EOM 2012 comments

[extrememarine]

I've got a quick survey set up on FJREOM.com. Just a few quick questions to gather some info for next year for me or who ever picks up the torch.

When considering a location for EOM, some things to take into account are: hotel space - 100 rooms plus banquet space. Restaurant a plus. Bar / lounge a plus. Local restaurants within walking distance a plus. There MUST be roads worth the ride. I would consider Hendersonville a very good example - good roads in any direction. Convenient access from interstates for travel in.

There was a good discussion Saturday after the banquet. It's location, location, location. That's what makes everything else tolerable. For instance, even though I would agree that the hotel staff did a good job at providing the best service they could, the simple fact is that the property was / is severely understaffed, which cost them some business both from us and other travelers. I liked the lay out, and with the right staffing, it could be an excellent venue if they got the lounge and restaurant opened back up.

The SE Ohio / NW West Virginia area has potential. But there's some of us that will stick with the story that all the roads are straight and flat there. Nothing to see there, move along please...

I'm getting caught up at home and school, and will have the shirts in the mail to those expecting them along with the refunds and final donation amount published by this weekend.

Oh, and we definitely need an "EOM 500" route again next year.

thanks and ride safe out there...

FJREOM.com - go to the bottom of the "information" page.

Wayne

 

[El Toro Joe]

Done...nice pics bye the way.

 

[Intech]

Done!

 

[huron52]

Done!

 

[Bungie]

Completed.

SE Ohio? Really?

 

[BullCBX]

Done as well.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Completed.

SE Ohio? Really?

Ohio is flatter n hell.

 

[Burnspot]

Done.

 

[Bungie]

Completed.

SE Ohio? Really?

Ohio is flatter n hell.

But at least it's straight too.

 

[clocklaw]

Done....Who's ready to go riding!

 

[fjr vfr]

Done!

 

[huron52]

Done....Who's ready to go riding!

Pick me.... I still can't find my way home....So far I have rode 215 from the blue ridge down to 64 three times.... Oh and 28 from Franklin to 143 was nice again today.

Just a couple more days of this madness before I try to figure which way is north and head for the snow.

 

[mtnhigh]

Done!

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

Done!

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

I liked the survey, Wayne. I hope everyone who went does it...... It really does make a difference for the organizers, so if you haven't done it, get on it!

 

[beachy]

done

 

[wheatonFJR]

Done.

 

[extrememarine]

Thanks for all the great comments and feedback. There are some good points that can be usedto improve the event moving forward. I’dlike to respond to some of the recurring trends in the comments.

1. Hotel. Therewere many comments to the effect that the hotel was ok. Personally, I was disappointed with theservice. The staff made a valiant effortto keep the guests (not just us) happy, they were just too short handed toeffectively turn the rooms over daily. Thereis no reason a guest should have to go back to the front desk at check in andask for another room once, let alone twice. As an organizer, it’s plain embarrassing. They lost business because of the housekeepingstaff short falls. The property as awhole needs work by corporate, as it is not at the standard I have typicallyexperienced with the Choice Hotels line.

2. Location – further North. Quite simply, there is an FJR event in NewEngland already. Word on the street isthat FredW and the gang up there put on a heck of shindig. I believe they intend to keep NERDS rollingas an August FJR event in New England. Ihope to make it up, or rather “other” there to participate sooner than later. Ifeel that EOM should stay in and around the Appalachian Mountains, andspecifically near the band we all know and love that is the Blue RidgeMountains. Parkersburg, WV does holdsome potential with access to the long, flat, straight roads of SE Ohio as wellas some rather interesting terrain in West Virginia.

3. Roads. This carries from number 2 – another trend inthe comments is that everything else can be crap so long as the roads areA+. That is what the core purpose andtheme of EOM has been in my opinion – this is a riders rally. People come to EOM because they want to ridesome of the most challenging roads on the east coast, and we have managed touphold that reputation yet again this year thanks to Jeff, Lee, and Heidi. IF we return to the Hendersonville area, Ilook for Lee to ratchet it up a notch or 3 and offer something that might evenmake me tap out – something like “EOM 600” comes to mind.

4. Location – again – Enough comments warrant mentioningthis – Hendersonville and the immediate area can definitely support anotheryear or two of good riding. The eventcould easily orbit around Hendersonville and Asheville as the roads wouldsupport new routes for some time I’m sure. Besides, I’m sure Jeff & Lee has a few more hidden gems up theirsleeves…

5. Mapping – There were a few comments regarding havingthe routes in print. From a budgetstandpoint, that is just counterproductive. What could be done is provide better directions on how to view theroutes in Google maps, along with how to print turn by turn if a guest wouldlike to prior to the event. By embeddingthe maps in the website, I felt we were close to that, but more detailedinstructions could be included. Realistically, there routes are far to complicated to run straight froma printed turn by turn without some serious editing. One more thing a limited staff just does nothave the time to take on. What I preferfor a strip map may not work or make sense for anyone else. This area is something that I will work toimprove for next year.

6. EOM Rally Master 2013. I am by no means raising my hand right now or saying that I won’t risemy hand. However, I do have the webhosting set up for a year, along with the domain name via JWilly. At a minimum, I will be involved withproviding the website. Who knows, peerpressure is a *******, isn’t it?

7. Socializing – We need to go better with welcoming thenewer members. There were many “clicks”which might have made it difficult for first timers to blend in with. This is something that a Friday night dinnermight help as an ice breaker. The counteris that it will push price up some to provide another group meal. A property with a restaurant / lounge on sitewould have mitigated this as a gathering point for socializing.

8. Group Rides – I will say up front that I am not a fanof organized group rides. I have beeninvolved with this when I was an MSF instructor for the Marines. We put together many organized rides, and asa leader or sweep, they were the most nerve racking experience ever for me – itwas a state of constant worry that someone was going to make a mistake becausethey were riding outside their proficiency level. The liability in asking a lead and sweeprider team to take on escorting a group of riders they have never met before istoo great in my opinion. Add to that thelevel of challenge often presented by to us by the EOM route masters and it’smore than I feel is prudent. However, Ido think we could do more to create an environment where the routes are laidout on tables where individuals could gather and form smaller groups of say 3-5bikes to navigate a route. Larger groupscould plan on meeting at established rest stops or lunch stops. Groups of 2-5 are optima for this terrain inmy opinion. It allows the group to movearound slower traffic efficiently as well as stay better connected on themove. Long story short – do more toencourage ride buddies as in “The EOM 500 ride will depart at 0600 from thefront door in the morning.”

 

[fjr vfr]

Thanks for your feedback, Wayne. We appreciate your effort. :fan_1: