They do the best they can with what they have to work with. Speaking of MSTA but I suspect COG is not much different. I have noticed that Texas which was once a strong supporter of HSTA/MSTA events seems to have gone off on their own, like California and Michigan before them. I think the membership is getting old and not much interested in traveling long distances across the wastelands to participate when they have great stuff in their own backyards. Is that why you are you disappointed about STAR in West Virginia?
My MSTA riding buddies share your disappointment in the lack of Western events, especially Tony who lived in San Diego for some time. We did have some in the past, two in Mammoth Lakes CA, one in Lake Tahoe and two in Taos, NM. More recently one in Rapid City,I can't argue any of your points, MSTA Nationals have certainly been west of the Mississippi. However, of the long established repeated local events, the Hill Country rally in Texas is pretty much it.NDSD. I don't know whether you count Colorado as west but it is west of the Mississippi and we've had eight there.
The key to improving coverage is building membership. I know the MSTA executive committee is working hard on that but it is an uphill battle.Agreed, COG is working on it as well. It's an uphill battle for all things motorcycles these days, even the once huge BMW groups are dwindling.
(snippage)Yeah, this is a real good place with great folks.
For those of you reading this not associated with either group, you may wonder why I'm doing this here. The MSTA forum has relatively low participation (even though it is administered/handled very well by lather's expertise) and the COG forum just has too much of an iron grip over the forum (can't edit your own post after a weeks time without help/approval from a moderator) so I come here on relatively neutral ground to vent my disappointment. Pay it no mind, it's almost over.
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Agreed, COG is working on it as well. It's an uphill battle for all things motorcycles these days, even the once huge BMW groups are dwindling.
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I did it with ROSE (Riders Of the South East). I couldn't give two sh!ts if anyone is disgruntled. We have a fair number of cross-over membership, but a lot who are not Concours related. we were going to have a get-together in northwest North Carolina, but COVID has it pretty locked down. will be waiting until after the election in November when the virus vanishes to plan something more.
COG may well take another hit when the 'C' in COG goes away, which by the looks will be next year. Sure the group will continue on, probably for a long time but without a fresh source of machines that form the basic interest in the group in the first place, I cannot see how the group can help but dwindle through attrition. Again, no one's fault,....
NO, really it is the fault.. the future has been taken from the actual members, blended up in a disposable blender, and poured out for all.. it's a $#!+ sammich now, and if you take a bite.. well.. you become a drone.
I know Brian, you have tasted that sammich.. and found it not enjoyable.. lets not pour syrup or sugar on the bread, it does not make it sweeter..
when it goes titzup, it will be as a result of severe apathy, discord and all viable questions get quashed, and life goes on.. not conducive to the "club" I joined 17 years ago. Turned from a member supported group, to an oligarchy, or at the least, a system of .... "you don't like it, get out..."
sadly, a lot of COG folks, were told that.. myself included. sucks.
Again, no one's fault, just the fact that the bikes are not selling well (motorcycles in general seem to be sliding in sales pretty rapidly) and so the line will be dropped due to simple economics.
Brian
Who started this mess anyway!........Oh, yeah, right,.. I did.
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My, you Texans sho' du get riled easy.
Hi Marty. It appears that you have a little egg on your face.
{At first, I though it was bullet holes}
I was disappointed that the20212020 didn't take place too.
But I can't fault the Team. The Virus messed up everyone's plans.
Those guys worked hard...
So, kudo's to all that tried to make it happen.
Mebbe20232022..
For now, I'm looking forward to the2022.2021.
The SE folks are working hard too, and have less time to get it ready.
ie; They had to move their plans up a year, and can't finalize anything till the Virus is whooped..
I'm gonna support them any way I can...
I'll start with "Saaalute"!!
Bottom line; "I'm goin'...!!
Ya'll are invited.
Ride safe, Ted
Yeah, it must be the heat. Although between myself and MOB it did start off a little bit like Festivus which as I'm sure you'll recall
starts out with the airing of grievances. Thus my use of "Mess" , perhaps a bit harsh on my part. Since I started off bitchin' and ended
up with plans on goin' my use of the word mess was sort of aimed at me...per usual, I should have counted to1025 and absorbed all
the facts and revelations that were forthcoming about the decision. One of the reasons I haven't stepped up to do more for COG or MSTA is that
I'm a hot head and rise to the boil way too quickly even at my advanced age. I think I might do more harm than good, or at best constanly have egg
on my face.
Now as for the heat, that would perhaps explain why Ted is off by a year??...but I think more likely he has been sippin' some of that
pallet wood aged hooch he's so famous for.
It' OK Ted, I FIFY , you just relax and keep on sippin'.
So if the SE folks had to move up a year (thanks SE guys and gals!) to 2021 from 2022, whom was originally planned for 2021 if the NW 2020 event had happened?
I'm guessing it would have been SW? So either NW or SW in 2022?
....the vaccine will be the real 'cure' for this thing.