Your first BMWST Event - Tell Us About Yours

[Indy Dave]

For those who have yet to attend their first BMWST event, please share with us about attending your first BMWST gathering. Tell us when and where and your impressions. Have you kept coming back? How long had you been on the board, etc.

 

My first event:  2015 Fall Appalachian Riding Tour  (FART) - Asheville, NC

 

I'd been on the board for 7 years before I attended my fist event! And I wonder... what took me so long! Actually, if it haden't been for Jake reaching out and inviting me to FART, I might still be on the sidelines, not knowing what I was missing. But, as it happened, Jake - whom I did not know - reached out and offered to meet me in Tellico Plains. From there, we would ride something called the  "The Cherohala Skyway"

 

 

- a road that I knew nothing about. Jake had figured from there, we'd stay at a little motorcycle campground with tiny cabins (that had been frequented by Neil Peart, Jake would later tell me). And from there, on to Asheville.

 

And while I loved the Skyway, I'm sure Jake could see from a distance behind me, that I was a fish out of water and now away from the straight and flat roads of Indiana. Whoa! This turn tightens up! Ohh my!! He's too polite to say so, but boy did I need some work on my riding.

 

Once in Asheville, Jake had one of Kinsley's Nearly World Famous routes loaded up in his GPS, and off we went. We took turns following each other and I was really holding up Jake everywhere, but especially in the tight stuff. Jake put the best spin on it he could, saying I was a 'cautious' rider when I asked how I was doing. Every once in a while, Jake had to let his pent up frustrations out and he would disappear into the horizon . I had no idea anyone could ride that quick!

 

And I guess here's the more important stuff. When we got to lunch (we had been riding together now for 3 days. We didn't share accommodations), I was unsure what to expect from a sit down lunch. What more could we possibly talk about? Little did I know. I think we spent a couple of hours talking, sharing and discovering all kinds of common interests and passions. We dove deep into music and artists, various albums and tracks and deep tracks. Pretty cool.

 

This was a Wet FART, so my interactions with others was somewhat limited, but Jake introduced me to Terry Of Perry, Endobobdds, Foot, Tallman and others. And I remember some Crazy Man in a yellow one piece suit riding off at first light in the POURING RAIN Saturday Morning as I peaked out my hotel window. Yup - Bernie! And little did I know that each of the people Jake introduced me to would become friends, and several now  (and others from  the board) I count as quite close friends.

 

Did I mention Kinsley's routes?    All in all, that weekend changed my life. I've not missed a FART or START since. And my riding - while still needing lots of work - has improved vastly thanks to the input and patience of many at those same events. I've also been to two UN Rallies and the same kind of great folks are found there. Torry is on my bucket list.

 

So many opportunities. Great riding. Great people.

 

What's your story?

 

 

 

[Kinsley]

I knew I wanted a BMW after riding in the Alps on an Edelweiss tour in 1999 and being forced to ride an "ugly" BMW as I told them. Two days into the tour and I knew I would be selling my Honda Cruiser at some point so I started doing my research. I found this Board to be the best source for information on everything from riding position to the positives and negatives of particular models, and which ones were fastest...evidently the Sinus Green RT held the title for awhile

 

There was talk of a gathering in Cherokee, NC for the Spring of 2003, so I set my sights on finding a BMW and going to that event known as El Paseo.

In January I bought a used 2002 RT and with all of the talk of GPS units I bought one of those as well. I had been doing all of my routing using clear arm sleeve covers with abbreviated directions inserted from pouring over maps the night before.

 

El Paseo 1 was a cold event for someone without any heated gear, but I enjoyed the new bike and the routes I was able to create on my Garmin software. This opened a whole new world to me as I kept track of where I had been and then kept looking for new roads to add to my data base. After that first El Paseo I started sharing my routes with friends I made along the way and I've been doing it ever since for 15 years now.

[tallman]

El Paseo I Spring 2003, Cherokee, NC.

I had been riding Beemers since my '68 R 50, fifty years ago. I worked part/full time a a BMW dealership for years as a 2nd job, sold a few bikes.

Rode up from Florida with my friend Rich, who I had met through the board, he rode up from Land 'o Lakes to Tallahassee.

Even though it was "Spring" it was cold.

It snowed.

A lot.

 

First time meeting David, who owned the board then, and a whole lot of other folks.

Many of whom are still very good friends today.

The riding was great. The people better.

After a couple years of El Paseo's and reading about Torrey, I started a meet & greet in Cedar Key back in 2005.

Since then Beth and I have ridden to El Paseo's. Blue Ridge Rendezvous', FART & STARTS, UN's, Tech Days, Cedar Key, from California to Nova Scotia.

We've had dozens of visitors from the board at our home, and been hosted.

I've learned so much and have been blessed to know Paul, Master Yoda (Dick F), David, Leslie and Jamie, FB, Whip, Rich, Bernie, Ken, ChrisK, Marty Jake, Dennis& Laney, Bounce, Francois&Nina, Joel, Jacqueline, Richard,..

(cue music) scores of people who have, and will provide what is needed, when it needed.

Ride tales, inspirational trips and amazing mechanical wizardry surrounded astute discussions on the site.

Times changed, People changed. Board changed, Again, and again, and again, and again.

Each time bringing improvements along with new members. People like DR (if he is a people, might be from another time and place managing all that info).

As the board changed, so did I. The motorcycles are gone. The friends remain.

This board used to be called "Mr. Rogers" Neighborhood".  A sobriquet we embraced (usually).

Now, a new format, new direction, new model.

 

 

 

[TEWKS]

The 2007 West Virginia UN. Had such a good time there, I felt I could walk on water. And I did. 

 

A Ben Ricci photo

 

 

Pat

[Bill_Walker]

There are two parts to this story: how I found this board, and my first event.

 

My mom, who lived in Mill Valley, CA, passed away in 2004.  I was up at her house in late 2004 dealing with stuff, had reached a quitting place, and had some time to kill before I met up with some friends in Petaluma for dinner.  What's between Mill Valley and Petaluma?  San Rafael, the then home of Marin BMW (owned by our late founder, Carey, whose surname I'm blanking on at the moment).  I was already interested in BMWs, having ridden a friend's 1100RT.  So I stopped by to take a look.  Near one of the desks was a little placard about BMWRT.com, and I made a note of it. Meanwhile, somebody (I think it was Kris Besley) asked me if I needed any help.  I explained I was just killing time, and why.  He told me I needed to go for a ride.  "But I don't have any gear," said I.  "We'll find you some," said he.  And I borrowed a jacket from one staffer and a helmet from another, and they put me on a new 2005 R1200RT and sent me for a ride, telling me to come back in an hour or two!  Because that's the kind of people they were, and those are the people who set the tone for this board.

 

After I got home, I got on the board, learned a lot, and then bought a lightly-used 2004 1150RT from a board member (actually did a swap for the H-D Road King I had bought to "ride slow and enjoy the scenery", which didn't work for very long, because I've always been about twisty roads, whether on 2 wheels or 4).  

 

I think my first BMWST event was a Tech Daze at Jamie & Leslie's, but I can find no record of that.  The first event I can find a record of was Torrey in May 2005.  Master Yoda (Dick Frantz) volunteered to lead a bunch of us Torrey newbies from SoCal to Torrey.  We all met up at a gas station in Barstow, and Dick proceeded to lead the other four (I think) of us up I-15 at 85 mph!  This was something new for me, but I got used to it after a while.  My BMW, of course, took it in stride.  We stayed that night at the Holiday Inn in Hurricane, UT, and got an interesting lecture on The World According to Dick.  The next morning, we rode through Zion National Park and on to Torrey via UT-12.  It was my first time in the area, and to say I found it jaw-dropping is an understatement.  I lost count of how many times I said "Wow!" to myself.  In Torrey, of course, I met a bunch of other folks from the board.  I honestly don't recall exactly where or with whom I rode that weekend, because I've been to Torrey so many times since that the memories kind of all run together and I can't put a particular memory to a particular year.  But it was, to borrow a line, the start of a beautiful relationship.

Photos here of me and of Dick at, I think, the Checkerboard Mesa overlook in Zion National Park.

[Indy Dave]

Great stuff Tim and Bill! Sitting here with the rain falling, melting the snow, these rich stories provide a welcome window that we all seem to share to some degree.

 

28 minutes ago, Bill_Walker said:

"But I don't have any gear," said I.  "We'll find you some," said he.  And I borrowed a jacket from one staffer and a helmet from another, and they put me on a new 2005 R1200RT and sent me for a ride, telling me to come back in an hour or two!  Because that's the kind of people they were, and those are the people who set the tone for this board.
 

 

 

That's good stuff there.

 

30 minutes ago, Bill_Walker said:

  The first event I can find a record of was Torrey in May 2005.  Master Yoda (Dick Frantz) volunteered to lead a bunch of us Torrey newbies from SoCal to Torrey.  We all met up at a gas station in Barstow, and Dick proceeded to lead the other four (I think) of us up I-15 at 85 mph!  This was something new for me, but I got used to it after a while.  My BMW, of course, took it in stride. 

 

  Funny how things change . .  And what a guy to learn from!

32 minutes ago, Bill_Walker said:

  The next morning, we rode through Zion National Park and on to Torrey via UT-12.  It was my first time in the area, and to say I found it jaw-dropping is an understatement.  I lost count of how many times I said "Wow!" to myself.  In Torrey, of course, I met a bunch of other folks from the board.  I honestly don't recall exactly where or with whom I rode that weekend, because I've been to Torrey so many times since that the memories kind of all run together and I can't put a particular memory to a particular year.  But it was, to borrow a line, the start of a beautiful relationship.

 

[Endobob]

Dave - thanks for starting this thread!   I hope we have many of the wonderful people I have met and shared our mutual enthusiasm for ridiing, exploring, and learning!   Once releases from my hospital stay for knee surgery I will post here my BWST story that started in January of 2003.

[TEWKS]

Have a Quick recovery Bob! 

 

Pat

[realshelby]

I think I found this forum before I got back into riding. Been thinking about a bike and wanted a BMW. Always wanted one and they had ABS, which was a must have for me. 

 

Bought a 2004 RT in late 2005. Probably sometime in 2006 my first event was a Hotter n Hell (?) Tech Daze put on by Limecreek! Didn't need anything done, but what a great atmosphere, host, and good people at that event! I knew this was what I wanted, what I had hoped to find. Went to at least one more of Limecreeks tech daze, then a Hill Country ride with the group. But work kept me from the UN trips for a while. Made a couple of those, and hope to make this years!  

 

 

Get well Bob, quick like. We need you in top shape!

[steve.foote]

My first experience with the BMWST community happened on the 20th of September, 2003 in Steve Hebert's driveway in Enterprise Alabama while attending the first Beer, Beemers & Brats.  This was planned as part of my "5 states in 5 days" tour.  I was the first to arrive followed shortly by "First Contact" in the form of meeting Marty Hill.  The rest of the event forged several friendships which endure to this day.  It was a great experience, and one which led to countless more over the next decade and a half.  Here's a few pictures of the festivities:

 

[lawnchairboy]

El Paseo.  BlairSville I believe.   Then some Torrey’s, some UNs, some RcRs, some starts and farts, a few tech days, some track days.

 

 

this place is a gateway drug.

[Indy Dave]

On 1/23/2019 at 12:54 PM, Bill_Walker said:

.  We stayed that night at the Holiday Inn in Hurricane, UT, and got an interesting lecture on The World According to Dick.  

 

 

Not having met Dick (Master Yoda), but I've read his well known Guide for Riding and remember putting some of his guidance into practice on my old Honda CB900F. Like many of you, I've read that thread many times. If you haven't, do yourself a favor and take it in:

I'd have loved to hear The World According to Dick seminar. We all have our own World According Me  outlook, but how many of us share it on a first meet? 

 

On 1/23/2019 at 12:54 PM, Bill_Walker said:

  The next morning, we rode through Zion National Park and on to Torrey via UT-12.  It was my first time in the area, and to say I found it jaw-dropping is an understatement.  I lost count of how many times I said "Wow!" to myself. 

 

Yes! An essence of riding. And yet a major rider population has no idea what they're missing. And a whole other population who DOES know what they're missing and are fine with it.

 

For Example - An actual conversation that took place between a real Husband and Wife (not actors).

 

Indy Dave: Scott and his wife are going to Scotland next summer to tour the country on a bike. Doesn't that sound like a GREAT way to see the county"

Mrs. Indy Dave: NO! NO IT DOESN'T!!

 

Edited February 1, 2019 by Indy Dave

[mrzoom]

It was a dark night in 2002 and down in the valley the lights of Cherokee came into view.

My useta riding buddy, Andy, and I found the hotel where gentlemen where sitting in rocking chairs, smoking cigars and drinking assorted adult beverages on the front porch.

Met some great people who are still friends today.

Made quite a few of the gatherings since then and acquired a great love and respect for

the challenging roads found in that area.

"I'll Be back " 

[marcopolo]

My first BMWST event was the 2006 UnRally in Gunnison, Colorado.  I had joined the Board in 2003, but had never attended a riding event until that UnRally.  In April of 2006, I had taken delivery of a new 2006 RT, a retirement present to myself.  At some point I posted something on the Board about breaking in the new bike.  One of the replies to that post was from Doug Gilmer (“DouglasR”), of Lander, Wyoming.  He suggested that the best way to break in my new RT was to ride west, meet up with him, and a couple of other guys, and attend the Un.  I didn’t know Doug at all, and had never ventured that far afield on a bike before.  I thought it over, and said to myself, why not?  My wife, on the other hand, thought I was a bit crazy, saying, “…so you’ve met some guy on the internet, and plan to ride to Wyoming to meet him, and two other guys you don’t know?”  The rest, as they say, is history.  I met Doug on the side of the road, somewhere not too far from his home in Lander.  We hit it off immediately, and headed for Moab, UT (we were taking the round about way to get to Gunnison).  In Moab, we met the two others at the motel (Tim from Laramie, and another guy, whose name I can’t remember now.  I never saw him again, after that trip).  We had some great riding between Moab, and Gunnison, and the spectacular scenery, and mountain riding, were all new to me.  That wouldn’t last!  On about the third day, we were riding the Million Dollar Hwy in Colorado, heading north out of Silverton.  I came around a curve, and there in the gravel on the right shoulder was the guy whose name escapes me.  He and his older RT were down.  After checking him out, it seemed pretty obvious that he had a broken collar bone, and who knew what else.  With no cell signal, Doug rode back into Silverton to get the police, and an ambulance.  This guy’s trip was clearly over.  He was taken back into town, and to a hospital.  Meanwhile, Tim and I were able to get his bike back.  In fact, Tim was able to ride it back to Silverton.  Since Doug had invited us all, he decided to stay with the injured party until the fellow’s wife was able to get there, and Tim and I rode on to Gunnison.  We were staying at the then-brand new Holiday Inn Express, on the eastern edge of town.  That’s when I met some of the folk from the Board for the first time.  It was a lot of fun, and I was very glad that I had decided to accept Doug’s invitation.    I saw him, and Tim, again in Wyoming in 2007, when my wife and I rode out to California from our home in Ottawa.  That was the last time I saw Doug, as he moved east not long afterwards, and disappeared from the Board.  The same was not true of Tim.  We have stayed in touch ever sine, and have managed to get together and ride quite a few times, most recently in Colorado last summer, in the lead up to the UnRally in South Dakota.  Since 2006, I have attended quite a few UnRallies, and since moving to northern Virginia in 2013, the Spring and Fall STARTs and FARTs have become a must-do for me.  

 

In this photo (L-R), me, Tim, Mr. Unlucky, and Doug. 

Edited February 4, 2019 by marcopolo
Added photo.

[jackie]

I think my first event was a gathering of us at the 2001 BMWMOA rally at Redmond Oregon. Wow what a great group of folks, some of them long gone now. Cary was there, and we had a huge meal. I wish I had photos!

[Lester V]

On 2/3/2019 at 7:35 PM, jackie said:

I think my first event was a gathering of us at the 2001 BMWMOA rally at Redmond Oregon. Wow what a great group of folks, some of them long gone now. Cary was there, and we had a huge meal. I wish I had photos!

Jackie, that was my first gathering also. Tri tip beef for us right inside the MOA Rally.  Priceless!!!

 

I have some pics, probably not digital at that time.   

[jackie]

23 hours ago, Lester V said:

Jackie, that was my first gathering also. Tri tip beef for us right inside the MOA Rally.  Priceless!!!

 

I have some pics, probably not digital at that time.   

I was trying to remember names - Cary, Kris, Mandolin, the dude in the dreads - Ken? , sheesh - the Pied Piper group? that rode up from CA? I can picture faces but not names. A moment of silence for Mustang Rider as he was being deployed out of FL. Didn't Cary get a clock from the group?

[Lester V]

On 2/6/2019 at 4:42 PM, jackie said:

I was trying to remember names - Cary, Kris, Mandolin, the dude in the dreads - Ken? , sheesh - the Pied Piper group? that rode up from CA? I can picture faces but not names. A moment of silence for Mustang Rider as he was being deployed out of FL. Didn't Cary get a clock from the group?

 

I don't have the group picture handy but yes Cary did receive a BMW roundel clock in the group photo.  It might have been Fernando who presented it to him. Cary had a booth and Fernando took over for him on and off. Might have been 60 people?

[Groanup]

 Photo by Dennis (Big Fish)

 

I purchased my first BMW (1200RT), brand new in May of 2007. By 2009 I had finally put enough miles on it to do the first service on it, and I was looking for tips on doing my own maintenance. (The "break-in" cost me nearly $400 for an oil change and to check if the bolts were still tight!) In the process, I found this board, and decided I liked the people here enough to hang around. I'm certainly glad I did!

So I joined BMWST in late 2009.My first BMWST event was Death Valley Days in January of 2010. I knew absolutely nobody, and had no idea how this was going to go. 
All I DID know, was that several people were meeting for breakfast in Olancha. So without saying anything to anybody, I made reservations at the motel in Beatty, and left home in the wee hours to meet these folks for breakfast.
There I met Mr Duck and "the usual suspects" (I thought it was just a fun name for the group until I rode with them...). During breakfast I was invited to ride along, and gratefully accepted.
We pulled out of Olancha, and took the cut-off to hwy 190, with me bringing up the rear.
Right away, I could see why they called themselves The Usual Suspects! I was expecting a leisurely ride!  I would never have guessed at the performance my RT was capable of, and I needed all of it and my own skill (as poor as it is) to keep up with these jokers. I had finally found what I had been looking for!
And now I am a "Usual Suspect" myself!
I have made it to every DVD since. Every North Meets South, one Fall Torrey, The first Weaverville, and a few personal cross country trips. I can't get enough!
So I spent the first 2 years putting 7000 miles on my RT. After this ride, I spent the next 9 putting another 80k.

Last year I reluctantly decided the old girl had had enough. My personal economy being what it is, I looked elsewhere for a new ride. So now I ride a Kawasaki. I like it, but my wife told me yesterday that she wishes I had got another BMW. (sigh)...
I joined a couple of Versys forums, but this place feels like home to me. I have made several good friends here... I hope y'all don't mind if I stick around.

 

Scott, Cornellis, Frank, Rob, myself, and Don (Mr Duck) at Dante's View, January 2010

[Dennis Andress]

I lurked for a long time before joining BMWST. When Jamie and Leslie announced the second, or third, Death Valley get together I felt brave and decided to ride up and say hello. It was about 240 miles from my house in Riverside, Ca to Furnace Creek, and I'd just bought a new to me 1991 K100 RS (with the K1 engine and a chip). I left early in the morning and took advantage of a K Bike's way of moving two dots on a map closer (and the usual lack of CHP patrols on weekend mornings). I found the hotel were everyone was staying by looking for a bunch of BMW bikes in the parking lot, and saw someone (turned out to be Jamie) on his bike. He said "Who are you?" when I rode up next to him. I had a great time riding with group for a few hours, but family life pretty much demanded I return by nightfall. Jamie tried real hard to get me to stay, offering to find me a place to share.

 

I wound up departing later than I'd planned. The sun was going behind the mountains and the temps were dropping (this was in February). The K bike made very quick work of getting to Baker where there was a weak warming sun! From there it was a non-stop  interstate ride home, arriving just before sunset.

[John Ranalletta]

Somebody should have pictures of the tech day at Dave Baker's house on Stillmeadow in Nashville.  The first Unrally (I think) was in 2003 in Eureka Spring; so, the tech day had to be earlier.

 

Met a guy from Jasper, IN who said his aunt was about to sell a house in Indianapolis....we bought the house and still live in it.

 

Mitch and company virtually overhauled an RT in the street.  Names come to mind like Pilgrim, etc.  Others can add their memories and pictures. 

[tallman]

Funny how I can still recognize folks by the mc, riding gear, helmet, shape.

 

Good thing.

Some of us look a bit different around the facial facade features fergoshsakes.

 

Marty, forgot that your were smart enough to get in between 13 feet of Mark D and me when the gunships opened fire. (Steve's pic)

Steve, the first BB&B was amazing. Nothing like having kegs flown in.

Dennis, the bricks still move ya from A2B pretty well. Miss that.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

On 4/6/2019 at 3:37 PM, John Ranalletta said:

Somebody should have pictures of the tech day at Dave Baker's house on Stillmeadow in Nashville.

 

Ayup.  Summer, 2002.  Shawn, Rainy and I had gone to the Honda Hoot in Knoxville, and then rode over to Nashville from there.  That was my first BMWST event, and I think it was also the first for Shawn and Rainy.  

 

These days, BMWST event attendees arrive on a wide array of BMW bikes: GSs, GTs, and RTs from several different generations.  But back in 2002, it was almost exclusively RTs, and since the 1150 had only debuted that spring, it was almost exclusively R1100RTs.  And David's event pulled in a lot of them.  Here's a panoramic shot from his driveway.  Click the link to open in a separate window, then click on the image once to zoom it up to full size.  Then you can scroll left/right to see what's what.  I counted 24 bikes.  

 

Baker had instruction manuals written up, and did a great job emceeing:

 

 

 

Whereas most of the Tech Daze events I've been to featured people working on their own bikes and helping others do the same, this was arranged primarily as an instructor-led event, with David showing/telling how to do a standard 6K service while we watched over his shoulder:

 

 

And John, you remember correctly: at some point that morning, Shawn and I tore into his bike to do a TB sync (and possibly a valve adjust).  His bike had been misbehaving for the first part of our trip, and this was a great opportunity to get it set up correctly, although I think we did end up stealing some of David's spotlight.  

 

In the afternoon, David led everyone on a spirited ride through the countryside outside of Nashville.  "Spirited" is maybe a bit of an understatement.  David later became a track instructor for (I think) Keith Code, so that should give you some inkling of his skill level and how hard he was willing to push his RT.  Pilgrim was always close behind him, and about halfway through the ride I gave up trying to keep them in sight, as it just involved too much lean in the turns and too much speed in the straights for my comfort.  

 

During a couple of the rest stops, David gave tips on technique that that would later become part of the RidingSmart curriculum:

 

 

A bazillion RTs and one GS lined up at a fuel stop:

 

 

The last part of the ride was on the Natchez Trace, and included a ride across a large, pretty bridge:

 

 

Yours truly, though considerably younger:

 

 

John, Ruth, and...the accountant from Lexington whose name escapes me (Bill?), plus his wife:

 

 

The whole crew of attendees:

 

 

The grand finale, back at David's garage, was a catered BBQ dinner:

 

 

It was a good day, Tater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Ranalletta]

Thanks for the refresh, Mitch.