OWNER's SEROTTA 2007 EVENTS!!!!

[Serotta PETE]

Ok gang, Smiley and I are conspiring to push for an "owner's event" on east and on west coast. Question now becomes "WHERE" and "WHEN" do we suggest to SEROTTA> No matter when or where, we will need some "volunteers" for the work that will need to be done (route mapping, registration, event orgainization,,, etc...). SMILEY and I have voluteered ourselves.. for the others I will bring RED!!! :banana:

LOCATION SUGGESTION

EAST _ _ _ SARATOGA (WHEN?)
DATES Suggested 6/22-24th or 6/29-7/1 were two possible

WEST-------North Calif or South Calif?? Which and when.....

WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN EVENTS (Friday PM/SAT all day/SUN AM)
__________________________________________________ _____________
This is in proposal stage and is not SEROTTA approved at this time.
__________________________________________________ _____________
Objective would be to have location and date proposal to Serotta Team by end of OCT. Also to have a "core" planning team of 3 to 5 folks for development of event at that time. THEN _ _ _ _ _ _
REVIEW/MODIFICATION/APPROVAL by SEROTTA in DEC - so everyone can plan their 2007 time off and event execution can start.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If is not that I am opposed to suggesting other locations, it is just that these two areas allow the most people to drive to the event and they also have a high concentration of cyclist and some GREAT riding.

Other location are viable but I do not know of them . . . . .This can be our event so lets get your input and suggestions in. Additionally my e-mail is pmckeon@bellsouth.net and cell is 919-219-6765 if you would like to discuss off line......

Thanks Pete (and no it is too early for the red at 2PM, since Flydhest is not here to share)

THANKS in advance for your input. PETE

[BumbleBeeDave]

I would be happy to help with route planning for the Saratoga event. I am the route planner for our local MS bike tour and I already have an extensive library of local route cue sheets and could put together a number of routes around the area. There's some GREAT riding around here that has never been touched on during earlier open house events! :)

BBD

[Serotta PETE]

I would be happy to help with route planning for the Saratoga event. I am the route planner for our local MS bike tour and I already have an extensive library of local route cue sheets and could put together a number of routes around the area. There's some GREAT riding around here that has never been touched on during earlier open house events! :)

BBD

Great!!!! you are in>>>>>

Thanks....how about date that is best for the area, school being etc.....

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . and here's the link:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=20521

At that time I wrote:

•The track is in session from July 27 or so until Labor Day. Forget trying to get hotels during that time period.

• The local bike club's century weekend is the weekend after Labor Day. It is their major fundraiser for the year and a bit unfair, methinks, to compete with them.

• Many schools in the northeast--and possibly other northern states--are in session till the third week of June because of extended winter month breaks designed to avoid snow days. This makes it very difficult for families to get up here before school's out.

• Many people take their regular vacations during July and August and are locked into that by various obligations.

• The local Tour De Cure is the second weekend in June and means lots of bikes on the roads already.

It seems to me that either the third or fourth weekend of June are ideal to avoid all these problems.

__________________________________________________ ____

I still pretty much adhere to what I said earlier. No matter what date is set, though, I feel it's important to get something locked in as soon as possible so that people are able to make some concrete plans around all their other summer time commitments.

BBD

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . that any open house plans for Saratoga this next year must have the support of the company and that any planning needs to keep in mind interfering with day-to-day company operations as little as possible.

Factory tours on Friday--a regular workday--might (or might not) work better than several years ago, when Ben had the employees all come in on Saturday to demonstrate production for tours.

Consideration should also be given to having the social events in a remote location in conjunction with or instead of the BBQ at the factory that has been the feature event of years past. For example, a dinner cruise on Lake George or a picnic just down the road at the nearby Spa State Park--or an event at a local restaurant or club.

Efforts could also be made to enlist sponsorship from other cycling manufacturers who also appeal to Serotta's same demographic . . . higher end clothing and accessory manufacturers could find an attractive gropu of potential customers in one place.

A cooperative effort with the local bike clubs--Riders Of the Adirondack Region (ROAR) and Hudson Mohawk Cycling Club (MHCC) might also be partiularly beneficial to Serotta, attracting local riders who are potential customers or who were simply unaware that one of the world's premier custom manufacturers is local.

There are so many things that could be done to make this into a great event both for Serotta, for owners, and for potential owners. But I believe that depends largely on convincing Serotta as a company as soon as practical to sign on to such an event and set a concrete date to work with. Doing so before January 1 is NOT too early.

BBD

[Ken Robb]

Because I'm lazy and selfish I think San Diego would be great for the West Coast location and the weather is good for riding almost any time except for a chance of rain Jan-March.

October is wonderful and the summer visitors are gone and the snow birds haven't arrived so there are lots of hotels with reasonable rates.

I can also imagine that Santa Barbara could be a good compromise between north/south.

I would get involved in planning/executing in SD.

[Lanternrouge]

Because I'm lazy and selfish I think San Diego would be great for the West Coast location and the weather is good for riding almost any time except for a chance of rain Jan-March.

October is wonderful and the summer visitors are gone and the snow birds haven't arrived so there are lots of hotels with reasonable rates.

I can also imagine that Santa Barbara could be a good compromise between north/south.

I would get involved in planning/executing in SD.

Transportation to San Diego is also much easier than Santa Barbara due to it having a "major airport." For Meivici owners it probably doesn't matter since they can just fly their private jets to about anywhere. :D

[Larry D]

For an East Coast event, I would gladly volunteer to work on registration.
:banana:

[Ahneida Ride]

BBD

I am willing to help out.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Mt garage is a mess and my car needs detailing. My chain is also filthy. come on over!

Oh, uh, you meant with the open house? . . . :rolleyes:

BBD

[Bruce K]

I'm in on the support group.

Personally, I thought the BBQ on the lawn was pretty cool. So was the aucttion for the DPF.

Factory tours were cool, especially for newbies, but I agree they shouldn't cause Serotta undue stress, cost, or interruption.

The flip side would be if we had to do most of it off-site and there was nothing really happening at the factory, what would be the point of going to Saratoga?

The concept of a "home coming" / Open House at the factory was part of what made the event so special.

Hopefully that part will remain.

BK

[Sandy]

What are Serotta's plans for 2007, relative to an open house at Saratoga Springs? Shouldn't we first determine what Serotta may or may not have in mind?


Sandy

[Serotta PETE]

Need your input!!! That is why I have this note - to keep thread toward top of notes.............. ;) ;)

[manet]

podium girls

[Smiley]

Bates Motel offical lodging of OPEN HOUSE 2007 . Be there or be square .

Sandy , Rapid Tourist , Karen and I will be there :banana:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I think what Serotta decides to do in 2007 could very well largely depend upon what kind of demand they perceive for an open house event at "home" in Saratoga. Another factor would be what kind of support they think they might get from current owners and forum members--thus reducing cost and headaches for them.

I personally would advocate a weekend event the third or fourth weekend in June, which avoids many of the scheduling conflicts I note above. It would include factory tours, some sort of social event at the factory like a BBQ, while also including a social event away from the factory. This could be the "traditional" night Friday at the Parting Glass or other eatery in Saratoga, or it could include something a bit more upscale, like a group dinner cruise on Lake George. This might provide an opportunity to make it into a fundraiser for the DPF, much as the dinner last year was, except on a larger scale.

It would also include a variety of rides around the area, including an option for a metric century around Great Sacandaga Lake on Saturday--one of my favorite ride areas and just over the hills to the west of Saratoga.

Also included at the Saturday BBQ at the factory would be a jumble for owners to sell gear, as well as booths sponsored by other companies that Serotta endorses. Advance cooperation with area bike clubs would draw in more potential customers and just folks to have fun. I've noted a common misperception in the past that the "Owner's" weekend was ONLY for current Serotta owners. Efforts should be made to dispel that atmosphere and draw in potential owners, too.

Are these plans too ambitious? Would they draw TOO many people, thus disrupting the cozy "small group of friends" type atmosphere that has prevailed at previous owners events? Possibly. But with enough forum members willing to help out in organizing and executing, such a larger gathering could work and reap benefits for everyone.

BBD

[Skrawny]

I put a vote in for San Francisco as a location for a West Coast event. I couldn't host though, so I don't know how much my vote counts...
-s

[petitelilpettit]

I agree with Ken Robb with the location being in San Diego, but I think that Skrawny has a point in making the location in San Francisco. I think either place would work for transportation issues, but I think that some areas to ride would be nice, like the areas around Cal Poly SLO, or others. The main issue about this on the West Coast is finding a Serotta dealer to host the event. Find a shop to support this, and then you have a location.

Pettit

[Serotta PETE]

Need your input this week on this. As of this moment, it looks like no one has a problem with the 6/22/07 date at SARATOGA for the East Coast event.

As to West coast, we had some votes for SD and for Colorado but no dates that might be worthy of special consideration.

Will keep this open till next SUNDAY and then SMILEY and I will develop plan and go forward with meetings on it with SEROTTA>

Thanks to all those that have provided input and offers of assistance.

PETE ;)

[Skrawny]

I haven't checked with them, but I'm willing to bet that City Cycle (http://citycycle.com/) in SF would be very hospitable toward an event.
-s

[Smiley]

Were going to set a date , and start taking names of volunteers down. The only way a project like this gets going is you need to place a mark in the sand and just do it. I look forward to calling Gail and Karl at the Bates and making that our offical HQ for Open House 2007 . From there everything will fall into place . Lets get the fever of Open House 2007 going , Rally the troops.

[Ginger]

Smiley...

Everyone is going to be looking for "the Bates" hotel...give'm the right name!

And you'd better check soon...remember the year they had a wedding party take a large portion of the hotel?

[Smiley]

Smiley...

Everyone is going to be looking for "the Bates" hotel...give'm the right name!

And you'd better check soon...remember the year they had a wedding party take a large portion of the hotel?
Not untill I give a heads up to Karl and gail , Ginger you staying with us at the Bates :) It should be warm enough to skinny dip in the pool too.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . The only way a project like this gets going is you need to place a mark in the sand and just do it. . . .

I think Smiley has the rigt idea here. You need to set a date--for better or worse--and just DO IT. Start promoting it NOW. If I am remembering correctly, in years past the date was not set until fairly late--March or April. and there was one year where it waffled back and forth from June to September (or was it October?) and back. This is suicide for an event of this type. Because of office politics and my daughter's school schedule, I have to fairly well solidify my plan for NEXT summer by Dec. 31 of THIS year. I don't think my situation is that unusual. You've got to get a date set in concrete and start promoting it so people like TooTall can legitimately say to Queen that they got their household reservation in first!

The only caveat I would suggest is to contact the Saratoga Chamber of commerce and the visitor's bureau and make sure you will not be blindsided by some other event already set for the weekend of June 22nd.

My own example . . . Several years ago I led a singles bike ride for the Adirondack Mountain club out of Lake George. Because of newsletter deadlines I had to set a date 7 weeks in advance, and I had not checked with the local yokels . . . That day was also the last Saturday of the Americade motorcycle rally. 50,000--yes, that's right--FIFTY. THOUSAND.--motorcycles in and around town. It was a disaster--for my ride, that is!

BBD

[Smiley]

We had the last Open house and the bikers were there too, nice fellows all Rolex wearing posseurs , mainly accountants and lawyers and engineers on hogs :)

[Rapid Tourist]

I can personally vouch for the comfort of the "Bates" aka Springs Motel, and for the extraordinary hospitality of Gail and Karl. Its located a quick 2 mile bike ride from the factory. Can't beat the location.

I'm IN!!!!!

and

I'd be delighted to help any way I can.

[SPOKE]

and start the promotion. i plan on being there with the rest of the crazies :banana:
i have been told that i'll probably be drafted to lead one of the scheduled rides. that's cool, i can handle it :beer:

[BumbleBeeDave]

I'll start drafting a "special" route for you right away . . . Heh, heh, heh . . . ;)

BBD

[Bruce K]

I know this event will not revolve around one person's schedule (unless it's Ben's), but I just found out the weekend of June 22-24 would be REALLY bad for me as it is our MS150 - The Great Mass Getaway.

I would hate to have to choose between the Open Hosue and a charity event I have supported for the last 3 years.

Keeping my fingers crossed for June 29 - July 1

BK

[Smiley]

Ain't going to happen that weekend since the jazz festival is in Saratoga that last weekend in June . I check with the chamber of commerce , so what if we each pitch in a $ and support your charity but you do your miles in Saratoga :)

[BumbleBeeDave]

Then you're looking at the previous weekend, June 16-17. How about that? More important, how about Serotta? Are you in touch with them on available dates?

BBD

[Smiley]

BBDave , Pete has a direct link to Ben on this one , I will check tomorrow about the earlier week and see if thats clear in Saratoga , I am thinking it should be OK . Again folks this will be an event held maybe once every two years . The event if you think about it is making a reality of us meeting and riding with one another. Serotta gave us the Forum and now they are giving us a reason to meet in person. I have been to every Open House with no regrets and based on the friendships we made at Nottrott Merryland I can't see how this event can fail. We all need to talk it up and make a commitment to show up and be PRESENT , the friendships made will be PRICELESS :banana:

Pencil in Open House 2007

Free demo's of the new Serotta fleet and checking out the new carbon line of bikes should be wonderful

[Bruce K]

ARRGH!!!! :crap: :crap: :crap:

I'll figure something out somehow.

While your idea is a wonderful sentiment, Smiley, I can't really expect to ask my freinds to help me scrounge up about $800 in donations to the MS Society so I can come to Saratoga guilt free.

I have plenty of time to figure something out. Maybe the Tour of the Vineyard earlier in the year....

BK