News

We awoke to a cloudy, bright dawn on Sunday August 16 at Grand Marais.

Hello BMW Minnesota Club. Happy Labor Day weekend. Here is our club newsletter for September. Note: Our next meeting is only four days away: Thursday September 10 at Rosetown American Legion. See below for details. This issue includes:

September 10 Club Meeting Other Upcoming Meetings Dues Renewal Charlie Coons - MOA Rally Award Grand Marais Campout ZARS Training Club Picnic Hiawatha Rally Volunteers

September 10 Club Meeting We are ready to start our 2026-2027 program year. We are back at Rosetown American Legion. September 10: Join us to hear Mike Trullinger, a retired paramedic, make a presentation about motorcycle safety tips and how to pack a first aid kit to take on your rides. Mike currently rides two Victory cruisers. Arrive at 6 to purchase dinner and visit with other members. The meeting starts at 7. Upcoming Meetings The following meetings are also at Rosetown: October 8: Presenter to be determined. We will also kick off our annual club election nominations. November 12: Presenter to be determined. We will also kick off our annual club election cycle. December 10: Our annual Toys for Tots collection. Important note: Do you have suggestions for presentations for our meetings? This is your club, and we need your ideas. Send me an email at joel.howard612@gmail.com with your recommendations. Looking forward to 2027:

We will plan our annual club banquet for January or February. Chuck Bushnell has volunteered to organize a winter club meeting at Granite City Grille in Plymouth (either January or February, depending on when we have the banquet). We had a great turnout in February 2026 at Granite City. Our general goal is to move the meeting locations around the metro area, so the meetings are more convenient for people who live in those areas.

Dues Renewal You should have received an email to renew your BMWMOCM dues. Our current dues expire September 30, so please log on to our club website and renew this month. Charlie Coons - MOA Rally Award Congratulations to Charlie Coons, who was honored at the MOA rally in Vermont. Charlie (right) received the Phoenix award for attending his 50th rally (out of 53 national rallies):

Grand Marais Campout We had a fun time and smoke-free weather at our annual campout August 14-17. Thanks to Steve Reese for organizing this event. Steve welcomed Amy K, our newest prospective club member, to the campout:

We had a nice turnout:

Gene Paulauskas snapped this photo of the rugged terrain near Lake Superior:

We enjoyed stories and camaraderie around the campfire:

Anita B and Beth Forristall toasted marshmallows. Don't worry, no eyebrows were singed during this escapade:

Speaking of Beth, she apparently had to have a timeout in her tent. She claimed to be researching Coddiwomple points on her tablet:

Amy, our new Grand Marais attendee, was accompanied by Fritz, who rides on the back of her F750GS:

ZARS Training We held an advanced riding course August 22 at ZARS:

Thanks to our event organizers (from left to right): Eric Benson, Chris Svensrud, and Rick Thompson.

Club member Jeff Guertin helped the coaches demonstrate effective cornering techniques:

Our ZARS training included two generations: Levi and Chris Svensrud!

Club Picnic We had our annual club picnic Sunday August 23. Thanks to Steve Metz for reserving the Afton park pavilion and for arranging a beautiful sunny day. We also appreciate our grillmasters, Steve Handeland and Dan Reese:

Steve and Dan served our hungry picnic attendees:

We always enjoy a visit with Tim Schwartz' sons: Tim and Ben:

The club voted to hold the 2027 Hiawatha Rally. We will be back at Money Creek for our epic 50th rally. Curt Henry, our new rally co-chair, and Joel Howard, club recorder, discussed our rally plans:

Newest bike at the picnic: Wendy Willner, with Mark Willner's help, introduced her R1300RT to Steve Ballantine:

One of the oldest bikes: Steve Ballantine chatted with Anita B, the previous owner of his 1974 R90S:

Hiawatha Rally Volunteers Last month, I sent you a Hiawatha Rally report. I listed and thanked the rally committee chairs. One of our devoted rally volunteers suggested I recognize all our volunteers. Great idea! Here is a list of the intrepid volunteers who signed up before the rally started:

Anita Bescheinen Pat Besanson Kirk Brown Charlie Coons Bruce Dahl Steve Deglmann Loren Eckhardt Beth Forristall Curt Henry Ken Henry Joel Howard Nancy Kennedy Craig Kotval Bruce McClung Nancee Musto Jeff Oden Craig Olson Jeff Ricker Teresa Roth Ivan Roth Charlie Schlatter Annette Schroeder Chris Svensrud Linda Theisen Rick Thompson Kurt Weirman Mark Willner

I hope you all had a fun summer of riding, despite the heat. I look forward to seeing you Thursday night at Rosetown. Joel Howard BMW Minnesota Club Recorder