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Re: [RC] Just curious about LD's entry price - heidiBut, as I was looking at the upcoming rides here in the SE region, I noticed that it costs nearly as much or in some cases as much to enter the LD as to enter the 50. Why is that? Does this happen in other regions or just here? I have never done LD's (maybe shouldn't have said that here) I am just not familiar with the current pricing. A long time ago, back in the 70's and 80's, if I remember right, they were usually around half of the price of the 50. I mean it is half the distance, half the fun, should it not be half the price? Do you people out there that ride only LD feel like that is fair? The short answers would be "it depends" and "somewhere in between." The longer answer involves looking at the RM's economics in putting on a ride. First, every rider costs the RM the same per-rider fee to AERC, and likewise costs the same if there is a per-rider fee for land use or campsite use, regardless of the distance ridden. Fixed costs likewise are the same, regardless of the distances the manager is putting on--insurance, trips to the ride site, etc. If the ride manager provides a meal, I don't think it would be fair to ask the LDs to eat half as much, or only use half of a paper plate. Nor do I think it would be politic to suggest that they only use the outhouses half as much. You may not see the vets as often as the longer distances do, but they usually charge by the weekend or the day, not by the exam. And since you also have a pre-ride and a post-ride exam, you DO see the vets more than half as often as the 50s--you will see them at least three times, and maybe four, where the 50s will see them at least four times and maybe five. If water has to be hauled, your horse likely won't drink quite as much as a 50-miler, but he will darn sure drink more than half as much. One place where there CAN be some disparity is in the awards. If the RM is giving the same award for the 25s as for the 50s, then you SHOULD expect to pay as much, or nearly as much, as the 50-milers. If, on the other hand, the RM gives awards of increasing monetary value with the increase in distance, then no, you shouldn't pay QUITE as much as the 50s. But bottom line--if the RM gives the same awards, it will cost nearly as much to provide an LD to the LD rider as it does to provide the 50 for the 50-mile rider. If there is a difference in dollar amount of the award, then figure that difference and just a tad more for what the lower price should be for the LD. As a rider, I would not expect the difference to be more than about $5 to $15--with the wide end of that being for getting a lesser award. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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