Vice President’s Message
                                                      July, 2008
 Judy and I thoroughly enjoyed the nineth annual Red Rock Rendezvous. We didn’t have a lot of free time during the rally, so we stayed in Panguitch an extra day to relax, did some riding, and took a hike in Red Canyon later in the cooler evening. I took a slightly longer way home heading east out of town early Monday before it got hot. What a great place to ride.  I would like to echo Col. Bob’s appreciation of all the volunteers who contributed time, energy, and resources to make the rally successful.  The rally committee will be meeting in the next couple of months for a rally “post mortum.”  I think we learn from experience what works and what doesn’t.  Judy will probably be suggesting eliminating the geocaching event or making it an every other year activity due to low participation. Please contact Troy or any members of the rally committee if you have thought of something that can make the rally even better.

 Speaking of rallies, everyone is surely aware that the BMWMOA International Rally will be in Gillette, Wyoming, July 17-20, 2008. If you’ve never attended a national rally, this might be your best opportunity.  I’ve even been told Gillette isn’t all that hot during the summer. I’ve been monitoring the weather there and it does seem to be significantly cooler, especially at night.  Which is good because I believe the rally is BYOS, or bring your own shade. 

 Last year was my first national rally. ( Be careful when you sign in or you’ll be designated a “rally virgin”. )  The two most enjoyable aspects for me have been the vendors and the tech sessions. Despite the cost of fuel and rally location, it appears threre will be close to 100 vendors again this year. Better yet, this year there should be more space indoors.  The topics for the tech sessions have been posted on the MOA’s web site with the entire schedule. Some of the sessions look very interesting and are repeated on different days and times to accommodate most schedules. There will also be BMW demo rides, food, line dancing lessons, vintage bike contests, and of course, a chance to visit with old friends.

 I didn’t volunteer at the MOA rally last year, because being my first, I didn’t know what to expect in terms of available time.  This year I’ve volunteered to help man the first aid station which will be open from 8-to-8 daily.  Sounds like fun and something I can do.  There are still plenty of volunteer openings left including the “saloon.”  So think about helping out.   Even if you don’t want to volunteer, try to attend the international rally. I suspect this will be your best opportunity in years to hang out with about 8,000 other beemer nuts.

 The next BHB breakfast meeting is at the Brighton Store, on July 12^th at 9:30 am. The ride up Big Cottonwood Canyon is always fun and should be cooler in the morning. See you all there. As always, ride safely.

Al Wagnon