Gee3

I am meeting up with the MS Pres and the coordinator tomorrow to discuss this years MS150 ride. (aka Waves to Wine) I would like to give them some constructive criticism on how they can improve the ride going forth.

If you have any ideas or comments you'd like me to bring up to make the ride better please let me know and I'll forward them your input.

I'd really like to get this ride as popular as the Texas Ms rides. Last year we had 3000 registered riders in the Dallas ride. I was told we average only about 1000 riders per year. I'd like to raise those numbers up. So please let me know your opinions on bettering the ride, things lacking, etc...

I'll let you know what we talk about tomorrow after lunch.

Thanks for your input!

Gary

Dchiefransom

Are you talking about the Waves to Wine in Santa Rosa?

UmneyDurak

Well I think it would really liven things up, if there were some young hot chicks at the finish line.

Gee3

Yes, the Waves to Wine ride.

Any ideas you'd like to pass on, other than UmneyDurak's suggestion of hot girls at the end of the ride? lol!

Thanks!

Gee3

I had lunch with the new NorCal MS Pres. Pat Bertotti and Director of Team MS, Megan Trask, and they are going to be the new sheriffs in town. This year's ride will NOT be like the same old crap Waves to Wines rides from years past. They have really good ideas and will implement them to make this year and the years to come much better.

This year's ride starts in Crissy Fields and will cross over the Golden Gate Bridge down to Sausalito... it will also incorporate part of the routes used in the Amgen Tour of Calif., Highway 1 and so on. So it will be very scenic and exciting.

Pat worked the MS150 rides in the Houston and Dallas areas and helped to make those wildly successful. In last years Dallas ride we had over 3000 riders! They hope to build a ridership and the community involvement like they had in the Texas area. And with as many cyclists as we have out here I think they can really make this into something special.

So I am going to try and help them in any way possible so that they can accompish this.

Riding with 3000 other riders is amazing as is the accomplishment of riding 150 miles for a good cause over two days! Above that though, I learned just how many people I was acquainted with had or knew someone that had/has MS. I learned a good friend of mine had MS so last year's ride became more personal and I rode for her.

It really does open your eyes and I hope more people participate. So I'll be bugging this and other forums when the ride is getting closer to join in on the ride. I fyou don't or can't ride they are also in need of volunteers!

So again, if you have any valid suggestions, please let me know and I can relay it to them.

Thanks!
Gary

Dchiefransom

I haven't done this MS150, so I'm not sure how they are set up, but I volunteered the last two years for the Reno, Nv chapter. The better the route is marked, the easier and more fun it is for the riders. I drove SAG, and actually had a bike mechanic volunteer with me from a shop in Reno. Barring a mechanic on board, I carried extra tubes, tires, and basic tools for the riders to fix their bikes. I also had extra patch kits. Sometimes a SAG vehicle is just a vehicle with a bike rack, but when you tell a rider that you're supposed to drive back to the beginning that they can't get off that easily, because you've got a tire that they can finish on, it really makes their day. Everything I carried was my personal stuff, but donations from chain bike stores would help. The one thing that has always made a difference on every organized ride I've been on has been motorcycles helping to monitor the course.

jobob

Hi Gary -

I'm sorry I missed this thread until now, I'm very interested in how the planning for this year's W to W is progressing. Some friends & I have already formed a team & have signed up for the event.

So please keep us posted on how the planning is going!

Regards, - Jo.

(I hope the website for donations is improved, it's very confusing at the moment.)

Gee3

Thanks for the replies! I'll pass those on to Megan Trask and Pat!

Dchiefransom - They are in dire need of volunteers. Would you be willing to ride/drive a SAG vehicle or did you want to ride this year? Do you know anyone at local shops that would like to get involved and maybe sponsor and volunteer with the SAG? I know they are wanting to get in touch with local shops for sponsorships, discounts for MS riders and etc... If so, let me know their name and # and I can pass it on to Megan and she'll contact them. Or I can give them Megan's info if they'll feel more cmfortable that way.

But I'll ask about getting better support from local shpps for supplies and stuff.

jobob - I had the same request regarding the donations page. In TX we were able to personalize a link directly for ourselves. So when people wanted to donate they were guided directly to a page with our rider info and link to donate in our name. I used the link in my signatures at the end of emails and stuff. It also notified us when and who donated and what amount. It was really good. I've suggested the same for us and I beleive they said they were already trying to do something like that.

BTW, what's the name of your team? Where are you located? Do you do training rides? Can newbie's like me latch on once in a while?

I'll try my best to keep everyone informed. And if you'd like to get more involved or drop your opinions to Megan, let me know and I'll get you r her info. She is great and really nice!

Thanks again!
Gary

Dchiefransom

I'm already signed up for the ride in Tahoe on Sep 8-9. I don't have Saturday off work on the 28th, so that day is out of the question. Sunday would be the only day available. Getting off work for any meetings is also usually tough for me.
I'd approach shops like REI for sponsorship and support. Don't forget Performance Bicycle. Chain Reaction Bicycles in Redwood City and down toward San Jose are also excellent shops. Approach local bike shops in the area that the ride originates, and tracks around. It looks like the ride is basically a one way affair this year, so maybe some of the bigger shops in San Francisco and along the route.

MooBob42

It would be awesome if there could be a Northern California MS 150 as popular as the Texas ones. I've done the Houston to Austin MS 150 twice and it's an amazing experience to be on the road with 13,000 other riders.

Gee3

Cool, thanks for the response and names of the shops. I'll forward your ideas and the names to the MS people.

I also forwarded on your earlier responses and they were very appreciative and welcome anything else you all would like to add. In fact, Megan said anyone can send comments to them directly if they wish via email: Megan at Megan.Trask@nmss.org or Jessica at Jessica.Fewless@nmss.org.

Thanks again!

Gee3

WOW! 13k!!! I thought 3k at Dallas was big. You guys blow that out of the water.

Pat Bertotti, the new NorCal MS Pres was involved with Houston chapter so she knows how good these rides can be. She's hoping to build it that large one day over here.

Can you imagine 30k riders crossing the Golden Gate! That'd be nuts, but an extraordinary sight!

Dchiefransom

I haven't ridden across the Golden Gate, but routes through Wine Country are beautiful.

jobob

Gary, that is exactly what I'm hoping they would do ! I'd like to make up business-size cards with our team logo and a message along the lines of "so-and so would appreciate your support in the Waves to Wine MS 150 ride..(etc.)" along with an easy link to that person's donation page. That certainly donesn't work at this point. I'm really glad you brought that up.

It's Amici Veloci, and we're located all over Northern California. We're a bunch of friends who originally got together to ride in the Top Hat ride. Once in a while we get to ride together, but not as often as we'd like. More often than not, we're on our own.

I live in the East Bay near Fremont, and I often ride out along Calaveras Road and to Alum Rock Park in San Jose. This past weekend I finally made it up Sierra Road (yay me). I also ride over the Dumbarton Bridge to Woodside, Palo Alto & thereabouts. My husband & I tend to do our rides spur-of-the moment, but I'll post something if we have anything planned more than a couple of hours in advance

- Jo.