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The Rally Sucked

Not that complaining will do any good but....


I have the same complaints as some of the other posters concerning the shi**ers and the traffic flow but afyet riding across the country, I arrived the day before the rally opened, only to find that two local clubs had cordoned off the only shaded/level camping space and were saving all of it for their fellow club members!

OTOH, they did offer to sell me a membership for $40 cash that would allow me to camp with them but it was an offer that was easy to decline.

The clubs involved was the Blackhawk Region Christian Riders Assc. I will admit that some of the members were nice guys once I got to know them but after riding 3000+ moles to attend the event, having to deal with these guys cordoning off 30 tent spaces for themselves felt pretty shitty and unchristian to me!

All-in-all, the RA rally was a much better, friendlier, more cohesive and better planned event.

Sorry BMWMOA.... It's the truth!

Not at this rally but at Gillette, I was starting to set up my tent near the Airheads HQ, when a middle aged woman told me that various "spaces" near her tent were "reserved" Well I don't go where I'm not wanted so I had her tell me where she thought it would be OK for me to camp. I selected a spot far away enough to satisfy her and set up my tent. I figured that I didn't know how tightly wrapped she was & took the coward's way out. Since she seemed to be living at a juvenile elementary school mentality I thought this best. She never did have anyone show up to claim the spots in question. And there was little shortage of places to camp.

I wonder that in a tighter camp area it might be good to have some marked off lanes so those that come later don't tent lock others machines
 
thanks, mike.

that #1 pin was an idea that originated in the ambassador group a couple rallies ago. the goal was to make new people feel welcome.

we have to get better at making everyone aware of what that pin means. perhaps a short article in the magazine next year.

perhaps a prize of some sort for welcoming the "special" #1....

ian

I was the originator of the #1 pin and the whole purpose of this was to recognize the fact that riders that had NEVER attended an International Rally before would be recognized by this pin. During my time as Ambassador Liaison I had the MOA office provide me with about 100 T shirts to hand out to those people wearing the #1 pins at the rally. I even had volunteers from the volunteer booth go and hand the T shirts out to people and those that received them were very happy.
At one rally 3 years ago, I sat outside the beer tent and handed out beer tokens as an appreciation of the fact that there were so many new people attending the rally.
I had no idea when we started this as to how many new people come to the event, the first year I handed out 1000 pins, and the second year I handed out a similar amount if not more.
At the Vermont International Rally I could not believe the number of young riders in attendance and I thanked them for coming to the rally for these are the members of the future.
The Kiltmeister
Just a plain "Old" Ambassador now
 
Tenting Organization 101

At future rallies the tenting areas need to have lanes marked for easy in-out access. Also, making an area "reserved" by any club should be totally out of the question. No club has the right to "reserve" any amount of space for their members. Maybe this is one of the reasons that many at the rally felt like outsiders. These club members see each other all year - how about meeting some new people for a change - get over the anality that this type of acitivity reeks of. Also special camping sites for those who run the rally is another problem - they need to camp with everyone else. The only "special" sites should be reserved to those with medical problems. :stick
 
Also special camping sites for those who run the rally is another problem - they need to camp with everyone else. The only "special" sites should be reserved to those with medical problems.

Most of us DID camp with everyone else. I was on top of the hill with several other committee chairs. By the way ... I chaired seminars - this year we had 96. I was up at 5:30 am to be sure the coffee was started for those early-morning sessions in the Ruritan building. I was also working with the Board of Directors serving beer on Friday night until 12:30 AM. I tell you this just so you have idea of the number of hours that MANY of the committee chairs put in as volunteers.

As far as I am concerned, committee chairs who chose to use the barn ... that's okay too. If you had to work 20-hours a day as a volunteer, or work security from 10 PM until 6 AM, you would also appreciate those precious few hours of sleep in a space that is shaded & quieter than the general rally camping area.

Just sayin.......
 
I arrived the day before the rally opened, only to find that two local clubs had cordoned off the only shaded/level camping space and were saving all of it for their fellow club members!

Staking off or otherwise reserving space in a campground meant for everyone should really not be permitted, it is like someone standing at the front of a line then letting all their friends in at the last minute. It ends up causing a lot of hard feelings and breeds that pervasive "you're not welcome here" attitude that many cite as the single reason they don't come to these rallies.

I would hope that a statement noting it is not permitted would be stated somewhere in the rally literature, and security briefed so that it could be stopped before it becomes a problem.

The idea of lanes is a great one, I think a volunteer or two with a few cases of that biodegradable chalk paint spray cans could plan it out in advance and get it done on Tuesday (and knowing rallies we'd probably need a "Please Don't Camp or Park in Lanes" signs as well :D). I will not be able to make Oregon, but I would be happy to take this on for 2011.

As for a special spot for the rally chairs to camp, I say that should be the very minimum. These folks come to work, not play - they spend countless (and too often thankless) hours leading up to the rally planning, then spend much to most of the rally working. All for free, all that work purely volunteered and at no cost to the Organization whatsoever. Not only should they be given a specific spot to sleep (with the added bonus they they, unfortunately for them, are always easy to find), they should have their meals covered as well.
 
Most of us DID camp with everyone else. I was on top of the hill with several other committee chairs. By the way ... I chaired seminars - this year we had 96. I was up at 5:30 am to be sure the coffee was started for those early-morning sessions in the Ruritan building. I was also working with the Board of Directors serving beer on Friday night until 12:30 AM. I tell you this just so you have idea of the number of hours that MANY of the committee chairs put in as volunteers.

As far as I am concerned, committee chairs who chose to use the barn ... that's okay too. If you had to work 20-hours a day as a volunteer, or work security from 10 PM until 6 AM, you would also appreciate those precious few hours of sleep in a space that is shaded & quieter than the general rally camping area.

Just sayin.......

Hi, Sue,
Your work and dedication are both appreciated. And your hugs... . I agree, those who are working long hours and those who need to be contacted at all hours (security, rally chairs, committee chairs, etc.) DO need a place they may be able to sleep or relax where there is less chance they will be bothered by the general hubbub of the rally. However, in the GENERAL CAMPING area, there should be NO "reserving" of space. Anyone who tries to do so should be (politely) reminded that campsites are FIRST COME - FIRST SERVED and if he (she) persists in attempting to reserve spots, he (she) should be asked to leave.
 
At future rallies the tenting areas need to have lanes marked for easy in-out access. Also, making an area "reserved" by any club should be totally out of the question. No club has the right to "reserve" any amount of space for their members. Maybe this is one of the reasons that many at the rally felt like outsiders. These club members see each other all year - how about meeting some new people for a change - get over the anality that this type of acitivity reeks of. Also special camping sites for those who run the rally is another problem - they need to camp with everyone else. The only "special" sites should be reserved to those with medical problems. :stick

Having special camping for members who work their butts off to bring the rest of us a great Rally is not unreasonable. they work very hard and deserve any little extra we can afford them. If you would like a special camping spot, I suggest you step to the plate and join the leaders. followers that complain really Irk me....
 
followers that complain really Irk me....

Hi, Kgadley01,
Fiordmann, being a member of this forum, is an MOA member. He has a right to express his opinions, same as you or me. I don't agree with them 100%, but that's fine. And, in my mind, some of his criticism (not "complaining") is valid. Others may not think my criticism is valid, either. So what? I'm going to keep doing it if I see a problem and can offer a solution.

I DID volunteer at the rally. Maybe Fiordmann did, too. What irks me is someone who wants to stifle criticism. Without criticism, problems will not be solved. Pointing out the problems (criticism, in other words) may help solve them.
 
Also special camping sites for those who run the rally is another problem
- they need to camp with everyone else.

613327854_aLxHk-L.jpg


Being a Beer Garden Chair,

I got special waterfront property

after all,

keeping an keen eye on your bartenders can be very strenuous work:brow



613305610_KhTAx-L.jpg
 
Being a Beer Garden Chair,

I got special waterfront property

after all,

keeping an keen eye on your bartenders can be very strenuous work:brow
It's that guy with the <s>coon</s> Coyote tail on his hat isn't it? He looked like trouble right away when I saw that picture.
:ha
 
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The Rally did not suck. Except for the part where I fell in the big mud puddle
(insert gs arena) after the beer tent closed Friday nite. That sucked. But, that was my fault. The next morning it was just another funny sidebar in the story. All of the complaints that have been stated I viewed at the time as 1. It's not that big a deal 2. **** happens (always carry TP dummy). The Rally chair put in alot of time and effort to make my stay a good one, and I appreciate that. NOTHING IS PERFECT.
If it was, there would be no stories to tell, life would not be any fun and we would all of us be very boring.
 
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