2011 Rides Program

[stevebmw]

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to Ed and Barb for putting on these competitions. Once again, I had a good time riding all over our region picking up signs. I don't think I'll soon forget riding through the Mt Rogers Recreation Area at night, dodging deer, a bear, and a raccoon (which I missed by inches) while heading for yet another small town and highway. But I survived to ride another day. While I'm going to be running some other ride events this year -- Smoke Chasing, Waffle House, Tour of Honor -- I have one thing to say to Ed and Barb: Bring on the next one!

[Flash!]

For those of you who didn't get to see the beautiful plaques Ed and Barb made, here's a picture. They were on wood, and painted a lively BMW blue, with the logo and individualized printing for each winner.



Thanks Ed and Barb!!!

[phelps2ride]

Well now, the Holiday Party is over and we had the pleasure of seeing all those smiles and shining faces as we handed out the awards. Congratulations to all that won an award and to all that actually went out and rode. As always our objective is to give all of you a reason to ride. Some people need a reason and some don't but a challenge makes it all that more fun.

We had twelve entries returned to us for the AWSHIDT and one for the Great States Tour. I believe this was the most entries we have ever had for any one season long ride. It was such a joy to see that many come in. We have slacked off a little in our riding and so we get to pretend we are out there with you by reviewing the pictures. So from both of us we want to thank you for allowing us to ride along.

The information for the 2012 season long ride will be out before long I hope. We seem to be getting slower and slower at getting things done so hang in there and we will get it out soon.

All our best to everyone one. Ed and Barb

[lionlady]

Thanks again, Ed and Barb!!

Now, I'm going to make a request (again)... I really think that more folks would participate if everyone, newbies and veteran/retired riders weren't competing at the same level. I think that those who have placed 1st more than once should be put in their own class to compete against one another. Call it the "Pro" class or whatever. It might even add incentive for folks to qualify to move up from the "Casual" class to the Pros.

[bstransky]

Ed and Barb,

Thanks for putting on these challenges - they make riding that much more fun! Right now, I really want to see the photos that everyone took. Is there any way that we can all see them on the club's web page or a hosted photo site? Even just one giant photo album would be fine with me.

Bob

[Bicyclist]

Ed and Barb,

Thanks for putting on these challenges - they make riding that much more fun! Right now, I really want to see the photos that everyone took. Is there any way that we can all see them on the club's web page or a hosted photo site? Even just one giant photo album would be fine with me.

Bob

Here's one. Ya sure ya want see 98 more like it?

[BMWGirl]

I love the awards! I had SEVERAL state signs and half way through the year, lost my camera after a big trip and lost several of the pics. Oh well, next year I guess I'll download more often.

[higdon]

I will join the chorus of attaboys for Ed and Barb. They do this selfless thing each year and have been doing so, as the lawyers say, until the memory of man runneth not to the contrary. We remain hopelessly in their debt.

That having been said, I note another round of suggestions to break up the ride(s) contest(s) into further classes, possibly something along the order of Pro, Semi Pro, Not Quite Pro, No Pro, and Don't Even Think about Pro. If I recall, the most recent contest featured five different highway sign challenges, ranging from one within a state's boundaries to an unlimited class covering the entirety of the U.S. It would appear on first blush that such classifications in and of themselves are pretty much self-selecting. I mean, if someone wants to confine himself to running around in circles in Maryland between Ocean City and Deep Creek Lake on summer weekends, isn't that easier than searching out 87 U.S. highway signs in 48 states? I can make a case that it isn't. With some decent planning and some even more decent riding, it is possible to hit 48 states within a couple of weeks without breathing hard. Seventy-six riders did just that on the Iron Butt Rally last summer in under eleven days. Perhaps it actually is more demanding, mentally if not physically, to plan and execute a series of complex rides solely within the boundaries of Maryland or Virginia than it is to slam oneself across I-10 and up I-95. I don't know.

What I do know is that the only thing that matters in a riding contest is riding. It is irrelevant whether your day consists of selling crack full time down at the corner or cashing Social Security checks to pay for your assisted-living facility. When you're not doing either of those things, only one question remains: are you riding? In 1993 Joe Mandeville cranked out 103,000 miles in six months while working full time as a trial court judge in Los Angeles. The year after that Phil Mann, retired, rode 113,000 miles in six months. Do we see any correlation here between their miles ridden and hours worked at a job? We do not. We merely see the results of two guys who rode their asses off and who didn't care what class you wanted to put them in when the season began.

One of my grandsons has an 8th place swimming ribbon hanging on his wall, this memorial to his skill coming from a pool that has but eight lanes. Clearly his school has moved from results-based contests to effort-based ones. In my view if this were the only argument against further expanding the ride contest classes, it would be sufficient. But more critically you're also asking Ed and Barb basically just to do everything they already do except do it two or three more times. I know we pay them an obscene amount of money --- in this case, $0.00 is reasonably obscene --- but perhaps before asking them to undertake what obviously will be additional effort, we might want to ask them what they think of all this.

I'll be happy, as usual, to follow the contest this year, but for several reasons I won't be able to participate in it. However it turns out, this much we already can be sure of: it will be a giggle.

Bob Higdon

[bstransky]

Here's one. Ya sure ya want see 98 more like it?

[/quote]

Yes, although photography is one of my hobbies, so I probably look at the images differently than most folks do...I'm still trying to figure out how to take better pictures myself, so this kind of stuff really helps.

[T.Wesley]

That having been said, I note another round of suggestions to break up the ride(s) contest(s) into further classes, possibly something along the order of Pro, Semi Pro, Not Quite Pro, No Pro, and Don't Even Think about Pro. If I recall, the most recent contest featured five different highway sign challenges, ranging from one within a state's boundaries to an unlimited class covering the entirety of the U.S.

I thought the divisions were very well broken up/down this time around, and I'm not just saying that because I got a plaque