BMW RA 2004 Rally eNewsletter Archive

"RA in the Wild and Wonderful"

Final Edition 2004 Rally
RA Rally eNewsletter, Volume 4.08
November 29, 2004

"RA in the Wild and Wonderful"

I bet you all thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth! Not so lucky! Time to wrap up a truly memorable rally in West Virginia. I must wrap up the 2004 rally before telling you about the 2005 rally and I have a lot to talk about!

First: thanks to all who attended. You all know this became another memorable RA rally. Hurricane Ivan graced us with his presence and blew through Friday and into Saturday. Before and after Ivan was glorious! The riding was great, seminars outstanding, entertainment worth the money and the scenery fantastic!

Rally Statistics:

Geographic Attendence:
US 986
Canada 43
Virgin Islands 2
Britain 2

US: (Top 10)

As with all reporting in Registration, some people were confused about their sex, couldn't remember where they lived and would not own up to their age!

This rally could not have been as successful as it was without the volunteers. Rally chairs, Gordan Boltz and George Mastovich (who ran into one of Tucker County's finest four legged brown creatures and spent the rally in the hospital), labored to bring you the best of West Virginia. Come rally time, volunteers stepped forward to help with everything from Registration, Tent Camping, Security and in some cases, just keeping morale high. Hats off to all of you!

The MSF classes went on, rain or shine. I watched the ERC course and marveled at the skills shown by the participants, especially on Friday, when they spent the majority of the course in the pouring rain. The Dirt Bike guys reveled in the dirt and mud over at the ski area and were lucky enough to take a ride up the tubing hill. Very cool!

The caliber of the seminars and speakers was excellent: thanks to Bill Shaw for his efforts in bringing together these speakers.

My thanks as Registration Chair to NJ Shore BMW Riders and New Sweden BMW Riders and numerous others for their efforts in Registration. You guys took over and gave me a needed breather, you don't know how much I appreciated it! Most of all, thanks to the staff of Canaan Valley Resort: Chuck Trader, Lisa Ratliff, Troy Caldwell, and the state park staff.

Special thanks to Ohio RA folks who turned out to help. My friends and fellow riders -- can't say enough about what your support means to me and others!

I have been persuaded to stay on for the 2005 rally as Rally Liaison and have already made a trip to TN to scope out the '05 rally site. If you think Canaan Valley, West Virginia was a great site, wait until I tell you about Shelbyville, Tennessee.

Debbi Harbour
Rally Liaison

Note: Rule #1 - We cannot name any more rallies "RA in" the... Enough already!

Rally Newsletter, Volume 4.07
September 10, 2004

"RA in the Wild and Wonderful"
September 16 – 19, 2004

A couple of final notes:

Awards
We will have sign ups for awards in Registration for the following categories:
Long Distance Male
Long Distance Female
Long Distance 2-Up
Oldest Male Rider
Oldest Female Rider
Oldest Combination: Rider, Passenger & Motorcycle
People's Choice Awards:
Best Airhead
Best K-Bike
Best F-Bike
Best Oilhead
Rat Bike (Rats ride motorcycles?)

Vintage Awards:
1923 – 1947
1948 – 1954
1955 – 1969
1970 – 1979
Best of Show
Highest Mileage

Field Events: I'll keep you guessing on those!

Camping
We have plenty of space for tent camping and we've added another bonfire area. Now we have three areas for bonfires!

Rally Program & Schedule
Yes, we have one and it's posted on the BMW RA website: Rally Schedule
I think some of you just fainted dead away! Take a look, plan your seminar schedule and schedule some rides in between. Thanks to all of you who have been very patient with us. We wanted to make sure we had the best rally seminar/speakers schedule ever!

Volunteers
Volunteer sign up sheets will be located in Registration. You can volunteer for the Black Eagle Shop, Registration, Security/Hospitality, etc. Take some time when you settle in to volunteer for a shift. This rally can't run without your help! Thanks to all of you who have already volunteered.

Okay, that's it folks. I'm packed and leaving for Canaan Valley. Thanks to everyone at Canaan Valley Resort, WV Department of Natural Resources, Tucker County Visitor's and Convention Bureau (Bill, you're the man!).

And to all of you, my new friends…..see you at Canaan Valley!

Debbi Harbour, Rally Liaison & your RA Secretary

Rally Newsletter -- Volume 4.06
September 3, 2004

"RA in the Wild and Wonderful"

GPS Coordinates:
N39 deg 00.765'
W079 deg 26.773'

This is the newsletter you'll want to print out!
September 16th – 19th, Canaan Valley Resort, south of Davis, West Virginia. Are you ready? Here goes!

Tent Camping:
Some of you have been busy e-mailing me your reservations for tent camping slots. The cut off date for reserving a camping slot is Thursday, September 9th. Those of you registering when you arrive, can camp with your friends. We will have a layout of the tent camping area in Registration. You can scope out what slots are available, go to the tent camping area, wander around until you find an available spot that suits you and park yourself, bike and gear. We will have a Camping Coordinator to assist you in finding a spot.

Bonus: Canaan Valley has informed us we will have two areas designated for bonfires! What could be better? Camping and bonfires!

Rally Hours:
Registration -
Thursday 8AM – 8PM
Friday 8AM – 8PM
Saturday 8AM – Noon

Registration will open bright and early on Thursday for those of you rally rats who just can't wait to get settled in.

Vendors Hours:
Thursday 9AM – 6PM
Friday 9AM – 6PM
Saturday 9AM – 4PM

You will notice that vendor hours end at 6PM Thursday and Friday; however, I'm sure you can coax them into staying open longer. As long as we spend money, I'm sure they'll stay open! But remember even they want to relax and enjoy the rally.

Registration- Day Passes:
Yes, you heard correctly, we will have Day Passes. Day Passes will be available for Friday and Saturday. With a Day Pass you can:
· Use the Canaan Valley Resort facilities
· Attend Seminars
· Participate in Rides and Events
· Have access to all vendors
· Participate in the cook-out (sponsored by the Resort for a fee) & Beer Tent activities
· Listen to the band

Day Pass Restrictions:
· No overnight camping
· No rally pin or door prize tickets
· No free beer during the Happy Hour (however, you can still purchase it)

So if you can't make all three days, this is perfect for you! Cost: $15 good for one day only.

Rally Schedule:
I know you are all a twitter trying to figure out who is speaking. I've already leaked out that Fred Rau, David Hough and Lee Parks will be giving seminars. Add Rick Gray, Chairman of the Board of Directors for American Motorcyclist Association, Helen TwoWheels, Carol Youorski (“Skert”) to the list.

Entertainment:
In keeping with the spirit of West Virginia and the mountains, we have two bands slotted for Friday and Saturday night.

Friday night we are pleased to have "From the Hip". From the Hip presents “an untamed mix of Jamgrass, bluegrass, traditional and original music. A foundation of hand percussion and solid bass combined with a textural blend of rhythm and lead guitar, banjo, harmonica and mandolin support the 3-part harmony and rhythmically driven tunes. Pin your ears back and race to the barn!” Find out more about the band: From the Hip

Saturday night brings us the "Woodticks". The Woodticks are a traditional old-time string band. Their music is inspired by stories handed down through generations. For more information: Woodticks

MSF Courses:
The Dirt Bike School (DBS) is full! However, we have added two more Experienced Rider Courses (ERC) and still have Saturday afternoon openings. This class begins at 1:00 PM. If you are interested in the Saturday afternoon ERC contact Bob Wood or phone: 216.252.7933 by Friday, September 10, 2004.

Technology:
Can't we live without technology for one weekend? I can't even answer that truthfully! Cell Phones: Some work, some don't at Canaan Valley Resort. Those that work: Verizon & Cingular. Those that do not work: Nextel & T-Mobile. These are the few we've been able to test while at Canaan Valley Resort.

Computers:
All Lodge rooms and a few cabins/cottages have high-speed Internet access. There is one computer in the main lodge lobby available to anyone who may want to check their e-mail.

Door Prizes:
Hmm….I'll just tease you all a little bit. Bob's BMW is going to outfit you from head to toe. Need tires? Is there anything from the Aerostich catalog you'd like to have?

Accommodations:
You all have been filling up the lodging in the area. Most have been fully reserved, so we found another place for you. Deerfield Village Resort has 1-4 bedroom condos. The resort is just a five minute drive from Canaan Valley and the nice folks will give any BMW RA rally goer a 25% discount if you rent for a minimum of two nights during the rally. I paid a visit to this resort and you will not be disappointed! Call 800.342.3217 and ask for Donna.

Businesses in the Surrounding Area:
The businesses Canaan Valley, Davis, Thomas & Parsons are excited and looking forward to meeting rally goers. Do you all know that when we arrive in mass, we will double the population of Tucker County? The convenience store closest to our rally site, Canaan Valley Stores will have plenty of gas, adult beverages, pop, some camping supplies, snacks, etc. and they are ready! There is a full grocery store in Davis plus restaurants serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will find a listing of these in your rally pack.

Is there anything else? You'll just have to come and find out! Keep checking the BMW RA website for last minute updates. Other than that….finalize your plans, it's time to ride!

Debbi Harbour, Rally Liaison & your RA Secretary

RA Rally Newsletter – Volume 4.05
August 2, 2004

"RA in the Wild and Wonderful"

No excuses now! September 16th – 19th, 2004 is the date; Canaan Valley, West Virginia is the place. As you can imagine, rally preparations are at full tilt. Rally Chairs: Gordan Boltz and George Mastovich, along with the rally coordinators, are hard at work getting Canaan Valley ready for this rally. Things are moving along at a wicked pace. The folks at Canaan Valley Resort, Tucker County Visitor's Bureau and local businesses are busy getting ready for us. We are also busy continuing with rally plans…just over six weeks until the rally begins.

Tent Camping
We are trying something new this year! Due to the fact that we are having this rally at a West Virginia State Park, the campground must conform to the regulations of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources. But this is a good thing! Canaan Valley Resort has provided us with enough space that will give us spacious campsites. There will be no need to park on median strips between parking lots at this rally.

The State Park will have the camping area surveyed and divided into 1200 sq. ft. parcels, each of which will be marked. Each parcel will be approximately 30' by 40' and is fairly large. Our restriction is that each parcel can only have a maximum of six people camping in it. Everyone camping must be aware of the density restriction in selecting a campsite. In most cases, parcels will be shared. However, it also means that even though there is room for ten to twelve people in one parcel, if there are more than six people in a group, some will have to move to a different parcel. We hope that larger groups who want to camp together will be able to do so.

So why trust your luck? We've come up with a way to ensure you'll be able to camp with your friends.

Value to Groups in Pre-Registering: The way to guarantee a group spot is through pre-registration. If you have four or more pre-registrants, we will reserve space for you to camp together, no matter when you arrive. If you have more than six, we will reserve adjacent parcels for you. We will try to select some of the nicest spots (in reality, they are all about the same) for those that want to use the pre-registration option.

If you arrive and don't like the space we saved for you, we will be happy to switch you to another if there is one available. All you have to do is pre-register four or more people and e-mail your desire to lock in a parcel to rallyinfo. Tell us who the people are and if you would rather be near the front of the camping area, back (more private, but further from the showers, etc.).

What could be better? Spacious campsites and the ability to reserve a spot to camp with your friends. I think we can all remember rallies were space was at a premium. This will give all tent campers plenty of room to spread out.

MSF Safety Classes
We are offering a total of 40 slots for the MSF Classes: 24 ERC and 16 DBS. There are only 12 slots remaining! Classes will be held on both Friday and Saturday morning. There are no slots remaining for the Friday classes and 12 slots available in the Saturday classes: 7 ERC & 5 DBS

If a particular class fills up and enrollment continues for that class and day, those participants over and above the class limit will be put on standby. When there are enough participants to fill an additional class, an afternoon class will be held on Friday from 2-7PM. If there are not enough for this afternoon class, the enrollment fee will be returned to those on the standby list.

As you can tell, interest has been high for both of these classes, especially the DBS (Dirt Bike School). This will be the first time this class has been offered at an RA rally! If you are interested in either of these courses, access the RA website: MSF Safety Courses

Vendors
The vendor list keeps growing. Already committed for the rally:

BMW Motorcycles of the Tri-State
Post Enterprises
Helmet Sunblocker
ROK Straps
Motolight
RCU Designs, Inc.
Motorrad Elektrik
Speed's Cycle
Jo's UPAC
Helen Twowheels
Hannigan Motorsports
The Treasure Chest
Quality Contracting Service
The Earplug Co.
Ian Mcllvane, REMAX
GEICO
Kermit Chair Company

Volunteers
Thanks to those of you who have contacted me about volunteering! We already have a couple of clubs who are helping out with organizing rides and running Registration. I am assuming that if you can hear the sound of my e-mail, you will be attending. Volunteer for Security, Registration, Black Eagle Shop, Door Prizes…Volunteering is fun and a great way to meet new friends. This rally cannot be run without your help! Contact me at Rally Info to volunteer. Tell me where you would like to help out, day and timeframe.

Now, here is your To Do List:
Pre-Register for the Rally
Schedule time off work for rally (maybe this should be first?)
Contact Rally Info to volunteer and reserve campsite
Get out Atlas: Plan route to Canaan Valley, West Virginia
Scope out possible rides while at Canaan Valley

I hope you are truly enjoying your summer with riding and rallies. Can you believe it's August already?

Debbi Harbour, RAlly Liaison

RA Rally Newsletter -- Volume 4.04
July 6, 2004

Motorcycle Safety Courses
There will be two motorcycle safety course offerings during the 2004 rally at Canaan Valley in September.

DIRT BIKE SCHOOL (DBS)
The MSF DBS is a rider safety course designed for off road riders to learn the proper techniques for safely operating their bikes on the trail and in the woods. Riding exercises progress rapidly from basic controls, straight line riding and braking, to up shifting while standing on the foot pegs, counter weighting, swerving around cones, surmounting obstacles and riding in tight circles. A small hill will be utilized to teach the proper way to climb, descend and traverse a grade.

Street riders will benefit from this class as well, since riding in dirt requires better balance and learning to compensate for varying traction.

EXPERIENCED RIDER COURSE (ERC)
This class is for riders with at least 6 months or 3000 miles minimum experience. Even the most experienced riders develop bad riding habits that they are not aware of. The ERC is a great opportunity to learn accident avoidance skills with a trained MSF Rider Coach in a controlled environment. Since you use your own motorcycle, you will gain a better understanding of how you and your motorcycle react to different situations. No matter how long you've been riding, this advanced course is tough enough to challenge your skills. You'll learn high speed maneuvering, quick swerving and avoidance techniques, counter steering, traction control, and emergency braking for curves and slippery surfaces.

Both the DBS and ERC will consist of approximately five hours of range exercises. These classes have been scheduled for Friday, September 17th , at 8:00 AM and Saturday, September 18th at 8:00 AM. Additional afternoon classes may be scheduled to accommodate additional students if necessary.

All riders who successfully complete these classes will receive a MSF RiderCourse Completion Card. Most insurance companies will offer a discount for completing the MSF ERC. All participants will be responsible for supplying their own motorcycle and the required safety gear. Riders taking the DBS are advised to use a Dual Sport or off road type motorcycle equipped with knobby tires and are advised to remove their mirrors to avoid possible damage if they drop their bike. All participants must wear the following protective gear during the courses:

• DOT approved helmet and eye protection (goggles are recommended for the DBS)
• Over-the-ankle footwear (leather boots suggested -- not cloth, canvas, etc.)
• Long-sleeved shirt or jacket
• Long (non-flare) pants such as Denim jeans or material of equivalent durability
• Full-fingered gloves (preferably leather)

All classes are limited in size and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Print the form and mail it in as instructed. Details are on this printable web site form or request a form by writing to:

Bob Wood
Motorcycle Safety Classes
4257 West 130th Street
Cleveland, OH 44135

Registration forms will be accepted until August 20, 2004. Remember, the more you know, the better it gets!

Debbi Harbour
Rally Liaison

RA Rally Newsletter – Volume 4.03
June 8, 2004

I hope by this time you have all marked your calendars for September 16 – 19, 2004 and planned your route to Canaan Valley Resort, West Virginia. The resort is fully reserved: lodge rooms, cabins & cottages and RV sites. If you plan to tent camp, your site is included in your rally registration. For those of you still wanting to find accommodations in the area, we have developed a listing of additional accommodations. These accommodations include lodge rooms, B & B and vacation rentals in the Davis and Thomas, West Virginia area.

Registration for the rally:

Adults: $30 pre-registered, $35 at the gate

Youth: 11-15 $15 pre-registered, $18 at the gate

Children: 10 and under Free

Pre-registration must be received by August 27, 2004.

Facts about Canaan Valley:

Average High for September: 70-75 degrees
Average Low for September: 45-55 degrees
Canaan Valley residents receive their first frost around the last week of August so if you camp, bring the appropriate sleeping bag! Red maples should be turning at the higher elevations and may bring us some fall colors to enjoy.

Canaan Valley is approximately 15 miles long north to south and 3 miles wide east to west. It is bounded on the east by Cabin Mountain and on the west by Canaan Mountain. The valley's average elevation is 3200 feet above sea level and the valley has the second largest inland wetland area in the U.S.

Seminars are being developed with a fine cadre of speakers already lined up:

Fred Rau is the Senior Editor of Motorcycle Consumer News. He is one of the most celebrated and respected motorcycle journalists in the U.S. and is the former editor of Wing World and Road Rider magazines. He recently entered an exclusive club by riding over one million miles on two wheels.

David Hough is the author of the best selling books “Proficient Motorcycling” and “Street Strategies” as well as a contributing editor for MCN or MOA Owner News. David, also known as the “Father of motorcycle rider training” is an avid sidecar enthusiast who can regularly be seen riding his unique K-1 hack at various BMW venues.

Larry Grodsky , author of the “Stayin Safe” column in Rider Manager since 1988, is an MSF instructor who has trained over 4,000 riders. Larry has been offering his “Stayin Safe” class for eight years and will offer this course for the rally.

Lee Parks is author of “Total Control” and is the former editorial director for MCN and Auto Restorer magazines. A former WERA Endurance Series racer, he currently spends his time between his businesses, Lee Park Design (manufacturing motorcycle gloves) and instructing motorcyclists in his riding skills seminar.

The "R" in RA stands for “Riders”:

Pavement Ride: Turn right onto SR 32 South from the resort. Follow SR 32 south until SR 72. Turn right onto SR 72. Fair warning: the sign for SR 72 states there are sharp dangerous curves and warns trucks to stay off of this road! SR 72 is not a full two-lane road, more like a lane and a half. Two cars cannot pass each other without one pulling over onto the berm. SR 72 has sharp curves and hairpin turns and was termed as “one of the more technical roads” by someone I consider a very experienced rider. The road is well-worn pavement, so take note! Follow SR 72 until US 219. Turn right onto US 219 and go north. As you follow US 219 north, you will come around a curve into full view of the windmill project by FPL Energy. There is room to pull off and take great pictures of these machines. Continue on US 219 into Thomas, WV where it intersects with US 32. Turn right onto SR 32 and go south through Thomas and Davis. This will lead you back to the resort.

There is a local road off of SR 72 that follows the Dry Fork River and provides great scenery and returns to SR 72. But you'll miss the great hairpin turns on SR 72!
We'll provide this side trip routing at the rally.

Rally preparations are at full throttle. The local merchants and citizens are eagerly anticipating our arrival and making plans to welcome rally participants.

Thanks to Bill Shaw, RA Vice President and Seminar/Speaker Chair for the information on speakers. Also, thanks to Bill Smith, Tucker County Convention & Visitors Bureau for the ride.

Stayed tuned for more info. Riding season is upon us (at last), so ride safe!

Debbi Harbour
2004 Rally Liaison

RA Rally eNewsletter – Volume 4.02
April 6, 2004

RA IN THE "WILD AND WONDERFUL"

It doesn't get any better than this! After publishing Volume 4.01 of this eNewsletter, you responded enthusiastically. As of March 31st, all cabins and cottages, Queen and King rooms have been reserved at Canaan Valley Resort. Only the following remain unreserved:

Double Beds 26
Handicap Rooms (Dbls.) 5
Efficiencies 2
RV Sites 30

If you plan to stay at the resort, make your reservation as soon as possible by calling 800-622-4121. Those of you already registered at the resort can take a virtual tour of your accommodations at: http://www.canaanresort.com/tours

There will be ample room for tent camping close to rally central. The area provided has shade and facilities, including showers. Most importantly, level ground!

Registration is NOW open for business. The rally fees are:

Adults: $30 pre-registered, $35 at the gate
Youth: 11 – 15 $15 pre-registered, $18 at the gate
Children: 10 and under Free

Tent camping is included in the rally fee. Room, cabin and RV charges are separate and need to be made through the resort. You must be registered to rent a room, cabin or RV Site.

Pre-registration must be received by August 27, 2004. To download the registration form: http://www.bmwra.org/pdf_files/PreRegFormLS.pdf

The "R" in RA stands for Riders, so let's ride. In this newsletter, I will take you on a sample tour of both pavement and off-road rides to try out when you come to the rally. For those of you restricted to the pavement, get out your Atlas or WV Highway Map!

All rides start from Canaan Valley Resort.

Ride #1: From the resort, turn right onto SR 32 and go south from the resort. Go into Harman, turn left(east) onto SR 55/US 33 and go to Seneca Rocks. Take in the scenery, hike/climb up the back of the mountain. When you return from your hike, cool off by wading, sitting or dunking yourself in the river. Dry off and take SR28 South. At junction with SR92, turn right onto SR 92. Take SR 92 to Elkins, take SR 55 right to Harman and then take SR 32 North to the resort.

Ride #2: From the resort, turn left onto SR 32 and go north from the resort to Blackwater Falls State Park. Take some time for an easy hike to the spectacular view of the falls. Continue north on SR 32 until you reach Thomas, WV. Go north on US 219 until you see the sign for Fairfax Stone Monument. This is the official starting point of the Potomac River. You will also see the Windmill Farm. This farm generates electricity for Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area. Take US 219 South to junction with SR 72. Then take a left onto SR 72 East to SR 32. Turn left on SR 32 back to the resort.

Now for those of you with a F650, GS, other off-road brand or any GS wannabees (myself included, I keep taking my K75 off pavement) grab a West Virginia Gazetteer:

Ride #1: From the resort, turn right onto SR 32 and go south from the resort to Harman. Turn left onto SR 55/US 33 to Seneca Rocks. Turn left (north) onto SR 55/SR 28. Follow this route to just past Smoke Hole Caverns. Turn right onto County Road (CR) 28-11. CR 28-11 will turn into CR 2-3, then CR 2. Follow CR 2 until it comes out onto US 220, north of Upper Tract, WV. Take US 220 South to CR 8, just south of Upper Tract. Take CR 8 to CR 10 and back to CR 8. CR 8 will come out on US 33. Take US 33 to Harman. In Harman take SR 32 North to the resort.

Thanks to Steve Fox for Short Rides #1 & 2, plus GS Ride #1. If anyone has an interesting ride, on and off road in the area, e-mail me at rallyinfo.

In the next issue of the 2004 Rally eNewsletter series I will tell you more about the fantastic resort and the 6000-acre State Park we have for our rally. Also, in future eNewsletters I will be telling you about local attractions, like the Blackwater Brewing Company, Cass Railroad, Green Bank National Radio Astronomy Observatory and more. I guarantee you won't have time to do it all. I haven't even touched on the tech seminars, rider education classes, nightly entertainment, daytime kids programs, or the cookouts by the beer garden.

Thanks to all who have volunteered to date. We still need help! Even if you can volunteer for a single block of hours during the rally, let me know. You'll have a great time and meet new friends!

Be sure to stay tuned and tell your friends about this free Rally eNewsletter service. They won't want to miss an issue and won't have to. For past issues, they can go to:http://www.bmwra.org and click the link to eNewsletters, then click on "Read Past Issues".

Ride safe,

Debbi Harbour
2004 Rally Liaison

RA Rally Newsletter - Volume 4.01
February 7, 2004

Mark your calendars for September 16-19,2004. Turn in your vacation request and tell your boss that you're meeting with hundreds of your closest motorcycle friends - destination, Canaan Valley State Park, West Virginia!

I'm Debbi Harbour, your 2004 Rally Liaison. It is my job to keep you informed of this year's rally preparations, points of interest and even some gentle arm-twisting. Volunteers, we need volunteers! During the next few months, I will be posting all of the details of this premiere event right here on the RA's Rally eNewsletter.

Canaan Valley Resort is located in the middle of Canaan Valley State Park in the Potomac Highlands region of West Virginia. The RA will have use of the entire 6,000-acre state park along with all of the amenities of the resort. There are 250 rooms at the lodge, 23 fully equipped cabins and cottages scattered throughout the forest and 34 RV sites. All rooms, cabins and RV sites require a minimum 3-day reservation. The RA negotiated rates for the rally are as follows:

Lodge:
Double (2 double beds) $60/night
Queen (1 queen bed) $60/night
Executive King (1 king bed) $89/night
Efficiency (2 double beds, 1 sleeper sofa) $125/night

Cabins:
2-Bedroom $125/night
3-Bedroom $159/night
4-Bedroom $175/night

Cottage:
4-Bedroom with TV & Phone $225/night

RV Sites:
Call for size and hook-up information $15/night

All cabins and cottages have a full kitchen, dinnerware, fireplace with firewood and more.

In addition there will be primitive tent camping available at no additional charge. All persons staying at Canaan Valley will have access to their indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa and game room to name a few.

The resort will also be operating the ski lifts during the rally. Reservations for lodge rooms, cabins, and RV sites can be made by calling (800) 622-4121.

Canaan Valley Resort enjoys a 3-diamond rating from Triple A and has a 4-star restaurant within the resort. There will be lots of food on the rally site plus a portable food-vending trailer near the camping area for lunch and snacks. The Canaan Valley chefs are planning nightly cookouts near the beer tent (pig roast, ribs & chicken with all the fixings).

But we all know the "R" in "RA" stands for "riders" and you will enjoy some of the best riding east of the Mississippi, on and off road! For those of you with GS's and F's, there are hundreds (maybe thousands) of miles of dirt and off-road riding opportunities. This may be the premier BMW rally for off-roaders ever. Those of us restricted to pavement can enjoy high curving mountain roads, panoramic vistas and very little traffic. This area of West Virginia is one of the least populated areas in the east. While you are here you can visit destinations like Blackwater Falls, Spruce Knob/Seneca Rocks and the Monongahela National Forest just to name a few. We will introduce you to some of these locations and the people behind the rally in future eNewsletters!

In addition to offering the MSF Experienced Rider Course (ERC), we will also be offering the MSF Dirt Bike Course during the rally. The Dirt Bike course is a truly unique opportunity to hone your off-road skills. I can tell you having taken this course myself, you can take everything you learn onto the pavement. This class is a must!

So, pull out your West Virginia map or Gazetteer and spend these winter days marking some phenomenal riding routes for September. For additional local information visit: canaanvalley.org or canaanresort.com

I will be writing to you again very soon with more information on this exciting rally site, including details about rides, rally activities, local attractions and much more.


Debbi Harbour
Rally Liaison