The 2024 DownEast Rally is over . . . but what a great weekend it was! Yeah, maybe the weather could have been a little better, but we had nearly 200 riders from New England, Canada, and a few other faraway places arrive for a weekend of camping, riding, great food, and comraderie!
The Riders of Southern Maine welcomed members of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont, the Yankee Beemers, and the Ocean State BMW Riders for the weekend. It was great to have so many members from these Clubs join us, and I know that there are quite a few RSM members who will be joining the Yankee Beemers and the MOV at their Rallies later this summer.
Registration opened Friday morning with beautiful weather as riders began to arrive, and those who came early enjoyed a sunny and warm afternoon, followed by a delicious dinner of RSM homemade Bar-B-Que or Vegetarian Chili.
Saturday started off cloudy, and after breakfast the rain soon arrived. Although we were expecting only spotty showers throughout the day, there was more rain than expected, as it rained through most of the afternoon and evening. But there were still miles of roads to explore, as some riders headed out to the Northeast BDR, some rode to Andover to see Dave Percival’s amazing BMW motorcycle collection, and others just headed out to wander thru the great Maine and New Hampshire roads. Once back from the ride, it was time for the famous “DownEast Feast” with lobster, chowder, vegetarian lasagna, and all the accompanying side dishes! A wonderful meal was had by all! After dinner, we had many great raffle prizes to give away, including the grand prize of a set of Michelin tires!
A pancake breakfast was served on Sunday morning, and afterwards everyone began to pack up their gear and belongings, load their bikes, and start the journey back home! 
The 2024 DownEast Rally was our second Rally held at Agassiz Village in Poland, ME, and we worked hard to improve upon our first Rally there last year. With even more experience at Agassiz Village, we’re already starting to plan for another great Rally next year. Mark your calendars . . . the third weekend in May . . . Friday May 16-18!