Disaster at US Guzzi National in Minnesota

[jrt]

I just read this thread on the US MGNOC site- a flash flood basically wiped out the US National rally. I'm thankful no one was killed, and saddened by the losses of attendant Guzzisti and locals. There are some powerful and sad images herein:

 

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=13162.0

 

I said it there and I'll say it here- If anyone from the Natl's is passing through St. Louis and needs a place to stay...just pm me.

[dlaing]

[Admin Jaap]

That looks terrible. Glad no one at the rally was hurt.

[Tom M]

My feelings exactly Jaap. If I was closer I'd help some of those poor souls haul their bikes out of there. I sure hope insurance covers the losses...

[Richard Z]

Wow, just Wow. It hurts to see all that. Glad there were no reports of loss of life from the rain at the rally. But, you know what burns me. Put the F%@king camera down and pick up that poor bike..... I'm sure that picture couldn't have been taken by the owner. I would have tossed the camera down and done everything I could to save the bikes.

 

Richard Z.

[Skeeve]

Wow, just Wow. It hurts to see all that. Glad there were no reports of loss of life from the rain at the rally. But, you know what burns me. Put the F%@king camera down and pick up that poor bike..... I'm sure that picture couldn't have been taken by the owner. I would have tossed the camera down and done everything I could to save the bikes.

 

Looks like someone did - note the water in the headlight.

 

Seriously, if it's been raining elk & moose [from reports, way, way heavier than cats & dogs!] for a day & the bike has been laying down in a puddle since some time in the middle of the night before, why wouldn't the photog take a pic of the damage before worrying about righting the bike [just so it can fall over again when the rain picks up?]

 

Real bummer for all involved, but at least nobody at the rally died: there's that to be thankful for! Compare that to Burning Man: 30,000 oddjobs out in the middle of the Blackrock, no natural disasters necessary, at least 4 or 5 die every year in accidents just toing & froing...

 

And next year, everyone who lived thru this year's rally gets a free "I Survived the National" t-shirt! Let's start taking the collection now...

[jrt]

I know how you feel Richard, but I read that particular bike had already been submerged under 6 feet or so of water. It was tied to a trailer at the time. Note, there is no trailer anymore.

 

A Guzzi rider on a beemer forum is talking about starting a fund. My feeling is that it is a nice gesture- see how it works out and perhaps move it to a Guzzi forum (like wildguzzi).

 

deleted url- see below

[Richard Z]

I have no idea what those folk's went through nor will I ever. Must have been really tough to get out with all the carnage going on. I only seen a couple of pictures of the bikes and knowing the value, I would have been foolish enough to try to save the bikes before myself. I'm just that way. I just felt sad for the Sport just laying there and not be attended to. Thus, my comments.

 

Richard Z.

[g.forrest]

a very sad scene indeed! but on the positive side there should be plenty of donor parts available. but possibly a shortage of electronics.

[DeBenGuzzi]

GOOD god, I thought about driving down there for the day to say hello and see the bikes but it was raining and I was busy with work. I can't believe it, thats crazy.

[JoeV11]

Even the AP noticed the Moto Guzzi trailer damaged in the flood:

 

This was in the exite and other AP news articles throughout the country.

[jrt]

That's good (I think).

I wonder if Guzzi can spin this into a positive- something like "bikes so tough that most of them survive a flood and bikers so crazy that they'll brave one"

 

 

The MGNOC Mass rep, Tom Halchuk, has set up a fund.

Details:

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=13197.0

 

I'll send him $100 when I can get to my other computer. I hope a few others will chip in what they can.

[Karl Von]

My dad was there on his old Eldo, he was camping up in the hills, so he was one of the few lucky ones. He just bought a Centauro from a member in Indiana, who also has a Tenni that he brought to the rally. He said the bike has just disappeared. He had some large hard bags on the back that he belived help float the bike away.

[Zoom Zoom]

My feelings exactly Jaap. If I was closer I'd help some of those poor souls haul their bikes out of there. I sure hope insurance covers the losses...

 

Well Richard, I didn't take that photo but.............. You try nearly being drowned, spend the night cold and soaking wet, and look at the carnage all around you when daylight breaks. At daylight, things were still under water. Frankly sir, I couldn't have given a rats a** if my bike was upside down on its handlebars after all that! And YEAH, I lost my EV in all that mess! I'm also thankful I'm alive to complain about it. Don't be so quick to critisize unless you were there to deal with it. You sir, have no idea what it was like!

 

John Henry

[Ballabio Bertie]

Well Richard, I didn't take that photo but.............. You try nearly being drowned, spend the night cold and soaking wet, and look at the carnage all around you when daylight breaks. At daylight, things were still under water. Frankly sir, I couldn't have given a rats a** if my bike was upside down on its handlebars after all that! And YEAH, I lost my EV in all that mess! I'm also thankful I'm alive to complain about it. Don't be so quick to critisize unless you were there to deal with it. You sir, have no idea what it was like!

 

John Henry

Followed the thread on the other site,just glad everyone is OK.A bike (even a Guzzi)can be replaced,people cant...