Hey everyone. First, some great news: We now have a core group of event planners assembled and are beginning to scope out the exact location, and work out the required details for the First Annual FJR-NERDS gathering in Northern New England, for late next summer (2011).
One of the pivotal pieces that we don't have up front is any sort of idea of just how many FJR riders would be interested in participating in such an event. Having a ball park estimate of the number of attendees will greatly impact all of our planning efforts from here on.
To that end, I have devised the above poll. Please vote only if you have a real interest in attending something like this and there is a reasonably high likelihood that you will attend. Also please vote only for yourself and your SO or any non-forum friends. Do not vote for your forum friends that may accompany you, and/or share a room, so that there is less redundancy of vote counts. Instead send them a PM or reminder to get on here and vote for themselves. We realize that many solo riders will in fact end up sharing rooms and I have a second question to tally that up.
We clearly realize that your plans may change between now and when the event is officially announced, which WILL be prior to Jan 1, 2011. But having a reasonably accurate estimate of the participation numbers will allow us to find the optimum venue to host this new event. Ideally everyone that wants to attend will have the opportunity to do so and we will not be "sold out".
Here are the "givens" for your voting:
We intend on having the event in the late summer, most likely in August, before the majority of kids (and teachers) are back in school. This was chosen because the weather is generally better (cooler) in August than in July, and nobody else seems to plan any FJR group events in the summer months, so we hope to eliminate conflicts.
We will (probably) have the event run from a Friday through Sunday, with options to come in a day early and/or stay a day late as desired to extend your vacationing pleasure. Or you could just come for the weekend (Sat -Sun) if you are local or can't spare more time. We intend on having some sort of group meal at the hotel on one night at a minimum, but may also organize a second night dinner or barbecue as well.
[edit - Having the event mid-week is also being considered)
For locations we are looking closely at either the Rutland / Killington area, or (preferably) the lovely village of Stowe, Vermont for the hotel facility and ride command central. This will give attendees the opportunity to ride all over the VT Green mountains, the NH White mountains, and the NY Adirondack mountains. We will have several ride route options available and published long before the event. We will help coordinate the formation of ride groups so folks will get to ride with other riders of their own ilk. i.e. Fast guys vs. 2-up flower sniffers, vs iron butts, etc. We'll also have some suggested "approach routes" for having fun getting in and out of the area from various directions without succumbing to the slab.
Exact prices have not yet been established, but we are making every effort to make the hotel accommodations and meeting group meal costs as affordable as possible. Figure on approximately $100 (maybe less) per room/night and ~ $20 (or less) for any group dinners. Rooms will therefore be of the traditional Motel variety. No 5 star Hotels, no luxury Condos, no quaint B&B's. We are weighing the ammenities provided heavily in the hotel choice, so we expect it to be a fairly upscale type of motel (not a little Mom and Pop)
We will be certain that the Hotel will allow reservation cancellation, and we will refund any collected rally fees (for group dinners, etc., if there should actually even be any) up to one month before the actual event.
So what say ye? Wanna come up to Vermont this summer to play?
One of the pivotal pieces that we don't have up front is any sort of idea of just how many FJR riders would be interested in participating in such an event. Having a ball park estimate of the number of attendees will greatly impact all of our planning efforts from here on.
To that end, I have devised the above poll. Please vote only if you have a real interest in attending something like this and there is a reasonably high likelihood that you will attend. Also please vote only for yourself and your SO or any non-forum friends. Do not vote for your forum friends that may accompany you, and/or share a room, so that there is less redundancy of vote counts. Instead send them a PM or reminder to get on here and vote for themselves. We realize that many solo riders will in fact end up sharing rooms and I have a second question to tally that up.
We clearly realize that your plans may change between now and when the event is officially announced, which WILL be prior to Jan 1, 2011. But having a reasonably accurate estimate of the participation numbers will allow us to find the optimum venue to host this new event. Ideally everyone that wants to attend will have the opportunity to do so and we will not be "sold out".
Here are the "givens" for your voting:
We intend on having the event in the late summer, most likely in August, before the majority of kids (and teachers) are back in school. This was chosen because the weather is generally better (cooler) in August than in July, and nobody else seems to plan any FJR group events in the summer months, so we hope to eliminate conflicts.
We will (probably) have the event run from a Friday through Sunday, with options to come in a day early and/or stay a day late as desired to extend your vacationing pleasure. Or you could just come for the weekend (Sat -Sun) if you are local or can't spare more time. We intend on having some sort of group meal at the hotel on one night at a minimum, but may also organize a second night dinner or barbecue as well.
[edit - Having the event mid-week is also being considered)
For locations we are looking closely at either the Rutland / Killington area, or (preferably) the lovely village of Stowe, Vermont for the hotel facility and ride command central. This will give attendees the opportunity to ride all over the VT Green mountains, the NH White mountains, and the NY Adirondack mountains. We will have several ride route options available and published long before the event. We will help coordinate the formation of ride groups so folks will get to ride with other riders of their own ilk. i.e. Fast guys vs. 2-up flower sniffers, vs iron butts, etc. We'll also have some suggested "approach routes" for having fun getting in and out of the area from various directions without succumbing to the slab.
Exact prices have not yet been established, but we are making every effort to make the hotel accommodations and meeting group meal costs as affordable as possible. Figure on approximately $100 (maybe less) per room/night and ~ $20 (or less) for any group dinners. Rooms will therefore be of the traditional Motel variety. No 5 star Hotels, no luxury Condos, no quaint B&B's. We are weighing the ammenities provided heavily in the hotel choice, so we expect it to be a fairly upscale type of motel (not a little Mom and Pop)
We will be certain that the Hotel will allow reservation cancellation, and we will refund any collected rally fees (for group dinners, etc., if there should actually even be any) up to one month before the actual event.
So what say ye? Wanna come up to Vermont this summer to play?
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