SpyderFest 2014 - Two Questions followed by lots of Opinions

[SpyderMeLucky]

Got to thinking about what makes this Fest so unique and special -- The spyders, the people, the vendors, the food, the rydes, the comradery, etc. etc. :yes:

opcorn:So in keeping with open communication concept, two questions:

1. What was the best or among the best of this year's Fest? :thumbupcould be more than one answer for this)
2. What would like to see either improved or added (within reason), even brought back from previous years for next year? :shocked:

Please keep answers on more of a positive note, rather than wallowing in the negative. As people we know we cannot control the weather so that cannot be an answer --Weather is what is it is!!:yikes:

We all know our Spyders can be improved with new farkles and with regular maintenance. We also know this Fest can also.

The people who created it and volunteer also work hard at keeping it the Best of the Best for everyone!! :clap::clap:

With all that said, let’s hear what you have to say.

Try to stay on forum topic with little off topic conversations, please. :banghead:

Thanks.

 

[Cruzr Joe]

Got to thinking about what makes this Fest so unique and special -- The spyders, the people, the vendors, the food, the rydes, the comradery, etc. etc. :yes:

opcorn:So in keeping with open communication concept, two questions:

1. What was the best or among the best of this year's Fest? :thumbupcould be more than one answer for this)
2. What would like to see either improved or added (within reason), even brought back from previous years for next year? :shocked:

Please keep answers on more of a positive note, rather than wallowing in the negative. As people we know we cannot control the weather so that cannot be an answer --Weather is what is it is!!:yikes:

We all know our Spyders can be improved with new farkles and with regular maintenance. We also know this Fest can also.

The people who created it and volunteer also work hard at keeping it the Best of the Best for everyone!! :clap::clap:

With all that said, let’s hear what you have to say.

Try to stay on forum topic with little off topic conversations, please. :banghead:

Thanks.

Next year i hope we have the same weather, it was awesome.

The people that were there were awesome.

Len, Vanessa, Lamont, ALL of the Mogang were Awesome

People at the Host Hotel, Awesome

BRP Techs at the Vendor Village were Awesome for helping so many people fix their Spyders (at no charge)

Did i mention that this Spyderfest was AWSOME.

Cruzr Joe

 

[bullant12]

I have to say that BRP went up and above with their setup in Spyderfest. The accessories and gear store was WAY better than last year's at Maggie Valley, and having the tech area where I hear a few clutches were rebuilt on the spot... WOW! 'nuff said!

MoGang, Pitbull Crew and Lamonster Garage went up and beyond, but we all know that is a fact that happens 24/7/365 and gets better every year!:2thumbs:

 

[Chupaca]

Well..!!

being able to be there..!! Those that have never been depend on those that go. My one suggestion is a bulletin board we can go to read and see the goings on. This year has been sadly lacking with feed back from the greatest spyder event going...:thumbup:

 

[jtpollock]

THANKS

Mo gang did a great job Lamoster garage what can you say out standing. We were not able to stay for the food and party as we had to leave at 3:am MO time, Kat and I completed our IRON BUT made it home at 10:45 pm CO time 1102 miles and 20 hr's now comes the hard part getting all the required paper together. Once again Thanks to all that had a hand in this event, O ya just a few thing I missed the guided rides from the year before I do not have a gps and the maps were hard to follow for me eyes. and maybe a information boot. :firstplace::firstplace::firstplace: jtpollock

 

[GuitarPlayer]

This was our first Spyderfest.

What we liked best?

The people that were there! MoGang did a great job in organizing this event and we hope to be back next year because we didn't all that there is to see in the area.
The vendor village was great!

What could be improved?

More detail on the planned events. Will there be food served or not, where exactly is the event, etc.
Start each event on time. The events we were at started late.
Our Spyder and trailer got pretty dirty on the trip from Iowa. How about having some group offer a "Spyder Spa" where they would wash your Spyder (and trailer) and the proceeds go to charity.
How about some hands-on charity work? It's nice to give money but even better to give your time and talents.

Tony

 

[ChicoFowler]

SpyderFest 2014 - questions

Really liked:
The new venue for the venders

Didn't like:
Friday nights activities. Sat in a stadium watching people mess with their bikes and that was it. No one made any announcements on who was participating, who won what....The movie was a bust! Perhaps this year was a good learning experience for next year.
No schedule rides. Some people got together with friends and did their thing, but for newbees, it would have been nice to have a sign up board for specific rides.

Suggestions for next year:
Have a bulletin board or some form of electronic BB where people can post messages.
Get restaurants to offer lunch/dinner specials for Spyder folks.
More venders.

Personally Pit Bull provided outstanding customer service for me. Traded in my 2012 RT for the 2014 LTD and they went out of their way to make sure I was completely taken care of. Hats off (or Spyder Bow) to them.

 

[SpyderMeLucky]

What "suggestions" so far given

Noted all so far. Here's what I read...

Loved:1. SpyderFest
2. Outstanding service from: Len, Lamont, MOGang
3. Vendor Village location and vendors
4. Pitbull/Lamont's Garage service and sales
5. BRP mechanics and accessories on site

Would like:
1. Bulletin Board with day's activities and/or information booth set-up
2. Guided rides
3. More details -food provided or not; location of events
4. Start on time
5. Spyder "Spa" (spyder baths) with an on-hands charity
6. Restaurants who will support SpyderFest with specials/discount
7. More vendors

Not crazy about:
1. Friday night activities at Fairgrounds
2. lack of guided tours

Is this correct?

 

[2Paw]

Many of us rode a long ways to get there an like me had some tight shoulder and neck muscles when I arrived. Maybe if we had someone giving chair massages with a portion of the charge going to charity. I know I would have paid 20 -25 dollars for that service. Otherwise the fest was great. My brother met me there and is not a spyder rider (yet) and he remarked that it was better than any Harley rally he ever been to, friendlier and better organized.

 

[samewok]

I would like to see a charity do bike wash starting on Monday thru Saturday .

 

[SpyderMeLucky]

I would like to see a charity do bike wash starting on Monday thru Saturday .

This might be a tough one to pull off unless we specified a certain time frame. There aren't a lot of spyders in town on Mondays. Tues is better with Wednesday through Fri/Sat the best times.

This will be a suggestion made at the next MOGang meeting for sure, though.

 

[pslawing]

Vendor Village was AWESOME!!
What was missing was a place to grab a bite to eat at the fairgrounds and sit and visit with folks
I really missed the blue rubber wrist band like last year with the Spyderfest 2013 on it. Was thinking of collecting them. The paper wrist band was thrown away
Big thank you to all the MOGANG members who worked tirelessly all week.
Big thank you to Faran and Leira for their hard work with everything!
The movie night was good I thought, but it would've been cool to park the spyders in front of the screen like a drive in movie!
Would love to see post of the winners of everything
Thanks for another great time

 

[JXVolker]

I always try and meet new people and Spyderfest is one of the most fun events I attend. It would be nice to have some deliberate mixers where it would be easier to meet and make new friends.

 

[Yazz]

Just my two cents...

Likes:
Lots of hotels with different price ranges close to each other.

Bonfire and fireworks at the drags.

Vendor Village indoors, with the Spyders pushed not ridden. The fumes got pretty bad one day. Glad MoGang was on top of that.

Food at all the venues.

Free soft beverages. Bottled water was a hit.

BRP presence was helpful.

Friday Night Movies - enjoyed "Why We Ride" and the free popcorn.

All venues were close together so I didn't get lost that much.

Dislikes:
In the evenings, miss kicking tires in the parking lot. Seems it has been moved indoors after last year's cold...

 

[PrairieSpyder]

1. I really liked the venue at the fairground. Having the vendor village mostly inside was nice.
2. The location of the host hotel and the cluster of hotels nearby was a good call.
3. I like the idea of a Spyder spa for charity and massage. Maybe someone knows of a Spyder-ryding chiropractor that could set up at vendor village.
4. A lot of the events seemed to depend on Len being there. Maybe he could delegate some of the responsibilities and it would help the schedule-keeping. (Not blaming late starts on him, but he seemed really stretched thin.)
5. Though it was said the date was pushed back a week because of conflict with Easter, I think it worked out best for the weather. I would keep it like this - on the cusp of April-May. (Yeah, I know. The weather might not cooperate even then.)


This was only my second SF, but it was wonderful. The best thing (or one of the best things) was meeting up with others of like passions. I love the community feeling with other Spyder people.

I can't say enough how much I appreciate MoGang for what they do in putting on such a great party. :bowdown:

 

[Purple Guy]

If there was one thing on my wish list for SpyderFest it would be to move the date from the beginning of May to closer to the end of the month.
A little late start time would make it possible to head down from Canada (Edmonton) without having to pack tire chains! :roflblack:

 

[Elembytes]

A Few thoughts....

This year's Spyderfest was GREAT ---however I feel last years was even better with a few exceptions.

LOVED the INDOOR VENDOR VILLAGE! So so much better than last year and Vendors could work and people could be comfortable and stroll around and look at more things.

Would suggest to go back to the RUBBER BAND Arm bands instead of the Wrist Band that was used this year. We were NEVER checked for it at any venue---you don't have a souvenir when the event is over. The word "SPYDERFEST" was gone by the time Sunday came around and for people NOT accustomed to wearing something on their wrist 24 hours a day- this was NOT a very good thing.

Would suggest putting the registration price back to what it was last year and provide a meal or two during the event. We were amazed last year at the 3 meals we had gotten as part of Spyderfest. This year we were told to show the wristband and we'd get free food. That never happened.

Love the "Block Party" idea but sandwiched between two hotels--didn't think it was a good venue even though one hotel was a "HOST"--parking was limited, no seating available, no porta-johns were provided, people didn't know where to go to there to use a restroom and didn't feel comfortable about going into the HOST HOTEL to use one when they weren't staying there.

Would loved to have seen beverages and fire pits and so forth added earlier then it was in the evening. It was cold that one evening at the first "block party" and the fire pits didn't arrive until a lot of people had already left.

Would like to see more vendors there-and vendors to have plenty of supplies on hand. Couldn't buy something we wanted because the vendor had sold out early on. I know it is not realistic to carry a lot of inventory but you'd think carrying more supplies would be beneficial to both parties involved.

Like to have seen the fireworks separated more from the drag racing. Hard to enjoy both when they are occurring at the same time. Liked last years bonfire better, it was larger and more of us could fit around it and enjoy it's beauty and warmth!

This year was a GREAT EVENT and look forwards to another one next year----The legacy, the tradition, the fun, the adventure, keeps on going---each year it gets better and better----

Keep peddling and thanks for asking for our input and thoughts-----

The weather was AWESOME----you will NEVER get it 100% where everyone LOVES it ----count your many blessings-each one by one!

This was my second Spyderfest---Would love to have a more mix and mingle time but that may or may not work out depending on who goes on rydes and so forth.

I also agree too with someone else that Len is spread too thin and it, I am sure, takes it's toll on him.

Thank you to all--who attended and put in so many days, months weeks---since the last one to put this together and to come up with new ideas----I am always amazed of just how far some people travel to come to this event---truly speaks volumes and means a lot. I enjoyed meeting people this year from Australia and Canada and Maine and Oregon---etc., etc., etc.

 

[Trickie Dick]

Offer food.

I certainly liked the vendor village being indoors. Also liked the close proximity of the hotels. My one suggestion would be to increase the registration fee and serve food at the events as you did in the past. It took me awhile to realize that events that offered food in the past did not this year. I also found a lot of people leaving early and missing most of the event because they were hungry.

Personally, I liked the idea of small individually scheduled rides. Large group rides are incredibly hard to manage. Maybe the maps could be better but I think it is easy to find someone to ride with that has a GPS.

 

[PrairieSpyder]

I think they had rubber SF wrist bands for sale at the MoGang booth.

Something I just thought of . . . When you ryde into the fairground they had someone diverting you to parking if you didn't have an appointment for your Spyder to be worked on. Except for that, I had to find my way around all the tall fences to get into the area in front of the stadium before the pie run. I still don't know just where the demo rydes were held, really. (Though I wasn't looking too hard) Maybe some sign-posts directing us to the various activities there.

Also, I think the web-site and package just gave the general address for the fairgrounds. I got turned around on the way the first time and circled the place until I found the right entrance. Maybe some more specific directions would help newbies.

 

[Cruzr Joe]

I think they had rubber SF wrist bands for sale at the MoGang booth.

Something I just thought of . . . When you ryde into the fairground they had someone diverting you to parking if you didn't have an appointment for your Spyder to be worked on. Except for that, I had to find my way around all the tall fences to get into the area in front of the stadium before the pie run. I still don't know just where the demo rydes were held, really. (Though I wasn't looking too hard) Maybe some sign-posts directing us to the various activities there.

Also, I think the web-site and package just gave the general address for the fairgrounds. I got turned around on the way the first time and circled the place until I found the right entrance. Maybe some more specific directions would help newbies.

Too late for you, you are no longer a newbie. :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

Cruzr Joe