Saturday lunch is always a nice social event..... but it makes it difficult to line up a drive without skipping the already paid for lunch....

How about for Saturday.... have a breakfast instead of lunch.... do that and then the Roll Out?

That way, you would have a nice long stretch to go for a group drive, and not have to go nuts to get back in time to clean up and get to the banquet.....

 

I think this is...an excellent idea !!!!

 

I like that idea too, of course the downside is everyone is hung over from the beer swap the night before and getting up in time for the roll out is hard enough...

 

The lodge does breakfast buffet style anyway. I would gladly pay the extra cost. Then the moster rollout can be done at like 10:00 AM instead of 8:30 AM.

 

Personally I would like to see the Friday dinner & Saturday lunches pulled from the event fee, and made an "event" instead where ppl can order a la carte. Particularly on Saturday that lunch complicates planning the day out, and I think many people would miss breakfast if that were the plan instead.

To be brutally honest, Friday dinner and Saturday lunch were nowhere near on par with the event fees, IMO (flame suit on!).

Oh, and plan it on a weekend with no rain!!!

 

I would love to see a more organized strategy to the group drives, focusing on small group drives. Large groups are cool but just are not practical. Someone (maybe me) could print out a bunch of cardstock versions of this post that sit at the lodge for groups of 4-10 to grab and go on a run together. Time estimates, dangers, and speed estimates would be great.

I spent way to much time trying to join group drives or get anyone to join up with us. Since Mike and I were complete newbs, we kinda got left behind and shunned over and over, had to figure out things on our own.

 

Agreed, only the banquet was reflective of the registration price. And the beverage selection was pitiful and in short supply.

The early morning event times are just ridiculous considering the tradition of alcohol at this event and the number of people who prefer to sleep in while on vacation.

 

I know this is not a reflection on any of the event organizers, but the food on the banquet was borderline inedible. Something needs to be done about that. I have no problem paying the registration fees, and will pay them even if you serve dog food because I appreciate the event, but I don't want Fontana to take advantage of the organizers and us serving us that pitiful crap. I work in the restaurant/hotel industry, so I know everything there is to know about the costs, etc, of the food served, drinks, blah blah blah. Their restaurant in the lodge produces MUCH better food, and I know what they are capable of over there. I think a BBQ type dinner (dogs, burgers, pulled pork, fries, etc) would be MUCH easier for them, cheaper for us, and tastier for us. I know I wasn't the only one disappointed at the food served at the banquet.

 

The alcohol consumed is by personal choice. If that prevents you from joining a early drive, that is your choice. Times are known in advance, so plan accordingly.

I would not want to waste time sitting around waiting for the people who drank too much the night before.

I like the lunch (or maybe breakfast) and Friday night, it is another way to get together with my friends, and make new ones. The event to me is more about that than getting 12 hours per day of driving time.

Just my two cents worth!

 

The alcohol consumed is by personal choice. If that prevents you from joining a early drive, that is your choice. Times are known in advance, so plan accordingly. I would not want to waste time sitting around waiting for the people who drank too much the night before. I like the lunch (or maybe breakfast) and Friday night, it is another way to get together with my friends, and make new ones. The event to me is more about that than getting 12 hours per day of driving time. Just my two cents worth! [/quote] In all seriousness, I tried to find any weak argument in Mikey's response and there is none.

If you want to go on the drive early Saturday morning, plan accordingly Friday night. Nobody is holding a gun to your head saying that you have to overindulge in anything (including alcohol) If you can't make a 8:30 am roll-out, why should the people who can have to wait? I had no problem getting up and being ready (with coffee even) at 8:00am to start getting cars lined up. Friday on the ball field and Saturday lunch at the dam are traditions. I'm not overly concerned with the food on Friday night. It's what you'd have at a ball park.. It's not gourmet but it's not horrible.

I don't need to have 12 hours of driving either. I drove 8 hours to get to Fontana, I drove the Dragon as soon as I could get the car unpacked. I drove the Dragon sometimes twice a day for 4 days. That was quite enough. I skipped the Monster roll-out because I wanted to. Other people do the same, route 129 was still there and I ran it after lunch. I also planned my trip to make sure I drove the Dragon on the way home. That was my way of saying good-bye to a great meet and a way of preparing for the next one (DBRxi I hope, if not, WTD10). Again, this is my two cents worth. YMMV.