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View Full Version : BANQUET ORDERING NOW AVAILABLE (Payment needed by 4/29!!!)



Z
03-28-2008, 09:35 PM
Yeah, I'm shouting, 'cause time is getting short.

Please go to the rego site (http://www.travelerz.net/GrandSlamWest) and place your banquet order - payment must be received by April 29.

The Saturday night banquet will again be Canyonlands by Night, so menu is all-you-care-to-eat BBQ beef and chickent.

Price is $28/adult $18/child. This is a bit more than last year - Canyonlands is dealing with higher prices due to higher fuel costs, just like the rest of us.

While you're placing your Banquet order, you might want to check your T Shirt order, 'cause the due date for T Shirt order payments is also April 27.

wannabe_offroad
03-29-2008, 12:11 AM
Are payments for the banquet going to you this year, Tom? Or are we still sending them to Pam and Dave?

BigDaveZJ
03-29-2008, 12:11 AM
They're still going to us.

Z
03-29-2008, 12:13 AM
When you save your Banquet order, you should get a confirmation email with the payment details. Same with T Shirt orders.

Assuming you registered with a valid email address.

hoffyinaz
03-29-2008, 05:36 AM
When you save your Banquet order, you should get a confirmation email with the payment details. Same with T Shirt orders.

Assuming you registered with a valid email address.

Worked for me. All paid up.

nate
03-29-2008, 11:23 AM
What are they serving that makes an all you can eat thing $28! This a suit and tie type place?

I'm not sure I will be able to make it anyhow. With the fuel prices going up up and up, it's going to be a small fortune just for that.

fpkites
03-29-2008, 11:29 AM
Food was pretty good last year - that was where we did the sponsor door prizes too. It's actually a really neat atmosphere. Chuckwagon-type food and a nice big room. Definitely not suit and tie.

nate
03-29-2008, 11:30 AM
For $28 it better be damn good and served by topless waitresses!

BigDaveZJ
03-29-2008, 11:31 AM
And it's the cheapest and easiest options out there. We could've done it for a little less (like $5/head less), but it would've taken a LOT more work on the part of the planners where this is very simple and we know what we're getting ourselves into since we've used this place the last two years. The planner's committee is always looking for help too, so if next year you'd like to volunteer to find a better place, we can give you the fancy little "GSW Planner" tag under your username.

nate
03-29-2008, 11:34 AM
Not sure if I will be able to make it anyhow, so it's a moot point. Looking at close to $600 in fuel right now....

BigDaveZJ
03-29-2008, 11:36 AM
We've used Zak's before. It's too small for 80 people, and getting individual checks for 80 people is a major PITA that the restaurants don't want to deal with. And the time we used Zak's it was still $20 a head, and that was 3-4 years ago IIRC.

AprilzWarrior
03-29-2008, 11:38 AM
For $28 it better be damn good and served by topless waitresses!



:smt044 :smt044 :smt044 :smt044



:smt023

nate
03-29-2008, 11:43 AM
Last time I ate there it was last fall and it was a little over $20 for me and my brother, but I guess with a group they up the price?

Honestly I'm not a fan of restaurants, hotels, etc when I'm wheeling. I love camping out and sitting around a campfire cooking burgers and hot dogs while chuggin beers.

Guess I am just too country for most you all city slickers or something. haha.



We've used Zak's before. It's too small for 80 people, and getting individual checks for 80 people is a major PITA that the restaurants don't want to deal with. And the time we used Zak's it was still $20 a head, and that was 3-4 years ago IIRC.

Big thing for me right now is $$$. I might have to use that rebate thing from the GOV for fuel to make it down.

Z
03-29-2008, 11:52 AM
Guys -

If you are worried about the price of the banquet this year, I'm sure that Pam would be more than willing to give banquet planning duties over to you for 2009.

Bottom line (like Dave mentioned) the only way we found to get this cheaper is if we have a lot of volunteer effort (i.e. some form of pot luck). This added effort would seriously reduce the amount of time those volunteers could actually spend enjoying the event.

But, I could be wrong. If you think you can do better, sign up for 2009, we'd love to have you!

nate
03-29-2008, 01:21 PM
Hey, I was just wondering if it was a fancy meal... have to dress up... or if it just was a spendy jeans and T Shirt place.

My idea....
You guys could charge $50 per person to sign up like many events to and throw in the meal, a T Shirt and maybe a sticker or two in as part of the deal and people would sign up left and right.... and you'd make a few $$s to throw back into MallCrawlin.

Z
03-29-2008, 02:06 PM
Hey, I was just wondering if it was a fancy meal... have to dress up... or if it just was a spendy jeans and T Shirt place.

My idea....
You guys could charge $50 per person to sign up like many events to and throw in the meal, a T Shirt and maybe a sticker or two in as part of the deal and people would sign up left and right.... and you'd make a few $$s to throw back into MallCrawlin.

Well, the eco-weenies may force our hand on this next year (due to new event size limitations the BLM will eventually adopt), but that wasn't what GSW is/was supposed to be about.

As soon as we start charging, then we need insurance, environmental impact crap and it takes the required organizational effort to a whole different level.

ArloGuthroJeep
03-29-2008, 05:34 PM
Fawck, $28 for BBQ...Oh well I go there to hang out with people, not for the food.

Bustin' Loose
03-30-2008, 08:52 PM
Thanks Tom for getting this posted. And thanks again for the time and effort you put into getting the ordering to work from the GSW Website.

I understand that the $28 is higher than last year and it does make it more difficult for everyone, especially those of us on a budget but as Tom said, if anyone thinks they can do better, I'm more than willing to turn the duties over to you. The Banquet is a PITA.

Trying to find a new location is extremely time consuming and I don't have the time. Not to mention I'm pretty sure you'll be hard pressed to find anyplace cheaper. This is not just dinner with some friends. This is a Banquet. It is a catered event for upwards of 65 people. Most catered meals with facilities start well above $28/head. Add to that the deposit most places want up front and it get's ugly. As it is, I have already forked over $250 for the deposit at Canyonlands out of my pocket. Most places want much more and I don't know about you but the $250 out of my pocket for the next month till people start paying for the banquet to reimburse me is more than enough.

But feel free to prove me wrong...I'll start taking inquires for taking over banquet planning duties immediately.

fpkites
03-30-2008, 09:08 PM
Pam, thank you so much for dealing with the banquet headaches as well as all the other stuff you do for GSW. I've only seen a fraction of what the planners do, and I'm floored.

I'm absolutely honored to be able to partake in the activities at GSW. Sure it's an expense, but I take it on for the experience. The banquet is definitely a great time.

Honestly, a potluck or BBQ elsewhere would be a royal pain in the ass for 50 drivers plus guests. Somebody has to man the grill, somebody has to make sure there are utensils, napkins, plates, drinks, etc. Fawk that. I'm willing to spend $28 per adult and $18 per kid so that somebody else can handle that shit.

Think of the cost as raffle tickets man! Our sponsors spend huge bucks to give us shit at the banquet. You definitely get your money's worth in SWAG at the door prize drawings. And you also get to tip a beer with your trail mates....well, the ones that may not be staying at the same lodging as you :D The ones at your hotel/campground, you get smashed with every night :rofl:

BigDaveZJ
03-30-2008, 09:23 PM
Hey Jim, I think you got some brown shit on your nose. :flipoff2:

Cue-Ball
03-30-2008, 09:35 PM
I was thinking the same thing Dave.

fpkites
03-30-2008, 10:05 PM
Hey Jim, I think you got some brown shit on your nose. :flipoff2:

Just hittin' on your wife Dave :rofl:

Bustin' Loose
03-30-2008, 10:07 PM
Thanks Jim. I appreciate it. :)

I don't want to make it sound like everyone complains, it is just that the ones that do, do it so loudly. :(

Just as a reminder to everyone, (this is not directed at anyone) GSW is organized and planned by volunteers. We get absolutely nothing out of this. We volunteer our time and energy so that 50 rigs can come out to Moab and play with friends that most of us only see once a year in Moab.

It is not just the banquet. . . It is the T-shirts that Tom handled for 10 years and finally passed onto Matt, Sandy every year goes to vendors and asks for donations for the banquet, Keith reserving and paying for the park that we do the M&G at on Thursday nights, John & Keith leading Spike every year and dealing with the complaints because we have to limit the number of rigs on that trail, and all the other trail leaders that go through the effort of making sure each one of the participants has a fun and safe experience on the trail. Some of the trail leaders end up doing the same trail year over year just to make sure the popular trails that everyone wants to do each year are covered.

So, before anyone here on MC post up a complaint about GSW, think about how much you have contributed to making GSW happen. If there is something you don't like about GSW, give us reasonable suggestions for alternatives. Or, better yet, volunteer to help. It is easy to throw out suggestions. It is entirely different to come up with your time to put towards getting something done.

fpkites
03-30-2008, 11:00 PM
Nicely put Pam - definitely well said.

ArloGuthroJeep
03-30-2008, 11:03 PM
I figure I am allowed to complain, two years ago on the feedback form I put down "Contact me, I want to volunteer for next years GSW planning" and I didn't hear anything. Last year I never saw a feedback form:flipoff2:

I don't think anyone is complaining about the planners not doing a great job, I think it is more general bitching - everything is costing more and it is catching up. I'll be curious what the actual turnout this year is due to gas prices...

Z
03-30-2008, 11:22 PM
I figure I am allowed to complain, two years ago on the feedback form I put down "Contact me, I want to volunteer for next years GSW planning" and I didn't hear anything. Last year I never saw a feedback form:flipoff2:


Guess who just volunteered to be the Feedback Form / Contacting New Volunteers guy!!!!!

Welcome aboard, glad to have you!!!!!

BigDaveZJ
03-30-2008, 11:36 PM
Guess who just volunteered to be the Feedback Form / Contacting New Volunteers guy!!!!!

Welcome aboard, glad to have you!!!!!


He's even got a fancy GSW Planner tag now too!

ArloGuthroJeep
03-31-2008, 12:03 AM
Hahaha, that bit me in the ass:) There a template I should use or should I let my uber-creative engineering side come out?

Sandy R
03-31-2008, 12:53 AM
With the exception of your own personal expenses to get to Moab and stay in Moab everything else is strictly voluntary. We have absolutely no fees of any kind whatsoever. The t-shirts and banquet are totally optional. Nobody registered should feel obligated to buy a t-shirt or attend the banquet if money is an issue and certainly no offense will be taken by any of the planners if participants pass on the shirt and/or banquet. The main activity is the wheeling.

Z
03-31-2008, 12:57 AM
Hahaha, that bit me in the ass:) There a template I should use or should I let my uber-creative engineering side come out?

Hey man, thanks for being a good sport about it.

If you have the time, it be kinda nice to have you come up with your own survey - to get a new perspective on it. However, if you get stuck or don't have the time, contact Sandy R.

ArloGuthroJeep
03-31-2008, 01:09 AM
Glad to help, I don't have anything to do at work this week really so I should be able to get something whipped up fairly quickly.

Ok, hijack over, I'll take my future complaining-turned-planner to another forum:flipoff2:

PassRunnerZJ
03-31-2008, 01:43 AM
Tom, you are going to update the shirt ordering page correct? I saw the date of the 27th and had to go back and read the beginning of this post.

Sandy R
03-31-2008, 08:16 AM
Glad to help, I don't have anything to do at work this week really so I should be able to get something whipped up fairly quickly.

Ok, hijack over, I'll take my future complaining-turned-planner to another forum:flipoff2:

Ryan,
If you'll take responsibility for distribution and collection at the banquet, I'll bring the ones that we've used in the past----or as Tom suggested, you can develop a new one.

Cue-Ball
03-31-2008, 10:47 AM
I think people in general just LIKE to bitch about something.

ArloGuthroJeep
03-31-2008, 11:28 AM
Ryan,
If you'll take responsibility for distribution and collection at the banquet, I'll bring the ones that we've used in the past----or as Tom suggested, you can develop a new one.

Sure I'll take over distribution and collection. I am fine with either way. I can use the existing ones, or make up a new one - what ever you think is best:smt023

Bustin' Loose
04-08-2008, 08:27 PM
Just a quick bump as a reminder that there are only a few weeks left to RSVP and pay for the banquet. It is coming quicker than normal so if you plan on attending get your RSVP & Payment in!

Thanks!!!

ArloGuthroJeep
04-08-2008, 09:57 PM
The latest "reminder" email said payments were do at the end of this week for tshirts/banquet yet everything else says end of April...Doesn't matter as I already paid today but the real deadline is end of April correct?

BigDaveZJ
04-08-2008, 10:21 PM
Email I got:



Come one come all!!!
Just as a reminder that the deadline for RSVP'ing and paying for the banquet is 4/27. It is a little earlier than normal since GSW is earlier than normal. I know the price has increased a bit but it is lots of fun, there are fantastic FREE give-aways and you have to be present to win.
So come on out for a night of fun with fellow participants. The food is good, the company is good and you get FREE STUFF.
Thanks!!!!
Pam

ArloGuthroJeep
04-09-2008, 12:11 AM
!!!!!!!!!!!!! LAST WEEK FOR BANQUET AND TSHIRT PAYMENTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:p
...........

BigDaveZJ
04-09-2008, 09:46 AM
Huh, I didn't get that email. Oh well!