Re: RC: Lassen Challenge Ride

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/03/2000 7:54:52 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
guest@endurance.net writes:

<< no it is from within AERC and the "person" who does the sanctioning of 
rides.  She keeps giving Sandi the run around.  Sandi turns in her rides 
results along with the proper sanctioning papers for the next years ride to 
get it locked in, but this "person" ignores the request, somehow "misplaces" 
the request and puts other rides on the date that Sandi has requested.  This 
year is a prime example.  After being lead being put through the "proverbial 
wringer" Sandi was told she could have the 30th of Sept as no other rides 
were on th!
 at date, then lo an behold, what does this "person" do? She puts another 
ride on that date also!  Wouldn't you think that a RM who has been putting on 
rides for 19 years would be able to get her date a year in advance with no 
problems?  Well Sandi has had it with all the run arounds and said that this 
was possibly her last ride.
 What we now need from all of you riders is to write, fax, email our 
Sanctioning person and AREC Board of Directors and  let them know how we 
feel!  I know I don't want to lose this ride.  We are losing to many rides as 
it is without losing one because of "someone" yanking a RM chain.  PLEASE 
lets all do our part in keeping this ride going!!!!!!
 Thank you
 Sue Jessen
 SJess1@aol.com>>

My goodness, I didn't realize I was such an inefficient and mean-spirited 
person!  I would like to take some exception with the description of myself, 
however.  I have never misplaced any santioning requests, I have never 
ignored a RM's request, and I have never to my knowledge, put anyone through 
the wringer.  After the establishment of the Lassen Challenge date, another 
ride manager requested a date.  Sept. 30 was the only date she could get from 
the Forest Service or whatever entity she had to deal with for the use of the 
campground. The new ride was some distance away, but not quite the usual 150 
miles I try to maintain between rides.
 
It is not realistic to expect that no one else is going to put on a ride on 
the same date as yours.  One year awhile back, Tevis requested the same date 
as our well-established 100 miler.  Once in a while life does not treat you 
fairly.  That doesn't mean you get mad and take your ball and go home.

I had a call yesterday from a concerned rider and we very calmly, without any 
rancor, discussed the issue.  There are 2 or 3 dates in September next year 
that Sandi can have her ride, and I will do all in my power to give her 
preference.  Believe it or not, I really do try to accommodate all RMs with 
their preferences of dates.  Sometime it just doesn't work.  But I haven't 
come around to telling a new RM that he/she cannot put on a ride because that 
date is assigned to another ride 125 miles away.  That's a bit like telling a 
person that he cannot open a grocery store, because there is another one down 
the street.  I think as riders, we make our choices.  Sandi's ride enjoys an 
excellent reputation, so riders who know that can go to hers.  The rider who 
contacted me went to Sandi's ride, despite the fact that the other ride was 
closer to her home.  Unless we are prepared to stifle the open market, which 
I believe is not the way we do business in America, then we pay our money and 
make our choices.

There are more rides in the west region than there are weekends that are 
rideable.  What would anyone suggest a sanctioning director do about this?  
Tell nearly 50% of the RMs that they cannot put on a ride because there is 
another one on the same weekend.  We're darned lucky there are enough people 
who are willing to put in the efforts to manage a ride.  I've been a RM for 
25+ years, and sometimes you get tired of all the criticism.  It's known as 
burnout.  We need new blood all the time, and to tell a prospective RM that 
he/she cannot put on a ride because of date conflict is fairly short-sighted. 
 Any positive suggestions for solving this dilemma are welcome.

And, BTW, I really hadn't noticed that "we are losing so many rides".  I've 
been sanctioning director for MANY years and have good records of the rides 
in the west region.  There have been more new ones than we have ever lost.  
Is this a problem in other regions?

Barbara