Re: [RC] Gold Country Awards - TypeF \(Jackie Floyd\)
"Back in the day" my dad was mighty proud of those
beautiful silver belt buckles he got for completion awards. When I first got
back into this a couple of years ago I was dismayed to find out that it was a
way of the past except for the Tevis and a handlful of other rides. Of course,
someone (I think Barbara McCrary) pointed out "you can only wear one belt buckle
at a time." Indeed, true. And I have become happy with my bucket, t-shirt,
whatever.
However, there will always be first-time riders at
rides. At least we hope there will be, right??? I think the idea of a completion
award is a vary valid thing, not only for all of us, but especially for a first
time rider. There are many of us don't ride for year-end awards or to rack up
miles in the standings, because it's not possible financially or we don't want
to ride that many miles or whatever. Having something to take home that awards
us for a job well done that day is a great thing.
I think that it's important that it remain a
completion award and not a participation award, even though I LOVE my
collapsible bucket from Gold Country ... I was just getting ready to buy one ...
and I know a lot of you will say finishing fit to continue should be enough
reward. And it is, to a certain extent. And I know a lot of you have
ridden so many miles that you no longer care if you get anything or not and some
of you don't even bother to pick them up after rides. But there are those that
care. And it is in the rules.
I think one of the things that I haven't liked is
awards that bear no markings of the ride I attended (sorry N., I've used the
heck out of that bucket from a coupla years ago, but I sure wish it had the name
of the ride on it). I would love for them all to have at least the name of the
ride, year not necessary because I know that adds a lot of expense. But then, if
I say that, what I'll get is a piece of paper LOL ... It's a vicious circle, is
it not?
At any rate, just my two cents worth of rambling
....
I sure think it is a stretch to imply that the "integrity" of
the sport is at grave risk because a RM choses to give a tee shirt to someone
that enteries the ride. Quite simply it seems to be more of a matter of they
got them, they can't used them next year (most of the time they are dated or
have a specific theme) and they are good advertising for future
rides.
So if it's a matter of the ride manager eatting them or being
gracious and giving them out, I'd vote for giving them out. I sure don't
consider that it "cheapens" my completion because someone who may have run
into some bad luck and didn't got a tee shirt.
If this were the only
problem we had in the sport, then we'll be golden. But from my vantage point,
this issue is way down on the list - almost in the noise.
I ask these ride managers, is the integrity of endurance
competition subversive to your convenience? Let's see a bit
more spirit of true endurance ride management.
Bob
Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID
--
"It is necessary to
be noble, and yet take humility as a basis.
It is necessary to be
exalted, and yet take modesty as a foundation."
