• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

traveler using the moa anonymous book

Just call and ask

I am thinking about this year traveling and using the book to stay in people yards and try to meet all the new people i can any thoughts about this or does and donts thanks


Nothing wrong with calling and asking ,if the member has already stated they have tent or room available. I have used the book a couple of times but not to ask for a place to stay. Once when I went to Germany, via Boston, I called a Boston member and ask for info in his area. We talked awhile and he invited me to stay at his place. Another time was when I needed a truck to haul a bike out of Yellow Stone. Both times the members were very helpful and friendly.

I say call, shoot the breeze and see what happens; you are always welcome at my place in Texas. I have some commercial property inside city limits of New Braunfels, Texas that has covered , dry areas for a tent and if that doesn't suit you , I have an office you can crash in .

DW
 
Does anyone know a way to change our anonymous book listing online? I'd like to edit mine but can't seem to find that option.

As far as using the book for finding a place to stay, I see no problem with it. If you are the person receiving the call and don't want to be bothered, say so. Maybe you have a local place you can recommend, one of those out of the way hidden gems that aren't on a map. If nothing else you can always hook up for coffee and make a new friend.
 
A good book:)

I've had my listing since the book was invented, a long timer as many others here and have gotten 1 call all those years! This would indicate a failed purpose, being I live in a heavy touristy locale, mid Cal.. I do not remember the year the annon book was conceived, but 1 call and I DID respond in the middle of the night, past midnight to a BMW rider in need, 40 miles away. I loved the opportunity, would do it again. I think a rider is always welcome and has the privelege to call, per AnnonBook Codes listed and use it MORE. Surely NOT enough of this going on and its been a thorn in the MOAs side, not presenting it better, imo. IF you're scared to use it, go figure. Asking here is a good topic! You come through ClovisCA, my number is in there, 559-323-6780H or 559-288-2555C. Camping space, work space bike shop(welder, lift, the works) and animals on the ranch. No Roosters:), but chickens all about and they are friendly, fresh eggs:), cook your own. No, not the chickens..Dogs too, but great ones, friendly pets. Horses are off limits unless you're a really good rider:). Randy PS; Also an avid offroader GSA1200 guy GSGiant, so you need some riding lessons on the property, offroad, stop by:). Too many options exist around the area for this kind of adventure. "Polarbear"
 
that's why i put this out there i would not have a problem with some one call and setting up a trip and want to stay here camping just wanted to see what the club had to say about it im new to the traveling thing no problem with staying in camp grounds or hotels but its nice to meet people with the same drive for a bike dont want take advantage of them would more than happy to pay for the camp space dont want to start a hate thread just want to see the opinion of the people im going to meet on the road

Hey now,

My suggestion would be to come up with a loose travel plan, then looking around in advance for folks in the Anon book who have the codes to host. You might also benefit from posting up your plans here on the forum, however I'd consider avoiding making too many firm plans.

Another hardly used feature of the Anon book is the list of Ambassadors by state. The Ambassadors are a huge resource for local knowledge; they can recommend local camping favorites or steer directly to someone else in the Anon book that can help you out. I'd consider contacting them in advance.

When I was with my son on a cross country trip and the motor on the hack went kaboom I called the local Ambassador who saved the day.
 
Hi Polorbear

I've had my listing since the book was invented, a long timer as many others here and have gotten 1 call all those years! This would indicate a failed purpose, being I live in a heavy touristy locale, mid Cal.. I do not remember the year the annon book was conceived, but 1 call and I DID respond in the middle of the night, past midnight to a BMW rider in need, 40 miles away. I loved the opportunity, would do it again. I think a rider is always welcome and has the privelege to call, per AnnonBook Codes listed and use it MORE. Surely NOT enough of this going on and its been a thorn in the MOAs side, not presenting it better, imo. IF you're scared to use it, go figure. Asking here is a good topic! You come through ClovisCA, my number is in there, 559-323-6780H or 559-288-2555C. Camping space, work space bike shop(welder, lift, the works) and animals on the ranch. No Roosters:), but chickens all about and they are friendly, fresh eggs:), cook your own. No, not the chickens..Dogs too, but great ones, friendly pets. Horses are off limits unless you're a really good rider:). Randy PS; Also an avid offroader GSA1200 guy GSGiant, so you need some riding lessons on the property, offroad, stop by:). Too many options exist around the area for this kind of adventure. "Polarbear"

I bet that one guy you helped doesn't think the book is a failed purpose. I've never been called but I have used it twice since 1980 with great success. I do believe there should be some codes in the book that say, "call for camping spot, room to sleep in, or whatever, whether it's an emergency or not."

Anyway, it's nice to see someone with your generosity; I'm sure there are many others that feel the same way in our club.

DW
 
Yes:)

I think the Annom Book is quite well "Coded" with a LOT of codes, but maybe some update to make it(perhaps) simpler to use? I do not know, but I know one call in 35+ years is not a book that appears used much! ME TOO< have not used the book on any road trips of all my time out there. I'm GUILTY. Making the book a real tool, used so much more, would take some kind a change. Just what? I know one thing, I STILL keep a fresh Annom.Book in my GSAs trunk and wonder when I'll ever use it. Peace of mind is a good thing, just having the resource I guess! Most of my touring is solo travel and I think I could be persuaded to use it more, just maybe:). After a week or so on the road, just about anybody gets weary and sing'in to oneself to pass the time, riding along. That KK code gets to stirring in ones head, need human contact:). Randy
 
If we are giving advice for an update to the book a BIG one is a MAP. I live between Rochester and Buffalo, but I am listed under a small town between, that is great if you live here, most know small town names, but someone in need of help from another state would have NO clue. As I look through the book, in my area (30 mile radius) there is a dozen+ small towns listed and many would not even show up on a state map!!!

I was looking for a place to park a trailer once, so I actually looked up the local area code, then searched the book for that info, ignoring the town names. Easy to do at home on the computer, not so easy on the side of the road, even with a GPS and map.

My suggestion is a regional map with balloons of the town listings to look up, and possibly grouping the towns listed on that map, after the regional map. No real reason to list East Aurora next to Eastchester, as they are 400 miles apart!

I think that would greatly improve the utility of the listings.
 
that is a great idea....

listing by zipcodes, area codes ... something ....

And ... if book does go electronic then I can think of a cool smartphone app. that would be the perfect companion....

App would geo-locate the hosed BMW-MOA traveler and then highlight on the map the closest members offering the service-code needed...
 
I think you all are over-thinking this thread. I'm listed and I've actually been called. It was a pleasure to help out a fellow member and now I know someone I didn't before. On the other hand, I'm out of town a lot so it was just good timing that it worked. Most folks, if they can't help or it isn't convenient, will just say so. Other times that same person may be happy to help. Nobody signed a blood oath to be in the anonymous book. It definitely doesn't need more codes or categories.
 
This is NOT new!

The AnnomBook has had this topic come and go for years/decades. Codes are a plenty, agreed. Its a tad behind the techno curve however, one cannot deny that. Im certainly NOT sure its cost worthy to bring it so, with so many questions still forthcoming every year here! The AB topic has been tossed around many many times before and i think some very tiny changes were made, unknown. I would certainly be in the column of absentee'ism(never used), iF any tally/poll was conceived. Its a book that weighed me down more than its usefullness over a ton of years. I would love to see this change and will continue to carry my AB in my travels. Thank goodness, its not too bulky an item. Randy
 
Any tech solution is going to take time and money to implement, and probably won't happen that fast. But bolding or capitalizing fields in the AB that individual members encouraged wouldn't require any tech at all and could be done very quickly. So someone whose offering "in a pinch" support would list c r kk but someone who had camping space but encouraged visitors would list c R KK.

Pete
 
There was a discussion about this a little while ago, but agree with the comment that you would have to feel it out.

The BMW community is diverse, some will welcome you with open arms,. others are.........shall we say a little up tight, I think more falling in the latter category.

There is a similar list at ADV rider, and to be honest, the community there seems more like the down home, lets go ride , then sit and have a couple beers on the back porch.

Nice map too here http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149585 probably 1000+ offers

Thanks for mentioning this list. Our place in WNC is listed there. I'd have listed our back yard in the ATL, but you have to watch out for the dog poop.

And your comments are spot-on, unfortunately. :rolleyes

Another good source is the Couch Surfing site... https://www.couchsurfing.org/

Any old-timers here remember Jeff Brody? :ha
 
One of the very best ways to use the Anonymous Book is for trip planning.

Call up a member that lives in the area you're planning to visit, especially one with the KK code.

That person will tell you everything you want to know about the area... what roads to ride, restaurants to eat at, the best campsites and motels... and then I practically guarantee they will invite you to their house, offer you dinner, and probably to stay.

We may have a number of uptights these days, but we have tons of very good-hearted friendly people who will go over the top to help you out.

Ian
 
If we are giving advice for an update to the book a BIG one is a MAP. I live between Rochester and Buffalo, but I am listed under a small town between, that is great if you live here, most know small town names, but someone in need of help from another state would have NO clue. As I look through the book, in my area (30 mile radius) there is a dozen+ small towns listed and many would not even show up on a state map!!!

One thing that Vince tells me is in the works is a smartphone app that uses your current location to show you who is nearby. That ought to be pretty useful.

Putting maps in the book is a good idea, though... they'd have to be very regional so as to be able to get the required detail to be legible.
 
One thing that Vince tells me is in the works is a smartphone app that uses your current location to show you who is nearby. That ought to be pretty useful.

Putting maps in the book is a good idea, though... they'd have to be very regional so as to be able to get the required detail to be legible.

Minute granularity is not absolutely necessary. I've been getting a lot of tourist info for my ride out west. Some states are like the AB; you have to have Google Maps open to see where a town is located. But others have tiny outlines of the state (the size of a postage stamp) with the region highlighted and a dot showing the relative location of a particular town. That works surprisingly well as a visual filter.

Pete
 
ok, so a question i've not seen answered is:

Is there a way to edit/change your listing codes in the book online?

Thanks,
Ken
 
Wasn't he also blamed for the change from unlimited miles to 36K on the 3 year warranty?

I liked Back Roads and BBQ.

oh hell, Brody was blamed for a whole lotta things. Back then I was the "younger member" that we're all seeking now, and I thought Brody was cool in a sea of old farts. (Others didn't agree... :ha )
 
Back
Top