Lamonster
SpyderLovers Founder
I got to tell you I had no idea how this was going to shake out from beginning to end but I am pleasantly pleased with the outcome.:thumbup: Although we didn't have the numbers we did last year we had a 3 day event and each day went well. I would say we had between 150 and 200 Spyders pass through and a good mix of bikes and trikes too not to mention cages. The folks were so friendly and helpful that there were many things that I didn't have to deal with because they just took charge and made it happen.:bowdown: I can't even tell you what a load that took off of me because I was pretty much at max capacity.:shocked: You guys did a great job on the cleanup and I really had very little to do after you all were gone. Thanks again for your help.:firstplace:
Day 1 Work Day
Not sure how many were there for work day because I was working and didn't have time to count but my guess was 100 or so. I changed oil and did service on a couple of RT's and did quite a few installs of NBV's. BajaRon did at least one swaybar that I know of and a couple of plugwire sets. SteveMac was installing Elka's like a wildman and helping folks with other suspension issues. I think he installed 18 sets of shocks that day. SpyderPops was installing bumpskid plates and heat management kits and Diamond R kept busy installing racks and armrest. Joe and Reggi from Tricled sold out of product the first hour and spent the rest of the day installing fender lights. There was other stuff going on too but I didn't get to see it all. I would say work day was a huge success and couldn't have gone much better. Could have been a little cooler but at least it wasn't raining.
I got to add that having the Live video going during the Work Day and BBQ really was great. Folks would be talking back home to friends and family and they were watching them on the video. That was just too cool!
You can see all the Work Day pics here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.440689365974340.97418.100000998428316&type=1&l=807ee23efb
Post from Work Day http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?43991-Pics-from-work-day
Day 2 Ride Day
I'll be honest with you right now, I hate group rides for the most part. As it's been put many times "it's like trying to herd cats". I was looking forward to the ride especially after that work day but I wasn't looking forward to leading such a large group of riders. This was the first time I ever organized the ride and lead it, normally I have folks in the group that do that for me. This year I was on my own but I did have a good idea of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. I wasn't sure if it was going to work or not but I did have a plan and had to make up a few things as we went.
The plan was to meet at the BP at 9:00am and take off at 9:15am. That went better than expected because a fellow Spyder rider showed up in his Sheriff Patrol car and called the local PD to help block traffic for us so we could all leave the parking lot together. That was a real blessing and the next time I'll make arrangements to do the same instead of just getting lucky that someone had my back. I heard the Spyder count in the parking lot was 91-96 so pick a number you like and go with it. Whatever it was it was a bunch of us and it sure did look cool going down the road out of Greeneville.
Our first stop was Hot Springs NC and that's where we broke into groups. We had a "Spirited" group and a "taking it easy" group. This really made the ride a pleasure for all of us. I think breaking it into groups like that is the only way to go. You all meet at the same place before your next stop and everyone is together when you leave for the next leg of the ride. That part couldn't have gone better I don't think.
From there we went to Maggie Valley and stopped at Wheels Through Time. They were ready for us and we pretty much filled the parking lot with Spyders. Everyone seemed to enjoy the museum and Dale and his crew were great host as always.
Now here's an idea that just came to me while we were there and that was to give everyone a couple of hours to see the museum and then eat and fuel up on their own. That worked way better that 90+ people pulling into the same restaurant and fuel station and try to get out of there quickly. This idea and braking into the groups really worked well for any of you that are planing a large ride like this.
Not all of us went to Deals Gap at the same time but we still had a pretty large group. It was a perfect day weather wise and breaking it up the way we did made the time go by pretty fast. The group that finished with me didn't get back into town till after 9pm so it was a very long day. I didn't plan enough time for our stops so it did go way longer than I thought it would but we all still had a great day.
You can see all the Ride Day pics here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441049422605001.97506.100000998428316&type=1&l=7bafc2e05b
Post from Ride Day
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?44021-Lamonster-BBQ-Ride-Day
Day 3 BBQ day!
That whole week I had been watching the weather and I knew that Thursday and Friday were going to be good but Saturday was calling for 40% chance of rain at the beginning and then it went to 60% and by Friday it was up to 80%. I was still hoping for the 20% chance it wasn't going to rain. I know the rain scared off a bunch of folks and I can't say I blame them but for most of the day it didn't rain at all. It really started raining right after we started serving everyone so we all had to seek cover but I had just enough cover for everyone to stay dry, mostly. We still had a large group and I didn't get a count but my guess was we fed 150 or so. The BBQ was great as always and so was the cake. Some folks took off in the rain and some folks waited it out but all said they had a good time. Once again without you all jumping in and helping I would have blown a gasket.
This year I didn't ask for any vendor donations because last year we really had too many and it took way too long to get through all the giveaway items. Even so Pete from Power Sports Wraps had about $700.00 worth of stuff he sent with Spike to give out at the BBQ including Lamonster BBQ 2012 stickers. I thought that was really cool of him to do that and I appreciate Spike taking the bull by the horns on that one. Thanks guys.
Now I wasn't going to share this but it was just too cool not to. My wife (The Boss) counted up all the receipts for my expenses and then counted up all the donations and we are exactly $2.19 to the good on this event. Now I don't know how that worked out but it just goes to show you that you can do something like this and trust that it will all workout in the end. My guess is I'll do this again next year the weekend after Labor Day but that's a year down the road and things can change. I'm just glad this went as well as it did and there is no way I could have pulled it off without you all. Thanks again
Pics from the BBQ
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441380829238527.97636.100000998428316&type=3
Day 1 Work Day
Not sure how many were there for work day because I was working and didn't have time to count but my guess was 100 or so. I changed oil and did service on a couple of RT's and did quite a few installs of NBV's. BajaRon did at least one swaybar that I know of and a couple of plugwire sets. SteveMac was installing Elka's like a wildman and helping folks with other suspension issues. I think he installed 18 sets of shocks that day. SpyderPops was installing bumpskid plates and heat management kits and Diamond R kept busy installing racks and armrest. Joe and Reggi from Tricled sold out of product the first hour and spent the rest of the day installing fender lights. There was other stuff going on too but I didn't get to see it all. I would say work day was a huge success and couldn't have gone much better. Could have been a little cooler but at least it wasn't raining.
I got to add that having the Live video going during the Work Day and BBQ really was great. Folks would be talking back home to friends and family and they were watching them on the video. That was just too cool!
You can see all the Work Day pics here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.440689365974340.97418.100000998428316&type=1&l=807ee23efb
Post from Work Day http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?43991-Pics-from-work-day
Day 2 Ride Day
I'll be honest with you right now, I hate group rides for the most part. As it's been put many times "it's like trying to herd cats". I was looking forward to the ride especially after that work day but I wasn't looking forward to leading such a large group of riders. This was the first time I ever organized the ride and lead it, normally I have folks in the group that do that for me. This year I was on my own but I did have a good idea of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. I wasn't sure if it was going to work or not but I did have a plan and had to make up a few things as we went.
The plan was to meet at the BP at 9:00am and take off at 9:15am. That went better than expected because a fellow Spyder rider showed up in his Sheriff Patrol car and called the local PD to help block traffic for us so we could all leave the parking lot together. That was a real blessing and the next time I'll make arrangements to do the same instead of just getting lucky that someone had my back. I heard the Spyder count in the parking lot was 91-96 so pick a number you like and go with it. Whatever it was it was a bunch of us and it sure did look cool going down the road out of Greeneville.
Our first stop was Hot Springs NC and that's where we broke into groups. We had a "Spirited" group and a "taking it easy" group. This really made the ride a pleasure for all of us. I think breaking it into groups like that is the only way to go. You all meet at the same place before your next stop and everyone is together when you leave for the next leg of the ride. That part couldn't have gone better I don't think.
From there we went to Maggie Valley and stopped at Wheels Through Time. They were ready for us and we pretty much filled the parking lot with Spyders. Everyone seemed to enjoy the museum and Dale and his crew were great host as always.
Now here's an idea that just came to me while we were there and that was to give everyone a couple of hours to see the museum and then eat and fuel up on their own. That worked way better that 90+ people pulling into the same restaurant and fuel station and try to get out of there quickly. This idea and braking into the groups really worked well for any of you that are planing a large ride like this.
Not all of us went to Deals Gap at the same time but we still had a pretty large group. It was a perfect day weather wise and breaking it up the way we did made the time go by pretty fast. The group that finished with me didn't get back into town till after 9pm so it was a very long day. I didn't plan enough time for our stops so it did go way longer than I thought it would but we all still had a great day.
You can see all the Ride Day pics here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441049422605001.97506.100000998428316&type=1&l=7bafc2e05b
Post from Ride Day
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?44021-Lamonster-BBQ-Ride-Day
Day 3 BBQ day!
That whole week I had been watching the weather and I knew that Thursday and Friday were going to be good but Saturday was calling for 40% chance of rain at the beginning and then it went to 60% and by Friday it was up to 80%. I was still hoping for the 20% chance it wasn't going to rain. I know the rain scared off a bunch of folks and I can't say I blame them but for most of the day it didn't rain at all. It really started raining right after we started serving everyone so we all had to seek cover but I had just enough cover for everyone to stay dry, mostly. We still had a large group and I didn't get a count but my guess was we fed 150 or so. The BBQ was great as always and so was the cake. Some folks took off in the rain and some folks waited it out but all said they had a good time. Once again without you all jumping in and helping I would have blown a gasket.
This year I didn't ask for any vendor donations because last year we really had too many and it took way too long to get through all the giveaway items. Even so Pete from Power Sports Wraps had about $700.00 worth of stuff he sent with Spike to give out at the BBQ including Lamonster BBQ 2012 stickers. I thought that was really cool of him to do that and I appreciate Spike taking the bull by the horns on that one. Thanks guys.
Now I wasn't going to share this but it was just too cool not to. My wife (The Boss) counted up all the receipts for my expenses and then counted up all the donations and we are exactly $2.19 to the good on this event. Now I don't know how that worked out but it just goes to show you that you can do something like this and trust that it will all workout in the end. My guess is I'll do this again next year the weekend after Labor Day but that's a year down the road and things can change. I'm just glad this went as well as it did and there is no way I could have pulled it off without you all. Thanks again
Pics from the BBQ
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441380829238527.97636.100000998428316&type=3
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