Boo Stew at Willville, 2008

[NC Steve]

As this really has no connection to R65s other than one of our more distinguished owners being in attendance (Hi Aida!!), I'll just post a link to some photos I took this past weekend of the festivities.

Let's just say the weather was gorgeous, the food, drink & company fantastic, and that a most excellent time was had by all. Hope to see more of you when Willville reopens in April!  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=3otryshf.1j07trdv&x=0&y=-92ja8w&localeid=en_US

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Looks like a great weekend!

I wish I lived closer to that area...  :-/

Maybe someday.

[Melena]

Thanks for the slide show Steve!  Those are great pictures.   That overlook of the valley looks like a quilt or a tapestry with all the beautiful fall colors.  And that campground looks like a wonderful place to stay with the nice flat grassy places to pitch a tent.  How fun!  

[nhmaf]

Nice pics !  Looks like it was a fun time, too !
 

[aussie]

What a beautiful area - I'm most jealous. We have similar areas - but really in NSW and VIC - a minimum of 6 hours away from where I live.

Thanks for the slide show - and nice Guzzi.

[msbuck]

Well, I'm a little late chiming in, but yes, it was a grand weekend!  Can't believe how GREAT the weather was!  I was all tuckered out from working and we opted for the car and the cabin...    BAD IDEA!  We were expecting highs in the 50's and lows in the 20's.  I didn't think I'd really be up for that, so we wimped out.  But the temps were up in the 70's with GORGEOUS blue skies and colors galore everywhere you looked. I so envied all the bikes out and there were plenty of them!  We opted for a ride in the Subaru with the windows down.  

That's the best weekend yet for the Boo Stew!  

[Semper Gumby]

Nice pics Steve.  Hey I even recognized a couple of those people!  

TTFN,

[suecanada]

Good to see the California Guzzi again Steve. I wonder what we will all decide to do to get a meeting together again next summer. The Gathering of the Clans is good but timing is sorta close to the BMW national in Tennessee??! The flag is flying!!

[NC Steve]

Good to see the California Guzzi again Steve. I wonder what we will all decide to do to get a meeting together again next summer. The Gathering of the Clans is good but timing is sorta close to the BMW national in Tennessee??! The flag is flying!!

Sue, if I had to chose, I'd have to go with the National in TN, as I've never been to one before.
A jillion Beemers in 1 place has got to be the sight of a lifetime!

Which leads me to a question: has anyone here made any sort of arrangements to attend yet?
As one of the world's leading procrastinators, I fear that every hotel/motel/campsite within 50 miles is gonna get gone fast, if they haven't already. I seriously want to go, but don't want to end up sleeping in a phone booth or behind a dumpster out back of the take-out Chinese place, you know?

Anyone had the foresight and organization to check this out and maybe do some bookings??  :-?

[msbuck]

Steve,

There is always camping at the National.  The rally fee includes camping onsite.  So as long as you want to camp, that is the place to be, right in the middle of it all!  Now if you want a room, that might be another matter altogether.  

I hope to be there, that is absolutely a fabulous area!

[NC Steve]

So then, Aida, Sue, anyone have a line on some possible reservable rooms, or do you think that's asking too much this late in the game?
Is camping the plan for those here hoping to go?
If so, what facilities are available, amenities, etc? How does one sign up?

I went to the MOA website and can't seem to glean much information, like none, actually... :-/

[suecanada]

Steve,

The MOA internet site will get to posting all the needed info for the Rally well in advance of the July dates. You can register for the rally online. It will be the fifth National for me and i will camp with the earplugs as usual. Just too much fun to go offsite IMHO. You get to go to sleep with the music, talk to new friends over morning coffee, return all your new vendor purchases to your tent as you go along. Rest if there are no seminars to attend for an hour. Around 80 seminars I think...some duplicated. There are showers for you and washing facilities for the bike, and oil changing venues. The beer tent is fun in the evening with the good music and when it's really hot an afternoon lager to quench the thirst inhibits nothing as you sweat it out and don't have to drive anywhere anyhow. I love the National. Some are better than others. If the facility is good this one in Tenn. could be a real winner with those roads and landscape!!  Some Nationals may be stay onsite rallies and go to the seminars and peruse the vendor stalls. Others beckon me to ride the roads in the area. Go early...two days to ride roads and 2 days to shop and listen and learn!!  I arrived at the Gillette rally on Tuesday afternoon and stayed until mid-day Sunday! Normally ya need to volunteer to get in earlier than the Thursday morning. I signed up to do 3 hours at the oil change venue. I really don't think they check that you volunteered. Some rallies may have been more strict about getting in early than the Gillette one. I had a great time at the oil change venue and did my own bike to boot!  I choose attending the National too over the Gathering for now.

[nhmaf]

Yes, there is time yet, but the hotels will generally fill early, so get ready to call when we get a little closer to the date.
AT this point, I am planning to go to the National, too, and probably my cousin as well.   We'll be camping at the rally site, unless something comes up to indicate that would be a terrible idea.   I've camped at the Vermont and Wisconsin rallys and had fun.  It is nice being able to stroll back to your sleeping bag from the beer tent, too.    I've got all winter to think about whether or not to attempt the trip on Tillie or Connie the Kawasaki, or, if expenses and revenue get more in -line, a possible "new" airhead.  I gotta say, I'm going a bit crazy seeing some nice R90/6 and R100 bikes around the area for sale - just can't get the checkbook balances up high enough to be comfortable to go bike shopping now at the moment.  Mechanically, Tillie can probably make the trip OK, it is just that I don't fit so well on her as on a larger framed airhead, though if we took mostly non-slab roads and had plenty of gas stops/breaks, I could probably make it without needing some sort of chiropractic procedure at the end - I'd definitely have to travel light or get some hard bags for the LS.  The Concours can carry all that I need easily.

It should be a great time, and I hope that a bunch of you guys & gals decide to go to Tennessee !

[suecanada]

I will be riding LRB most likely and maybe my brother Rich will be on his K75 or like you Mike, he could decide to ride his Kawasaki Nomad. We would be taking the secondary roads for the most part..Blue Ridge Pkwy too. There is a chance and a small one that I'd have a new bike then too...Triumph Bonnie or F650GS twin.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

We opted for a ride in the Subaru with the windows down.

But you had each other!