long distances. Some don't. At the same time some riders hate to ride amongst congestion and heavy traffic. Some don't. Eastern riders used to their environment hate the west. Western riders used to the wide open spaces hate the east. This has been true since the first western rally in California and the first eastern rally in South Carolina. It is also why there have been more midwest rallies than either truly eastern or western.
 
THAT'S what I've been saying!
Makes perfect sense since I believe the MOA has to be sensitive to the July temperatures since prior to this one the past couple of rallies were uncomfortable. I'd think twice before considering anything south of the Mason-Dixon line.

We really enjoyed Vermont however there were too many people...........How about another Canadian Rally?...............Regards, Rod.
 
And those of us that live here are happy you feel that way, as we'd just as soon you didn't move here.

Now, since when is Albuquerque part of the "hot, flat nothing":confused: I love that area! From there to Santa F? or even down to Las Cruzes or Roswell are some great riding roads.
 
We really enjoyed Vermont however there were too many people...........How about another Canadian Rally?...............Regards, Rod.

I believe I saw an explanation that it is too much of a hassel for the vendors with the border crossing issues. They won't show. I don't think we'll see another Canadian location for the rally.
 
I believe I saw an explanation that it is too much of a hassel for the vendors with the border crossing issues. They won't show. I don't think we'll see another Canadian location for the rally.

Not only for vendors. Crossing the border even into Canada and back is not like it used to be. You will be surprised how many people in the U.S. still DO NOT have a passport.
 
I believe it would be an error to out-of-hand declare Canada ineligible to host a rally. We call ourselves an international rally and say the club is American in the continental sense of the word. I've crossed the border easily 20 times in the past 15 months with no problems. Don't think it is too much to expect of pepole to get a passport to attend a rally; we expect every Canadian to do so as well as all the other international attendees. Folks with DUIs or other criminal entanglements in their past should start early to get the necessary waivers.
 
Don't think it is too much to expect of pepole to get a passport to attend a rally; we expect every Canadian to do so as well as all the other international attendees. .

You Americans expect everybody else in the world to get a passport and pass a personal screening test before they can get into the U.S., but you think you should have easy access to anywhere you go. And if you don't, you complain!
 
You Americans expect everybody else in the world to get a passport and pass a personal screening test before they can get into the U.S., but you think you should have easy access to anywhere you go. And if you don't, you complain!

You have misunderstood my post.
 
Regarding border crossing between Canada and US, I had no issues at all. On the way back into the states, the border officer wanted to see my stickers from Deadhorse. Since they were packed away in the panniers, we decided other people in the line behind me would get mad if we stopped the process just so he could check out some stickers. We laughed and i was on my way.

As far as riding across the states to get to a rally, I rode up to Alaska and then down to the Rally. Then came back across the high plains once again. Very windy. And like Paul said, gas and convenient stores can be far apart. But the scenery can be enjoyable if you have an open mind. I actually get tired of riding in mountains with all the switchbacks and such. Sometimes, it is good to just go straight. And even if I just rode from home, Salem was only around 2,000 miles away. Just a few day's ride. Isn't that the idea of having a motorcycle? To ride? And those long straight stretches give you time to think to yourself. For long periods of time. Without worrying about what might be coming around the next turn that you cannot see.

This is a big country, but it ain't that big. There is no Rally location i cannot get to in at most 3 days. But then again, I live in the middle of the country. You know, the boring part.
 
Before we start to bash Americans for what "they" expect, remember that most people do not have a passport and the minimum cost is now $135. Not an insignificant amount to most.

People whine about spending $1.50 for a bottle of water at the rally. Are they going to gladly spend the $135 and add it to the rally cost?

Someone from the MOA in the past posted about the vendor difficulties being a major factor against a rally north of the border. Something about not being certified to sell in Canada? I can't recall exactly. And the border crossings being more difficult nowadays was also mentioned. Perhaps you all can direct questions to them.

I've crossed the border from US to Canada several times in the 80 s and 90's ( supposedly the good old days ) and every time I was interrogated like I was a criminal and was delayed for a half hour. I was a police officer and had no criminal record or DUIs! In fairness, I should mention its not just a one-way northbound hassle. A Canadian friend went thru hell when he was moving to the US and bringing all his belongings and wedding gifts across in a trailer. Lots of expensive brand new items of course, and the US Customs wanted proof that they were truly his wedding gifts and not purchases made while in Canada. How do you prove that? After he was made to pull over and unload the entire trailer in an inspection area, a supervisor came by and examined his paperwork. He recognized the town in NJ where he lived and said he was in the Army years ago with a buddy from that town. My Canadian friend did know the same person and the supervisor laughed and said to tell him hello and let my friend go on his way!
 
Sorry, if I did.
But I still think it is difficult to convince many U.S. Americans that they need a passport to tavel to Canada. That's what my post was supposed to elude to.

A passport is not necessary to enter Canada from the US, proof of citizenship or immigration status such as a birth certificate or resident alien card is sufficient.

The Catch-22 is that a passport or approved alternative such as a NEXUS card or enhanced driver's licence is required to return to the US. Without documentation that will permit return to the US, Canada is forced to deny entry to those who could be stuck not being able to get back to the US.
 
Someone from the MOA in the past posted about the vendor difficulties being a major factor against a rally north of the border. Something about not being certified to sell in Canada? I can't recall exactly. And the border crossings being more difficult nowadays was also mentioned. Perhaps you all can direct questions to them.

I think the issue was mostly about the ability to guarantee his product to be delivered across the border. If it doesn't make it, he's let his customers down and blaming it on the border security won't fly. Often time, a vendor doesn't have the luxury of sending the product out ahead of time as he might be working other rallies before. I'm not in a service business, but it sounded like he had very real concerns for his reputation and being able to deliver what he promises. Easier to do that in the US, for sure.
 
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