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Rally was great!

1. Great Gyros. Had 3.
2. Actually salivated over a vintage bike. The 1923 R32. Impecable!
3. Riding/spending time with local club friends
4. volunteering with my local club prez 50/50
5. being in the company of fellow nerdy intellectually stimulating riders
6. farkle vendors
7. BMW bikes EVERYWHERE!!!
8. Saw an old friend - been a few years!
9. Riding to Ricketts Glen and hiking to waterfalls. Finally got some heat relief!
 
Most of the time I ride by myself, I ride off the beaten path lot having the GS Giant brings these people together to share the dirt with. Most of the giant's that I met at the rally share a common intrest and that's in this video i'v put to getter of my GS Giant Ride. http://web.me.com/riverriders/1dzmotard/GS_Giant/Entries/2011/7/27.html

Outstanding video! Everyone should make time to watch!

I had to laugh tho...Who else but a Giant can crash like Rony did and spend a week reliving and relishing every detail! I particularly like Joe's expertise fixing the side case! Seriously, I'm glad no one was hurt during our week of adventure and we have stories to last at least until next time!
 
GS Giant and GS Gypsy Tour were the best parts

Everyone has already piped up about what an awesome experience the GS Giant and GS Gypsy Tour were and I echo all of their positive comments.

The rally itself was a highlight at the end of the week also but the GS events leading up to it were a great adventure. Hopefully Revzilla and TwistedThrottle and maybe other sponsors will participate in the coming years and the group and it's profile will rise. This was truly a huge part of my adventure away from work and there were so many great moments it's hard to pick a favourite.

The rally would have been a nice vacation event. The GS Giant and Gypsy added a much higher level of adventure that made the whole week a great experience.

Great rides, great people, food, beer and prizes. I'm hoping this gathers steam over the coming years.
 
Outstanding video! Everyone should make time to watch!

I had to laugh tho...Who else but a Giant can crash like Rony did and spend a week reliving and relishing every detail! I particularly like Joe's expertise fixing the side case! Seriously, I'm glad no one was hurt during our week of adventure and we have stories to last at least until next time!

Now my time to chime in - first of all, this was my first BMW MOA international rally attendance and having an opportunity like the GS Gypsy tour and GS Giant competition was the ABSOLUTE ICING on the cake - the whole experience made this one of my best vacations ever - and I can tell you I have extensively traveled already. I wish and hope the GS program will be repeated and becomes a fixed part of future MOA rallies.
Clayton's video is fun to watch - although I don't deserve so much footage. Well maybe it is punishment and a reminder for violation of GS Giant rule #2: Always ride within your limits ;-). Then again #1 states: The primary idea is to have fun - AND IT WAS!!! Me being able to participate and learn so much within one week of trying the G part of GS (Gelaende, off-road)...
Thank you to all who helped me along the way, to all the chairs, volunteers, vendors, sponsors who made such an outstanding event possible. Rony
 
GS Giant

I LOVED the 2011 gs Giant! The camping on the outskirt of a nat'l forest provided wonderful shaded gravel roads, streams for trout fishing and awesome swimming holes. The Full Pint micro brew beer out of Pittsburg was the best! The opportunity for instruction was greatly appreciated- a super huge THANKS to Joe and Randy, and the Raw Hyde and BMW teams! The various means of accruing points- Adv Detours, Stop Ins, etc. allowed those interested in competing to pick which best suited their needs and kept the competition interesting. The hero and weinny routes on the gs track offered a chance to test skills and provided entertainment for rally attendees. With 74 participants at this year's outstanding event, I can only imagine the number of participants will grow if the gs Giant is repeated next year.

A GIANT THANKS goes out to all who contributed to this year's awesome GS Giant Event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
marrea
 
GS giants and the rally

The rally was great this year even givin the heat.
But the best part without a doubt had to be the GS GIANTS.
Anybody who did not take advantage of that opportunity can't
even imagine what it was like. The rides, the diverse group of people, the friendships formed made it one of the most enjoyable riding experiences I have ever encountered.
Many - Many thanks to Tracey(the queen) Ian, Chris and everyone else who had a hand in this. BMW/MOA providied the camping, ALL the catered food and beer. for a
nominal fee. Unbelievable . Really hope tondo again next year or sooner!

P.S - The video of the giants in action - WOW - nice job
 
I have to pinch myself to see

if I was dreaming. When I heard Naples, Florida and then my name being called for the "Raw hide" off road adventure class I still don't know if it was a dream. Enough people have confirmed that yes I got it! I have dreamed about this class for as long as I've known about it. My wife has added my airfare as a birthday present. What can I say I have a way to clean HP-2 Enduro and an underused 04 Adventure that have just started shaking in their Twinduro's. Whats great about the Rally and the GS Giant? Who knows it might be me next year!!! FUN FUN FUN
 
Last minute work changes did not allow me to participate in much of the Giant events, but what little I did was great and this idea needs to live on at future rallies and beyond.....
 
the GS rally awsome

seeing the backroads work the bike was just a great thing, the competition, fun for everyone, similar excitement can be done with the S1000RR on the race track.
Getting dirty something else than shine the cruiser, bringing the S1000RR on stage with the band playing "HWY to Hell" and rev it :wow just great, a lot of folks didn't even no there was a band playing on the other side of the fence, that of course wasn't good, the band was a real topper from Germany.


no price gouging everything was just good, I hope next time again, a GS rally together with the MOA rally, and maybe something for the sport bikes rev it :burnout
 
GS Giant and Gypsy Tour

You can never have too much fun. I enjoyed working with Ian, Tracy and all the vendors(Marienville) ,Frank at Forest Lodge especially, on the Gypsy Tour. If you didn't make it this year, plan on it next. What you missed were friends that you'd never met, riding great roads and tracks, great food and beer, lots of laughter. The instruction from Joe and Randy was a priceless introduction to GS for this novice, as were Rawhide at the farm and BMW Performance. Getting it dirty is good.
But, the picture that stands out for me was that of Scott and his son. Scott was wearing his sombrero taking pics of Michael riding his bike on the track, Scott turned and said "this is what it's all about". I know he's right. I will see you all at the next Family Reunion.

Rick
 
I know it has already been said, but the few days of spending time with a great bunch of people on the GS Giant Gypsy Tour was the best. Of course that got topped by the great commoradarie of the competition on the track. I think when you talk to anyone about the rally it always comes down to the new and renewed friendships that happen every year. This GS Giant thing needs to live on and grow to include many more of those sparkling clean GS's we were seeing at the rally.
Thanks to everyone who pictched in to make it happen and make it great! See everyone next year or sooner.:beer
 
I LOVED The Full Pint micro brew beer out of Pittsburg was the best!
I can only imagine the number of participants will grow if the gs Giant is repeated next year.

A GIANT THANKS goes out to all who contributed to this year's awesome GS Giant Event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
marrea

Amen to that! Full Pint Brewery was the best!:thumb

It will definetly grow in numbers.:dance

Thanks to all who made it happen!:wave
 
This was only the first, I hope

I was an early registrant for GS Giant/Gypsy Tour, but didn't get to accumulate much dirt, so volunteer work was next best thing for this year. Discouraging words were seldom heard from anyone within the (new) GS Giant family, no matter how hot, dehydrated, dirty and extremely tired everyone was at times - the comraderie was outstanding.

I am proud to wear the 'T' and display that most excellent decal on the F8GS. Things are already underway to make sure the family grows and becomes more of a presence within the MOA, for starters and I urge everyone to stay involved...from the discussions going on, that won't be a problem.

Ian's collaborative management tool/site is the way to go for organization, planning and communications - it served to make so many of us involved feel a real part of it all, well before the points began to be accumulated. Tracy cracked the whip when needed and got responses, and results, with only a little whining (no points though...)

Despite it being such a large proportion regarding ownership, the GS discipline has been very low profile, relatively speaking. But the 2011 GS Giant has shown the way and it needs to be formalized in a big way. I know we will all chip in and make it work.

So my dusty and crusty XD3 is off in salute to the MOA, the Directors, everyone who got the GS Giant cranked up and launched for the first time as a truly spectacular and important activity at the Rally. Can't wait to get involved more, and do more riding with the GS Giants, anytime, anywhere.

Hope to see some of you at Beemerfest in Mosport, on the road or at other rallies this season. Just remember, big water holes make great swimming spots as well!

Cheers, Bruce, Ottawa


:dance
 
This was only my second rally (first was last year in Redmond) and I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet others. I must admit that I focused mainly on the Airhead sessions and stopped at the Airhead tent more than once. It's always fun to visit the vendor booths and try out the local "fair food". One of these days I'll even manage to ride the bike to the rally but even without it, I had a great time.

Thank you to all of the organizers and volunteers.
 
I really enjoyed the GS Giant aspect. I was a participant who took advantage of the adventure detours on my way to the rally, and that made the ride for me. I didn't submit my claims for points, but the detours laid out in Georgia, NC/Tenn and West Virginia were my favorite parts of the entire journey. I NEVER would have seen these places were it not for the efforts of the organizers, and I thank them sincerely. I didn't attempt the GS track competition as my bike was my transportation home and I was not willing to break it, but it was highly entertaining to watch. (and in hindsight, I wish I had attempted the track...)
 
I really enjoyed the GS Giant aspect. I was a participant who took advantage of the adventure detours on my way to the rally, and that made the ride for me. I didn't submit my claims for points, but the detours laid out in Georgia, NC/Tenn and West Virginia were my favorite parts of the entire journey. I NEVER would have seen these places were it not for the efforts of the organizers, and I thank them sincerely. I didn't attempt the GS track competition as my bike was my transportation home and I was not willing to break it, but it was highly entertaining to watch. (and in hindsight, I wish I had attempted the track...)

oh... you should have. there was an easy route that would have been fun for you. and if competition isn't in you, the open track day is a better opportunity.

glad you took those adventure detours... they were some fine riding. did you walk out onto Max Patch?

ian
 
I thought the rally was great. My buddy met me there (non-motorcyclist, drove down from Michigan) and we camped outside the gates where there was a cool night breeze. It was nice sleeping out in the open on top of the bag. The food was excellent. The beer was great. I don't have any use for any of the GS events, but it was fun looking at all of the touring setups on the many styles of bikes. As soon as I mentioned Missouri for the next rally, my buddy, who had lived there in the summer years ago, said, "Misery? Why would they do that in the middle of the summer in Misery? The only way I'll meet you there at that time of year is in a air-conditioned hotel." Hmmm....I've always camped at rallies. The nice thing about PA was that there was no humidity to speak of.
 
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