2016 Rally location?

pglaves · Jan 7, 2015

nplenzick said:
Bloomsburg really got a bad rap mainly because of the record breaking heat that took place during that period. I live 70 miles away from that location and never ever experienced heat like that. Despite the miserable weather, if I remember it was still a larger attending rally then the last three.
Vermont was the largest attending rally ever to my recollection. So it would seem like a no brainier to have the rally back in the far Northeast somewhere.
The Lake Placid area or anywhere in the Adirondacks would be great, so would anyplace in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
I only hope with the economy on the upswing, the MOA doing a great job of getting new memberships, that the site committee picks a site worthy of a record breaking crowed once again.

Bloomsburg got a bad rap because it was a tired old facility that had never had an event like ours, and which lacked any semblence of ability to cope with hotter than normal weather. The swamp coolers in a couple of buildings were a joke.

As far as attendance goes we will always have larger crowds in the east because of the density of population and membership in the east. We will have smaller crowds in the great plains because it is apparently too far for most Easterners or Californians to ride, given time, expense, sore butts, or whatever.

The regional system works reasonably well, allowing short trippers to attend a national at least every four years, unless obstacles other than distance rear their ugly heads.

roostershooter · Jan 7, 2015

ClassicVW said:
What about Vermont? Weren't we there previously?

I think Vermont would be great!

nplenzick · Jan 7, 2015

PGlaves said:
What pray tell did you find wrong with Saint Paul?

Fairgrounds were very nice. Location of them for a motorcycle rally was a joke.
Major metro areas do not make good venues for two wheel rallies IMHOP. At least not for a BMW rally!
Four of my friends attended as rally attendees. They made it very clear they would never go back to a location like that as the traffic was ridiculous.

pglaves · Jan 7, 2015

nplenzick said:
Fairgrounds were very nice. Location of them for a motorcycle rally was a joke.
Major metro areas do not make good venues for two wheel rallies IMHOP. At least not for a BMW rally!
Four of my friends attended as rally attendees. They made it very clear they would never go back to a location like that as the traffic was ridiculous.

I would have agreed before I went. Voni has two sisters who live in the area so I was familiar with the metro area. But, I'm a country boy from North Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, and far west Texas who was convinced that the urban traffic would be horrible. It wasn't. I was surprised to find light traffic and that I could be on rural two-lane roads within 15 minutes or so from the fairgrounds. Before the rally I was a naysayer. After the rally I'd say it was one of the best ever. I am frankly tired of seminars in sheep barns.

nplenzick · Jan 7, 2015

PGlaves said:
Bloomsburg got a bad rap because it was a tired old facility that had never had an event like ours, and which lacked any semblence of ability to cope with hotter than normal weather. The swamp coolers in a couple of buildings were a joke.

As far as attendance goes we will always have larger crowds in the east because of the density of population and membership in the east. We will have smaller crowds in the great plains because it is apparently too far for most Easterners or Californians to ride, given time, expense, sore butts, or whatever.

The regional system works reasonably well, allowing short trippers to attend a national at least every four years, unless obstacles other than distance rear their ugly heads.

Don't necessarily disagree with you about how the regional system works as I'm all for it. Location, location, location is still the number one priority. If we apply your logic Paul, then this years rally will be the smallest one in years. My predication is it will be one of the larger ones. Just about everyone I have talked to on the east coast is going.

nplenzick · Jan 7, 2015

PGlaves said:
I would have agreed before I went. Voni has two sisters who live in the area so I was familiar with the metro area. But, I'm a country boy from North Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, and far west Texas who was convinced that the urban traffic would be horrible. It wasn't. I was surprised to find light traffic and that I could be on rural two-lane roads within 15 minutes or so from the fairgrounds. Before the rally I was a naysayer. After the rally I'd say it was one of the best ever. I am frankly tired of seminars in sheep barns.

According to my friends they couldn't get out of traffic. I was working so I did not have time to really explore the area as my exploration was only to the post office which was about 5 miles away. It was traffic, traffic, and more traffic to that.

Also, about Bloomsburg. I'm not a big fan of the coolers they used there either, however they would normally be adequate for our normal summers here in PA where the temps range from mid 80's to low 90's for highs. Very few "fairground" buildings anywhere in the country could have handled the extreme conditions that took place that week.

20774 · Jan 7, 2015

I may have misheard, but re: Bloomsburg, arrangements had been made ahead of time for adequate housing and cooling, possibly even using existing air conditioned spaces. Then a change in management at the rally site threw all that out the window, people reneged on what was offered, and they did the best they could. Unfortunately, it was hot and then it hot some more! But I heard that it was a matter of several cascading factors that put us in that situation.

As for St. Paul, I'm sure there are many stories about access. I'm a native, but that was a long time ago. However, we stayed in a motel north of the site. Eazy, peazy getting to-from the rally grounds. It probably depended on which direction you were coming from.

AKsuited · Jan 7, 2015

People want a rally that has excellent riding nearby, or on the way to the rally site. Billings should be popular for that reason.

Harry

glenfiddich · Jan 7, 2015

nplenzick said:
According to my friends they couldn't get out of traffic. I was working so I did not have time to really explore the area as my exploration was only to the post office which was about 5 miles away. It was traffic, traffic, and more traffic to that.

That wasn't my experience at all, though I did make the concession of avoiding roads during commute time. Being from a town of 4500 I'd heard rumors big cities could be challenging when folks were trying to get to or from work.

Pete

rangerreece · Jan 7, 2015

I'm going to have to train for a triathlon to be in good enough shape to make that round trip. I think if you could draw a straight line through America and tried for the longest line you would be close to that on my route.

jdubick · Jan 7, 2015

Reece, You need to go to Albuquerque first, then turn north to make the trip worth while.

Bud · Jan 7, 2015

jdubick said:
Reece, You need to go to Albuquerque first, then turn north to make the trip worth while.

+1

ecaho · Jan 7, 2015

I'm hoping to make it to Billings, though I can't get a handle on how decent the MetraPark camping environment will be.

Has anyone ever suggested the Sonoma County fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, CA? Tons of great roads along the California coast, wine country highways, Redwoods, as well as kick-ass tour diversions in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. Very dependable weather, too.

osbornk · Jan 7, 2015

PGlaves said:
The regional system works reasonably well, allowing short trippers to attend a national at least every four years, unless obstacles other than distance rear their ugly heads.

It doesn't work so well for us short trippers when the rally is at the northern corner of the zone. I live very near the middle of the east coast Zone IV and I am still well over 800 miles from the location of the Vt. rally with some challenging traffic to contend with. My travels extend to a maximum of 500 miles from home due to family issues. Bloomsburg was at the very end of my 500 mile limit and it will probably be my last trip north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

glenfiddich · Jan 7, 2015

Reece - my dog went further than that on the ride to Salem and back! :wave

If you decide to come to Vermont instead, we have a spare room. You might have to share the bed with a dog or two, but the offer's there.

Pete

akbeemer · Jan 7, 2015

rangerreece said:
I'm going to have to train for a triathlon to be in good enough shape to make that round trip. I think if you could draw a straight line through America and tried for the longest line you would be close to that on my route.
View attachment 47970

Annie and I just rode essentially that same route in OCT. Helena, MT to Birmingham to see vintage days at Barber. Seven riding days and four days at Barber. Annie was on her F800GS and I was on my FJR. You ride an RT, a bike designed for a ride like this, you should be able to eat it up. We had to push one day (800 miles) while coming home, but the rest was easy going.

rangerreece · Jan 7, 2015

akbeemer said:
Annie and I just rode essentially that same route in OCT. Helena, MT to Birmingham to see vintage days at Barber. Seven riding days and four days at Barber. Annie was on her F800GS and I was on my FJR. You ride an RT, a bike designed for a ride like this, you should be able to eat it up. We had to push one day (800 miles) while coming home, but the rest was easy going.

Ok, ok, ok, I'll just say it I'm a wuss. I'm turning in my ranger tab ASAP. I just hope they don't bend my dog tags and stamp my meal card "NO DESERT".

36654 · Jan 8, 2015

nplenzick said:
According to my friends they couldn't get out of traffic. I was working so I did not have time to really explore the area as my exploration was only to the post office which was about 5 miles away. It was traffic, traffic, and more traffic to that.

Also, about Bloomsburg. I'm not a big fan of the coolers they used there either, however they would normally be adequate for our normal summers here in PA where the temps range from mid 80's to low 90's for highs. Very few "fairground" buildings anywhere in the country could have handled the extreme conditions that took place that week.

OK, I don't know how anyone from the suburban sprawl of Bucks County can complain about the traffic in St. Paul, but every one is entitled to their opinion.

Relative to Bloomsburg, yes it is an old facility. In addition, it's a "county" fairgrounds vs a "state" fairgrounds like the facility in St. Paul, so you're comparing Apples and Oranges. For the type of facilities that we seem to desire for the rally, a university athletic department complex seems like the best fit. But, finding one that would willingly host the event would be a challenge.

rangerreece · Jan 8, 2015

glenfiddich said:
Reece - my dog went further than that on the ride to Salem and back!

If you decide to come to Vermont instead, we have a spare room. You might have to share the bed with a dog or two, but the offer's there.

Pete

This post wasn't lost on me. I would consider it an honor and if I ever get up that way I'll take you up on your kind offer. As far as sharing the bed with dogs, well, I'm kinda of used to it. This one kicks the covers in our bed.

MTHelmet · Jan 12, 2015

jdubick said:
You've lost it Reece! I vote for Johnson City. But Vermont would be great again. NO PA!!!

I think that PA was Ok, just hot.

There are great place in New England. An until some of the places the Rally has been, should be rejected.

Any place that has not had a National rally should be chosen.

May be a June or August date would work for a change. This would open arenas that might be closed for are dates.

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