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2018 International Rally to be in Des Moines, Iowa July 12-15, 2018

pglaves

#13338
The site for the 2018 BMW MOA International Rally has been selected and announced. The location will be the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. The dates for the rally are July 12-15, 2018.
 
Question is... will the sweet corn be ready? Cause after seeing this bunch go through it a couple states east of Iowa, "back in the day"... we're gonna need plenty of it!

This should be a fine venue, with nice country road travel offered from all directions.

"travel'n" john
15 R1200GS
 
Isn't Iowa very flat with very straight roads. Is this really a riding destination for motorcyclists?
 
Isn't Iowa very flat with very straight roads. Is this really a riding destination for motorcyclists?

Yes. A destination, not the trip.

From the east you can ride through the Smokies. From the west you can ride through the rockies. From the south you get the Ozarks and maybe the North Georgia Mountains. From the north the great river road.

However, from Texas you get Oklahoma. From New Mexico you get Kansas. From Manitoba you get North Dakota.

Or you can plan ahead and take the long way. Now is the time to start saving vacation for an epic trip, say by way of Alaska or something. Maybe a 49 state ride or a 4 corners ride?
 
Yes. A destination, not the trip.

From the east you can ride through the Smokies. From the west you can ride through the rockies. From the south you get the Ozarks and maybe the North Georgia Mountains. From the north the great river road.

However, from Texas you get Oklahoma. From New Mexico you get Kansas. From Manitoba you get North Dakota.

Or you can plan ahead and take the long way. Now is the time to start saving vacation for an epic trip, say by way of Alaska or something. Maybe a 49 state ride or a 4 corners ride?
And from the North East????

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Yes. A destination, not the trip.

From the east you can ride through the Smokies. From the west you can ride through the rockies. From the south you get the Ozarks and maybe the North Georgia Mountains. From the north the great river road.

However, from Texas you get Oklahoma. From New Mexico you get Kansas. From Manitoba you get North Dakota.

Or you can plan ahead and take the long way. Now is the time to start saving vacation for an epic trip, say by way of Alaska or something. Maybe a 49 state ride or a 4 corners ride?

I understand your enthusiasm but I do not share it. So I have to ask myself, would I ride a motorcycle to Des Moines if the MOA rally was not there.....no. Would I ride my motorcycle to Des Moines just because the MOA rally is there....at this time I would still say no. I may be in the minority with my opinion (would not be the first time).

Have Fun
 
And from the North East????

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I would go up into Canada. Cross around north of the lakes, then drop down into the land of 10,000 lakes at Grand Portage, Minnesota and proceed south to Des Moines. When we lived in both Iowa or Kansas that is how we always went to the northeast.

Another option is to drop back into the US at the Soo, and enjoy the Michigan UP and then Wisconsin. This too can be a pleasant journey through small town America.
 
I understand your enthusiasm but I do not share it. So I have to ask myself, would I ride a motorcycle to Des Moines if the MOA rally was not there.....no. Would I ride my motorcycle to Des Moines just because the MOA rally is there....at this time I would still say no. I may be in the minority with my opinion (would not be the first time).

Have Fun

Every year, out of 30,000 or so members (maybe 50,000 folks counting S.O.s) somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 come to the rally. Meaning something over 40,000 affiliated folks decide not to come, or never even thought about it. That is too bad maybe but you will be in good company among the absent. Neither rallies nor Des Moines are for everybody.
 
Every year, out of 30,000 or so members (maybe 50,000 folks counting S.O.s) somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 come to the rally. Meaning something over 40,000 affiliated folks decide not to come, or never even thought about it. That is too bad maybe but you will be in good company among the absent. Neither rallies nor Des Moines are for everybody.

Well said, Paul!
 
This will be only my 3rd Rally. From Fairbanks everything is a long ride and I just didn't have that much time every year, or very often. Before Fairbanks I lived on Kodiak Island, and every ride stared with a 12 hour ferry ride -- more time yet. But I retire in 4 more weeks. From here until I can't ride anymore, I'm going to catch every one. And I don't care where they are, I'll have fun. When I went to my first MOA Rally in Sedalia, upon arrival I wrote to my wife and said "I've finally found my tribe." Yes, it's somewhat about the quality of the facilities. And yes, it's somewhat about how many great riding roads are within easy striking distance. And all the vendors also make it nice. But mainly it's about the people. And all those bikes. And just sitting around in your "tent neighborhood" meeting people for the first time . . . that you've known all your life.
 
Now... THIS statement embodies the magic of our annual rally!

"I've finally found my tribe." Yes, it's somewhat about the quality of the facilities. And yes, it's somewhat about how many great riding roads are within easy striking distance. And all the vendors also make it nice. But mainly it's about the people. And all those bikes. And just sitting around in your "tent neighborhood" meeting people for the first time . . . that you've known all your life.

... Well spoken Mike - in your above quote #17.
Looking forward to meeting you even this year in Salt Lake, or possibly as I pass through the "banks" during the Summer Solstice Celebration next month.

"travel'n" john
 
"I've finally found my tribe." Yes, it's somewhat about the quality of the facilities. And yes, it's somewhat about how many great riding roads are within easy striking distance. And all the vendors also make it nice. But mainly it's about the people. And all those bikes. And just sitting around in your "tent neighborhood" meeting people for the first time . . . that you've known all your life.

... Well spoken Mike - in your above quote #17.
Looking forward to meeting you even this year in Salt Lake, or possibly as I pass through the "banks" during the Summer Solstice Celebration next month.

"travel'n" john

I hope you make the summer solstice celebration in Fairbanks, but I hit the road south on June 1. Heading across Canada and down the eastern seaboard to Virginia. Spend a couple weeks with my 87 year old mom, and then to Missoula by June 24th for my daughter's anniversary celebration. Then I am going to meander around the Pacific Northwest seeing friends until heading east to Salt Lake City. Then back to the east coast for another month of catching up with friends in the southeast and another couple weeks in Virginia. All it all it's going to be a 3 month meander. So looking forward to it. If you do make the summer solstice, do not miss the midnight sun baseball game at historic Growden Park.
 
When I went to my first MOA Rally in Sedalia, upon arrival I wrote to my wife and said "I've finally found my tribe."

Years ago I was going to get a motorcycle, not a BMW. At that time I noticed streams of bikes on I-390 and at the time SR 17, now I-86 in New York - they were all BMW's and were headed, I found out later, to Watkins Glen for the Finger Lakes Rally. I noticed that all the riders wore full-protection riding gear including full-face helmets. Many wore hi-viz vests. Unlike the pirates in their black-from-head-to-toe and a large percentage wearing fake helmets, and very few wearing full-protection gear, the BMW riders fit in much better with my idea of what riding was all about and the handling of the obvious risks involved. I also liked the BMW bikes, and still do.

Harry
 
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