Sport Touring Corner By Norm Kern, MSTA Editor / ReasonsToRide.com Contributor
“Should I buy heated grips or heated
including five Adventure routes.
If I had to come up with one word to describe this year's MSTA FlyBy Week, it would be uncertainty. With Covid19 hanging over our heads, no one knew in advance how risky it would be to host or attend the rally.
All but a few of our Motorcycle Sport Touring Association events have been cancelled this year, so it was especially important to have FlyBy Week if at all possible so our members can salvage at least a part of the riding season. That said, we needed to make attending as safe as possible, not only for our attendees, but for the community as well. We told attendees to wear masks and social distance before coming to Marietta, Ohio, and not attend unless they felt 100% well. People come to FlyBy Week to ride the fun roads of SE Ohio and N West Virginia. Riding outdoors in small groups is one of the best ways to enjoy time with friends and stay safe from COVID. 2020 was the best year ever for FlyBy Week routes- we had 25 to choose from,
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Social distancing at the hotel was our greatest challenge. Fortunately, our trademark "Outdoor Lounge" with lots of chairs and flexible outdoor seating enabled attendees to socialize while maintaining social distancing,. The only other gathering place was the large registration room, which has a capacity of over 80 people but never had more than about 20 present.
We had to eliminate the evening “dinner tours” where we normally provide transportation for dining downtown at the many nice bars and restaurants Marietta has to offer. Individuals with cars, trucks etc. filled in the gap on their own. Likewise we had to eliminate the Friday and Saturday buffet dinners and just provide bottled water and packaged snacks. Fortunately a nearby grill & pub, Wings Etc, had a huge menu selection and fast delivery service to the hotel. Everyone who ordered was very happy with the food. Breakfast at the Baymont Inn was officially closed, but for FlyBy Week attendees they provided breakfast burritos that could be heated in your room, waffles, cereal, milk and juice. So how did it all go? As usual, attendance was light early in the week, but more people arrived each day, with most arriving Thursday and Friday. The initial weather forecast was for nice weather for the entire week, but that changed due to the remnants of hurricane Laura coming THUNDERROADSOHIO.COM THUNDERROADSOHIO.COM
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