Notes from 5/31/09, PFR meeting Options

[RoadGlue]

You probably all have seen that Randy Wentzel (RoadGlue) has volunteered to chair a drive day for those who want to see the sights around the Tahoe area. Anyone who went to WCR '07 will recall that Randy puts on a heck of a drive... I have sent Randy the password for this forum and he will hopefully check in soon... Welcome Randy and thanks for stepping up!

Hi! I'm happy to help in anyway needed, I just don't want to miss out on the track event. So if the fun run overlaps the track, they'll just have to go off the route map. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Nice work! This had better go off smoothly considering it's still 13 months from now. *knocks on wood*

[ConeDodger]

Randy,
Paul has some ideas about Tahoe area drives and used to live up there so he knows if very well... In fact Paul pretty much lives up there in the winter all the time.

You guys may have noticed that the Sacramento Porsche Family Reunion is a drive this month. It is important that you try and come because what we are doing, though not for public consumption is taking a look at the Cool September Days Event that we will be partnering with. Before anyone gets their panties twisted over the term partnering, we are simply using their numbers as they are using ours to get more clout with the hotel. If we fill that hotel we can pretty much do as we please and get a great rate doing it. So come on up if you can, see the event we will be sharing the venue with and have a nice day. Options are to come back down the South side or continue around the Lake and come down 80, though 80 is pretty much a construction nightmare right now. Who is in? Randy? Marky? Andy? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[RoadGlue]

Errr, Tahoe is an extra 2+ hours per direction from my house than it is from your place in Sac. Not a simple drive up and down the mountain from Santa Rosa. I say go on up the hill if you want, but if you want to do a planning session it might be nice to get together on a non-reunion day, some place more central, like in Napa. That's about 1/2 between between here an Sac.

I don't see any problem in partnering, but what type of deal do you think they'd be able to score with the hotels that we couldn't get on our own? I still have a bad taste in my mouth for Mark's sake after what he went through trying to get deals for the Rohnert Park event. Maybe we should just let people score their own deals using Hotels.com/priceline/etc. There are a lot of good hotels and a lot of shitty hotels in South Lake too, so please please please do you research at Tripadvisor.com before committing to any hotel. I'd also be surprised if the deal you would prearrange would really be any better than their internet partner deals. If it's only $5 off per night, then is it really worth the extra effort on your part?

I don't really care who comes up with the tour route. Input from the locals is always appreciated. I'm sure there are some awesome roads up there that I know nothing about. If it's just a trip around the lake, then the route is pretty straight forward. Might be nice to know of good lunch spots, beach stops, etc.

Still not sure why you need to update that thread every day. I decided to not get into in the public forum, but it's really annoying having you bounce it daily. What purpose does it serve Rob, other than to make a LOT of people ignore the thread? Is it really just so you can increase your thread count? *shrugs* I love your enthusiasm, but I just don't get your tactics on this issue. Explain?

Thanks,

[ConeDodger]

I have asked Dave Darling who has won or placed at Parade in the quiz event to come up with a 914 quiz for WCR 2010. As it is a strong potential that we will be semi-partnered with PCA SVR and SNR we should come up with a general Porsche quiz as well. Dave is less inclined to do that on his own so if anyone wants to help out there please step up.

We have learned quite a lot from Mark's experience with the Doubletree. That shouldn't be a problem for us. We have no intention of signing contracts for minimum numbers or any other reasons.

Partnering with the Cool September Days outfit simply gives us event options. They have said to Paul that we can participate in their events. We will confirm the parameters of that participation this weekend. If they have a poker run - can we participate or are we just invited to look at their cars and they at ours. That will all be ironed out this weekend.

A simple drive around the lake is probably not an option as traffic can be prohibitive. We are thinking more of getting away from the lake. People can probably see the lake on their own if they want.

I am told that Doug Gale has moved away from track day events at Reno-Fernley due to severe deterioration of the track surface. I guess he has not had an event at that venue in two years. That means we would probably have to participate in another organizations track event. That could be PCA - SNR or ??? Just to reiterate, we are not a real organization and as such cannot hold a track event on our own. We have no insurance to do that. That is why we need PCA to hold an autocross and track day which they may do for us.

I am not sure why my cheerleading would be annoying to you Randy. I just don't read the threads that I don't find interesting, I don't attach emotion to them. As I said there on that thread, real substantive plans will be discussed here first. Also as I pointed out there, the thread is getting 60+ views a day. Someone is looking and if it keeps them from planning to go to Phoenix that weekend then I have accomplished what I am seeking to do. I don't want someone to commit to something else because they forgot about WCR. I get PM's telling me how much people enjoy the pictures... And yes, more than one. TC has a thread in the Sandbox that he updates about 10 times a day. It has no purpose whatsoever and no one seems annoyed. I am gripped by the pictures he posts and it is probably the second or third most visited thread for me. I am hoping that this is the largest and best WCR ever. To accomplish that I am going to do more than hope. That is how I get a dozen or so guys to meet at a donut shop once a month for no other purpose than to chat... BTW, I have had people come to that donut shop for a three hour chat from as far away as Southern Oregon and Southern California. I get a guy from Oroville there on a regular monthly basis. Bottom line, it works. I hope you can find a way to deal with your annoyance.

[RoadGlue]

Partnering with the Cool September Days outfit simply gives us event options. They have said to Paul that we can participate in their events. We will confirm the parameters of that participation this weekend. If they have a poker run - can we participate or are we just invited to look at their cars and they at ours. That will all be ironed out this weekend.

Maybe it's just me (and I'm not just saying that) but I still thinking mixing it up with a bunch of American hot rods dilutes the event. Just like showing up with our cars at Hot August Nights. I like American muscle cars, but is this a 914 event or a general car show? There are so many threads about this event now, but from what I've been able to gather there still aren't any big benefits from working with the other group. Does it really take much more than a phone call to setup our own rates (without a contract) and to have the hotel set aside part of the parking lot for us? I don't want to do a poker run with those guys!

The biggest issue I have right now though is with the Horizon hotel. Have you taken a minute to read the AWFUL reviews? This place looks like a dump and I seriously recommend that we find better accommodations.
Reviews:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g4...ine_Nevada.html

A simple drive around the lake is probably not an option as traffic can be prohibitive. We are thinking more of getting away from the lake. People can probably see the lake on their own if they want.

That's just fine and the traffic was one of my initial concerns as well.

I persoally LOVE this drive (see map below). Lots of mountain twisty, high passes, very low traffic, mountain rivers to swim and and then cool desert-scapes for the return trip:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source...mp;t=h&z=10

I am not sure why my cheerleading would be annoying to you Randy. I just don't read the threads that I don't find interesting, I don't attach emotion to them. As I said there on that thread, real substantive plans will be discussed here first. Also as I pointed out there, the thread is getting 60+ views a day. Someone is looking and if it keeps them from planning to go to Phoenix that weekend then I have accomplished what I am seeking to do. I don't want someone to commit to something else because they forgot about WCR. I get PM's telling me how much people enjoy the pictures...<snip> Bottom line, it works. I hope you can find a way to deal with your annoyance.

Planning the event on the same weekend as the RRC event is bad news and a little remorse would go a long way to smoothing it over with the members that are disappointed and are loudly voicing their opinions in the forum. At this point I don't see why we couldn't move the WRC event a few weeks forward or back.

Subscribing to threads is how I keep updated on the latest event news, participant feedback, etc. You are the only one on this forum that feels the need to cheer lead. Ever wonder how many of those 60 people that go to the thread daily are hoping for some real news and instead just find some humorous thread and an unrelated photograph? Something to consider.

Someone is looking and if it keeps them from planning to go to Phoenix that weekend accomplished what I am seeking to do.

An exactly how many people have posted to your thread saying they're going to skip out on RRC and go to WRC instead? I see just the opposite right now.

I'd really appreciate if you'd just at least consider comprising a little bit -

1. Maybe limit cheering on your thread to once or twice a week
2. Consider changing the dates to make peace - they really did have first dibs ya know
3. Consider another venue. The Horizon is a shit hole

Thanks Rob. I know you've put hard work into this event. I know how hard it is to stop and change directions when the momentum has built up. But there a lot of red flags and I hope you don't have your blinders on just because it's easier at this point. I know that myself and others are more than willing to help out, make phone calls, etc. Just let us know what you need.