It’s been a relatively quiet year for me this year. Not particularly for any reason or maybe for a thousand reasons, but my bike has seen more garage time this year than ever before and it breaks my heart. I am such an enthusiast, a traveler, an explorer, a visitor and not least of all, a RIDER. Time to rekindle the flame and find my way back onto the roads of our lovely country and our neighboring foreign lands. Time to let loose the those garaged horses and ride off gathering bonus points for my Big Money Rally winter/spring ride which begins January 1 and ends May 23. 2015!

I have never been a rally person. For that matter, I have never been a club person or even much of a group rider, but this rally is quite different from others I have heard about. It’s mostly tongue in cheek riding fun where instead of winning a large purse at the end, you will gather respect of your fellow riders and even a really nice rally shirt! You can simply finish the rally and feel complete, however for those with higher motives, you can finish this rally in Bronze, Silver, and Gold, all of which come with kudos and pats on the back as well as a great feeling of being a rider! To ride this rally is simple, it’s all about the ride, the beauty of the land and those crazy bonus points.

If you are a rider and love just getting on your machine in the dead of winter to discover what Fonzi thinks is cool or where they filmed The Shining, then sign up HERE! I guarantee you will have some fun, get in some riding during the time of year many people find their bikes put away, and see some stuff you have definitely NEVER before seen.

The press release for this rally sez: “The concept of the rally is simplicity itself. Entrants will be sent a list of thousands of possible bonus locations spread throughout the continental U.S. in early December. Starting January 1 riders can then visit as many of these locations during the five month course of the rally as possible, documenting each bonus by uploading a digital photo from their cell phone to the Big Money Rally website (www.bigmoneyrally.com).

Probably one of the more important aspects for gaining points and respect is by filling the frame of your shot with the bonus capturing part of your bike and placard. I learned this lesson frequently last year as I fell short of my requirements losing valuable points, but this year, I will be doing my best to follow the criteria and post the BEST EVER photos of my bonus locations!

Here is an example of falling short of the goal.

Believe it or not, the bonus was the Library sign, not the trash can, not the “I ride for Pie” sticker, not even that huge format placard! So to improve this I could have put my bike in the driveway, gotten close to the sign, filled my frame with the sign, placed some of my bike at the bottom of the frame and my placard number. It could have been MUCH better.

Here is an example of a better try.

The goal was Brunos. I tucked the bike right in front and got my placard close to the camera trying to keep everything somewhat focused. “It’s ain’t right, but it’s alright”. 😉

It’s really about the ride, the fun and the points are just a bonus to finishing or placing in the rally. Last year I placed in Silver and was really proud to have finished, period. This year, I’ll hope to actually connect with some of the other riders, including some of them on my team, which is a new aspect of the rally. I can’t wait until January 1!

Just to give you an idea of where this rally can take you, below are some of my favorite photos from last year’s BMR. I rode in CA, NV, AZ, NM, CO, UT, OR, and WA and it was a chill year for riding. If you are a IBA rider, this rally is a piece of cake and lots of fun, but regardless or your dedication to the ride, all will have some fun riding the BMR. Please join us in the fun using the links above! Remember this rally takes place over the entire US!

BMR 2014–my scenic shots without placard, but remember these didn’t count toward a bonus!! 😉

CA

NM

NV

AZ

UT

JOIN THE FUN…and ride safely! 😉