STP sold out April 16 this year
 

According to the Cascade Bicycle Club's registration page, the Seattle to Portland ride's 10,000 registrations have all been sold. This happened about 2 months earlier than last year, when they sold out 2 weeks earlier than the year before. It is said that in the late 80's-early 90's, pre-on-line sales, there were some years when the 5,000 or so registrations sold in 4 weeks.

IF you wanted to register, but didn't get around to it, there might be some registrations available no earlier than 29 days before July 17th. People who have registered have until 30 days prior to turn registrations in for a 75% refund, and CBC might make those available for resale. The process of privately selling registrations, followed up by a transfer administered by CBC, won't be in effect this year.

I figured that the change on registration transfers would accelerate the sellout, but didn't think it would happen this quickly. So, what are some possible explanations?

1. People really want to ride the STP, and they signed up. That's simple. Lots of people want to be on the same roads as 9,999 others (plus the medical support riders, etc.) for one or two days. [Those riders from the early 90's are taking their children for the experience, hooray!]
2. People want to do the right thing, and not bootleg a private registration transfer via Craigs List or whatever, and they weren't assured of a source for a transfer in June, so they signed up earlier.
3. With a guaranteed market to resell their registration (CBC, until mid-June), folks registered earlier; the uncertainty about "will I be able to get my money back in a private transfer?" went away, at least until the cut-off.

I'll see the other 9,999 of you on the road to Portland in July ... well, actually since I'm doing a one-day ride, I'll probably just see about 3,499 of you!