Geez this thing got to 7 pages in a hurry. Haven't even had a chance to post yet.
First thank you so much to Richard and all the volunteers that made this thing happen. We should call
@Tramguage1 the Hondasxs mascot because he was welcoming everyone and making sure everyone felt at home. Lots of others were a great help as well!
I think the first questions are..
1. what were the goals of the takeover
2. were they achieved?
3. Why?
What changes, if any, need to be made to number 1.
If you're unsure how to move forward refer back to number 1.
You can't please everyone. Refer back to number 1
Before making any changes, Refer back to number 1
So what is the goal?
Is it to get as many people as possible?
Awareness?
money?
Networking?
A certain level of trail difficulty?
Opportunity with "X" miles of trails..
.....
Maybe its not so much a goal as it is more like a mission statement... I dunno, Just asking
There are a lot of things to consider when planning this event. It has to fit a broad range of people and I think most really enjoyed it. People come for different reasons and for some its a much bigger deal than others. I think that is very important to remember. Not everyone has the cash to pack up and make a 12 hr (or more) pilgrimage across the country so location is certainly important. Just look at all the posts of people saying "Im mad I missed it, I'm going next year come hell or high water"...That's exactly what I said last year....
For some, attending the takeover is a dream come true or it is a dream they want to come true. Regardless, it's important to remember that people are there from all walks of life....literally, i saw a guy with a pet gnome... and it's important that the event have a little something for everyone. Not just the extreme crowd, family crowd, drinking crowd, sleep till noon crowd, or the I have to break stuff to prove I'm a man crowd...
We need a little something for everyone and I think RRB does a fair job of achieving that at a geographically reasonable location. I know Richard wants everyone to have a good time and man does he smile a lot. Can't tell you what color his eyes are he always squinting and laughing.
Great personality for a guy leading an event like this. It really was a great time.
I like RRB and I had a lot of fun, but I'm going to be real honest. If it weren't for the people I wouldn't be going again. The people make the trip no doubt. Yea I like RRB, it was kind of a bucket list place for me and I've been there twice now, got the T-shirt. The reason I say I wouldn't be going if it weren't for the people is I LOVE, LOVE, the Rocky Mountains. The rockies are 2 hours closer to me one way. They have millions of acres instead of thousands. I've ridden 120 miles there in one day and never rode the same trail twice. I rode 220 miles at RRB in 4 days, and rode a lot of the same trails. I'm not trying to say this should be moved west. Just saying the only reason I go is for the people. If the takeover were to be moved further east I would be thinking long and hard about going. Its already 13+ hours for me and I most likely have to drive it by myself.
The people really do make this a fantastic event. It is something you'll remember forever.
As far as the event itself here is my best advice Richard
@Hondasxs
1. Delegate to groups not individuals. aka small committees for each thing (raffle, vendors, prize pack, music, mapping, welcome team, logistics, repairs and recovery, guides, schedule, pictures, etc.) Set a team captain to report back to you on progress
2. Set expectations up front
3. Be clear that you are not afraid to take away responsibilities if expectations aren't met
It is growing so fast it is too much for you to handle on your own. Plenty of people are willing to step up and help out as a volunteer. At the end of the day it's your baby and you make the call. Like an old man once told me "you're f***in this cat I'm just holdin it"
