Long Distance Cycling - Raam 2008

Looking for crew for a two man team. See www.teammagicwater.com for details

Looking for crew for a two man team. See www.teammagicwater.com for details

Some one plays with nice web design tools.

Editorial content, especially rider BIOS is severely lacking.

Overall layout of website disjointed with poor choice of format and priority to any charity involved.

Some mis-directed links (b and l cycles)

Good luck, with RAAM, if you can't find anybody else, and I'm not dead or planning for a "real race" - I could help out on RAAM - I've captained a RAAM crew and successfully coached a RAAM solo-finisher.....

If nothing else, since I'm in the midwest, I could drive equipment and crew to the start, or do an emergency rotation with a driver when you get near the midwest........

For now, get a writer for the website, and build on your current endorsement/PR success..... There's no such thing as too much help when attempting a RAAM expedition......

[end of critical - know-it-all rant]

Good Luck.....

For now, get a writer for the website, and build on your current endorsement/PR success..... There's no such thing as too much help when attempting a RAAM expedition......

You're hired to dress up the web site. I can give you the email addresses of the riders and the charity we are supporting (www.magicwater.org) and you can provide text and ideas to make the site nicer.

Thanks for volunteering!

Some mis-directed links (b and l cycles)


Thanks - corrected

You're hired to dress up the web site.

And the pay rate would be...? ;)

Heh, he asked for volunteers....

All I was getting at is that you start out with the "team magicwater" domain - link to a "360 cycling" domain without explanation and then jump right into "dirty crappy" cancer talk, without any background.

First straighten out the whole "magicwater"/360cycling domain deals - then make your title page start with background on the team - and how and why they chose this type of charity - then do you links in two directions - one head to raam and cycling expereience and connections and one link head toward cancer and research and community involvement......

I have no idea what you are doing, but if you want to invite trust and interest, you can't start with "team magicwater" and immediately link to a 360cycling domain without explanation.

And by the way, have you realized how the term "magicwater" could hold negative connotations with respect to performance enhancing drug use, or "fake supplement" use - as well as cancer research drugs?

Don't let me bring you down, but you guys definitely need to review your perspectives - it's often difficult to write with journalistic style when excited about a subject.

Since I have too much time on my hands, I could meet up with you to coach you through an exercise in writing with "top down" journalistic style. (for you BIOS) But it will cost you at least 10 bucks at the Bon Aire, or some Mexican restaurant in the area........ I assuming, you're in the Alton area......

And the pay rate would be...? ;)

The joy of helping out

And by the way, have you realized how the term "magicwater" could hold negative connotations with respect to performance enhancing drug use, or "fake supplement" use - as well as cancer research drugs?

Don't let me bring you down, but you guys definitely need to review your perspectives - it's often difficult to write with journalistic style when excited about a subject.

Magic Water came from one of the parents of the kids with cancer, actually the little girl that died. The first time they went into the cancer center to get her first chemo; on the way she asked her daddy where they were going. How do you explain chemo to a six year old? So her daddy said they were going to go get some magic water to help her feel better. That's the name of the charity, Magic Water Project, www.magicwater.org (http://www.magicwater.org). So, you may be right but I'll risk if someone gets offended.

You are on the money with the content, none of us have a journalistic bone in our body, we're trying to look at other teams sites and they are not a heck of a lot better. But, we're trying

360cycling is the 501c3 we had to form in order to make expense donations tax deductible for larger companies. Magic Water is just a team name at RAAM, 360cyling is the non-profit behind the effort and can also be used by other teams to take in larger donations for expenses while shooting for money for the charities.

I am in San Diego.....also, we had a PR person to help us through some of these things but she is getting hammered at work and has not been a lot of help thus far. I will look through this thread and see if there is some work I can do to make this better. Thanks for taking the time.

The joy of helping out

I'd guessed that but you could have asked for assistance a little more politely, given the work:rewards ratio you are offering.

Dude, I sincerely admire what you are doing and can only offer you the most sincere praise and encouragement. Doing things you like is one thing regardless of how extreme they may seem, but doing it for a good cause is another entirely. Kudos to you and your team partner. I can only imagine what it must take in terms of time, commitment, money, and everything else to simply train for something like this.

You know what? That would be a great entry into the Team Bio. It explains the Magic Water in context and I think it's a real heart grabber. Just my take. Good luck with this venture.

Magic Water came from one of the parents of the kids with cancer, actually the little girl that died. The first time they went into the cancer center to get her first chemo; on the way she asked her daddy where they were going. How do you explain chemo to a six year old? So her daddy said they were going to go get some magic water to help her feel better. That's the name of the charity, Magic Water Project, www.magicwater.org (http://www.magicwater.org). So, you may be right but I'll risk if someone gets offended.

You are on the money with the content, none of us have a journalistic bone in our body, we're trying to look at other teams sites and they are not a heck of a lot better. But, we're trying

360cycling is the 501c3 we had to form in order to make expense donations tax deductible for larger companies. Magic Water is just a team name at RAAM, 360cyling is the non-profit behind the effort and can also be used by other teams to take in larger donations for expenses while shooting for money for the charities.

I am in San Diego.....also, we had a PR person to help us through some of these things but she is getting hammered at work and has not been a lot of help thus far. I will look through this thread and see if there is some work I can do to make this better. Thanks for taking the time.

I'd guessed that but you could have asked for assistance a little more politely, given the work:rewards ratio you are offering.

Give the guy a break, Dave. If it wasn't for the know-it-all rant post by you-know-who, it would have gone under the radar of most here. Anyone with knowledge of RAAM knows the work:rewards ratios end up being out of kilter. I didn't have a problem with rschulze's politeness or otherwise, and I hope his team succeeds with its targets.

I can only imagine what it must take in terms of time, commitment, money, and everything else to simply train for something like this.
Thanks, just getting the paper work together to incorporate and turn yourself into a 501c3 is a major hassle and then there is the dealing with being told "no" a thousand times. Our local area is especially hard hit with the wild fires, over 23 million dollars have been pulled out of local companies toward fire related charity; our biggest sponsor from last year was a bank and the contact was the VP that over-looks mortgages....we all know about the mortgage crisis. Before it became really nasty he thought he could give $10k, now he doesn't know if they will be able to do anything.

All told though we are doing MUCH better than last year. We have a LBS that is taking care of most of our consumables and we're $6k ahead of where we were at last year at this time. I have an 'in' with Endo pharmacueticals that I am hanging a hope on. We have all of the water sponsored to us; Red Bull is sponsoring all the energy drink we'll need. They are even sending down the red bull girls for our departure. More exciting for my team mate, he's single. (like he's got a shot :) )

Thanks again for the kind words. Perhaps over the long T-day weekend I'll find some time to soak in some of the advice and see if there is something we can use.

Ok, the short version of advice for content - you have to write with the idea that your audience is reading your copy with almost no knowldege of what you are doing and what your web and activity is about.

It's tough, tricky aspect journalism. Typically, you start with totally general facts and work inward........

San Diego man starts charity to benefit cancer research.
Forty-year-old, Joe blow, is planning to enter transcontinental race to raise money and awareness for specific cancer type.
Your name, a long time cyclist and ex cool navy sea, will be member of team magic water in a 3000 mile RAAM, bicycle race. He plans on soliciting and informing race fans along the race route way about specific charity, (360?) branch of cancer research.....
Team, "magicwater", which consists of blah and vlah will ride bicycles 3000 miles in about 10 days



Anyway, the idea, is use general information first and add a pertinent detail with each main point block.

The "big picture" is first you have keep up with training - then keep up with non-specific, but related bicycle-mechanical, support, race logistical and health issues - then somehow preserve emotional relationships with friends and family.

It's hard enough to ride RAAM, trying to run a charity event and maintain healthy relationships is next to impossible.... as I've said, good luck, I've seen the carnage that RAAM can cause.......

Excellent, thanks!!! I'll work on the edits this weekend. I'll take a harder look at how people have to get to the information etc....

I really appreciate the help

Looking for crew for a two man team. See www.teammagicwater.com for details

What are the qualifications and requirements for crew members? What positions and duties are you trying to fill?

Magic Water came from one of the parents of the kids with cancer, actually the little girl that died. The first time they went into the cancer center to get her first chemo; on the way she asked her daddy where they were going. How do you explain chemo to a six year old? So her daddy said they were going to go get some magic water to help her feel better. That's the name of the charity, Magic Water Project, www.magicwater.org (http://www.magicwater.org).

That caught my attention, too. Use it. Good luck.

What are the qualifications and requirements for crew members? What positions and duties are you trying to fill?

Right now I have a crew chief, Jayson, and a couple seasoned crew from last year. No special talents needed. You'll be asked to drive and navigate is the main duty. Beyond that just little things to keep the train rolling. You get to watch a couple guys suffer in a big way so you need to be prepared to watch a person break down and help them get back up occasionally and start riding again.

I just posted eight more pictures I like from the ride. They are not formatted completely for a calendar but if you like a picture and would like to have a calendar made from it, let me know and I'll finish it off and make a link. As far as the proportion of the image, they have been formatted to hit 11x17 portrait or landscape depending on the graphic. Again, these are low-res with watermark samples.

www.360cycling.com/calendars.cfm

If you are not serious about buying one, please don't make me go through the hassle of finishing it. Thanks