Update 2007-06-11

[Mark Menard (Vita Rara)]

Quick update and some questions:

 

Schedule: We're working on the overall schedule. Our thought all along has been to have a group dinner on Wednesday evening. Unfortunately the on-site restaurant has changed operators, and has been closed for a while. The new operators are opening this coming weekend. So, we don't have that squared away.

 

Group Dinner: What percentage of attendees have attended the group dinner in the past? It's my recollection that the vast majority do, probably over 90%, but I'd like someone else to chime in here.

 

Registration: I have started on a registration page with EventBrite.com. I've used the folks in the past for other dance events I've run, and they work very well.

 

Attendance Charge: I know in the past we have charged for the UnRally, but I don't remember what we have charged in the past. I think some nominal charge is in order, but not really sure what it ought to be.

 

T-Shirts: We would like to have a t-shirt, and need to recruit someone to work on it. Any suggestions?

 

Ride Plans: Todd has these under control.

 

Tuesday Riding Smart: At some point the idea of having a Riding Smart in conjunction with the Un was raised. Don't know by who. What do you think? Would a Riding Smart on Tuesday be of interest? Or should we just keep it simple?

 

Funds Collection: Is there an UnRally checking account?

 

Mark

[Mike]

Mark--I've only attended one (last year in Gunnison), but here's what I can offer:

 

-My impression is that just about everyone attended the dinner; I think your guess of 90% is about right. For budgeting purposes, I'd plan on near-100% attendance.

 

-The fee last year was $49 and the year before was $44. My gut feeling is that $50 or under is fine. Last year everyone got a couple of plastic Unrally cups. I left mine behind, and I think many others did the same. Everyone digs the t-shirts (no great ideas on a designer, though) and, of course, the dinner. A couple of years ago, the fee included a continental breakfast on two days. That wasn't part of the deal at Gunnison and it didn't strike me as a problem.

 

-I don't know whether a checking account exists. Last year Tasker collected through PayPal, though that doesn't answer the question of how you deal with payments to the people you're dealing with.

 

-My personal philosophy when I've handled things like this is that you need to try to ensure that you don't end up subsidizing everyone else. If, for instance, you end up with an estimated cost per person of $45, I'd add at least a couple of extra bucks to the fee to cover things like copying and other incidentals that you may not yet have thought of. It's a fairly generous group, but people tend to assume that their fee covers everything. Nobody's going to ask you if you're taking it in the shorts, so make sure you don't short change yourself.

[Berkley]

Our fees will include Wednesday dinner (if we do it separately from Rivermen's buffet), T-shirts and incidentals.

 

Rivermen charges $6 for buffeted hot breakfast, $12 for dinner with reservations and payment made through them only. Individuals will have to arrange that with their lodging reservations. A negative and positive altogether.

 

Incidentals include, as you say, copying, paper, etc for registration details (including name tags) as well as routes.

 

What other details are Mark and I UnAware of as yet?

[Les is more]

We also incurred some shipping costs for Cody--mainly to get the t shirts there since we were each on a bike. Personally, I think you can keep the chatchkes to a minimum. T shirts are nice and maybe stickers. Plastic cups and coozies either get left behind or end up lying around the house and getting tossed after the "glow" wears off.

 

There is no official checking account. You might ask Ken and Donna about how they did registration for the last Un. It seems that they had a separate acct of some kind. A paypal acct. would work but there will be a charge of a few percent on each payment since the amounts you'll be dealing with will exceed their personal account limits and put you in the business category.

[PhillyFlash]

Keep it simple. Remember, this is an UnRally.

 

If someone wants to do a Riding Smart, my suggestion is to let them organize it separately from what your group is doing. Let them plan it and post it as their own thread in the UnRally Forum.

 

If someone wants to do a Tech Daze, same thing. Keep it separate from your UnRally un-events.

 

Figure out everything that you would need to collect money for (t-shirts, meals, incidentals), and a couple of bucks in case something unexpected comes up, and collect all money up front. If someone can't attend, no refunds. If they want their t-shirt mailed to them, you should have a few bucks left over to do that, or ask them to pay for shipping if the fund is already tapped out. Yes, a few people may get pissed about it, but it's better than you getting stuck with the bill.

 

Meals - if everyone has to pay for the group dinner directly to the caaterers, it cuts down on the amount you'll have to collect, but everyone will have to be really clear about who they need to pay, and whether or not there are refunds if they don't attend. There also needs to be a system in place to know who payed for dinner and who didn't.

 

Left over funds, if there are or have been, I believe go to funding bmwst, IIRC.

[Berkley]

If someone wants to do a Riding Smart, my suggestion is to let them organize it separately from what your group is doing. Let them plan it and post it as their own thread in the UnRally Forum.

 

If someone wants to do a Tech Daze, same thing. Keep it separate from your UnRally un-events.

We're on the same page for that - we'd just offer it out as a suggestion and let someone run with it.

Meals - if everyone has to pay for the group dinner directly to the caterers, it cuts down on the amount you'll have to collect, but everyone will have to be really clear about who they need to pay, and whether or not there are refunds if they don't attend. There also needs to be a system in place to know who payed for dinner and who didn't.

Yep, we're working on all that. We'll set up a spreadsheet (we're getting the first one from Rivermen this week) I don't know about refunds from them, but they want reservations for meals a week in advance so they can purchase food accordingly.

[EffBee]

Keep it simple. Remember, this is an UnRally.

 

If someone wants to do a Riding Smart, my suggestion is to let them organize it separately from what your group is doing. Let them plan it and post it as their own thread in the UnRally Forum.

 

If someone wants to do a Tech Daze, same thing. Keep it separate from your UnRally un-events.

 

I disagree about letting someone set up their own thread within the UnRally Forum. This somehow lends legitimacy and approval to whatever others want to do. The Un is officially a non-event event. There should be no vendors and no events other than those (dinners and ride routes) arranged by the organizers.

 

If someone wants to go against these basic tenets, then they do so on their own. Lending them space within the forum for their vending, or tech seminar, or whatever, sez you approve. You don't. Of course, you don't disapprove of non-commercial events at the Un, but they're not sanctioned.

 

Don't give them the space. And don't give them the mic. What they organize is completely and totally separate, at a location away from the site location, and announced in a forum that is not the Un forum.

[Mark Menard (Vita Rara)]

Fernando,

 

Just so you understand I was not implying adding any vendor type thing to the Un.

 

In the past, Eureka Springs, there was a tech day. I attended it. I think ChrisK did a TB sync, and some other stuff. As well, there was a vendor of cruise controls who demonstrated the installation of one. Personally, I would not have a vendor at anything connected with the Un. No vendors, period. Now a tech day, I think that's well within the spirit of this board, and it's been done at an Un. If someone wants to start tearing bikes apart and do some work, they can go for it. Have fun. Post about it. Personally I'm not going to even mention it. I'd rather ride.

 

Now, my idea was possibly seeing if some RidingSmart alumni would like to do a RidingSmart session on Tuesday. They would have to organize it, find a road, etc. I just thought it might be a nice idea. At this point though I'm going to shelve it. I think I have enough on my plate as is.

 

Mark

[EffBee]

Mark, I think it's fine to have a Tech Day or a Ride Smart at the Un. But they need to be individual endeavors, separate from what this website is involved in organizing and supporting. Thus, my suggestion that they probably should not be given purchase within the confines of the organizing thread. Let them organize it separately, if they wish.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

As well, there was a vendor of cruise controls who demonstrated the installation of one.

 

The cruise control vendor was not invited nor did he seek advance permission; David was not happy about it, and gave the guy an earful when he saw him set up shop there at the Un.

[PhillyFlash]

As well, there was a vendor of cruise controls who demonstrated the installation of one.

 

The cruise control vendor was not invited nor did he seek advance permission; David was not happy about it, and gave the guy an earful when he saw him set up shop there at the Un.

 

Same goes for the guy from legalspeeding.com.

 

And let's not forget about that doofus making earplugs. Who was that guy, anyway?

 

[KMG_365]

As well, there was a vendor of cruise controls who demonstrated the installation of one.

 

The cruise control vendor was not invited nor did he seek advance permission; David was not happy about it, and gave the guy an earful when he saw him set up shop there at the Un.

Besides, if Mitch can get there . . . there'll always be a Tech Daze!

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Same goes for the guy from legalspeeding.com.

 

Was this at Eureka Springs?

 

And let's not forget about that doofus making earplugs. Who was that guy, anyway?

 

FWIW, Al sits in his cabin at Torrey and makes earplugs for anyone who walks in. He doesn't have a booth or a sign outside or anything. Likewise, I'm happy to talk up the "Mojo" with anyone who looks me up. I don't think any of that's a problem. But if someone's laying out their goods on the sidewalk, that's advertising, and it ain't cool.

[Mark Menard (Vita Rara)]

In light of this vendor stuff, should I post a no vendor policy statement in the forum?

 

Mark

[PhillyFlash]

The legalspeeding.com guy was right in the middle of ground zero at Eureka Springs, in front of one of the rooms across from the office. He had a sign and items laid out. I've never had a problem with Al, since, as you said, he sits in his room and people come to him. If someone has items in their room, well, I guess that's up to them. But there should be no advertising, no sign indicating where to go, and certainly no venders outside at the site. Helen 2 Wheels was at the first unrally, and may have had some things for sale, but she never set up at her campsite. I imagine if someone asked her for something she could have dug it out for them.

 

I don't think a "Reminder - No Venders" in one of the UnRally threads would be inappropriate.

[EffBee]

Same goes for the guy from legalspeeding.com.

 

Was this at Eureka Springs?

 

And let's not forget about that doofus making earplugs. Who was that guy, anyway?

 

FWIW, Al sits in his cabin at Torrey and makes earplugs for anyone who walks in. He doesn't have a booth or a sign outside or anything. Likewise, I'm happy to talk up the "Mojo" with anyone who looks me up. I don't think any of that's a problem. But if someone's laying out their goods on the sidewalk, that's advertising, and it ain't cool.

 

What is this "Mojo" thing of which you speak. The name sounds familiar. Perhaps we discussed it in our distant past.

 

You're right, Mitch. The only thing you forgot is that Al has about 50 cold beers in our cabin, and you can have one while you wait for your earplugs to set up. Now, that may not be "advertising" but it certainly is marketing.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

What is this "Mojo" thing of which you speak. The name sounds familiar. Perhaps we discussed it in our distant past.

 

Far be it from me to post unsolicited info about my products, but since you asked...

 

the parts are in my basement. The drilling jigs are done, the welding jigs are almost done. I've started the drilling work. I'm hoping to have the stands ready to ship by the end of the month.

 

Thankfully for the Unrally, my products are too bulky to carry salable quantities on the bike.

[1st Shirt]

Just got back from Afghanistan and Iraq, been out of the loop. Please let me know what you need help with. I had volunteered to help with the T-shirt, but never heard back. Will be bringing truck and bike so can bring supplies, t's, etc. Just let me know in advance so I can plan.

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone again, Bob & Sunjoo.