MOA Rally: mid-summer or fall? Take a Poll

Let me throw out a question related to Rally timing. As far as I know, the Rally has always been held in mid-July. Why? I mean it's the hottest time of the year, which means Sweat City is almost garanteed unless its held in Alaska!
I rode out to the 2001 Rally in Redmond, Oregon from NY, taking a northern tier route - Ontario, UP, Wisc, Minnesota, N Dakota, Montana, Idaho. I still had temps over 100 F on much the ride. Hey, it was mid July, so no surprize.

Most Rally sites are "fair grounds"-type locations, which means lots of open space and damned little shade to pitch a tent in. So you can figure on your tent being out in the sun heating up thru 12 - 16 hours of daylight. Sure, you can stay in a nice motel with A/C but you're still going to be riding out inthe heat and the high humidity that often goes with it.

Also, a mid-July date pretty much insures that any place in the Deep South and Desert Southwest will never host an MOA Rally. So why not look into holding the Rally in say, late September or even into mid-October? A Fall rally in Tucson, Birmingham, El Paso or, yes, Fayetteville, might be a real treat. Cooler riding temperatures, beautiful fall colors, less "vacationers" driving Winnabagos and hauling trailers clogging up the highways.

I've heard that MOA always chose a mid-July date to boost attendance, and that many members prefer a "summer vacation". Really? Are there that many MOA members who are school teachers and have the whole summer off? Sure some are, but I bet most MOA members can put in for a week or two of vacation pretty much any time of the year. Anway, a Fall MOA Rally is something to seriously concider. I'd like to see MOA do a poll of the membership to see
how a Fall Rally would be recieved.

I think you make some very good points particularly regarding the heat of the summers and the increased number of states which would become available. Being from the Great White North I don't do heat and humidity particularly well. It'll be interesting!

Agreed. My wife and I also have very busy summer schedules as do many, so as a result we haven't been able to make the Rally to date. A fall Rally would be much easier to schedule, as well as more enjoyable weather-wise....

+1 on the Fall rally. Summers are my busiest time, too.

Tom

Summer works fine for me. We generally try to take some vacation in the summer and some in the late fall/winter. Granted, it can be hot, but even this year in Redmond the days were hot and the nights got quite chilly. Fall camping can be fun, but it can get cold! And I find late August/September busy - back to school stuff, settling in to new fall routines etc. Just my 2 cents...We'd probably go wherever, whenever!

Once school starts many of us that have kids to care for.
I think moving the rally to the fall would result in a retiree rally.
Hopefully that is not the direction of the club.

Retirees Rally--Just take a look around you at the rally, white or no hair is the predominant color. Plus we have the time and money to attend. Not worried about kids or soccer practice

This has come up several times over the years. The general concensus has always been the summer rally is the best time for the majority.

Personally, I like the summer format because I see friends that I know for a fact couldn't be available spring or fall.

We fear change.

The "Majority" does not go to the rally. If you moved the date you could move the location to an area the is ignored because of the summer heat.

You may be able to get some of the actual "Majority" that have not gone to a rally.

I really don't think it matters, people will go or not go, same as now. Like everything else, there will always be some who whine and complain - too hot, too far, too hilly, too flat, no shade, can't take the time off work, family commitments - whatever. If you really want to do something, you find a way to make it work, regardless of location or time of year. For example, would I be thrilled if the Rally was moved to Arizona in December? Probably not. It's likely I'd have to find a way to get my bike through the potentially snowy north to a point from which I could comfortably ride it. But if it was important to me to attend, I'd find a way to make it work. It all comes down to individual choices, IMHO.

You make good points, your argument makes sense and I agree. I sense though the argument will be met with, it's always been this way". I have heard it said that mid summer is best for the masses, it would be interesting for leadership to send out a poll to all members and see if mid summer is best for all.

Fall rally

I would perfer a Fall rally, when it is cooler. Getting out of Texas in July is a killer.

The heat is indeed sometimes a problem (sure wasn't at the Trenton, ON rally!) but the mid-summer date enables many to take advantage of the prime summer vacation months when taking a week off is usually much easier.

That said, I am heading to the Color in the Catskills event this fall (especially after riding through the Catskills on the way to Vermont recently, highlights were Rt. 30 and the many old-school diners in the area -- Downsville Diner warrants a return.) While the debate over timing of the National continues, the regional events are a great way to fill in the gaps.

I'd vote for early summer, after school lets out but before it gets really hot.

A mid-late June rally that just misses the majority of the school years would mean some cooler temps here and there as well.

I remember running back to my tent because I was shivering in Gillette, the night of the rain storm.. You know, the rally where people complained before it that it was too hot to have a rally there.
I remember heading to North Carolina for the National, and I had to put all my cold weather gear that I had brought as we rode across Indiana at about 7 pm.

By the weather, my preference would be for a September Rally, but that would also mean that I would never be able to attend.

So let's say the rally gets moved and it happens to fall on top of traditional dates for another rally. Just makes for another opportunity for folks to bitch.

Here's another vote for a spring or fall rally hopefully in the South Central states for a change. I didn't attend this year but agree it is tough riding out of Texas in July.

Like many I can schedule time off any time during the year. Having family out of state means I'll spend most vacation time there and may not be able to take 7 - 10 days to travel and attend an annual rally.

We'll never know what will happen if the tradition is never varied. Die hard rally goers will attend whenever and wherever.

Give a new part of the country and a new time a chance.

Joe

clowry said:

I really don't think it matters, people will go or not go, same as now. Like everything else, there will always be some who whine and complain - too hot, too far, too hilly, too flat, no shade, can't take the time off work, family commitments - whatever. If you really want to do something, you find a way to make it work, regardless of location or time of year. For example, would I be thrilled if the Rally was moved to Arizona in December? Probably not. It's likely I'd have to find a way to get my bike through the potentially snowy north to a point from which I could comfortably ride it. But if it was important to me to attend, I'd find a way to make it work. It all comes down to individual choices, IMHO.

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+1 The same goes for anything in life and with only 6100 to 9000 attending a National Rally and less than 1400 voting its hard to find the MOA pulse. Its almost time to call a Code Grey.

Fall (autumn) please!!!

Fall (Autumn) please!!