this is exactly why we stopped offering t-shirts with our ride logo to
riders
we give them to volunteers- we know them so we can estimate
their sizes before ordering, and they can try them on before the ride
if necessary
and (adjustable) caps wih the ride logo for the riders (all riders
actually, not just those who complete since we like it to be more of 'I
was here' thing than anything else) and for the volunteers too
it's actually great for riders to be able to instantly recognise volunteers
with their bright t-shirts & caps when they need help or whatever - we
find this works as a great motivator!
the few t-shirts we have left we sell them basically at cost for those
riders who want one on top of their cap after the ride
caps are actually worn a lot more than t-shirts even by non horsey people
(time keepers, photographer, ...) - so we have the pleasure of seeing our caps
at lots of different events afterwards!
While I haven't run a
ride in quite a while - and whining because of shirt size was a contributor
to that - I can tell you the Tee shirt issue is one that takes an inordinate
amount of time.
First you don't know the distribution of sizes that are
going to show. Second even if you did you don't know the distribution of the
sizes that are going to finish. Given that there are a few tiny hinies that
gets religion and donates the shirt to her crew - usually a X-large
;-) . If you guess wrong you have a bunch of small and mediums left
over and not enough larger sizes.
Riders tend not to pre-register and
the shirt makers tend to want the order finalized a month prior to the ride
so unless you close your ride entries a month prior you are only still
guessing at size and number.
A rider can always wear a size too big -
they can't wear a size too small so there is incentive to get more large and
X-large. Some smalls are too small - even for many juniors so some ride
managers don't even mess with smalls since they would be stuck with them.
Most ride managers plan to have to have more shirts than they will use just
in case and eat the extra cost.
On the other hand, riders seem to
like Tee shirts more than any other completion award. Ball caps would be a
lot easier.
All the ride managers I have seen bust their butts to put on
a quality ride. Most do well to break even financially and that's still with
eating all the cost of their gas to run around find prizes, marking
trail, etc and that can mount up at 3 bucks a gallon. The first priority
is accurately measured and well maked trail and a sufficient number of
good vets. Everything else is gravy.
I really like rules Megan Davis
uses on her ride. She has two rules. The first is NO WHINING. The second is
if you ever think about whining see the first. It makes for a much more
pleasant weekend that way. Speaking of Megan's ride - I also really like her
"hold block" concept.
Cheers, Truman
Alexa Olney
wrote:
>I know that it is upsetting when there aren't
any >shirts in your size at the end of the ride. But
isn't >the saying to finish is to win. Having been
ride >managment if your biggest problem is not enough of the >right
sized shirts you are really happy. Anyone who >has not done ride
management has no room to talk. >Shirts have to be order way ahead of
time and you >don't know how many riders you are going to have.
>Many of the entries, deadline or not, change and >arrive in the
last week. If someone at the printing >shop messes up there is no
time to fix that seeing >that ordering is put off to the very last minute
which >is usualy about a month before the ride. Please
thank >your ride managers don't put them down for trivial >things
like this. It makes them not want to do this >again because believe me
their thoughts after the ride >usualy include: why did I do this and I'm
never dpoing >this again. > >Sincerely, >Alexa Olney
