Rock Hill Velodrome leased for 2022?
02-16-22, 11:03 AM
#26
Senior Member
We need a hedge fund kind of person to be into track and throw some change at a couple tracks. Few million here and there would work miracles for velodromes.
Point of context, a (grown) rider posted the house his parents were selling. $35m. It was on Zillow. Cost to own per month, $177k. PER MONTH. Without staff or heating oil or supplies - this is just Zillow stuff, property taxes, mortgage, estimated insurance. Someone asked if you needed full time staff for the house. "When I was there we had one house keeper, one grounds keeper, and one stone mason." Three kitchens. I thought it said three bathrooms at first so I glossed over it, then I realized, oh, that says kitchens! Couple buildings. Private gasoline fill station because, you know, that's better than waiting in line at a gas station. Some other stuff. $2k a month for someone like that would be, I dunno, the lease on one Range Rover.
To be clear, he's not the one with the money. He rides a 20 year old bike or something and works in food services. Catering. Jeepers, couldn't think of the word.
Point of context, a (grown) rider posted the house his parents were selling. $35m. It was on Zillow. Cost to own per month, $177k. PER MONTH. Without staff or heating oil or supplies - this is just Zillow stuff, property taxes, mortgage, estimated insurance. Someone asked if you needed full time staff for the house. "When I was there we had one house keeper, one grounds keeper, and one stone mason." Three kitchens. I thought it said three bathrooms at first so I glossed over it, then I realized, oh, that says kitchens! Couple buildings. Private gasoline fill station because, you know, that's better than waiting in line at a gas station. Some other stuff. $2k a month for someone like that would be, I dunno, the lease on one Range Rover.
To be clear, he's not the one with the money. He rides a 20 year old bike or something and works in food services. Catering. Jeepers, couldn't think of the word.
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"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
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02-18-22, 08:03 AM
#28
Newbie
Makes sense. That would have been a quick lesson - as prep for Nationals I did a recon trip to TTown the week before and did the Tues and Sat races. No certs needed, no nothing, just raced. If Nationals had been at a 250, well, in a TT maybe it's not required (?) but I wouldn't have been able to do much otherwise. Might be worth traveling to Rock Hill if they are open just to get the cert. My good friend (long time teammate, leadout man, and fellow car/kart fan) has family there, and when I mentioned there was a track somewhere in the Carolinas, his wife looked it up on the. phone, realized it was near family, she told him in no uncertain terms that if Nationals was ever at Rock Hill that he and I would go for "a guy's week out" and I'd race that track, kart, and do whatever else we want.
I doubt that the initial proposal/plan ever assumed that the RH velodrome would ever be a source of revenue for the city; in fact, I am sure that the whole thing was developed and planned with 99% support of tax payer money. With this is mind, I think its interesting that the lease option is being offered. It is a way to offset costs–I don't think it is an unreasonable request. Whats the other option? Charge more for a membership, right? Well, if people are hardly using the thing to begin with...there goes your population. Hopefully, a club picks it up and at least runs grassroots races. The USAC stuff seems far gone for this season at this point.
02-18-22, 08:16 AM
#29
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It is a good question as RH is close enough to Charlotte metro area to be a no excuses close enough location to go race/ride it.
I wish they'd consider a "Mellowdrome" style track at Dix park in Raleigh with the work they're doing in there the coming years. Something with a mild bank and big enough distance that more folks can ride it, but still host race events also.
I wish they'd consider a "Mellowdrome" style track at Dix park in Raleigh with the work they're doing in there the coming years. Something with a mild bank and big enough distance that more folks can ride it, but still host race events also.
02-18-22, 08:40 AM
#30
Newbie
It is a good question as RH is close enough to Charlotte metro area to be a no excuses close enough location to go race/ride it.
I wish they'd consider a "Mellowdrome" style track at Dix park in Raleigh with the work they're doing in there the coming years. Something with a mild bank and big enough distance that more folks can ride it, but still host race events also.
I wish they'd consider a "Mellowdrome" style track at Dix park in Raleigh with the work they're doing in there the coming years. Something with a mild bank and big enough distance that more folks can ride it, but still host race events also.
There was a significant event that occurred during the training race that put it on the radar of the city as an extreme liability. This event inspired the requirement of some sort of police presence to regulate the very, very tiny amount of traffic that is present in this very, very tiny loop that I guess could be considered a business park. This requirement is expensive, so there is now a membership-based participation system that requires $200 as the cost for entry (annually). There are about 100 to 130 slots to register; I believe ~100 people are paid up. Anyway, in an effort to fund this requirement, and potentially reduce the amount of riff-raff of an open category hammer fest, people are paying. I paid...so yeah. It is just something the community had to invest in to keep a good thing going.
The point is...why won't people do the same for RH? Is it lack of outreach? You can only lead a horse to water....
The training crit I described would attract the same demographic of racers. I am also willing to bet that 85% of those participating in Orr Rd have been certified on the track. I know there are the constraints of having a track bike, so I'll just put that out there for argument's and to get that over with.
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02-18-22, 09:16 AM
#31
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I mean, I got mine for $250. Sure alloy city fixies with a drop bar isn't fancy, but folks spend $5k on road bikes they just ride on group rides. People try that argument with TT bikes also, nobody wants to buy another bike or cost. And I just roll my eyes knowing what people spend on bikes otherwise. Don't spend $5k on your roadie and spread the butter across the toast to own one each.
I do feel like despite social media's power, that there's still this mass chaos disorganization of group rides and announcements and events. Every group locally has a Facebook group with a calendar or posts but you have to know all the groups to add to your feed, if you don't you don't see it.
I feel like when there were more traffic on state-wide chat forums versus social media that it was a one-stop-shop on events and notices. Everyone went to one place to post up. Now it's like herding cats.
For club informal TT I have to follow the Chapel Hill Google group. I have a Raleigh Facebook group. My team has a page that they use for the big local weeknight worlds. Another team or group has theirs. Back in the day all those would probably be on one big local cycling forum together.
Just a theory.
I do feel like despite social media's power, that there's still this mass chaos disorganization of group rides and announcements and events. Every group locally has a Facebook group with a calendar or posts but you have to know all the groups to add to your feed, if you don't you don't see it.
I feel like when there were more traffic on state-wide chat forums versus social media that it was a one-stop-shop on events and notices. Everyone went to one place to post up. Now it's like herding cats.
For club informal TT I have to follow the Chapel Hill Google group. I have a Raleigh Facebook group. My team has a page that they use for the big local weeknight worlds. Another team or group has theirs. Back in the day all those would probably be on one big local cycling forum together.
Just a theory.
02-23-22, 09:16 PM
#32
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Really like the Crit course, wish the river walk was at least 3x longer but think the hills on it make up for some of the length, and wish I'd known of the BMX track. I'd have brought my middle kid and let him play, though that might have resulted in the reminder that he really needs a Jr if not Expert size at this point. Really sweet setup here.
04-18-22, 01:41 PM
#33
Newbie
Grassroots races are on the schedule for Thursday nights and one USAC style (not USAC sanctioned!) Grassroots day on the last Saturday of the month. I went out last Tuesday...it was good to be back.
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04-18-22, 07:06 PM
#34
Senior Member
Thread Starter
i will prob come up Fri afternoon to make the 4pm open track, then Sat Grassroots as well.
the schedule for April is such that i cant make Th eve Grassroots, then wait all day until the track opens at 4pm. hope that changes!
-Robin
04-24-22, 02:32 PM
#35
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I've done a couple of the Grassroots races this year. First time "racing" so it's been a good experience. Very laid back and everyone there has been helpful. I've been off the bike for 2 years so I'm still working on getting my legs back and suffering doing so. LOL I would definitely recommend coming out regardless of experience level and have some fun on the track. We had a good turnout this past Thursday and, of course, the more the merrier.
04-27-22, 07:04 AM
#36
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I am retired and costs for *everything* have gone up so much I have very little “play money” left at the end of the month.
I live in Charleston, 200mi and three hour trip, so I stay over Fri nite. Its the gasoline, really, $120 R/T in my gas guzzling GMC 1-ton pickup. Plus $60 to stay at the rancid Motel 6.
Bummer.
-Robin
