Re: RC: Entries - Note to Ride Managers

[Lynne Glazer <lynne@glazer.org>]

Well, we don't have a regional organization in PS, and with the huge 
geographic disparity in our region, I suspect we never will.   OK, 
LIsa, you can stop laughing now.  ;-)  Last year my soapbox topic of 
choice was rider education, guess the burr under my hide this year is 
the definition of Pacific South.  But I digress.  <and not for the 
first time>

4 years ago director Terry Woolley sent me a set of labels from her 
word processing software that I scanned and converted to a useful 
database--it's got 600 mostly-PS riders, volunteers, vets in it.  The 
first two years of the Norco Riverdance Ride I sent entries to 
everyone.  Last year I sent entries to everyone who'd entered the 
previous two years, as well as folks that had requested entries via 
e-mail or phone.  In the first two years, I'd had a *huge* amount of 
return-to-sender, addressee unknown or forwarding order expired. 
That hurt like hell, from a paper, repro standpoint as well as 
postage.

Last year I made the entry available via my website, and based on the 
'00 entries, quite a few people took advantage of that. For my 
labels, I printed the whole database sorted by previous ride entrants 
first, so that if someone who had never entered but was in the db 
wanted an entry after I sent the bulk ones out, I could just verify 
the address, peel and stick.  Lazy?  Naw, just will do the work up 
front so it can be easy later.

The database effort was worth it--now I do matchmaking for riders new 
to the area or new to the sport with it, besides it doing all my ride 
forms.  I've also shared my database with new RMs in the region.

The regional organizations' ride books are a great thing--looking at 
PNER's the last couple of years, it was also handy from a RM 
standpoint to consider what other people were charging for entry 
fees, differences between LD/50, amenities, camping fees...

Lynne
Norco Riverdance Ride (PS) September 1, 2001
Rem-member Me, Celesteele
http://www.lynnesite.com

At 1:22 AM +0000 3/13/01, Nancy Mitts wrote:
>Our Ozark Country Endurance Riders group sends out info on all our 
>rides to members via newsletter. Plus, we put out a ride booklet at 
>the beginning of the year and pass them out to members & hand them 
>out other places. Beyond that, it's up to the rider to contact the 
>manager for information. Since most rides are lucky to break even 
>over the years that "bit" it costs to send info to people who aren't 
>interested can be a real hit to the pocketbook.
>
>Nancy Mitts
>18833 Hwy V v
>Wentworth, MO 64873
>417-476-2505
>Ozark Turkey Trot I & II
>November 23 & 24, 2001
>Huckleberry Conservation Area, Pineville, Missouri
>
>>From: IRMurphy@aol.com
>>To: <ridecamp-d@endurance.net>
>>Subject: RC:  Entries - Note to Ride Managers
>>Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 17:11:43 EST
>>
>>I had a question for those on ride camp, specifically ride managers.
>>Do ride managers receive calls from all of those who would like to 
>>receive entry forms and directions to their rides?  Doesn't AERC 
>>provide a mailing list of members in your region? (or nearby 
>>regions when applicable)?
>>I have been a member of AERC for 3 years but each time I am 
>>interested in a race I have to call the ride manager and request an 
>>entry or send an email.  This applies even to races that I have 
>>attended the previous year.
>>Any comments anyone?  Is it expected that those that are interested 
>>in the race will call for entries and directions?
>>
>>
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