gsinnc
Well-known member
Ha! Both are on my route plan for Great Falls. But as for battle sites? Hmmm ... was not planning on making the connection.
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Announcing BMW MOA 2021 Grand Coddiwomple!
- Thread starter gregfeeler
- Start date
Ha! Both are on my route plan for Great Falls. But as for battle sites? Hmmm ... was not planning on making the connection.
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
There are some battlefields in and near Montana that can be visited coming and going to the rally. Most famous are the Little Bighorn Battlefield and the Battle of the Big Hole.
There is a list of battles in Montana here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battles_fought_in_Montana
There is a list of battles in Montana here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battles_fought_in_Montana
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
Your island is 42K sq/miles. Montana is 147K sq/miles.
You do, however, have significantly more coastline than we do.
Montana is smaller than Alaska and Texas, but bigger than Rhode Island.
You could install knobbies on your bike along with studs in the tires. Then depart in winter, surely there is enough ice to avoid having to take a ferry. And use miles instead of kms, then there aren't as many.
(Just joking. Get your shot so Canada will allow you to leave. And have a fun, safe ride!!)
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
That must have been amazing, but unfortunately doesn't qualify for two reasons. First, only one photo is allowed per claimed Challenge and that photo much include all the required elements. I doubt that you could document both the location and the news paper articles (legibly) in one photo. But, even if that were possible, this challenge requires a sign, or identifiable wreckage. So, close, but no cigar.
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
Again, the Military Falls Challenge is specific to signed/marked physical battle site locations (or the named city list), so by definition excludes water battles for obvious reasons. We named the categories Challenges because they are meant to present something of a challenge - not too hard, but not too easy. Maybe in a future Coddiwomple we might have a category for famous ships or airplanes (Enola Gay, etc.), but not this time.
You seem to have a creative mind, so I'd say you would make a great volunteer for dreaming up next year's Coddiwomple Challenges. This is a serious invitation, so if you are interested, write to coddiwomple@bmwmoa.org.
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
I did some checking on US state sizes one time for a project I had in mind that would involve bringing over eight or ten BMW factory engineers and marketing people, putting them on their choice of BMW bikes in New Jersey, and then riding/guiding them on a four-corners tour of the US. That way they could understand through direct experience (i.e. truth) just how much bigger just the US (not to mention Canada) is relative to Germany, and what it would be like to have a broken new BMW some place where there where no dealers in an area almost the size of Germany. Or how their stylish seats feel like 800 miles, or 3,000 miles, down the road.
One data point I remember is that Montana is like 10,000 sq. miles bigger than Germany. Just Montana. I think such a trip would have done more to educate BMW AG factory people about the needs of North American riders than all the words and PowerPoint slides in the world.
PGlaves
#13338
Ha! Where we live Big Bend National Park in Brewster County, Texas is bigger than Rhode Island and the County is bigger than Connecticut and also bigger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Alas, we get less snow than Montana. But Montana has electricity. Life is full of tradeoffs.
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
Ha! Where we live Big Bend National Park in Brewster County, Texas is bigger than Rhode Island and the County is bigger than Connecticut and also bigger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Alas, we get less snow than Montana. But Montana has electricity. Life is full of tradeoffs.
Have you ever wondered if the old Englishmen who founded all those little states later looked down from Heaven, or up from Hell, and thought they cheated themselves out of a lot more land?
Oh, well. Valiant effort, Kevin. Besides, I'm not sure I agree how many regions there are in Montana. When I was a professor at the University of Montana, I was told that there are 2 regions: Missoula, and everywhere else. Last best place, etc.
Many, if not all, states have historical markers designating locations (or proximate to such) where historically significant events occurred. Such events might include battles and airplane crashes.
Proximate to me in NC and Virginia are many such markers. I've located databases that clearly identify such markers; other states may have similar databases.
https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/NC-Historical-Markers-Guide-Final-Oct-30-2019-PDF.pdf
https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/highway-markers/
https://vcris.dhr.virginia.gov/HistoricMarkers/Account/Logon
Proximate to me in NC and Virginia are many such markers. I've located databases that clearly identify such markers; other states may have similar databases.
https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/NC-Historical-Markers-Guide-Final-Oct-30-2019-PDF.pdf
https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/highway-markers/
https://vcris.dhr.virginia.gov/HistoricMarkers/Account/Logon
gsinnc
Well-known member
Being in NC I thank you
Couple of rules clarifications
I have been nerding out some local rides, as the snow melts here in CO. Using the official US government list of place names, I find a couple of recurring situations that might be technically correct for the Coddiwomple, but on the edge of the spirit. I'd like a ruling, please.
When looking at Post Offices, there are a number of them that are central to a larger town, and called "Downtown XXX," as in Downtown Chicago Post Office. Since we need several "D's" for the Saddle Up And Ride challenge, are we allowed to use the officially named places called "Downtown XXX Post Office" as a "D?"
Similarly, I found some mail collection facilities that are in the official US government list of places that are called "United States Mail Annex" or something like that. Are they fair game for the "U" in the challenge? And by extension, is anything labeled "United States" acceptable for the "U?"
Cap
I have been nerding out some local rides, as the snow melts here in CO. Using the official US government list of place names, I find a couple of recurring situations that might be technically correct for the Coddiwomple, but on the edge of the spirit. I'd like a ruling, please.
When looking at Post Offices, there are a number of them that are central to a larger town, and called "Downtown XXX," as in Downtown Chicago Post Office. Since we need several "D's" for the Saddle Up And Ride challenge, are we allowed to use the officially named places called "Downtown XXX Post Office" as a "D?"
Similarly, I found some mail collection facilities that are in the official US government list of places that are called "United States Mail Annex" or something like that. Are they fair game for the "U" in the challenge? And by extension, is anything labeled "United States" acceptable for the "U?"
Cap
gsinnc
Well-known member
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
Please send this question to coddiwomple@bmwmoa.org to get an official ruling. Questions sent there get answered and also reviewed for potential addition to our FAQs. However, I can answer part of your question now by saying that the "Downtown XXX" would not count as a "D". "Downtown" is not a place in the same sense as the city name. This is explained more in the FAQ document at www.bmwmoa.org/coddiwomple. If you all are not reading the FAQs you really need to as we've answered some excellent questions.
PGlaves
#13338
As a former City Community Development Director who specialized in Downtown revitalization and redevelopment I disagree. In any real city, or older small town, downtown is a recognized place. Ask any local where downtown is and all except the teenager at the Stop N Rob can tell you. She can tell you where the nearest mall is though.
However, I am not in charge of the Coddiwomple so the fact that I disagree doesn't matter. Carry on.
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
Paul,
You distinction is well taken, and no doubt correct. However, for purposes of judging photos for the Coddiwomple, we have had to make some definitions which are easier to manage. Having said that, there is actually a team who's job it is to make these kinds of calls - and I'm only one of them - so that's why such questions need to bet sent to the Coddiwomple email address. Thanks!
Interesting that a community would bring in a place known as the “Stop and Rob”. Maybe it saves the time it takes for an area to become “The Bad Side of Town”?
OM
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