Watch this space. Sunday the HQ is going to move again .



































Just kidding..... I think

 

You may think this is funny...it's not. We take the events seriously and know that many folks plan for months taking time off work and away from their other friends and family to enjoy not only a road but the community of S2000 enthusiasts. While folks try to poke fun and make light of this, don't confuse it as of we don't care or that it doesn't bother us. It would be nice to see MORE support instead of always going against the grain.

 

I don't think it's funny at all. I probably organize as many if not more events and I know what a pain it can be when things like this happen. I also know that there are two things that you can do about it. You can laugh and start damage control or you can go sit in a corner and whimper. You guys did a great job of finding an available venue and moving things quickly. You have my utmost admiration but it helps if you don't lose sight of the fact that this is a car meet, we're not talking total destruction of mankind or the end of the world. You found another place, you made the arrangements, you done good. At least four (so far) people have said so. We appreciate your hard work, we've said so, we've adapted, we've changed our plans and we're following the program. Step back, take a deep breath, relax. Nobody is shooting your puppy or stealing your last beer. Try to remember it's a CAR MEET. The fate of the world isn't riding on it (and a good thing, too). We'll all be there, we'll back you up if things go wrong (we have so far, don't see any reason to stop now), we'll give you a hard time (because that's what we do and you expect it) but if you really step in it, we'll also save your rear-end. You have at least 3 or 4 friends here (okay, there might be more than that) and we're not going to let you go off the deep end.

 

Raul: I want to vigorously echo Ken’s comments. I appreciate beyond measure what the organizers deal with in putting together an event. The challenge is to make each event special. That requires innovation and spunk to create the event. Not all ideas work out. So what! Just recover and move on to the next plan! It’s not about the fall; it’s all about the recovery. The recovery was suburb. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PLANNING TEAM.

 

You know Ken, you fairly miss an opportunity to self promote. I really wish I had been more active on the boards early on. While I don't blame you directly, you did contribute to the issue with Tapoco. If folks can't support the work that's been put into an event, they should sit it out. Instead of starting incinerary threads, statements and more. DBRXI really afforded us a unique opportunity...a once in a lifetime thing really and it got hosed into the shot pile while dividing folks into different venues. I should have stood my ground and insisted DBRXI required Tapoco stays...but I didn't. Lesson learned. Don't patronize me as I've been putting on Dragon events for 11 years.

 

While your frustration is understandable, I think it's completely reasonable that some of us didn't want to spend $200/night on lodging, meals included or not. Fact is, we wouldn't be in the area for many of the meals anyhow, and it's a brand new venue with no history or reviews to support its price. Had you required we stay at Tapoco for this event, I am 100% sure I wouldn't have attended. I am confident many others would not have attended as well. The fact is, it's just not in our budget - I spend big $$ on big vacations, not in the backwoods of NC.

Would you have preferred to still be @Tapoco, but with attendance severely diminished?

Is it time to degenerate this whole thing into a "get together" with no formality or cost?

I certainly don't have the answers, but pointing fingers at the ones that wouldn't pony up $600 for lodging at an unproven venue is certainly not it.

EDIT: and I fixed that first sentence for you

 

Whoa!! A lot of issues here. Nevertheless, my first experience with the group was April's WTD. Loved it. I attended alone in April and am coming back with 4 S2000s for this event. I appreciate what the planning group has accomplished whether it was planned or recovered. I'm back at Fontana and pleased. I'm leaving on Monday and all of us Gulf Coast guys are relishing the extra drives; Little Switzerland, Gatlinburg, etc.

 

Hmmm, self-promote? I rarely say anything about any of the work I do on ANY event in which I participate in the planning. You might think back to the last one you attended. I was commiserating with and congratulating you on doing a fine job. Nobody has ever said you didn't. My only objection to Tapoco was the rather large amount they wanted to charge for what is a start-up with no history to support the expense. I certainly don't think I was the only one who found the price objectionable but I decided that for DBR, I'd pay the money to be there. I haven't said anything about Tapoco since I made my reservations there in late July so trying to lay the blame for this debacle on me rings somewhat hollow. I've been a supporter of the work you do for as long as i've known you and I don't intend to stop now. Nobody is patronizing you, sympathizing that you had to make other arrangements so quickly, yes, happy that you managed to do so, yes again. Patronizing? Nah, not even close. Now, I guess I could take my ball and go home (or in this case, stay there) but I don't think so. There are too many friends (even you) there that I like to see and I'd like to think that when this is all over, you'll look back and laugh at the drama.

 

Guys...please stop this!

Save it for a personal conversation or PMs. We don't need the negative vibes out there one week before the event. Let's all play nice and let folks just look forward to being there.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to it. So much so that I'm arriving on Monday and staying the entire week. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again.