Arrival "check in"?

[Brant Herbert]

What's the plan (if any) for "registering" people as they arrive at the rally grounds? Reason I'm asking is I'd like a list of all attendees so I can check off who I've taken mugshot photos of. I'd like not to miss anyone. Would it be useful to have another "survey" that collects (again) the names of everyone who is definitely planning to attend, rather than a thread where people simply post "I'm coming", another little scripted app like I wrote for the original attendance survey that just collects names and number in party, from which we can easily export an attendance list into Excel and have printed copies ready on the arrival date.

[EffBee]

When this was Cary's BBS, David Baker volunteered to handle all check-ins, starting with the day before (Sunday) as well as all check-outs and check-ins from the various rides. Now, as the new proprietor, DCB has other duties to handle as well as being the handshake king, greeting one and all who are there.

 

Therefore, we need someone to handle the check-in. This is something that I was going to discuss on my previous thread, once I get a verification that all e-mails are correct (like later tonight, or early tomorrow).

 

Additionally, we have the T-shirt issue. I'm sure everyone who goes would like a T-shirt or two. Some who don't go would also like them. But unless we begin collecting cash, someone's gonna have to front about $1,500 for 200 shirts. Therefore, I think we need to open up a new Gunnison thread for the general BBS and you, me, and others on the committee need to ask/poll/whatever it is we need to know so we can better do our jobs.

 

DCB, when you read this, I'm for leaving our site just for our committee as it currently is, and opening up a new general BBS site for all other issues related to the rally. We've got fewer than seven weeks (actually about 6 weeks if you look at everyone's departure dates). Whaddayasay?

[David]

FB, I'm glad you said something about maybe finding someone else to do check-in. I would recommend SSlisz from Fort Worth. Jake says he's a good guy, he's super friendly, and he volunteered to help me immediately. I think he'd be delighted. I was trying to figure out how to broach the topic of not being the main guy at the desk. I'd like to help him and fill in anywhere I can.

 

I'll be glad to start a new forum just for Gunnison. Two questions for you folks.

 

1) Should it be called "Unrally" or something to allow for Mayhem and such? I just don't want the east coast folks to think Gunnison is more important. It is, really, but only in the sense that more people are coming. But I think they had 50 or more people.

 

I'm just thinking that smaller, informal gatherings are best handled in Ride Together and this would be reserved for the more official things.

 

2) On that same note, should we keep the clutter and silliness down by only allowing people in the planning committee to start threads, allowing anybody to post to them? It's easily done if you think it's a good idea. If you don't, we can leave it as a normal forum.

[Luky]

FB,

 

As for fronting cash for things it has always been my experience that the one doing the fronting looses in the end. I would suggest a thread asking who wants shirts and what sizes, and let people know they must be pre-paid by a certain date. You can have a small additional quantity printed up, but I would let people know they will be first come/first served. As I mentioned in my previous email, the decal design is done, and I went out for quotes, but it will be about $600-$700 to get a couple of hundred printed up. I know it's an "Un-Rally" but I would suggest we quickly come up with a "registration fee" and get people to pre-pay. This fee should include a T-shirt, decal, coffee/doughnuts, BBQ dinner, etc. Payable in advance if you want to be guaranteed your goodies...

 

Also asking for cash (in advance) tends to weed out a lot of the maybe's so we will have a better idea of how many really plan on attending.

 

Just my opinion...

[EffBee]

Yeah, Luky, that's kind of where I was headed with this. Brant wants a checklist of names. He's the master poll taker around here, so once DCB opens up a general info forum on Gunnison, Brant can take a poll of names, and at the same time ask (remind) people that they need to prepay for their t-shirts if they want one. That will help me get a final price on the shirts. I'll need about 2 weeks to get them printed, boxed and shipped. So, it looks like people will have about 3 weeks to make up their minds, commit, and send in some cash. As to whom and where to send what, DCB, Brant and I will work that out.

 

Your sticker design is great. However, I think the costs are very high, given the small number to be printed. Each sticker costs about half as much asone of our t-shirts is going to cost. Not your fault, it's just expensive to do short runs on a printing press. However, I VERY much want to use your design on the sleeve of the T-shirt. I think I have a magnificent photo/design for the front of the shirt, but your Gunnison Unrally logo design will probably be the event's official I.D. and that by which it will be identified.

[EffBee]

SSlisz is fine with me. Hook him up with a pass into this planning forum so he becomes an insider. Much easier to work with someone from whom you hide no secrets.

 

As for the new forum, I believe Gunnison was the original idea and, after much consternation about it being too "West Coast," Mayhem was created. I think Mayhem was great. However Gunnison is Gunnison (next year it will be somewhere else) and I don't think it would be slighting the fine folks who worked to make Mayhem a success, to open up a new forum.

 

As for the posting privileges, I think if you place a "sticky" post at the top with a title something like "Posting Rules for This Forum" and inside ask people not to start threads unless they are crucial, lest we limit that ability in the interest of control and making progress toward a successful rally, it might do the trick. If not, then put limits on the forum by all means. My $.02 anyway. Just be sure to keep this forum open to us so we have a place to discuss things without 500 other opinions being thrown in.

 

Thank you.

 

[Brant Herbert]

I can whip up a poll for collecting names and T-shirt order information in a couple days, maybe by Monday. But I'm wondering if maybe there should be a separate list for T-shirt orders and final attendance, since I could see people who might not be able to attend wanting a shirt or two.

 

The T-shirt poll could go up early to get the order info to get them ordered, then perhaps it gets taken down when the order window closes and the production order gets placed. The order poll would output a list of names, sizes, and counts to be used in handing out shirts at the rally.

 

The attendance poll would collect Name, BBS Name, state, number in party, and an "Ordered Shirt(s) - Yes/No" field which would cross-reference to the T-shirt order list. Is there any other data that makes sense to collect?

[T.M. Roe]

You guys rock!

I love having this "meeting room" where we can quickly talk amoungst ourselves.

Start a new thread titled All Things Gunnison (in the Ride Together forum?). Planners start threads, members can only respond.

I think we should only collect for the T shirts. Charge cost plus 15% to cover the unforeseen stuff. The price will still be very reasonable.

Collecting for other things(a rally fee) starts to complicate matters. Keep it simple.

I will volunteer to help man the check-in. I think we need at least 3 people so 2 can play while 1 stays.

 

 

[David]

Brant, while we are at it, I would suggest that we collect info on where they are staying, their state (again), when arrive/depart, too.

[EffBee]

Actually, Brant, giving it more thought I realize that the T-shirt issue should be a separate thread. Once we get the general Gunnison forum up and running, I'll simply start a thread for ordering T-shirts. People can send a check to me, and I'll post whose checks I've received and for how many shirts. We'll announce that there will be a price for T-shirts for those attending (cost plus a little extra for a mass shipping to Gunnison where they'll pick them up), and a cost for those who aren't attending, but want a shirt shipped to them after the rally (cost plus about $4 for USPS priority mail).

 

We'll probably need a simple, downloadable order form (or just a printable go-to page) which will have to accompany each order. I will need your help with that. Once I post, if you'll edit and include the link to whatever you create. Just make it something where they HAVE to type in the info. I hate having to read other peoples' handwriting. I'm never 100% sure if I'm getting names and addresses right.

 

Anyway, I'll be working with Mike Walker at MW Designs, who has been doing the BMWRT.COM T-shirts for Cary. The shirt will be quality Haynes Beefy-T's with a processed 4-color design and cost (I hope) less than $10 each (plus shipping).

 

I'll likely close off the ordering 3 weeks before (I'll give people a date on the post) so that ensures that the last of the orders will trickle in by the 2-week cutoff for printing and shipping to Gunnison.

 

We'll have to order shirts by the dozen, so I really only see us doing L, XL, XXL. Of these, we'll have some leftovers and those will be available after the event to any stragglers who didn't order in time. I'll try to keep those to a minimum so if we can't get rid of them, the cost to be absorbed won't be much. However, I can't imagine not being able to get rid of 12-18 shirts in those sizes.

 

OK, DCB, where's that forum? Like you don't have anything else to do.

 

 

[Luky]

FB,

 

I got a new quote this morning for the decals which is much more reasonable. It is a shop here in San Diego and he only wants $1.35 each, ($271 for 200) plus a $75 set up fee for a total of around $350+tax. The lead time is two weeks and he already has some white reflective vinyl in stock (can get more overnight if needed). He said that he would need a deposit of 50% to get started which I will put on my credit card if we decide to proceed. If you add on an extra $1.75 to the T-shirt cost we can include a decal with each one (assumes a minimum order of 200). I don't think people will object to $12-15 for a T-shirt with a bonus decal... Also if we can raise an extra couple of hundred dollars this way it will help subsidize the coffee, pastries, PA system, raffle gifts, etc.

 

Also you may want to investiagte if there is interest in a limited number of XXXL size shirts. I know that we do have a handful of BIG guys that complain that they can't ever get shirts to wear. Maybe a note on the order list that the size will only be available if we have 12 shirts ordered (and If you can get 12 ordered we can include everyone...).

 

Eric

[rdfrantz]

Brant, and all:

 

What I put up for Asylum At Torrey matches recourse's request. If you'd like, I can make that avialable for GAG.

 

I consider we need to have a solitary -- "OK, THIS is the Gunnsion Info and all the Fact Stuff" thread, probably in Ride Tales. I believe this should not allow posting at all, but simply provide the basic info about the Gathering, and a link to a MAIN SITE. From THAT Home Page, hosted by Brants, me, or someone else, we can place links to the various aspects of the Gathering:

 

FAQ; Location and Inboud Routes; Schedule of Events; T-shirts and Decals; Riding In Gunnison.

 

Please suggest other catagories for which pages/sub-sites can be created to good effect for the particapants.

 

Technically, I'm using ASP, and stylesheets. I thing Brant is using PHP. No bother, and we can get a consistent L&F with the stylesheets. I have lots of room and bandwidth to host ASP and HTML if it's needed.

 

Comments please.

[Gleno]

 

I'd be more than too happy to man a check-in station for a half a day or so. Say Monday-ish, or whatever. I'm also still open to assist wherever I'm able in other areas too, without giving up all my relaxation time, or some riding time. I can't see anyone going just to work. So maybe we can post more than a few folks at a sign-in area, to spell the folks who wanna ride/relax, etc. Just my .02 worth.

[EffBee]

David, is SSlisz aboard here yet? Has he agreed to handle check-in? We've got Gleno right above my post here, offering to kick in a half-day's work or so (as long as he gets smooch breaks, since he's bringing the wife). With these two and a little break here and there, I think we can handle most of the check-in.

 

I picture it as the back half of Monday and the front half of Tuesday. That's just for check-in. We still have the issue of check-out when taking off on a ride, so we'll know if you're missing come nightfall. That may be a self-policing thing. I dunno. We'll see.

[David]

Fernando, I actually haven't asked him. I wasn't sure you wanted me to do it. Oops! I'll do it today.

[Jake]

What? Gleno and Tommy volunteering for the check in? I can't let those guys grab all the glory. Count me in - whereever, whenever. I think I'm the un-official un-cigar passer-outter anyway. Yeeha Stephen would be a gas to have there as well.

 

Oh, and don't forget about RonB's neato name-tags - we could use the t-shirt data for a head-count on those. I'm sure he could incorporate whatever Gunnison artwork you have for the un-logo.

[EffBee]

In reply to:

---

Oh, and don't forget about RonB's neato name-tags - we could use the t-shirt data for a head-count on those. I'm sure he could incorporate whatever Gunnison artwork you have for the un-logo.

---

 

Cool. I should have that file deciphered today. Luky sent it to me in a format created on some worthless computer called a PC. Why, in the era of cell phones and remote-controlled everything do people insist on complicating their lives with Configure This and Configure That. Oh, well. I guess Engineers love a technical challenge.

[Luky]

It is an Adobe Illustrator file in .eps format. Every print shop that I spoke to preferred that format. Now if you're still in the stone age working with some sort of outdated proprietary software... That's not really my problem is it????

[David]

Stephen Slisz is going to be heading up our check-in.

[Yeeha! Stephen]

Hey guys,

 

I have no idea what "ya'll" are going to do to me... but I took the bait.

 

I told David a while back, I was using the Gunnison trip as a Meet and Greet to put faces with all the names, and that's why I asked to help with check in.

 

But... You're getting an absolute Virgin at Get-togethers, so go easy!

 

[Gleno]

 

Stephan, welcome to "the closet". You'll do fine at Gunny my man. It's akchooly an honor to meet & greet these great folks. I had the honors last year at the BBQ at the Redmond Rally & got to shake every hand, of every member who showed at the sign up desk. I later got to interact with most of them during & after the BBQ, which left me with cool memories of all.

 

We'll get the ball rollin' by me thrustin' my hand in yours, which I've wanted to do since even before your Krazed self ever got your RT. Be aware tho', hugs happen Of course, you've met Tom "the machine" Roe, so you know this!! See you soon.