KMC Cycling Bike-tober Fest

At the last meeting, we had talked about doing an end of season party. I had also mentioned the idea of doing a sort of invitational ride etc. to get folks to come in from out of town as well.

Here's my idea, and I'd like feedback.

We can reserve the Pulaski Park on October 1st for $50. That gives us use of the facilities, the playgrounds, restrooms etc. We could also work with outdoor rec to rent a bouncy castle for the kids.

I'd like to have some set evenst at certain times, but with the facilities, playgorund etc. available the whole day to those who want to hang out there.

Here's my idea of events/timeline. All events are obviously, only for htose who want to join that event:
8:00-Rodalben Ride (I know a lot of folks from out of town who'd be more interested in coming up to Ktown for an event if it included an F-trail ride).
11:00-Gwoog Ride
11:00-Road ride from Pulaski
12:00 someone starts the grilling
13:30-15:00-Lunch (just a target time to have the food ready for folks that want it)
15:30-some sort of kids race/ride right there at Pulaski
16:30 some sort of closing remarks, thanks for coming etc.
Various other small fun events at Pulaski park throughout the day

We could make it sort of a potluck OR we could see if our sponsors are interested in joing the fun, and helping us out with the food-bill (Or we could try to do a fundraiser int he meantime to pay the bill). Or just spend what we've got in the bank right now on it.

I have several specific questions for this event that I'd like some feedback on:

Do we want to make this an invitational event and get cyclists from other areas, as well as people in our own community who aren't familiar with the club to come and join the fun? (this is what I would lean toward, and we could also do a christmas social as a more private event just for those alreayd in the club).

Do we like the idea of having it at Pulaski Park?

Do we want to try and work in some sort of informal race, and maybe some prizes?

anway, let's get this discussion started so we can solidify the plan and start sending out invitatiosn and advertisments!

I really like the Bike-Tober Fest idea, however, the itinerary may be a bit ambitious with less than a month to plan and advertise. It would be cool to put an invitation out to the other military bike clubs. This would give the opportunity to network and hang out in a non-competitive atmosphere, fostering relationships which could spawn future events. I would suggest keeping it as simple as possible. MTB ride from G-Woog with picnic at the Pulaski pavilion afterward. Weather is less of an issue if it's a MTB ride, and we have plenty of nice trail right there. This would take very little planning and leg work, with such a short suspense date. If we get no response from other clubs, then we still have a great day with our club members. I could see a bigger event growing out of a smaller tradition that we start this year.

Great idea and initiative, but I still think simpler is better at this point.

Chad

Ok, simpler itenerary, but for the purpose of reserving the park, can a good number of folks commit to attending something like this on Oct 1 at Pulaski Park on the Vogleweh/pulaski compound?

I will attend with family.

Nothing on the books as of this weekend. I would plan on attending w/ the family also.

Chad

Sounds good, but I will not be able to attend, I will be moving that weekend.

I am in plus 1

Won't be back from Little Rock by then, so I am out.

Sound Good. I am in plus the Family.

Maybe we could find a route for the families to ride also.

It would have to be alot of fire roads or untraveled roads if the young kids come out. I know there are something like that from woog towards bann and landstuhl

Great ideas! I wish I could be there, but I won't be able to attend due to my "vacation" in Afghanistan.

Can't make it, daughter's 5th birthday party.

I think we have enough interest to move forward with this.

I've reserved Pulaski Park for OCtober 1st from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Don't think we'll really use it that entire time, but it's ours if we want to.

I'd like to also reserve a bouncy castle for the kids and one of the big grills for us in case we DO get a large showing. If the event gets closer and it doesn't look like there will be a big showing, we can always ease it back a little.

I will work out a rough schedule of events etc. and I am open to ideas and suggestions.

I do need volunteers for the following:

-Road Ride leader: leading a road ride starting probably around 11:00 a.m. for a 2 hour-ish ride
-MTB Ride 'No-Drop' leader: leading a GWOOG MTB ride starting probably around 11:00 a.m. for a 2 hour-ish ride
-MTB Ride 'hard chargers' leader: to lead a more aggressive paced group on the GWOOG ride, if there is demand/desire for it
-Path/kid and family ride leader: to lead a ride along fire roads etc. for the kids and families etc. 11:00 a.m. for an hour or so...
-Childrens activity coordinator:To keep an eye on the kiddos etc. at the playground and the bouncy castle, and to maybe organize and coordinate some activities for the kiddos probably from about 10:30 until sometime in the afternoon... maybe we can get a couple of folks to volunteer to help with this and rotate shifts

Also need folks to help out with food, drinks etc. in any way they can... as we get closer, we can iron that stuff out in more detail.

Please let me know what you all would like to help with.

Thanks,
Jonesy

Here's the schedule of events:

11:00 G-Woog MTB ride (if enough people show and someone is willing to lead, there can also be a road ride, or varying levels for the MTB ride.
11:00 start kids activities (some coloring and craft stuff, and the bouncy castle, playground etc.
13:30 Lunch--Burgers, hotdogs, chips, sodas etc.
14:30 Maybe some other impromptu activities (kids race, monkey bike challenge, etc., depending on interest and the crowd)
16:00 clean-up etc.

I will be sending out an invitational brochure shortly, to the folsk I know in Heidelberg in case they might be interested.

Does anyone know contacts for the Spangdhalem folks right now? Or elsewhere?

So far I have gotten postivie replies from several folks and I think the current count is somewhere around 15 folks including the kiddos... would love to make it a bigger event, but if not, even this is a start.

The Robinson clan will be there!

WE are planning to be there!

It sounds great!

Me + 3 (the 3 are probably, I am definite... I'm also new -- looking forward to meeting more KMC Cycling people!)

Welcome to the club Barista! What a wonderful name

krocko1 wrote:Welcome to the club Barista! What a wonderful name

Well thanks!! I was in good hands when I chose it Or when it chose me.

So for this little get together, are we meeting at Pulaski, at the Gelterswoog, or what?

OK, so far I have the following R.S.V.P. via the forum:

Family Lask: 2
Family Jones: 4
Family Robinson: 4?
Family Henderson: one platoon
Family Sharp: 3?
Family 'Barista': 3

Total of about 20 folks.

If anyone else is attending, please R.S.V.P here or via email to webmaster@kmccycling.com

For simplicity sake, we will meet at Pulaski Park at 11:00 for the ride and kids activities etc. Jim has volunteered to be ride leader leader and I'm pretty sure he can lead the group to the Gwoog loop from Pulaski.

My daughter has volunteered to help out with the kids and willl be leading them in activities like coloring, some seasonal (halloween/fall) cookie decorating. Also there are playgrounds on Pulaski Park to occupy the kiddos as well.

I'll be managing the grilling, set up and food prep etc. at Pulaski starting at around 11.

Looking forward to this, I think it will be great fun.

Jonesy

Thanks for setting this up, Jonesy. I don't have rear brakes on the MTB, so may join for parts of the ride w/ the CX bike...should be fun!

I'm going to try to join in on part of the ride. I have split by 1300 ish so I won't be around for the festivities, sorry, it sounds like a great event. Nice work Jonesy!

Great time, very casual ride, as 5 of us did a little over an hour. Great barbeque, great fun.

A few photos

http://theskeez.smugmug.com/Sports/Bike-Toberfest/

Thanks to Jonesy for setting up a great event. Check out the picture of Jonesy on his new bike