OR - We need to talk.

[Tonik]

So yesterday I saw something that I have seen on pretty much every group ride this year. It started with the Epic ride and has continued to most public rides I have seen this year. Actually it started with last years Fall Gap Trip.

Some poor sap posted a public ride and 15 peeps showed up. He was standing there with everyone around him trying to split it into two groups. Now I had already pre-arranged with 5 people to follow me so he was down to 10. But that is still too many for many reasons, the biggest of which is the fun and relaxation of said ride organizer. No one stepped up.

Smaller groups of 5 or so are way better. You can group by speed/style. It's easy to keep track of everyone, you don't even have to be comfortable as a leader...just know the route and go. Look in your mirror once in awhile and if you can count to 5 or so you are done.

So please, for the sake of more OR public rides show up knowing the route. Have it in your GPS, or paper on your tank bag or in your head...however you roll and be ready to step up and help a brother out.

Disclaimer:  The above polite rant was my own, @jacobhawkins neither said nor did anything to make me think he feels the same.

 

Edited August 6, 2017 by Tonik

[TimTheAzn]

This is why the only ride I've organized is a track day which I'll probably not even be able to attend.

[2talltim]

I'm guilty of this but would step up if it was absolutely needed to. I hate being the leader but usually end up being one on long planned out trips so when weekend local loop rides are posted I'd rather just follow for a change of pace. When cluster fucks like yesterday arise and I can't jump in a smaller group like yours Jim I probably would have said "I'm going my own way and you can follow if you want". Ive done this before down at deals gap and it's usually works out where I'll get one or two guys that are like minded or very adaptive to what I want to do. Only thing I ask is if you jump in a group i'm leading come with low expectations, my routes arent always the best because I like to explore and sometime find less than desirable roads. But sometimes i will suprise you with my choices.  

[MidgetTodd]

We traded out lead spot along the way

[jschaf]

B-Mac stepped up but it seems that nobody else wanted to join our group.  We were hoping that we could pick up a couple more riders in McConnelsville. That's why we waited for the group to catch up & fell in behind until McConnelsville.  Also, we waited at the Speedway in Marietta for about 45 minutes & nobody showed so we continued. In other words,  QuityerbitchinTonic.

[Casper]

39 minutes ago, jschaf said:

QuityerbitchinTonic.

#winning

[Tonik]

37 minutes ago, Casper said:

#winning

Do you even know what a group ride is anymore?

 

1 hour ago, jschaf said:

B-Mac stepped up but it seems that nobody else wanted to join our group.  We were hoping that we could pick up a couple more riders in McConnelsville. That's why we waited for the group to catch up & fell in behind until McConnelsville.  Also, we waited at the Speedway in Marietta for about 45 minutes & nobody showed so we continued. In other words,  QuityerbitchinTonic.

Yea, he stepped up right after you loudly proclaimed "I ain't leading anyone!"

[B-Mac]

No one rides with us because.

A. We are old and have to pee frequently.

B. We don’t have helmet communications.

C. Our stops are for fuel, snack and pee. NO! Facebook updates or “there I was” stories.

D. It’s about the ride.

We did have an unscheduled stop on route 7 when we saw the Hate Train at a café. We checked in on them and hit the restroom and tried to down some coffee. We left shortly because Tonik was seductively licking a soft serve ice cream cone with his eyes locked on the large bearded short order cook who had a strong Russian accent. A lady left with her infant child before she could finish her lunch it was so bad.

I had fun and thanks for letting me ride along. I don’t mind leading a group but please publish the route in a (gpx) format and last thing. Jacob, Quit whining like a bitch to Tonic off line.

[jschaf]

23 minutes ago, Tonik said:

Yea, he stepped up right after you loudly proclaimed "I ain't leading anyone!"

I do step up.  Just not yesterday.  QuityerbitchinTonic.

[MidgetTodd]

Nobody likes it when I lead, it becomes a trackday

[jschaf]

But everybody loves a trackday. . Post up a ride sometime.  I'll lead the overflow & Tonic will be bitching about something no doubt.

[jacobhawkins]

Uhhh...  I had a good day.  I understand it's nice to have an idea of what the route is even if you didn't plan it, but whatever.  Like Todd said, I had the route and other folks led when there were road changes and I waved them on.  No big deal.  Luckily I knew most of the people in our group so it was easy to get along.  An aspect of being the "ride organizer/poster" is feeling a responsibility to help everyone have a good time and while it would have been nice if more folks were 100% solid on the plan, I would hate to leave someone out just because they didn't know the route.  Hell, @thompsonian had to get us through Marietta because I don't know the best way.

@B-Mac, next time I'm riding with you.  

[PhilD'oh!]

This is a good reminder.  I'm often guilty of showing up not even knowing the route, just happy to be there.  However, I have gone off on my own upon seeing a similar situation as you describe.  If I can't step up, I'll do my own thing.  I don't mind leading, but I'm not going to create a cluster f, fumbling around not knowing the area. 

[2talltim]

1 hour ago, B-Mac said:

No one rides with us because.

 

A. We are old and have to pee frequently.

 

B. We don’t have helmet communications.

 

C. Our stops are for fuel, snack and pee. NO! Facebook updates or “there I was” stories.

 

D. It’s about the ride.

 

We did have an unscheduled stop on route 7 when we saw the Hate Train at a café. We checked in on them and hit the restroom and tried to down some coffee. We left shortly because Tonik was seductively licking a soft serve ice cream cone with his eyes locked on the large bearded short order cook who had a strong Russian accent. A lady left with her infant child before she could finish her lunch it was so bad.

I had fun and thanks for letting me ride along. I don’t mind leading a group but please publish the route in a (gpx) format and last thing. Jacob, Quit whining like a bitch to Tonic off line.

 

This funny because it is all true  

[durk]

1 hour ago, MidgetTodd said:

Nobody likes it when I lead, it becomes a trackday

I enjoyed following you Todd. 

 

1 hour ago, B-Mac said:

No one rides with us because.

 

A. We are old and have to pee frequently.

 

B. We don’t have helmet communications.

 

C. Our stops are for fuel, snack and pee. NO! Facebook updates or “there I was” stories.

 

D. It’s about the ride.

 

 

B-D are all reasons I enjoyed riding with you 2 at the epic ride. I would have rode with you 2 yesterday but the whole idea behind this ride was to ride with Jacob. Had it just been me and the couple in front on 78 I would have pursued you 2 around the semi. I did not feel right trying to go Mach retard with 8-9 guys behind me (I know Tonik this is your point, but I had a blast with the way everything was). 

 

3 hours ago, jschaf said:

 we waited at the Speedway in Marietta for about 45 minutes & nobody showed so we continued. 

We had somebody miss the turn onto 555 and waited quite awhile before heading out. 

All in all, as I said in the other thread it was an awesome day. I'd show up to do it again. 

Edited August 6, 2017 by durk

[thompsonian]

I had fun and I don't mind running sweep for anyone long as they don't mind the wait. I've only been on a couple of rides and I'm still figuring out my pace buddies. You're welcome for the guidance @jacobhawkins and will gladly give route help when needed since its usually in my area. 

[TimTheAzn]

I usually never know the route or even what road I'm on 50% of the time. I just follow who's in front of me. Probably why I'm slow when it comes to some roads, I don't know em as well as most.

Edited August 6, 2017 by TimTheAzn

[JustinNck1]

In recent rides, we have had issues with losing a rider or two (One was an OR ride, one was not). Knowing the route can help with this, but people still make mistakes. I think if your gonna have more than 5 in a group, someone is gonna have to wait to atleast see the last person, just to make sure no one got lost. I had to chase down a guy for 10 miles because he missed a turn. Luckily I knew the area or he would have been in Woodsfield while we were on Route 7. He had no idea where he was or where he was going. If you don't know the route, let your group know. This way they don't leave you stranded.

[Casper]

3 hours ago, MidgetTodd said:

Nobody likes it when I lead, it becomes a trackday

140 in the straights and 40 in the turns isn't a track day. 

[Tpoppa]

[330racing]

1 hour ago, Casper said:

140 in the straights and 40 in the turns isn't a track day. 

It is at a drag strip!

[what]

I'll admit I didn't know the route yesterday. 

 

I also hadn't memorized the route for the ride I planned, figured I could leave it up to the turn-by-turn on my phone... until my phone died. Last time I make that mistake. I thought it was only going to be maybe 3 or 4 of us and not the 10 that showed up, so my plan was pretty loose from the start. Once we got going it all worked out but I felt bad that everybody showed up and I wasn't really prepared to organize/lead a large crowd. It was also unfortunate that the eastern crew ended up waiting so long at the bucket. 

 

But yeah, it seems there's a lot of interest in the group rides this year, which is great. My only input is don't expect the ride leader to provide you with entertainment, come prepared to make your own fun. As long as that's the case everybody should leave happy. Pace-wise, I was happy with the Jacob/Durk group. We ran mach retard for a little while, slowed it down on the shitty roads like that terrible section of 28 (at least I did) and ran a medium-fast pace for the rest of the time. It all worked out fine and we didn't wait long at intersections. 

[max power]

Sheit, I had a blast chasing around you Mach retards.  Thanks for waiting for me at the turns and when I had to pee 15 times.  

[MidgetTodd]

11 hours ago, Casper said:

140 in the straights and 40 in the turns isn't a track day. 

Pssssht my bike barely even does 100. 

80 in the straight 80 in the turns

[Bad324]

Hmm back when I used to ride we typically had 7-10 riders in the group. Nobody ever got lost or complained and I never knew the route. I still to this day don't know half the hundreds of roads I rode back then