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TWT Arkansas/Missouri Fall Rally 9/22 - 9/25

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:tab The are different kinds of group riding.

:tab For some groups, it is very regimented with Leaders, Sweeps, Captains, Communications people, etc,... This usually only works well with people that ride together on a regular basis or are used to riding with similar style groups. Expectations are high regarding knowing ALL the rules for that group. Some are very detailed, covering things like how to park when pulling into any area.

:tab Other groups are much less formal and rely on common but simple rules. This might include riding staggered in the straights, several seconds of spacing between bikes, no passing on the right side of another bike, and more. I tend to favor this format as it is more accepting of riders not familiar with the group. However, I usually try to go over the basics in a preride lecture that last about two minutes at most. The intent is to tell the people what is expected of them but to keep it simple enough that they will remember.

:tab Lastly, there are the groups that are made up of a bunch of individual riders. They will ride exactly the same as the would if alone. There will be little communication and they may be somewhat unorganized. The leader will often be the leader simply because he is the fast guy and not because he has any clue what he is doing (or she).

:tab A common problem on group rides is riders getting in over their heads and riding beyond their capabilities. This may be caused by a perceived pressure to keep up or to show everyone how good you can ride. It might be the result of a fear of being left behind. The key is that ALL of the riders should be aware of this dynamic and to watch for signs of it happening. Riders should ALWAYS ride a pace they are comfortable with, even if it means they are bringing up the rear. If the lead folks don't like waiting, I would strongly suggest you ride with a different group.

:tab On the rides that lead, I always watch to see how the group dynamic is working. I listen to other riders' comments about the people in front or behind them. Occasionally I have even pulled people aside discretely to talk with them. I may need to ask them to relax, not to goof off, or to point out a behavior that riders around them consider dangerous. I have never had any real problems though. Like I said, I lay out my expectations before the ride.

:tab Another thing I think is important for a group is that everyone in the group knows and BELIEVES they will not be left behind. This is a big fear for a lot of riders. Therefor, I will always stop the entire group at route changes so that we can all regroup. This provides a chance for people to speak up if something is bothering them, if they need to do something with their gear or bike, run off into the woods to take a break... But most importantly, it lets the slower riders relax because they know they won't get left behind.

:tab I used to do group rides geared towards newbies and they were well received. I wish I still had the free time to do this more often. They were different in that the preride meeting was longer and I really went over a lot of the fundamentals of handling the bike, proper throttle control, cornering, etc,... We checked everyone's bike over and got their suspension setup properly, chain slack set, and more. I also usually had some experienced riders that I trusted spread throughout the pack. This let the trailing newbies have someone experienced to watch. It also meant there was someone knowledgeable behind the newbies to observe and offer advice if wanted. Then the ride would be at a relaxed pace, speed limit or lower, frequent stops for discussion if needed, and shorter routes. We have some great roads up around Huntsville that are perfect for new riders.

:tab Part of riding in a group is thinking about the whole group while you are riding. You are responsible for keeping track of the rider behind you. If you go more than a few minutes without seeing the headlight behind you, slow down and see if they catch up. If they don't you might stop and wait a minute or two. If you still don't see them, you should seriously consider turning around as they could have had a problem. This also helps to keep the group from getting too spread out. Eventually, as more people stop seeing the headlight behind them, the entire group should backtrack in the event something has actually happened. This technique is very important and has really helped on some rides!

:tab There are a lot of other general ideas, but I don't have time to write one of my massive posts ;-) Here is the basic stuff I try to cover at my preride meetings.

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1528
 
I might try to make this one since I haven't been on a trip since my '03 Black Hills run. I won't know until it gets closer.
 
We're like Yin and Yang :-P

I'm verbose, he's not.
I still have some hair on my head... :nana:
I'm thin (in a relative way)... :lol2:





:duck:
 
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Chris and I are definitely in for this trip. We are both looking forward to going back to Arkansas, this time with a different group of riders.

BTW - I REFUSE to ride on a mountain, in the rain, in a cloud bank - AGAIN!!!!
 
BTW - I REFUSE to ride on a mountain, in the rain, in a cloud bank - AGAIN!!!!

Cindy, I hope you don't have plans to ever ride in Colorado or North Carolina :trust:
 
Chatterbox said:
BTW - I REFUSE to ride on a mountain, in the rain, in a cloud bank - AGAIN!!!!

Aww Cindy, you haven't lived until you've tried to negotiate a clean line in muddy car tracks while curving through a misty redwood forest with hail pinging off your helmet. :trust:

You can go ahead and change me to a definite on this trip, btw.
 
Matt, I'm a Maybe. (about p=.60 at present).

Three yellow VFR's ??? Oh YEAH!
:rider: :rider: :rider:
 
Okay, we're reserved at the Swiss Village for 9/23 and 24. We won't leave until Saturday morning, so we will only make the Sunday group ride. We're gonna use this as a jump-off for a week's vacation riding in Missouri plus a couple of night's in St. Louis where we'll pay our respects to Albert Pujols and Anheiser Busch. :bow:
 
Eulogite said:
We're gonna use this as a jump-off for a week's vacation riding in Missouri plus a couple of night's in St. Louis where we'll pay our respects to Albert Pujols and Anheiser Busch. :bow:

Pujols fans are excluded. Your penchant for Anheiser Busch however, cancels that out, so I guess that means one of you can come.

Edit made, everybody remember to check the participant list on the first page for trip updates.
 
Hmmm...I think I'm a solid maybe with a leaning to definite. If I go, I'll be riding up so anyone that would like to join me is more than welcome! I've got room for one here at the house if you're coming up from Houston on Thursday. Also: I presume that everyone is traveling to/from on Friday and Monday with the actual rides on Sat & Sun, right?

I would also be interested in sharing a room. I like long walks on the beach and dinner before the first kiss... :-)
 
That sorta leads to a question I had about room sharing. When I book my room is that for double occpancy ? I would like to get my reservation done over the weekend. I think Kidder was talking about a good route to ride up on, I'm in for riding up. Arlington will be my starting point. Who's riding up ? As for the beach walks , grab you a local, with the theme to Deliverance playing in the background.
 
wczimmerman said:
Also: I presume that everyone is traveling to/from on Friday and Monday with the actual rides on Sat & Sun, right?
That is what I had planned, but there are no hard & fast rules for having to be there on Saturday, or to prevent leaving early. See Eulogite's post above.

fz1nutt said:
That sorta leads to a question I had about room sharing. When I book my room is that for double occpancy ?

All the rooms are double queen beds, no smoking, so yes, it is a double occupancy rate. I didn't think to ask if there was a cheaper rate for single occupancy, but I don't think there is, since all the rooms are the same, reserved at the same rate. I'll call and ask sometime soon.
 
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Eulowife can now get off work that Friday at 1 pm. On the road by 2, it's about 360 miles from the house, I think. I don't want to ride in deer country after twilight, but don't want to do slab for 6 hours, either. We might take 271 to Ft Smith, then 540 on up. Anyhoo, we should be there for both days rides. :eat3:
 
fz1nutt said:
That sorta leads to a question I had about room sharing. When I book my room is that for double occpancy ?

Just confirmed there is no difference in the room rate between single and double occupancy. The rates are described in the first post.

[content deleted so I don't have to change 3 posts for every change in room count]

Any rooms not reserved 30 days prior will be released to the general pool.
 
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OK, room booked for 22,23,24- took the guy a while. He kept crashing the system while trying to fill in the info:eek2: . Anyway, sign me up for the folks riding up list. Who's riding back on Monday?
 
fz1nutt said:
OK, room booked for 22,23,24- took the guy a while. He kept crashing the system while trying to fill in the info:eek2: . Anyway, sign me up for the folks riding up list. Who's riding back on Monday?

Yeah, he called & told me he had a computer system problem. All is fixed now though.

As of yesterday afternoon, all rooms are booked.
 
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FJRMike said:
I'm looking for someone who has a room and wants to share from Friday evening thru Sunday evening as I will be riding back on Monday.

Anyone?

I'd be interested in splitting a room. Non-smoker here.
 
You people going interested in having T-shirts done? There will be no voting. There will be one design and color. They will be shipped to you. Extras would not likely be made so it would be up front pay BEFORE the rally.
 
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