[1soulrider]

A few of the guys on my team missed registering in time and are still hoping to race. If you (or if you know anybody) are preregistered and won't be able to go, we will buy your entry from you. Please contact me at:
dhchuses@surewest.net
or 916-580-7870
Thanks,
Jesse

 

[Heath Sherratt]

That sucks. I would show anyways, I think that lots of folks won't show on account of rain. See you there! H

 

[1soulrider]

I'm not so concerned about getting an entry for myself, I want to make sure my wife can race. This will be her first pro race, and would be a good one start the season with. Friendly local event, fun track, etc.

 

[goodtobeIrie]

I'm not so concerned about getting an entry for myself, I want to make sure my wife can race. This will be her first pro race, and would be a good one start the season with. Friendly local event, fun track, etc.

I highly doubt that they will turn a female down...there's only 3 pro females on the confirmed riders list and only 5 of us for expert...my first race...can't wait to get my ass kicked...

 

[ricebowls]

Jesse the best thing you can do is get there early on Saturday. Although registration is 99% full Mryska (sorry if I mis-spelled her name) might be able to get one of the few remaining spots. The event is set up to handle a max of 300 racers and we cannot go over that number. Good luck, it'll be good to see you guys!
-eric

 

[Raacerx]

How come you guys cannot go over 300 people? If you opened up 50 more spots, thats like $2000 more and only 25 more minutes of racing time. Its 50 more people to deal with shuttling but the Carnegie shuttle wait has never been bad by any means. Ive never had a problem getting more then enough training runs. You guys are going to have a lot of people pissed at you if you only allow 5 people to register on Saturday.

Sure you posted the chance of registration filling up, but a lot of people dont like to register until they know the race is happening. These days, races come and go and theres been times when people have registered for something that never happened. Dealing with trying to get money back from something like that, is more then a headache. Especially if your not familiar with the history. Sure this race has been going on for awhile, but its new promoters and everything...who knows. I have been racing for years and never once have I been to a race that wouldn't admit people that want to race. Not even Sea Otter.

 

[ride23]

How come you guys cannot go over 300 people? If you opened up 50 more spots, thats like $2000 more and only 25 more minutes of racing time. Its 50 more people to deal with shuttling but the Carnegie shuttle wait has never been bad by any means. Ive never had a problem getting more then enough training runs. You guys are going to have a lot of people pissed at you if you only allow 5 people to register on Saturday.

Sure you posted the chance of registration filling up, but a lot of people dont like to register until they know the race is happening. These days, races come and go and theres been times when people have registered for something that never happened. Dealing with trying to get money back from something like that, is more then a headache. Especially if your not familiar with the history. Sure this race has been going on for awhile, but its new promoters and everything...who knows. I have been racing for years and never once have I been to a race that wouldn't admit people that want to race. Not even Sea Otter.

Thanks for your input ….

One of the main reasons why we can’t have more than 300 people is because of insurance and our permit with Carnegie. You must pay insurance per person and obtain the insurance at least a week in advance. With about 90 people registering in the last few days we did not anticipate filling up that quickly. Also, we obtain the permit with Carnegie a month ago and they required us to get insurance right after submitting the permit. Plus we have a contract with the ambulance service to stay till 3 PM that was made over a month ago that designed to accommodate 300.

If we could get passed the insurance, the permit, and the ambulance and let 50 people race. I’m sure there will be 20 people pissed that they couldn’t get it in. We can’t make everyone happy

Yes, we are new promoters. You hit that right on the spot. Basically, there are 3 main partners who are doing this part time for 4 months, although we’ve had a lot of support for many of friends. The 3 of us have been meeting every other day, every week to try to pull this off. We knew we were going to make mistakes and we are learning how to do this right way. Team Wrong Way has an entire team of XC guys where most of them don’t race DH and can easily get volunteers from within. We didn’t have that luxury. But we manage to provide a free shirt to every racer, more raffle prices, an award for every category, 5 deep, more cash awards than the previous 5 years combined, the best course to date, had to pay an extra day of the ambulance and still keep the registration fees at $35.

We would love to be as big as the Sea Otter one day. They have a full time dedicated team with decades of experience that works on their event year around.

Hopefully, we’ll be back next year to a better job.

 

[1soulrider]

Thanks for your input ….

One of the main reasons why we can’t have more than 300 people is because of insurance and our permit with Carnegie. You must pay insurance per person and obtain the insurance at least a week in advance. With about 90 people registering in the last few days we did not anticipate filling up that quickly. Also, we obtain the permit with Carnegie a month ago and they required us to get insurance right after submitting the permit. Plus we have a contract with the ambulance service to stay till 3 PM that was made over a month ago that designed to accommodate 300.

If we could get passed the insurance, the permit, and the ambulance and let 50 people race. I’m sure there will be 20 people pissed that they couldn’t get it in. We can’t make everyone happy

Yes, we are new promoters. You hit that right on the spot. Basically, there are 3 main partners who are doing this part time for 4 months, although we’ve had a lot of support for many of friends. The 3 of us have been meeting every other day, every week to try to pull this off. We knew were going to make mistakes and we are learning how to do this right way. Team Wrong Way has an entire team of XC guys where most of them don’t race DH and can easily get volunteers from within. We didn’t have that luxury. But we manage to provide a free shirt to every racer, more raffle prices, an award for every category, 5 deep, more cash awards than the previous 5 years combined, the best course to date, had to pay an extra day of the ambulance and still keep the registration fees at $35.

We would love to be as big as the Sea Otter one day. They have a full time dedicated team with decades of experience that works on their event year around.

Hopefully, we’ll be back next year to a better job.

Eric,
So far it looks like you guys are doing a great job. It is awesome you guys stepped up and took over this event, I think a lot of people don't realize how much time and effort is required to put on a race. Like you said above, you can't make everyone happy. Most of us are excited that you guys have been willing to take control of the event and continue it's evolution as one of the best local races in NorCal. See you on Saturday.
Thanks guys

 

[Scrub]

Well explained and said P. That just goes to show how popular this race is to the Bay Area when you hold a race and it fills up to capacity. Maybe next year people won't lag to pre-reg on time so they don't get butt hurt when they get turned away. just my .02.

And Raacerx, YES @ Sea Otter they do turn people down when classes fill up. ex. last years semi pro dh some guys were turned away when the class was full.

 

[Biscuit]

I'm now bummed that I waited to reg.

Lesson learned.

I'm bummed, but kinda happy in a warm and fuzzy kinda way. It's a very good sign that the race sold out early. I'm confident that this race will get better every year.


Gigantic props to RideSFO and good luck this weekend!

 

[bushwacker]

I've decided against going, it's a long way and we decided to not go.

Anyone want to buy my reg so you're guaranteed to get in? PM me.

 

[Acadian]

to those riding today...bring a good rain suite!!

 

[scooderdude]

Damn.... I'm in Pleasanton, about a 30 minute drive from Carnegie. It's raining like sh*t right now. Not sure if I should load my gear and go, or what. As it stands, the course is unrideable at this moment. Shuttles will not be able to get up the hill. Walking up would be a challenge. I'm just afraid that by the time the rain stops, the shuttle schedule for today would be expired (shuttle schedule is only 11:00 - 2:00).

It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow (race day). May have to race the course w/o a preride it seems. Now THAT would be a real race if we all had to run the course w/o any practice runs!

 

[Brian HCM#1]

It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow (race day). May have to race the course w/o a preride it seems. Now THAT would be a real race if we all had to run the course w/o any practice runs!

Welcome to last year

 

[J_B]

It was pouring ass rain here in Roseville when I woke up this morning and was getting ready to drive down.

Decided to stay home and catch up on sleep and will just race tomorrow w/out a preride of the course. Oh well, sh!t happens.

 

[East Bay Rich]

Went to practice today at 11:30a. No rain when I arrived. Had to hike the entire way because the shuttle tires were slipping. A few people w/ moto's got a ride up (lucky bums!). It only sprinkled lightly around 3 pm. The wind was pretty strong, though. It dried out pretty nicely, except for the bottom section about a hundred yards after the g-out.

As I was leaving, one person messed up his left shoulder and got an ambulance ride (get well soon!). His spot might be available. His buddies were taking pictures at his expense as he was getting transferred to the 2nd ambulance. He gave me the thumbs up as I drove by, so he should be cool.
-R

 

[black noise]

Weather reports say sunny tomorrow! I can't wait. The course should be great for the race.

 

[J_B]

Went to practice today at 11:30a. No rain when I arrived. Had to hike the entire way because the shuttle tires were slipping. A few people w/ moto's got a ride up (lucky bums!). It only sprinkled lightly around 3 pm. The wind was pretty strong, though. It dried out pretty nicely, except for the bottom section about a hundred yards after the g-out.

As I was leaving, one person messed up his left shoulder and got an ambulance ride (get well soon!). His spot might be available. His buddies were taking pictures at his expense as he was getting transferred to the 2nd ambulance. He gave me the thumbs up as I drove by, so he should be cool.

-R

Thanks for the update. I figured it would've been raining buckets out there. Hopefully be able to get an early run or two in before start tomorrow.

Bummer about the messed up shoulder. I hope that guy is ok.

 

[ginmtb]

Thanks for your input ….

One of the main reasons why we can’t have more than 300 people is because of insurance and our permit with Carnegie. You must pay insurance per person and obtain the insurance at least a week in advance. With about 90 people registering in the last few days we did not anticipate filling up that quickly. Also, we obtain the permit with Carnegie a month ago and they required us to get insurance right after submitting the permit. Plus we have a contract with the ambulance service to stay till 3 PM that was made over a month ago that designed to accommodate 300.

If we could get passed the insurance, the permit, and the ambulance and let 50 people race. I’m sure there will be 20 people pissed that they couldn’t get it in. We can’t make everyone happy

Yes, we are new promoters. You hit that right on the spot. Basically, there are 3 main partners who are doing this part time for 4 months, although we’ve had a lot of support for many of friends. The 3 of us have been meeting every other day, every week to try to pull this off. We knew we were going to make mistakes and we are learning how to do this right way. Team Wrong Way has an entire team of XC guys where most of them don’t race DH and can easily get volunteers from within. We didn’t have that luxury. But we manage to provide a free shirt to every racer, more raffle prices, an award for every category, 5 deep, more cash awards than the previous 5 years combined, the best course to date, had to pay an extra day of the ambulance and still keep the registration fees at $35.

We would love to be as big as the Sea Otter one day. They have a full time dedicated team with decades of experience that works on their event year around.

Hopefully, we’ll be back next year to a better job.

Hey Mike "e-biker" Gin from Team Wrong Way here - just thought I'd comment on this. You guys are doing a GREAT job so far - wish I could get out there to see it. I'm sure there will be some great photos and video though.

Race promotion is not easy. There is a reason why there are so few races left - it's a pain in the a$$ and you end up making less than minimum wage for your efforts. The reward is when the racers are stoked and want more. Hard to make a living on that though. But for us, the whole point was to put on a fun event and to raise the bar as for event quality (when is the last time you went to a DH race and the results were posted within minutes of the last finisher?). I think RideSFO has the same philosophy.

If the Saturday registration was eliminated, man, our lives would have been much easier. We'd stay up to the late PM/early AM to get all the times/numbers sorted - remember, you can't do any of that stuff until you have all entries. If you just had pre-registration, all that stuff could be done well in advance. Then we'd get more sleep and be less cranky on race day.

Anyhow, we're happy to have passed the torch onto you guys - thanks for keeping this race going - we were pretty proud of it and you are certainly more than worthy. Remember though, you won't be able to make everyone happy (and if you try, you'll drive yourself crazy). Just do your best and everything will take care of itself - you're doing an amazing job and best of luck in the future.

 

[morethanjake543]

Thanks for the update. I figured it would've been raining buckets out there. Hopefully be able to get an early run or two in before start tomorrow.

Bummer about the messed up shoulder. I hope that guy is ok.

That's captainpollution from these forums, and I was probably the cat taking the pictures.

Apperently he was given morphine, so I have a feeling he didn't care all that much. He'll probably end up explaining more when he gets around to it, but he managed to get away with just a broken collar bone. It could've been worse. He hung around for the race the next day and was just badass in general.

 

[Connundrum1]

Captainpollution was bad ass. he's off the vicodin now and just left my place driving so its all good. when they posting results? oh yea and the pics weren't really at his expense... though the doctor in the ER kicked us out after a full minute.

 

[captainpolution]

i swear, that god damn wind SUCKS.