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Wednesday, May 22, 2019

C.O.G. 100 Announcements

Never mind that date, by the way.
Today I guess we are announcing that we are intending on doing the C.O.G. 100 again. Yep! So, I was bantering about with N.Y. Roll the other day and he asked me to go fishing for ideas from you, dear readers. N.Y. Roll wants me to float some ideas for the next C.O.G. 100, so, by definition, that means we are doing it again, and by definition that means this is an announcement. 

So, there is that at least.

Anyway, for now there are a few things that will not be negotiable concerning the next C.O.G. 100. They are the following:
  • Single Speed bicycles only.
  • Self-supported 
  • Self-navigated by cue sheet. 
  • Same time of year.
  • New Course out of Grinnell
We are playing with a couple ideas that are negotiable, or could be eliminated from consideration altogether if there is enough outcry. I will list these after giving the reasons we are considering the idea. So, the following are ideas under consideration! They are not necessarily going to be implemented!

First, N.Y. Roll is a veteran of the Military. So, he is thinking about allowing any veteran of the armed services free entry into the event.
  • Veterans may get to enter the C.O.G. 100 for no fee. 
It would be cool if the past Champions of the event would come back to defend their titles.
  • Past Champions (Male & Female) from the previous year's C.O.G. 100 get free entry
We enjoyed having the pre-event sign-in and post event festivities at the Peace Tree Tap Room.
  • Have pre and post event gatherings at Peace Tree Tap Room again. 
Having a distance of 100-ish miles is good for determining a State Single Speed Champion, but maybe others would attend if there were a different distance, shorter, and NOT FOR RACING.  You'd still have to be single speed, but this would just be for fun.
  • Have a 30-50 mile course for single speeders that just want to have a fun ride. There would be a fee to enter and you would have to have a single speed bike. It is a single speed event, after all. 
Okay, there are some things to chew on. If we don't get any comments or suggestions, we're going to just do whatever we want and you'll either come and enjoy that or be left to your own devices the day we run this event.

NOTE: This event isn't for everyone, and that's okay. We aren't out to make everyone happy, and even those that choose to come may not end up being happy. That's the way things go in Life. So, if you are thinking of ideas that veer off the path we are setting, or are contradictory to the spirit of this event, then you may as well move on. This event is not for you. If you, on the other hand, kind of dig where this is headed, and have some good tweaks or other ideas you think would fit the mold we have cast, rave on. We want to hear from you.
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15 comments:

  1. CrossTrail6:51 AM

    It all sounds good. Especially the part about NY Roll and Guitar Ted hosting another C.O.G. 100.

    Build it. They will come.

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  2. x3speed7:18 AM

    Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The 30-50 miler would be cool. I think my support person(Dad) would ride that while I raced the 100. Thanks again for putting this on, I loved it!

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  3. Ari7:33 AM

    I think a short distance would give new riders a flavor of such a ride. Great idea.
    Ari

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  4. Rydn9ers7:54 AM

    My 2¢ FWIW. I love the veterans idea, always good to give back to those who serve or have served. I also am a big fan of multiple distance options, only caveat on that is if the weather ends up being a suckfest like this year there might be a ton of folks wanting to transfer last minute... I suppose you could implement a no transfer policy though.

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  5. DT7:57 AM

    agreed, all suggestions mentioned sound good!

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  6. Michael8:15 AM

    A 50 mile fun ride would be great.

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  7. Iowagriz8:53 AM

    Since I'm moving out of state and not likely able to attend in the coming years. I'd propose a "ride along". Allow me to pay to sponsor a Vet - I get my name alongside theirs on their number plate and they take me along for the ride.

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  8. eBikeADV10:25 AM

    Would you be willing to ditch the number plates up front, somehow? :)

    As for shorter distance, sounds cool. But I'd still want to try for 100 miles again!

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  9. Guitar Ted10:44 AM

    @PedalingPower- Well played, Sir. ;>)

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  10. Guitar Ted10:46 AM

    @Iowagriz- Interesting concept. We will definitely take that into consideration.

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  11. Guitar Ted10:49 AM

    @Rydn9ers- Yes- a no transfer policy keeps people from non-committing. We would definitely implement that policy if we add the short distance ride. People could not transfer after a certain pre-determined date. Say a month out, or before, you could transfer, but not afterward. We will be looking at that and make a decision. It all depends upon how we format the short distance ride.

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  12. teamdarb12:41 PM

    Yes, do it again. Same format, but in reverse direction. No, to "dumbing down" to less miles. The option is simple enough to take the DNF at the start to do what you feel you can. The Vet discount option would be better served in place of buying a shirt, hat, or poster. Make the Vet option a set rate to be donated/presented to local VFW organization or such. Everyone pays the same for entry to the event. Simple.

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  13. Bob6:44 PM

    Just for fun?

    add two events, the C.O.G. 50 and C.O.G 25 to accommodate differing capabilities
    nix the timer and call the participants in the new events riders rather than racers
    have a single cutoff time for all events, the same cutoff time for all participants
    mix it up since life is full of obstacles, send the C.O.G 25 riders out first, followed by the C.O.G. 50 riders, and then the C.O.G. 100 racers
    make a special call out to the C.O.G. 25 and C.O.G 50 finishers as they just completed something very special to them and their families
    congratulate yourself for helping the community have fun while broadening the base

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  14. Big D Shadravan8:38 AM

    I'm just super happy to hear this event is happening again, looking forward to it. Peace Tree was perfect location for pre and post race. And yes, the vets idea is great.

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  15. blooddoc2311:49 AM

    It was a great event at a very reasonable price! The weather was harsh but hey, it was March. And it didn't snow. Id keep it the same maybe a shorter ride for those that want.

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