The rolling, rumbling thrumm is back. It is mid-June in New Hampshire, the home state of CommonPlaces, and we are again visited by swarms of motorcyclists for Motorcycle Week. Now in its 
90th year, one of the biggest events for motorcycle enthusiasts is roaring its way up U.S. Interstate #93, which traverses the spine of the state. Thousands of bikers, from as far away as Germany, will make the annual pilgrimage to the rallies and races located primarily in Laconia the Lakes Region area, basically in the center of New Hampshire.
Something new, however, has been added to the mix in 2013 '- social media. If you ever required proof that digital marketing has found a place in local events planning, this is it! There are Facebook and Twitter sites devoted to our bike week, with multiple links to sponsors who are blasting social media with their own postings and special offers. The Facebook page currently has nearly 13,000 fans! Sponsors are also including QR codes in their ads for the first time this year. Now bikers can scan these codes with their smartphones, helping them to find these businesses. Travel Channel is also seemingly omnipresent in the area, shooting for an upcoming special, so Twitter and Facebook is buzzing about where to go to get on camera.
All of this prompted us to wonder what apps are ideally suited for our hog riding friends.
- Facebook and Twitter apps are must-haves for all visitors. Two of our favorites, HootSuite and TweetDeck, allow the user to monitor and post to both social media giants at once; which is especially great if you're in a group or club that splits up!
- The Laconia Motorcycle Week Mobile app is specifically designed for Motorcycle Week. This allows riders to receive and share information about the rally. It includes a complete events schedule as well as information regarding races, bike shows, contests, rides, and many events.
- Motorcycle Minder keeps track of and logs all service and maintenance needs for one or more bikes.
- The Diablo Super Biker measures performance in real time, whether on the track or the street. Riders can keep track of the distance they've travelled on their bikes, the lean angle in turns, and lap times as they ride. Linked with Google Maps, you can trace any route, and then automatically post travel time results onto Facebook.
- TomTom is much more than a GPS device. This app manages to plan your route anywhere, no matter how you want to travel. Motorcyclists may want to take winding roads, for instance, and TomTom will navigate such routes for you. This is also the best app for locating and updating traffic trouble spots along your way.
Are you coming to New Hampshire for Motorcycle Week? Check in with us on Twitter @cpopensource. Now you can ride, rally, and tweet!