Boise here I come !!! Traveling from Morgan Hill, CA

[bmw95gs]

Hello,

I am a BMW newcomer with a chronic case of midlife crisis. Last December I purchased pre-owned '95 R1100GS with lower mileage and some deferred maintenance. The last six months have been spent repairing and preparing for this rally. I feel like a kid visiting Disney World ! Have a safe and fun journey...I hope to see all of you in Boise !

Sincerely,

Rick Fujino

[pmdave]

Well, I'm an oldcomer, but the great thing about BMW rallies is that everyone is welcome--even riders of brands X, Y, and Z.

Before zipping off toward Boise, I suggest you print out the rally program and make some hard decisions about what you want to include. There are a dizzying number of rides, seminars, courses, and social events to squeeze into 3 days.

pmdave

[GregFeeler]

Hello,

I am a BMW newcomer with a chronic case of midlife crisis. Last December I purchased pre-owned '95 R1100GS with lower mileage and some deferred maintenance. The last six months have been spent repairing and preparing for this rally. I feel like a kid visiting Disney World ! Have a safe and fun journey...I hope to see all of you in Boise !

Sincerely,

Rick Fujino
Rick, I think we all can relate to that "Disney World" feeling! I've been riding for over 30 years and I still get it, especially from an early morning ride far from home when it's just me, the bike, and an unfolding ribbon of highway.

I'm guessing this is your first BMW rally, or first one in a long while. In which case I hope we've done a good enough job on this one to keep you coming back for more. Secondly, if you want to double your fun - volunteer for something at the Rally. It really connects you with folks, you'll make new friends, and the rally becomes yours. It's addictive in it's own way just like riding!

Ride well - see you in Boise!

[bmw95gs]

Well, I'm an oldcomer, but the great thing about BMW rallies is that everyone is welcome--even riders of brands X, Y, and Z.

Before zipping off toward Boise, I suggest you print out the rally program and make some hard decisions about what you want to include. There are a dizzying number of rides, seminars, courses, and social events to squeeze into 3 days.

pmdave


Thank you for the recommendation. So many choices...so little time...

Rick Fujino

[bmw95gs]

Rick, I think we all can relate to that "Disney World" feeling! I've been riding for over 30 years and I still get it, especially from an early morning ride far from home when it's just me, the bike, and an unfolding ribbon of highway.

I'm guessing this is your first BMW rally, or first one in a long while. In which case I hope we've done a good enough job on this one to keep you coming back for more. Secondly, if you want to double your fun - volunteer for something at the Rally. It really connects you with folks, you'll make new friends, and the rally becomes yours. It's addictive in it's own way just like riding!

Ride well - see you in Boise!

Thank you...Yes, this is my first BMW rally...also my first BMW motorcycle. This rally program has just about anything for anybody without having to travel 3000+ miles from home. Yes, I expect to have some free time to volunteer...sometimes it is good to take a break from the hustle and bustle of program schedules. Is there a place a where one can informally volunteer?

Rick

[bmw95gs]

Rick, I think we all can relate to that "Disney World" feeling! I've been riding for over 30 years and I still get it, especially from an early morning ride far from home when it's just me, the bike, and an unfolding ribbon of highway.

I'm guessing this is your first BMW rally, or first one in a long while. In which case I hope we've done a good enough job on this one to keep you coming back for more. Secondly, if you want to double your fun - volunteer for something at the Rally. It really connects you with folks, you'll make new friends, and the rally becomes yours. It's addictive in it's own way just like riding!

Ride well - see you in Boise!

Thank you...Yes, this is my first BMW rally...also my first BMW motorcycle. The BMW RA Boise Rally has much to do and see without having to travel 3000+ miles from home. Yes, I expect to have some free time to volunteer...sometimes it is good to take a break from the hustle and bustle of program schedules. Is there a place a where one can informally volunteer?

Rick

[GregFeeler]

Thank you...Yes, this is my first BMW rally...also my first BMW motorcycle. The BMW RA Boise Rally has much to do and see without having to travel 3000+ miles from home. Yes, I expect to have some free time to volunteer...sometimes it is good to take a break from the hustle and bustle of program schedules. Is there a place a where one can informally volunteer?

Rick
I'm not sure what "informally" volunteer means :confused:, but there will be a volunteer table at the Registration tent where you can find out what we need help with and pick something that sounds good for you. See you soon! ;)

[bmw95gs]

I'm not sure what "informally" volunteer means :confused:, but there will be a volunteer table at the Registration tent where you can find out what we need help with and pick something that sounds good for you. See you soon! ;)

Greg,

Sorry for the confusion...I meant a place were one can drop-in "informally" to volunteer...like a volunteer table. Thank you for the reply. English is my second language...

Rick

[GregFeeler]

Greg,

Sorry for the confusion...I meant a place were one can drop-in "informally" to volunteer...like a volunteer table. Thank you for the reply. English is my second language...

Rick
I was just messin' with you. ;)

[wbunning]

Hello,

I am a BMW newcomer with a chronic case of midlife crisis. Last December I purchased pre-owned '95 R1100GS with lower mileage and some deferred maintenance. The last six months have been spent repairing and preparing for this rally. I feel like a kid visiting Disney World ! Have a safe and fun journey...I hope to see all of you in Boise !

Sincerely,

Rick Fujino
Ahhh... Morgan Hill. I grew up down the road in Gilroy. I'm enroute to Boise as well. I'd be taking the GS, but I was intercepted by a pair of flying pruning shears last week which did all kinds of mean and nasty things to my bike. Good ol' beemer that is, it took a pruning and kept on runnin' though:)

Right now I'm in Montpelier, Id. Off to Yellowstone tomorrow, then up into Montana, out through Big Hole and to Stanley, Id. on Wed. Then Thurs-Sat at the Rally!

[bmw95gs]

I was just messin' with you. ;)


A small fib...English is my primary language...with a last name like "Fujino"...I can claim another language when the need arises...

Rick

[robdogg]

pair of flying pruning shears

say WHAT?



(grrrr, msg board says message was too short; have to enter more text here to get by the stupid limit)

[bmw95gs]

I found another GS rider, Mik from Pleasanton CA, who will be accompaning me to Boise. We expect to leave Pleasanton around 5am on Wednesday and arrive sometime late afternoon or early evening.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evening's stay prior to the rally? A nearby campground? Are the hotels/motels filled to capacity?

Unfortunately, individual schedules do not permit us to arrive early as setup volunteers.

Thank You,

Rick

[wbunning]

say WHAT?
(grrrr, msg board says message was too short; have to enter more text here to get by the stupid limit)
Yep... flying pruning shears. A fella had just finished doing his landscaping exercise, left the long-handled shears on top of his suburban on the way to the dump.

We apexed a corner simultaneously at about 45 mph each. The suburban made the turn, the shears didn't, and flew right at me. They hit the pavement at my front wheel, bounced/flipped up and under the left side of the tank, slicing a 3-inch hole in the tank, busting the left side fairing piece, compromising the oil-return line from the cooler, and other collateral damage. Fuel leaked onto the header, etc. I plugged the crack in the tank temporarily with gum, jerked the tank off and stood it up (crack was high). Broke out the JB weld, duct-taped the fairing back on and was back in business, more or less, as soon as the JB weld healed.

Whew. Could have been much worse. Imagine a 24" pair of shears, opened up to maybe 36", going through the spokes at those speeds.

Oh well. Chit happens,eh?