Located along the banks of the Kanawha River is scenic and historic Charleston, West Virginia, and last July it was the site of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Rally. The organization, commonly referred to as the BMW MOA, has been in existence since 1972 and boasts nearly 40,000 members worldwide! After he arrived, Brian Jackson spoke with Ray Zimmerman, the Executive Director of the event. Ray emphasized that event though this was a rally for the “motorcycle owners of America,” in truth it was an international event with riders from more than fifteen countries in attendance. Ray also mentioned that this was the first time that the rally had been held in Charleston and that the site was chosen because there were so many great places to ride! Finally, he told Brian that this event promotes a sense of family. It is about having a good time, making new friends, and seeing old ones. With those thoughts in mind, Brian made his way about the rally to meet and greet just some of the folks that Ray was talking about.

First, Brian ran into Don Hamblin, president of BMW-MOA who told him that the unique thing about these events are that they give the BMW family and their guests a chance to experience new things. In other words, not only is the rally a great ride, but it is also a chance for rallyists to learn about the region and the culture where the event takes place! Next, Brian spoke with Laurie Anderson who put a global spin on the event itself, likening the rally to the Internet! “It’s a way to connect,” she told Brian, somewhat like going online. For instance, you can find out anything about your bike that you want to know. Later, Brian spoke with Amy Reimer and Owen Hardin. Amy started riding because her father had owned a BMW. Owen commented that the rally had a great sense of camaraderie. Perhaps two of the most interesting participants were Simon and Monika Newbound, a couple attempting to set two world records for the longest motorcycle rides! They began their journey in May 2002, and had been on the road for some fourteen months. Monika rides a 650 GS while Simon is aboard an 1150 GS. They told Brian that they hope to travel to all seven continents before they finish their journey. We would like to wish them the best of luck on their efforts!

The headquarters for the rally was the Charleston Convention Center and while the crew was checking out the vendor area they ran onto Rally Chair, Mike Friedle, who told Brian that this was a great place for people to come and test the latest and greatest in new BMW motorcycles and accessories. There were demo rides, and dyno-testing and a host of other great events for participants of all generations!

The theme for this year’s event was “Almost Heaven,” and believe us, with the great riding, fantastic folks, and superb hospitality, the rally met and even exceeded all expectations. The crew had a great time at the BMW-MOA, and if you would like more information on this year’s event, or if you want to see what’s on tap for the future, then visit them on the web at www.bmwmoa.org. So, until our next ride remember, “Keep the shiny side up and Ride On!”

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