Tamela Rich
Trustee
As a columnist and contributor to On The Level and frequent presenter at national rallies, Tamela Rich doesn’t really need an introduction. But here’s the “origin story” of our newest board member…For Tamela, cross-country motorcycling evokes memories of childhood summers road tripping between Ohio and California for family reunions in a Vista Cruiser station wagon. If you’re a certain age, you’ll remember the faux wood sticker panels that bubbled and peeled in extreme heat. “The motorcycle is much more comfortable than in the station wagon,” Tamela jokes, “it has better air flow than the old wagon’s unreliable air conditioning, and I don’t have to share the sticky vinyl seats with my squabbling siblings.”
In 2010, three months after passing her MSF class, Tamela set off on her G 650 GS for a 19-state, 40-day solo ride from her home in North Carolina to Oregon and back. Since then, she’s written two books based on her travels, earned two Iron Butt certificates, and written an ongoing column for our club magazine, “Out of the Saddle with Tamela Rich.” She hosts a series of Appalachian Mountains and Music Motorcycle Tours, and occasionally travels abroad with moto-friends.
“I joined the BMW Riders Association when I attended the 2013 national rally at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. What I’ve loved about our RA rallies is the family feeling that comes with our club’s size, and how everyone pulls together to bring it off. While riders of all marques are welcome, it’s a special treat to be among so many BMW riders who don’t think your GS is ‘funny looking.’”
