Guzzi meeting in John Day 2024

[DucatiGuzziIndian]

Just curious if many people on this forum go to the annual Guzzi get togethers?

Next year it is in John Day Oregon end of June I think. A fantastic riding area...

[PJPR01]

Was there the last time in 2016, planning on going again in 2024...it's a great ride to and from there..

[p6x]

It makes for an interesting run from Houston, with three possible, very distinct routes;

The longest of the three via Arizona and Nevada, the shortest via New Mexico and Albuquerque; in between via Denver Colorado.

The Southern most way is the most appealing, having driven through to Tuscon from Los Angeles via Las Vegas. On a Le Mans, I am thinking at least two days to reach John Day with no spare time to look around. About a 7 days round trip. 

What do these meetings typically entail? I have never participated in any in the USA; I have been to the Lonestar rally a few times, and it is not my kind of event. Maybe I am too old to enjoy it?

[PJPR01]

            5 days out, a few days there and 5 days back.

The fun route we did last time from Houston:

Outbound:  Houston - Amarillo - Pagosa Springs - Durango - Silverton - Ouray - Grand Junction - Provo - Golden spike/Promontory - Twin Peaks Idaho - backroads to John Day.

Return:  John Day - Pendleton - Walla Walla - Lewiston - Kookskia - Lolo - Red Lodge (over the Beartooth / Chief Joseph) - Cody - Thermopolis thru Wind River canyon - Steamboat - Dillon - Trinidad - Raton - Amarillo - Dallas - Houston

Total of about 5200 miles on that trip, lots of time for nice sightseeing...I wouldn't dream of rushing it and slabbing it all the way, there are so many interesting backroads and non interstates to take.

the Rally was about 320 folks, well organized, NOTHING like the Lone Star rally, onsite tech support at the time from Matt Forslund (NM Guzzi rep with a trailer/tools), plenty of nighttime events, songs, campfires, small groups, raffles, group photos etc...really nice event.  It may or may not be one of the last times a National is held, who knows...but it's a fun event...last time in this location was 2016...    Age is absolutely not an issue...you'll fit right in...                                                                   

[p6x]

21 minutes ago, PJPR01 said:

            5 days out, a few days there and 5 days back.

The fun route we did last time from Houston:

Outbound:  Houston - Amarillo - Pagosa Springs - Durango - Silverton - Ouray - Grand Junction - Provo - Golden spike/Promontory - Twin Peaks Idaho - backroads to John Day.

Return:  John Day - Pendleton - Walla Walla - Lewiston - Kookskia - Lolo - Red Lodge (over the Beartooth / Chief Joseph) - Cody - Thermopolis thru Wind River canyon - Steamboat - Dillon - Trinidad - Raton - Amarillo - Dallas - Houston

Total of about 5200 miles on that trip, lots of time for nice sightseeing...I wouldn't dream of rushing it and slabbing it all the way, there are so many interesting backroads and non interstates to take.

the Rally was about 320 folks, well organized, NOTHING like the Lone Star rally, onsite tech support at the time from Matt Forslund (NM Guzzi rep with a trailer/tools), plenty of nighttime events, songs, campfires, small groups, raffles, group photos etc...really nice event.  It may or may not be one of the last times a National is held, who knows...but it's a fun event...last time in this location was 2016...    Age is absolutely not an issue...you'll fit right in...                                                                   

Ha! I am never going to get that much free time. Even if I limit my attendance to one day, I would have to ride it in 7 days max, door to door. Probably arriving at the meeting on the Friday night and leaving on the Sunday morning.

Using my experience of the Texas tour, I think three days to travel out may be possible, but I need to plot it and add the usual refueling stops. I can limit the rest time to the minimum by riding late and starting early morning.

I usually liked the mingling with the other owners, but that was then. Now, with the new ways of communicating, you no longer need to do it face to face compared to when I was young, and the only way to get to know the other riders of the same motorcycle as you, was to physically meet them. Also, there were always Saturday parades at night, requiring a passenger to hold the torch.

 

[Twin AH]

Yes............. most definitely. A group of us went to the last one years ago and had a great time.

Will be rolling in there this year for a few days Fri/Sat.

Looking forward to hanging with you all.

 

Ciao

[PJPR01]

If time is that limited I wouldn’t recommend it for just one day.  Alternatively perhaps You could fly into Seattle/Vancouver, pick Up the Coppa Italia for sale and enjoy a leisurely ride down to John Day and then book it home.  I have to say that doing it express route style is just a wasted opportunity to enjoy some of the best riding in the country thru Montana, Idaho and Wyoming and Colorado…rushing thru it is like wolfing down a delicious fresh pastry and coffee in one bite…even if the socializing part is no longer your cup of tea so to speak, do enjoy the ride…it’s a shame not to savor it.

[p6x]

15 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Alternatively perhaps You could fly into Seattle/Vancouver, pick Up the Coppa Italia for sale and enjoy a leisurely ride down to John Day and then book it home

My next Guzzi will be VERY different from my Le Mans; in my flawed philosophy, I like diversity, diverse, different, variegation... currently considering "something else". Stelvio 1200 or Quota in red would be ideal, but it could be anything really. I keep looking in the usual places, Facebook Marketplace, Craig's list, Cycle Trader, and outside the USA too.

I don't mind riding long hours solo. It is therapeutic. I may rush the travel to privilege the stay, providing I get the free window. I observed a lot of riders who get to the events with their bikes in a trailer. Likewise, I discussed it with a bloke who had done that at the Lonestar Rally, and he said that he did not want to put too much mileage on it, and that his motorcycle was not comfortable for long distance. He said he rode during the rally, from his hotel to the events; it was close enough.

I don't see myself doing that, though. The event is only an excuse to ride there? no? when I first started motorcycling, I used to take my bike and ride with no clear destination in mind. I would just follow the road, wherever it would lead, just for the thrill of simply going on two wheels with no hard stop planned!

At the time, there weren't any Tesla to poop the party....

[Gmc28]

On 12/23/2023 at 12:35 PM, PJPR01 said:

            5 days out, a few days there and 5 days back.

The fun route we did last time from Houston:

Outbound:  Houston - Amarillo - Pagosa Springs - Durango - Silverton - Ouray - Grand Junction - Provo - Golden spike/Promontory - Twin Peaks Idaho - backroads to John Day.

Return:  John Day - Pendleton - Walla Walla - Lewiston - Kookskia - Lolo - Red Lodge (over the Beartooth / Chief Joseph) - Cody - Thermopolis thru Wind River canyon - Steamboat - Dillon - Trinidad - Raton - Amarillo - Dallas - Houston

Total of about 5200 miles on that trip, lots of time for nice sightseeing...I wouldn't dream of rushing it and slabbing it all the way, there are so many interesting backroads and non interstates to take.

the Rally was about 320 folks, well organized, NOTHING like the Lone Star rally, onsite tech support at the time from Matt Forslund (NM Guzzi rep with a trailer/tools), plenty of nighttime events, songs, campfires, small groups, raffles, group photos etc...really nice event.  It may or may not be one of the last times a National is held, who knows...but it's a fun event...last time in this location was 2016...    Age is absolutely not an issue...you'll fit right in...                                                                   

excellent route.  Million dollar highway i wrote off as too crowded to do any more, but caught it on a fall day, midweek, cold, clear after morning frost (and thaw), and it was magnificent.  In june I’d think hard about being out the door with the sunrise for that run, and I’m not a natural early riser.  That whole route you laid out is really top notch.  For ADV riders, there’s a lot of great stuff in central and eastern oregon as well.

I’m in oregon, so have no excuse to miss the gathering other than work emergencies, so I’m planning to shoot out there. Heard about it being in my own back yard from an old guzzi friend in Alaska, who’s coming down for it.  

[p6x]

7 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

guzzi friend in Alaska, who’s coming down for it.  

Is your friend travelling by road, or will he take a ferry? if he travels by road, I would be interested in some hints and tips. I am still planning to travel up there with my Guzzi.

[Gmc28]

Sorry for late reply - I’ll ask if he’s riding or flying… he’s got a bike or two down south here, so he may just be flying down then riding.  I used to leave a bike up there for the same reason, that it takes so long to get back and forth that it makes it prohibitive to be able to enjoy the riding up there.  

Last year I brought my bike down the AlCan, and in years past have done the Cassiar.  AlCan was a great run, and I’ll admit I had been blind to how nice it was, after assuming for years (decades) that it was another version of the Cassiar but more crowded.  Not so… the Cassiar is nice and has its own charms, but the AlCan has the Canadian Rockies that put it in a different category.  For what it’s worth, i can offer a few thoughts, perhaps mostly on a different thread or message.  In short, most of the important details are readily available, like: careful fuel planning and including carrying an extra reserve strapped onto bike just in case (there’s plenty of fuel, but sometimes further apart and sometimes not open when you need it).  Look at the “milepost” publication for guidance on fuel and sightseeing stop, an online guide (used to be published, and probably still available in hard copy). And the obvious great things to see are indeed great to see, like the Banf-Jasper area, and the northern Rockies lodge & environs (and nice place to stay).  Up toward Carcross there are some choices, like heading up toward Whitehorse (which is fun), and/or heading down the lovely one-way-in/out Atlin.  Then I usually have spent a night at Discovery Yukon Lodge on my way up toward “the big part of” alaska, after spending some time poking around Destruction Bay (south of there).  I’m already writing too much, but there’s more to say, so I’ll call it good for this string.  Oh, except to say that taking the ferry back down south at the end of such a trip, from Haines or skagway (to prince rupert, or Vancouver, etc), with the bike, is a hassle to set up, and takes a ton of time, is now foolishly expensive, but its quite enjoyable. 

[leroysch]

On 1/3/2024 at 9:29 AM, Gmc28 said:

Sorry for late reply - I’ll ask if he’s riding or flying… he’s got a bike or two down south here, so he may just be flying down then riding.  I used to leave a bike up there for the same reason, that it takes so long to get back and forth that it makes it prohibitive to be able to enjoy the riding up there.  

Last year I brought my bike down the AlCan, and in years past have done the Cassiar.  AlCan was a great run, and I’ll admit I had been blind to how nice it was, after assuming for years (decades) that it was another version of the Cassiar but more crowded.  Not so… the Cassiar is nice and has its own charms, but the AlCan has the Canadian Rockies that put it in a different category.  For what it’s worth, i can offer a few thoughts, perhaps mostly on a different thread or message.  In short, most of the important details are readily available, like: careful fuel planning and including carrying an extra reserve strapped onto bike just in case (there’s plenty of fuel, but sometimes further apart and sometimes not open when you need it).  Look at the “milepost” publication for guidance on fuel and sightseeing stop, an online guide (used to be published, and probably still available in hard copy). And the obvious great things to see are indeed great to see, like the Banf-Jasper area, and the northern Rockies lodge & environs (and nice place to stay).  Up toward Carcross there are some choices, like heading up toward Whitehorse (which is fun), and/or heading down the lovely one-way-in/out Atlin.  Then I usually have spent a night at Discovery Yukon Lodge on my way up toward “the big part of” alaska, after spending some time poking around Destruction Bay (south of there).  I’m already writing too much, but there’s more to say, so I’ll call it good for this string.  Oh, except to say that taking the ferry back down south at the end of such a trip, from Haines or skagway (to prince rupert, or Vancouver, etc), with the bike, is a hassle to set up, and takes a ton of time, is now foolishly expensive, but its quite enjoyable. 

Enjoyed the "string" and memories brought back.

As luck would have it, I'm wearing a T-shirt from "Frank's Place Bar/The World's Farthest North Biker Bar" acquired in Fairbanks in 1992. Rode an '88 Softail (fuel capacity: 4 gal.) from Tucson via a HOG rally in Reno up the Alcan...which also happened to be its 50th construction anniversary. The HD dealer at the time was located in IIRC a log cabin looking building...and was even back then fighting HD's corporate push to standardize dealer's "look". (A battle I see they lost googling the current Fairbanks dealer.) 

Anyway, the then owner had spent time in SE AZ...so we spent some time shooting the breeze...I recall sitting in a barber shop chair with some of the help wondering if we had seen the same whores given our animated conversation. He poo-pooed returning on the Alcan...and said a return via the Cassiar would be less...well...pedestrian. Challenge accepted.

Still have my copy of The Milepost from back then.

And still have the '88 HD. Oh...now with a 5 gal. tank.

[Gmc28]

On 12/26/2023 at 6:05 AM, p6x said:

Is your friend travelling by road, or will he take a ferry? if he travels by road, I would be interested in some hints and tips. I am still planning to travel up there with my Guzzi.

Confirmed my alaska buddy is driving down in a van, as he’s moving to lower 48, in retirement.  He bought a Stornello, i think in Washington, and I’m assuming he’ll trailer that to John Day.  He’s then driving to New York.  Retirement life.  

Back to the AK route briefly, the Alcan and the Cassiar are both good, but are different.  I’d want additional time to peel off over to Prince Rupert area, and side trips like that, if I were to do the Cassiar again.  Alcan is just a matter of trying to do it when its not too busy.

For P6x thoughts on variation…. I’m in process of buying a V85tt out in Denver.  Looking at where I’ll try and store it till the weather brakes (spring).  But for John Day it would be the V11 for sure… a perfect trip for me on Red, about a 5hr run, via several nice route options.  I was surprised at how comfortable i was on the V11 when going from Texas to oregon a few years ago, but i still prefer an ADV type bike with larger windscreen for long treks, and prefer the V11’s for the weekend/shorter trips.   And my Multistrada Enduro is getting nervous in the corner of the shop, sensing that I’m looking at the new Stelvio as a possible replacement. 

[p6x]

4 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

Confirmed my alaska buddy is driving down in a van, as he’s moving to lower 48, in retirement.  He bought a Stornello, i think in Washington, and I’m assuming he’ll trailer that to John Day.  He’s then driving to New York.  Retirement life.  

Back to the AK route briefly, the Alcan and the Cassiar are both good, but are different.  I’d want additional time to peel off over to Prince Rupert area, and side trips like that, if I were to do the Cassiar again.  Alcan is just a matter of trying to do it when its not too busy.

For P6x thoughts on variation…. I’m in process of buying a V85tt out in Denver.  Looking at where I’ll try and store it till the weather brakes (spring).  But for John Day it would be the V11 for sure… a perfect trip for me on Red, about a 5hr run, via several nice route options.  I was surprised at how comfortable i was on the V11 when going from Texas to oregon a few years ago, but i still prefer an ADV type bike with larger windscreen for long treks, and prefer the V11’s for the weekend/shorter trips.   And my Multistrada Enduro is getting nervous in the corner of the shop, sensing that I’m looking at the new Stelvio as a possible replacement. 

It seems to be the preferred way for many (just saying), tow your bike and ride it there... I may be missing something; to me, going to the rally on your bike is kind of the purpose of it all, no?

I did come to the conclusion a Trail/Adventure bike is the natural companion to a V11; different enough to provide a different kind of vibe.

Likewise, I would really like to be able to get a red Quota.

[PJPR01]

Of the 320 riders last time in John Day in 2016 I think the majority rode there…I did see a few toy haulers, but I’d venture that 80% at least ride their bikes to the rally.