• 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.

Who will be the GS Giant?

Visian

look out!!!
In 2012, the GS Giant will be MO Bigga! so stay tuned!

Winner-XL.jpg

This year's Giant, Josh Farnsworth.

Follow the GS Giant on Facebook.

See the Giants in action on YouTube.

Check back here soon to get in on the action in 2012.

Did you hear about the GS Giant Fall (down) get together in October?

In 2012, you can choose to do any or all these events... the schedule will come when it comes. :)

  • Adventure Detours - as you ride to the event
  • GS Gypsy Tour - and be livin' large ahead of the event
  • Day Rides, both hard and easy, led and self-guided, during the event
  • Track Competition - easy, medium and hard course options
  • Open Track riding - try not to go too nuts, ok?


These events are open to all riders, on all marques. You don't need to be a member of the BMW MOA, but you do need to register for our rally.

All events are free, except the Gypsy Tour, which provides 3 nights camping, 3 dinners, three breakfasts, free beer and world-class riding.

GSGiantlogoFINALWithText-L.png


“What is a GS Giant” you ask?
A good navigator that rides off the beaten path to the event. Good storytelling, photo and/or video skills are also part of the picture. Ahead of the event, the GS Giant can take a dual-sport gypsy tour through the surrounding wilds. And at the event, on the track, the GS Giant will totally be taking everyone’s lunch money.

GS Giant participants will have the opportunity to score points as they ride to and around the rally, as well as compete on the GS Trials Track at the rally. The more you participate in the various events, the better your chance to win the 2011 GS Giant title. And in addition to the recognition of your adoring fans, if you win you score an amazing Grand Prize. Even if you don't win, if you enter you'll be eligible for a some great door prizes and other swag. :deal

Subscribe to this thread to stay tuned for updates.
 
Last edited:
We need volunteers!

Might as well get our hat in hand early, it will take quite a few folks to pull this event off.

Please look at the listing below and let us know how you would like to help out.

  • GPS route planning experts - someone to help us provide "adventure detours" like those seen in this thread

  • Score keeping spreadsheet experts - work with us to tally everyone's score, we need an Excel guru + a backup

  • Data wrangler - someone to work alongside the scorekeepers to offload, organize and upload pics and videos.

  • GS Gypsy Tour fixers (PA or WV areas) - people with local knowledge and maybe a car to haul some food and beer.

  • Day ride leaders (PA area) - we're thinking of having some people lead rides, although the bulk of our rides are self-guided.

  • Track construction, maintenance and dismantle - we'll need 3-4 people here for 3 days ahead of the rally to help build the track (don't worry, there will be some earthmoving equipment involved!)

  • Track gate control - for Friday and Saturday

  • Track open session monitors - help pick up riders who get too adventurous

  • Judges and bike picker-uppers - for the GS Trials

  • Subject matter experts to give seminars - let us know what you're interested in doing.

  • Training assistants - this is still in development under the Rider Performance University program, but let us know if you're interested in helping out.

  • Photographer(s) - we need people who can shoot pictures and post on-line. We need people who have nice cameras that and that know how to work all the buttons. Photoshop skills very helpful.

  • Videographer/editor(s) - we plan to put together an event video and need footage and possibly editorial talent to help us get it all together.

Thanks very much for offering to help.

Ian
 
Last edited:
ALL Smiles here:)

Glad to see its(GS Stuff) getting off the ground again, for PA this time around. Hi Visian and Statdog. Picture above seems familiar! I am way out West of course and have yet to put any plans together for another Eastern Adventure for myself? I've been out there a lot the last few years and of course all my family is there too, so I'm a likely tag along to the East again. I'll stay in touch and of course will volunteer for anything GS related. I'm not sure I slept or ate much in Redmond so I'm looking forward to a lesser role, famous words spoken are not often heeded to. When it comes to GS, I'm IN, regardless of the previous sentence:). See ya around Visian, Randy"Polarbear"Owens:thumb
 
hey randy... don't worry, your name is permanently welded to the volunteer list. :nod

we'll find something for you that doesn't conflict with you in the GS Trials.

and we've got some great pre-rally stuff happening that you're gonna love.
 
So happy, The "Polarbear":)

Yeah! This will be four years running for GS Activities now and I'm always IN for great adventure, "off the beaten path". I am glad it seems to have stuck, the GS Idea, trials and all else at the National Rally. Couldn't help but do so, as folks love it. Pennsylvania should indeed be a great venue for some great exploring and GS Play at the rally itself. Looking forward to it. That pic above is me about to bash my skidplate OFF the GSA, as I recall. All was well, minus one skidplate in the mudhole:). THX for sharing it, I laughed a lot that day.... Randy"Polarbear":thumb
 
That pic above is me about to bash my skidplate OFF the GSA, as I recall. All was well, minus one skidplate in the mudhole:). THX for sharing it, I laughed a lot that day.... Randy"Polarbear":thumb

oh, i can publish the pic of you trying to extract your bike from the mud if you want. :evil

1148516736_5jc46-XL.jpg


your skid plate looks like it is still in place at this point.... :ha
 
I guess we all have stopped like this for a "skid plate inspection" a time or two...i know I have on a fairly regular basis! whew....
 
In the motocross world, this is called "showing the drain plug".... but it is usually performed in the air.....

805330513_P6dAh-XL.jpg
 
Yeah that is how the "pofessionals" do it. However, I seem to be more accomplished at the "Polarbear" method (as shown above).....
 
Hey Ian, Glad to see your putting together another GS event at this year's rally. From what I read so far it sounds like I'll have to do some thinking along with the riding, Hmmmm. Put me down for participating as well as non-conflicting volunteering as I don't plan on vending this year.

Dan "In training"
 
In. Totally in.

I'd love to help in a big way but I just don't know what my plans will be.

The only thing that is cast in stone is my son Corbett will be participating in Camp Gears with his new to him F650 Dakar. I hope there will be a chance for him to participate in some of the GS activities, at 18 he can show us a thing or two already.

I may or not be riding the Advhack, the R80 or the Adventure. The one thing I do know is I'll be on a GS.

As I'll be there early for CG I'll hunt you down as I'm figure you'll be able to use some labor early.

Thanks for putting on a show, sorry I couldn't find a great GS route from Boston to Bloomsburg for ya.
 
"Polarbear"out of his enviro;

I do much Better in snow and ice:). BUT, notice how gracefully I stepped off, NO MUD on my riding gear! The plate is actually hanging by a rubber thread in this pic and when I stepped the bike back onto its feet, the plate hung very loose and fell off from this fall. Its designed to do just this of course, as the rubber mounts are sheared if hit hard. IAN, yes you have my blessings and these also show the "red cross" on my waterproof trunk, partially submerged in muddy water here. No first aide requiured this day:). I'm considered rally fodder, my pics of course for anything rally ad wise. I'm in, always. THX for the memories in Redmond. Always a laugh. Randy
 
The only thing that is cast in stone is my son Corbett will be participating in Camp Gears with his new to him F650 Dakar. I hope there will be a chance for him to participate in some of the GS activities, at 18 he can show us a thing or two already.

hey rob - for sure there will be things for Corbett to do.

Two of the best things I can think of are a visit to the Dirt Farm and some track time on Saturday.

Is he strong? Part of the Camp Gears experience could be helping to build the track. Wednesday he might want to sneak away to the Dirt Farm.

He probably won't be able to make the Gypsy Tour, but maybe you can. It's shaping up nicely, but it's too early for details. Let's just say there will be a lot of options. :evil

Glad you'll be in the house.

Ian

oh, and what is it with these 18 year-olds and showing us a thing or two? I bet that my friend's son Will Bulmer will be at the rally, too. We'll have to get them hooked up.

1072818327_qAvLg-XL.jpg
 
I'm really looking forward to this and so is the hubby. Although I have no plans to compete, I do hope to spend time improving my GS skills this year. I just had some surgery last week and although I'm feeling better each day, it will be at least another month or so before I can roll the bike out of the garage. I think this is the longest stretch of garage time I've had. (haven't been on the road since November 13th and it's killing me.)

Here's hoping for a quick recovery and good weather!
 
NOW Tracy!

Great to know you're into the adventure style and learning dirt riding. This is "great", BUT. You can participate and women do this too at the rallies. My Daughter(27),Jessica rode her F650 in Tennessee at the rally, for the GS Trials and maybe Ian can chime in with her pics doing this and I hope he still has them on file. Anyhow, come along and sign up:). There is always a lot of support for ya'll first timers and others too, so don't hesitate, jump right in. We all still fall in dirt riding, but smile doing it and learn a lot from the experience...Just remember, never get frustarted and push on, smil'in all the way:)... Randy"Polarbear":thumb:usa
 
Hey Randy,

I'll try my best. But I've also volunteered to be an official score keeper so that would be a conflict of interest. I'm just looking to gain confidence and experience when not performing official duties.

i took Jim Hyde's course last fall at Mines and Meadows. While I wouldn't classify myself as a star pupil, I feel that I learned a lot and I'm much more confident than I was. I'm looking forward to more practice this coming year.
 
After the competition, we'll have open track for folks to play around on *assuming* that we get some volunteers to babysit.

The track will be designed so that there will be challenges for n00bs, heavier and lighter bikes.

Ian
 
Back
Top