"Contacting a motel/hotel for a discount rate generally doesn't require any up-front money. They do want to know how many rooms since they need to block them during that time period. I'm not sure if putting down a deposit would result in a larger discount. Does anyone know if there was up-front money involved for the Caravan Inn? "
No up-front $$ was involved.
Personally, I would not want to take on the bookkeeping, potential tax (FICA, W/C, Unemployment, etc.) liabilities, etc., involved in receiving funds for any efforts put forth in advance for planning a ride.
It seems to me that if there is enough interest, the planning hat could be passed around.
However, I strongly agree with Will abaout the liability issues. We had made arrangements for LAB to cover us, and it would have been a relatively easy thing to do, at less than $5.00 per person.
At the last moment, the person in charge of this aspect could not make the ride (and bring the paperwork), and I was swamped with a lot of other things going on in my life, and did not follow through, preferring a simpler route. However, that was not the best route, and was a calculated gamble.
On the other topic, (where will the next ride be) there are lots of other options here in Colorado.
1. Basing at Frisco (9,000 feet), and riding the many mountain paved trails. Keystone, Breckenridge, Loveland Pass, Vail Pass, all the way past Vail and out to Avon - all on trails (except Loveland Pass, which is a low use road, heavily frequented by bicyclists).
2. Basing in Denver, and riding the hundreds of miles of interconnected trails - including a Century with only a few street crossings, etc.
There are also trails in Winter Park - Berthoud Pass, etc.
ANyway, one might want to keep these in mind for future rides.