#### WE BLEW IT ####

[lucho]

What if they threw a race and NO ONE CAME?

Embarrassed to admit that even though we received two late calls (the night before the event) for directions as to how to get to our race site, we didn't receive a single entry for the event. We had the 5.2-mile course marked and laid out, checkpoints arranged, radio and cell communications up, and we truly believe a great challenging course.
But nobody came! What's that all about?

We have another event planned for December 19. We bought advertising in a few venues in this sport, and yet nothing. So we must be doing something wrong.

If you have time, and have any interest at all to try something unique in a virgin location, maybe you can help us with this survey. So here it goes:

1. Was the title "NOT FOR PANSIES" too strong that scared most riders as being too tough?
2. Was the entry fee too high?
3. Is California City, CA not a good place to ride?
4. Was the two-hour format too long for endurance? Too short?
5. Was the mixing of Mountain Bikes with Cycle-X bikes not a good idea? Should we do one or the other but not both?
6. The fact that we are not associated with a group, club or organization deterred you from attending the event? (Believe me we tried to join a group and everyone seemed to turn their noses up on us.)
7. Do we need to get a sponsor and put up a lot of money to get you to race with us? That's going to be tough at this time. Especially since nobody knows us in your sport.

We have over 35 years of experience in promoting all types of competition events; from Skateboarding, bikes, motorcycles, off-road cars, trucks, ATVs, RC Cars, you name it. Speed and Endurance is our motto.

If you have the interest, we would appreciate any input in your part. You can post it here or you can send it to: info@altavistaevents.com

Thanks.

Lou Peralta

Alta Vista Events (AVE)

[45hill]

My kid played little league all stars in California City and that sucked.

Sorry no one came to your party.

[kidwoo]

I'll admit it.


I'm a panTsy and it just seemed like there was no room for me.

[mtskier]

you can start be giving us the details of the event, websites, links ads, etc.

pretty hard to provide feedback with the info you gave.

[funkendrenchman]

Well to start with, your website design is terrible and your posts are too convoluted.

When did you announce the event? Is it listed as an event on any bike websites? Did you promote it on mtbro and ridemonkey? Looking at the map I don't see mountains. Are there mountains there?

And ya Not For Pansies isn't a good title to promote a bike race that nobody knows a thing about.

[AKbruin]

I didn't realize that the race was in California when I saw your previous post. Good luck with the next race.

[Dhelihiker]

1. Was the title "NOT FOR PANTSIES" too strong that scared most riders as being too tough?

It seemed like stupid thread so I didnt even open it, WTF is a pantsie?

2. Was the entry fee too high?

was is over $30, then yes

3. Is California City, CA not a good place to ride?

Where is California city? Im guessing no

4. Was the two-hour format too long for endurance? Too short?

no


5. Was the mixing of Mountain Bikes with Cycle-X bikes not a good idea? Should we do one or the other but not both?

Very stupid idea, it tells mountain bikers that the course is ultra gay. MTB'ers like rocks and bumps and difficult terrain, not running through tires with our bikes on our backs.

6. The fact that we are not associated with a group, club or organization deterred you from attending the event? (Believe me we tried to join a group and everyone seemed to turn their noses up on us.)

I wouldnt think it would matter

7. Do we need to get a sponsor and put up a lot of money to get you to race with us? That's going to be tough at this time. Especially since nobody knows us in your sport.

I dont think any one races for the prospect of winning money, unless you are a pro.


Id say you Marketing sucks and the location is not doing you any favors either. It should be held in very well know riding zones.

[smmokan]

"First time in California City, CA - We've raced Off-Road cars and trucks, MCs, Quads, Horses, UTVs, Pilots, Trophy Karts, Endurance Runners, all on these trails, from 100 mile loops to five miles, now it's your turn. Can you handle it?"

Yep, this sounds exactly like a trail I want to ride my mountain bike on. Plus, judging by the GPS map you posted in the other thread, it looks pretty damn flat.

[uncle crud]

wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!

I announced my RAD PARTY FOR NO PANTSIES on the InterToobz and nobody showed!

wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!

now I'm gonna go yell at those people I announced my RAD PARTY FOR NO PANTSIES to and call them all a bunch of PANTSIES!

wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!

and maybe someone will be able to tell me about this flower called a "pansy" that I keep hearing about. I wonder if it's related to the PANTSY!

[ACH]

Sounds like the train came off the tracks somewhere between conception and communication.

[Tye 1on]

California City is one small step better than Trona, which is one step better than biking through live radiation in Arco Idaho. Look at the bike rides Chris Kostman/AdventureCorps does or some of the stuff Dave Horning/Envirosports puts together. Human powered races are a whole different ballgame than motorheads. Obviously....supposedly obvious anyways...

[Tunco]

The only reason I open the OT was to see what kind of moran uses the word pantsies.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

What kind of endurance race is 2-hours?

In my mind (and most others I know), an endurance race is at minimum 6-hours and usually 8-, 12-, or 24-hours. Or something like a 50 miler on all dirt.

A 2 hour race is a straight up XC race.

and your course is only 5.2 miles? you make laps on a 5.2 mile course over two hours? Do I have that right? that actually doesn't sound that fun to me.....And looking at the course map, there doesn't appear to any singletrack. Looks like desert fireroads, washes, and a bit of hilly stuff. Is there any singletrack?

And is it me or is California City in the middle of nowhere? Why should people drive all the way out there to do loops on a crappy looking 5.5 mile loop for 2 hours??? It doesn't look that fun.

[funkendrenchman]

California City apparently is the perfect place to hold a race that nobody comes to.

http://jalopnik.com/5339947/what-hap...d-nobody-comes

[InspectorGadget]

#### WE BLEW IT ####

Yes you did.

Reading the original post, I thought the event was doomed from the beginning for many, if not all, of the reasons listed so far.

Back to the drawing board. This time start with a blank sheet of paper of your own and maybe a few pages stolen from other successful mountain bike races. It always helps to have your race someplace that people actually want to ride.

[chaka]

1) I avoid thread titles ### IN CAPS SURROUNDED BY #'S ###.
2) 5.2 mile loops better be an interesting frigging 5.2 miles. Like brutal technical climbing or dodging mountain lions, something like that
3) I live in california and have never heard of california city. Ok, there are probably lots places I haven't heard of, but not many with good riding
4) 2hrs endurance race. I seriously thought that was a typo, like maybe you forgot the 4.
5) Agreed with the other post, no one cares about money unless you are counting on mtb racing as a job.

I wish you better luck next time.

[lucho]

The only reason I open the OT was to see what kind of moran uses the word pantsies.

The same "moran" (should be moron) who typed it "pantsies," which was wrong the first time but changed it to "PANSIES" the second time and subsequently. Hehehe!

Hey, there's no need to be insulting. We appreciate good criticism and more often than not, we respond to it. Some of you have expressed very good comments. Thanks.

[marshalolson]

1. cyclocross races are short-track. you do maybe 8 laps in a total of about 45 minutes as hard and fast as possible. they have tight turns, run-ups, lots of action packed stuff going on.

2. mtb races are 2+ hours. they are not cyclocross races. they have lots of vertical change, fast pace, tight corners, and are overall fun to ride.

3. a mtb race that can be ridden on a cx bike sounds like a road bike ride, not a mtb race. a 2hr cyclocross race on fire roads sounds like a really shitty mtb race.

4. endurance is AT LEAST 12 hours. try 24 hours for an ACTUAL endurance race.

5. the ### ...... ### title basically meant i never opened the thread.

so long story short, you presented the race is such a manner that the race sounds terrible, and put on by people who have no idea how to put on a bike race, and in a place that nobody has ever heard of, or would ever bother to go and ride a bike at.

no chance i would have shown up.



finally, moran is a real word. it is applied to morons that cannot spell right. ya'know. like a joke.

[Tunco]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo"]YouTube- What A Maroon![/ame]

[lucho]

1) I avoid thread titles ### IN CAPS SURROUNDED BY #'S ###.
2) 5.2 mile loops better be an interesting frigging 5.2 miles. Like brutal technical climbing or dodging mountain lions, something like that
3) I live in california and have never heard of california city. Ok, there are probably lots places I haven't heard of, but not many with good riding
4) 2hrs endurance race. I seriously thought that was a typo, like maybe you forgot the 4.
5) Agreed with the other post, no one cares about money unless you are counting on mtb racing as a job.

I wish you better luck next time.

1.) OK, the CAPS bit, that's me. Just a way to direct's someone's eyes to it, especially when there is a sea of postings.
2.) The 5.2 mile course was pretty nasty. Three major hills and downhills, rocky terain and single-track boulder-filled trails, a short section of a sand wash, perhaps too deep for some and an abundance of major, hard-packed roads full of monster whoops. In motorcycle racing we call it "G-Outs." We thought it was pretty tough. WE can also stretch that course to 10, 15, 20, 45 miles and on.

We're thinking of inviting some of you here, no charge, we'll cook some hot dogs and burgers and drinks, and try our course(s) out. Maybe on a Saturday afternoon. Anyone interested can e-mail me at: lou@altavistaevents.com.

Maybe on Sunday, December 27? We have a 45-mile Poker Run, I can always open up an MTB Class which will start after everyone has left.???

3.) Ah, California City, therein lies the conundrum! It's a great city with more open space (203 square miles of desert and hills and stuff, in fact), than you can imagine. It's High Desert and we're located 12 miles north of Edwards Air Force base, NASA and all kinds of secretive stuff! We are about 15 miles from Mojave, 23 miles east from Tehachapi, 43 miles south of Ridegecrest. If you were driving north to Mammoth on Hwy 14, you would pass right by the turnoff to our city, the same from Hwy 395.

4.) Endurance and off-road is our game. Heck we still have the Guniess World Book of records for the longest endurance on skateboards, in 1978 at our SkaterCross Skatepark in Reseda. You want a 24 or 42 hour endurance? I think we can handle it.
However, I think you meant a 4-hour endurance, which is easy enough for us to do. No problema!

5.) No purse? Great! We didn't want to start sucking up to sponsors for a little purse money. We are known for our terrific awards--30% of class. We can give out generic-type awards right after the event. On the other hand, if you have patience, we personalize each award from the race with photos and artwork and usually give those out at the next event. We're easy.

Anything else, just let us have it. We'll try it out.

Lucho

[lucho]

Look below, to see Cal City and the course we had laid out. Believe me, it's not flat.

[InspectorGadget]

I think you meant a 4-hour endurance ...

No, Marshal meant twenty-four hours. As in the annual 24 hour race in Moab.

OCTOBER 9-10
Suzuki 24 Hours of Moab Mountain Bike Race

Annual Team Relay-Style Mountain Bike Race held in the Behind the Rocks Area - An extremely popular 24 hour mountain bike race set in a spectacular red rock desert. Sections of this course follow an old jeep trail while others contain some wild downhill segments. The course contains 1,100 feet of climb per lap and some challenging sandy sections. For more information visit www.grannygear.com or call 304-259-5533.

A critical component worth noting, Moab is a very desirable place to ride a bike.

[trainnvain]

Maybe you need riders (not moto) to design and promote these races.
You just can't combine the same course for ORV, DB and MTB. That will fail every time.

[Rontele]

lucho,

you don't happen to know Bernhard Franz, do you?

[marshalolson]

Look below, to see Cal City and the course we had laid out. Believe me, it's not flat.

you have 20-25% of a 5 mile loop on a road.