MOA Getaway - Cambria, CA

My wife and I will be attending our first Getaway in Cambria, CA in May. Is anyone else on here attending? What can be expected at the event? Obviously we have no idea what to expect.

Ron & Deb

Same here! Never been to one of these events, not sure what to expect!

I've never been to the Cambria getaway, but hope to next year on my way to the MOA Rally. I have attended the Jay Peak getaway twice and they are probably similar. No seminars or vendors, just an informal gathering of like minded riders most of whom have never met. They meet and greet, mingle, share notes and enjoy day rides either solo or in small groups. Generally there are a few familiar with the local roads and sights, and ride suggestions either by tracks or paper turn-by-turn directions.

There are a couple of really nice door prizes and a plethora of hats, shirts, socks etc that the MOA store couldn't sell. Dinners are shared with new friends. Overall the ones I attended are very loosely organized. It's a good time to set aside your inner introvert and reach out to others to get the most from the event.

Pete

My wife and I attended the Get-Away held in Monterey, CA two years ago. It was also our first.

To echo what's already been said, they are a pretty loosely organized event. There will be a check-in desk when you arrive at which point you'll be provided with a few mementos of the event and an outline of the planned activities. If I remember, there was a cocktail party the first night and a dinner/cocktails the second night with some door prizes and a guest speaker. Daytime is open to self guided rides, hanging out at the hotel or just walking tours of the local area. There was a small, local music festival happening about a mile from the hotel in Monterey, so we walked over and enjoyed that while we were there.

My wife and I did not know anyone at the event prior to attending. During the first nights cocktail party, it seemed a few folks already knew each other and were talking in small groups spread around the outdoor area. To emphasize Pete's point, lose your inner introvert or you will in all likelihood be hanging by yourself. My wife and I introduced ourselves to different folks and found like minded people that were very friendly and willing to chat. Cocktail party banter is definitely in a class all its own, but a known shared interest in BMW motorcycles is a great starting point. During a thirty year corporate career, I attended about all the "grip and grins" I cared for, but the Get-Away group was definitely more fun and engaging.

Our schedule last year didn't allow us to attend any of the events and this year is still up in the air, but we would definitely attend again and we do appreciate the MOA organizing the events.

Have fun!

I am definitely not the outgoing type, attending BMW events gets me out of my box, because I assume I have at least one thing in common with everyone there! My wife on the other hand is super outgoing, and always the one I lean on to do introductions.

I am looking forward to meeting a few new folks. I am sure my wife will introduce me. hahaha!