PDA

View Full Version : GSSE-W Feedback



SirFuego
02-23-2010, 12:54 PM
I had a great time at GSSE-W this year. It was a long drive, but in all honesty, it really wasn't that bad. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the weekend still kicking in, but the driving was pretty manageable.

Like I said, I had a great time and thought everything went pretty well, but here is some feedback I'd like to offer

1) Friday was basically a "your on your own" day -- which is what I was expecting. I really don't have a problem with that as long as the venue has a map (which I'd be hardpressed to believe other places don't).

2) I was under the impression that we wanted to be aired down and ready to rock by 9AM on Saturday. Now I was admittedly late as well (got in around 9:15 because I needed to head back to the hotel to pick something up), so I'm guilty of not adhering to that either, but I'm just bringing it up because since we all weren't staying in the same place, we should probably be a bit better organized with this so folks aren't waiting around for others to show up.

3) The pre-grouping thread was definitely a good idea. While I don't think we adhered to it, it at least gave us an idea of the rigs to look for in the parking lot to group up with. It was REALLY nice having a leader that knew his way around (thanks, Scott!).

4) Small groups = good. We were in a group of 3 on Friday and Sunday and had about 7-9 rigs on Saturday. I've always thought that a group of 3-6 rigs is ideal, but the Saturday group size was really good. I like the idea of trying to keep groups of similarly-built rigs under 10 in the future.

5) I like the idea of a "roaming" GSSE-W. Coal Creek was great, but for folks like myself who have a long trip, it'd give us a good excuse to try out other parks in the Southeast.

ATL ZJ
02-23-2010, 01:50 PM
Thanks for the feedback. Obviously we want everyone to have a smooth day on the trail, but in keeping with the tradition behind these events, we are not going to police anyone or keep tabs on every single group all the time. It's just reality that someone will always be running 10 minutes late. Saturday that was me, and the guys I was running with were patient enough to stand around long enough to wait for me and my passenger to roll up.

This year I think we had about 5 groups over the course of the day on Saturday. The groups running the more extreme trails have sometimes been more hesitant to name a single "trail leader," but as these events grow in size and the same faces keep showing up again and again, some groups may want to nominate a certain person to navigate the way scott apparently did.

I'd like to hear more input on the idea of a rotating event. I think the Windrock location draws a lot of Grand guys from TN that might or might not make the drive to somewhere else like Golden Mtn. or Mountain City. I think places like uwharrie and jellico would be out because they only cater to a certain group and there would be nothing for half of the attendees to run at one or the other.

Of course any other feedback, negative or positive, is welcome also.

zjeepin
02-23-2010, 02:55 PM
first off, thank you to everyone that came and brought your accomodating attitudes..

i hate to say it but i think we need to start holding a "drivers meeting" at gsse events. it will probably have to be on saturday morning due to the crowd that doesn't get in until late friday or saturday morning. that way we can ensure that each group has a "leader" (person that won't get them lost) as the event grows in attendance more formality will be required to ensure everyone has a good time...

we did alot of quick decisions this year due to lack of organization/breakage/rigs not being ready/relack of people being familiar with WR.

I think the majority of attendees on this trip will be able to find their way around the next time we are at WR. so that won't be such a problem in the future..

cam and I will be working together to improve these events and hopefully taking them to a new level of fun for everyone. so please post your feedback, good bad or ugly..

personally i think a rotating event would be awesome, there are alot of parks that ive never been to, heck we could vote on where to go each time..

thanks again to everyone that came, it was my pleasure meeting everyone, looking forward to the next go-round!

Trey

OverkillZJ
02-23-2010, 03:11 PM
Thanks for those that organized it - even as a passenger I had a blast.

A drivers meeting wouldn't be a bad idea at all - with people staying at different places (and me at two apparently) it was hard to figure out what to do, our group was very lucky to run into someone who knew the trails and willing to lead us around - otherwise we'd have been trying to figure out that blasted map again.

Rotating event would be kind of neat, but I can understand if those that organize it don't want to since it would take more time each year instead of getting into the "groove" of one place.

PS whoever took my bed at the cabin, we've got words! Not really, since Jared was my ride the floor of his hotel room ended up working out better anyway.

Pearce
02-23-2010, 03:22 PM
I have no idea what time I ended up at the trail but I know I was one of the late ones. Need to do better with that.

Anyway, when Tim and I organized the GSSE in Tellico for the first few years we always did a pre run of all the trials about a month before. Of course that was easy for us living so close. But, in the future I would be more than happy to be part of a pre-run group. I have no problem leaving early Saturday morning, spending the night Saturday night and then leaving Sunday afternoon in an attempt to scope out some trails for each group. Then using that info to break us all up. With the right instructions and a map we could show a group where to go even if they were all new to an area. And if these places were anything like Tellico the trails changed from year to year. And if there was a crew very local to the event location it would be great for them to join us like Scott did this past weekend. I attempted to lead a group but didn't know anything past 15, LOL. We saw Scott take off and joined him.

I'll also help out on roaming location options since I am one pushing for it. :D

SirFuego
02-23-2010, 03:22 PM
otherwise we'd have been trying to figure out that blasted map again.

The topographic map of Tennesee that takes up half of my trailer when unfolded? :D Seriously, though, I guess I'm just not used to the distances between the trails and obstacles. I think the thing that threw me off the most is that most of the "moderate" trails are pretty long, but the major obstacles aren't until the end of each trail. So the map seemed a bit deceiving when we drive 15 minutes on a "moderate" trail that was basically a dirt road until the end that had some really cool obstacles. That's a bit different than where I'm used to wheeling, so it threw me off a bit and made me second-guess the map.

I didn't even try to see if there was anything for us on the other side of the park since 95% of the trails over there seemed to be closed to Jeep traffic.

ATL ZJ
02-23-2010, 03:35 PM
Matt, can you add Pearce to the GSSE organizers' forum?

One thing that I think could make the event go better is to delegate different jobs to different organizers. 90% of the work I do happens behind a computer, so it is very easy for me to handle the pre-event organizing, but once I get to the trail I'm eager to wheel and focused on driving. Maybe there is someone else who could do a better job of making sure everyone is grouped up and knows what's going on. I always forget or I guess just assume that everyone is an old pro and doesn't need any guidance from me.

Over the next few months I am sure we will develop a plan and go public with it once the details are worked out... but keep the suggestions flowing.

ATL ZJ
02-23-2010, 03:40 PM
PS whoever took my bed at the cabin, we've got words! Not really, since Jared was my ride the floor of his hotel room ended up working out better anyway.

Yeah sorry you did not easily find a sleeping spot, but glad it worked out. We ended up having empty beds, and spots in double beds, both nights. The first night the sofa bed was empty and the second night Sean abandoned a top bunk to escape some world record snoring.

OverkillZJ
02-23-2010, 03:40 PM
Matt, can you add Pearce to the GSSE organizers' forum?

He should be able to access it now.

ATL ZJ
02-23-2010, 04:06 PM
He should be able to access it now.

thanks!

zjeepin
02-23-2010, 04:20 PM
i was thinking of a pre-run also.. we could probably do it with one or two rigs to keep the costs down also depending on the location of the event..

during the pre-run we would be able to establish landmarks to better our ability to direct groups..

Sporer65
02-23-2010, 04:53 PM
I know I'm in the minority here, but I don't like the idea of a rotating location. After last year's unofficial one and this years, one thing I have noticed is that when you go somewhere new, it is hard to pick out which trails you want to run and who is going to lead the group. That leads to less time on the trail and more time figuring out what to do.

OverkillZJ
02-23-2010, 05:01 PM
Then again, with a GSSE and GSSE-W that coule be "rotating "enough just bouncing back and forth. Just thinking out loud.

WJvol
02-23-2010, 06:29 PM
I like both....I would definitely like to check out other places in the southeast, maybe we could have one rotating event a year and one steady at harlan or windrock or something. Honestly I like wheeling and I enjoyed the opportunity to meet alot of yall so I don't particularly care where it is, I'll do my best to be there. I know in our 31-33s group I lead a lot and I was pretty miserable at it, but we all had similar knowledge of the place (joe and dave knew it best I think) and did ok finding our way around.

S-10 Seanzy
02-23-2010, 11:03 PM
The first night the sofa bed was empty and the second night Sean abandoned a top bunk to escape some world record snoring.

That's the understatement of the century! Thanks alot Kirby.:flipoff2:

OverkillZJ
02-23-2010, 11:34 PM
Yeah sorry you did not easily find a sleeping spot, but glad it worked out. We ended up having empty beds, and spots in double beds, both nights. The first night the sofa bed was empty and the second night Sean abandoned a top bunk to escape some world record snoring.


I figured something would be open at some point, but I got there so late it wasn't as easy to deal with as an empty floor spot! I brought a sleeping bag in preperation, I know how things don't always go as planned. It ended up making easier overall since I was SirFuego's passenger anyway, I was just talking shit because it's what I do :mrgreen:

slim616
02-23-2010, 11:44 PM
We should really take some of these great ideas you all have and get them in order now for this years GSSE so we can make it run alot smoother then last year.s I have a feeling that this years turn out will be a little larger then last years.

OverkillZJ
02-23-2010, 11:53 PM
I'll help where I can as far as "infront of computer" goes - I live online in my office for 30 hours of my 50 hour work weeks, so I'll help where I can there. I certainly intend to be there considering I have another ZJ to beat up ;)

ATL ZJ
02-24-2010, 12:20 AM
We should really take some of these great ideas you all have and get them in order now for this years GSSE so we can make it run alot smoother then last year.s I have a feeling that this years turn out will be a little larger then last years.

Good thinking. We will probably take several weeks and then really get busy planning for August. Not sure what all the changes will need to be, but one increasing future need as the event grows will be the need for volunteers, so anybody who wants to get involved, there may be more opportunity now!

scott
02-24-2010, 03:53 AM
I think the event went well, drivers meeting sounds like a good idea, i am all for having a traveling event, golden mountain would be sweet, but it is more catered to hard core rigs, like locked front and rear, (which i am fine with) but they have an awesome bunkhouse that has 5 or 6 rooms that each have their own shower and fridge and sleeps 4 people. Any other place sounds good to me also, new places to ride are awesome.


O and i would gladly go on a pre-trip ride :)

jdconti9484
02-24-2010, 08:58 AM
I like the idea of moving to different places too. That was the main thing that attracted me to make the trip to GSSE last year, I like to see and wheel at different places. But since all of us from up north are making the trip south for GSSE I think that you guess from down south need to make thr trip to GSE this year.

And I know I'm in the wrong Forum but we should have a GSE-W too!!!!!!!!!!!

slim616
02-24-2010, 09:24 AM
And I know I'm in the wrong Forum but we should have a GSE-W too!!!!!!!!!!!

me and sudz had talked about getting a group together from the east to head out that way a little latter in the year. I just haven't got around to making a thread for it yet.

jdconti9484
02-24-2010, 09:30 AM
Well if you do count me in.

rstrucks
02-24-2010, 10:55 AM
I think a drviers meeting would be the single most effective thing that could be done to improve the event. At track events they are mandatory and it really gets everyone on the same page. Now obvioiusly this is not as serious of an event but just getting everyone together dividing up into groups and meeting everyone at once would be nice.