[bob]

The Davis Motorcycle Rally 2014

This is always the weekend after Labor Day in New Hampton, IA. The city opens the large city park for camping for this event starting 4 pm on Labor Day and a few campers stay all through the week until Sunday at the end of the rally. I usually always set up camp just next to the rocket slide in the center of the main part of the park. Shower/bathroom facilities are just nearby and in a few other places around the park. This link does still show a flyer for last year but they promised to post this year's flyer by next week or the week after. I already received one in the mail for this year. I've been going to this rally since 2003 and missed only 3 years since then. Riders arrive from both coasts and Canada for this event. Many pull popup mc campers, and many also camp out in tents. Camping in the park is $3/night and benefits the local Boy Scouts. There are also many who stay in area motels. It is common to see 3500-4500+ motorcycles here, all makes and models, new and old as well as some very interesting customs. The area just north and east of this site has some fantastic roads to ride and many sights to see. Would love to have a gathering from this group show up and have a line of CTX1300 bikes parked front and center. Posting this now so if there is any interest plans may be made. I usually consider this my last big trip/event of the year. The weather is usually still very nice for camping and riding. I usually pull my camper there but have done the tent thing a few years and will again since I don't have a trailer hookup on the CTX (don't yet know if I will yet). And BTW, this is a mostly family oriented event.

Any questions feel free to ask via private message or in this thread.

 

[ctx1300admin]

Hey Bob,

Would you like to create an event for it on the forum and ask members to come up for the event. I think it is a great idea. I try to go camping around then to get the last taste of Summer.

Would you need anything for the event from us? We could make magnet cards with the forums name on them for you to hand out or some Decals. If you need funding i can talk to the forum development team as see if there is anything we can do there.

~ Danniella

 

[bob]

Sure. Maybe make both items I've posted a thread on an "event" (this one and the June mc camping trip, almost always the 3rd weekend in June).
How do we make it an official event?

I really shouldn't have any promo items made. The organizers who put this rally on have a fairly tight grip on those kinds of things (they're kind of touchy about it) and a copywrite on any promo stuff and such. Other than that I enjoy going and there are many vendors that come to buy from, mostly GW or cruiser chrome stuff as well as artists to airbrush on your bike. A flyer can be ordered from their web site that I included in the post and also I'm sure a web widget is possible that links to their web site.

 

[bob]

I think I forgot to mention that I usually arrive at this event on Thursday early afternoon and stay through Sunday morning.

 

[ctx1300admin]

Good to know Bob,

Let us know if you need any support, we are here to help

~ GP community support

 

[bob]

Event added to calendar. Need to make this an annual recurring event, but next time.
Now that LOCSTOC is over this event is next up. I usually have this as my 3rd camping trip of the year as the finish to the camping season but have many family happenings that have used up my vacation time so this year I only get 2 outings like this.
I guarantee the weather will be nice
Yeah, right. But at least I've never been to this event during the last 11 years where there was any really bad weather to speak of. I think once or twice it rained a little overnight and maybe there was very light rain during the day... once. But nothing to stop me from riding that day and lots of places to get in out of any rain. Of course most of those places have lots of things to look at and buy! :wink:
Hope to see some friends there.

I know some of you live far far away in another land... like Florida, or RI, or California... even Germany. But if you can make the trip to come you'll have a familiar character here. I still go by "bob" at this event too.

 

[bob]

Looking forward to this event in the next few weeks.

Although, there is a ST-Owners STOC event in Wisconsin at the same time so it seems every year I ask myself which I really want to go to. The Davis Rally has won so far since I go to the same Wisconsin campground in the June STOC event. Both are really nice for the camping and the riding. The Davis Rally has vendors that show up with lots of chrome and electronic gadgets to add to all makes of bikes. I seem to end up buying new gloves here every other year and restocking my supply of Honda spray cleaner and a new wind sock for my helmet headset. Better than paying shipping.

 

[ShadowRider]

Bob, a bit of irony: this coming weekend I'm doing a group ride to Spring Green, WI, so the CTX will get there after all. That assumes the weather cooperates this time, of course. It's pouring rain here today, but Saturday is several days away. I'm hoping it might be as perfect as it was for my trip to Madison a couple of weeks ago.

 

[bob]

Davis Rally wins out again this year. Have my route all planned out and a few side trips while there, one each day. This isn't a really long distance trip since it's only 165 miles shortest way there one way. But it's fun just the same and can't beat the $3/nite camping fee. It's right on the edge of the hilly NE corner of the state. Expecting a total of 600+ miles. This is usually my shortest moto camping trip. I'd like to do 3-4 trips including this one. The others would be 700-800 miles or the longer trip would be 1600+ miles. Haven't been able to spare the vacation at one time to take a longer trip but that's on the bucket list.