From the desk of Belt Drive Betty
Planning motorcycle events is a challenge at the best of times, Mother Nature can play absolute havoc with an event and so can a short riding season.
Competing events with equally important causes at wonderful businesses that cater to our community happen at a frequency of 20-30 every weekend in each region of our province. Everyone is working for a cause.
Throw in COVID-19 restrictions and you have a curveball that has you hustling sideways as fast as you can.
Instead of panicking, our crew at the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association started looking for the bright side. Our president, Bob Ross, and a friend of his came up with the idea of hosting some sort of poker run where people’s times of arrival could be choreographed. Our Vice President, Sheila Willis and I had some in-depth discussions and then brought in other businesses and the next thing you knew, we had a winner.
This summer’s event is simply called Rumble Alberta:
It features 44 Touring Challenge Routes in 5 regions of the province that will impact 400-450 mostly rural communities.
6-10 Adventure Rider Challenge Routes as well for those in jeeps and on dual sport and adventure bikes.
THE BASICS ARE:
The event kicks off on the May Long Weekend and runs until the end of September giving you 4.5 months to complete as many routes and challenges as you want. The more challenges you complete, the more points you earn and the better your chance is of winning one of our hundreds of prizes! One lucky driver or rider will win the overall high point champion prize.
If you are a CMTA member it is $75 for your event pass. If you are a non-member its $100.
Your event pass gives you access to special offers, discounts, attraction passes, swag bags or door prizes AND the chance to win prizes.
Now if you cannot afford to buy an event pass and help support the good work, we do at the CMTA, you can still ride the routes, you just will not have access to the perks!
You will note when you go to our site and start looking at our routes that these routes are not the shortest or the most expedient routes to a destination, instead each route IS the Destination!
ALL routes are created to hit the maximum number of communities and as much historical “trivia” as possible. We are partnered with the History Check app and that makes our event different, unique, and fun!
We help you explore our provincial history. We help bring it to life for you in a way that gets you out of your vehicle, off your bike and engaging.
You will participate in Indigenous, French, Ukrainian name place challenges.
Geocaches that will lead you to that route’s gift/door prize/swag bag…
You can earn points for buying a hot beverage and sharing your receipt.
For doing reviews, for sharing about the route.
This touring challenge is open to ALL Motorcyclists, Adventure Riders, Jeep Club Members, Car Club Members, drivers of SUVs and Minivans!
Ride/Drive with a Purpose….THIS is an ECONOMIC REBOUND Event.
SEE ALBERTA THROUGH THE EYES OF A TOURIST.