Saturday, August 01, 2015

Announcing Trans Iowa V12

Trans Iowa V12 will be April 23rd-24th: See if you can slay the dragon!
Okay nutcases! Here is the announcement you have been waiting for. Trans Iowa will happen once again next Spring.

I don't have a lot more to add right at the moment, but I do have a big change to discuss with you in terms of registration, especially for the Rookie Class. As some may recall, there were several with hurt feelings about how that registration process went down last year and many were angry about not getting in due to snafus of various sorts. There were cries of foul regarding those who were at the door of the shop walking in entries, and cries of foul over how some entities handled over-nighted entries. There were people risking their lives driving, and in one case, riding a bicycle, several hours just to get an entry to me the day the Rookie Class opened up.

I took everything into consideration, took a lot of criticism behind the scenes into account, as well as some speculation well after the fact, and I have come up with a plan to revamp registration for the Rookies. This may apply someday to the Vet Class as well, but for now, their numbers do not warrant this plan. Here are the specifics:
  • There will no longer be any "overnight" entries accepted from FedEx, UPS, etc. 
  • There will no longer be any "gift" type entries accepted including flowers, beer, liquor, etc. 
  • There will no longer be any "walk in" entries accepted. 
  • All entries will be sent in on a post card. ONE CARD PER PERSON!
  • All entries will be accepted via USPS REGULAR MAIL ONLY!! NO PRIORITY, OVER NIGHT EXPRESS, OR CERTIFIED MAIL. 
  • There will be a window of time for all that want to send in an entry for Trans Iowa.
  • Once the window for entry is closed, A DRAWING FOR THE 40 ROOKIE SPOTS WILL BE HELD. The drawing will be random and the drawing will be final. There will be no appeals or substitutions.
To recap: WE WILL NO LONGER DO REGISTRATION FOR ROOKIES IN THE OLD MANNER. The lottery drawing method will be employed to make the way to get into T.I.V12 as fair as possible for the new folks to the event. Don't hold me to it, but I may put the drawing live on the internet. I'm looking into that. Anyway, this is for the 40 Rookie spots only! Someday this may happen for Vets as well.

Finisher and Veteran registration: Registration will be by post card only! As for now, over nighted packages will still be allowed. I would suggest that folks DO NOT USE FED EX as they screwed up more than a few guys and gals registrations last year. Just a Pro tip there for ya. NO WALK IN DELIVERIES. Everything will be by post card.

Details will be announced at a later date. Registration dates will also be announced at a later date. Stay tuned. Questions? Hit the comments or my e-mail at g.ted.productions@gmail.com

8 comments:

Brian said...

May the odds be ever in your favor! -- nailed it.

Unknown said...

If there's going to be a window where you'll be receiving post cards and then a random drawing after that window closes (I think this is a great way to do it), why does it matter how the post card arrives (USPS, UPS, FedEx, walk in, or Mr. McFeely's Speedy Delivery)? It seems to me the great thing about the random drawing is that it eliminates the guessing game about delivery method - no more "How long with it take the post office to get a post card to Iowa?" or "If I overnight it, will the UPS guy get to the shop first or FedEx?" or "Why should I bother with the mail when I have to go into the shop to buy a tube anyway? I can just hand that crazy Trans Iowa organizer my post card when I see him."

eBikeADV said...

Wow! It almost seems like you didn't spend all that much time deliberating on whether or not to hold TIV12. When did you actually decide in your mind to hold a 12th?

Guitar Ted said...

@Nick Templeton: I would counter with this: Treat all entrants equal. So ALL must use the same mechanism to enter. Also- Why not use standard sized post cards so that all have an equal chance of being drawn in the lottery? And- Why not make everyone use USPS since (a)the cost would be the same for all, and (b) there would be only one system that could possibly lose the cards, not three or more. Furthermore, it has been my observation that the USPS has been the most reliable option anyway. Finally,you may have missed that I wrote there would be no more hand delivered entries.

The upshot to all of this speculation is that NO DETAILS FOR REGISTRATION HAVE BEEN RELEASED YET. The method has been announced for the Rookies, but nothing more. I could change my mind, and some things are not even finalized, so any take away here is pretty much pure speculation at this point.

Once again, I will say- Stay tuned..........

Guitar Ted said...

@STW: You didn't think I would let the last Trans Iowa be only 54 miles long, did you?

Unknown said...

@Guitar Ted, I fully understand that you're disallowing hand deliveries. My only point is that I think the random drawing is a huge and welcome improvement in the registration process and with it the limitations on post card delivery method are unnecessary. Obviously, it's your call and you've already made it, so this is all moot anyway.

Guitar Ted said...

@Nick Templeton- Just trying to eliminate any potential cries of "unfair". If everyone has to do it the same way, that goes a long way in eliminating that, yes? I think so.

Mr. Anderson said...

I want to be a rookie. Hello me be a rookie.