STAR 2018 Thank You

[Ohiomsta]

We had over 2,000 members in 2004 and over 225 California members. The STAR that year in California had less than 200 in attendance.
I don't think another California STAR would draw 125 members. Way too muck work for very little return.
Just my 2 cents worth.

[DirtFlier]

There is also the critical factor of travel and vacation time.  With the bulk of the membership living in a area from the Big Muddy to the East Coast, going to CA would chew up an additional 2-3 days in both directions and unless you pull your bikes on a trailer, the bike tires would be toast by the time you got home.

[Ride4MS]

As they say in La Crosse, it is on the West coast of Wisconsin.  Milwaukee is on the East Coast.  So you can say this year's  STAR was out West.  It is all a matter of perspective.


And, I was one of the few that had to go East to get there.

[HawkGTRider]

I don't disagree with any of the comments about a California STAR. It's a really long way just to get there eating up tires, time, and resources. I just want to spend some time out there visiting some of the national parks and other places I've always heard about.

[naustin]

I’m looking at Eureka, CA and the Redwood trees, STAR or not.   

[HawkGTRider]

I’m looking at Eureka, CA and the Redwood trees, STAR or not.   

Wherever we end up going in 2020, presumably west in our current rotation, l might do much the same. After STAR, just keep going west and spend some time in the Golden State plus a little bit in Oregon and Washington.

I've been chasing stamps in the National Park Service's Passport program, and I have zero from Oregon, Idaho, and Washington in the Pacific Northwest category. Alaska is the only state I have represented in that category. All missing states should be manageable on my next trek to the "wet" coast.
In the Western category, I have 1 stamp in California along with a smattering from Arizona. I've also completely missed Nevada (manageable next time I head that direction), American Samoa (not!), Guam (not!), and Hawaii (perhaps someday).
In the Rocky Mountain category, I have at least 1 stamp each in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
In the Southwest region, I've got all states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) represented.
In the Midwest region, I've visited sites in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin. I had some pretty big gaps there, but filled some of them in on the trip to STAR this year.
I have all states in the Southeast represented (not too much of a surprise considering it's my backyard).
I haven't been to D.C. since I started this, so I have zero stamps there. I think you could easily spend a month there doing just that and seeing stuff along the way.
The Mid-Atlantic region states are all represented in my book, but I'm missing Connecticut in the North-Atlantic region (only 1 NPS site in that state...I was within 20 miles of it 2 years ago, and just lost track of where I was in relation to the site...dang!)

So...to get this post back on track with this thread, I'm grateful for the opportunity to go to different parts of the country, and I really appreciate the opportunity to go to the Mid-West on this trip to STAR. Wisconsin was a pleasant surprise. And as always, I learned more about the incredible country in which we live. Tennessee has a lot of variation from west to east, and I found Minnesota to have quite a variety in terrain as well. The southern part of MN is quite agricultural while the northern part of the state is much more forested. As the campground host in Big Falls, MN (30 miles south of International Falls) said, "This part of the state is mostly trees and swamps." That would be the case in the summer anyway. During the winter, I would think it'd be trees and ice.
It found it curious to see the difference in how tall the corn had grown. In the relatively warmer states of Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, where corn could be planted earlier, there was a marked difference in how tall it was vs Wisconsin and southern Minnesota.
Don't we live in a wonderful and varied country? I enjoyed Wisconsin greatly, look forward to being in my backyard next year, and anticipate greatly wherever we go in 2020.

[Ride4MS]

Geoffrey,  This year was much different that others, weather wise.  April 13-16 we had a snow storm with over 15" of snow in a few days.  Usually a lot of corn would be planted by then and coming through the ground.  This snow storm covered most of MN and also La Crosse area.  April 13 was so bad in La Crosse that the Convention Center closed early.  I was planning to go to La Crosse and check out a few items for STAR, and did not go because of the snow.  I got an email from them telling me of the situation in La Crosse.


This was another year that made we glad I did not stay on the farm as a farmer.

[Patmo]

several thoughts here...

1) being able to hop on a jet and fly to the west coast in less than a day is really attractive

2) Kansas in the summer, when it’s 95+ really sucks....sorry Kansas people, nothing against the state or the people, but you know it’s true...

3) month long road trips aren’t as appealing now as they once were, ive become too much of a homeboy I guess

4) I really want to go to the Pacific Northwest...see #1

5) fly and ride is now an option...possibly

6) how many of our members really want to do the plains in the summer again?

7) could we have a smaller “regional” event in the Rockies during June (for those really wanting to go there then) and a larger STAR event in the fall, in a more central location?  Would that make everyone (or most everyone) happy?  Or are we married to the idea that June is when we MUST have STAR?


Also...we have only gotten about 25% of the club to attend any of the last 3 STARs. La Crosse had 290 registered, 49 were new or 1st time attendees.  That means that 240 of the people there, are regular STAR attendees.  Was a few more than Colorado Springs, but not significantly so.
Not sure exactly what this tells us, but I think it says that there is a certain % of the club that don’t really care WHERE STAR is, they just plan to attend every year.   


Will be interesting to see how Bristol does.  If we don’t see a sizable jump in attendance, what will that tell us?

[DirtFlier]

Hopping on a jet and renting a bike or car at the other end is expensive but so is traveling back and forth across the country with all those additional hotel nights & meals.  I agree about not wanting to cross KS in June.   

[NinjaBob]

You can count me and Stacie in the % that plan to attend every year. But watching MotoGP this week I was longing to be at Lagna Seca  again watching from the hill; and reminiscing about my epic bike trip out there in 1989 on my Ninja. Maybe the timing will be right in 2020...

[Ride4MS]

We trailered from Owatonna, MN to Ark in 2015 and to Colorado last year.  Part of the reason is time, as both we left after my wife got off work and drove for 4-6 hours.  I still like Pat's #4, 5, and 7 choices.

[RichGrab]

You can count me and Stacie in the % that plan to attend every year. But watching MotoGP this week I was longing to be at Lagna Seca  again watching from the hill; and reminiscing about my epic bike trip out there in 1989 on my Ninja. Maybe the timing will be right in 2020...

I began my riding days in Southern California, first on a CX-500 Honda, then a Kawasaki 1100 Spectre (shaft drive in line 4 like the CHiPs bikes) and then a 94 VFR750. I rode to Laguna Seca for races at least 10 times from the late 80's through about 1999. Such wonderful memories of riding up there so many times, and the first time I went camped in the infield (86 or 87 I think). This was before a major change to the track. That was also my first exposure with Richard Battles and the fine people at RKA - didn't buy anything but was wowed by their stuff.

[bcd]

I, too, had a wonderful time at STAR, and am grateful to all the volunteers who put in time and effort so that I could play. The hotel  and location were great! I enjoyed all my riding, there's a lot of beautiful country around there.

Thanks to all.

[stevegrab]

Bit late to the party here, long trip back from STAR then a week at a conference from work.

STAR 2018 was fabulous, didn't know what to expect of the roads, they were a lot of fun especially those that climbed up and down the bluffs near the river, and many others in the country side. The regular occurrence of gravel roads was not too enjoyable, but manageable

As for STAR out west, I'd love to return, never rode across the planes and never plan to. Maybe when I'm old and retired, and riding a nice bark o lounger type bike. Enjoyed riding in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and a bit of Idaho. Would gladly return if it worked out, Idaho looked really interesting not sure what cities have the things we need. California would be great, but agree there are many issues there particularly getting a good attendance.