Any special rides or rally's do you expect to make in 2009

Hi,

I'm wondering what rides or rally's you are thinking of making for 2009? I am trying to organize a 2009 rally for the San Francisco Bay Area this year with our riding group. I really can't believe no one has ever held one for these large touring scooters that we ride. It will be a large undertaking since I have never done this before so if others have please give me some much needed hints.

We also ride about once a month that are usually around 300-400 miles and ride all over the bay. So if any of you ever come out to the Bay area please get in touch with me. I also plan to do the 1,000 mile Sore Butt ride, I think it is called that, this year with a few others in our group.

I also want to make one long ride up to the Sierra's with my wife, and making it an over-nighter.

What about the rest of you?

2009 will be a ride poor year for Kim and I. I'm changing jobs (voluntarily) and will go from 128 hours of vacation to 40 for the first year so will not have much time for a rally this year.

I'd like some year to go up to the New Holland, PA rally in May. We had been considering a ride in late June out to Glacier National Park and back to Huntsville before we started the job change considerations. The one ride we will do this year is the end of summer ride in Mentone, AL. It's over roads we typically ride so we like to go up to Mentone and spend the night with some other scooter riders. I also think I'd like someday to attend the Iron Range Rally. but am not making any plans on that one yet.

I am surprised there are no major rally's for the touring scooters out in the SF area, Seems like there are plenty of riders out there. I was obliquely involved with the Scooting the Ozarks Rally this past year, my involvment was very small so I can't really offer much advice. Or since I probably will offer it - you are forewarned that I may not really know what I'm talking about. SO... This is based on our preference - keep the organized group rides to a minimum. Instead, provide lots of ride alternatives with good maps. The exception to this would be rides with a group destination, like a ride out to a winery where folks know that the tour begins at a fixed time, but they are on their own to get there.

Kim and I like to ride, so our attendance at rally's is focused on the ride opportunities. Scooting the Ozarks had lot's of ride opportunities and many including us took advantage of them. We did a four state ride taking a chance to ride in KS, OK, MO and AR all in one day. Lot's of folks were also just interested in sitting around shooting the breeze.

Overnight rides are the some of the best and at 300 - 400 miles you have great range options. Most of our rides this year will probably fall into this type of ride.

We are trying to get a local club (ride group) put together, but so far not too much happening. We will ride Memorial Day weekend with a bunch of BMW riders who come into Huntsville for The Great Chicken Rally. The BMW bunch loves to ride and they plan lot's of rides for this rally.

Okay I rambled - c'mon folks let's hear about your rides.

I'll have to look up some of those you mentioned Two years ago I rode to Brown County, IN where they have great shops, Brown Co. State Park and great back roads. I stayed at a B&B that my husband and I had stayed at before. I stayed two nights and rode back roads. I would like to plan that ride again.
I would love to ride up through Michigan to the Canadian border and back. And lastly I would like to ride up east of Erie, PA to my dad's cottage. He lives in a tiny town called North East and it is right on the PA/NY line. That is wine country and the back roads there are interesting. Just south of him there are a lot of Amish communites.
I want to go and do as much as I can!!!

I'll attend the mountain iron rally in Minnesota again this year and the scooten the ozarks rally in September. After leaving Minnesota in June I plan to go to Seattle, Washington for a few days. After which I want to visit friends in Long Beach, California before heading back to Wisconsin.
Following the Eureka Springs rally in September I plan to head south to New Albany, Mississippi. Paris, Tennessee will be the next stop in the Land of the Lakes area. As always with me, The destination is the excuse, the ride is my pleasure.

Rider Magazine is advertising a Rider Rally in Ventura, CA in mid April and I'm thinking about trying to attend it. I've met several of their editoral staff during my motorcycle rides and they are great folks.

Also, I plan to do my usual weekday overnight rides over the Sierras to Mammoth Lakes, CA and also up Hwy 1 to Ft. Bragg.

Although, I could just install a tracking device on James' (just4cruzn) scooter and follow him around. He seems to ride to all of the places that I love riding to. But he takes fantastic photos during his rides while I usually forget my camera at home. But with his great slideshows (and nice music tracks) I can just watch his posts and not bother with my own camera.

:D

Boatswain,

When you get to the Iron Mountain rally say hi to WBP (Wild Bill Purdue) or his name is Bill Gooden. I have always wanted to ride back there for the riding and also to meet him. I have read the past posts and it seems like a great rally. I hope you have a lot of fun.

TeeMon,

If you haven't been to the BAMR site yet on Yahoo, we have finally decided on a date for our rally in Dublin this year. I just made a post on this site and will keep eveyone updated as we go. I hope you make it and James too. James, we may need you to come up with a couple of maps for rides. I will be planning the Skyline Bl - Alice's restaurant ride.

I think it would be cool to have a national Silver Wing rally one day. That would be fun.

I too will be going up to the IRSSR3 (Iron Range Super Scooter Rally) in northern MN. I went to the first two so I figured... why not.

Jeff you are right about "Wild Bill". He is a great guy, we met up with him and Bob from SC in Rockford IL, and rode up to the rally with him. We were the "Chicago Posse." All together there were 7 of us in the group by the time we entered MN.

Have a great day
bob

Bob,

I bet that is a great ride going up to Mn. I sure hope I can get back there to do that one day. I am from northern Illinois originally, Antioch, and also lived in Champaign for over 25 years. I really want to get back there to ride and visit one day. Hope you have fun in Mn.

Hello everyone, I will be going to the North West MaxiScoot Rally in the Gorge come the end of July, it will be my first time to this beautiful area, should be a good one.
I am building a small motorcycle trailer to haul all my camping gear behind my Swing, hope to have that done by Spring so I can take it on a few practice runs, will be going to a Classic Rock Music Festival not too far from home two weeks before I leave for the Gorge.
Can hardly wait for Spring so the Swing can ride again.

I'll be going to the Sturgis rally since I live here. I've been to 19 Sturgis rallies. Not a big fan of it, really, but sometimes I have to go get groceries & if you're on two wheels you can get around in the traffic better.

These Harley folks think they're such rebels but they all look the same. I think the real rebels are the guys/gals who show up every year on scooters. This year I'll join them. Woo-hoo!

Wendy
SturgisMama

I would ride up from near Denver if I thought I could find a place to stay. I'm too old to camp (71!) -- I've treated Motel 6 as camping for the last 20 or so years.

I'm seriously considering a 1000+ mile trip this summer. Maine to West Virginia. My 30th high school reunion is in July. I've never ridden more than 150 miles on a single trip. I'm starting to consider what a person should take with them on an extended road trip. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

joncallihan wrote:

I would ride up from near Denver if I thought I could find a place to stay. I'm too old to camp (71!) -- I've treated Motel 6 as camping for the last 20 or so years.

Even if you found a place to stay, you would get charged 3-4 times what the room is worth. Mucho gouging during rally time. The Black Hills are an absolutely wonderful place to ride. I notice a lot of older folks show up 1-2 weeks before the rally. They enjoy the beauty of the area, then maybe stay for a day of the rally, if even that. Most of them are riding BMWs & Gold Wings.

Well, if you ever plan to get up this way, give me a holler.

Wendy
SturgisMama

SturgisMama wrote:

These Harley folks think they're such rebels but they all look the same. I think the real rebels are the guys/gals who show up every year on scooters.

Great attitude.

My wife and I will be headed to Americade in Lake George, NY in June (www.tourexpo.com).

Gene