TYBEE ISLAND RALLY - 2013

Dunes Inn - Tybee Island, SC

December 5 -8  (686 miles)

By Tony and Jill Barcia

We left Thursday morning to meet Paul and Becky and drive to Beaufort, SC to Becky's brother and sister-in-law's home.  Angie and Duke have an amazing house beautifully decorated for Christmas (there was a tree in every room).  The drive to Beaufort was in the 70s ... a beautiful day for December 5.

Duke, Becky, Angie, Tony, Paul

I added this photo to emphasize that this decoration is REAL fruit.  

Thursday night we had an oyster roast and for desert Angie made a Gooey Butter Cake from a Paula Dean recipe which I mention because this tops my list of treats.  Tony and I experienced southern hospitality and wonderful home cooked meals.  We can't thank them enough.

Friday morning Paul and Becky went with us to visit Parris Island (the recruit depot is only about 1/2 mile from the house) and the Marine Corps Museum.  The museum is a 2 story building with lots of Marine memorabilia from all eras and a film on recruit training.   Then we rode the motorcycles on the Iron Mike History Tour which is a 15 mile loop through part of the 8,000 acres.

Charlesfort-Santa Elena National Historical Monument

We are about halfway around the driving tour and Paul and Tony are having a rest while Becky and I look for a geo cache.  We were looking for an "artifact" and finally found what we both decided was the best geo cache yet, this was Becky's 89th geo cache and my 3rd.

The following is a bit of information about the plane.  "These are the remains of a Brewster Buccaneer.  Not a good combat bomber, most were assigned to training.  This plane, attached to Page field,  crashed in 1943.  Parts worth salvaging were removed, and the remainder, now upside down, was towed here where it would not obstruct the airfield.  Both crewmen survived."

The Golf Course

The Firing Range

The Iwo Jima Monument

The Parade Deck

Three hours later we left USMC Parris Island and went back to Angie and duke's for a "ham sandwich" before going to Tybee Island.

Angie's ham sandwich lunch:  shrimp cocktail, potato salad, fruit salad, ham, pimento cheese, rolls, fruit cake, homemade chocolate candies and more of that yummy gooey butter cake!

Finally we were ready to leave for Tybee Island.

This year we went back to the Dunes Inn where we met up with Jerry and Barb

Jerry and Sugah 

Deedee and Ian Schmeissser (who has the column Always an Adventure in the BMW ON magazine),
Barb (and their friend and bridesmaid Ginger), Jerry and Tony

Friday night's dinner was next door at Stingray's with very good margaritas.  Saturday was another beautiful day in the 70s and Barb, Becky and I found 2 more geocaches on Tybee Island.

Becky recording the find

Barb found out this geocache had fireants!

Tybee Island Christmas parade which passed in front of the hotel.

Getting ready for the parade

The end featuring Santa!

Saturday night everyone goes to the low country boil at the community center in Tybee.   The weather was changing and getting cold and very windy but Jerry had his truck and many of us had a ride to dinner.

Sunday morning Paul, Becky, Tony and I left at 7:30 in much different weather than we had for the last 3 days.  Rain was forecast and it was foggy, cloudy and 52 degrees when we left.  By the time we got home the temperature was 42 degrees, but we didn't get a drop of rain!

  

UNRALLY - June 2013

Blowing Rock, NC  at Meadowbrook Inn
June 25 - 28 (second rally on our 1920 mile trip)
Trip Report by Tony and Jill Barcia

This part of our trip was from Georgetown, KY to Blowing Rock, NC
305 miles, 5 hours 45 minutes


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The big mistake was following the GPS onto 221 ... 18 miles 34 minutes.   More like an hour of exactly what NOT to do on a K1200 LT pulling a trailer!  After Linville on 221 it gets really narrow and twisty (not to mention the road work with one lane closed)  - the GS Adventure guys would have loved this.   Don't always follow your GPS's directions for the shortest route!!


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Arriving at Meadowbrook Inn

Good timing again.  Right after we arrived Bill drove in from a ride and then we saw Becky and Paul.

Meadowbrook Inn is a beautiful resort and we had rooms in the main building.  Tuesday afternoon we picked up our t-shirts and another sticker to put on the bike.  Tuesday night Bill, Becky, Tony and I had dinner on an outdoor patio in downtown Blowing Rock ... a very short walk from Meadowbrook Inn.  We walked to town often.

Main entrance and bike parking area

Lots of Ducks ... everywhere.

Even had a washing station ... the occasional rain did a good job too

Wednesday morning Bill led a ride on the BRP.  It was a beautiful day and we stopped on a pullout for pictures.

Becky, Bob, Tony, Bill, Jill

As we were getting close to the Craggy Gardens MP 364 section of the BRP Tony and I decided to leave the group and turn back.  We had ridden the part of the BRP south of Craggy Gardens a few days ago and wanted to go to Linville Falls for some hiking.

Linville Falls MP 317

Thursday Tony and I took the day off to hangout in  the hot tub and explore (mostly eat ice cream) the town of Blowing Rock.

nice place to hang out and people watch .. right across the street from the ice cream

official town resident

Friday morning Bill, Paul, Becky, Tony and I all rode back to Wilmington.  We had great weather (getting a little hot as we reached the coast) despite the warnings of thunder storms (which we did not encounter).

The LT followed by Paul, Becky and Bill

As our LT led the group of bikes Becky commented their bikes were the little ducklings following along.

RA RALLY ASHEVILLE - June 2013

Asheville, NC at the Biltmore
June 20- 23  First stop on 9 day trip - 1920 miles
Trip Report by Tony and Jill Barcia

This part of our trip was 371 miles, 6 hours to the Biltmore Estates.

We left for the rally on Thursday morning stopping at the Asheville BMW dealer to register.







Then on to the Biltmore grounds.  Once you pass the entrance to the Biltmore one has a beautiful 2 mile or so drive to rally headquarters.

Maria and Dick first time to the Biltmore

Barb and Jerry with Lucy and Sugar

Omar and Nora the Motoradder

Jean and John - nice surprise to see them there

Tony relaxing at rally central

Becky at the closing ceremony

Finally got Paul in a picture

Camping was adjacent to rally center and within walking distance of the catering and vendors

A few of us ate dinner at rally central and decided that we would tour the Biltmore house on Friday to miss the Saturday crowds.  All the attendees had 3 days of unlimited access to the house and grounds. 

Taking a break after touring the house

The grounds won't look this empty on Saturday (look at Omar's 90 pictures)

After touring the house, the two LT's with their pillions decided to take a ride on the BRP going south past Mt. Pisgah and Pisgah Inn (where we hope to stay one day).  http://www.pisgahinn.com.  Before starting the ride we stopped in front of the mansion for a picture.

Saturday Bill and Nancy (BMWROK) were the ride leaders for our day trip.  We took the

BRP to Mount Mitchell via Craggy Gardens where we ran into some fog drifting in.

We quickly drove through the fog and arrived at Mount Mitchell on a beautiful sunny day.

Dick, Maria, Nancy, Bill, Jill, Tony

We had lunch in the dining room of Mount Mitchell visitor center and went to their porch to see the view.

After lunch Dick and Maria wanted to get to the vendors before they closed at 4pm.   Bill and Nancy went to the hotel and Tony and I decided to see the gardens (on Barb's suggestion ... Barb works with flowers in the garden department at Home Depot and has a hot house in her back yard).  

These are the door handles to the garden shop ... thanks Barb this is a great idea.

Below is an idea of how grand and beautiful the gardens are.

The closing ceremonies started at 6PM so we left the gardens and headed to rally central.  We were trying to figure out how 2,000 bikes were going to take the circuitous route (2 miles) over to the lawn at the Biltmore House.  Just as we arrived at rally central there was Nora, Omar, Nancy and Bill.  How amazing to all arrive at the same time with no planning.  We decided we should leave NOW even though it was an hour before the start. 

Lots of BMW's

Dick and Maria 

Omar and Nora (Omar where is your helmet?)

No more room around the lawn

Many other bikes had left before us and the only parking left was at the back wall.  When all the bikes finally arrived there were two rows of bikes in fromt of us!  

Becky sent me a text and we found her and Paul.  Barb and Jerry were under the trees taking in the shade with Lucy and Sugar.  So ended the wonderful RA Rally.  We went back to our tent for the night to get ready for our next adventure the Horse Park in Kentucky and then onto the Unrally where we were to meet up with Becky, Paul and Bill.

Below are some interesting people and things we saw at the rally.

beautiful twin bikes

different way to haul a BMW

electric blue ... the whole bike lights up with strobes and the seat vibrates

well equipped traveler