Guzzi meeting in John Day 2024

[audiomick]

50 minutes ago, p6x said:

going to the rally on your bike is kind of the purpose of it all, no?

That's what I have always thought.

[Gmc28]

Agreed.  When younger i would have openly scorned trailering a bike, but now accept that its different strokes for different folks, and fit the tool to the job.  Meaning, ride there, but there are lots of variables, so whatever works.   I assume at some point I gotta do the southern spine raid to meet some of the good folks on this forum, but no way i have time to ride from oregon to wherever it is out east where that happens (till retirement becomes realistic), so it’ll be a “fly-n-rent” visit.   My alaska buddy has done the AlCan more than most, been-there-done-that, but has an old Stornello to pick up and a van to get south, so I’m assuming he’ll be trailering.   

You texans making the ride…. That’ll be long but excellent!  No question that I’m jealous.  My new-to-me V85tt will live on the road.  I don’t have time to do the round trips I’d like to do, so i ride one-ways, then leave the bike and airline home.  Repeat.  The old KTM lived in alaska the last 5-6 yrs for that purpose, now its home in my shop all dolled-up to sell, and the V85 will replace it as the next itinerant use bike, probably based in CO for a while.

back to the john day topic, i checked pricing at Silvies Valley Ranch , straight south from John Day about half an hour or so, in a sort of odd but nifty spot, but was dumbfounded by the price.  It’s a neat place, but as i recall it was round  $450/night, or up from there based on the room.  Suffice to say that I’d recommend it for out of state visitors for a night, as it’s a cool place to stay, but not at that price, unless price is no object.  If you’re an avid golfer, it’s got a great golf track out there in the middle of nowhere, and I’m told they can set you up with a goat as a bag caddy.  I’ve not done that goat thing nor played the course, but enjoyed a night there on the V11 a few years back, poking around that area in the late season, and had a nice stay and a couple great meals. 

also a lot of great ADV riding out in eastern oregon, with a couple spots where its easy to jump onto the ORBDR for a short or long way, for those on that kind of bike.  

And i guess for what its worth, as an Oregonian I’ll offer to the forum that if someone needs a place to leave or fix a bike for some reason for the trip, I’m about 45 mins from Portland airport and have a large shop…. (But its still about 5hrs from John Day)

[p6x]

14 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

$450/night

Hotel prices have gone insane following the general freeze. Besides that you no longer get room service after the initial move in, but still pay full price per night. Many hotels have also implemented the infamous Las Vegas "Resort fee" which you need to pay even if there isn't any resort.

Furthermore, I tried a couple of dates on their website, and it is a two nights minimum stay.... the cheapest I found was $500, while the average was more around the $700.

Three nights, and I could buy another Moto Guzzi Quota.....:-)

 

[PJPR01]

Price for camping at the rally:  Zero!  For $500 bucks, might as well go to the Caribbean for a nice island vacation!

[activpop]

3 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Price for camping at the rally:  Zero!  For $500 bucks, might as well go to the Caribbean for a nice island vacation!

Where are the campsites and how do you reserve?

[PJPR01]

You just pay your registration fee (there's a thread on WildGuzzi with the information on who to send the check to for registration prior to June), the campground is one big field, so you can pitch a tent wherever you like...no shortage of space.  I think if you want one of the RV sites, there's a more formal process to reserve one of those...we just showed up the last time and grabbed a few tent spots together with friends.

[p6x]

5 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Price for camping at the rally:  Zero!  For $500 bucks, might as well go to the Caribbean for a nice island vacation!

No more camping for me....

You know I camped at Marfa, this year for the tour, at El Cosmico... this was my first time since I last camped, like when I was 16? my tent was the furthest away from the sanitary. How pleasant to do the trip every three hours during the night.

Under the Chihuahua desert sun, a fan is just as useful as a band-aid on a prosthetic limb. The lady staying next to me had a huge dog parked outside her tent, very keen on getting a meal supplement each time I passed, barking mad and waking up everyone in the process.

El Cosmico? never again!!!

If I buy that Quota, there is a huge trunk in the back. I should be able to carry a lot more equipment now.

 

[PJPR01]

Hence the invention of the Pecan, I mean the Pee Can!  Saves you trips to the rest room...common to see at Guzzi Rallies for Old timers!  

Sounds like El Cosmico was El Catastrofe....una lastima!

It does look like they have Yurts however...that would be kind of cool for the next time.

I stayed at the Riata Motel in Marfa in November...not much better, but at least it wasn't camping!!

To be fair..camping at John Day is quite nice...it's a nice grassy field...plenty of fun activity...the bathrooms however are not far...they have porta potties setup within 100 feet of just about everyone...

[Gmc28]

On 1/8/2024 at 3:36 PM, activpop said:

Where are the campsites and how do you reserve?

 I’m not a big camping fan unless a) there are no people around me, and b) its cool/cold outside, so that a warm sleeping bag can warm me up, vs the inability to ever cool off if its too hot.  So i camp in alaska and northern canada, but not often elsewhere.  John day in late june…. Probably quite warm or hot.  I guess my Norwegian blood likes the cold air.  So for now I’m at the best western, burning some Chase points.

for what its worth, when i last rode through that area, after staying at Sylvies on a moto ride with a buddy from Bend, we took NF16 east from Seneca area, and there was some nice looking camping areas up that direction.  Not that far, but presumably too far to ride to camp after an event at john day.  I just liked that it was more remote and scenic.  I see a couple NFS campgrounds listed up in that area which might be ok, not sure. 

[p6x]

On 1/8/2024 at 8:32 PM, PJPR01 said:

It does look like they have Yurts however...that would be kind of cool for the next time.

If you want the real Yurt experience, head to Kazakhstan.... closer to us, indeed the Yurt is fun. When I got to El Cosmico they had a family in one of them, and they have a lot of RVs or Trailers that have seen better days. I think some of them have AC;

They also have an area dedicated to those who bring their own tents. The facilities are rudimentary. Not much privacy; it reminded me of the army, including filthy bathrooms!!!!

I always try to stay at the Hotel Paisano; however since it housed James Dean and the Giant movie crew, it gets full easily. I like to watch the old photographs of them and what is left of the shooting site.

As you know, we have a solar eclipse over Texas on April 8th, 2024. It would be a great reason to head to Marfa. Unfortunately, Marfa is in Zone A, so only partial eclipse. The Marfa viewing area is more or less in line with Chihuahua, thus in the path.

@docc sorry again for leading the John Day topic astray...

 

[docc]

Solved: moved topic to "banter" to keep the party going . . .

[PJPR01]

5 hours ago, p6x said:

If you want the real Yurt experience, head to Kazakhstan.... closer to us, indeed the Yurt is fun. When I got to El Cosmico they had a family in one of them, and they have a lot of RVs or Trailers that have seen better days. I think some of them have AC;

They also have an area dedicated to those who bring their own tents. The facilities are rudimentary. Not much privacy; it reminded me of the army, including filthy bathrooms!!!!

I always try to stay at the Hotel Paisano; however since it housed James Dean and the Giant movie crew, it gets full easily. I like to watch the old photographs of them and what is left of the shooting site.

As you know, we have a solar eclipse over Texas on April 8th, 2024. It would be a great reason to head to Marfa. Unfortunately, Marfa is in Zone A, so only partial eclipse. The Marfa viewing area is more or less in line with Chihuahua, thus in the path.

@docc sorry again for leading the John Day topic astray...

 

Very interesting!  I tried staying at the Paisano in November but it was full…ended up at the Reata…quiet but not luxurious and overpriced…oh well!!.  I was very pleasantly surprised at the high quality of the menu and dinner and service at the Hotel Saint George…quite good!

 

Kazahkstan looks interesting to explore…have enjoyed several ADV rider YouTube videos of their travels thru there…

[p6x]

10 minutes ago, PJPR01 said:

Kazahkstan looks interesting to explore…have enjoyed several ADV rider YouTube videos of their travels thru there…

I worked there, I mean in Atyrau, on the Caspian Sea. My German colleague purchased an Ural side-car and went on a craze.

Kazakhstan is beautiful, absolutely!

Today it is more open than when I was there, until 2009. You can get a visa on arrival good for 15 days. Don't go there in winter, unless you like Siberian temperatures!

[Gmc28]

I think i may have just had too much of this delicious Reynvaan Stoneessence Syrah wine, as it appears i just read a thread about John Day, and then Kazakhstan, Atrayau, Texas eclipse, and something about Siberian winters.  This is some good wine!

[Twin AH]

On 1/6/2024 at 4:41 PM, PJPR01 said:

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.  

Yes that will be me................ the ride is more than half the fun of it.