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The Selection of Rally Sites.

grafikfeat

New member
I was wondering about this... All the discussions have been over 'venues' to host our rally.
Has it ever been considered to select a 'Town'?
Yes. A whole town.
We all know there are some really small towns in some really beautiful settings in this country.
With the economy what it is... Perhaps a town could/would in fact welcome us.

Input? Thoughts? ...Or am I... :brad
 
For the most part towns do participate now. Most of the past Nationals I've been to have been very close to towns such as this past year in Redmond and next year in Bloomsburg.
Now if your asking if a national could be held in the middle of a town I really don't see how that would be possible unless that town had a location that could house 6-10 K people in one centralized location.
Color in the Catskills is sort of in a town so to speak. It's a ski resort pretty much in the middle of Hunter NY. and it's possible that a place like this could host a national. I just think the choices would be very limited however I'm sure that some are considered.
The GWRRA holds there national in the middle of cities, but that's pretty much a hotel/motel group and to be perfectly honest with you I still don't understand why any group would want subject it's members to city traffic. It seems to work for them though.
 
Easy Rider route

Through my Hometown, Franklin, Louisiana.. ends way North by Simsport at the "cafe scene".....
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The Cafe building was there a few years back.. and a lot has changed.. and a lot is still the same...

Interesting trivia.. the whole movie they are going "away" from New Orleans and Mardi Gras... but you'd have to know the area to know that... The reason being, they usually did not ... ahem.... "recover" from the previous evening of partying/planning" so the Sun was in the wrong place...

Also, in front of the "Ben Franklin" store the American flag is being flown upside down.. yeah.. this was during Vietnam...

Ride Easy..
 
For the most part towns do participate now. Most of the past Nationals I've been to have been very close to towns such as this past year in Redmond and next year in Bloomsburg.
Now if your asking if a national could be held in the middle of a town I really don't see how that would be possible unless that town had a location that could house 6-10 K people in one centralized location.
Color in the Catskills is sort of in a town so to speak. It's a ski resort pretty much in the middle of Hunter NY. and it's possible that a place like this could host a national. I just think the choices would be very limited however I'm sure that some are considered.
The GWRRA holds there national in the middle of cities, but that's pretty much a hotel/motel group and to be perfectly honest with you I still don't understand why any group would want subject it's members to city traffic. It seems to work for them though.

FWIW, Hunter could not handle a National.

Not enough rooms. Enough beds perhaps but rooms, no.
Not enough level campging space.
Not enough indoor space (or outdoor space) for vendors.

It would be perfect for the RA though.
 
I was wondering about this... All the discussions have been over 'venues' to host our rally.
Has it ever been considered to select a 'Town'?
Yes. A whole town.
We all know there are some really small towns in some really beautiful settings in this country.
With the economy what it is... Perhaps a town could/would in fact welcome us.

Input? Thoughts? ...Or am I... :brad

Didn't the Harley guys try that at Hollister 50 years ago?:D
 
FWIW, Hunter could not handle a National.

Not enough rooms. Enough beds perhaps but rooms, no.
Not enough level campging space.
Not enough indoor space (or outdoor space) for vendors.

It would be perfect for the RA though.

Your right. That shows you just how tough it would be to have a rally of this size close to a town center. At least in a town the size you would want to ride to.
 
Both

Is it the town... Or the Rally?

:lurk

In the case of Bloomsburg, the Fairgrounds, the rally site is part of the town. Plus its quick to get out of town in 8 differant drections.

I would think its a wise move to include a town so they too can benefit economically.
 
My view is a rally is held in a locale - which is comprised of a city or town, some type of central facility, space to camp, exhibition and gathering space, lots of hotel rooms, and a surrounding area of suitable appeal to motorcycle riders. At the really good locations the local business community is involved and supportive, bringing in extra stuff to meet ralliers needs - coolers, camping chairs, food, etc. In most locations we are a curiosity publicized by the local paper and gawked at by the resident population. I have been at every rally except one since 1984 and never felt unwelcome at any place we had a rally.
 
Yes. So... Instead of going to a private venue, such as a fairground, convention center etc. Why not use a town as the "Center" of the rally?
I don't know about you but I've met the nicest people in the smallest towns.
Towns w/ 2000 and under... Usually have some sort of a visitors center.
If in fact the whole town was involved camping would be through out the town/hamlet. Schools would be out so perhaps they could be used for talks etc.


I would think its a wise move to include a town so they too can benefit economically.

My view is a rally is held in a locale - which is comprised of a city or town, some type of central facility, space to camp, exhibition and gathering space, lots of hotel rooms, and a surrounding area of suitable appeal to motorcycle riders. At the really good locations the local business community is involved and supportive, bringing in extra stuff to meet ralliers needs - coolers, camping chairs, food, etc. In most locations we are a curiosity publicized by the local paper and gawked at by the resident population. I have been at every rally except one since 1984 and never felt unwelcome at any place we had a rally.
 
How would you secure the camping area, so all of the campers would be able to leave their personal items in their tents?

How would you collect registration fees (which fund our events) if it is out in the open?

You have an intriguing idea. How would you realistically implement it, knowing that without collecting registrations, there would be no revenue?
 
Ever camp in a public camp ground? How were your items secured?

My idea was leaning towards a really 'small' town.

Fees would be the same. Pay and get banded.
No band... No seminar.
Music/Entertainment? Freebie for the town folks as part of the 'hosting'.

The concept is doable...
The question is where. :dunno
 
Just a passing thought, but some of the State Colleges rent out their dorms in the summer, I think. I remember the Retreads group that my parents belonged to back in the 80's used to attend a rally at Slippery Rock State College. Not sure how suitable such a location might be for a group our size, but it would provide a 'rally centre', climate controlled facilities, beds and lots of showers/bathrooms. Dunno if they'd also allow camping on the grounds...
 
Just a passing thought, but some of the State Colleges rent out their dorms in the summer, I think. I remember the Retreads group that my parents belonged to back in the 80's used to attend a rally at Slippery Rock State College. Not sure how suitable such a location might be for a group our size, but it would provide a 'rally centre', climate controlled facilities, beds and lots of showers/bathrooms. Dunno if they'd also allow camping on the grounds...

Probably most of the state or larger colleges have classes all year around but small ones like the one in Canton ,Missouri (Culver-Stockton) might be possible.
 
Yes. So... Instead of going to a private venue, such as a fairground, convention center etc. Why not use a town as the "Center" of the rally?
I don't know about you but I've met the nicest people in the smallest towns.
Towns w/ 2000 and under... Usually have some sort of a visitors center.
If in fact the whole town was involved camping would be through out the town/hamlet. Schools would be out so perhaps they could be used for talks etc.

I don't see how a town under 2000 would have the infrastructure that would support increasing their size 4 fold overnight. Pretty much impossible.
I think this idea of having a rally in a town square or something similar would be great for a local club or possibly a regional but for a national seems pretty unrealistic.
 
In the case of Bloomsburg, the Fairgrounds, the rally site is part of the town. Plus its quick to get out of town in 8 differant drections.

I would think its a wise move to include a town so they too can benefit economically.

Speaking of Bloomsburg when I visited last summer it did have a small town feel. It helps that there is a college campus at the opposite end of town than the fairground.

It has a much more of a small town feel (the area around the rally site) than any of the recent rallies I've attended.

Rhinebeck, NY also has a small town feel.

Essex Junction didn't even though it was in Vermont.

For me the small town feel comes from not having a wal-mart of other gaggle of big box stores next to the site.

I gotta say Bloomsburg is a great site for so many reasons, one of the best in years topped only by Vermont, but that's my New England bias on display.

I bet Bloomsburg will set the attendance record and thankfully the site can handle it.
 
Just a passing thought, but some of the State Colleges rent out their dorms in the summer, I think. I remember the Retreads group that my parents belonged to back in the 80's used to attend a rally at Slippery Rock State College. Not sure how suitable such a location might be for a group our size, but it would provide a 'rally centre', climate controlled facilities, beds and lots of showers/bathrooms. Dunno if they'd also allow camping on the grounds...
I had suggested the same thing several years ago, but no one responded. My bicycle club hosted the national bicycle rally at Michigan State University many years ago, using the dorms and food service. Riding was available in any direction. There were plenty of class rooms for seminars. Even though school may be in session, it's hardly the number of students you see during the regular school year. The rally was a huge success. Since that time the exhibition facilities at the University have grown tremendously.
 
Near New Orleans..

I was lead on starting the HOG rally for Louisiana. We started at Chicot (chee-ko) State Park up in Ville Platte!!!! It still is going on!!!

Hey guys and gals in Louisiana..Here's a freshly opened State Park..near New Orleans!
7777 Westbank Expressway, Westwego, LA 70094
504-736-7140 or 888-677-2296 toll free
For reservations, call 1-877-CAMP-N-LA (877-226-7652) toll free.
Email: bayousegnette@crt.state.la.us
 
didn't we do a town type rally, the split venue rally.
the one where the beer tent blew down??
 
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