Thanks Nels and Mary

[ST Rich]

Thanks for another awesome rally and somehow you also ordered up some great weather! We really enjoyed all the great Memorials that we visited.
Thanks to all the volunteers that helped out.
I hope everyone has a great rest of their weedend.
Rich

[propforward]

Seconded. What an excellent time. Good to see friends again and meet new people as well.

Very enjoyable, a superb event.

[TBONE]

Thanks Nels and Mary! I had a great time! Thanks also to the volunteers. It was a great rally with a gentle reminder of what Memorial Day is really about.

It was great to see so many new riders at the event, I hope you all come back again. Propforward really classed up the event with his Parking Lot Scotch Party.

[LSGiant]

Great job Mary and Nels what a wonderful day for a ride.

Here are the Novice class winners. These guys saw riders at a bonus point last year and thought it sounded cool so this year they were riders.



More photos here.

http://lsgiant.smugmug.com/2014/Bonzai-14/

[Scot229]

I had a great time also. Here is a link to my 2014 Bonzai photo album. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=...68daec4d10

[propforward]

It was great to meet you Scot.

[nels]

I want to Thank all the volunters, this event could not have happened with out you guys and gals and you all were awsome

Mary and I thank you

Nels

[Frump]

Thanks Nels, Mary and to the volunteers. Another great Bonzai. Also, I was pretty excited to see the all my new competition in the experienced class next year (i.e. Welcome to experianced)!

[Scot229]

(05-26-2014 03:09 PM)propforward Wrote:  Seconded. What an excellent time. Good to see friends again and meet new people as well.

Very enjoyable, a superb event.

Same here Stuart.

[Trike]

Again, many thanks to Nels and Mary for a great time!!
Adrian #92

[MikeH]

Agreed! Great rally, great roads, and awesome memorials.

[Redbeard]

Agreed. I had a wonderful time. Highlights for me include the bonus locations in the Metro area, the wonderful WI roads and parking lot beers....not necessarily in that order.

Thanks Nels, Mary and Volunteers.

[paper]

Had a great time seeing everyone, and while I didn't ride the event, working it was fun, too.. And I managed to bag 27 Grand Tour towns between the ride up, during the event, and the ride home..

And at the event, I was evil enough to take a few photos..

I think Stuart was scared of the camera, and almost threw his helmet at me..



The changing of the guards.. While many thought they were going to come to blows, all were glad they were able to meet and just shake hands.. I'm guessing they're tickling each other's hand while shaking.. Odd pair..



Almost looks like he's doing the Samba??



The look of determination!!



While she looks like she's concerned, she's actually thinking about fishing and what bait to use next time.



I'll be paying for these comments next weekend at the Hiawatha BMW Rally.. (and taking more photos)

[Anita Johnson]

Thanks to everyone. We had a blast!

[Pirate Gonzo]

One of the four Newbies here (Steve) ((Far right in the picture))

Thanks Nels and Mary for everything.

We had a great time and are already looking forward to the next time. We're addicted.

I have to give credit where credit is due, and I wish I would have put two and two together while at the rally.

A special thanks to Propforward aka Stuart who originally answered my question here http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=955538 , it was a pleasure meeting you and I would have shook your hand twice if I would have known you were one in the same. I would have never found this group without your reply.

Also for anyone that is interested in our route I posted it here http://www.glmc.org/GLMC_Garage/showthread.php?tid=365

[paper]

Steve,
Many of us heard how one of you guys were riding the Trans Wis Adv Trail last year and saw riders come in, and go out.. One of you did a bit of googling and found out about the Rally..

But many were wondering about more details?? Where was it that you saw the guys coming into, and how did you talk all four into doing the rally??

You guys had a great hodge-podge of bikes, TOO!!

[Pirate Gonzo]

It was another friend of mine and I that were riding the trans wi trail and on memorial weekend. We had actually finished the trail and were on our way back home.

We stopped at Fred Smiths concrete sculpture museum near Phillips Wi for a break and to check it out. While we were there we saw a bike come pulling in the guy jump off the bike run around through the statues jump back on his bike and take off. After seeing the bikes this year I believe that it was MikeH that I saw first. We both laughed and thought it was a but strange but then a second bike came in and did the same thing. Then we knew something was going on. A third bike (black st1300)came into the parking lot and rode around in a couple of circles before stopping. He looked around and I told him that what he was looking for is "over there" pointing in the general direction I seen the others go. He thanked me and on his way back I asked him what was going on and he replied "rally" before heading off again.

When I got home I looked around on Google for anything about it but never found anything. Mostly because I was looking more towards the iron butt for it as everyone we saw was an iron butt. I eventually forgot about it until this winter when the rider itch started coming on. I posted it on advrider and that is when PropForward pointed me towards the light.

Once I found it my one nephew was all for it and then I mentioned it to my other nephew and brother, pretty soon we were all on board.

Unfortunately my friend that originally saw this last year with me had already made vacation plans so he was unable to go.

[paper]

Very cool!! And Stuart is to blame, so that's even better!!

I've often wondered what folks think when a rally is involved. A former Rally Master would send us to get a name off a plaque in the middle of a flea market. No place to park, and you had to walk through the middle of the flea market to get the answer. Everyone did it fully decked out in gear, of course..

Thanks for the history, and the cool thing is that next year your friend can be a novice..

[Bob Johnson]

Wish I could have been there!

[propforward]

(05-28-2014 08:21 AM)paper Wrote:  I've often wondered what folks think when a rally is involved.

A lot of people were looking at me in an odd way when I made my rally stops.

But that's normal, so I didn't think anything of it at the time.

I had a nice conversation at the cemetery in Mindoro with a lady and her grandfather. They were touched that I was going around looking at memorials. The downside being that the clock was ticking, but it was a nice conversation.

---

(05-27-2014 07:34 PM)paper Wrote:  I think Stuart was scared of the camera, and almost threw his helmet at me..

You should take more pictures of PIE!, not of PIE! eaters.

---

(05-27-2014 08:43 PM)Pirate Gonzo Wrote:  Also for anyone that is interested in our route I posted it here http://www.glmc.org/GLMC_Garage/showthread.php?tid=365

Very similar to my route - which you would expect, being as we bumped into each other a fair bit. I planned a far too conservative route. My ride went exceptionally well, but adding in extra bonuses when I had additional time made the ride very inefficient.

Well done on your win, you rode a very good ride, and thoroughly deserved first place. Enjoy participation in the Expert class next time.