Ohio RA Winter ‘99-‘00 Update
Bob Wood, State Director
4257 West 130th Street
Cleveland, OH 44135-4869
Phone: 216.252.7933 FAX 216.251.5329

December 6, 1999

Dear Ohio RA Rider,

You can't help counting down the time left for 1999. This certainly was a year full of ups and downs. I think everyone on the planet will breathe a sigh of relief when it is over and we can start fresh for the year 2000. Meanwhile, we are all scampering to get those overdue commitments knocked off the list for this millennium. Last year we were toe tapping waiting to find out where the RA was going to have it's national event. As it turned out, '99 was to be another weird weather encounter for the RA and kind of a disappointment overall. This year we know where it is and it is going to have a special meaning for us -- the hosts. We tragically lost several riders to the statistics this past season, but we have weathered that storm and now it's time to forge ahead. This year also brought some new faces to our campfires to help us through the trying times. Overall, I feel I can kiss 1999 farewell with no hesitation and welcome in the funny little two and its' three friendly ohs (2000).

So far, the off season's brunch meetings have been better attended than last years. I suspect you are all curious as to how the national is coming along and it is probably drawing more of you in to the brunches. It's good to see you. Please, keep coming. We are just getting wound up. I am hoping to see many more of you and a showing of the SOB's (Southern Ohio Beemers) at the Marietta Brunch so we can get reacquainted and begin a game plan for your involvement in the national. Please, everyone, remind your local club RAlly representative to attend these meetings. There will also be a special Ohio RAlly Committee Meeting held on January 23 in the Columbus area. A notice will be sent to your club from the RAlly Chair prior to that meeting outlining the location and time.

Last winter I published a mission statement in the Winter Update which committed me to trying to get a 100% chartering of Ohio BMW Clubs with the RA. We currently have eight of a total of twelve Ohio BMW Clubs as Chartered RA Clubs. So, I fell short but we did retain all the previous clubs. I also predicted the RA National RAlly coming here for the year 2000. Well if I was a batter, hitting 500 isn't bad.

Although the helm got a little shaky a few times this year I feel we weathered the storms rather well and our course is still set and true. In Ohio you can plan on a full schedule of Y2K off season eating meetings throughout the state, a Spring Camp Out, a Summer Camp Out, the RA International Rally in September, at least one Fall Camp Out, plus the beginning of another indoor meeting season. This should keep us pretty busy.

The Ohio RA Treasury currently has $238.57 in it and no one has made any suggestions as to how to spend these funds. I am placing a freeze on further fund raising until someone comes up with a suggestion on what to do with these monies. Perhaps a new coffeepot or a foul weather tarp. No, a keg is not an option. I just can't see continuing raising more money if we don't have a goal to obtain. Tell me what you think.

MY MISSION FOR THE YEAR 2000
My mission for this New Year will be to continue providing organizational stability and enhanced communications through our newsletter, web site, state held events, and regional meetings. I encourage you to participate by attending our events and telling me what you like and what you would like to see changed. I will also be helping in whatever way I can with the RA national event. We are in this for the pure fun of it and I am here to see it stays that way. So come on out, have a great ride, tell some tales, make some new friends, and find out what the Ohio RA is all about.

MARIETTA HOTEL WINTER CAMP OUT
If you are new to the Ohio RA this is your opportunity to get a little loose after the Holidays. To break the dull drums of the off riding season we get together in January for an indoor camp out. (Kind of an oxymoron.) Our block of rooms is filling fast at the Lafayette Hotel in downtown Marietta. This historic Victorian hotel is right on the Ohio River where you can watch the boats go by all night long. They have again provided us with their usual hospitality. If you intend on going call Sheila, toll free at 800.331.9337 and ask for the special BMW RA block # 138780. This block will be held until December 27^th. After then, you will be on your own, so don't delay calling. The camp out is on Saturday night with a Sunday morning brunch/meeting in the Rufus Putnam Banquet Room. The front desk will have brunch tickets available when you check in or on Sunday morning before the eating meeting at 10:00 AM. If you do not want the brunch you are still welcome to come and join us just for the meeting. Please plan on attending to learn more about the Y2K Ohio RA International RAlly and the other Ohio RA district events. There is more information on the Hotel Camp Out in the Calendar section of this newsletter and on our web site.

'99 BRUNCHES -- SUMMARY
So far my prediction of additional attendees at our off season brunches has come true. I have seen a 42% average increase in the first two eating meeting's event rosters.

The November Utica brunch was the deadline for the submission of your ideas for a name for this year's RAlly. Thank you to all, for the suggestions and comments during the process. I forwarded your ideas to Eric who added them to the master list. Three names were in the final selection and sent to RA Headquarters. They countered with one not on the list and finally settled on "RA at the Hocking Hills". Now don't forget to use this name and help it become a click phrase. The more name exposure the better to help promote the event. We also collected an additional $15 for the Ohio RA Treasury with a 50/50 drawing and still no one had any suggestions about how to spend it.

The December brunch was focused on finishing the Ohio RA Event Calendar and to the RAlly National Committee Outline. We held a discussion regarding the date and location of the summer camp out. The general feeling was to keep the event on Fathers Day Weekend and to see if it would be possible to have it at the Mohican Reservation or another campground close to that one. The Mohican Reservation, where we have been having this event, is hosting a Christian Music Festival on the same Saturday we would be there. The campgrounds has not called me back yet with their thoughts on this, but the general feeling at the November Meeting was to keep our Fathers Day Weekend regardless. I will let you know when the location is confirmed but you can still mark your calendars for the weekend of June 16-18, 2000. Eric Nyrop, BMW RAlly Chair, used the end of our regular meeting to present information on the structuring of committees for the Y2K Ohio RA National RAlly. There are fourteen committees on the slate at this time and they are as follows; Publicity, Registration, Security, Vendors, Awards, Door Prizes, Entertainment, Bike Judging, Site Set up and Clean up, Photography, Seminars, Tours & Restaurants, Lodging and Campgrounds, and Pin and Tee-shirt Design. If you are interested in volunteering your time and/or services to any of these committees please contact Eric in any of the following ways; by phone at 614.444.9409 (home) or 614.899.2477 (work), by email at xxxx, or by snail mail to 404 Forest Street, Columbus, OH 43206. It's time to get on the bandwagon so you can do something you like or have always wanted to do for your fellow RA's. How many rallies have you been to as a guest? This is your opportunity to be a host and share some of Ohio with your RAllying friends from other states and countries.

UPCOMING BRUNCHES
January, February, and March all have scheduled eating meetings. I plan to use the end of each meeting for a discussion and information session for the RA at the Hocking Hills International RAlly.

Details for the January 8-9, Hotel Camp Out and Brunch can be found above and in the calendar section of this newsletter.

The February Brunch (in the northwest quadrant) will be held in Upper Sandusky (see Ohio Calendar) the day before Valentines Day on Sunday the 13th. I am hoping to see many Toledo Club people. We will again have the entire basement for our group. Hey guys, bring your sweetie and get off the hook a day early. Then she can brag about how you remembered her on this special day. Last year we had carnations for all the ladies who attended.

In case you haven't heard, Alice's Restaurant, where we usually have our March Brunch, closed this summer. The Buckeye's are trying to find a suitable location in the central state area where we can hold a meeting and get fed as well. I will announce the location in the Spring 2000 Update. It would be desirable to have a location somewhere between Columbus and Lancaster (preferably in Lancaster) so we can visit the RAlly site after the meeting. This will be the last off-season meeting of the spring, but I'm sure not the last RAlly Committee meeting before the Y2K RAlly.

FALL CAMP OUT RETRY FOR THE Y2K?
I have been told the Fall Camp Out is usually held the first weekend of October. This date has in the past conflicted with other RA chartered clubs scheduling and I have been intentionally avoiding it. This year the national will be only a week from the first of October and provides an additional dilemma. Do we want to try to resurrect this event this year or wait until 2001 to try to bring it back? The perspective dates are either September 29-October 1, or October 6-8. The second weekend (first full weekend) would be the most reasonable providing a week and a half recovery time from the National RAlly. This date would also put three weeks between the Fall and Halloween Camp Outs. My gut feeling is to bring it back in '01. I think we have a full plate as it is for this year. Please let me know how you feel on this one.

HALLOWEEN CAMP OUT REVIEW
It was the best weather I can ever remember and it showed in the attendance figures. We had 40 people across the weekend with appearances by Wolfman, a gorilla, and a longhaired ghoulish demon. I hope little Kaydee Smith (youngest camper at two years old) wasn't too frightened. I think it may have actually hit the seventies on Saturday. Several folks just showed up on a day ride and avoided the crisp overnighters. However, we had plenty of firewood to take the chill from the evening air and more food and snacks than we all could consume. The foliage was prime in many of the small town valleys throughout the area. Most of the roads into and around the area have been resurfaced as well -- what a combination. It was just one of those "got to be outside" weekends of the fall in Ohio. I have ordering the same weather for next year and hope to see even more of you then.

"RA AT THE HOCKING HILLS" INTERNATIONAL BMW RALLY
Eric Nyrop, BMW RAlly 2000 Chairman, has composed the following RAlly promo statement-
The site of the BMW RAlly 2000 is the Fairfield County Fairgrounds located in the City of Lancaster, Ohio. The facility reminds one of a turn of the century fairgrounds with nice green grass areas and buildings freshly painted white. Lancaster is located about 30 miles southeast of Columbus, Ohio. To the north of Lancaster is rolling farm grounds and looking south you see the beginnings of the Appalachian Mountains. The cliff overlooking the fairgrounds is called Mount Pleasant.

Lancaster was settled in 1800 and will be celebrating its bicentennial in 2000. The Fairfield Fairgrounds are also celebrating their 150th birthday. Their downtown area is currently being restored and renovated. This work is scheduled to be completed by mid-summer of 2000. Because of the scheduled celebrations this site should be looking mighty fine by rally time.

The Hocking Hills area starts about 20 miles south of Lancaster. The area is nationally known for roads that are among the best in America and also for the scenic attractions. Many of the roads have been paved this year and should be in excellent condition next riding season. Several roads in the area have been listed in many motorcycle magazines as roads that must be sampled.

The American Motorcycle Association is located in Pickerington, Ohio which is about 15 miles north of Lancaster. This is a must see attraction with the new Vintage Museum now open.

To the northwest of Lancaster is Columbus, the capital of Ohio. In this part of the state, the roads are of a rolling, sweeping nature. As the capital city, Columbus has many and varied attractions also. The Center of Science & Industry had its grand opening this past November in a new facility, which is a state of the art attraction.

There are many motels, campgrounds and hotels near or in Lancaster. The restaurant situation is well rounded also, ranging from the run of the mill fast foods to a four star restaurant. There are many restaurants near the rally site. There will be a sit down restaurant and a variety of food vendors on the rally grounds.

Getting to Lancaster is easy via roads that are many and varied in type. Access to Interstate I-70 and I-71 is easy and convenient. State Route 33 (a four-lane highway) passes through Lancaster. There are many other two-lane roads that also pass through Lancaster.

The weather in Ohio at this time of the year is generally very pleasant. Daytime temperatures average in the mid 70’s to low 80’s. The evening temperatures usually are in the 50’s.  The expected rainfall in September is usually low and if we do have rain, it doesn’t last very long.

FAREWELL TO OUR FRIEND
As many of you know an icon of the Ohio RA has taken his final ride. I am referring to our long time riding friend and good will ambassador for the Buckeye State RA's, Sam Hill.  Sam had traveled far and wide across these United States carrying the Ohio RA Banner and representing our state wherever he went.  It was always easy to find this quick-witted fellow and the Ohio RA's at any rally by looking for his huge tarp and the RA Ohio Banner. Sam was honored with a thirty-bike procession at his funeral with one riderless bike on a trailer signifying the missing rider.  All those who knew him will dearly miss him. Several Ohio RA members are looking into setting up a memorial fund to benefit his estate and to purchase a marker brick at the Motorcycle Memorial in Hopedale, Ohio.  I will have more information on this in the next issue.

CLUB CHARTER RENEWAL TIME
The January issue of the OTL will have a Charter Club Application and Renewal form in it. Please remind your local club president or secretary to re-up with the form or to do it on line at the RA Web Site (see address in header). Anyone needing further information on chartering a club can either contact me or our Club Coordinators, Todd and Susan Spayth.

INTERNET NEWS
If you are still waiting to see what all this Internet stuff is all about, you might consider resolving to buy that computer you have been thinking about, and give it a try next year. When they say Information Superhighway they mean it. If you think your favorite past time (riding your motorcycle) has nothing to do with computers, think again. Before I leave on a trip I usually print off a few detailed maps of the areas I'm going to tour, view the current Doppler Radar maps, and check my email to see if so and so is still going to meet us down the road. Ask anyone who is on line and they will tell you it is just another tool, which enhances your riding experience. You could get up to the minute informational postings from your RA State Director and visit numerous motorcycle related web sites including the Ohio RA, MOA, and RA National Web Sites. You can shop on line to find that obscure part for your slash whatever bike, and read through a plethora of tech and touring articles. Believe me, if you need information about anything you can find it somewhere on the web.

The Buckeye Beemers have taken the plunge into Cyberspace and are currently developing a web site for their club and for information regarding the upcoming RA National. They will be posting pages to promote the "RA at the Hocking Hills RAlly" and provide up to the minute information. I have linked this new site from ours (on the Clubs page) and will provide an additional Welcome Page link when they are ready for the additional exposure. To audition their new site, surf over to http://home.columbus.rr.com/buckeyebeemers/.

Our Web Calendar for the New Year is now posted. You can visit the Ohio RA Web Page at http://www.concentric.net/~bmw01bob/raohio.htm. These web pages are your guide to local, state, and national BMWRA activities for RA members here in Ohio. If your local club is RA Chartered, please send your events to me to post to the calendar.

My last Internet posting "To All Ohio RA's" was on 8 DEC 99 announcing the Southwest Quadrant RA eating meeting near Dayton. If you did not receive it or you wish to be added to my RA Ohio Posting List, please email me and ask to be added to the list.

LOOKING AHEAD
This will prove to be an interesting year. Our fate is undetermined as we forge into the new century. Where will the Summer Camp Out be? Is Midland Michigan worthy of our time and travels for the MOA Rally? How will the RA at the Hocking Hills RAlly fare? Will we have two Ohio RA camp outs in October? Only time will tell. It seems our schedule is plagued with uncertainty, but one thing is for sure. We Ohio RA's, are out to ride and have fun doing it (with the right attitude). This year plan on getting involved and have a grand time of it. I wish each of you a wonderful Holiday Season and invite you to share the coming New Year with the Ohio RA.

Ride with the RA,

Bob Wood

Bob Wood
BMW RA International
Ohio State Director

FOR SALE BY YOUR FELLOW RA's

'94 R1100RS ABS, Red, 70K miles, Riders Display, good tires, saddle bags, top case, tank bag, hand guards, excellent condition, $6900. Call Bob Burley at 330.832.3902

'92 K75S Limited Edition Pearl White, 47K miles, Corbin seat, keyed alike bags, tank bag, heated grips, "Runin' Lights", dual horns and more. New within the last 100 miles: front tire, fan, plugs, and air filter. Rear tire 4K miles old. Splines and more done at 30K miles. Complete with manuals, charger, and T/U paint kit. ABS fault at 40K miles -- cause uncertain, otherwise excellent condition, $5900. Call Pat evenings at 740.625.6525