Meetings of the minds

Daytona, Florida in March – Bike Rally
Hermit Island, Maine in May – The Down East Rally –
Huntsville, Alabama in May – The Rocket Rally (Chicken Rally)
Lake George, New York- Americade Rally
Crane, Missouri in June – Missouri Rally
Boise, Idaho in June – RA National Rally
Paonia, Colorado in July – Top of the Rockies
Essex Junction, Vermont in July – MOA National Rally

August… mental recovery on Cape Cod, or let’s call it family time or vacation.

Finger Lake Rally early September in Upstate New York.

Oh, lot’s of stories to tell.
(Pigs don’t eat tomatoes is what I learned and still fight as being not true)
Lot’s of new people to meet.
(A whole set of Canadians)
Lot’s of info to collect and yet….
I am not a rally hound like some folks that go from one rally to another.
I tried, it is not me. I do not mind a few rallies a year to catch up on the latest or in meeting old friends again. But I believe I overdid it this year.
The small rallies are nicer than the big ones.
I do not need the rock and roll music (found I love Classical Music much more), the bands (most of them are not good and are just loud), the beer tents (I drink mostly water anyhow) or the sales seminars (thank you, I do not need another bag, foot pegs, clothing,) on how and what to pack (yes they have a seminar on that) how to see the world (with enough money you can hire anybody), etc.

A get together with like minded folks are all I am looking for. So give me the small rally, give me new experiences, and you can keep the beer tents.

I sure met great people during my travels, met great riders that can teach me a lot.

But…. I prefer to actually ride alone. I seem to hate to ride with others and seem to not like to conform. They need to stop for gas, so I have to stop?
They feel like coffee so we all stop? Does anybody need to do the bathroom detail?
I feel like taking a rest in an Air Conditioned place and just looking around but do not want to hold up everybody!
So I would ride on in order to keep up with the pack.
I need gas and they all have to wait for me? I should have gotten gas when everybody else did, I know! It’s conforming, thinking as a group that I don’t like. I like riding a motorcycle because I can be free, free to do as I please, go to places I want to go to.
Without conforming to the group, without doing what they want to do

In Utah, off route 24 I believe, is a short road that leads to Mexican Hat, a gravel road with hairpin curves and 16% declines, no guard rails, and no shade to speak off.
A big yellow signs warns you that this road ‘could’ be dangerous and is not for the faint hearted.

I did not take this route, I chickened out. I continued on the main road and all went well.
I know of 5 people that did take this shortcut and all went well too, but one rider did not like the gravel, the steep decline, the missing guard rails, etc.
Yet…. This rider went because of peer pressure, of keeping up with the pack. All went well like I said. Still when I ride alone I am only responsible for myself. No peer pressure. Would I have been with the group I would have ridden the road, too, just like the rider did who does not like gravel.

Back to the rallies:

Rallies are a phenomenon like the old Summer Meetings of by gone years.
The Sioux had a summer meeting to talk things over. All the tribes had them. All got together at a predetermined place and just talked; it’s as old as human history.
The trappers met the Natives to trade and vice versa.
I like that aspect of it. I do not like too much of it, though.
This year I definitely overdid the rally thing.

Next year…. I think I will try riding in countries I have not been.

God willing!