Live From Gillette!

[Vance]

Thought I would send an update to all of you. IT IS HOT OUT HERE! ROn Riggins and I rode up on Saturday and checked out the Black Hills staying in Rapid City, SD on Sunday night. Ron Shea you will be pleased to know that we stopped at both the Corn Palace AND Wall Drug on the way. We split up on Monday morning and I left Ron to play in the Hills while I headed on to Gillette to help with setup of the rally.
That has gone well both days so far. This is a well organized affair with an army of volunteers showing up to set up their "areas" of responsibility. Sort of like the Chicken Rally set-up on steroids!
We'll finish set-up tomorrow and be ready for the "rush" early on Thursday morning. The facility is very nice and spacious but of course shade is at a premium!
Hopefully I will be able to send updates as we go. I had hoped to be able to send pictures but my internet connection is really poor here so that will have to wait.
Mari comes in tomorrow night late and we'll be ready to work on Thursday!
Later,

[R90srider]

Thanks for the update Puddin. Keep those "cards and letters coming".

[Vance]

Those arrived as of today include Phillip Warren, Bruce Wheatly, Gator Daigle, Ron Riggins and others I am sure. Everything is set up and ready to go! Tomorrow its on!

[Norwood]

Hello Vance from Novia Scotia, it rather hot here...65-85 degrees

Got a few BMW friends from other states there at MOA as well....saw the good news and congrats on the MOA coming to TN and your chairmanship... going to be a great rally....

Having worked in the setup at Vermont and Ohio it really amazing watching the rally come together... have fun and good rides...

Look up John and Allision Raines with TE Waiponieau (sp) New Zealand tours, I understand they are giving one of the Door Prizes, a trip to NZ...hope someone from Alabama club wins that one.... Tell them I said hello!

Also, Davis Bales with Moto Brazil should be there as well.... you may talk him in a door prize for 09 BMW rally...tell him I suggested it....and I will email him as well if you connect with him...

Have a great rally....

[R90srider]

Hey Puddin

You're mid way into the Rally and probably already about tuckered out. How are things going so far? Is the attendance what was expected.

[jdubeemer]

Hey Bob, Take a look at the BMWMOA web site and you will see airial photos of the MOA rally.
Jim

[R90srider]

Thanks Jim.

Hopefully the photos were taken on Tuesday or Wednesday before the rally and the folks shown there are the volunteers! The facilities look great, but lack of shade will make the beer tent the most popular place to hang out and the vendors will be happy in their air conditioned buildings.

[dixieoutlaw]

NO THANK YOU! Spending a few days in that "hot" hellhole of Spokane was enough to break me from attending rallies in the high desert.
If Chairman Vance doesn't do better about shade in Johnson City, I think we should schedule him an appointment with the REV Jesse Jackson.
As a side light, I knew the Jews practiced circumcision, but I did not know it was common practice in the black churches to practiced castration. No wonder there ain't more white folks going to visit with them.

Outlaw

[jdubeemer]

What are you drinkin'
Jim

[Gator]

This is not live from the rally but live from Cajun land and just back from the rally yesterday at around 5:30 P.M. We had a great time. We went through central Wyoming on 7-13 travelling through the Wind River area and Riverton on the way up to Jackson Hole. We stayed in a cabin in Moran Junction that night. Went to Jackson Hole that afternoon and had a great time. Bob, we did get to the Million Dollar Cowboy bar, neat place. Our cabine had a fantastic view of the Grand Tetons. The morning of the 15th we left out with 36* temperature and rode up through Yellowstone. We toured one of the geyser basins and took in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone with it's beautiful waterfalls. We saw elk, deer, wolves, a bear, and hundreds of buffalo. I went in to Cody while my riding partners tried to get to Beartooth but din't make it. I went to the Buffalo Bill Museum that afternoon. It was great. On the 16th my partners stayed to tour the Cody museum and do the Beartooth while I left out towards Gillette passing through the Big Horn Mtns on hwy 14. What a fantastic ride with wonderful scenery. I got to Gillette around noon, registered and set up camp in the north forty. Arriving early I got to save us a nice spot right next to a shower trailer and shuttle stop. Ron Riggins arrived a little later and set up nearby. My riding partners arrived and set up next to me as well as Don and Barbera Little and their son and daughter-in-law. I had taken a tarp and made a canopy for shade. The temps were not that bad but the wind did get pretty rough at times, blowing my canopy down several times. A pretty bad storm came through Thursday night with high winds, lightning and rain, but we survived. Ran across Phillip Warren a few times. A group of us ate out with Vance & Mari Thursday night at Bootlegger"s. Gooooood food. The rally itself was great and well organized. Lots of vendors and demonstrations, seminars and stuff. Made a day trip to Devil's Tower on Friday, didn't see any space ships though. I did a volunteer shift at one of the gates on Saturday morning which was interesting. The awards ceremony was good as usual with lots of prizes given away. Didn't win anything again. Sunday Mike Scott and I left out and rode into South Dakota and ran Spearfish Canyon then on to Deadwood and Mt Rushmore. Then we went up to Rapid City and rode hwy 44 down through the Bad Lands and to the Wounded Knee site. Mike had to go to his son's in Omaha so we split up in northern Nebraska. I made it to North Platte for the night and into Oklahoma City on Monday night. I left at 5 A.M. on Tuesday and made it home. (661 miles). I was pretty worn out mostly from the heat, 104* at times I took a lot of pictures. Once I recover from the trip I"ll sort through them and create an album and post it. All in all I had a great time. I wish that some more of you could have made it.

[R90srider]

Glad you got home safely and had a good time at the National. Also glad to see positive comments about the rally. The sorry attitude complainers are out in full force on MOA's forums.

Your ride in the area sounds wonderful and hopefully your friend got to ride the Chief Joseph and Bear Tooth. That is my favorite motorcycling run in the US. Also happy to hear you enjoyed visiting the Cowboy Bar. What a unique place. The elk horn arches across the street are also something unique to see. Having a great view of the Tetons from your quarters must have been marvelous. Seeing that mountain range is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen, including the Alps.

[gsezrider]

I know you must have enjoyed the Corn Palace. It's not your average everyday person that makes it to the Corn Palace.