Some talking points:
1) Lack of MMRs - While these roads have become synonymous with the race itself, the complete lack of ridability meant that they were always going to be a problem. I don't mind making folks trudge through 6-10" of snow if it's warm enough to not cause hypothermia or frostbite/etc. I did not think it prudent to force what could have been 200+ riders through that.
2) Shorter race - I personally dug getting up an hour later and being done 1.5 hours earlier. BUT this is still the Ragnarok... so unless we hit the trifecta of cold, snow, and lack of any real spring again don't get used to it (unless there is a groundswell that says otherwise)
3) Cue sheets ahead of time - This is where I'll be the angry old person yelling get off my lawn. Never again. I am also going to attempt to change the race every year. No more blasting through checkpoints. We have them for a reason. I could go on a huge rant, but i'll just leave it at that.
I'll try and crunch numbers this evening. All in all it was an enjoyable day and I am grateful for all of the riders who came out. The weather didn't prove to be too horrible, and the roads outside of a few later in the day, have never been faster.
8 comments:
I have been debating starting up an event of my own... one thing I thought of that I reserve the right to keepeven thought typing it here publicly, ;) is I might get a bunch of cheap little passport type booklets made up. Good for like 5 years... and then at the check points have some predetermined stamps, each year I change up the stamps or at least which order they would be in on the course the next year. I think it’d be cool, idk maybe it’s dumb. But I like the aspect it would bring to the race and if you don’t get all the stamps, tough bananas, better luck next year. Remember your passport is good for 5 years. The route I have planned is 90% gravel and has about 30 miles of MMR. What are your thoughts? Worth trying? Or keep workshopping it?
How well do you think those passports would hold up in a sweaty jersey pocket or a rainy event? Plus 30% of your field will probably loose or forget it in a year let alone five. I like the concept but I'd suggest something like Marji Gesick does with a token you collect at each check point and carry to the finish. You can likely do it cheap as well just pick up some rummage sale poker chips or something similar. Then collect them at the finish for next year.
Dave - Why are the passport books good for 5 years? Just from an investment standpoint? Interesting thought though! 30 miles of MMR is a lot. How long is the event? That alone makes it interesting.
Something that we thought about was having hole punches of different shapes at the two checkpoints. To be counted as a finisher you need your two hole punches... or stamps would work too. Would force people to actually stop and would make it easy to keep track of everyone's number. It really isn't a big deal other than making our bookkeeping in the middle of the day a pain in the butt.
The passports thing is just a cool kind of Finishers T-shirt or medal of accomplishment as well as means of keeping tabs on everyone. Realistically, if I was making a little momento like that up. It would only stand to reason that it’d have more than one page, so naturally there’d be slots or pages for multiple years... heck even one page would have two sides, so that could house stamps for two years. I might even include the tulip cues in the passport booklet. And then if it ever had to be amended just hand out copies of the amended. I plan on 104 miles. We have no hills really up where I live. But what we do have is lots of MMR. One MMR segment is 10 miles long. But is also a used by 4 wheelers and dirt bikers throughout the summer. I’d have to work out the logistics to make it as safe as possible. The MMR is the whole gamut as well. Some roads are rutted and wet almost all year, others are soft sandy types, some rocky “baby heads” cobble like segments and some that is actually just fine as a road but they put the sign up just because winter plowing won’t happen on that road.
I got the idea at the bank when they hand out those little pocket year planner calendars. I thought how much does it cost to just print up 100 of these? Only a couple 10 pages or so. Plastic outer shell would keep them mostly durable and waterproof... people keep their Phones safe and dry, if the the race depended on it their is a way to carry this around, safe and dry, as well. Just some thoughts. I am still brainstorming and want to ride the course a couple of times during the year to see how it fares in various months. If you’re ever up for it I’d love to work out some of the bugs and bounce ideas around, with you guys.
First time rider, long time jealous observer.
Loved the MMR. Would've been up for more. However due to my own training shortcomings, the 80 was my max for the day; I was gonna bail until you shortened it.
Loved the roads, the terrain, the route, & the event overall. Thanks.
In the randonneuring world, riders have to get their cards signed & timestamped at checkpoints. Collecting those and validating is a PITA too, though. Thanks for pre-folding the cue sheets, too. What a monotonous task for the organizers, but saved each rider a few moments of fumbling with the paper.
I, for one, am looking forward to trying the full distance next time.
That was one hell of a ride. The MMR especially was a beautiful, tentative affair, and I'm glad I was able to ride it with so many other excellent people. Thanks so much for putting it on!
Hopefully next year we'll be allowed for the "full experience". Not that 80 miles on those roads isn't a challenge...
Outside of "Heath's Hill" the MMRs are getting more travel throughout the year, and I question if they really are getting the minimum maintenance done to them. I know the first year we rode them (11-12 years ago!) they were far less improved and the conditions were far more variable (ie MUD and slop were more prevalent). Still they are a definite high point of the ride in general, so losing most of them hurt.
Great''! The MMR especially was a beautiful, tentative affair, and I'm glad I was able to ride it with so many other excellent people. Thanks so much for putting it on!
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