Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Shortage of Multi-Days in SE

In the SE there really has only been one Pioneer ride(3 or more days) 
and that was the Big South Fork for two years in a row a few years back. 
There are a few two day rides.  What seems to be the case is the 
ridership at the second day ( or second and 3 day of 3 day rides) seems 
to significantly drop off. There doesn't seem to be an overwhelming 
demand for that format.

When I ran the FL Classic in '96 we decided to do a two day 100 ( this 
was back when the ROC was still going and a 2 day 100 could be used to 
qualify). Since you are also running two days you can have a 50 each 
day. The difference between doing a two day 100 and a 50 each day is the 
100 is sanctioned for 100 miles and if you get pulled on the second day 
with 5 miles to go you get no credit.

I noticed then that it didn't seem to be as popular a format as I had 
thought it would be. This was the first time this format had been tried 
in the SE. Dee Meyer stuck with that format for '97 for the Classic, but 
went to a one day 100/50/LD format for '98.  We (Pat Thomas and I ) 
started the Goethe Challenge as a 2 day 100 in '97 and again tried the 
format in '98, Goethe went to a one day format (100/50/LD) in '99.

As you mention there have been a few others, Summer Breeze, Chicken 
Chase, Greenway Gallop/Sand Hills (same ride manager - different 
locations) and the BSF. But these rides also see a drop off the second 
day, some more than others. I think there may be several reasons, one 
being that rides in the SE tend to be run in the spring, fall and winter 
- except of the Summer Breeze. It can be difficult with work schedules, 
kids in school to get away to go to a ride that runs Friday/Saturday or 
Saturday/Sunday. The Summer Breeze runs in the summer and doesn't seem 
to have much of a drop off on the second day. The same thing goes for 
ride managers who have to normally take vacation time to run two or 
three day rides.  They have to spend a day before the ride marking 
trails and a day after unmarking trails.

The Gator run is being run in FL this January and is a 3 day/155 Pioneer 
ride ( if I remember right). I have do idea how it will work out, but I 
hope it is well attended. If riders want this type of format they must 
attend and support it. A one day ride is difficult to manage and a two 
day is even more demanding. There are additional cost with a mulitday 
ride, and if only 10 people show up the last day, you still have to pay 
for sanctioning, vets, camp etc. Anyone that manages a ride is a 
wonderful person to do this for us. Those that manage multiday rides 
(and one day 100's) qualify for sainthood:-). If riders don't support 
them we won't have them - it is as simple as that.

Truman



AprJhn wrote:

> I, too, have been looking at the ride calendar for 2003. Must be ride fever. :) 
>
> Anyway, I've noticed that there are very few multi-day rides in the SE. From the 2002 calendar, I see the Sand Hills Stampede (March), Summer Breeze (June), and Big South Fork (September) as the only multi-day rides. Add Gator Run (January) for 2003, and that makes only 4 multi-day rides in the SE.
>
> Anybody know the reason for this shortage? Is there not an interest from the riders in multi-days? Do the ride managers not want to put on a 2 or 3 day ride? Besides the extra day at camp, is there that much more work involved to put on a 2 day instead of a 1-day? Please don't jump down my throat, I'm just asking questions!
>
> Thanks for any insight.
>
> April (who will have to drive a long ways to get more than 4 rides in this year)
> Nashville, TN
>
> _




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