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[texasmetalwerks]

This was my first ROT and I was kinda disappointed. My dad, brother (galpd320), and I took a ride through the hill country all day Saturday which was great. We got back to our hotel around 5:30 and decided to rest up for a couple of hours before riding back to the rally.

It was around 8:00 when we got the bikes parked and went inside. It looked as if the rally was over. All of the major vendors were packing up and getting ready to pull out. Kuryakyn was all loaded up as well as many of the other big name vendors.

I guess they made all the money they wanted by Saturday.

Anyway, just thought the whole thing was not very well organized. Just my .2 cents.

[Gothicguy]

I don't think I'll go again.  The total price for our trip (hotel, food, shirts, gas, etc) was probably $700+.  I didn't get that much out of it.  I did get to hang with the Martin Bro's for much of the rally, as a friend works with them.  But other than personal connections making it interesting, the rally itself was a dissapointment.  I will say the grounds and organization was better than 2005's North Texas Rock Rally though.

[brentos]

I live here in Austin and did not feel right spending $45 a piece on tickets to get into the Rally itself - so I did not. Met old and new friends down town and on rides around the area this weekend. That was fun. Had my own music plans that were alot cheaper than the Rally's too. Overall I had a great time but then again I never made it to the fair (fare) grounds. Saturday night was definitely more fun downtown that Friday. There were more bikes on the street and less people wandering around on foot it seemed. Plus I stayed away from 6th after about 10:30.

[galpd320]

The parade on Friday night was fun, but that is all I can say for it. I did not attend any of the concerts or shows, so I cannot say if they made the rally worth the money, but for what I was interested in doing, it was not. The biggest dissapointment to me was the lack of a poker run or fun run or whatever the lawyers make us call it now. If I wanted to go and ride my bike around the hill country, I could do it for a lot less money than this. Like my brother said earlier, the vendors shutting down early Saturday was a big dissapointmet as well, there were still thousands of people there walking around and from what I remember the advertisements saying, the best "deals" to be made were on Sunday. I don't think I will be attending next year. If I do, I wont buy a ticket for the rally itself, just joing up with some folks and do some hill country riding. There's plenty of other entertainment in and around the area during that time. I am ready for the Lone Star Rally in Galveston though. Cheaper and better in my opinion. 

[Gunny_Tx]

I hit most of the vendors mid-day Saturday. The "festivities" Saturday night were pretty wild. Stayed with some friends in the camp grounds. It's only money, and ya only live once. 

[jmdaniel]

Living in Austin, it's a good weekend to leave the bike in the garage, as the Hill Country riding is always gonna be there.... did see some real "beauties" out at the Oasis Saturday night, though...  Thank goodness I was already done eating...

Now this Saturday is when the real riding and AppleSauce slinging is gonna happen!! Cooper's it is!! 
 

[ghostrider]

2000 was My first ROT, it was just like any other rally. If it wasnt for RD, taking us for a tour around the Hill Co, my opinion would have been somewhat boring. I just like the Parade on 6th and Hill Co.

[bIgPrO]

I stopped going a few years back. Same Vendors as every other event.

Always nice to have something planned with a group. RD didn't get lost?

See ya at the Lone Star Rally Meet and Greet 11/3

[Crewsn]

i think the rally was great for what it is. it was well worth the money. plenty of shows, vendors, and sights. i enjoyed just talking with the builders and the smaller vendors. to me the rally wasn't so much about riding but the comraderie that is shared between those that enjoy to ride. the shows themselves would have been worth $45 alone. there was music everyday even sunday night after the rally was considered over. i guess it really just depends on what you wanted out of it.. just my .02.

[RD]

I went this year for a few reasons. I purchased a couple of items that I had to see/feel. You can't do that on the web. I got to spend time with some friends that I don't get to see often, and I got to do a little riding. If it wasn't for these things, I wouldn't have gone.
I believe everyone should go to the ROT Rally at least twice. Once to take it all in, and the 2nd time to remind you why you should've gone only once. There's no comparison with the Lone Star Rally in Galveston. Galveston is hands down the best function I've been to in the state. For those that haven't been to Galveston, imagine Austin with 5th - 8th streets blocked off from I-35 to Congress. That's Galveston. The city has bike parking blocked off on the streets, and most of the shops are open till 9pm, or later. All the resturants are open, and if you want, you can walk with an open container throughout the blocked off area. The streets aren't congested, for the most part. The most I can remember waiting for a traffic light was 2 cycles, at the most, and not that often. You have a constant sea-breeze, and if you get hot, you can duck into 1 of the shops to cool off. The same vendors, if not more, are there....AND they stay open late Thu - Sat.
In Austin...there's 2 functions, the rally grounds, in Manor, and 6th Street at night. They're too far apart, it's HOT!!, traffic is congested, and there's very few places to get out of the sun, or in the a/c. Did I mention it was HOT.
I wish I could've said more, but, I really don't have an opinion on the matter.

[Stormy]

The ROT rally was the first every rally I attended last year. Had a pretty good time,but did not spend much time there except to buy a few things for the bike from a lot of good vendors and T shirts. I spent most of the time on the many rides we had throughout the hill country and the surrounding area of Austin.  The same goes for this year also,but like last year we always make it out the fairgrounds for the Saturday night parade were folks likes to show off a little bit of everything.  And then the trip down to 6th street to meet a few friends of the daughter to watch all the action from a second story building on the main drag.

[JUSTBUD]

Well this was my 2nd ROT, and I too found it - extremely hot, I had a couple friends call up lasy minute and drove down Fri. night and we showed them around the grounds Sat. but the temp was so hot we retreated back to the hotel pool by early afternoon with the pool attendance pretty packed we were not alone in our retreat.I knew what to expect from the past,but I do feel that Galveston was a much more memorable rally. The friends did enjoy the trip, as we made it down to the grounds Sat night to run the gauntlet of bikers gone wild, they had to experience it once, for the fun of it. Sunday found a few deals early but most venders were gone.The evenings we spent at 6th for some music and bike watching. i too think I may in the future spend more time riding the Hill area,as i am getting bored with the same vender and show set-ups. See ya at the Lonestar !! - Bud

[jmdaniel]

I believe everyone should go to the ROT Rally at least twice. Once to take it all in, and the 2nd time to remind you why you should've gone only once.

RD, you are a funny man.... 

[txgaboy]

Ya buys your ticket, ya pay ur money, yet get what u get
Whatever you come away with-is a memory. That's all there is.

[Dallas Retro]

If you've been to one ROT, that's enough! 

We go down to Austin each year for the parade, and then head over to the YO in Kerrville, and ride in the Hill Country the next day; We just skip the ROT Rally.