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- Don't bitch at people for filling their own re-usable cups from the water jugs instead of using disposable wax paper thimbles with drinking water on a 90F day. Have someone refill the jug more often. This seriously made me want to throat punch someone. Even a lousy campground has drinking water you can fill your own cup with. Make drinking/camp usage water a priority. Nobody wants to have to take their camp dishes in the shower with them.
I'll say
1. Lebanon was my first MOA rally.
2. I did not find it to be a the welcoming social event portrayed in the magazine.
3. I left Saturday because all of Kentucky and West Virginia seemed a whole lot more interesting than staying another night.
#2 can very well be on me. I met some people near my camp site who were cool but they were doing their own thing tailgating in the field. I mostly went riding during the day because once you went thru the place in the hour that it took... there wasn't anything else to do but hit up the beer tent, wait for a slot to open in all of the sold out things, or stand in a field in the hot sun. I went riding instead. I was only at the rally for the evening, listening to the band and having a beer with the guy I rode in with. Now, there isn't anything wrong with that scenario except I can do that at any campground anywhere in the country all the time. I rode to TN to be social. It didn't pan out. By comparison to other groups (GSGiants, YankeeBeemers, etc) it was the least welcoming-to-a-new-guy rally I've attended by a wide margin.
So... without the spilt milk - here is what would have made me stay until Sunday:
- add more things I can do with my motorcycle on the grounds so I don't need to leave to find something to do during the day. Increase the capacity of things you offer now so a guy who signs up at the last minute can get into "something". Is there a reason that the things are full with 25 people when there are 6000 coming? I get that some vendor/donors have limits... Fix that a bit if possible. Add more of them. Leave some cones in a parking lot and let us play.
- Don't bitch at people for filling their own re-usable cups from the water jugs instead of using disposable wax paper thimbles with drinking water on a 90F day. Have someone refill the jug more often. This seriously made me want to throat punch someone. Even a lousy campground has drinking water you can fill your own cup with. Make drinking/camp usage water a priority. Nobody wants to have to take their camp dishes in the shower with them.
- Add some healthy food options and make sure that your food vendors are capable of serving the volume that shows up. Waiting 2hrs for a $7 pulled pork sandwich is not a thing when there is a good BBQ place just across the street selling better food for less money and in walking distance. And really... it was an awesome accident that they were there. It was closer to go across the street than it was to walk to the beer tent.
I think that's it. In spite of the negative tone I'm sure this will be read in... the event was well organized and well run. It was just sterile, a bit over booked on anything extra curricular and a bit under-serving to the customer paying to camp in a field. If I come to Montana it will be for a place to crash in Montana that I know will have tires, not really for the rally.
WOW! This was an interesting post for sure. Can't comment on a lot other than the note about Increase the capacity of things you offer now so a guy who signs up at the last minute can get into "something". How about not waiting until the last minute to sign up? Just saying.
huckleberry said:By comparison to other groups (GSGiants, YankeeBeemers, etc) it was the least welcoming-to-a-new-guy rally I've attended by a wide margin.
I think that's a bit unfair. It was his first rally and if he is like I was at my first he had no idea what to expect. Newcomers wander around getting the lay of the land, and by mid-morning all the slots have been filled. Also, if a newcomer arrives Friday afternoon or Saturday, he or she finds slots filled - whether skill-building or vendors doing on-site installations. I can see where not knowing that in advance could be frustrating. Perhaps a link to a first timer orientation packet on the registration webpage..?
Water has been a perennial issue. When Barley and I volunteered for Gunga Din duty at St Paul we really had to hustle to keep the dispensers full...and more than once ran into members yelling at each other for taking "more than their fair share" by filling their own larger cups. The half cup paper cones were insufficient to slake one's thirst and, like he said, littered the grounds.
Pete
Pete ... sorry if my response was interpreted as harsh or unfair that was not my intention. The point I was trying to make is that at ANY event where you know there will be thousands of attendees it would be a good idea to register for stuff early. And if not then understand that last minute arrivals will get what is available is any. Heck as a non-camper I've already booked my rooms for Great Falls knowing that last minute booking might mean a long ride to the Rally.
Huckleberry,
At my first MOA Rally, like you, I knew very few people but I was busy attending seminars and speaking with vendors. Unlike you, I had no need to leave the rally grounds
One opportunity that is available on the grounds where new friends can be made at any of the MOA Rallies is volunteering for a two, three or four hour stint. The rally, for the most part, relies on volunteers. By being a volunteer, besides taking an active part in the rally, you are expanding the number of people, riders, who may have similar interests as you. There were ample openings where new friendships could have made your experience more inclusive.
I am sorry you did not explore this avenue.
- Don't bitch at people for filling their own re-usable cups from the water jugs instead of using disposable wax paper thimbles with drinking water on a 90F day..
I wouldn't say it was harsh - but I'm not retired. I have to make sure I am not booked at a customer before I can make plans. There is no such thing as "a year in advance". I signed up about a month in advance and arrived on the 1st day. But, like someone else pointed out, I'd never been to one so I was not aware that there would be zero openings. I'll turn it around a bit... why would I expect a venue having 6000 guests to have none open DURING the event. Imagine you went to a roller coaster park but had to register for each ride separately in advance and nobody told you that until you were there.
To understand the issue I need clarification as to what is meant by, " Increase the capacity of things you offer now so a guy who signs up at the last minute can get into 'something'." I don't understand what that "something" might mean. I do know that getting BMW Motorrad USA test rides requires signing up early in the day, but that doesn't equate to needing to register for the rally early vs just showing up at the gate. Other than maybe a bar crawl I don't understand what else this refers to, except maybe getting a tire installed.
In a way I understand that some rally goers can be quite cliquish. That is the reason I am opposed to reserved "Club Camping" areas. That just fosters exclusion of others. I prefer a go forth and find new friends approach, but I will never win this argument. When I was BMW MOAPresident I tried to discourage this but the rally chair prevailed. But, in 34 national rallies I have never camped in a reserved area with a club I belong to and never will.
Efforts to integrate new rally attendees include the #1 buttons passed out by the Ambassadors. However, if a person blows through that building, or never enters it, the #1 program is of little use.