LAZY B.O.D.

[Goatman]

If Goatman..........Just watch out for any attempt to move the Friday night dinner/raffle to Saturday.

Tom knows about my hot button, so far be it from me to pass up an opportuninty to rail on about my strong opinion. We won't move the big dinner night to Sat for the 25th anniversary event, since it is important to draw from all over the county for an event of this type and so many folks do need to take a weeks vacation to attend, and many may need to travel on Sat. However, I consider it a big mistake to have the regular annual Fall Fling dinner on a Fri night. There are a tremendous amount of people who are a days drive or less from Moab, and who have the ability to attend the Fall Fling for a long weekend. It is a mistake to cater to the few who might have to leave on Sat for two days of travel. This basically excludes many of those who are closer, and very important to the success and growth of the event, by not having a Sat/weekend focus to the event.

I remember very clearly the first few Fall Flings, the first two which I organized, and people arrivng at Slickrock campground late on both Thurs and Fri evenings. I remember the large participation we had on trail runs on Sat, and the traditional run up Moab Rim trail on Sun. When I was at the Fall Fling two years ago, it was close to a ghost town around there on Sat, and no one even asked or was around for the Moab Rim run I had volunteered to lead on Sun. This event is doomed to no growth if we don't structure it to encourage attendance from those who can't take a weeks vacation to attend. For many who are close enough to drive in a day or less, it isn't worth it to take a weeks vacation to go to Moab, when they can go a for a long weekend. It isn't right to give preference to the vocal regulars (no offense meant, folks) who do take a weeks vacation, and will attend anyway, and not to look at it from an organizers point of view and maximize the opportunity for many to participate. I can't help but think there are new folks to XJ's, wheeling, and the club, who might come to try an event for a long weekend but don't yet have the motivation or vision to commit to a weeks vacation for a wheeling trip.

 

[XJEEPER]

Well put, Richard.

 

[tcharon]

Yes Richard. I was just kidding about making sure it's over my birthday. Thom

 

[Goatman]

Yes Richard. I was just kidding about making sure it's over my birthday. Thom

I was wondering what you were referring to, and I just read your other comment.

C'mon, I want it over my birthday.

 

[djblade311]

Someone else who deserves a hand, Josh for bringing the projector and giving a day up of wheeling to put together a slide show for us all at the dinner. :cheers:

Thanks Mike and Thom! I probably would have happier if my laptop wasnt acting up. I was ready to throw it out the window.

 

[Tom R.]

If more people can attend the dinner by having it on Saturday, then it gets my support. By the way, I should be able to lend a hand next year.

 

[Kejtar]

If more people can attend the dinner by having it on Saturday, then it gets my support. By the way, I should be able to lend a hand next year.

I don't think that would be the case though. Seeing how many people have used the Sat/Sunday to drive back in the past few years, I think you'd loose more then gain.

 

[RedHeep]

I don't think that would be the case though. Seeing how many people have used the Sat/Sunday to drive back in the past few years, I think you'd loose more then gain.

Speaking as someone planning to come from Maryland, I know whatever days the festivities are will dictate my vacation plans.

I know the traditional weekend makes it easier for people to travel who are two days away, but what's the difference between taking wed-sun off from work and taking thurs-mon off from work?

You still miss the same amount of days.

 

[Kejtar]

Speaking as someone planning to come from Maryland, I know whatever days the festivities are will dictate my vacation plans.

I know the traditional weekend makes it easier for people to travel who are two days away, but what's the difference between taking wed-sun off from work and taking thurs-mon off from work?

You still miss the same amount of days.

well, a lot of folks take Mon - Fri off to squeeze the previous weekend and make it a whole 9 days. There has always been (at least in the past 4 years or so) a big crowd of folks showing up before the event taking advantage of the area and scenerey so the movement of dinner to Sat ends up forcing some folks with a tough decision: skip dinner or shift their vacation. I personally could live with either one cause it's only a 1 day haul for me back to SoCal but I think that moving the dinner to Sat is going to make some folks loose out on some wheeling if all they can do is take 5 days off.

 

[WayneXJ]

I have a short drive home, but I would still rather have the dinner on a Friday.

 

[cracker]

Sat sounds better to me.

 

[Stebel]

well, a lot of folks take Mon - Fri off to squeeze the previous weekend and make it a whole 9 days. There has always been (at least in the past 4 years or so) a big crowd of folks showing up before the event taking advantage of the area and scenerey

Thats what I do!


Moving dinner to saturday is a bad idea in my opinion.

 

[Mike in NJ]

Somehow - I don't think the day of the dinner is going to make or break this event. Sideshow discussion.

For me, it never made a difference, since I always got there early and left late. A 2300 mile run isn't affected one way or another by a particular day.

The MAIN question is: when will GRNT :chef: be there cooking?!!!!!

MG atriot:

 

[Kejtar]

The MAIN question is: when will GRNT :chef: be there cooking?!!!!!

MG atriot:

That'd be cool, though I don't think that GRNT even owns a jeep anymore. I remember him selling whole bunch of stuff off a year or two ago.

 

[Goatman]

I don't think that would be the case though. Seeing how many people have used the Sat/Sunday to drive back in the past few years, I think you'd loose more then gain.

That's because of the schedule, if the schedule was different folks would plan accordingly. This event isn't growing, and to grow my opinion is that it needs to be more attractive for more people. If the weekend is set up for those taking a weeks vacation, then that's mostly what we'll get. If the event is set up to accomodate those who would go for a long weekend, then I think there is more chance for growth.

It really doesn't matter what each of us would personally prefer, decisions regarding organizational stuff can't be decided that way. The decision has to be based on what would work for most. And, if growth is the goal, the decision needs ot be based on how more people can be attracted to the event.

I remember very clearly the early years of the event when Sat was the biggest day and it was booming. Folks were coming in on Thurs and Fri. I was very dissapointed when I was there a couple of years ago and it was like a ghost town on the weekend. That, to me, means the event isn't what it could be. This is not a "good ole boys club" where we cater the event to the chosen few, we need to appeal to a broad base of people.

 

[Goatman]

Somehow - I don't think the day of the dinner is going to make or break this event. Sideshow discussion.

For me, it never made a difference, since I always got there early and left late. A 2300 mile run isn't affected one way or another by a particular day.

The MAIN question is: when will GRNT :chef: be there cooking?!!!!!

MG atriot:

He'll be there next year, but I don't have the nerve to ask him to cook.

Oh, and he still has his XJ.......but he's going over to the dark side.

 

[Kejtar]

That's because of the schedule, if the schedule was different folks would plan accordingly. This event isn't growing, and to grow my opinion is that it needs to be more attractive for more people. If the weekend is set up for those taking a weeks vacation, then that's mostly what we'll get. If the event is set up to accomodate those who would go for a long weekend, then I think there is more chance for growth.

It really doesn't matter what each of us would personally prefer, decisions regarding organizational stuff can't be decided that way. The decision has to be based on what would work for most. And, if growth is the goal, the decision needs ot be based on how more people can be attracted to the event.

I remember very clearly the early years of the event when Sat was the biggest day and it was booming. Folks were coming in on Thurs and Fri. I was very dissapointed when I was there a couple of years ago and it was like a ghost town on the weekend. That, to me, means the event isn't what it could be. This is not a "good ole boys club" where we cater the event to the chosen few, we need to appeal to a broad base of people.

Well, I don't know why you say it isn't growing. I think that you have the 20th anniversary event out of the equation as that was highly promoted. Subtracting this year which was a failure in promotion, I am pretty sure that the event is growing. Reflecting back onto my rather poor memory I have to say that I recall numbers going up. Not sure if someone keeps track of actual numbers, but that's what I recall from going through registration.
I agree with you that there the bottom line is to increase the attendance to the event. Getting back to the Sat is a ghost town issue: IMHO that might be an indication that most folks do prefer to go back on Sat. The fact that dinner is scheduled on Fri does not mean that Sat nothing is happening. Every year there are trail rides scheduled for Sat and they are advertised. Most of the time though they get very poor attendance cause folks checkout and leave that day. Some wheel in the morning and start heading back home in the afternoon/evening too.

 

[Tom R.]

It's only conjecture until we have real data. We can poll people who plan to attend to determine if one night favors the other.

I understand the point Richard makes--and if it aligns with the majority, then great. If not, then a decision needs to be make to either cater to those attending or to the notion that having it on Saturday will attract more members. If the majority of a diversified group prefers a particular night, it's nearly assured the majority of potential attendees will be inline with it.

 

[Goatman]

It's only conjecture until we have real data. We can poll people who plan to attend to determine if one night favors the other.

I understand the point Richard makes--and if it aligns with the majority, then great. If not, then a decision needs to be make to either cater to those attending or to the notion that having it on Saturday will attract more members. If the majority of a diversified group prefers a particular night, it's nearly assured the majority of potential attendees will be inline with it.

I have to disagree on the poll idea, Tom. We've done polls before, and those who attend regularly and take a weeks vacation are the ones who speak up.......not a representative group, IMHO. We don't hear from those who don't have definite plans, decide later that they can make it for a shortere time, decide at the last minute, or are new and haven't been there before but might. We're where we are now because of a poll.

Remi, if most of the people go home on Sat, that exactly makes my point. Those are folks who have been there all week. You won't find folks who drove over Thurs driving back home on Sat. People will plan around what is scheduled. If the schedule changes, peoples plans will change.

BTW, we had mid 40's rigs the very first year, and 50 the second year. How many have there been the last few years? I had thought that the 20th anniversary event would be somewhat of a catylist to increase attendance at future Fall Flings, but that didn't happen. This needs to be evaluated. How in the world can you have an annual event in Oct (not July) that caters to folks taking a weeks vacation to attend? In my mind, Ray Charles can see that it won't grow. I've been saying this for 6 years, and my point is proven....it's not growing.

 

[Mike in NJ]

It's absolutely amazing that this keeps coming up, again, and again, and again.

Although I haven't been able to get West the last few years, I will say this about the first four years I got there (plus the year I had to turn back) - the "dinner" was the very least of my concerns. I don't think I'm the only one who decides to head to Fallfest on the basis of the location, the XJ's, and the people I get to wheel with.

And the 25th Anniversary adds an additional draw.

Why don't all you Friday night - Saturday night folks compromise? :kissyou:

Have an official Fallfest awards BREAKFAST on Saturday morning (maybe on Moab Rim? ) and be done with it!

It'll be the best chance for the largest number of people still around and it won't affect the unofficial awards "discussions" that will continue to take place every night throughout the entire week.

MG atriot: