THE 2021 Montana MOA Re-Schedule (previous 2020 Great Falls Thread)

flyhi2cfar said:

And here we go again, maybe. They didn't blink... they canceled.

The mid-June CHIEF JOSEPH RALLY in Oregon, that was scheduled immediately before Montana's Great Falls National.

Is CANCELED for 2021, according to the Club website announcement.

That was the premier lead-in (week-end before) Club Rally, many travelers were planning for.
Another opportunity eliminated by COVID concerns.

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And at the same time Texas and Mississippi just opened their states 100% ! No masks no restrictions. And I suspect more states will follow.

The BMWRA National Rally originally scheduled for last fall was moved to May 2021 and just recently moved again to August 2021.

Going to be a very interesting year for sure.

Good News...

For traveler's en-route for Great Falls this summer.

It's the Red Rock Rendezvous Rally held in Panguitch Utah (June 18-20) the weekend immediately before the National.

The Beehive Beemers (excellent website, great club) offer an attractive Club Rally with fantastic route options into Montana.

The Club even modified their annual rally dates, to accommodate the MOA's newer June offerings.

And they know what's coming... extra rider's.

May I offer... a "Thank You" to L.F. Larimore (RallyMaster) and Club Officers/Members.

Hope to see you there!

I turned 65 today so became eligible for the vaccine here in Vermont. I logged on first thing in the morning and got an appointment for my first jab this coming Wednesday!...which means Jab #2 will happen in early April. That opens up some options for rides this year!

glenfiddich said:

I turned 65 today so became eligible for the vaccine here in Vermont. I logged on first thing in the morning and got an appointment for my first jab this coming Wednesday!...which means Jab #2 will happen in early April. That opens up some options for rides this year!

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Man I know that feeling! Similar timeline for me; 65 a few months back, worried most all of 2020 especially through the holidays.
Then February in FL allowed quick progress of the vaccines, both jabs! Even for my wife who is not yet 65.

It's simply a different mindset of optimism that flows through your soul. (...or something like that)

As I say: "shots in the arm & you in the seat.. a 2021 ride to Montana, tough to beat!"

glenfiddich said:

I turned 65 today so became eligible for the vaccine here in Vermont. I logged on first thing in the morning and got an appointment for my first jab this coming Wednesday!...which means Jab #2 will happen in early April. That opens up some options for rides this year!

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Congrats !! I have another month before I hit the magic number. But for me I would go with or without the vaccine. But in NC vaccine opportunities are getting more and more available.

Any fishermen coming to the rally.....?

The Marias River is 60 miles north of Great Falls.



Robbie Dockter of Conrad holds the new Montana state record brown trout caught March 3 on the Marias River. The fish weighed 32.42 pounds and
measured 37 inches long.

How big... is the bear that would eat that ! ???

akbeemer said:

Any fishermen coming to the rally.....?

The Marias River is 60 miles north of Great Falls.

Robbie Dockter of Conrad holds the new Montana state record brown trout caught March 3 on the Marias River. The fish weighed 32.42 pounds and
measured 37 inches long.

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Now THAT is a fish!

akbeemer said:

The Marias River is 60 miles north of Great Falls.[/SIZE]

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No way I'm swimming in that river

How many frying pans would you need for that one?

Too bad that it has been removed from the gene pool. The ones that have what it takes to get so big are the ones you want to reproduce.

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

gsinnc said:

Congrats !! I have another month before I hit the magic number. But for me I would go with or without the vaccine. But in NC vaccine opportunities are getting more and more available.

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We have a re-opening "surge" developing it seems.
Wyoming just relaxed the mask mandate... I plan a few days there in June & July.

The horizon of summer, looking good indeed.

Let's do this.

Get'cha "shot(s) in the arm, yer'butt in the seat... THIS ride to Montana, can't be beat!"

Will the MOA rally require masks? These states have opened with no mask mandates, including Montana

16 STATES NOW WITH NO MASK MANDATES AND FULLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS.....
Alaska
Arizona
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Iowa
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas

brownie0486 said:

Will the MOA rally require masks? These states have opened with no mask mandates, including Montana

16 STATES NOW WITH NO MASK MANDATES AND FULLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS.....
Alaska
Arizona
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Iowa
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas

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The MOA and ExpoPark are obliged to comply with local public health policies. Both organizations indicated they will comply with local guidelines for masks. Great Falls and ExpoPark are located in Cascade County which at this point continues to have a mandatory mask policy. The information below is from a news release dated Feb, 18, 2021 from the Cascade County Board of Public Health and Public Health Officer:

The Board of Health voted that they and Health Officer Trisha Gardner would:

1. Issue a local order for Cascade County requiring universal masking, except under the following conditions:

• Children under the age of five (all children between the ages of two and four, however, are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering, but children under the age of two should not wear a face covering);
• Persons consuming food or drinks in an establishment that offers food or drinks for sale;
• Persons engaged in an activity that makes wearing a face covering impractical or
unsafe, such as strenuous physical exercise or swimming;
• Persons seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired; persons giving
a speech or engaging in an artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical performance for an
audience, provided the audience is separated by at least six feet of distance;
• Persons temporarily removing their face covering for identification purposes;
• Persons required to remove face coverings for the purpose of receiving medical
evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment;
• Persons who have a medical condition precluding the safe wearing of a face covering; or
• Persons who can maintain social distancing when outside their home or place of
employment.

2. Allow gatherings & events of up to 75% of an event venue’s capacity when social distancing can be maintained. Events over 75% of venue capacity will be considered on a case-by-case basis with the submission of an event plan to CCHD.

https://www.cascadecountymt.gov/Doc...Mask-Order-and-Updates-Event-Venue-Capacities

akbeemer said:

The MOA and ExpoPark are obliged to comply with local public health policies. Both organizations indicated they will comply with local guidelines for masks. Great Falls and ExpoPark are located in Cascade County which at this point continues to have a mandatory mask policy. The information below is from a news release dated Feb, 18, 2021 from the Cascade County Board of Public Health and Public Health Officer:

The Board of Health voted that they and Health Officer Trisha Gardner would:

1. Issue a local order for Cascade County requiring universal masking, except under the following conditions:

• Children under the age of five (all children between the ages of two and four, however, are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering, but children under the age of two should not wear a face covering);
• Persons consuming food or drinks in an establishment that offers food or drinks for sale;
• Persons engaged in an activity that makes wearing a face covering impractical or
unsafe, such as strenuous physical exercise or swimming;
• Persons seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired; persons giving
a speech or engaging in an artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical performance for an
audience, provided the audience is separated by at least six feet of distance;
• Persons temporarily removing their face covering for identification purposes;
• Persons required to remove face coverings for the purpose of receiving medical
evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment;
• Persons who have a medical condition precluding the safe wearing of a face covering; or
• Persons who can maintain social distancing when outside their home or place of
employment.

2. Allow gatherings & events of up to 75% of an event venue’s capacity when social distancing can be maintained. Events over 75% of venue capacity will be considered on a case-by-case basis with the submission of an event plan to CCHD.

https://www.cascadecountymt.gov/Doc...Mask-Order-and-Updates-Event-Venue-Capacities

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Unless something dramatically changes, I believe those will be the conditions under which our rally will be allowed to go on.

Thanks for the information AK

In other pleasant news the cicada Brood X hatch might have an influence on the direction we New Englanders take. Glenlivet and I will be swinging a bit south

http://https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/docs/CicadaBroodStaticMap.pdf

glenfiddich said:

In other pleasant news the cicada Brood X hatch might have an influence on the direction we New Englanders take. Glenlivet and I will be swinging a bit south

http://https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/docs/CicadaBroodStaticMap.pdf

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Well that would surly "bug" me too !!

First Pfizer Dose Today and Looking ahead 14 Weeks!

First Pfizer dose scheduled for this afternoon and I am looking forward to the Rally in 14 weeks! This is week #52 working from home and I really, really need a break from home. My personality does not lend itself well to isolation and my spouse is a front line medical doctor so has been gone additional hours for the last year. Couple that with both our boys being home for many months on and off school during this and it has not been the best of times. I enjoy a solo trip every year or two and the Rally last year was one I was really looking forward to.

Last year I had a good route planned from outside Salt Lake City where I live up through Yellowstone going to the rally and then staying in Cooke City on the far east corner of YNP on the way home with an extra day in Jackson, WY and then home. Since moving west 15 years ago from the Great Lakes region I have been to Yellowstone a few times with the family. Never on a motorcycle though. There are some river spots where I love to swim in YNP and want to see more of Grand Teton. Also as a dedicated craft beer aficionado, fanboy and admitted total snob, I have been known to travel 100 miles or more just to check out a new to me brewery, so there can be crossovers on this trip. So, in a Groundhog Day moment I re-booked the same motels for this year.

Looking forward to it as my one and only rally before this was the one in Salt Lake City in 2017, which coincided with my return to riding a motorcycle after 25 years of not riding. I found the folks at the rally that I met to warm and welcoming and I look forward to seeing you all again!

Wheels down and ride safe!

With everything going on, meeting a few thousand individuals who may or may not be vaccinated and may or may not want to wear a mask. This may be like trying to shadow boxing in a closet with the door closed and no light on. With a virus you cannot see it may still be early to hold a large event for some of us to attend. Just because some state are opening up, does not mean we over the hump we just see a light in the distance. Lets see how the next few weeks go with all the spring breakers and the large gatherings that are happening on those states that are opening up. Would I like to attend the rally. The answer is yes, but I rather be safe and not get this virus and pass it on to friends and family or worse die. So the jury is still out for some of us. Without knowing if the MOA is even close to the break even number of attendees to hold the rally this could be a rally that in the could end up in the red even with the officials giving the green light to hold the rally.